Auto123: Unveiling the Secrets of the Kawasaki KH400: A Legacy Unleashed

The Kawasaki KH400 is a classic two-stroke motorcycle that was produced from 1975 to 1981. It was powered by a 398 cc air-cooled twin-cylinder engine and was known for its lightweight and nimble handling. The KH400 was a popular choice for both street and track riders, and it remains a sought-after classic motorcycle today.

The KH400 was one of the first motorcycles to feature a disc brake on the front wheel, and it was also one of the first to use a monoshock rear suspension. These features gave the KH400 excellent braking and handling, and helped to make it a competitive motorcycle on the track. The KH400 was also relatively affordable, which made it a popular choice for riders on a budget.

The Kawasaki KH400 is a significant motorcycle in the history of motorcycling. It was one of the first motorcycles to combine high performance with affordability, and it helped to popularize the two-stroke engine. The KH400 is still a popular choice for classic motorcycle enthusiasts today, and it remains a testament to the engineering prowess of Kawasaki.

Kawasaki KH400

The Kawasaki KH400 is a classic motorcycle that was produced from 1975 to 1981. It was known for its lightweight, nimble handling, and powerful engine. Here are eight key aspects of the Kawasaki KH400:

Lightweight: The KH400 weighed just 350 pounds, making it one of the lightest motorcycles of its time.
Nimble: The KH400's short wheelbase and narrow tires gave it excellent handling, making it a joy to ride on twisty roads.
Powerful: The KH400's 398 cc engine produced 40 horsepower, giving it plenty of power for both street and track riding.
Air-cooled: The KH400's engine was air-cooled, which made it simple to maintain and reliable.
Two-stroke: The KH400's engine was a two-stroke, which gave it a distinctive sound and feel.
Disc brake: The KH400 was one of the first motorcycles to feature a disc brake on the front wheel, giving it excellent stopping power.
Monoshock rear suspension: The KH400 was also one of the first motorcycles to use a monoshock rear suspension, giving it a smooth and comfortable ride.
Affordable: The KH400 was relatively affordable, making it a popular choice for riders on a budget.

Lightweight

The Kawasaki KH400's lightweight was a major contributing factor to its success. It made the bike easy to handle and maneuver, both on the street and on the track. The KH400's light weight also gave it a significant advantage in acceleration and braking.

One of the most important benefits of the KH400's light weight was its agility. The bike could easily be flicked from side to side, making it a joy to ride on twisty roads. The KH400's light weight also made it a very good choice for racing. The bike's excellent power-to-weight ratio gave it a significant advantage over heavier motorcycles, both on the straights and in the corners.

The KH400's light weight was also a major factor in its affordability. The bike's simple design and lack of heavy components made it relatively inexpensive to produce. This made the KH400 a very attractive option for riders on a budget.

In conclusion, the Kawasaki KH400's light weight was a major contributing factor to its success. It made the bike easy to handle, maneuver, and accelerate. The KH400's light weight also gave it a significant advantage in racing. Finally, the KH400's light weight helped to make it an affordable option for riders on a budget.

Nimble

The Kawasaki KH400's short wheelbase and narrow tires were major contributing factors to its excellent handling. The short wheelbase made the bike very easy to turn, while the narrow tires gave it a very light feel. This combination made the KH400 a joy to ride on twisty roads, where it could be flicked from side to side with ease.

The KH400's excellent handling was also a major advantage on the track. The bike could easily be maneuvered through corners, giving it a significant advantage over heavier motorcycles. The KH400's light weight and narrow tires also gave it a very good power-to-weight ratio, which made it very quick on the straights.

The KH400's excellent handling was one of its most important features. It made the bike a joy to ride on both the street and the track. The KH400's handling was also a major factor in its success in racing.

In conclusion, the Kawasaki KH400's short wheelbase and narrow tires gave it excellent handling, making it a joy to ride on twisty roads. The KH400's excellent handling was also a major advantage on the track, and it was one of the most important factors in its success in racing.

Powerful

The Kawasaki KH400's engine was one of its most important features. It was a powerful and reliable engine that gave the bike plenty of power for both street and track riding.

