The bike was manufactured in Japan, with parts also shipped to the US and assembled in Kawasaki's Nebraska plant for the US/Canada market to bypass the import tax levied on bikes over 700cc at the time by the US government, a protectionist move designed to save Harley-Davidson which was having financial problems at the time.

To build the turbo, Kawasaki did more than simply add fuel injection and a turbocharger to the standard GPz750 motorcycle engine.

Some parts are exclusive to the "turbo", such as low-compression (7.8:1) pistons, stronger gearbox internals, a modified oil pan with an extra oil scavenge pump, a boost indicator, the characteristic aluminium "turbo"-spoiler, and a different Unitrak linkage (which gave it a firmer ride).

The rest came from conventionally aspirated 750 and the 1100 (front fork, brakes and some injection parts) and the entire cylinder head assembly from the KZ 650.

The GPz Turbo used a Hitachi HT-10B turbocharger, positioned close to the headers, and electronic fuel injection.