Bike of the Month.

Great work Joe, a passion that shows in the attention to detail, well deserved.
Rich.

Beautiful Resto.  Well Deserved Bike of the Month!  

Thanks fellows, for your gentle  praise !

Back stateside this month for a fabulous Zephyr. This is my kind of build, at first glance it looks like a "really nice Zephyr" but when you delve in the mods are extensive but subtle. Top job
The story:
This was my first bike, all I could afford in grad school. When I bought her she was beat up and firing on only 3 cylinders - in rough enough shape to invite serious wrenching but still running well enough to fall in love with riding. I spent weekends carving the canyons and cruising the coasts around Palo Alto, CA, chasing that mix of exhilaration, Zen and freedom that only riding brings. Somewhere along the way I decided I wasn’t going to trade up, I’d keep this bike, improve it, make it mine. At this point, I don’t think there’s a square inch I haven’t touched.She’s got about ninety thousand miles now, though the exact number is lost across a few odometers. ZR550s are rare in the U.S. Despite predominantly positive period reviews they never sold well. But they were popular in Europe, and ubiquitous in Japan where a 400cc version was sold. They’re true UJMs, built for customization, and the aftermarket for them still runs deep with literally thousands of parts available. The Webike catalog used to overwhelm me; now I know it almost by heart.Riding these days is bittersweet. A few years ago, I lost my only brother in a motorcycle accident. I thought about giving up riding. Certainly I now try to restrain my enthusiasm for motorcycles for fear of inspiring others to take on a very dangerous hobby. But I decided not to quit - it’s a central joy in my life and my brother went out doing what he loved. I highly doubt he’d want me to stop.Over time, the upgrades became less about performance and more about craftsmanship. There is little I enjoy more than doing a meticulous job building or upgrading a system, and then feeling that difference on the road. This was my bike when I bought her: youtube video . And here’s a list of mods. Happy riding and stay safe!-Mark
 Zaddict’s 1990 Kawasaki ZR550 Custom Build Performance Spec Summary
Base model: 1990 Kawasaki ZR550 (Zephyr)
Displacement: 615cc (Wiseco big bore kit)
Ignition: AS Uotani SPII Ignition System
Cams: 1984 ZX-550
Exhaust: Kerker stainless-steel 1.5” race system
Intake: K&N high-flow filter + PE wideband O₂ sensor (for tuning)
Suspension: Nitron R3 rear shocks + Progressive fork springs + adjustable fork spring preloaders + Bridgestone Battlax BT46 tires
Braking: EBC X-Series front brake rotors + Goodrich stainless steel lines
Electrical: Shorai lithium battery, low-voltage cutoff relay, wired-in jump starter/power bank, camera system, alarm, GPS tracker, AirTag
Visual theme: Custom Carbon Black & Tanzanite Blue metallic body paint, black wheels with CGD ZR550 decals
●      Engine & Internal Components
○       Wiseco 615cc big bore kit (new pistons and rings)
○       1984 ZX-550 cams
○       TRev crankcase decompression valve
○       Krieger manual cam chain tensioner
●      Carburetion, Ignition & Tuning
○       AS Uotani SPII ignition system
○       Factory Pro Stage 1 jet kit
○       Factory Pro Long Boy idle screws
○       PE wideband O₂ sensor (for tuning)
●      Exhaust & Intake
○       Kerker stainless-steel 1.5” race exhaust
○       K&N high-flow filter
●      Suspension & Handling
○       Nitron R3 rear shocks
○       Progressive fork springs
○       Adjustable fork spring preloaders
○       Bridgestone Battlax BT46 tires
●      Braking System
○       EBC X-Series front brake rotors
○       Goodrich stainless steel brake lines
○       Rebuild + paint front brake calipers
○       Rebuild master brake cylinder
●      Electrical, Security & Electronics
○       Shorai lithium battery
○       Low-voltage cutoff relay (prevents battery drain from lights or alarm)
○       Wired-in jump starter/power bank
○       Alarm (with motion sensor) — integrated with deterrence system
○       San Francisco zombie crackhead spark-plug-theft deterrence system, including:■       Spark plugs physically locked in place■       Barbed ignition wires to prevent removal■       Motion-sensor alarm trigger
○       Front and rear camera system (dash + tail monitoring)
○       Heated vest controller
○       Turn-signal beepers (safety mechanism)
○       GPS tracker
○       AirTag for tracking
●      Lighting & Visibility
○       LED taillight with integrated turn signals
○       Custom blinkers integrated into the rear cowl
○       Low-profile front turn signals
●      Controls & Instrumentation
○       UK-spec gauge cluster
○       Foldable CNC levers
○       Heated handlebars
○       Givi windscreen
○       Phone mount with charger
●      Body, Frame & Aesthetics
○       Custom Carbon Black & Tanzanite Blue metallic body paint
○       Wheels painted black with custom CGD ZR550 decals
○       Shinobi CNC adjustable foot pegs (front & rear)
○       TechSpec Gripster tank grips
○       Fenderless kit
○       Japan-spec fuel tank with fuel sender
○       Morawaki frame sliders