Kawasaki GPz550
(Page 2 of 3)
November/December 2005
By Ric Anderson
“My brother has a Ducati Monster 750, and it totally shocked him that his bike and mine run virtually identical,’’ Pratt says. “You could throw a blanket over us at the finish line.’’
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Birth of a species
Kawasaki had already produced the lightest, quickest and best-handling half-liter bike on the road with the 1980 KZ550, but a growing interest in pure sport bike and competition such as Yamaha’s Seca 550 spurred the creation of the GPz.
To generate more horsepower, Kawasaki engineers punched out the cylinders an extra 3mm and raised the piston dome height from 2.6mm to 4.0mm, increasing the compression ratio from 9.5:1 to 10:1. Main jets were enlarged, and the camshaft was swapped to increase lift on both the intake and exhaust valves.
A steep fork angle and a short (54.9in) wheelbase results in quick and precise steering, and cornering clearance was more than reasonable.
On the downside, the fairing didn’t do much for aerodynamics or rider protection, and the bike was widely criticized for being cold-blooded.
Still, the bike’s overall performance and features such as triple discs and an oil cooler drowned out the nit-picking, and it didn’t take long for waiting lists to start forming at dealerships.
The crotch rocket market was born, and Kawasaki was king.
“If you wanted a cutting-edge 550-class sportbike anytime over the past few years, your choice was simple: You bought a GPz550,’’ Cycle Guide said in 1984. “Kawasaki so dominated the class that all challenges were little more than minor skirmishes along a very secure border.’’
The company stayed on top through constant refinement such as a monoshock rear suspension in 1982; and a body-mounted fairing, new frame and redesigned bodywork in 1984.
Lasting impression
We suspect Kawasaki also sprinkled some sort of voodoo powder on the bikes, because they’ve cast an enduring spell on owners.
For various reasons, Goodwin went years without a good opportunity to buy a GPz. But he never lost the faith, even as someday turned into some decade.
“I kept looking, and finally I happened to find a good one on e-Bay. I’d had other bikes over the years, but this was the one I really wanted.’’
Goodwin finally made his purchase in December 2004.
Pratt has a similar story, buying his GPz more than 20 years after he first laid eyes on one.
“I went to a dealership one day when I was going to college in Daytona, and there was an ’81 there on the floor. It was very striking in its day. It had that nice, European look to it. I started paying more attention to it after that.’’