I need advice on a KZ-550

I am not a new motorcycle rider, but I've mostly had newer sport bikes. (Ninja 600, FZR-750, Ex-500) I've got a chance to buy a really well-maintained '81 KZ-550a for $800. (It is really sweet, new forks, shocks, tires, chain, control cables, no rust, motor perfect, seat perfect, clean carbs) It is a really different looking bike, not a Cruiser, not a sport bike, not a standard just funky and mean. My problem is those gigantic 19" (or whatever) wheels. What can you guys tell me about the handling of one of these beasts? I don't expect to be cornering like a GSXR, but I don't want a Goldwing either.(I am too old to be knee dragging, but too young for a Jazzy).

19" front, 18" rear, sheesh, when I was roadracing in the early to mid 70's that's what we ran

Not to many people can exceed what a modern sportbike is capable of doing (or even push the bike to it's limits), so unless you are roadracing I don't think you will have a problem

But of course you are not going to be able to keep up with a good rider on a modern sportbike, but could you keep up if you were on a modern sportbike also? I couldn't, just don't have the guts any more

steell wrote:

But of course you are not going to be able to keep up with a good rider on a modern sportbike, but could you keep up if you were on a modern sportbike also? I couldn't, just don't have the guts any more

I used to think I was really THAT good, now I realize I was just THAT stupid.
I started riding in '86 so I don't know much about the 70's race bikes. Would you consider the Kz550a to be a late 70's road-race replica? I realize that the GPz was just one away from a track bike, but I kind of considered the KZ/LTD's more of a standard UJM. This is the first 'a' model that I ever really looked at, and I think it's really unique.

BTW, I have never actually seen a good rider on a modern sportbike. I thought they were an urban legend. All I ever see riding newer sportbikes are posers with $400 helmets and a 1,000 miles on the clock.

Phred wrote:

BTW, I have never actually seen a good rider on a modern sportbike. I thought they were an urban legend. All I ever see riding newer sportbikes are posers with $400 helmets and a 1,000 miles on the clock.

Well, it's not like modern sport bikes have a lock on dip$hit operators; they're just likely to make a more spectacular splat when they run out of skills, road and luck at the same time.

It's not just the 18 year old Migel DuHamel wannabes on take your pick of out of the box carbon bodied rockets that are making themselves a hazzard to navigation - I wanna know what kind of misogynistic idiot tells a 130 pound squeeze in Lard-ash jeans that she's got what it takes to wrassle a Hardley Twin Cam through the twisties - even at 40mph.

Wish I had a buck for every pair of terror-stricken Bambi-peepers I've seen coming the other way around a turn...

Post edited by: Pterosaur, at: 2006/05/22 01:40

I have not owned a newer sportbike so I may not be qualified to give advice but...I am a long time 40 year old rider who has had 1000's/900's/750's in the past. Last summer I missed having a bike around after a 2 year hiatus so I bought a 81 GPz550 that was being neglected and I am having a blast with it.
They are light, quick, nimble and a blast to throw around in the corners. As far as power goes I am really impressed with my little bike although it is supposed to be a bit "hotter" that a standard KZ550.
The picture you posted looks like a really nice, clean bike for the money. How many miles are on it? Can't be many by the look of it. If you know the maintenance history and it's ready for the road I wouldn't hesitate, but of course it ain't my money...it's yourn. Did you take it for a ride yet ?...that'll tell the story for you.

Your bike is chassis-wise a lot like the KZ750E models (aka the "STD" or "Sport" models). Like your KZ550, The 750E also has 19" front and 18" rear wheels, with dual rear shocks, and a relatively normal upright riding position. I find my 750E to handle a lot better in the curves than my KZ750H [LTD], which has a more extended and raked fork, and a fatter 16" rear wheel. I do wish my 750E had a little fatter rubber on the back end though, since it does have a tendency to slip in the curves a little easier than the 750H.

Great bike. I hope you enjoy every mile.

neilage66 wrote:

The picture you posted looks like a really nice, clean bike for the money. How many miles are on it? Can't be many by the look of it.

11k, most of that in the last couple of years. (It has a lot of rubber bits replaced). I took a short jaunt on it, but the owner was pretty nervous so I wasn't comfortable pushing it at all.
My favorite bike was my EX500, that thing was a complete hoot to ride. Quick, rev happy, rock solid twin with comfy seat and laid back riding position. I put 30k on that bike in three years, and it never needed anything. The dumnest thing I ever did was trade 'up' to a 5 valve FZR750, The FZR was too complex, too costly to repair and too top-heavy. The low handlebars, oversize tank and high footpegs made made me feel like I was humping a watermelon during low speed manuevers. I am hoping that my next bike will be a little like an air-cooled, naked EX.

11k, most of that in the last couple of years.

Wow, that's amazing. My 81 had 14K when I got her last summer. Our bikes were definitely for recreation as opposed to transportation eh?