If this had been a customer job, it might have finished sooner,
but ultimately it took about two months to get it road-ready.
And there’s still plenty more I want to do—it’s still a work in progress.
Everyone wants to buy a used motorcycle as reasonably as possible.
But even if it costs a bit more,
buying something “original and in the best condition possible” is the way to go without fail.
And then something “with a known history” will dramatically boost your peace of mind.
The one I purchased had a bad fuel tank, but everything else was extremely high quality.
As a result, I felt confident and very satisfied.
But
when I calculated the selling price based on parts and labor costs this time, I couldn’t help but wonder what it would be.
If it had been a bit warmer, I would have loved to ride across the Aqua Line and zoom out to Chiba (*´ω｀*)
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Wrist-bending “low throttle” needs fixing
When I first rode the GPZ550, I actually thought, “Man, this has no punch at all~” But wait, that can’t be right.
When I twisted the throttle wide open, it really took off.
The “throttle was so low I wasn’t actually opening it fully” theory…
So even though I’d filed down the ribs, I ended up installing a Daytona flat-slide throttle.
But even with the high-throttle setup, since it’s a vacuum carb, the throttle weight doesn’t feel particularly heavy,
and it’s definitely become a bike that really moves forward.
These little control-system tweaks can really change how the bike feels, so give it a try.
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Yoshimura handlebar grips are excellent
The other day, when I installed Yoshimura grips as a work request, I was really impressed by how great the design and grip feel were~
So I immediately adopted them for the GPz550 as well.
They have a stock-like design and a slightly thicker outer diameter, so they subtly absorb vibration.
Handlebar grips are a consumable you can have fun choosing.
It’s great when you can test different options and find one that fits you perfectly.
If you use anti-slip tape instead of adhesive, replacement becomes really easy.
That way you can sample different grips in just a few days.
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The bar ends are Daytona brand.
The mounting method uses an anchor-type metal expansion system.
The older method where “rubber expands to hold it” should be avoided if possible.
The workability is really poor and there’s a very high chance of it falling off.
Always measure the handlebar inner diameter with calipers before buying.
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I’m a DID drive chain fan. Used sprockets for that reason
The drive chain condition was poor, so I replaced it first this time.
Basically, you want to take it for a test ride first to get a feel for the final gearing.
Like with the Zephyr 550, for city riding I felt “the gearing was a bit too long,”
so I changed the front sprocket from 16 teeth to 15 teeth.
It’s reassuring that Sunstar has these fine adjustment options.
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Fuel cap is still available as OEM
Key cylinder transplant is necessary, but the fuel cap is available as OEM.
By the way, this fuel cap is used on various models, which makes sense for that reason.
It’s really nice when small parts like this are available.
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What about TK (Teikei) carbs?
You can get minimal gaskets and such, but it’s better to switch to something like a Keihin CVK.
If you don’t change the jets and just ride it original, it might be fine.
What really caught my attention was how thin the float gasket is.
“Really? The wire diameter is that thin?” That’s how thin it is.
Each gasket costs about 1,000 yen.
After running the original setup for about 1,000 km, I’m planning to switch to a CVK.
Cam chain tensioner can be adapted too
I accidentally didn’t make this a blog post about the cam chain tensioner.
Since I’m working on this between jobs, I often forget things.
It went from the original somewhat vague design
to the modern ratchet type, making it more compact and giving better peace of mind.
It’s basically automatic, but you can also adjust it one notch at a time by pushing from the rear.
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Kijima silicone spark plug wires are the best
Unless they’re broken, there’s no dramatic change.
But replacing them gives you peace of mind and dramatically boosts your confidence.
When they get old, they become stiff
and develop a shape-memory effect, making spark plug replacement really difficult.
Considering the possibility that they might break inside during plug replacement and cause a misfire,
I’d want to replace them right from the start.
Price-wise, they don’t cost much.
If you work steadily on the little things, before you know it your machine will be shaped into your own.
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So that wraps up my report on getting the GPz550 road-ready.
Overall, I’d say it’s “an extremely well-finished, easy-to-ride machine.”
Personally, I’d like “a bit wilder finish.”
Anyway, now that it’s finally running, I want to put more miles on it and learn more about it.
Even though there haven’t been any major overhauls, I realized that “classic bikes really do need a lot of parts replaced.”
You need to approach old bikes with a certain level of commitment.
“Is there no love in this?” With that spirit, here’s to the bittersweet journey.
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