TOPIC:

Hey all, I'm looking for a sissy bar for my 1980 Kawasaki KZ550A1. Now, if any of you saw my last post about bolt points for this, you'd see that the frame of my bike has only one bolt tab on the left blinker, besides the two obvious bolt points on the shocks.

So, finding a sissy bar has been tough. I haven't been able to find any that are strictly listed as sissy bars for the '80 550s. I have no problem welding on a second tab to fit the sissy bar, but any that I've seen for the 400s, 1000s, etc have had brackets way too far off.

Does anyone know of any sissy bars for these bikes? Factory or aftermarket, part numbers, etc?
Any help is appreciated! Thanks!

EDIT: I also left out meaning to say, does anyone know if a sissy bar from maybe a 650 or similar engine size would work? Frame sizes close enough?

Back in the day a cheesy way to mount a rack or sissy bar on the Z1 was to use hose clamps on the grab bar but the rack was on an angle. Never liked it. I had a seat with sissy bar built in. You might consider fabbing something to your seat. This time around, I bought a new grab bar but when I picked up a rack off a old 350 Honda, it wouldn't work with it so I cut the tabs off the old one, welded them from the back, a little chrome paint and you can hardly tell with the top box and side boxes. Picked up a head rest from a junk yard for the back rest for $5. I'll post a pic later.
Steve

Something specific to the 550A Standard is probably going to be difficult to find.
A backrest from a different sized KZ probably won't fit --- not direct bolt-on, anyway.

There are universal fit K&G luggage-rack/sissy-bar combos available on eebbaayy (I don't recall ever seeing just a sissy bar). If not specifically listed as K&G or KG, often times they are listed according to whatever bike they were on --- CB750, CB900, GS850, KZ750, etc, etc, etc.

I put one of the K&G combo units on my 81 650. It is virtually identical to the one in the link, except mine has different shock mount arms at the front which are adjustable.
1982 Yamaha XJ1100 XJ 1100 Maxim Passenger Back Rest Sissy Bar Luggage Rack K G

Here's something that might not be too hard to modify to fit a 550. You might just need to drill holes into each support arm plate, then add some spacers to make up the difference in width (assuming it's too wide). From searching eebbaayy for KZ sissy bar:

VINTAGE DETACHABLE SISSY BAR BACK REST - KAWASAKI Z1 KZ900 KZ1000 - M14101

NOS New Kawasaki KZ750 Sissy Bar Mount Plates K53033-021 K53033-021A

sissy bar Sissybar Aschco Vintage .
This one might flex to fit various bikes. Tape measure shown in some of the photos.

You can barely see the mount bushing past the lock on the box.



I was thinking something to bolt on to your seat like this.







I looked up used sissy bar and universal sissy bar on eBay. You'll notice if it says Harley, it's $100 more. I can't for the life of me understand why? Or do I?
Steve

The ones shown are under $50.
Steve

Like to see a pic of the bike to get a better idea of what your working with.
Steve

Sorry, been out all day, and just got in from a short ride actually! I'll take a quick look at all the links you guys have put up. Here are some pics for reference. Again, notice one side with the blinker mounting tab, and the other without. I'll weld one on.

I'll post some rough measurements asap.

It was already mentioned in your other topic, but be sure to add some good, strong frame bracing at the rear where the tail of the frame was hacked off. I would probably re-weld the original piece back on & maybe add some bracing, in case it isn't at least as strong as originally.

I'd go from the shock mount and turn signal bracket. That Vulcan used one looked like it could work. I was thinking you still had the tail section and it was in the way. There is nothing holding the two sides together?
Steve

Currently no there is not haha. The bike was previously my brother's. I believe he was aiming to bobber it. I don't have the original frame section cut off, but I will weld on a new crossbar when I do the other blinker tab to mount to. Rough measurements off the top of my head:
12" width between the shock mounts (across the seat)
6.75" length from the shock mount to the blinker tab.
I'll look into some of the old universals, I've only really been looking through the KZ sissy bars. Thanks for the advice.