Kawasaki Sportsbike Riders Club - Australia - Online Forum

Looks good mate - if you need some bits I have some contacts around the place......

Gosling1 wrote:Looks good mate - if you need some bits I have some contacts around the place......

Thanks, I'll be sure to keep that in mind




So here's my first issue. I actually spotted it when I first picked it up. I asked the seller if he knew who did it or why but he had no answers. I've got some frame issues. It appears as though the sub-frame has been broken and then repaired with extra bracing. Not very clean either, in fact, pretty fracken terrible. Being the sub-frame I think it could be repaired (by better people than me obviously), If it can't be then I'm going to have to source a better frame straight off the bat. Damn.

Here's some pics......................
















What are your thoughts???

To be honest, I'm going to start looking for another frame any way. Getting this one repaired just seems as though it might be more trouble than it's worth. But then again, if i have trouble finding one..........

If you can find another frame mate it might be a better bet. That one looks like it has seen a bit of work ....

if you can't find another, repairing that one will be possible but will take a bit of work. At least on these models, the only structural issue with the sub-frame is the weight of a pillion......on the old twin-shock zeddies, that area which is all rusty is where the top shock-mount is !

So Gos what other bike has the same frame as Dutchy's gpz or are they one of a kind,only asking so we can keep a eye out for him

I reckon you could easily adapt the rear sub-frame from a Z500 or perhaps even a Z650 ? The 550 frame is unique to that model, because of the mono-shock design..... could be lucky and find a frame somewhere though ?

I've attempted to get feelers out through find-a-part. Hoping something might pop up somewhere. Might have to keep the subframe swapping in mind though just in case.

http://www.cmsnl.com/kawasaki-1982-kz55 ... /6794.html
http://www.cmsnl.com/kawasaki-1981-kz55 ... 66781.html

hi dutchy
try this site to compare the two frames. the first link is for ours and the second link is the twin shock predecessor.

Having been a sheetie fabricator/welder for a long time, anything is repairable it just depends on how much you want to spend and how good your local metalworker is.
the real question is............ just how fat was the pillion ????????

davo231481 wrote: try this site to compare the two frames

Oh I'm ALL over that site. Found that while checking out carbie parts.

davo231481 wrote:
the real question is............ just how fat was the pillion ????????

After closer inspection of your photos i cant understand why the previous person has cut the factory bracing just in front of the shock mount bolt hole and then put in that dodgy pipe. Where it has been cut has the gusset metal been hammered up towards the frame or completely cut away? As soon as my frame comes back ill post up some pics.

those holes aren't the shock mounts davo - it looks like the section which has been welded in had those holes in. The normal top-shock mounts on the twin-shock frames, are solid bushes welded through the gusset, with a threaded end.

I think what might have happened is some rust has developed from cracks in the sub-frame - maybe even fully cracked through on the chain side ? and a previous owner has determined that the best way to fix this - is add some bracing and weld up the cracks with a stick welder with the current set too low !

Those plates on the top tube (sitting under the seat) with the holes in them. It looks like those holes have been put in the area where the side covers would normally attach, except the holes are far too small. Whoever did it may have given up and instead they've snapped the plugs off the back of the side covers. The state of this poor bike is enough to make baby Jesus cry.

Gosling1 wrote:those holes aren't the shock mounts davo - it looks like the section which has been welded in had those holes in.

Sorry Gos, but going by the manual (p 150 KZ 400, 500, 550 Kawasaki Service manual 4th edition Nov 1981) it would be the shock mount holes but they (kawasaki) omitted the bush and left two holes there as standard for the lower grab rail and the previous owner has cut out the section with the bigger hole. Going by the pics the frames for the kz 550 B3, C3 (ltd) and H1 all look very similar with just different plastics and obviously the unitrack on the H1. The diagonal pipe/ brace is Dodgy brothers welding and fab.

However I think youre on the money about the chain side cracking and a very piss poor weld to repair it. Maybe it has
1. copped a shunt up the arse end and he has tried to fix it.

2. had a pillion that exceeded the swl

3. used it to pull tree stumps out with

4. all of the above.

5. all of the above and all at the same time.

I think this is a pic of the same model frame. If so, it looks like the frame has been cut on the red lines and bits replaced. I can see where that flat gusset may have been cut down and I think the area that I have circled has been removed. ................. maybe.

Now that I look at it, I don't think it's the same frame

The idea still applies. Here is another pic of a possibly identical/unrelated frame.


I still believe that larger hole on that gusset is there to fit the plug for the side cover. It has been removed on mine but the smaller hole remains.

Give Keith at total Motorcycles a call 08 82628335

Anyone looking for obscure bits should get in touch with him, he has piles of stuff from the ark in his shed.