Kawasaki KZ440LTD
Thu, February 11th, 2010
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| 1980–84 Kawasaki KZ440LTD | |
|---|---|
| Performance |    |
| When the Kawasaki 400 twin got a 40cc overbore for 1980, power rose from 36 to 40 HP, but the engine still was slower than the competition and felt anemic at higher revs. | |
| Handling | |
| The standard KZ440 was not exactly a corner carver, and the LTD version was marginally worse. | |
| Looks | |
| The 400/440 LTD was only a year old when I got into bikes, and it was one of the first bikes I was attracted to. Because of that, I still have a fondness for the look, especially in comparison to some of today's silly cruisers. | |
| Reliability | |
| The KZ440 motor and chassis were reliable and could withstand sloppy maintenance, but they were not designed to last forever; most eventually wore out with an unremarkable number of miles on them. | |
| Practicality | |
| What was an otherwise good around-town commuter was hampered by the LTD version's uncomfortable stepped seat and pullback bars. | |
| Desirability | |
| Nowadays, the KZ440LTD is a bike most likely to to be ridden by the weird guy who plays guitar on the street corner outside Starbucks. Is there a bike with less street cred? | |
| Overall | |
|---|---|
| The KZ440LTD is a sentimental favorite of mine. But it is otherwise nothing special. | |
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