Nursing my new baby back to health

Hi!

I recently picked up a 1983 KZ550-H1 that had been sitting under a tree in the snow and rain (uncovered!) for about a year. It's in pretty bad shape with rust and neglect (was virtually swimming in oil when I found it). Thus begins the long, hard, painstaking, agonising, joyful, exhilirating process of restoring this once beautiful bike back to running condition.

I've attached a photo so you can admire the horrible paint job (house paint with a brush!). The muffler has rusted off, the fairing is cracked and broken, the windshield is painted (?!?!), someone thought it would be a good idea to remove the centerstand ... the list is almost endless. But there is hope ... hmm, now there's a name for her ... "Hope"

One question though ... is this a GPZ550? It has unitrack suspension, and a 4-into-1 exhaust system, 4 cylinders with their own carbs ... what else would help identify her? (The sticker under the seat says "KZ550 - H1,F1,M1")

Thanks!

-Arc

Check the VIN on the neck. If it's an H1 it's a 1982 GPz.

Search Results: Model


Model (14):
KZ550-A1 (1980)
KZ550-A2 (1981)
KZ550-A3 (1982)
KZ550-A4 (1983)
KZ550-C1 (LTD) (1980)
KZ550-C2 (LTD) (1981)
KZ550-C3 (LTD) (1982)
KZ550-C4 (LTD) (1983)
KZ550-D1 (GPz) (1981)
KZ550-F1 (Spectre) (1983)
KZ550-F2 (LTD Shaft) (1984)
KZ550-H1 (GPz) (1982)
KZ550-H2 (GPz) (1983)
KZ550-M1 (LTD Shaft) (1983)

When I run the VIN at www.motoverse.com/tools/vinDecoder.asp , it comes back as "1983 KAWASAKI KZ550-H" ... so I take it that's an H2 GPz?

Take a look at the photos in the 2 links below. One is a '82 and the other an '83 550 GPz. They are very similar, but notice the difference in paint stripes. The fairing on the '82 has no stripes and the stripes on the side cover and tail are much narrower than on the '83. On your bike, can you tell which stripe patterns are under the black paint the previous owner applied? Ed

1982:

www.bikez.com/motorcycles/kawasaki_gpz_550_1982.php

1983:

www.bikez.com/motorcycles/kawasaki_gpz_550_1983.php