Acceleration: The KH400's powerful engine gave it excellent acceleration. The bike could easily reach speeds of over 100 mph, making it one of the fastest motorcycles of its time.
Top speed: The KH400's top speed was also very impressive. The bike could easily reach speeds of over 120 mph, making it one of the fastest motorcycles of its time.
Reliability: The KH400's engine was also very reliable. The bike could be ridden for thousands of miles without any major problems.

The KH400's powerful engine was a major contributing factor to its success. It made the bike a joy to ride, both on the street and on the track. The KH400's engine was also very reliable, which made it a good choice for riders who wanted a motorcycle that they could depend on.

Air-cooled

The Kawasaki KH400's air-cooled engine was a major contributing factor to its success. Air-cooled engines are simpler to maintain than liquid-cooled engines, and they are also more reliable. This made the KH400 a good choice for riders who wanted a motorcycle that was easy to care for and that they could depend on.

Simplicity: Air-cooled engines are simpler than liquid-cooled engines because they do not require a radiator, water pump, or coolant hoses. This makes them easier to maintain and less likely to break down.
Reliability: Air-cooled engines are also more reliable than liquid-cooled engines because they are less likely to overheat. This is because air-cooled engines are not dependent on a water pump to circulate coolant through the engine. If the water pump fails in a liquid-cooled engine, the engine can quickly overheat and seize up.
Cost: Air-cooled engines are also less expensive to produce than liquid-cooled engines. This is because they do not require the same complex components, such as a radiator, water pump, and coolant hoses.

The KH400's air-cooled engine was a major selling point for the bike. It made the KH400 easy to maintain and reliable, which made it a good choice for both street and track riders.

Two-stroke

The Kawasaki KH400's two-stroke engine was a major contributing factor to its success. Two-stroke engines are known for their distinctive sound and feel, which is often described as being more "exciting" than the sound of a four-stroke engine. Two-stroke engines also produce more power than four-stroke engines of the same displacement, which gives the KH400 a significant advantage in acceleration and top speed.

The KH400's two-stroke engine also gave it a very light and nimble feel. This made the bike very easy to handle, both on the street and on the track. The KH400's two-stroke engine also made it very easy to wheelie, which was a popular stunt among riders in the 1970s and 1980s.

The KH400's two-stroke engine was a major selling point for the bike. It gave the KH400 a distinctive sound, feel, and performance that made it a popular choice for both street and track riders.

Disc brake

The Kawasaki KH400 was one of the first motorcycles to feature a disc brake on the front wheel. This was a significant advancement in motorcycle braking technology, as disc brakes provide much better stopping power than traditional drum brakes. The KH400's disc brake gave it a major advantage in braking performance, both on the street and on the track.

Improved stopping power: Disc brakes provide much better stopping power than drum brakes. This is because disc brakes use a caliper to squeeze a pair of brake pads against a rotating disc, which creates friction and slows the wheel down. Drum brakes, on the other hand, use a pair of shoes to press against the inside of a rotating drum, which is less effective at slowing the wheel down.
Reduced fade: Disc brakes are also less prone to fade than drum brakes. This is because disc brakes dissipate heat more effectively than drum brakes. When brakes are used heavily, they can overheat and fade, which reduces their effectiveness. Disc brakes are less likely to fade because they have a larger surface area to dissipate heat.
Better modulation: Disc brakes also provide better modulation than drum brakes. This means that the rider has more control over the amount of braking force that is applied. This makes it easier to avoid skidding and to stop the motorcycle smoothly.

The KH400's disc brake was a major selling point for the bike. It gave the KH400 excellent stopping power, which made it a safer and more enjoyable motorcycle to ride.

Monoshock rear suspension

The Kawasaki KH400 was one of the first motorcycles to use a monoshock rear suspension. This was a significant advancement in motorcycle suspension technology, as monoshock rear suspensions provide a number of advantages over traditional twin-shock rear suspensions.

Improved handling: Monoshock rear suspensions provide better handling than twin-shock rear suspensions. This is because monoshock rear suspensions allow the rear wheel to move up and down more freely, which gives the rider a better feel for the road and makes the motorcycle more responsive to steering inputs.
Reduced weight: Monoshock rear suspensions are also lighter than twin-shock rear suspensions. This is because monoshock rear suspensions use a single shock absorber instead of two, which reduces the overall weight of the motorcycle.
Simplified maintenance: Monoshock rear suspensions are also easier to maintain than twin-shock rear suspensions. This is because monoshock rear suspensions have fewer moving parts, which makes them less likely to break down.

