If you read the letter below I hope some of you can help ASAP
there not really my thing so some input from all you experts would be more than welcome
Separate info on the S3/S3A could possibly also be of interest?
Hi Malcolm
Thanks for your help re the KH400 story I'm doing for Motorcycle Sport & Leisure.
As mentioned I do a few paras at the end of these stories with the heading "What to look out for". It covers what tends to go wrong with them, how important originality is, spares availability, that type of thing. Also whether they're a good buy compared to other Kawa triples, or to rivals eg RD400. (Though guess you're biased!)
The other section is "What It's Worth". Ideally I'd give three figures, for mint, good runner and scruffy runner. If there's something like colour or model year that affects the price, that's worth mentioning. Also possibly a comment on how non-stardard bits such as expansion chambers would affect the value, though I'm not sure that'd often be an issue with the KH.
For me the main problems with my KH400 have been,
Low speed charge coil,rewound it.
Original rectifier & regulator,replace wth modern unit.
Finding a good rear fender.
finding nos rubber engine mounts (that took a year).
Any other info you need ask Simon (g6mow)
Last edited by BIG H on Fri Mar 21, 2014 11:20 am, edited 1 time in total.
Put your rattle back in the pram Malc. it's only been a few hours and we all appreciate you really
"What to look out for".
1. If the exhausts aren't good don't pay top money they are difficult/impossible to repair, hard to find in decent condition and very expensive. When you do find some, they will cost pretty much the same as H2 exhausts
2. Ignition probs have already been covered by others
3. mint £4500-6000, good runner £2500 to 3000, scruffy runner £2000-3000 Project £1500 up
4. KH400 and S3's are less common than the RD's and therefore have more cachet, but they are dearer to buy and parts are a bit more expensive. KH's seem to be more desirable except in anorak circles as the S3's aren't really well know as so few were sold here
5. Non standard items such as chambers and headlamp brackets will reduce both the price and desirability of the bikes in line with all Jap classics
6. It is a cliche but they really are the best of the triples, the performance is much nearer to a 500 than to a 250 and the S /KH chassis is a very good performer
Just seen this, not really an expert but agree with rectifier issues as nearly burned out Donnington when mine caught fire (Thanks to S2 Gerald no harm done) Parts like throttle cables (decent ones) hard to come by but seem to be plentiful in the states So far has been pretty reliable in the 2-3000 miles I've done on her. Mines not mint just there to be enjoyed. As to sell on prices it depends what people want, I don't do standard but guess to the Gods this is sacralidge and prices are less, but then if you don't pay top dollar you can't expect top returns
Well as I own a KH400A3 and am attempting to build an S3A and with my good friend Keith building an S3, we have been discovering all the good and bad points of the 400, plus the differences, if original specification is your thing.
As ever, everyone has their favourite model and colour. If we stick with the original UK market KH400, the A4 is the better choice for colour (green or purple) with the A3 being second choice being in two unpopular colours. Personally, I like the murky green as I had a KH250 in that colour when I was 18; the orange (brown!) one is the least desirable (I have one, so I know), but that makes it a bargain 400. Mine needs some work on the engine, but I have to say, it is a thoroughly enjoyable and comfortable bike to ride if not as "exciting" as it's predecessor, the S2 and probably the RD400 (not that I've ever ridden one).
I agree with comments so far and Malcolm's prices are pretty good too. I had the low-speed coil failure, replacing mine with a new one (I found a source of new (not pattern) coils which is cheaper than rewinding, but still not cheap). The other problem with the 400 is that, as there were a series of models over a number of years, bitsas are common. I recently saw what looked like a tidy, unrestored S3A, but after a little while looking at it, it became obvious that someone had replaced the engine with one from a KH400; fortunately, they'd done a half-decent job, swapping the whole ignition system, strapping the CDI box to the frame due to the lack of lugs on the S3A frame and even swapping the RH switchgear. I pointed out all the faults to the owner before leaving quickly afterwards before he punched me in the face!!
My favourite is the S3A in red (if you paint it like an H2C red) as it's the most powerful (if you believe the figures) and refined 400 before they went and strangled it. Presumably the KH400 can be rejetted and the airbox opened up to zing it up a bit.
In fact, I remember some years ago when we all went down to the dyno at the Southern rally that Gary C used to run at The Gate near Wendover. It was the year Roger Ramm put his recently built Damien 666 on it (I could barely watch as they thrashed it!). But what I also remember is Ally (monkeyboy) putting his standard KH400 on the dyno and it registered 38 bhp at the back wheel. This is the quoted figure for power compared to 42 bhp for the S3/S3A, so I did wonder if Kawasaki just changed the quoted figure to make it look like they'd detuned it for the US market!!!
Me too. Its good learning for me. How the bloody hell you lot can commit all this stuff to memory is beyond belief. Gerald, I would have got stung on that bike with the engine swap. How the hell did you know the R H switch gear had been changed. Great reading chaps. Cant wait to bring my KH400 to a rally and watch you bunch of bastads pull it apart
Between you I reckon you can de value it by £1500 in about 2 minutes flat
if you wish to quote me, that's fine. But please use the quote button provided, not a variation of my words.
Me too. Its good learning for me. How the bloody hell you lot can commit all this stuff to memory is beyond belief. Gerald, I would have got stung on that bike with the engine swap. How the hell did you know the R H switch gear had been changed. Great reading chaps. Cant wait to bring my KH400 to a rally and watch you bunch of bastads pull it apart
Between you I reckon you can de value it by £1500 in about 2 minutes flat
have you got 2 then Rog?.....i thought you only had an S4
Me too. Its good learning for me. How the bloody hell you lot can commit all this stuff to memory is beyond belief. Gerald, I would have got stung on that bike with the engine swap. How the hell did you know the R H switch gear had been changed. Great reading chaps. Cant wait to bring my KH400 to a rally and watch you bunch of bastads pull it apart
Between you I reckon you can de value it by £1500 in about 2 minutes flat
have you got 2 then Rog?.....i thought you only had an S4
I only have to change the grab rail over and claim I also have a KH400
if you wish to quote me, that's fine. But please use the quote button provided, not a variation of my words.
Me too. Its good learning for me. How the bloody hell you lot can commit all this stuff to memory is beyond belief. Gerald, I would have got stung on that bike with the engine swap. How the hell did you know the R H switch gear had been changed. Great reading chaps. Cant wait to bring my KH400 to a rally and watch you bunch of bastads pull it apart
Between you I reckon you can de value it by £1500 in about 2 minutes flat
Are well! I had to think for a minute on the switchgear now you question me! If it had been a KH400 engine swapped into a KH250, then the RH switchcases look the the same, so I would have had to get the switch apart to check the wiring on the kill switch. However as it was a KH400 engine in an S3A, the engine kill switch is different between the the S3A and KH400, so it's easy to spot. Actually, there's a third switch-type on the S3, but I've only seen that on US models, but again, can be identified externally.
