'83 KZ 550 Freshening Project

Hello all,
Gonna take my bike over here to projects vs the new member page.
I have a basically mint (I'd rate it 90 out of 100) 1983 KZ 550.
I had a candy apple red '81 KZ 550 back when from new. I had put 16,000 miles on my '81 in one year. It was a trick bike. Kerker header, Lockhart oil cooler, GPz rearsets, and a cool factory accessory Kawasaki stepped seat with a grey graphic stripe on the perimeter of the seat. Never saw another seat like that. Had a 1/4 fairing on it too.
Well, that bike was stolen from in front of my house in 1982 ...gone. Cops found a stripped frame a week later.
And the end of my '81 KZ 550 riding days. Huge bummer. And yes I've had a soft spot for the KZ/GPz twin shock 550's ever since.

Fast forward to about 2007 and I ran into this 1983 KZ 550. I jumped on it & paid too much for it.
Got it with 540 original miles, and its up to 840 miles now(!).

Sitting on it for ten years and rarely riding it, I feel its time for a detail, and add some traditional hop ups. Or unload it.
So add some parts it is.

Story has it this bike came from a shorter woman who had a Vetter fairing on this bike. They had the seat cut down, which is perfect for the superbike look. Apparently this bike was too much for her and she got a GPz 305.
All I had to do was come up with front turn signals.

Here, I have added only superbike bars and bar end mirrors... ten years ago.

Fast forward again to 2017 and I pull my 550 out and start bolting on parts.



Detail work needs to be done. Clean and apply S100 engine black to bring to motor back to a fresh black.
Oxidation on the shock springs & fork sliders will need to be polished off...
The new Yosh pipe has a terribly weak black coating on it - it needs some sort of refinish.

All details, and I'll ask questions & post pics along the way. Its not much of a true project. Luckily for me.

Great looking bike!

Hope those aren't the original tires? If so you may want to put them on your "replace" list (along with the front brake line).

I'd put the back fender on, go back to a stock seat, and if the fork seals aren't leaking, and it has good compression, I'd give it a good looking over, including checking the valves, and I'd ride it! It's not like it needs anything.

GPzEric wrote: I'd put the back fender on, go back to a stock seat, and if the fork seals aren't leaking, and it has good compression, I'd give it a good looking over, including checking the valves, and I'd ride it! It's not like it needs anything.

I just took the fender off Eric! lol I do have the fender uncut. The seat is the stock seat, trimmed down. I got the bike that way.
The forks were gone through a few years ago - no leaking but i think they are the stock seals.
It runs sooo good I can't imagine the compression being bad, but it has not been checked. And my local indy, who is a certified tech and owns a KZ650 from new feels the valve lash should be ok. I'm not so sure about that - I will get the valves checked as I am not doing the job. It needs to be checked.


I am veering from stock just slightly for the mini superbike look. Fitting my GPz clone fairing now (Maier).

Here are my Continental 'Classic Attack' radials just put on. Very soft rubber we were noticing.
Just neighborhood riding so far - no opinion of the tires yet.

Well my cherry bike which has sat for quite a while has the leaking carb syndrome.
Could be the vacuum petcock or the bank of carbs themselves. I am using my local indy service shop as the long time tech has a lot of experience with the old inline fours. He will correct the issue long before I will.

Maxacceleration wrote: Hello all,
Gonna take my bike over here to projects vs the new member page.
I have a basically mint (I'd rate it 90 out of 100) 1983 KZ 550.

I would give it at least 95 out of 100.

Thanks GPz550D1. Clean enough, eh?

Today I finished trimming & sanding my Maier windscreen. All to be more GPz like lol.
Riding season is getting close!

Been away from my 550 for a few months...
Rebuilt vacuum petcock pretty much fixed flooding carbs.

For such a low miles bike (still under 1000 miles), I think the gearing may have been changed?!?
Should I be turning 7000 grand at 70 mph in 6th? Hmmm...

Bike is running tits though!

If i interpret the speed / idle diagram right you should be go 100 mph @ 7000 rpm



Yes i know, YES WE CAN :laugh: go so fast legally and a lot of faster here in Germany

If you ever get the chance take a few pictures of the airbox. Currently rebuilding my 83 and it unfortunately came with pods. A few shots of the front, top and side would clarify a few things with me.