A new addition to the garage

**Oblivion** · 9th August 2012, 22:30

Originally Posted by mossy1200

I have a theory. If its not broken. Replace it and tell the wife it was busted up real bad.

Yeah, sorry babe, I was riding and a land shark knocked me off while I was riding your bike. But its totally ok. I got you a new one. Its the old one. With just a few more mods......

**mossy1200** · 9th August 2012, 22:39

20 years ago my mate had a gpz550 but it was a half fairing bike. It was dark blue and silver. He did so many kms on it and the only issue he ever had was a leaking head gasket. I think it had over 150tho on it when he sold it. I had a cbx750 boldor back then and he never had trouble keeping up.
A gpz750 turbo would be a nice bike to keep polished up and take out for a weekend ride every so often.

**mossy1200** · 9th August 2012, 22:42

Originally Posted by Oblivion

Yeah, sorry babe, I was riding and a land shark knocked me off while I was riding your bike. But its totally ok. I got you a new one. Its the old one. With just a few more mods......

I bought a new triumph bonny and managed to convince my wife the standard carbs were no good for 2 up riding on New Zealand petrol plus the stock bars left me leaning back to far and the stock shocks couldnt handle 2 up.

**Oblivion** · 9th August 2012, 22:43

Originally Posted by mossy1200

20 years ago my mate had a gpz550 but it was a half fairing bike. It was dark blue and silver. He did so many kms on it and the only issue he ever had was a leaking head gasket. I think it had over 150tho on it when he sold it. I had a cbx750 boldor back then and he never had trouble keeping up.
A gpz750 turbo would be a nice bike to keep polished up and take out for a weekend ride every so often.

If you can find one. If I had the money, i'd snap one up quick smart.

Originally Posted by Katman

I'm about 80% of the way through a restoration on a 1982 GPZ750.

Would be good get them photographed together some day.

I don't think the camera would be able to handle that amount of sexiness, but thats just me

**ducatilover** · 9th August 2012, 23:40

Looks like an epic project thread is about to start

Good score dude

**gammaguy** · 9th August 2012, 23:50

Originally Posted by Oblivion

Yeah, I know. Its gonna be painted as part of a restore, so we wont have mismatched paint

My first ever new bike was a Kawasaki GPz 550,brought from Dallas Rankine at the Bike Clinic in Tory St.

Unitrak suspension,digital bits on the dash,super stuff.Great Bike,never let me down.

by the way the correct red color is called Firecracker Red.

I also have a nice factory manual in book form here for one of those

**gsxr** · 10th August 2012, 01:04

My first race bike was a GPZ550 factory race bike bought off John Boyle back in late 1984 when Boyles needed the money to bring in 3 GPZ 750 turbos. Still remember that night in the workshop drinking piss and assembling the first of the turbos.John took it for the first squirt and came back and I remember his words clearly to this day. FUCK THAT. I took it for a ride and I had to agree with him. The turbo lag was chronic on them. Anyone that has ridden one would probably agree. Grab a handfull of brake and the turbo wants to keep you going forward. Maybe only a fraction of a second but seems a lifetime when you need to stop.
I raped /raced the arse of that 550 over 3 seasons on most circuits and street races before I run out of testicles and $$$$$$ and it was still as fresh as new.
Great wee bikes. For their day they were light, handled well and blew most of the competition out of the water.
With the factory 1/4 cam in it did nothing till 9000 rpm then at around 13 to 14000 rpm it was continual upshifts .
Probably the most favourite bike I have owned .Well I think I still own it just cant remember where I left it lol

**gammaguy** · 10th August 2012, 01:22

there was a guy in welly had a Kawasaki turbo

fast eddie was his name,dunno his real one

He took my girlfriend at the time for a ride on the back,at her request,I was behind on the GPz550 at the time.

Coming along the Hutt motorway just past Haywards turn off he opened the thing up,my GF clinging to the back for dear life.

Not sure which was the most overwhelming emotion for me at the time,fear for the life of my GF or admiration for the acceleration of the Turbo.

I broke up with her in due course.

Still love those turbos....

**gsxr** · 10th August 2012, 03:12

Originally Posted by gammaguy

there was a guy in welly had a Kawasaki turbo

fast eddie was his name,dunno his real one

He took my girlfriend at the time for a ride on the back,at her request,I was behind on the GPz550 at the time.

Coming along the Hutt motorway just past Haywards turn off he opened the thing up,my GF clinging to the back for dear life.

Not sure which was the most overwhelming emotion for me at the time,fear for the life of my GF or admiration for the acceleration of the Turbo.

I broke up with her in due course.

Still love those turbos....

The power and the acceleration of the Turbo can not be disputed.It was way ahead of its time.
Unfortunately it was released before it was refined.
The turbo lag was the major problem. Maybe Fast Eddie will comment.
Once one had ridden one for a while and got used to its inconsistencies then it was probably a GREAT bike.
Get rid of the turbo lag and put the same power plant in a modern frame ,suspension and tyres and your on a winner.
Off topic now opps
Back on topic.
The GPZ 550 was a class bike .Nothing at the time compared in its class.

**Katman** · 10th August 2012, 08:58

Originally Posted by gsxr

The turbo lag was the major problem.

They still had noticeably less lag than the other manufacturers offerings due to the frontal positioning of the turbo.

**ducatilover** · 10th August 2012, 10:59

Originally Posted by Katman

They still had noticeably less lag than the other manufacturers offerings due to the frontal positioning of the turbo.

I would hope so!
Once mine is done it should be interesting, I'm hoping for full boost around the 5-6krpm mark

(most pointless turbo conversion ever, it'll never get used)

**Oblivion** · 10th August 2012, 21:11

Originally Posted by gammaguy

My first ever new bike was a Kawasaki GPz 550,brought from Dallas Rankine at the Bike Clinic in Tory St.

Unitrak suspension,digital bits on the dash,super stuff.Great Bike,never let me down.

by the way the correct red color is called Firecracker Red.

I also have a nice factory manual in book form here for one of those

Have you got a pdf of said manual?

Also, Thanks for the colour find. Makes it easier than having the paintjob made by guesswork

**Road kill** · 10th August 2012, 21:58

I watched what was probably the first GPz550 crash in NZ at the hair pin on Pukekohe.
Some bike magazine types had the 550,750 and 1100??,,taking pic's an thrashing em' around the track when the guy on the 550 got a bit too much brakes going on as he came up on the corner,,nek minite,,,crash slide scrap tumble an all that other stuff.
I was putting the roof on the house just over the fence about 50 meters before the corner,,got a grand stand view as every time a bike came down the straight I'd stop an watch.
Boss was getting pissed at my stopping an when the guy decked it he looked at me an said,all you cunts are mad.
Of course I had to defend myself an said,,my bike ain't that fast mate,,,,DOH