La Corona Kz400
By Anthony van Someren - 22 Feb 13
This 1978 Kz400 is the second build from Barcelona-based outfit La Corona, who have quickly scaled the heights of the custom workshop ladder with instant quality and consistency, from switchgear to aesthetics, to paint and panache.
The frame has obviously been chopped back and looped to accommodate the flat brat/scrambler style La Corona seat, and who'd have thought that painting the frame brown would work. But it does, accentuating the simplicity of design that set retro machines apart from their modern counterparts.
Swingarm and forks are standard, as are the brakes, albeit using braided steel hoses, but as the wire-laced wheels wear a set of uber-trendy Firestones this bike isn't likely to be gracing any track days any times soon (although it might be more fun than you'd expect).
Low motorcross bars wear Beston grips either side of the OEM levers, while a mini 60mm speedo and understated Bates headlamp are all that hangs off the front of the bike, emphasising the stripped-back minimalist feel to a bike with an open subframe and short fenders.
Exhausts are by La Corona with brown-wrapped headers, while pod filters leave the air flowing freely from beneath the custom-built battery, ingition and electrics box under the seat.
It's another stunning build from this relatively new shop. Kudos to the guys for getting it right first time. See more of La Corona's bikes on their website and blog, or check the La Corona pages here on the Bike Shed.