gs450 shim under bucket

[mark herbert]

Hi guys, hope someone can help, I'm going to race a gs450 bored to 500 etc, & have been advised that to fit race cams that its best to convert to shim under bucket valve set up! has anyone done it & if so what buckets/shims did you use?!
cheers Mark.
ps does anyone know if the gs500 yokes fit in the 450 frame?

[GregT]

The Kawasaki Z650 buckets and retainers with 12mm shims will fit. There are several aftermarket versions of these, shop around.

Personally, I reckoned they were too heavy. For a 1000 I've just finished I found titanium Nissan SR20 retainers locally which I remachined for the Suzuki collets. They use a 10mm shim. I then used Suzuki buckets (shorter than the Z650) with the tops machined flat.

[Big Jay]

Not sure about the Nissan, but the KZ650 takes 13mm shims

[GregT]

Correct Jay - too early in the AM....You carry kits for the 8V motors which will fit the 450 too I believe...

The only reason I used the Nissan retainers was distance from suppliers and I got a very good price here in NZ. There's Ti retainers available in the US of course which require no alteration.

[mark herbert]

Hi Jay, it would appear that you do parts for 1000's, do you have a cam under bucket kit & would 1/2 of it fit the gs450? (33.5mm buckets) if so what sort of price are we talking?
cheers Mark