GPz550 Used Purchase. Checklist Points to Check Before Riding

I purchased a used GPZ550. For now, I absolutely won’t start the engine.
I want to start it only after all preparations are complete.

First, I’ll tackle the tedious task of ordering parts.
*I know you might think “get back to work!” but for me, playing is also work (*´ω｀*)

It’s a bit scary, but I’m the type to remove stickers

Stickers applied later are kind of scary, right?
NINJA… don’t put that on… is what I think.

There’s a possibility they could be sun-faded or cracked, so it’s a bit nerve-wracking.
But I’ll remove them without hesitation.

It’s tediously annoying to remove stickers like this.
Of course, it’s easier if you warm them up with a heat gun while removing them.

I managed to remove it cleanly and polish it up.
I was relieved to find nothing wrong.

When I took photos, I noticed “the right and left mirrors are different” .
The shape is also slightly off, so I ordered different genuine mirror types.

The square headlight is “slightly smaller” than standard size—an odd size

Yesterday, looking at the GPZ in a truck’s side mirror, “The GPZ looks so cool~” I was thinking to myself…
“The headlight seems kind of small~”

When I checked the dimensions at the shop, it was indeed one size smaller… no compatibility with standard parts.
I quickly cancelled the Stanley (formerly Revlick) multi-reflector I had ordered.
I’m the type who wants all headlights to be multi-reflectors, so this is a bit of a problem.
I’m wondering whether to go with a larger case… feeling down.

The original screen is really dirty *coating peeling off

I spent about 30-40 minutes wrestling with it and removed the peeling coating.
I polished it with ceramic compound and got it looking pretty decent.

Since it’s not a problem area right now, I’d like to save it as something to enjoy later.

Upper cowl cracked / Tank rusted

The right side of the upper cowl has been beautifully? repaired.
It’s quite innovative and wild-looking, actually pretty cool.

I’m thinking I’ll repair this nicely too when the timing is right.

It’s a bit blurry, but the inside of the gas tank is really rusty and kind of scary.
In this condition, I’m definitely going to send it out for rust removal and coating.

Tires / Brake disc pads / Chain sprockets / Engine oil

All these consumables are worn out, so they need replacement.
I wrote it quickly, but if a customer requests all of this work, it adds up to quite a bit.
Be careful when purchasing used bikes in general.

I can only find things that bother me—maybe that’s what makes it fun?

Voltmeter&The trip isn’t seated properly.
Since I’ll be resetting the meter to zero anyway, I’ll fix it then.

Control systems All the controls are heavy and stiff.
I’m still checking if wires are available, but I want to replace them quickly.

First time seeing a “Keihin TK carb”—the ancestor of CV/CVK carbs.
Since it’s a Kawasaki, I thought it would be Mikuni, but Keihin was a surprise!
And a TK carb at that—amazing.

The side stand mounting position is abnormally far forward.
Plus, it uses a double spring I’ve never seen before.
Apparently, auto-return side stands existed in certain markets.
This might be a remnant of that.

The GPZ series side stand mounting boss layout isn’t ideal.
I don’t want to do any crazy modifications, but making it detachable might be better.

A used bike with so many things to think about is really fun (*´ω｀*)

Just regular maintenance alone gives you plenty to do.
And when you think about customizing it with different parts, it gets exciting.

A Kawasaki 550 as a second bike is quietly a lot of fun.
It seems like more and more people are targeting these, so don’t get too into it.
Enjoy your bike life~ (*´ω｀*)