1983 GPZ 550~~ new bike & new member

hello!!
Glad I found this forum!
as of yesterday, I'm the new owner of a 1983 GPZ 550...and it needs a lot of TLC! but I fuigure I couldn't really go wrong for $400.

I'm coming off Ninja 250 and 500's and had a Buell as well so this vintage bike is foreign to me but I think it's got potential.

We weren't able to start it, battery was dry but it did turned over and all the lights came on so I guess that's good, but the gears were stuck so that's an unknown for now.
So, hubby and I stopped at wally world last night, got a new battery, started taking this "beauty" ( cough cough) apart.

we are planning to get some powder coating done and see how we can get this bike to look cool and RUN!

I'm not sure if I should start another thread but I would like to swap the gauge cluster for something more simple...like just a speedo (think HD sporter) or anything else that isn't digital, which one would you suggest?
I want to put a flyscreen above the round headlight ( which I will more than likely keep) probably a Buell one or something similar.

ok, off I go to keep on reading other threads

here's the eye candy...

The 550's are a very good bikes! Have fun!

OMG.... and good luck...

nice "find", but wouldnt even try starting this thing until a full tear down and total rebuild.

spinning the engine without knowing what the oil is like or at least taking the sump off to clean might cause even more damage. if hubby is a good mechanic he should know

99% that brakes calipers pistons are frozen solid - not good for your health either.

built my racer out of something that looked just as bad but bike was tore down to last nut. bolt and washer and then rebuilt before any attempt to spin the motor.


TG

yep, we are planning a complete overhaul, down to the frame so like you said "good luck"
the previous owner has owned the bike for many years, since at least 1990 and has every receipt for mechanical work that was done on it since then.

both him and his brother put the 19K miles on it. They redid the crabs last year and had it running just fine, that's what he said anyways, but it has been sitting since then. Last time the bike was on the road was 2007**
Owner was in an accident recently and pretty much abandon riding, sold his mean streak and nomad, this one was the only one left...
he wanted $700 for it, but luckily hubby talked him down $400...LOL

ps: "OMG?" is it that bad?? LOL

** tag was for 2003~~ they only rode it around their house in 2007 for a short ride

Welcome aboard. According to Kawasaki.com your current speedo is cable driven by a gear drive at the front wheel (part #41078-1024). That part number is shared by the models below; that's quite a variety. If you take a look at the different speedos used by those bikes you may find one you like. Using one that is driven by the gear drive already on your bike would make the swap very easy. You would just need to find or fabricate a bracket. Ed

Model (43):
EN450-A1 (454 LTD) (1985)
EN450-A2 (454 LTD) (1986)
EN450-A3 (454 LTD) (1987)
EN450-A4 (454 LTD) (1988)
EN450-A5 (454 LTD) (1989)
EN450-A6 (454 LTD) (1990)
KZ1000-J3 (1983)
KZ1000-R2 (Eddie Lawson Replica) (1983)
KZ1100-B2 (GPz) (1982)
KZ550-H1 (GPz) (1982)
KZ550-H2 (GPz) (1983)
KZ700-A1 (1984)
KZ750-L3 (1983)
KZ750-R1 (GPz) (1982)
VN700-A1 (LTD) (1985)
VN750-A10 (Vulcan 750) (1994)
VN750-A11 (Vulcan 750) (1995)
VN750-A12 (Vulcan 750) (1996)
VN750-A13 (Vulcan 750) (1997)
VN750-A14 (Vulcan 750) (1998)
VN750-A15 (Vulcan 750) (1999)
VN750-A16 (Vulcan 750) (2000)
VN750-A17 (Vulcan 750) (2001)
VN750-A18 (Vulcan 750) (2002)
VN750-A19 (Vulcan 750) (2003)
VN750-A2 (Vulcan 750) (1986)
VN750-A20 (Vulcan 750) (2004)
VN750-A21 (Vulcan 750) (2005)
VN750-A3 (Vulcan 750) (1987)
VN750-A4 (Vulcan 750) (1988)
VN750-A5 (Vulcan 750) (1989)
VN750-A6 (Vulcan 750) (1990)
VN750A6F (Vulcan 750) (2006)
VN750-A7 (Vulcan 750) (1991)
VN750-A8 (Vulcan 750) (1992)
VN750-A9 (Vulcan 750) (1993)
ZX1100-A1 (GPz) (1983)
ZX1100-A2 (GPz) (1984)
ZX750-A1 (GPz 750) (1983)
ZX750-A2 (GPz 750) (1984)
ZX750-A3 (GPz 750) (1985)
ZX750-E1 (GPz 750 Turbo) (1984)
ZX750-E2 (GPz 750 Turbo) (1985)

Congrats!!
Having a vision is priceless! I can help with stock parts for that bike if you should ever need any. My buddie's part yard quite a few of those....ive seen like new stock seats, plastics...you name it for that. Jus let me know if I can help in any way.

Nice to see another KZ on its way.

I see a lot of PM's between you and I in the future...LOL

hubby is saying so far what he knows we will need:
1- clutch and break lever (front)
2- back light and turn signals
3- ignition with key

I know these parts are usually available on eBay and I've put some on ym watch list already but sicne you are offering your help...

regarding the seat, mine seems to be a little different, more of a cafe racer type than the regular flat one? It is SUPER comfortable for me and allow me to flat foot the bike, which might not happen with the reg. stock seat. So either I find a cover for it and make one/have one made.

now as far as colors...I do like the blacked out streetfighter look but I don't know if I want to go that route with this...
I've always drooled over white bikes for some reason so maybe white tank and tail and then I'm undecided for the wheels and frame.
I like the contrasting colored frames of Ducati (like the Monsters) but I'm not sure if that would fit this bike?
so either blacked out components/frame or flat aluminum components/ white frame and wheels?

ok, I know this one is pink..and well..I do like it...but reverse order...white bike with maybe a pink racing stripe on thank and tail?
Imagine that, a girl who likes pink
for my defense, I will say that I'm a bail bondsman and we own a gun shop so I'm not all that girly!

EMGO makes a small dolphin type fairing for the round headlite KZs.Pretty cheap as I recall.bj

here's the bike as of last night:








after doing some online leg work, I came across these bikes, I think I'm going to go for that look, blacked out frame/engine/pipes ( can't stand chrome!) and white tank/tail/fender/flyscreen...
and maybe just ad a touch of pink on the seat or the hand grips maybe?
my gear has pink in it and I've went through too much gear in the past few years, I'm keeping the ones I've got now

that a Triumph thruxton:






and a harley XR1200:

Here's a white KZ650:

that is gorgeous!! I LOVE it!
thanks so much for posting it, it really gives me a good idea of how a vintage bike would look in white.

kscanuck785 wrote: ...how a vintage bike would look in white.

Check out the GALLERY for white bikes, including this fine example by BohicaBob:





Good Fortune!