'Classic' Kawasaki
Welcome to Richie Bean's Classic Kawasaki page.
I have used thumbnails to speed up the page and a "click on the pic" will show a bigger view on another page and then you will be brought back here. Or you can go to the gallery to see photos of other people's z500s.
This page is dedicated to my 1979 Kawasaki Z500-B1.
A brief history:
I got the bike in April '84 and this is how it looked through that long, hot summer.
It was less than five years old and was my first "big" bike.
It had a few mods at the time which were twin headlamps, sports seat, fibreglass front 'guard, straight 'bars, round K&N filters and Alfa 4-1 exhaust.
It only took two months for the crank to be destroyed in the original, red painted, engine due to oil starvation because the oil pick-up was covered in red engine lacquer!! A replacement (black) engine was found and fitted. This lasted until January '85 when I nipped up the top end of the new engine!!
An ironic thing about this being that at the time I was looking for a trail bike for the winter, to take the z500 off the road to do it up. I ended up buying a full production tune Yamaha RD250LC (not the best thing for the winter, but so what, it was entertaining! you can see more about this on the RDLC page).
My Kawasaki Z500 In 1984, when it wasn't a classic
Full rebuild (supposed to be ready for the summer) started. New engine built from the two knackered ones, everything (including items such as cable clips!!) plastic coated, re-spray in Z550gp colours, new Micron Power 4-1, oval K&N's, Marzocchi shocks, JMC swing-arm, small clocks, the 'glass mudguard met the angle grinder and rear mudguard was removed and replaced with handmade aluminium guard/licence plate bracket moving the rear light into the cowl.
Don't forget, a "click on the pic" will show a bigger view.
You can see photos in the gallery of other people's z500s.
My "classic" Kawasaki Z500 as it is now
I have now joined the Classic Kawasaki Club which caters for all classic Kawasakis and intend to get the rebuild completed at last.
I would love to hear any stories about similar bikes as the z500 was such a rarity (there are only 10 owners world-wide in the Classic Kawasaki Club) so that I can build up this page with information. I am particularly interested in hearing from anyone who was involved in the z500 challenge race series in the late '70s and early '80s.
Visit these Classic Kawasaki Club sites, and join the clubs:
Classic Kawasaki Club
Kawasaki GPX and GPZ Owners Club
Visit the Classic Kawasaki Club Website.
There a other homepages of people who are Classic Kawasaki nuts, visit them and find out something new (tell them how you got there):
Simon's Classic Kwackers homepage; with both his z500 and something for 'Stroker Triple fans.
Apostle's Homepage; Kawasaki GPz900 and others
Graham Denton MBE (Motor Bike Enthusiast): Kawasaki Triples and other bits
