Howdy, I'm new to the site and Bikes

sorry, i don't have any pictures of it right now, but I have recently purchased a 1981 KZ550LTD from a local tow lot auction for $230. The bike has been VERY well taken care of and it amazes me the more I tear into it. I'm planning on bobbing it and doin all the work myself. I do have one "newbie" question though. i have noticed that these bikes have letter identifications (like A,B,C,D,E, and so on), how do I know what mine is? thanks for any help, and I hope to learn alot about my bike and get a lot of help here.

-Ryan

Hello Ryan...look at the 7th letter of your frame VIN...that will give you the model of the 550 series. Welcome...

No eBay APP ID and/or Cert ID defined in Kunena configurationwelcome...great bike and strong engines on the 550 imo...

look on the steering neck under the handlebars area and write down the V.I.N and frame number...and the month and yr...and then look on the engine...on the big bikes the engine # is by the oil filler or the clutch housing area...write that engine # down too....

then go to the top of the kzrider home page and look under the z-1 photo at top...on the left there is a green box that says kzinformation...click there and strat looking....

do you have kawaski factory shop manual...it will say in there too by the #s what exactly you have...


if not done alreadt get the "factory shop manual"(see below link) the other ones that clymer and hines ect...make are sometimes misleading and vague...imo


good luck...pictures we must have...:woohoo:

trianglelaguna wrote:

welcome...great bike and strong engines on the 550 imo...

look on the steering neck under the handlebars area and write down the V.I.N and frame number...and the month and yr...and then look on the engine...on the big bikes the engine # is by the oil filler or the clutch housing area...write that engine # down too....

then go to the top of the kzrider home page and look under the z-1 photo at top...on the left there is a green box that says kzinformation...click there and strat looking....

do you have kawaski factory shop manual...it will say in there too by the #s what exactly you have...

Thanks for the welcome and the info guys!! Apparently, mines a "C". I don't have a Factory Service Manual, but I found a link that has the entire manual for free::

www.metrovationinc.com/christemple/KZ550.pdf

Here's some pics of the bike::