What year(s) 6 speed tranny will drop in place?

I am wanting to upgrade to a GPx tranny, and have been told it will work, but I am not a KZ guy and have no idea what years GPx tranny will work. Any ideas?

Doc

If you could, could you please enter the year and model into your signature line so we have an idea of what bike you have? It's really hard to help you when we have no specifics about your bike. Thanks.

Later, Doug

The only 6 speed transmissions i know of in the KZ or GPZ line would be from a 550cc. Unless swapping from one 550 to another this just isn't feasible.

Maybe changing the gearing by using different sprockets would help.

I remember reading anout this on here once or twice. I believe i remember somethoing about any of the 550 transmissions that are 6 speeds will swap into the other small fours such as the 650 and 750's

Steell has done it. The 550 6-speed will fit into a 650 trans case. He'll probably chime in soon.

I remember reading about that. Basiclly it is a pointless swap, even though in principle it sound like your gaining a gear, the difference is really not worth the work.

The gears are shorter in the low end and the top gear is almost the same as 5th in the 5 speeds.

Someone with experience may be able to add more, but i do recall reading that information some time ago (4 months ago.)

Do a search and i am sure that you will find a thread that details why there is no point to make the swap.

If its shorter down low, you can gear down in your sprockets and gain a lot more range, without sacrificing acceleration.

What I have is an 81 KZ650. What I was told will work is a GPx 650/750 6spd. if i understand correctly the KZ tranny geared a little on the wide side, and I am looking to not have a huge RPM drop when shifting thru the twisties.

I think I was told it was the Zephyr models that had the tranny I am wanting, but i believe those to be a Euro only model.

Doc

Skinthead wrote:

What I have is an 81 KZ650. What I was told will work is a GPx 650/750 6spd. if i understand correctly the KZ tranny geared a little on the wide side, and I am looking to not have a huge RPM drop when shifting thru the twisties.

I think I was told it was the Zephyr models that had the tranny I am wanting, but i believe those to be a Euro only model.

Doc

In the US at least, that's all pretty much wrong.

Except for the part about the 5 speeds being a wide ratio and the six speeds a close ratio, that part is right.

I know that any chain drive 550 six speed will bolt in the 81 or newer 650, and 80 or newer 750 four, except the GPz750 Turbo.

There is another member that used a GPz600 six speed transmission and said it was identical to the 550 trans, and Kawasaki.com parts diagrams support his statement.

Mark Wing tried to put a six speed in a kick start 650, he said it wouldn't fit because the kick start was in the way.

That about cover it?

Yeah, and no.....

I love my 550 gearing. I have no idea what the 650 will be like yet. I bought it as a rolling heap, and am rebuilding the bike in the image I have in my head from the heap. The only thing I don't have sorted out is the tranny in my head. The rest of the machine is sorted aside from the close ratio gearset tranny....

Anything can be made to work with a lil machining.

Doc

Skinthead wrote:

Anything can be made to work with a lil machining.

Doc

A little machining, and a whole lot of time.

Food for thought:

A GPz750 Turbo has a stock gearing of 15 front and 45 rear, and it hits red line at somewhere over 170 mph. It does this with a 130/90/18 rear tire.
The GPz750 Turbo has a different primary drive ratio then the KZ's and the GPZ750, and that would just about have to be caused by a different secondary shaft, and that secondary shaft should fit in the later 650's.