has anyone ever seen a gpz750 cafe style?
- Thread starter sal_13
- Start date
two-smoker
I reject your reality, and substitute my own!
Wrenchmonkees did some psuedo-cafe's out of GPZ1100's. Not too far removed style-wise.
gerrits
Active Member
I have a '83 GPz750 and was thinking about doing the same. Twinline motorcycles in Seattle did this beast. It started as a '83 550
http://werwinning.blogspot.com/2009/11/tower-power.html
http://werwinning.blogspot.com/2009/11/tower-power.html
kopcicle
antidisestablishmentarian
http://kzrider.com/forum/2-engine/15104-ultimate-kz650kz750-road-race-bike
I've done this . At anything over 100hp rear wheel (I'd like to claim 125) it's all premium components and dedication to detail. I , like others recommend the 650 head and the 750 sized valves as the 750 head is marginally too large in all the wrong places . Other than the obvious the only way to carve weight off these bikes is by replacing the frame . There are front suspension and brake solutions too numerous to mention . BS 34's for street use with an airbox or RS series with individual filters . I've used everything from Keihin CR's to Lectrons on these but wish I'd had the RS option then with the Keihin CR's a close second . Before I'd consider a KZ 750 road worthy I'd carefully inspect the starter clutch ( I know what to look for ) and replace all parts that didn't pass .
Adjustable cam sprockets will make the best of what you have if you do a little reading about lobe centers , overlap and advance/retard of the cams .
Although I no longer own my FrankenZ I'm told it still puts a hurtin on unwary 600cc rice pilots .
YMMV
~kop
warpedworm
I could agree with you but then we'd both be wrong
I'm doing a Gpz 305 cafe, here's the build thread. Still have a lot to do.
http://www.dotheton.com/forum/index.php?topic=20251.0
I'd like to see what you have in mind.
http://www.dotheton.com/forum/index.php?topic=20251.0
I'd like to see what you have in mind.
MotorbikeBruno
Over 1,000 Posts
I love that frickin' thing Dale. 
gerrits
Active Member
Dale said:Oh crap its gerrits bike! Just checked your blog now...
Had this pic in my archives for ages... cool bike man!
I've got a couple of GPZ550's that I'm working on, so when I saw this pic ages ago, I downloaded it...
Not mine (unfortunately) just been ogling the bike for some time as you have been doing. My GPz is still in a fairly stock state and will remain that way for a while, gotta have a rider while I turn my new baby ('71 CL350) into a cafe.
I was digging around the internet for something and came across the last GPZ pictured. I figured I would register and show some pics of my bike. Its not really cafe style but more of a retro race bike.
I will work backwards from what it currently looks like but first the specs. Currently weights 325lbs with starter, battery, turbo, exhaust etc. pretty much everything ready to run. My goal was/is sub 300lb bike. it dynoed 80hp at the wheel without the turbo setup. just under 23 degree rake, 3in trail, 11degree swingarm angle. 55% front weight bias with rider. 55degree lean angle before the cases hit...fox clicker rear shock. 89 gsxr 750 front end. 95 gsxr rear arm. Custom wiring harness and lots of other custom bits as you can image to drop 200lbs off the bike. stock frame(with parts removed), custom subframe from 3/4 DOM. I had this as a street bike in 99 mostly stock, then in 02 decided to do a wheel/suspension upgrade. 03 pulled it off the road. 06 put it back on the road with more mods. 07 pulled it back off the road. 10 decided to build a vintage race bike. quickly realized that my bike wasnt vintage legal anymore with a turbo and FI and all the upgrades so i started getting back to basics with it. No turbo or FI puts it from v5 into v7 heavyweight running with literbikes.. Started racing supermoto and its been sitting since...
another tail section i made and turbo setup.
closest it was ever to a cafe. tail plug and mold ended up being used on a cb360 cafe.
and here was the first real tail i made for it. This was its form when it went back on the road. except with dual dumps on it.
So you can make a light GPZ without swapping the frame, but you need to lose a lot of stuff off of it I think the 82 tank lends itself better to making a cafe bike than the 83+ 750 but it would still be done. Could always use an 82 tank.
I did have measurements of all the stuff i swapped and removed but its on another computer that i havent hooked up since ive moved. The heavy things are the stock sub frame and all its mounts and brackets for things like the seat. Stock seat is heavy. Stock upper fairing bracket, upper, headlight and bracket, horns, clip ons etc. Center stand, stock dual exhaust, stock peg brackets, stock gauges. if you get rid of all that stuff you can drop a lot of weight. probably 10lbs came from the wiring harness and relays/fuse box i didnt use. A lot of weight dropping the stock battery for a smaller unit. I used a sealed battery from a yamaha xt225 and it cranked my motor just fine(decked head but only slightly higher than stock compression). I actually have a guy coming over today to grab all my old stock parts and he might make an offer on my bike. If not it will be finished one of these years I've had it for 14 years. I would love a stock one to sit next to it in my garage my plans are to use a gpz550 head and bump the compression up, smaller combustion chamber. Dry clutch, wasted spark and no starter. These should get me below the 300lb mark for a track day bike
Not sure why the pictures are double posting. I used IMG links from photobucket....
