Fozzie Posted June 10, 2013 Share Posted June 10, 2013 Got a lot on at the moment, I don't normally share my project threads as usually the bikes belong to others and Ive just had a heavy input. But thought I'd share with you this...It's a 1987 Kawasaki GPZ500 I got for... Well... For free It was running up until recently when its water pump packed in... However when the last chap who owned it fixed it, he couldn't get it started again. A friend of mine bought it but felt swamped by the task so gave it to me.http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad275/Chris-Fozzie/IMG_1401.jpgI'll update every now and again, I have a Yamaha FZR600 project going but it stalled as the cylinder head was too warped to skim so i'm working around that issue currently. I'll consider firing up a thread on that when it gets back as it has a host of R6 components to go on it.Let me just lay some ground rules first...1. If you see me do something "wrong" don't be an arse. You know what I mean. Some people tend to be very attacking when they give advice.2. If you have an advice I'm all ears! Any info at all is great!3. This is a modify project. It will not be a restoration although that's what I'm doing to it first... Expect a lot of hacking and slashing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fozzie Posted June 10, 2013 Author Share Posted June 10, 2013 So I have a 1987 Kawasaki GPZ500 with 50,000 miles on the clock. All things considered it is in better nick than an old 400 I once picked up. All the bearings seem ok but will be refreshed anyway.The idea of this thread is to take a base bike, restore it to a as new standard, and then modify it to my own standard. I got it for free and will plunge no more than £1000 into it. The idea being I can have something cool for less than £1000 is the exercise. So first task is take off the tank (1 bolt) and remove the fairings.http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad275/Chris-Fozzie/IMG_1409.jpgSeen worse I supposehttp://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad275/Chris-Fozzie/IMG_1413.jpgA lot of corrosionhttp://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad275/Chris-Fozzie/IMG_1412.jpgSome bolts already needed the grinder, cut a slot and use a big screwdriver (none of these fairings are going back on)http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad275/Chris-Fozzie/IMG_1416.jpgGot it off and found more corrosion (I have a plan to grind the frame down to bare metal and powdercoat)http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad275/Chris-Fozzie/IMG_1419.jpgAnd removed the air box which was a bit of a painhttp://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad275/Chris-Fozzie/IMG_1422.jpgWill put more up as I go...Already got a plan of what tail I'm usinghttp://www.motorcyclesdirect.co.uk/upload/images/2013%20KAWASAKI%20ER6F/2013%20ER6F%20Green.jpgAnd the front end I'm keeping quiet for now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GazW Posted June 13, 2013 Share Posted June 13, 2013 Have a look on ex500.com, there's a guy on there who used to run a team who raced these things, if you google fog's airbox mod there's meant to be a hole you can drill in the airbox that increases performance. I think he's basically saying gpz's are choked up on standard jetting. I never did it to mine, I couldn't tell you if it works or not, it will make for an interesting read if nothing else.Here you go http://www.ex-500.com/wiki/index.php?ti ... Airbox_Mod Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fozzie Posted June 13, 2013 Author Share Posted June 13, 2013 I've bookmarked it and studied how to do that mod. I will be doing it I got the carbs offhttp://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad275/Chris-Fozzie/IMG_1446.jpgGot them separated...http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad275/Chris-Fozzie/IMG_1458.jpgI'm working on getting them as stripped down as I have repair kits.http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad275/Chris-Fozzie/IMG_1463.jpgHit a snag, there was a carb issue with the bike before i got it. Went to take out the pilot jet and even though it has been soaked in penetrating fluid for days it stripped. So I had to get aggressive.http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad275/Chris-Fozzie/IMG_1464.jpgI've drilled the little sucker out. Unfortunately while a new one screws in, the threads on the inside are damaged. But looking at the general condition of these. I'm going to see about swapping them out for a later model of GPZ. I repaired them best I can, will see what I turn up at the breakers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eastanglianbiker Posted June 13, 2013 Share Posted June 13, 2013 for getting the frame powder coated it will be a lot quicker and easier to get it bead blasted as that will remove all the old paint and the rust everywhereready to get coated straight away unless any frame repairs/welds are needed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fozzie Posted June 13, 2013 Author Share Posted June 13, 2013 Was just going to try and do as much manually more for the experience, I've got plenty of grinding discs but wire wheels seem to do the best, gives a brilliant smooth finish. I'm