This part is written by the owner of the bike (Rock) about getting it to me
On a dark and rainy night in Toledo, OH. Hedderpipe was watching Rock about to plunk down $1500 for a 1988 Ducati Paso and the beginning of a potential logistical headache getting the Dec to NJ when the words heard around the world were uttered. "I'll sell you my old KZ for $150"
Whipping my head around so fast that the sound barrier and the speed of light was broken for a nanosecond, the space time continuum was broken : cats started fucking dogs, neo-cons and liberals were tongue kissing in the streets, club hellfire started hosting Catholic Mass, Stormfront.org had talmud lectures and then as instantly as it started it stopped and I said "are you serious?"
Hedderpipe said yep and when we finish this paper work lets go to my place and check it out. So 20min later we were tear assing down quiet neighborhood Toledo and arrived at the Hedderpipe residence. Next to the shed under a tarp there she was, a 1975 KZ400S. For a brief second she looked like my CB360 from college, I shook the rain out of my eyes and the CB nostalgia was gone with with the rain. He rolled the bike out, said she needed cables, a battery and gas. I said sold.
We sealed the deal at a local dive called 6-pack with a burger and a beer.
2 days later I went to POC scooter shop and picked up a battery. With fresh gas, a fresh battery and 3 kicks she ran!!!!
Between work lack of parts and life in general she sat UNTIL Friday.
and her adventure began
Hedderpipe and I met up in PA and traded off the bike
Then we got the bike into its Element
Now the KZ400S is in the Secret Lab of FBR as his evil plans unhatch......
Part Two:
Here are the before pictures, it didn't take me long before the wrenches started spinning (G-Man went inside to start the coffee pot, and when he got back there was a pile of parts next to the bike).
Part Three:
Ok, so here is an update on this beast. After making plans for the bike when it was delivered, it took a good week or two to start real work due to other projects. The silly looking stock bars have been stripped off to give way to an upside down MX bar (thanks Cisco, this is the one you brought out to me at Summit Point in 2005). Originally we were going to ditch the rear fender and run a fastbackish tail section off of a later KZ440, but alas after more mock up work was completed it didn't look like a worth while venture. So the paint scheme was changed from a dark battleship gray color all around to stock paint on the tank and the side covers will be getting painted such an evil shade of flat black that small children will need to stay at least 5 yards back less the sandman takes them on the spot. The chrome on the fenders cleaned up really well, I'm kinda shocked to be honest. So the plan (this can change on a whim) is do bob the rear fender (kinda bummed it has a neat kick out at the end of it) the cat eye tail light that was on G-Man's bike will be going on the back, turn signal style is still being sorted at the moment, the big crash bar is going to stay per Rock, it kinda works in an old BMW sort of way. There is also all the wear and tear stuff to do, tires, cables Anyways now for the porn...
Front fender
Rear Fender
The side cover after a coat of paint, still needs a few more.
The front
The ass end
Side rear
Part Four:
Well with G-Man's bike done (well till the new head gasket gets here but thats another story) I can get cracking more on this fine KZ. The "new" cateye taillight has been mounted and the rear fender has been bobbed. After the tank, airbox, carbs, exhaust, and crash bar were pulled to be cleaned up and to get them out of the way for the rest of the cleaning up since the bike received a nice coating of road salt when it was brought up to me.
Cateye with the fender still stock.
After the chop.
Less the tank, airbox, and carbs.
Stripped down waiting for me to finish getting the salt and crap off.
Part Five:
Here is the progress so far this week. I broke out the Mothers Alum. polish to clean up the chrome and alum. since the bike received a nice coating of road salt on the way to me. I was really shocked on how well the rims and brake backing plates cleaned up. Anyways here are the pictures.
I almost forgot to take a before picture, the shinny spot was about 5 minutes.
Not to shabby...
All done.
The rear rim.
Rear end put back together.
Front brake backing plate before.
And after.
Another angle.
Front brake mounting brace before.
After.
Front wheel before.
After.
Part Six:
Long weekend and parts on my door step so here is an update. Fork rebuild, sexy new tires spooned on (only popped one tube), the brakes were cleaned up a bit, exhaust was remounted, and that is about it I guess.
The goodies, Rock is destroying the resale by getting rid of the stock tires.
Hanging from the rafters, I did put an ammo can under the motor afterwards...
Damn fork seals did not want to play nice...
A screwdriver died to remove this...
Since I forgot to check the mail for the manuals Rock sent up to me, I kinda broke a bolt "Making sure it was good 'n tight". I did get the broken chunk out with tiny pliers and the angle grinder.
Sexy new BattleAxe, but I'm a dumb ass and it is on backwards...
All fixed and mounted with that shinny fender.
The rear tire all mounted up.
Part Seven:
Well so far this week I've put the carbs back together, mounted them back to the motor, stuffed the damn airbox back in, started to mount the turn signals and put one side cover back together.
Carbs and airbox back in...
The mess that lives under every headlight, ohh and turnsignals are mounted too...
Side cover all black evil and sex...
Ohh look at this intake action, yeap it goes nowhere...
Part Eight:
Well pretty much done, still need to do the brakes and figure out why she will not start now, but done otherwise. The crash bar will go back on before Rock picks it up, but its takes up too much extra space and right now I have way to many bikes stuffed into the shed. Anyways for the pictures...
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