Just wanted introduce myself

hello all,
I just wanted to pop in and say Hi! This week I shall be taking pocession on my new project: A 1980 KZ550C1. A buddy of mine bought it couple of years ago with the plans to rebuild it, but never got the chance to due to job problems. SO, he is giving the bike to me! I am currently also finishing off a Honda Cafe Racer project and have some wild ideas on what to do with this bike.
The previous owner left it looking nice with a nicely painted engine... problem is, the paint never set, so now every time that you touch the engine, the paint comes off on your hands. :S
ANYWAY, I will post a picture as soon as I get one to post.

Post edited by: KB02, at: 2006/04/07 12:11

Welcome! You do realize that pictures are a must. We all like to ogle each others' toys.:laugh:

Pics I say, Pics!!!! Welcome!

Welcome on in KB02!

We're not Kawi snobs here.
I know I'd sure enjoy seeing some pics of the Honda cafe' project you're working on as well as pics of the KZ550.

KBO2...welcome,Bud...and good luck with the 550.You'll get a lot of help right here...

Okay! here is the first pic of the bike This is the bike as I pulled it outof the shed it was in...and after I put the tank back on.

The pictures don't do it justice... It's really in much worse shape than that. And check out the Yamaha exhaust that got hacked into place!!!

Post edited by: ran429, at: 2006/04/04 23:00

Looks pretty good to me. Most of the important stuff is still there and there are not any nest showing.

I had a 1981 KZ550 many years ago and it was a great bike.

And speaking of the Honda's... do they still make them :laugh:

It doesn't look all that bad, and actually looks like a pretty promising resto candidate.

You'd be amazed at how many Suzuki, Yamaha, Honda, even HD parts some members have "made" to fit their bikes. And most of those add-ons came out looking like the bike came stock with them.

Looks better-n-mine did when I got them all (3)

Your will be a breeze to go through.
and welcome to the site.

Thanks all for the welcome. Yeah, "It doesn't look too bad," is exactly what my buddy and I though when he first got it. But there is a lot of little stuff that needs fixing. The clutch lever bracket is broken, the controls are mostly shot, the paint is peeling,,, ect... It's probably won't be too much major surgery to get it goin again, but here is my first question fo the good people of this sight:

(and a good can of worms to open up...)

Which would be the best manual to pick up? I know that a shop manual would be the best, but bewteen Clymers and Haynes, which one will I hate the least by the time that I am done with the project?

Hi KB02 and welcome to the site. I think most everybody agrees the shop manual preference is Kawasaki original, Clymer and Haynes, in that order. Check out the classifieds listings here, if not then there are often manuals available on eBay. Enjoy your KZ550:)

Post edited by: oldcoldankles, at: 2006/04/06 11:12

Personally I'd rather work on my bike drunk and blindfolded before using a Haynes manual. :blink: LOL!
In fact, I think who ever edits those manuals IS drunk and blindfolded! :ohmy: :laugh:
The directions in them tend to be a bit vague, and usually there are words spelled incorrectly and/or missing in sentences, leaving you to wonder where to go next.

If you can swing it, I'd recommend getting both the factory Kawi manual as well as the Clymers manual.
The factory manual details are fairly precise, but sometimes tend to get a bit to tech for the average person, even in covering a 20+ year old bike.
The Clymers manual however seems to have been written by the "Average Joe", is very understandble, and also lists tips/tricks that the factory manual doesn't.