toying with the idea of whipping out the welder and making my own sub-frame Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fozzie Posted June 14, 2013 Author Share Posted June 14, 2013 Update:Sourced the followingA set of 1994 (gen 2) carbs 17" Front wheelI'm looking at fitting CBR600F3 forks, so they will look conventional and re-spring them to my settings. I want this bike to be an agile road racer. I said I'd build a streetfighter but this falls under it luckily as it will be a naked Need to find out the size of the stem on this bike, see if it matches that of a CBR600 and if it does then easy peasy, if not then I will just take the existing stem and have it pressed into some custom triples that can take the CBR forks.It's either that or find the bigger gen 2 forks and re-spring those and they come with twin brake discs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GazW Posted June 20, 2013 Share Posted June 20, 2013 It's only the late gen 2 that had twin discs, 2007 onwards. You'll find tyre choice a b******, you can only get cross ply tyres and not radial for the standard kwak wheel sizes on both generation of wheels.Limits tyre choice drastically, I didn't get on with the Bridgestone bt45's either, wore very unevenly and used to spin up in the wet whilest being gentle with the throttle.. Eventually settled on Dunlop arrowmax's..Other link viewtopic.php?f=27&t=43244 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fozzie Posted June 21, 2013 Author Share Posted June 21, 2013 I see what you mean now!Plan B.Find a speedo I like, find out how it is drive (speedo cable hopefully) Buy front wheel from the bike it came from... Looks like I'm fitting Hornet wheels front and back Going to do a full front conversion and fit a Nitron shock on the back once I have that bit done. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 21, 2013 Share Posted June 21, 2013 Looking sweet so far fella..Looking forward to seeing more on this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fozzie Posted July 2, 2013 Author Share Posted July 2, 2013 Carbs off the 1994 model are the exact same as the 1987... This bike really did go unchanged!http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad275/Chris-Fozzie/GPZ500Carbs.jpgBut yet again... the pilot jet of the left hand carb is screwed http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad275/Chris-Fozzie/GPZPilotJet.jpgHow am I supposed to get that out? Drill and small extractor?As the last one I drilled damaged the threads a bit, I need to retap that one or drill and try and retap this one. The good thing at least is the condition of them was better.Running out of things to do so I'm starting to turn my eye to the frame and the corrosion. I think I will mimic what Polecat did and paint the frame myself.http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad275/Chris-Fozzie/GPZCorrosion.jpgSorry for the lack of updates, I have been very busy fixing my own bike as it's being sold for a new one. Had it 2 years so time for a change. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Classickid21 Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 Carbs off the 1994 model are the exact same as the 1987... This bike really did go unchanged!http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad275/Chris-Fozzie/GPZ500Carbs.jpgBut yet again... the pilot jet of the left hand carb is screwed http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad275/Chris-Fozzie/GPZPilotJet.jpgHow am I supposed to get that out? Drill and small extractor?As the last one I drilled damaged the threads a bit, I need to retap that one or drill and try and retap this one. The good thing at least is the condition of them was better.Running out of things to do so I'm starting to turn my eye to the frame and the corrosion. I think I will mimic what Polecat did and paint the frame myself.http://i943.photobucket.com/albums/ad275/Chris-Fozzie/GPZCorrosion.jpgSorry for the lack of updates, I have been very busy fixing my own bike as it's being sold for a new one. Had it 2 years so time for a change. Hi did they use this same engine and carbs in the er5? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted December 2, 2015 Share Posted December 2, 2015 in fact the gpz500 ex500 ninja 500r are all the same bike with later models having larger front rear wheels forks suspension coupler and links ,some where twin disc or right side mounted brake so parts are interchangeable then there are just other models with same engine en450 en500 kle500 vn500 er500 some of there bikes fit our engine and vice versa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Classickid21 Posted December 10, 2015 Share Posted December 10, 2015 in fact the gpz500 ex500 ninja 500r are all the same bike with later models having larger front rear wheels forks suspension coupler and links ,some where twin disc or right side mounted brake so parts are interchangeable then there are just other models with same engine en450 en500 kle500 vn500 er500 some of there bikes fit our engine and vice versa Thank you lunty this is much help for me to find a replacement set of carbs and few niggly parts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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