So, GPz550's ?

(I thought I'd start a new thread on this in case it got lost in
t'other)

Neighbour offered me his GPz550 cheap yesterday. We were passing up
the town so didn't have long to talk but I wanted some advice here
before I even went to look at it please.

It's been standing for about 3 years (possibly outside, probably
covered). It needs a new battery and has had a new tyre (I think he
said front).

It possibly needs a new headset (he asked me to do it for him ages
ago) and "the carbs looking at". Apparently one of the local mobile
guys looked at it for him but either couldn't find the fault or did
and it was going to cost too much, don't know yet (or if I ever will
till I strip it myself). I believe it runs but possibly not 'well'. As
long as I don't need too many special tools to work on this thing (and
even if I do I can probably borrow them), are most jobs pretty
straightforward? Like, stripping / cleaning the carbs for example?

Also, could the panel tell me what to look out for on any particular
models please, specifically the bits that could be a deal breaker
(it's not the money to buy it's the money then needed to spend and the
time).

Like, do I understand the early models were dual shock, then went
Uni-track then mono-shock (or are the last two the same thing)?

Can you still get new bits for them and if so are they more expensive
pro-rata than Yam / Honda?

Over what mileage should I walk away or have these been known to go
round the clock?

Are all the consumables available from after-market suppliers
(cheaper)?

I'm 6'2". Will it fit me ok (even if only bearable rather than ideal)?
I like the riding position I get from my R100RT or even this little
Two Fifty if that helps (although my legs are a little cramped with
both).

If they are running ok are they reasonably (or at least typically for
their age etc) economical (I'm a fairly smooth rider).

I presume being only 550 and not a modern power house it should be
reasonably cheap to insure (for an old git with a clean licence)?

All the best and thanks for your time in any case.

T i m

 

Jesus. I've just replied to t'other, you twonk.<snip>

See my reply to your earlier posting

Rear suspension bushes and bearings,

First model was twin shock, little bar-mounted bikini fairing, very
short run. Second model was the H1, very early rising-rate monoshock,
handlear-mounted bikini fairing. In late 1983 it metamorphosed into the
ZX model: swoopy styling like the bigger GPzs, and a bigger
frame-mounted fairing. This is the one to have.

You can get all sorts of new engine stuff. The same lump was used in
(deep breath): the Z550, Z550F, GT550, Z550 Customer and others. Trim
etc will be hard to find new, ditto exhausts, but trim is available used
and everyone makes exhausts for the bike.

The one I bought had done 47k and was still sweet. They can do 100k
miles. Very strong. As long as it sounds sweet and is revvy, and the
camchain isn't rattling away, buy it.

Classic: Carole Nash is your friend here. £100 FC is my guess.

 

I'm not sure it would be a good buy at anything over £100.
If you have got loads of time to sort it out, and willing to buy stuff
from Breakers and ebay, then it may be worth getting if you want to
spend time on it.

I bought a CB500/4 for £200 last year as cheap transport - it had been
standing for 6 months or so, engine ran etc, but it looked a mess.

It cost me another £350ish to get it back on the road (excl. ins.), and
many hours swearing at it in the garage.That was without any major
expense such as chain/sprockets/tyres. It looked reasonable, but nothing
special, just an old unrestored bike.
Then, when back on the road, I realised what crap bikes they are
compared to modern stuff (for modern read post 1995).
It braked,handled and accelerated terribly. It went on ebay within 2
weeks of being MOT'd.
GPz550s were reasonable bikes 20 years ago, but the world has moved on a
lot in the meantime, and I wouldnt like to go back to one after having a
'modern' bike.
Alan.

 

Well you should have waited for this one then shouldn't you! <ducks>
;-)

(but no, thanks for that as well TOG ... and 'twonk', I like it but

Ok. even if things need pressing in/out I'm ok there (10 tonne
hydraulic press and a lathe to turn mandrels).

Ok, well fingers crossed then.

Handy list to have (thanks).

Ok ..

So, they stopped making them in 85 so the latest one will be over 20
years old (is that right)?

All the best and thanks muchly TOG. At least if it get's the general
thumbs up (for what it is etc) then I'm happy to give it a look.

All the best ..

T i m

 

Well he mumbled summat about 'a drink' so it's that or less hopefully.
;-)

Ok. Well I can make the time and 'she' won't mind as long as it
actually makes sense to do so and doesn't distract me from stuff like
'the house', too much or too long. The initial target would be to get
it running and basically safe / tidy, see how it goes then *maybe*
spend more time on it later. I predict it's only going to be
transport. I think for our sort of use (camping trips mainly) the
R100RT still holds it for me. [1]

Ok ..

