'81 Z500 Café racer from Sweden

It's finally time. I've been lurking around here asking stupid questions for a couple of weeks promising to post a project log, now let's begin!

I've been looking for some kind of project vehicle for a couple of years. One day I'm dead set on getting a muscle car, the next I want a WRX Impreza. This spring however, I took my mc license and am now completely sold on bikes. When the opportunity to rent a garage just 10 minutes from my central city home, I had to take it. Two days after signing the contract, I bought this 1981 Kawasaki z500.

From the get go, I wanted to build a cafe racer. as I've found this style of bike appealing for several years. So a good base bike was bought. The bike has only had about 5 real users, which isn't a lot considering it's a 35 year old bike. The guy I bought it from had just had a shop do an oil and filter change.

The bike is in pretty good shape mechanically since it's only done around 22000 miles. Chain and sprocket, tyres and all other bits and bobs are good so they won't need any attention for some time.

So what are the real plans with this build?

• There will be a new seat, removing the rear seat and fender completely. The frame will be chopped and shortened
• A clip-on unit will replace the old handlebars and thus the front light will need a new mount. First I was planning on getting a new front light, but after some mocking up, I kind of like how the old one looks when it's lowered.
• The stock tank is one of the things that got me attracted to this bike, it looks big and beefy enough, which is important to get proportions right on a cafe style build. It will however require a proper repaint since areas of it has been repainted by a colorblind baboon
• The stock 4-2 exhaust will stay, but new smaller mufflers will be installed and the whole thing painted black and wrapped.
• I've bought a new combo-gauge that will replace the old setup, and I'm considering moving the ignition lock to a more hidden position.
  
• Since adding clip-ons alter the driving position a lot, I will have to get some new foot control units, but this is not crucial at this point. (/li]
  
• The area where the stock airbox sits will be cleaned up and all electronic gizmos and gadgets will be hidden in a small tray under the new seat, I'll probably have to get a new smaller battery to make it all fit though
• The front fender will be cut and reshaped to follow the wheel even better
• The tank, fender and seat cowl will be painted in some color, maybe yellow, and the rest of the bike will stay black. Wheels will be given some black paint too,

.

Let's start hacking!



First job was removing the old seat and rear cowl along with all the lights.



Battery box removed, tank removed and a nasty mess of wires revealed.



Yay, my new seat has arrived! But what, wait, no! It doesn't fit! Damnit.

You mentioned you like the tank, just a tip...imo they really 'need' graphics to 'work'. The bubbly z650 z900 rounded tanks work great in any colour...for the chiselled swage lines in the GPz it need graphics imo. Think about this in planning stage.

I did a beautiful Peugot flouride green metallic, it was nice but something was missing. Yellow is cool, been through four different yellows on my 550...



EDIT spot the goofy mistake I made on this paint job

pps you really sure about modifying such a pretty bike?

I don't know if it was a mistake, but the white above blue stands out. The original gpz550 had them the other way.

You would not be the only one though, there are plenty of examples on the internet... most of them are ELR colored... as that is how at least some ELR's are shown in ads from back in the day.

BTW, what is that big hose coming off the clutch cover?

The original gpz had them the other way.

Although between the GPz 1100 B1 and B2 the colours were reversed.

The "kenny Lawson" :silly: pic does not reveal too well but the tank graphic placement needs to move up a bit at the front of the tank, the old logo Kawasaki badge conceals this...colour is suzuki blaze yellow.;

Tyrell Corp wrote: The "kenny Lawson" :silly: .... suzuki blaze yellow.;

:laugh: Shouldn't it be Yamaha yellow then?

Actually Aprilla pearl yellow before -hated that.

I was split between the Suzuki yellow and the Triumph...


Lou, check your pm please

Tyrell Corp wrote:
EDIT spot the goofy mistake I made on this paint job

pps you really sure about modifying such a pretty bike?

Definitely gonna take in consideration some kind of stripe or graphics on the tank. It's still just a big mess of strange plans in my head

That bike of yours looks amazing, good job!

The bike I got is in a pretty sad state when it comes to all paintwork. Both frame and body panels have been partly repainted by an ape, it really looks like shit when you start looking a bit more carefully. Pictures don't really show that due to bad lighting and just a phone camera.

I can see the charm these bikes have, but for me they have no sentimental value since the bike is older than I am, 8 years to be precise. The 500 doesn't really hold any value in Sweden as a collectors bike, unless it's mint which mine aint. If it had been a more sought after model and year, I wouldn't have cut it up (Honda CB750, I'm looking at you ).

Time for an update!

Last time we met our hero, he was looking pretty sad. Missing most of his body parts and with a wonky seat on the back. We can't have that now, can we?

Time for some good 'ol angular grinding fun :woohoo:


And one more :


With that done, a proper test fit of the seat could be made:



Now we're getting there! But some cutting and grinding still has to be done to remove all those old mounting points for the battery and seat.

Until next time,
Cheerio!

Original paint on the tank? nice when they are not all filler and rust.

Those early slide carb motors have a nice midrange power, less 'cammy' than the later GPz monoshocks and good fun to ride.

What are you doing about sidepanels? I always liked the idea off cutting them horizontally- keeping the top swage line that works so well with the tank. or builded rounded bottom edges to match the tail bump?

The whole rear 1/4th of the tank has been repainted, with paintbrush, in a non stock color. It looks horrible, so I will have to grind it down and repaint with primer and all the fuss that comes with a respray.