KAWASAKI KZ440-DI B EIT DRIV E Specials, Customs, iting factor with many current bumped-up Ignition defies glamour and unrepaira L-models and various models. Kawasaki’s figures show an in ble complexity by triggering itself with choppers in elevator crease of 4 bhp and 2.1 Ib.-ft. of torque at breaker points. One coil is fired by a single shoes have been with 8500 and 7000 rpm respectively over the set of points at the crankshaft. Both plugs us for some time now, smaller engine, and this with compression fire each revolution, with a waste spark at and continue to do knocked down from 9.5:1 to 9.2:1 on the the top of every exhaust stroke. Points are very well in the mar 440. The increase in performance can be simple to gap and allow timing to be set ketplace. Some peo easily felt on the road and measured at the easily and accurately. This traditional ig ple like them and drag strip. The 440 is almost a second nition setup fits right in with a some don’t, but quicker and 7 mph faster through the that also allows its owner to adjust his own everyone has had a chance to make up his quarter mile than the last KZ400 we valves with nothing more than a feeler mind. The buyer who approaches the Ka tested. gauge, wrench and screwdriver. wasaki 440 LTD on the showroom floor Kawasaki makes two other models of Speaking of maintenance, the drive won’t need any help deciding if it looks the KZ440; the Bl, a stripper model with KZ introduces a new tool to the plastic like something he wants. wire wheels, no centerstand, front drum bag of leaden-colored potmetal under the Style scrutinized and accepted, func brake, and traditional Ka seat. It’s a small cylinder, about the size of tion is the only other thing that matters. wasaki styling; and the A1 LTD, nearly a screwdriver handle, with a spring-loaded The motorcycle has to work right and identical to the D1 but with chain drive. plunger rod sticking out the top, like a provide enjoyable riding for the owner. LTD in the title indicates the is child’s toy dagger with a retractable Kawasaki's new medium weight Twin equipped with a plump-hand-of-luxury blade. Placed between the drive belt and does both of those things, though not with double stepped seat, teardrop tank, fat 16 swing arm, the rod compresses into the out flaw, and includes belt drive as a tech in. rear tire, cast aluminum wheels, front handle. If belt tension is correct, a section nological bonus. disc, and handlebars that look like a jump of rod between two engraved marks will That's right, belt drive. We now have a rope frozen by photography. line up with the handle top. Only takes a third contender in the chain vs. shaft com In addition to larger pistons the 440 en second. No more flexing the drive chain in petition. Like the new Harley Sturgis, the gine features the same Hy-Vo type cam mid-air and trying to eyeball imaginary KZ440 LTD, subtype D1, comes from the chain now used in the KZ750/4. Longer fractions of an inch from the side. A neat factory with final drive via G ates Rubber service life and less gnashing and clanking tool, but if the belt needs adjustment infre Comany’s patented Polychain toothed from the internals are behind the switch quently as claimed it won’t see much use. drive belt. The belt is a synthetic com from single-row , and a new The belt is supposed to stretch about 0.5 posite of Kevlar tensile cords faced with tensioner is used. The tensioner is a spring percent in its life, needing only one or two nylon teeth that ride in wide aluminum and ratcheting rod affair, again like that adjustments, vs. an average of six for a . Among the belt’s advertised ad used on the 750. It bolts to the front of the roller chain. vantages are its 8000 lb. tensile strength, engine and has a lock screw to restrain the Kawasaki won’t commit themselves to a its refusal to slip even when wet or oil- tension rod if the cam chain is slackened mileage figure for the belt, saying only soaked, infrequent adjustment, quietness, for upper end work. A single overhead that it will last “as long or longer” than a long life, and best of all, a willingness to cam turns under caps directly on the alu good quality chain used under the same spend its entire life without lubrication. minum cylinder head without benefit of conditions. At our local Kawasaki dealer Toothed drive belts are not that new; separate bearings. The cam operates two cost of a new belt is $45; or $9.57 more they’ve been around for years driving valves per cylinder with rocker arms and than their retail price on the factory re overhead camshafts on cars and bikes, shafts fixed in the valve cover. Oil reaches placement chain for the other two 440 water pumps on Formula Fords, motorcy the upper end through an external oil line models. Not a prohibitive difference if you cle dynamometers, and the rear wheels of complete with banjo fittings and protrud like the idea of belt drive. drag bikes. Aftermarket suppliers have ing oil pressure warning switch—a feature A belt change