The Motorbike Magazine calls it, “The Insider’s tip”. Maybe too secret of an insider’s tip. No one wants it. Not even back then. Except for us. We are this bike‘s last chance.
We negotiate the price two times. We come to an agreement. Good deal for us.
It’s not a real beauty. It also didn’t help that it stood around for such a long time. In front of a garden house covered by a roof abundantly covered with tendrils. At least it was covered up.
We feel so sorry for this bike the way it stands there now with the 80’s style Krauser cases. We know this is going to be hard work. This bike comes with all of the stories the man tells us about his trips to Greece and the mountain roads towards South Tyrol.
He is not thrilled about selling it. Sure…a lot of memories for him, memories of the good old times, his wild days perhaps.
Would he recognize it afterwards? I doubt it. Without the Krauser cases? Probably not…
Anyway, this bike is so much fun! Especially if it’s taken for a tough ride.
We do a complete technical overhaul, shorten and clean the frame, fabricate a rear end frame made of plastic and aluminum, take off the front fender, use powder coating on several parts, make headlamps with an aluminum mask, transfer the speedometer to the side, lower fork, bring up the rear with offroad shock absorbers, lower position of number plate, fit uncompromising hard Enduro tires, select our hottest saddle.

Now we‘re talking! Now it is a true beauty.

Motorbike: Kawasaki Z500
Horsepower: 54 HP
Cubic capacity: 497 ccm
Manufactured: 1982