Kawasaki Z400 Nutella Racer Looks Just as Tasty as Its Name Would Suggest

In the years that followed, they made a name for themselves with some truly spectacular builds, the vast majority of which were commissioned by clients. Bike-modding artisans tend to occasionally find relief in customizing a machine on their own terms, though, so they’ll try to slot in a personal project whenever their schedule permits it. For AMP, one such opportunity popped up in 2022 and was welcomed with open arms.

What had arisen as a result is Allen’s personal bike, which he uses for short daily rides around the city. It calls itself the Nutella Racer, mixing Brat-style and street tracker influences into a delicious custom dish that’s sure to soak up your taste buds. As the project’s basis, AMP-Motorcycles went with a Kawasaki Z400 from the model-year 1979, promptly tearing it down as soon as it arrived at their shop just outside Frankfurt.

Once the classic UJM had been taken apart, Allen and his dad kicked things off with an invigorating (and much-needed) rebuild of its engine. The Z400’s parallel-twin was really showing its age after four decades of faithful service, so AMP freshened it up with things like new seals and gaskets all-round. In addition, the carburetors got serviced and treated to an ultrasonic scrub.

They subsequently gained a pair of aftermarket pod filters for ample airflow, but the exhaust side of the equation hasn’t been neglected, either. AMP’s specialists welded up a gorgeous set of pipes in a two-into-one layout, with their material of choice being stainless-steel. The new exhaust works its way back to an Ixil silencer on the right-hand side of the rear wheel.

Michael and Allen gave the Z400 a fresh wiring harness, too, hooking it up to a compact lithium-ion battery in the process. Then, the Kawi’s suspension came into their crosshairs, and it’s been thoroughly upgraded at both ends. Up north, the Germans refurbished the forks and had them lowered to revise the motorcycle’s posture, but they weren’t done just yet. Handmade aluminum fork covers were also installed for a tougher look.

With the front suspension out of the way, AMP moved on to the rear end and didn’t think twice about deleting the OEM shocks. These gave way to progressive aftermarket units supplied by YSS, whose upper mounting points attach to a reworked subframe. The looped rear frame tubing is a lot shorter than stock, and it supports a flat bench seat tastefully upholstered in Alcantara.

You will find an LED taillight from Highsider in that area, as well, seamlessly recessed into the subframe’s rearmost portion. The factory wheels are still present down in the unsprung sector, but they’ve been powder-coated black and fitted with stainless-steel spokes. For the tires, the Posenauer family went with Avon’s retro-looking Safety Mileage A MKII rubber to maintain a decent balance between function and form.

The Nutella Racer also benefits from reconditioned brakes, featuring youthful pads and a replacement hose up front. At six o’clock, fresh shoes keep the traditional drum brake performing as well as it did upon leaving the factory in ‘79. Attached right next to the hub is a swingarm-mounted license plate bracket, yet there is no front or rear fender to speak of on this modded Kawasaki.

You’ve probably identified its fuel tank as the standard Z400 module already, but you may be surprised to learn that even the glossy brown finish is original. In fact, this very paintwork is what caused the bike to be nicknamed the Nutella Racer – a sobriquet first attributed to it by Mrs. Posenauer. Glancing right ahead of the unmodified tank, you will come across an exceedingly tidy cockpit area.

The centerpiece there is an LSL handlebar placed on aluminum risers, and it carries new control levers, bar-end turn signals, and an underslung Highsider mirror on the left. Tiny Racetronics switchgear also makes an appearance, along with a single aftermarket dial from Motogadget’s catalog. Seeking to declutter the cockpit as much as possible, AMP relocated the ignition to a frame gusset behind the forks.

A vintage-style headlamp finishes off the front end, mounted close to the forks in order to keep proportions nice and tight. Finally, the Nutella Racer saw its entire frame covered in white paint – an inspired choice and the perfect match for the brown fuel tank. On the other hand, items such as the forks, headlight nacelle, and shock springs were all painted black. Simple though it may be, the color scheme is guaranteed to turn heads.