KZ440 My first attempt

[PeanutHead]

It took me 2 nights (~8 actual working hours) to get all the wires run to the lights on the fender.

I really like how its looking. I do have a small problem though. The turn signal/brake lights are LEDs. The running light function works when I test them individually and together but not when the center/main taillight is plugged in. The brake lights (all 3) light up together. Do i need to add a load equalizer?

[Hatchet54]

Can't answer your question, but I'm loving how that light turned out! Your whole rear fender has got me thinking about a redux on my 750.

[PeanutHead]

Can't answer your question, but I'm loving how that light turned out! Your whole rear fender has got me thinking about a redux on my 750.

Thanks for the compliment dude. I'm glad I could give ya some inspiration too. The fender is off a Honda Rebel and I have another one that's a little hacked up if ya want it for whatever it costs to ship.

Tonight, I feel so fucking stoked! I finished running the turn signal wires from the switch to the rear lights and ran wires to the front brake switch. Haven't decided if I wanna run a rear brake switch or not. But, it works! I'll post a link to my Instagram account so you can see ALL the pretty lights work.

[PeanutHead]

https://www.instagram.com/p/CDSypCdh...=1trfjcrjwaxqd
Here's 2 videos and pics.
Just made my account public so anyone who whats to can check out the videos I posted.

[PeanutHead]

https://www.instagram.com/p/CDVil3ah...=1r6u4uj27m0fq
It's alive!!!!!!!!! This is the first time in 8 years since I've heard her crank! I don't have any fuel line so she wasn't able to run last night. Today I have to run errands (quarantine is over and all of us are covid negative) so I'll be grabbing some along with some other things.

[PeanutHead]

https://www.instagram.com/p/CDX4roHh...=1aryk2dxxpu1j

I runs!!!!!!!!!! After 8 years of just sitting, fuck yeah!!! I'm so happy right now!

A few issues, yes. The idle is WAY to high. The RT cyl (#2) is leaking from the bowl. And the fuel line needs to be fixed.
Oh, does anyone know who makes custom speedo & tach cables? None of the ones i have are long enough.

[jroland]

Good to hear you all came out of quarantine, scary shit man. Awesome work on the bike, seeing someone else working on a kz has kicked me in the ass to get mine finished. I don't know of anyone that makes cables, maybe there's a way to make your own like throttle cables? Probably a pain because they are driven, not just push/pull. Are you still running the stock CV carbs? I had float bowl leaks as well, those gasket were very finicky. Swapped to vm30's anyway, no more problems and snappy now.

[PeanutHead]

I did a quick search last night and it looks like there are lots to make my own cables. Yeah, i have the stock CV carbs. I'm want to fix them before I spend more money. And if I do go that route, I might to a single carb swap.

[patmacinnis]

did you have to narrow that rear fender or did it fit the frame as it was?

[PeanutHead]

I didn't narrow it because it's sitting just below the frame rails. It does give the illusion that it is in the frame.

[patmacinnis]

Right, I see it now. Looks good! Might have to swap my trailer fender for one.

[PeanutHead]

Right, I see it now. Looks good! Might have to swap my trailer fender for one.

I wish I knew what year Rebel it came off to help more. I love the way these fenders look on Harleys so I was happy to find the rebel fender and make it work.

So I took the carbs off to try and figure out WTF is wrong. I think there was some crap stuck in the needle seat. Well, I hope. I'm gonna check the Petcock too to see if that isn't messed up. But, if it is, wouldn't both carbs be leaking from the nipples? Oh, and i foud this on the NON-leanking carb.

[PeanutHead]

Cleaning the right carb seemed to fix the leak from the nipple. But because of the smashed gasket on the left carb I have a very tiny leak. Found one on Amazon for $9 and will be here tomorrow. Now the hard part is trying to find air box boots that won't take 6 months to arrive.
I tossed on the Honda shadow Phantom seat I had to see how it would look. And I was suprised that ot looks like I don't nees to do much to get it mounted.

And I'm convinced that my neighbor hates motorcycles. She was giving me the Karen stare out her window when my son came out and wanted to hear Rusty run.

[PeanutHead]

So here's a current list of stuff I need to finish before she's 100% finished. Starting from the top down tonight. I think I'm gonna skip painting and wrapping the exhaust and polish it all instead.

[PeanutHead]

Tonight I started the body work on the tank.

[PeanutHead]

Finished sanding down all the bondo on the tank and laid down some primer. Hoping to give the tank a light sanding and second cost of primer tonight.

[PeanutHead]

Well, the primer lifted on the entire left side of the tank. Had to sand that all off and reshoot it. This time the primer laid down a lot smoother. Side covers were primed and painted. I think I'll have to sand and paint one of them again (I think there was a ruin in the paint). Body work was done on the fairing too. While I have it off, I'm going to try and figure out a better more sturdy mount for the headlight.

AND LASTLY (for tonight that is) I have to make, yet again, another cluster. As bad as I wanna run the Suzuki dual gauge, it seems like too much of a pain in my ass to make custom speedo and tach cables. I think I'm gonna use my phone as the speedo until I find a guage I like and that will work.

[slabman]

Most Jap bikes of that era run Nippon Denso instruments and most of their cables vary only in length. Therefore if you need a longer cable there is a fair chance something off a trail bike or big roadie will help. I'm told they can be cut down in length but I think that would be an interesting exercise.

[PeanutHead]

Most Jap bikes of that era run Nippon Denso instruments and most of their cables vary only in length. Therefore if you need a longer cable there is a fair chance something off a trail bike or big roadie will help. I'm told they can be cut down in length but I think that would be an interesting exercise.

Yeah, I've switched gauges before (between a Suzuki gs650 & gs850) but this is the first time trying to put a Suzuki gauge on a Kawi AND having the gauge sit in a different spot. I'll keep racking my brain and see what I come up with.

[PeanutHead]

Got some paint on the tank. Gonna lay down a second coat later. Not too bad for a rattle can job.