Kawasaki newbie needing info

Hello all!

My name is Ben and I'm from Arkansas. I've been riding for several years, but mainly on Hondas. A friend of mine is offering a '82 550LTD for a price I can't pass up; I'd like to know a little more about these bikes before I buy it. Looks like I found the right place

Or have I? Is this bike a KZ? The bikes on eBay show that it is, but I can't find any other identification on the bike to verify(the seller has no idea; he just bought it because it was a good deal).

I will be riding this bike 60+ miles a day through the Ozarks. Sitting position is comfortable, but I'm concerned about the smaller displacement(all my CBs were 750c.c. or over; I havn't riden this 550 yet). Will this bike have enough power to substain 55MPH+ through the hills with my 220# butt without havning to rev the heck out of it? Fuel milage is of essence.

Thanks for your help,
Ben

Hi Ben - and welcome to KZRider. Your bike is a KZ. My KZ550LTD looked kind of small, so I wondered exactly the same thing about my when I first acquired it, as I live in a valley surrounded by mountains, and I'm 6'tall at 210lbs. My local riding buddies mostly ride big H-D's and Gold Wings. I use mine for local rides, parts pickup, site visits etc and occasional 250 mile day trips through the mountain passes. The 550's have a top speed of about 110mph and adequate acceleration to keep up with my riding buddies. It is roughly equivalent in performance to the stock big twin cruisers such as the H-D Electra Glide. This is partly due to the 6 speed tranny which allows you to drop down into 5th gear for added passing torque right up the 10,000 RPM red line if need be. The Gold Wings, big bore H-D's, and sport bikes have more acceleration, but the big boys do so at a price as the 550's are very economical to run, getting about 53mpg on a hard highway ride.
I hope this helps and you enjoy riding your KZ550:)

Post edited by: oldcoldankles, at: 2005/10/13 09:59

Hi Ben. Welcome to KZR!
Last year I rode a 1980 kz550 200 miles one way, to work each week through the mountains of British Columbia and the bike worked great and had lots of power. You wont have any problems. Here is a picture taken last May at the top of one of the mountain passes.

Thanks for the input guys! That pretty much settles it for me..

Great pic Tony! I actually did a bit of winter riding when I lived in Maine. Nothing over 10 degrees farenheit gets a bit frosty. Its pretty mild this far south, so it shouldn't be too bad this winter.

oldcoldankles,

"...getting about 53mpg on a hard highway ride.."

So is that the low end for milage with these bikes? Could I expect better if I baby it around(which is next to impossible with my heavy right hand )?

Thanks guys!

Ben

Post edited by: twin_rotor, at: 2005/10/12 23:59

53mpg would be good if your heavy handed but the 550 should help prevent that.

The other thing is once you get the 550 you will want more. Next thing you know you will have a kz1000 sitting there. Its a sad addiction. :whistle:

PuGz wrote:

The other thing is once you get the 550 you will want more. Next thing you know you will have a kz1000 sitting there. Its a sad addiction. :whistle:

I am living proof af that too, My big ass was too much for the 550 Mossbeater so I sold it to step up a few CC's, Now I am rebuilding a 81 KZ750E. Its going to be Much more reliable when the mighty right hand twists a bit.

ran429 wrote:

PuGz wrote:

The other thing is once you get the 550 you will want more. Next thing you know you will have a kz1000 sitting there. Its a sad addiction. :whistle:

I am living proof af that too, My big ass was too much for the 550 Mossbeater so I sold it to step up a few CC's, Now I am rebuilding a 81 KZ750E. Its going to be Much more reliable when the mighty right hand twists a bit.

Well milage is the biggest thing, so it should work out fine.

I don't mean to "stir the pot", but I'd have to buy another CB750 if I had that kind of money to spend Just a prefrence of style. I'm sure I'd enjoy riding a KZ1000 just the same.

Ben

Just a pic of my '82 CB750SC. I'm going to try and get a pic of the KZ as soon as I can.

So, what happened to your CB750? Nothing wrong with that bike either...

I had bought a truck for that comming winter(just too many days with snow on the roads). The apartment building I lived in wouldn't allow me to keep the bike in our lot. They even gripped about us having two cars. We really couldn't afford to store it, so I sold it. I'll have another one day.. Untill then, this KZ will fill the void quite nicely

Ben

Post edited by: twin_rotor, at: 2005/10/13 16:35

I finally had a chance to go get the 550 today. Had to jump it to get it started, but it runs great! It deffinatly exceeded my expectations in performance.

The tank and side covers were painted with a rattle can, so off they came for prep and paint. Mechically, it rode great and passed a visual inspection. The chain is even new. Wiring seems stock with no hack attacks with the excepting of a broke foot brake switch. Do the dealers still carry this part? The speedometer is missing; prety sure it was layed over at some point in its life.

After I took the dead battery out I noticed a switch I payed no attention to while riding. Its on the left side and is labled "turn" with an A at the top and a M at bottom. Only thing I can think is auto turn signals?

Planning on having it back on the road next Sunday(hopefully). I'm also buying a new camera this week, so I deffinatly get some pics.

Thanks
Ben

twin_rotor wrote:

After I took the dead battery out I noticed a switch I payed no attention to while riding. Its on the left side and is labled "turn" with an A at the top and a M at bottom. Only thing I can think is auto turn signals?

Yes, that is a switch for self cancelling turn signals. A = automatic (self canceling activated); M = manual(no self canceling).

I do not know how well they work in the "automatic" mode, since the only bike I have with that feature has not made it to the street yet. (Maybe in the spring.) I do know that self-canceling turn signals were rarely installed on the KZs, and then only on later models.

Let us know how they work for you.

Post edited by: apeman, at: 2005/10/24 17:31