Author Topic: It isnt a Honda but....Its a project in the works....GPz550 Cafe Racer.. (Read 12515 times)

DarkRider · « **on:** July 15, 2008, 07:43:48 PM »

Not sure how many of you will remember this bike from when i initially bought it before. But i have recently got it back from my roomate and i started working on it today. Right now the Tribute bikes are still in the planning stages. For the past month or so i have had idle hands..and just sitting around moping around over my friends passing away isnt helping me at all...So i decided to actually do something with this bike and keep my self busy. Granted it will be limited by mostly money since i have lots of time But at least the starting stages are there...The bike is a 1981 Kawasaki KZ550 D1. Aka a GPz 550. It still has the wiring issues that grounded it in the first place but right now that is a benifit given im going to have to modify the harness for the bikes new form anyways...

From this

To this at the moment..this was all done today so far...

and i will throw up a pic of project Mutant to give an idea as to the direction the bike is headed..

Wont be quite as extreme but that should give an idea as to the frame mods the bike will be getting...

Chris

seaweb11 · « **Reply #1 on:** July 15, 2008, 07:53:56 PM »

Haven't seen a kawi 550 in a bit.

I shipped one over to Jamaica about 17 years ago for a 2 month vacation.

...........Good story

Those things really went

bzr · « **Reply #2 on:** July 15, 2008, 08:08:23 PM »

Hey, good start with the Honda tank, I can imagine what it's going to look like when it's finished. Project Mutant looks perfect as-is, IMO. Nice and stripped down like that...

DarkRider · « **Reply #3 on:** July 15, 2008, 08:16:24 PM »

That Honda tank is just a scrap one we had layin around..Its off of spikes old CB650 so i know what model it came from when it comes time to find a usable one. Either a CB650 Tank like that one or a KZ550 LTD tank which should just slip on and looks quite simular. The CB tank requires a bit of work from what i can see...namely relocated pins to slip the front cups onto...easiest way for that one would be drilling a hole through the frame just above the old pins and place a piece of ready rod through it to have new pins relocated just a bit higher...the CB tank doesnt fit down lower then it does now..though i kinda like it where it sits so i may just go about it that way..gives me the option to use a Kawi tank later maybe.

bill440cars · « **Reply #4 on:** July 15, 2008, 10:18:20 PM »

Good going there Chris. You keep those hands busy and next thing you know, your hands will be operating the controls on that GPZ while it's moving on down the road, in style!

DarkRider · « **Reply #5 on:** July 15, 2008, 11:48:37 PM »

Basic list of what the bike needs at this point...

Handlebars...something a lil taller then stock...
extended cables and brake lines
wiring extended
Charging system rewired
all new rear lights (signals and tail light)
new seat either based off of the original pan or what ever else i come up with
rear fender
CB650 tank or Kawasaki KZ550 LTD tank

Figured out i could retain the stock controls and sit comfortably on the bike..hopefully the height of the frame rails after mods will not affect that...but then again if i go with a spring solo seat its a moot point since the seat will sit about the same height as the rails were originally...but thats details i will figure out soon enough..

Hush · « **Reply #6 on:** July 16, 2008, 12:20:18 AM »

You got lots to play with anyway mate.

Let your imagination take flight.

martino1972 · « **Reply #7 on:** July 16, 2008, 12:45:46 AM »

sorry to hear about your friends...
good that your getting yourself back together and get busy..
so,you wanted some handlebars that are a little higher??? i got the handle bar from my cb650,would that work for ya???
looking forward to follow this project....good to see a bobber project here...
and since your using some honda parts on it,ill forgive you for it being a kawasaki..

DarkRider · « **Reply #8 on:** July 16, 2008, 12:55:41 AM »

pics of said handlebar?

martino1972 · « **Reply #9 on:** July 16, 2008, 12:57:32 AM »

yep,check first picture in this >>>http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=36933.0

DarkRider · « **Reply #10 on:** July 16, 2008, 02:31:33 AM »

Pm with what you want to get for the bars.

DarkRider · « **Reply #11 on:** July 16, 2008, 10:11:36 PM »

Gulp!....no turning back now!...

cut the rear section of frame off. Will probably be picking up a steel trailer fender soon to start on the rear which will determine the seat length..i have decided for now to leave frame stock between the tank and the shocks so i can use a modified seat pan...depending on what i get for a fender i may shape the foam to mold against it. The upside to keeping the front section of the frame stock i will be able to retain the stock side covers. I have considered using struts in place of the rear shocks..if i do i will be mounting a pair of ammo cases to them...i kinda have an image in my mind and so far the bike is taking shape according to that image...

And a slight update on project Mutant...

Sorry for the bad pics but spike wasnt around by the time the rain stopped to get the bike out of the garage to get a shot of it beside the GPz.

martino1972 · « **Reply #12 on:** July 16, 2008, 10:16:28 PM »

what kind of tank is that on the mutant??

DarkRider · « **Reply #13 on:** July 16, 2008, 10:36:19 PM »

of all things its a fuel tank from a 1975 Harley XLH Sportster...the white bike in the background of the pics.

martino1972 · « **Reply #14 on:** July 16, 2008, 10:47:26 PM »

good god,how many bikes do you have??
that harley dont run no more?

DarkRider · « **Reply #15 on:** July 16, 2008, 11:19:15 PM »

The Harley is my roommates bike..same with Mutant...

I have...

