Z 550 Sport

1986 Kawasaki Z 550 Sport Technical Analysis & Specification Breakdown

At the heart of the 1986 Kawasaki Z 550 Sport motorcycle, Kawasaki pairs a 553 cc (33.7 cu in) air-cooled in-line four, four-stroke architecture with road-focused gearing. In factory specification, peak output is rated at 50 HP (36.5 kW) at 8,500 rpm, transferring power to the rear wheel through a 6-speed gearbox and chain final drive. With a specific output of 90.4 HP per liter, the engine character is indicating a tractable, stress-free state of tune focused on everyday usability and broad torque delivery.

On the scales, the Z 550 Sport measures 208 kg (459 lbs) wet (curb), translating to a power-to-weight ratio of 0.24 HP/kg (4.16 kg per horsepower). The 18.5-liter (4.9 US gal) fuel tank supports practical everyday commuting and weekend road stints, while factory top speed is listed at 184 km/h (114 mph).

Within MotoLibrary's Kawasaki archive, this model family spans 4 indexed model years from 1983 to 1986, allowing buyers to track year-over-year changes in emissions tuning, weight and equipment.