on the 440 demands re been selling Harley belt drive conversion to warm the hearts of British buffs who moval of the rear wheel, swing arm shaft, kits for some time. But this is the first year have a fondness for exposed, self-explana one bottom shock bolt and the coun we’ve had new factory models released tory parts. Always nice to see which pieces tershaft cover. That cover also with belt drive. Of Kawasaki’s three do what. houses the release mechanism, KZ440 models only the LTD D1 is belted, Bottom end is virtually unchanged ex which is a ball-and-ramp unit that pushes so the factory has found a safe spot in their cept for the new chain sprocket on the the clutch release rod. The rod must be 1980 lineup to test the waters of commer crank. Stroke is 62mm, same as the slid out of the case to remove the belt from cial acceptance. Dealers tell us that, so far, KZ400; rods, gears and clutch parts are the countershaft sprocket. This all sounds those waters are more than just lukewarm. all interchangeable with the earlier model. more complicated than it is. It’s a matter People are interested. The engine retains its two chain-driven of some easy bolt removal and 15 or 20 Beneath the new styling and belt drive, counterweights to cancel out the vertical min. of basic wrenching. Takes longer the 440 is essentially the trusty old KZ400 and horizontal shakes that come free with than installing a chain with a master link, with bigger pistons and improved cam every 360° vertical Twin. They do their but is essentially the same job as replacing chain. A 3.5mm overbore has raised the job well. The engine idles smoothly, once an endless chain. Side benefits come in the 398ccs of the 400 to 443cc. A slightly odd warm, and produces no unseemly jittering form of cleaner hands and no greasy displacement perhaps, but it probably rep or vibration at any road speed. For an en sprocket imprint on the leg of your most resents the largest practical bore increase gine full of chains (primary drive is by Hy- faded blue jeans. allowed by the KZ400 cylinder barrels Vo) it is also quiet; no spoon-down-Insin- The belt is clean and dry to handle com and the strength of the bottom end, a lim kerator clatter at idle. pared with a chain, and has no spare lubri- 54/CY CLE W O RLD Photos by John Ulrich and Peter Egan A Black Belt for the Final Drive, a Black Eye for the C arbs and a Gold Star for Handling. cant to throw all over your rear wheel, you come out again. This sort of cold- Steering was light and precise, allowing luggage or the back of your jacket, so stumble behavior is unfortunate in any easy mid-corner line changes around dead cleanup chores are simplified. Add that to bike, but especially so for a light or mid armadillos and at least one Corvette with reduced unspring weight and notable re size machine because its quick-errand ad serious understeer. Heeled over to the duction of noise and drive-train slop, and vantage is badly compromised. For any pegs, which provide good ground clear we can’t find much bad to say about belt short run, it makes taking the car seem ance, the KZ handled fast sweepers with drive. like a better idea. Five or 10 min. on full commendable calm. The strong midrange Wish we could say the same for the choke knocks the whim out of riding. pulled well out of corners and enabled the carbs. Two 36mm Keihin C Vs. Once again At least with the 440 your great pa 440 to negotiate the twisties on almost ihe E PA has played a game of Stump the tience is rewarded. Once warm it runs just equal footing with a hard ridden KZ650. Manufacturer and won. The KZ440 chal fine. It takes off briskly from stoplights The 650 had more power but required lenges our other recent test bike, the and accelerates through the gears without hanging off and other theatrics to corner Suzuki G S450S, as the cold-blooded mo a flat spot anywhere. A nice strong mid at 440 speed and angle of lean; not an easy torcycle of the year. range, which begins just under 4000 rpm, thing to do with a very alert (not fright This is a bike you’ll want to start in the provides plenty of power right where you ened) passenger on the back. No acrobat morning and leave running at fast idle need it and makes the bike a delight to ride ics were necessary with the 440. An while you go back into the house to read through traffic or up the nearest bent road. exemplary case in point for those who like the paper and have a cup of coffee. Maybe That last part of the KZ’s temperament narrow Twins. two cups of coffee. And some eggs, not too was its most unexpected virtue. We took it Low seating on the LTD contributes to easy over, with a side order of grits and on a weekend trip through the mountains, its cornering stability and easy handling. bacon. If you read and eat slowly, the KZ two up, and found to our surprise that the Unfortunately the seat ends in a 5-in. step will be nearly warm enough to ride when 440 was a competent canyon performer. up to the passenger portion, so no fore and >

