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1981 Kawi GPZ550 $400 Colorado Springs, CO

srsupertrap

srsupertrap

Forum Sage
Past Site Supporter
1981 Kawasaki GPZ550: 24k, New Mexico Title, Been stored for 10+ years

GOOD: Mikuni Race Carbs (Please Id), S/S Braided brake lines, Red Yosh 4 into 1?, Fox Shox, Fork Brace, Aftermarket Wires, Aftermarket seat but no rips, No rust in tank at all, Crank turns over easily, All keys there and they all work, Original Paint albeit faded

BAD: Tires flat & old, No brake fluid in Front Master Cylinder, No mirrors, No Centerstand, Very dirty

I saw it & bought it for $350 tonite . . . . My first Kawasaki I think I did good. The guy deleted the link immediately

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Wait, you own this bike and looking to sell? I'd love to have that thing. What does it need to run? Any safety wiring indicating it was raced?
 
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Sorry, didn't mean to mislead or tease anyone. I saw this GPZ550 pop up on C/L and half hour later I was enroute to buy it. It's not a race bike but the original owner modified it quite a bit, be interesting to see how it cleans up Sunday.

Anyone know what those Carbs are?
 
Fantastic score!!! Ever since I saw Todd's 550 I've wanted one, they look like a ton of fun. Congrats, and it looks like you got a lot of good stuff on it. I've never seen a red exhaust before, looks kinda unique.
 
Looks like a blast. Good scorage.
Not sure about the carbs, but a bigger version were on a 750 / 1100 I rode. Some kind of flat slide something or other. They worked very well on it. Hauled ass and got great gas mileage.
 
srsupertrap said:
Anyone know what those Carbs are?
Click to expand...


Nope, but the stock ones are 22mm TKs, so anything is an improvement

Just to be safe, send them to me for evaluation :)


Looks like Work Performance Gasser shocks, also
 
Hey RustyJeep, Sorry, but I've got to ask, what the heck is a maudit tabernacle ca c'est beau??? I don't think we have them in Tennessee. That GPZ looks like a great project, I tried to find one of them for the wife, a few years ago, but the ones with the dual shocks seem pretty hard to find.
 
Je suis desole mon francais est degradent.

Yeah I cannot really translate
but I will try

bad word tabernacle ( more or less a sacristy ). That is beautiful.

Some cultures use vulgar expressions to swear
in Chaucer you get a lot of swearing by the bones of saints or even Christ.

This is still true today. I think the British use of "blimey" and "bloody" are related. "bloody" stands for blood of Christ and "blimey" for God blind me.
IIRC actual results may vary.


All in all it is one lovely bike that I hope to own one day.
 
Big T said:
Nope, but the stock ones are 22mm TKs, so anything is an improvement

Just to be safe, send them to me for evaluation :)


Looks like Work Performance Gasser shocks, also
Click to expand...

I have read the stock TK's are very cold blooded and take forever to warm up . .. then again my 79 GS1000 was cold blooded too. The Carbs are Mikuni Flatslides with 17 drain bolts.

The shocks are Fox Street Shox, looks like one is leaking. Fox Street Shox were the first pair of aftermarket shocks I had on my GS1000 (Fox, Marzochi Symbol, Progressive etc). Anyone know were to get Fox rebuild kits?

Big T, when you get a moment can you send me the valve lash specs that will be one of the first maintenance jobs I will do.

TIA
 
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Love those '81 550's. Super cool bike. Had one back in the day and it's the one bike I regret selling. Looking forward to your review Steve. The valve shims are under the buckets so good luck with that. Using paint marks on the cam sprockets and chain may help speed up assembly when you get to that point.

Good luck.
 
ptexotik said:
great score! that'll scrub up nice


http://ltthor.home.comcast.net/~ltthor/forsale.html
Click to expand...

Ptexotik, Thanks for the link.

Nessism said:
Love those '81 550's. Super cool bike. Had one back in the day and it's the one bike I regret selling. Looking forward to your review Steve. The valve shims are under the buckets so good luck with that. Using paint marks on the cam sprockets and chain may help speed up assembly when you get to that point.
Click to expand...

Ed, Thanks for the tips, I guess I will find out if someone over torqued a cam, bearing cap bolt sometime in the future. I am not loving this Yosh 4 into 1: I can repaint it black in time but how do you choose an exhaust system that eliminates the center stand?
 
AFTER some Clean Up;

Luckily the Gas Tank is rust free & empty

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One coat of Turtle Wax
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Fork Tubes are Ok too

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Clear coat has peeled from the top of the Gas Tank & Tail section, Need new grips too
010.jpg


Plugs are black & fouled. Appears to be running too rich but cleaned up nice with a wire brush

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Drained one float bowl and a clear light oil came out . . . sure was not gas. Carbs will come off next week. NOTE: The Aluminum Adapter on the head to mount the Mikuni Flatslides

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I can picture it with a black exhaust now (#1 in the background)

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