I just picked up an '81 Kawasaki KZ550 and plan on going the cafe route with it, for now I'm just enjoying it as is and will do minor changes as I go but it'll get a complete tear down over the winter.
Here's how I got it, totally Eddie Lawson'd out haha, complete with 1100R stickers and a "1/2 Scale Eddie Lawson Replica" decal on the tank ;D
It doesn't look too bad in the picture but the paint was pretty rough, the stripes are vinyl decals and were peeling, and with the green accents in the grips and pinstripe on the seat it was just too much.
Overall the bike runs great and the weather has been amazing so I haven't done much besides just enjoy it. I did all the basic maintenance like oil change, lubed up the chain, changed front brake pad, checked the valves, etc. Then I sanded out most of the major imperfections and painted all the body parts flat black because it's easy, shaved the seat down a bit (what a difference in riding position!) and painted the green pinstripe, replaced the mirrors with extras I had lying around so I can actually see behind me, touched up the paint on the motor, and chopped off the mud guard in the rear.
I have a new set of clubmans, grips, and bar end mirrors waiting to go on but the stock bars are just too comfy for cruising around that I have been putting it off, haha. I also have a new cafe style seat for a gpz550 on the way along with proper length clutch and front brake cables. It came with the ebay pod filters and 4 into 1 but feels like it must have been re-jetted because it runs great and is pretty quick.
Big plans for it over the winter but for now it'll do! The seat at clubmans should make it a little more cafe racer style in the meantime.
This is just my 3rd bike, but the first that be even remotely close to a cafe racer. 1st was a '75 Honda XL175 that I "restored", minus the missing side covers this thing was pretty mint when I sold it off.
Then I had an '82 Honda cm450, I don't really know what style you would call it but it turned out pretty cool, IMO. It has a '72 cb200t tank, '83 Kawasaki rear fender, custom made seat, and a lot of random little mods.
Here's how I got it, totally Eddie Lawson'd out haha, complete with 1100R stickers and a "1/2 Scale Eddie Lawson Replica" decal on the tank ;D
It doesn't look too bad in the picture but the paint was pretty rough, the stripes are vinyl decals and were peeling, and with the green accents in the grips and pinstripe on the seat it was just too much.
Overall the bike runs great and the weather has been amazing so I haven't done much besides just enjoy it. I did all the basic maintenance like oil change, lubed up the chain, changed front brake pad, checked the valves, etc. Then I sanded out most of the major imperfections and painted all the body parts flat black because it's easy, shaved the seat down a bit (what a difference in riding position!) and painted the green pinstripe, replaced the mirrors with extras I had lying around so I can actually see behind me, touched up the paint on the motor, and chopped off the mud guard in the rear.
I have a new set of clubmans, grips, and bar end mirrors waiting to go on but the stock bars are just too comfy for cruising around that I have been putting it off, haha. I also have a new cafe style seat for a gpz550 on the way along with proper length clutch and front brake cables. It came with the ebay pod filters and 4 into 1 but feels like it must have been re-jetted because it runs great and is pretty quick.
Big plans for it over the winter but for now it'll do! The seat at clubmans should make it a little more cafe racer style in the meantime.
This is just my 3rd bike, but the first that be even remotely close to a cafe racer. 1st was a '75 Honda XL175 that I "restored", minus the missing side covers this thing was pretty mint when I sold it off.
Then I had an '82 Honda cm450, I don't really know what style you would call it but it turned out pretty cool, IMO. It has a '72 cb200t tank, '83 Kawasaki rear fender, custom made seat, and a lot of random little mods.