85 Honda Interceptor (aka Project Shadow)
81 Kawasaki GPz 550 (this bike in this thread)
77 Honda CB550 K (aka Project Reaper)
74 Honda CB750 K4 (aka the Tribute bike project)
72 Kawasaki S2 350

and i have to get to where Killer Canary is sometime soon to pick up a couple more S bikes

martino1972 · « **Reply #16 on:** July 16, 2008, 11:23:27 PM »

funny that they are all "aka" projects....

im the same way,everything i own has to be turned into a project..

DarkRider · « **Reply #17 on:** July 16, 2008, 11:40:00 PM »

Yea im bad for that...its worst when it comes to 4 wheeled rides...like my two S trucks...im pretty much where i wanna be on both my Blazer and my Interceptor thus why the focus on the GPz

DarkRider · « **Reply #18 on:** July 18, 2008, 10:38:59 PM »

Ok no sooner do i mention im where i wanna be on projects another one pops up...namely a 1996 Honda CBR600 F3 streetfighter...but i will only post the pics i have of it so far if theres any interest...the bike is currently at the about to be previous owners home..him and i made a deal that i was going to start making payments on it as soon as i can.

Hush · « **Reply #19 on:** July 19, 2008, 04:04:20 AM »

You are obviously not married, no married man would be allowed that much fun in his life!

DarkRider · « **Reply #20 on:** July 19, 2008, 01:32:04 PM »

Quote from: Hush on July 19, 2008, 04:04:20 AM

You are obviously not married, no married man would be allowed that much fun in his life!

Nope not married..not even a gf at the moment. However the roomate has nearly as many bikes and his gf dont mind it...actually she tore a strip out of him once when he considered selling project Mutant lol. But then again it was because of bikes they started dating so no suprise there really.

Hush · « **Reply #21 on:** July 19, 2008, 03:17:25 PM »

I'm starting to warm to Canadian girls.

bzr · « **Reply #22 on:** July 19, 2008, 03:18:22 PM »

Quote from: Hush on July 19, 2008, 03:17:25 PM

I'm starting to warm to Canadian girls.

Bit far for you there, mate.

But most of my friends are entranced by Aussie accents, especially of the female persuasion, so there!

Hush · « **Reply #23 on:** July 20, 2008, 04:00:28 AM »

Aussie girls look real good but when they open their mouths....hmm I never could get past that nasal twang, but then they think we Kiwis have an accent too ha ha........

troppo · « **Reply #24 on:** July 20, 2008, 04:06:01 AM »

kiwis dont have accents, they have speech impediments

rachet · « **Reply #25 on:** July 20, 2008, 09:19:07 AM »

I tried a quick search of "mutant" and "project mutant", but nothing showed up. Do you have any write-ups on it yet? I'd like to see more! the "dual gas tanks" looked sweet and, more importantly, unique. any plans on going with that?

Not to take away from your original reason for posting this thread, I can't wait to see what you do with that beast.

Thanks and keep up the good work.

Rachet~

DarkRider · « **Reply #26 on:** July 20, 2008, 03:11:15 PM »

Havent said much about Mutant since that is my roommates baby. But i can tell you a bit more info about it. It is a 1976 Suzuki GS750. The Swing arm has been extended 12 inches, The Dual tanks shown in an earlier pic were actually two fire extinguishers welded together. However Spike has since decided to go with Harley sportster style tank on it since it flowed better with the bikes lines. The rear fender is actually part of the rear swing arm and is constructed out of steel tubing and sheet metal. The plan is to have most of the electronics hidden under the seat between the frame rails and have the battery "floating" on the rear swingarm. Basicly there is very little stopping mutant from taking some test rides...namely the lack of a chain at this point. The Mutant name came about from the frame color being simular to the ooze in the TMNT movies.

DarkRider · « **Reply #27 on:** July 21, 2008, 02:58:14 PM »

Ok..just because i couldnt resist....here is an older pic of the CBR im buying...this was prior to a recent overhaul of the front end of the bike and the addition of an engine cage...Do not have any recent pics yet..

DarkRider · « **Reply #28 on:** July 21, 2008, 03:25:22 PM »

Here is an enhanced version of that pic...namely a lightened up version so you can actually see the bike lol...

and a couple older pics when it had a camo paint scheme...i wouldnt mind going back to this...

DarkRider · « **Reply #29 on:** July 23, 2008, 11:04:39 PM »

The more i look at the bike the more i reconsider the bobber idea...could be because i have gone stagnent on it for a bit till i can actually buy some needed parts but the look it has right now im half tempted to make a seat like hoopterfixters solo seat and make it into a cafe...

DarkRider · « **Reply #30 on:** August 22, 2008, 01:48:23 AM »

Ok thanks to the weather lately its been either raining or too bloody hot to work outside along with the fact i have been helping spike with some other projects i got sidetracked from this bike. I have infact decided to make the bike into a Cafe and will be constructing a seat simular to hoopterfixers soon. Already have a CB550 tank here that is kinda rusted out that im going to be cutting apart for the seat hump. I guess the more i looked at it with a shortened seat and drag bar the more i have been wanting to make it a Cafe. The initial thing keeping this bike from running was a rusted out battery tray and messed up wiring when it comes to the R/R however im leaving the wiring as is at the moment on the simple fact i may wind up extending it to relocate the R/R Havent decided yet. I might order one of those battery relocation kits from benji for this bike if it will work. im going to have to take a tape measure and compare the GPz chassis and the CB550 chassis to see.

I guess when it comes down to it the idea of a Chopper doesnt have as much of a hold on me as building a Cafe Racer does.

Chris

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Author Topic: It isnt a Honda but....Its a project in the works....GPz550 Cafe Racer.. (Read 12515 times)

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