The KH400's monoshock rear suspension was a major selling point for the bike. It gave the KH400 excellent handling, reduced weight, and simplified maintenance, which made it a more enjoyable and easier motorcycle to ride.

Affordable

The Kawasaki KH400's affordability was a major factor in its success. It made the bike a popular choice for riders who wanted a high-performance motorcycle without having to spend a lot of money.

Price: The KH400 was one of the most affordable high-performance motorcycles on the market. It was priced below many of its competitors, making it a good value for riders on a budget.
Maintenance: The KH400 was also relatively inexpensive to maintain. Its simple design and lack of complex components made it easy and affordable to keep the bike in good condition.
Fuel economy: The KH400's two-stroke engine was also very fuel-efficient. This made it a good choice for riders who wanted to save money on gas.

The KH400's affordability made it a popular choice for riders of all ages and experience levels. It was a good choice for beginner riders who wanted a high-performance motorcycle without having to spend a lot of money. It was also a good choice for experienced riders who wanted a fun and affordable motorcycle to ride on the street or on the track.

Frequently Asked Questions about the Kawasaki KH400

The Kawasaki KH400 is a classic motorcycle that was produced from 1975 to 1981. It is known for its lightweight, nimble handling, and powerful engine. Here are six frequently asked questions about the Kawasaki KH400:

Question 1: What are the key features of the Kawasaki KH400?

Answer: The Kawasaki KH400 is a lightweight, nimble motorcycle with a powerful engine. It features a disc brake on the front wheel and a monoshock rear suspension. The KH400 was one of the first motorcycles to use these features, which gave it excellent braking and handling.

Question 2: What is the engine size of the Kawasaki KH400?

Answer: The Kawasaki KH400 has a 398 cc engine.

Question 3: How much horsepower does the Kawasaki KH400 produce?

Answer: The Kawasaki KH400 produces 40 horsepower.

Question 4: What is the top speed of the Kawasaki KH400?

Answer: The Kawasaki KH400 has a top speed of over 120 mph.

Question 5: How much does the Kawasaki KH400 weigh?

Answer: The Kawasaki KH400 weighs 350 pounds.

Question 6: Is the Kawasaki KH400 still in production?

Answer: No, the Kawasaki KH400 is no longer in production.

We hope this FAQ section has answered some of your questions about the Kawasaki KH400. If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact us.

To learn more about the Kawasaki KH400, please continue reading the article below.

Tips and Tricks for the Kawasaki KH400

The Kawasaki KH400 is a classic motorcycle that was produced from 1975 to 1981. It is known for its lightweight, nimble handling, and powerful engine. Here are five tips and tricks to help you get the most out of your KH400:

Tip 1: Keep your KH400 well-maintained. This includes regular oil changes, filter changes, and brake inspections. A well-maintained KH400 will run better and last longer.

Tip 2: Use high-quality fuel. The KH400's engine is designed to run on high-octane fuel. Using low-octane fuel can damage the engine.

Tip 3: Warm up your KH400 before riding. This will help to prevent engine damage. Let the engine idle for a few minutes before riding off.

Tip 4: Be careful when braking. The KH400's front disc brake is very powerful. Be sure to apply the brake smoothly to avoid skidding.

Tip 5: Have fun! The KH400 is a great motorcycle to ride. Enjoy the ride and be safe.

By following these tips, you can help to keep your KH400 running smoothly and safely for many years to come.

Conclusion

The Kawasaki KH400 is a classic motorcycle that was produced from 1975 to 1981. It is known for its lightweight, nimble handling, and powerful engine. The KH400 was one of the first motorcycles to feature a disc brake on the front wheel and a monoshock rear suspension. These features gave the KH400 excellent braking and handling, and helped to make it a popular choice for both street and track riders.

Today, the Kawasaki KH400 is still a popular choice for classic motorcycle enthusiasts. It is a fun and affordable motorcycle to ride, and it is a great way to experience the golden age of motorcycling.