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A little help from those who've been around a while...

Discussion in 'General' started by OldSchlPunk, Aug 5, 2020.

  1. OldSchlPunk

    OldSchlPunk Well-Known Member

    My nephew bought his dad's '85 GPZ550. It came complete with undisclosed leaky fork seals. So, I ordered up some seals from BikeBandit and told him we'd do 'em up. Well, once inside, the bushings are also bad. BikeBandit showed that the bushings that go on the upper leg are unavailable. PartZilla's website said they have them but it turns out their inventory was wrong. I will try a local shop that has a buttload of NOS parts going back into the '70's to see if they have some.

    If this doesn't pan out, does anyone know if bushings from another model would fit or would I have any luck going to a bearing supply house in town?

    He would like to stay with the OEM forks.

    Any help would be greatly appreciated.
     
  2. bigkaley

    bigkaley Well-Known Member

  3. TWF2

    TWF2 2 heads are better than 1

    Many bushings are interchangeable between bikes. Think those are 35mm forks. See what brand they are and what bike uses same brand in 35mm. Most like they will fit.
    Or just measure OD, thickness and width and go from there.
     
    BigBird likes this.
  4. Resident Plarp

    Resident Plarp drittsekkmanufacturing.com

    Try cmsnl.com for vintage NOS parts.
     
    ducnut likes this.
  5. That’s the ticket. Just measure them and type it in google vs looking for NOS, or ship to to TWF and let him do the CSI :)
     
  6. OldSchlPunk

    OldSchlPunk Well-Known Member

    Thanks for the responses, gives me some ideas on searching. In the mean time, I did find one on fleabay, At this point I know only one is damaged but If I'm in there replacing shyte, I may as well do all of them.

    msnl seems to have them and the price doesn't seem bad but 27.5 Euro shipping! :eek:
     
  7. racer_11

    racer_11 moto nyne guy

    Try a kawasaki dealer, you might be surprised what's still available. You may have to order, but could be available
     
  8. SundaySocial

    SundaySocial Blue & Gold

    This, and for (technology current) dealers there is a mechanism to check other dealers “in stock” listings
     
    racer_11 likes this.
  9. OldSchlPunk

    OldSchlPunk Well-Known Member

    Local dealer is useless, will not check back inventory. A friend used to work there and is pretty sure they have some but the parts guys are too f&*%king lazy to look. Five years ago, their boss told them he wanted all NOS catalogued in their computer. Apparently they haven't yet.

    BikeBandit and Partzilla can't get/find them.
     
  10. IrocRob

    IrocRob Well-Known Member

    I was just on RonAyers.com for other stuff, so I looked. Those bushings are listed but IDK if they are actually available.
     
  11. R Acree

    R Acree Banned

    FWIW, if any of you are still running the '85 GPz 900 with OEM forks, I happened upon one of the syringe type air pumps in my tool box. You are welcome to it.
     
    dtalbott likes this.
  12. OldSchlPunk

    OldSchlPunk Well-Known Member

    I just checked again and it looks like I found 2 on eBay! Better buy them up quick.

    Thanks again for the help and ideas.
     
  13. G Dawg

    G Dawg Broken Member

  14. OldSchlPunk

    OldSchlPunk Well-Known Member

    Bookmarked! Always good to have sources. Got caught flat-footed on this, didn't expect the GPz to have such unusual forks. More lessons learned.
     
  15. Sabre699

    Sabre699 Wait...hold my beer.

    Never underestimate how much a motorcycle can break your balls. ;)
     
    beac83, BigBird and OldSchlPunk like this.
  16. OldSchlPunk

    OldSchlPunk Well-Known Member

    Well, all of the parts came in and I decided to do the forks today even though the nephew couldn't make it to help.

    These forks are Showa anti-dive units, unlike anything Kawasaki was using on any of their other bikes. The GPz 750 and 900 used bigger tubes. Nothing crossed as far as I could find.

    The right fork, which started all of the shyte, was a bitch, the bushing in the lower was practically welded into it. Had to drive it out with a small chisel and punch. Then had to concoct a way to drive the new bushing in, made a spacer and used the seal driver to punch it home. Supposedly, there is a spring clip and inner cap to remove the spring to re-fill the fork as the fork cap is only to locate the fork tube in the triple and hold the clipon in place. Couldn't find it, there was some corrosion, didn't waste a lot of time figuring it out. Refilled the forks through the holes for the anti-dive valving. This took longer and I couldn't verify the oil level but the forks will be worlds better than they were. Overall, the right leg took about 2 1/2 hours to do.

    The left leg came apart as it should have and I had it back together, filled and ready to reinstall in 25 minutes! Go figure.

    Another 1 1/2 hours to put it all back together (fixed the speedo drive that my brother f&cked up while I was at it). The forks now make the rest of the bike feel tired! At least they no longer leak.

    Thanks again for the help/suggestions/resources. The European guy had the bushings I needed for 20 euro (decent price) but his shipping was 27 euro!
     
    ducnut, VFR#52 and G Dawg like this.
  17. OldSchlPunk

    OldSchlPunk Well-Known Member

  18. Motofun352

    Motofun352 Well-Known Member

    Always liked the black chrome exhausts. My '89 FJ has them too.:beer:
     
    OldSchlPunk likes this.
  19. CoreyDSFA

    CoreyDSFA GPz550 Addict

    A little late to the party here, but I'd recommend investing in Racetech Gold Valve Kit with their springs, and you'll wonder why you waited so long to do it. Ran just Progressive Suspension Springs, bypassing the anti-dive, and plugging off the air holes, and it solved the bouncy front end of stock, but was too stiff to rebound. Worked better for racing, but not for street use. Acted just like cut springs only. Installed the Gold Valve Kit and it absorbs the road bumps so much better. Still have the air lines plugged, and no anti-dive, as that is what Race Tech recommends.
     
    VFR#52 likes this.
  20. OldSchlPunk

    OldSchlPunk Well-Known Member

    He picked the bike up a couple of days later and blew the motor up the day after that. Oh well...
     

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