I will work backwards from what it currently looks like but first the specs. Currently weights 325lbs with starter, battery, turbo, exhaust etc. pretty much everything ready to run. My goal was/is sub 300lb bike. it dynoed 80hp at the wheel without the turbo setup. just under 23 degree rake, 3in trail, 11degree swingarm angle. 55% front weight bias with rider. 55degree lean angle before the cases hit...fox clicker rear shock. 89 gsxr 750 front end. 95 gsxr rear arm. Custom wiring harness and lots of other custom bits as you can image to drop 200lbs off the bike. stock frame(with parts removed), custom subframe from 3/4 DOM. I had this as a street bike in 99 mostly stock, then in 02 decided to do a wheel/suspension upgrade. 03 pulled it off the road. 06 put it back on the road with more mods. 07 pulled it back off the road. 10 decided to build a vintage race bike. quickly realized that my bike wasnt vintage legal anymore with a turbo and FI and all the upgrades so i started getting back to basics with it. No turbo or FI puts it from v5 into v7 heavyweight running with literbikes.. Started racing supermoto and its been sitting since...
another tail section i made and turbo setup.
closest it was ever to a cafe. tail plug and mold ended up being used on a cb360 cafe.
and here was the first real tail i made for it. This was its form when it went back on the road. except with dual dumps on it.
So you can make a light GPZ without swapping the frame, but you need to lose a lot of stuff off of it
I think the 82 tank lends itself better to making a cafe bike than the 83+ 750 but it would still be done. Could always use an 82 tank. I did have measurements of all the stuff i swapped and removed but its on another computer that i havent hooked up since ive moved. The heavy things are the stock sub frame and all its mounts and brackets for things like the seat. Stock seat is heavy. Stock upper fairing bracket, upper, headlight and bracket, horns, clip ons etc. Center stand, stock dual exhaust, stock peg brackets, stock gauges. if you get rid of all that stuff you can drop a lot of weight. probably 10lbs came from the wiring harness and relays/fuse box i didnt use. A lot of weight dropping the stock battery for a smaller unit. I used a sealed battery from a yamaha xt225 and it cranked my motor just fine(decked head but only slightly higher than stock compression). I actually have a guy coming over today to grab all my old stock parts and he might make an offer on my bike. If not it will be finished one of these years
I've had it for 14 years. I would love a stock one to sit next to it in my garage my plans are to use a gpz550 head and bump the compression up, smaller combustion chamber. Dry clutch, wasted spark and no starter. These should get me below the 300lb mark for a track day bikeNot sure why the pictures are double posting. I used IMG links from photobucket....
MotorbikeBruno
Over 1,000 Posts
Dale said:Ah, ok, gerrits! Well, we appreciate the same bikes then!
MotorbikeBruno -(Ill check out your build when I get a chance!), sal_13, thanks guys! Makes me wanna get this project going again... It's been on the backburner for a few months now.
My build is nothing compared to your build, it was a learning experience and I enjoyed it but damn, I dig your ride man! haha
thompsonmx100
Over 1,000 Posts
Here ya go. I was workin on this one a couple years ago. I was going for a cafe fighter look. Its built using a gsxr rear end and a zx7r frontend. I chopped the subframe off and made a new one to line the cb500t tank and the cafe style seat up.
Hello Dale,
I saw that you build a very nice GPZ 550 streetfighter there!
I need some infos if you can help me!
I have a zephyr 550, was bought to become a cafe racer from the beginning, but I have not found a proper way to change his "appearance" yet, also with my job is hard to find time, but i really want to make this "transformation!
My question are:
-how did you manage to change the swing arm on your gpz, I also saw that you installed a larger rear wheel! Frame cut/sprocket spacer/..??
-after that, how is the roadholding with this wheel, since the engine is 550cm, and the frame was not designed for this rear contact surface?! less couple(Nm) now?
Personally I don't need to go with 200km/h with a cafe racer, I just need to enjoy the bike and the ride! Now my zephyr goes up to 140km/h, and it's enough for his purpose!
-what changes on carbs are need it for conversion between "air box" to sport filters? After all this is the first thing to a cafe racer conversion, at least for me is!!
I have seen on internet, some "1st stage" jet kits for carbs, no drilling or stuff like this need it!!
I have a lot of questions, but will be very nice if you can give me some support at least for these presented here!
Thank you very much in advance Dale !
P.S. If someone alse tried what I want to do, and wants to help me, will be also great!
I saw that you build a very nice GPZ 550 streetfighter there!
I need some infos if you can help me!
I have a zephyr 550, was bought to become a cafe racer from the beginning, but I have not found a proper way to change his "appearance" yet, also with my job is hard to find time, but i really want to make this "transformation!
My question are:
-how did you manage to change the swing arm on your gpz, I also saw that you installed a larger rear wheel! Frame cut/sprocket spacer/..??
-after that, how is the roadholding with this wheel, since the engine is 550cm, and the frame was not designed for this rear contact surface?! less couple(Nm) now?
Personally I don't need to go with 200km/h with a cafe racer, I just need to enjoy the bike and the ride! Now my zephyr goes up to 140km/h, and it's enough for his purpose!
-what changes on carbs are need it for conversion between "air box" to sport filters? After all this is the first thing to a cafe racer conversion, at least for me is!!
I have seen on internet, some "1st stage" jet kits for carbs, no drilling or stuff like this need it!!
I have a lot of questions, but will be very nice if you can give me some support at least for these presented here!
Thank you very much in advance Dale !
P.S. If someone alse tried what I want to do, and wants to help me, will be also great!
