Description
Please note: This bike does not start. As such, there is no cold start video.
Additional photos are available here for your perusal.
The 1970s were all about big ccs and big power, with bikes like Kawasaki’s KZ1000, Honda’s CBX, and Suzuki’s GS1000. Most of the motorcycle world’s attention was focused on these big bore UJM creations, at the expense of budget-friendly middleweight bikes that could still offer great performance. In 1981, Kawasaki changed everything with the introduction of the GPz550 – it was the first real middleweight four stroke motorcycle that could go up against something like the Yamaha RD400’s of the late 70s. When measured against the more pedestrian KZ500, the GPz was downright sporty – and that made it wildly popular.
The GPz550 featured an inline four that was air and oil cooled and put out around 57 horsepower through a six speed gearbox. 1982 saw an update to Kawasaki’s Uni-track rear monoshock suspension, a bit more power, new gauges and different colors. The bike had triple disc brakes which were a big upgrade over the prior KZ model’s single front disc and rear drum, the suspension was also much better with an air adjustable fork and rebound adjustable rear shock. Performance was excellent with a stock bike being able to return mid 12 second quarter mile times.
1984 saw the power bumped up to 65 hp and a change to more stylish, flowing bodywork. The GPz laid the ground work for what would become the Ninja several years later, and the rest is history.
This example is VIN: JKAZXFA13EA003855. The seller purchased the bike six months ago and states, “The bike was purchased from a Japanese sportsbike collector who had to offload a portion of his collection for health / personal reasons. The bike is all-original and has had only one other owner since being purchased in the 1980s.”
The odometer shows 6,946 kilometers (4,316 miles).
Maintenance:
Per the seller, “The bike does not start. I have not attempted to rectify the issue (I am living abroad and do not have access to the bike to perform the necessary work). While I presume a simple carb-cleaning and change in the battery would suffice to fix the issue given the mileage and the fact that it started as recently as this Spring, I would prefer to sell it as-is rather than having a stranger work on the bike. No maintenance has been performed. The bike was road-certified and registered in Quebec in March 2024, at which point the engine ran without issue.”
Modifications:
According to the seller the bike is stock.
Inside of the tank:
It is riding on Bridgestone MAG.MOPUS G508 and MAG.MOPUS L303 tires with date codes of 443 and 463.
The sale includes one key.
Cosmetic Blemishes: please see the album up top for all known cosmetic blemishes. Here is a selection:
Currently located in Montreal, Canada, this Kawasaki is offered on a clean Quebec title. Have any GPz550 stories or questions about this listing? Let us know in the “Comments” tab!
