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The 550 looks glorious after its conversion last year, but it was my hack and many niggles remained from its former life. I don’t have the time (or the inclination if I am honest) to sort them out myself. With summer looming I wanted the bike right so I can enjoy it and show it off to the best effect. I was going to have it done with a bloke in Brum, but the logistics was too difficult to sort with it not running. So in a slightly sideways move I took it a local scooter specialist…
‘Scooter specialist?’ I hear you cry….
‘You took an old school 4 cylinder Kwak to a scooter specialist…’
Yep I did, but you see Readspeed, the boys in question are not any old scooter shop. they are renowned for working on super trick highly tuned scooters, with highly modified engines, running gear and custom paint jobs….beginning to see my logic now?
Also when I was looking for a winter bike recently I tried a Kawasaki ZR7. An air cooled 4 cylinder Kwak. It wasn’t quite what I was looking for, but it rode really well with a creamy smooth and responsive engine. Guess who had rebuilt the carbs and set up the bike….you guessed it – Readspeed.
In the words of Dr.Feelgood….’Down at the Doctors’So in went the fighter for some surgery. New ignition switch, the original was so worn you could start the bike with a pen knife and if went over a bump the keys nearly used to come out! New fuel tap to replace the leaking original and crucially the carbs fitted with new float valves, clips etc. Finished off with some work on tidying the electrics and a fresh MOT and now the fighter rides as well as it looks. It was fun before, but it feels so much more sorted now
All I need is better weather!!!
If you need a MOT or service in the Worcestershire area, give these guys a try….
https://www.readspeedscooters.com/
Well the ZR has since passed another MOT, had a new battery and is currently back at Readspeed to have a few bits and bobs done. It's a strange thing. I love the look of the bike, it is great fun to ride too, but find myself not using it as much as I thought I would. Perhaps this will change now the stock 550 has been sold
Do you find you are a bit precious of it? Is that what stops you from using it?
I think it is a combination of things…it still has some fuelling issues, I have other bikes to ride and sometimes I feel a little self-conscious on it!
Well sad to report my little cafe racer moved on to pastures new a couple of months ago. I loved the looks, it was great fun to ride and the experience of planning and executing the conversion was brilliant. But it was just time to move on…
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