Faults:

I'm in the process of restoring this bike, it had been in storage for a number of years and recently was vandalized when a thief attempted to steal it and damaged the igniter, broke 2 turn signals, while stealing the battery. Many other parts were missing like the top battery box clamp, the igniter mount bracket, left side gusset cover, air box filter inlet box, toolkit, and choke cable. The thief was trying to steal the entire bike when he was caught in the act, but I don't think was ever prosecuted. That's how I came to buy her because the owner was moving and bike sat outside for several months. So it's been my project to save her for the past couple of months, I've put a lot of TLC and time in her and am very close to finishing getting her roadworthy. Now, if I can only get the rear axle loose...

General Comments:

This bike was someone's pride and joy and you can tell she was loved and well taken care of. Perhaps it was meant for me to stumble upon her and rejuvenate this amazing piece of history, a combination of cruiser and sport-bike that isn't too big for smaller people or novices to learn on, yet is still very much a bad ass ride. They aren't making these anymore or anything even close. I will update my progress on the restoration of my 1986 Kawasaki 454Ltd once completed.

Faults:

My 454 has been very reliable. Nothing major has ever gone wrong with it. My 454 has been an awesome bike, just usual tune ups and oil changes. A few sets of tires, several batterys.

General Comments:

The 454 LTD is OUTSTANDING!!! I absolutely LOVE my 1985 454 LTD. This bike is amazing, exhilarating, and fast for a 450cc; it is very comfortable and easy to maneuver.

It is a beautiful classic and an antique. They do not make bikes like this any more. It is a cruiser with a sport bike engine.

The 454 LTD engine runs so smooth, very reliable, fast, and a very fun bike to drive; whether you are a beginner or an experienced rider, you will love the speed and handling of the 454. I've had it since new and I will never sell it, I will take it to the grave with me. Hopefully to Heaven as well.

If you are lucky enough to find a nice 454 LTD in good condition that has been taken care of, you should buy it, take good care of it and you will have one of the best running, fastest, antique bikes around.

Please feel free to contact me: 454kruzer at gmail.

Faults:

The seat was torn - this is a common problem, as to access the battery, you need to pull the seat off, which rubs against the padded backrest, eventually tearing the faux stitching.

The kickstand makes a rather annoying rattle against the muffler.

Occasionally my gauges won't lift off of zero, such as in 20 degree (Fahrenheit) temperatures.

General Comments:

This is a very interesting bike. It has the body of a cruiser, yet has the engine from the Kawasaki Ninja 908. (Minus two cylinders, but other than that, precisely the same. Liquid cooled, DOHC.)

The most interesting aspect of this bike, I have found, is its transmission. It has six gears, the final being a very smooth belt drive. The gearing itself is quite interesting, as it is designed for very fast acceleration and pulling away. That said, if you start this bike in 6th gear at 30 MPH, at roughly 2,500 RPM and try to floor it, your acceleration will be very poor due to the way it is tuned, but if you are at 4,500 RPM or greater (to over 9,000 RPMs), the acceleration is going to blow your mind. Due to the close arrangement of the six gears, you will be shifting quite frequently.

The seat is controversial, but I have little in the way of complaints. I am 6' tall, and don't have any trouble driving it. The suspension provides for a nice ride, and if your tires are inflated properly the handling isn't bad, and it will go wherever you point it. Due to the low center of gravity and the way it behaves at lower RPMs, I would recommend this bike for beginner riders, but advise them to keep the RPMs low.

Due to its massive acceleration, it is very, easy to get carried away while driving this bike, and find yourself going far faster than you anticipated within a few short seconds of applying the throttle - the roll on power for this bike is nothing short of extreme, and it is *very* easy to get caught off-guard and by surprise by the power, because it behaves so civilly at lower RPMs, that when it raises RPMs, your eyes are glued ahead instead of at the speedometer.

The maintenance on this bike does not have to be performed often on the belt drive, and it is considered reliable. I cannot say for certain how much to invest in this, as I purchased mine for $700, and had to have a few engine problems fixed, but 25,000 miles will do that.

The noise from the exhaust/engine is interesting - it is very quiet as you pass by people, so if you are looking for a very flashy and noisy bike, you will need to add non-stock exhausts. That said, when you are riding it, there is a lot of bass roaring noise, but when you get past 3,500 RPM, it starts to raise in pitch until it sounds more like a crotch rocket at around 7,000 RPM.

This bike is lightweight, but a larger gas tank or slightly differently positioned footpegs might be a good idea to invest in, depending on your preference/riding style. (Seriously, your gas mileage will vary quite a lot depending on how you ride it.)

The bike is considered something of a classic. I would recommend it for just about anyone - from new riders to people who want a commuting bike that still has a lot of get up and go.