GPZ550 82H1 - THUNDERSTRUCK

[Slow and wobbly]

Davo is dicking about with the same bike - GPZ550 H1

Batteries.
I'm not particularly up to speed on electrics but I believe that the reg rec is dependant on the battery as a sink for output from the alternator / magnetto. So this bugger uses quite a large 12 AH battery that will be hard to relocate to a more discreet location. CCA I understand but its the output of the stator through the reg rec and onto the batt that has me unsure. Can I get away with a smaller battery? There is no means of fitting a kickstart to drop the electric leg and I dont mind bump starting if it comes to it but can I drop the AH rating of the battery or will I cook the stator or reg rec?

[Slow and wobbly]

Chasing a bloke called Corey Clough all over the internet. He has put up a ton of information for developing a 550.
Heres an example
http://www.kzrider.com/forum/2-engine/4 ... -dyno-tune

[davo231481]

dicking around is right. can you go with two smaller gel batteries and hook them up in parallel?

[Slow and wobbly]

Eureka moment. ZX9 or ZX6 rearsets will almost bolt straight on. Some modification to the mounting points required. Miss by 3mm but nothing the welder and a drill cant fix. Gearbox spline the same and the change rod is of a suitable length. Since the MC attaches to the rearsets on the rhs then the original unit gets the arse along with 2.5kg of BHP's finest. Pegs move back 8" and up 2". Feels bloody good with knees bent no more than your average sportsbike.
Awaiting the clipons to see what the final positioning will be like but it should be ok.
Acewell unit arrived yesterday and I have already sorted the wiring instalation for it but nothing will be chopped into or mounted until the clipons, lights, and switchgear are in hand.
Still nothing to show in terms of photos.

Getting together a listing of all the bolts to replace in stainless as many of them have either been gnawed on by multigrips / shifters or have corroded. Not worth having them re-plated. Davo if your still watching I'll put it up later this week so that you have a shopping list for local bolt supplier.

[the kid]

Acewell unit arrived yesterday
Still nothing to show in terms of photos.
.

Show us the Acewell unit

[Slow and wobbly]

Givus a lollie first mister!

[Slow and wobbly]

and against me big Ranga arm - this thing is tiny 70mm dia and performs all the functions of the original dash that was 220 x 90.

[Slow and wobbly]

Rear sets off of the track bike vs original feet on the floor pegs.


And the front end with more to come after removing the rust and grime from everyfink

[davo231481]

Great pics there. I like the copper highlights.rattle can or two pack? are you going to fit the clips below the air balance tube or where the originals fit on?
rear sets suit it and im going to hunt down some zxr rearsets as per your suggestion

[Slow and wobbly]

Great pics there. I like the copper highlights.rattle can or two pack? are you going to fit the clips below the air balance tube or where the originals fit on?
rear sets suit it and im going to hunt down some zxr rearsets as per your suggestion

Rattle can VHT Burnt copper engine enamel - good to 650c. Calipers dont get that hot.
Clip ons will be mounted bellow the top triple and below the balance pipes unless its too low and then I will weld / blank the balance pipe. I have a set of cheapo chinese adjustable clipons in the mail that will allow me to adjust up,down, fore and aft before I settle on some good stainless ones....or if they are any good I'll keep them.
Those rearsets are off the 9 track bike and are different to original equipment on a 9 but the mount points remain the same. With lower set bars the riding position should not be far removed from sportsbike geometry....much better than the sit up and beg of 1982.

[the kid]

Givus a lollie first mister!

No wonder they won't let you near those child care places

FMD , that Acewell thingo is tiny , but looks great . Quite suprised at how good the burnt copper colour looks , much better than thought .

[Slow and wobbly]

Ok so the postman is sick of me waiting in anticipation of new parts arriving......All he brings is bloody bills and as much as I try to give them back he wont bloody take them! He said today that the zip ties attatched to his helmet and the streamers on his jacket wasnt to deter magpies but that it was to try and deter me from pestering him (he does the other side of the street first).
Yeah well I told him that I knew of his objectives and was aware of his presence in the street everyday.The tin foil hat that I wear was to prevent his bosses from reading my thoughts and the fact that I am naked is to deter them from reviewing footage of my activities. Even I wouldn't review that footage!

[Gosling1]

......If you'd like to wheel out one of those manuals I'd be most appreciative of fork oil capacities and valve clearance figures...?...

bit late but here they are mate

234cc +/- 2.5cc dry, 215cc wet. Recommended oil grade is 5W20, so your choice of 20W may work out fine

Valve clearances

Intake - 4 to 8thou
Exhaust - 6 to 10 thou

The manual I have, has a supplement at the back for 82 and later models - if you want me to run a copy off, happy to do this for ya

[Slow and wobbly]

Thanks Gos. Other than those figures and float heights I dont need much else out of a manual. I have a shifter and a set of multigrips so everything else is self explanatory LOL
Spent some time on it today. Rear disc is undersize so will need to add that to the shopping list - thought it may have been close but the micrometer says it passed its used by .6mm ago.
Polished some bits and sorted the mounting of the rearsets. Using the zx9 rearsets means that I have to do away with the sidecovers as the rear MC will interfere with the RH cover. I was thinking of keeping them to retain the original lines that flowed from the tank to the seat but they will have to go. That also means the House brick of a battery has to go too.
I cant understand why a bike of this size has to have a battery half the size of a car battery. Its a 12 AH YN12a-a. Aside from cranking amps to get the starter turning over then the rest of the electrics are basic 12v lighting. Can anyone tell me if I downgrade to the smallest 12v battery available will I suffer any ill effects? I'm not 100% on electrics but I once read and understood that the battery acts as a ballast for the reg rec. Without the appropriate sized battery the reg rec has nowhere to deposit its charge to and then fails. Is that right?

The damaged Kawasaki badge will be removed and the recess done in that burnt copper paint - old mate a few doors down has a vinyl cutter and "Thunderstruck" will go in there in place of Kawasaki.


Who says slash cuts are for HD's only? Loud and pleasing to the ear.

[the kid]

From what I understand the Kwak starters from the era need those sort of CCA's . Battery technology from the period dictated the size of the battery .
New tech batteries could be smaller , MotoBat will be smaller frinstance , but you will need the same CCA rating .