Need help with parts

[kcarson4b]

Ok, so I am NOT a mechanic and this is really my first experience rebuilding/overhauling an engine. My kids are homeschooled and I wanted them to do a mechanic shop class, so we are building a doom buggy and we got a really good deal on this en450 454 Ltd. it’s missing the carburetor, radiator and belt for sure...not sure what else, but those are for sure missing. My question is, what ideas does everyone have on replacements for those? I am not concerned about having original parts or if someone has used upgraded/performance parts as replacements. I appreciate any help!

[eaglerider]

Belt info is here on the forum....be advised that some parts are scarce and pricey, due to being a classic that was built from 1985 to 1990, with few differences in the bikes, until the 1988 -1990 models, most changes were to the wiring harness, due to transition to the Vulcan 500 model. Radiator, and belts and carbs are the same for all years. Best bet for carbs, is to use the carbs for a 2004 Ninja 500, as they are higher CFM. Ebay iss probably your best bet for parts. the belt many use is a harley belt, just a tad narrower and a bit cheaper than the Kawasaki belt.

[knoizy]

Hi, my usual method for finding parts is to begin with 454rider as when you click a part it opens a PDF with all Kawasaki bikes using that part so very often an internet search that seems fruitless for a 454 just needed a different bike query. Get the blue kawasaki workshop manual, you're going to need more tools than you expect and remember bikes have many delicate parts that can break when servicing. I get the idea about the shop class and would offer you are likely to hit U-turns and dead ends that need more time and money so there might be periods where nobody is learning anything! But hey, good luck and make sure you've either read the workshop manual or watched a video (most 500 twins have roughly the same engine parts and locations) when starting a job. Given what you describe I think I'd begin with the basics of turning the engine over by hand (spark plugs out, check there's oil and still put a spoonful in each cylinder) as you'd want to know that went smoothly.

[kcarson4b]

Great tips and I appreciate the resource. Yeah this isn’t the only item in the shop class. We are also building a couple go-kart frames and have a brand new predator 212cc and a brand new predator 420cc that we will be going through the stage upgrades with as well. This en450 is something we fully intend on going slow with and expect to spend some money on it for sure.

[hounddog22642]

I found a cross reference site that showed Harley Davidson has a belt the correct size for the 454. 
Of course, I forgot to bookmark that site.....
However, it has the  same tooth count, pitch and width.
And the price is almost half of what the Kawa dealer is asking. 
The H/D belt isn't orginal equipment but, it will make the bike move.

The other parts:
Ebay, Dailylister.com, Cyclegraph.com are the sites I look at every day for parts.

Good luck 

[kcarson4b]

Mar 10, 2020 18:07:04 GMT -6 knoizy said:

Hi, my usual method for finding parts is to begin with 454rider as when you click a part it opens a PDF with all Kawasaki bikes using that part so very often an internet search that seems fruitless for a 454 just needed a different bike query. Get the blue kawasaki workshop manual, you're going to need more tools than you expect and remember bikes have many delicate parts that can break when servicing. I get the idea about the shop class and would offer you are likely to hit U-turns and dead ends that need more time and money so there might be periods where nobody is learning anything! But hey, good luck and make sure you've either read the workshop manual or watched a video (most 500 twins have roughly the same engine parts and locations) when starting a job. Given what you describe I think I'd begin with the basics of turning the engine over by hand (spark plugs out, check there's oil and still put a spoonful in each cylinder) as you'd want to know that went smoothly.

Great advice! We are moving along well so far...we also have another engine (brand new predator 212cc) that we are upgrading through the stages. The 454 is going well though...we are replacing the bushings tomorrow and starting to put it back together. Had a few little hiccups, but nothing we didn’t quickly solve and continue progress. Ebay has been really useful and the 454rider site is awesome!!