Let's see GPz handle bar conversions.

GPz750 uni fron on 81 550 twinshock, beehive clocks are from a zephyr

Neat stuff gang love seeing these and some really slick setups

- Irish

Here's mine - 1982 GPz 1100 with one-off alu top clamp, risers and Speed Products alu handlebars.

Can't take credit for or know the origin of the top clamp and risers, came with the bike when I bought it looking like the first pic.
I cleaned it up a bit, adapted an LTD headlight bracket and round headlight, fabbed up some alu blinker stems and installed an Acewell gauge (2802).

The risers combined with the relatively flat bars give me a comfortable riding position with no weight on the wrists and the width of the bars (80 cm/31.5") makes steering easy at any speed.

Edit: Btw, the handlebars in the third pic are aftermarket 650 bars just installed for the pic, the actual bars on the bike (other pics) have a lot less rise.

Oh man that looks clean and so nice, great job and nice bike!

- Irish

Thanks. Here's a full size shot (Givi bags and rack removed) to give you an idea about riding position:

OnkelB wrote: Thanks. Here's a full size shot (Givi bags and rack removed) to give you an idea about riding position:

Man that looks good outstanding job! How's the comfort ability on rides? Does it pull you forward a bit more and not so upright for the riding position? Does it start to pull on your arms or back on longer rides? Sorry for the barrage of questions, trying to get a feel for comfort since I'm going that route on my 440 and curious.

Thanks,
- Irish

I have a stepped seat (better seen in this side shot), so I sit a bit lower than on a stock seat. I'm 6 feet, sitting on the bike in a relaxed position and grabbing the bars my body has a slight forward lean, my arms are almost straight, slight bend at the elbow, not streched at all and no weight on the wrists. For me this is a good position for city traffic and cruising speeds up to 60-70 mph which is the most I'll usually do with the little lady onboard - at higher speeds (riding solo) I move back on the seat and tuck down a bit which gives me just about the same arm position but less wind resistance.

This is what works for me, whatever setup you prefer the most important thing is that that you feel comfortable and in control.

OnkelB wrote: I have a stepped seat (better seen in this side shot), so I sit a bit lower than on a stock seat. I'm 6 feet, sitting on the bike in a relaxed position and grabbing the bars my body has a slight forward lean, my arms are almost straight, slight bend at the elbow, not streched at all and no weight on the wrists. For me this is a good position for city traffic and cruising speeds up to 60-70 mph which is the most I'll usually do with the little lady onboard - at higher speeds (riding solo) I move back on the seat and tuck down a bit which gives me just about the same arm position but less wind resistance.

This is what works for me, whatever setup you prefer the most important thing is that that you feel comfortable and in control.

GREAT info, and absolutely gorgeous bike! That really helped me, and hope it also helped to answer some of the questions Moto was asking too, but I am going to shut up and stop thread jacking lol

Thanks,
-Irish

OnkelB, I do like that, it actually looks like the rise is about standard but the straighter bars put grips a bit forward from stock.

I had to ditch the square headlight too.

Just picked up an '82 gpz550. Looking to build a street tracker, what exact model of kz do I need the triple tree off of to put regular bars on it? There are several kz550 ltd triple trees on ebay for like $30. Can I just put the upper half of it onto my existing triple tree? Thanks

theneckasaurus, as well as 35mm tubes you need the correct yoke offset or you'll change the steering geometry -can be done, just you want to know what you are changing and the effect it will have.

You could fit risers like on my 81 550,

Is that the easiest way to get regular bars on it? I dont mind how it sits now comfort wise, just to get that tracker look I want I think it'd be best with regular dirt bars on it. I'm looking for the easiest way to get some regular bars on it, whatever that may be.