AU G UST 1980/55 aft rider movement is possible. You sit tion ratio of 2.72:1 rather than the 3.00:1 gine off, unlike most bikes with a neutral down on the bike and that’s where you'll on the chain drive model. This slightly finder. A good thing, because when the remain until you get off, backache or no. higher gearing makes the belted LTD a battery runs down there is no kick starter, As cruisin’ style go, however, relatively serene cruiser on the open road. and 2nd gear is best for bump starts. the LTD offers better than average com Counterbalancing and the less frequent fi Out on the open road we were fre fort. The bucko bars terminate at a fairly ring pulses of the Twin (vs. Four) enhance quently surprised to find a leftover gear natural wrist position and the footpegs are the feeling. The Kawasaki also projects a while upshifting; a nice change after some not absurdly far forward. The seat, which slightly different exhaust note and engine of the more buzzy Fours which leave you Kawasaki advertises as “dual-density resonance than the other Japanese mid stabbing for another cog that isn’t there. foam rubber,” does its job well enough so size Twins; it produces a rumbling rather The D1 is geared better for road riding you don’t notice it’s there. Absence of pain than a whirring sound, giving it just a hint than it is for the killer quarter mile. is a high accolade in the world of motorcy of Big Bike ambiance. Which is why it’s the slowest of the 400 cle seats. Shift lever action is succinct and posi to 450cc road bikes we’ve tested. The Our passengers reported a similar com tive, and we have to give Kawasaki a gold Honda C B400T Hawk and the Yamaha fort level, but complained that the novelty star for leaving off the dreaded starter/ XS400F arc both marginally quicker in of good forward vision from the grand clutch interlock. You can start the 440 and the quarter mile, though the KZ is about 2 ! stand rear seat wore off as wind fatigue operate the choke (which certainly needs mph faster, at 88.06 mph, than the Ya and howling helmet noise set in. One of to be operated) using only two hands. The maha. The Suzuki G S450S is a second our test riders, an older person, also men six-speed transmission has a positive neu quicker and 6 mph faster through the tioned that the footpegs were too close to tral finder to keep you from kicking back traps. All those bikes are geared lower, the low seat and caused a cramping of the and forth between 1st and 2nd in diligent however, and consequently cruise at legs, though no one else noticed the search of a green dash light. On our test higher rpm in top gear. Both chain driven problem. bike it was possible, with a little fiddling, models of the 440 are likely to be quicker, The belt drive LTD uses a final reduc to shift from neutral to 2nd with the en but judging the 440 LTD on its drag strip