Ok. And I think they are still better than something someone has had a
go at and bolloxed up?

Oh dear.

Understood Alan. I guess it's horses for courses. If you like every
corner to be accompanied by a shower of sparks from yer sliders and a
drag run off every set of lights then such probably isn't for you (and
I'm not suggesting that's your style here <g>). If like me you are
just happy to potter along at the speed limit (plus a bit sometimes),
enjoy the twisties now and again and just to be on *a bike* for a
change then pretty well anything that works reasonably well and is
basically safe (when being used sensibly) will do. The only thing that
would pi$$ me off big time would be poor reliability and the only bike
that hasn't got me home so far is the BM (towed in once by her on the
XV750 and AA relayed back to London from Leek with stripped clutch
splines). Even the MZ got me home every time (once only just but it
still did it)!

I commuted on a Lambretta SX150 for 2 years and it did just what it
had to perfectly, even in the snow! [2]

All the best ..

T i m

[1] I borrowed a 900 Divvy for a week and although it was everything
good that the BM wasn't it was utterly soulless (and that's not
something I thought I'd ever say).

[2] I rode it down the road (sometimes sideways) past a couple of
matching leather clad bikers who were pushing something big along in
the gutter. :-(

 

T i m wrote:

<files Timmmaaaay alongside Auvache in the 'old gits who admit to
riding scooters' bin>

NEXT!

 

Ok, do you have a Messerschmitt KR200 bin? ;-)

All the best ..

T i m

 

When you're driving one of those is it customary to engage in a mock
dog-fight with any Triumph Spitfire you encounter?

 

Of course?

If he happens to get on your tail you just head for some
slightly_narrower_than_a_standard_car bollards and watch just how
removable their bonnet is! ;-)

All the best ..

T i m

 

No, wrong. They were on sale in Kawasaki's line-up until the early
1990s, believe it or not. Last model was the A6, in about 1992.

 

In my youth we all used to use a short cut on our bikes over a little
footbridge at The Slipe in Queens Park, Bedford. A police Mini was just
able to make it between the bollards and over the footbridge.

One day some mates of mine were 3 up on a FS1E with only one helmet
between them and were being chased by a Police Metro panda car, this
was just after our local force swopped from Minis to the all new model.
The rider decided to take the Slipe footbridge, dump the others off and
then piss off towards the village we came from. They crossed the bridge
and on the other side, out of sight, my two mates hopped off the back
and off the rider went. When we all met up in the pub that night the
pillions told us they heard a crash and walked back a bit to see the
Police Metro wedged between the bollards because it was just that
little bit wider than the old shaped Mini.

 

You're talking chalk and cheese. The 500 Four went out of production a
decade before the ZX550 was launched.

Well, yes, by today's standards they were crap. Especially the brakes.

No: 20 years ago, they were *excellent*. They were the sports
middleweights to have. And they stayed in the line-up for a decade, like
I said. I mean, it outlasted the GPZ600R *and* the GPX600R. It really
was very, very good.

You're being a tad unfair here. The original GPz550 was one of those
bikes that changed things: it went as well as a contemporary 750 and
outhandled a lot of other stuff. And the 550 was very well braked
indeed. Sure, it feels dated compared with (say) a modern CBR600, but a
good one will still do 125+ (genuine), handle reasonably well bytoday's
standards, return 50mpg overall, be reliable, and cost bugger all to
run.

As a cheap fun hack, it takes a lot of beating.

 

Ok, could that work both ways for me then, if it was a 92 (which I
doubt) would it still count as a classic insurance wise?

All the best ..

T i m

 

Well done them. Ah, kids, eh?

LOL. Splendid stuff.

 

Hehe.

I've just fitted Metro GT sets in the kit car (replacing the
Recaro's), quite comfy. ;-)

All the best ..

T i m

 

Yes

 

And that info pleases my muchly. Noting like getting something that
was known by everyone (else) as a pos!

All the best ..

T i m

 

Result!

All the best ..

T i m

 

They're shafties are GPz550s. And it's a "new"
tyre you say.

Be aware that a new tyre fitted three years ago
is likely to have perished so as to be unsafe.

A competent tyre specialist should be able to
read the tyrewall and tell you if it's still within
its useful life.

G DAEB
COPYRIGHT (C) 2008 SIPSTON
--

 

Like bollocks they are.

Like bollocks they are.

Like bollocks they are.

Spot a pattern yet?