Tool kit stows nearly under bottom of seat, along with usual collection of info and warning stickers.

The 400 becomes a 440, with bigger pistons, Spring-loaded tool is provided to check belt ten larger and leaner carbs, improved cam chain and sion. Tool fits between belt and swing arm, com automatic tensioner. presses rod to area between engraved lines when tension is correct.

Kevlar and nylon runs on aluminum rear sprocket supported by steel spokes and side plates.

Countershaft sprocket is a tight fit behind clutch release rod. Belt drive parts are directly inter Hy-Vo style cam chain replaces roller chain used Drilled front was strong, positive, changeable with roller chain and sprockets on on KZ400. Stamped steel dish under right cam helped KZ440 stop in record distance. non-belted 440 models. lobes retains oil when bike is on side stand.

56/CY CLE W O RLD times is a little misleading. We’ve tested a 60.5 mpg flogging the bike two-up on a ability. Warmup is a hassle the owner is couple of bikes this year whose all-or- long climb through the mountains. The going to have to face every time he takes a nothing carburetion and high power band 3.2 gal. tank is not overly large in this era ride, and after a while it’s going to get old. have made them fast, but unpleasant to of the closed gas pump. A pity, because the Kawasaki, of all manufacturers, has gen ride in traffic. The 440, in keeping with its teardrop tank could probably stand en erally done the best work meeting emis marketing profile, provides a strong, more larging without damage to its clean lines. sion laws and retaining good rideability. laid-back midrange and power where you The tank gives you 156 miles before stum The KZ550, 650, 750, 1000 and 1300 are need it. bling over reserve and another 54 after all much better than the 440, so Kawasaki Brakes on the 440 are predictable and that. The more traditional B1 model of the knows how to make good running bikes. hard-stopping. In fact they hauled the 440 has a 3.7 gal. tank, which is no giant Perhaps if the KZ440 used Kawasaki’s air bike down from 60 mph faster than any but adds another 33 miles in range. The suction emission system the carb jetting thing in class, the 129 ft. stop nipping 2 ft. B1 is also 22 lb. lighter than the LTD, could be richer and the warmup would be off the late Yamaha RD400’s old record. which should give mileage another boost, quicker. Not bad for a single disc and rear drum. or at least allow for a larger, better-fed Beyond that, the 440 grew on us, its The 440 weighed in at 390 lb. with half a passenger. function outweighing the style. After rid tank of fuel, which makes it exactly the Overall, the 440 works pretty well. The ing sport bikes that don't handle as well as same weight as the Yamaha XS400F and belt drive seems like a good idea, and the the 440, cruisers that aren't as comfort the 1968 Triumph 650 Bonneville (as long local dealer tells us he has more orders for able as the 440, big bikes that can’t carry as we’re talking vertical Twins), 8 lb. this model than he can fill. What the bike two people as easily as the 440 and small lighter than the 400 Hawk and a full 32 lb. does not do well, of course, is warm up and bikes that use more gas than the 440, it's less than the Suzuki G S450S. run without reminding the owner that life hard not to like the small Kawasaki. In Relative lightness, as well as lean jet is slipping by, summer is short, and youth spite of the carburetion. SI ting, did no harm to the KZ’s mileage. We is ephemeral. It takes too long; a problem got 66.4 mpg on our normal test loop and which hovers on the un side of accept

AU G UST 1980/57 KAWASAKI KZ4A O-DI B ELT DRIV E

A C C ELE RATION P ER F O RMAN C E List price Standing %-mile 14.62 sec. Engine sohc Twin @ 88.06 mph

Bore x stroke .... 67.5 x 62.0mm 150.—i---- 1—| , 1 r 1----- 1----- 1----- 1------1----- 1----- 1----- 1----- 13000 Top speed in '/2-mile 98 mph Disolacement 443cc Fuel consumption 66.4 mpg Compression ratio 9.2:1 Range C arburetion (2)Keihin36mm (to reserve tank) 156 mi. C V Acceleration: Air filter oiled foam 125 2500 Ignition...... battery, pbints Claimed power 40 bhp 0-50 mph @ 8500 rpm 0-60 mph 6.5 sec. Claimed torque ...... 26 Ib.-ft. 0-70 mph...... 8.8 sec. @ 7000 rpm 100 2000 0-80 mph 11.2 sec. Lubrication wet sump 0-90 mph ...... 15.1 sec. Oil capacity 3.1 qt. Top gear acceleration: Fuel capacity 3.2 gal. Starter electric 40-60 mph 7.29 sec. Electrical power 12 v 60-80 mph ..... 11.66 sec. 1500 Battery 12v12ah Maximum speed in gears: Headlight...... 50/35w 1st 40 mph Primary drive Hy-Vo chain 2nd...... 58 mph Clutch multi-disc wet 3rd 76 mph Final drive Polychain drive belt 4th 91 mph G ear ratios, overall:1 5th 105 mph 6th ...... 5.81 6th ...... 115 mph 5th 6.35 Speedometer error: 4th 7.27 30 mph indicated 28.66 mph 3rd 8.74 60 mph indicated 59.48 mph 2nd 11.62 Braking distance: 1st 16.86 from 30 mph 28 ft. Suspension: from 60 mph 129 ft. Front telescopic fork Engine speed at travel 5 in. 60 mph ...... 4696 rpm Rear swing arm travel 3.5 in. Tires: Front 3.25S-19 Yokohama Rear 130/90-16 Yokohama Brakes: Front...... 10.8-in. disc Rear 7.2-in. swept area 114.5 sq. in. Brake loading (160-lb. rider...... 4.8 Ib./sq.in. Wheelbase 54.7 in. Rake/Trail 27.5°/4.4 in. Handlebar width 28 in. Seat height 29 in. Seat width 10.5 in. Footpeg height ...... 12 in. Ground clearance 6 in. Test weight (w/half-tank fuel) 390 lb. Weight bias, front/rear, percent 47/53 G VRW ...... 745 lb. Load capacity ...... 355 lb.

58/C YCLE W O RLD