GPZ900rA5

Has anyone owned/owns a gpz900, i'm looking to buy one to restore. I've seen one 1989 with 42k on the clock in good nick mot'd untill march priced at £1380.

Am i opening myself up to a world of engine troubles at that mileage major bearing changes etc. I know they can have soft cams easily pitted and dodgy starter clutch probs requiring the engine to be split, and overheating issues. I've wanted one since they came out, posters on my teenage bedroom wall etc. Is getting one going to be a money pit or a calssic jap that i can enjoy and use opinions please.

I had one in 1986 ... a red and silver C2 model....but experiences from then aren`t going to be relevant to buying one nowadays.

It gave me no trouble at all,was fast as feck and handled great.
Had quite rare Metmachex alloy tail pipes on it which sounded nice.

It wasn`t very interesting though,so I sold it after about six months.

Any old bike can or could be troublesome,just by dint of being old,but it doesn`t mean that it has to be so.
Don`t take too seriously all the bad that *may* or *might* happen to it,but look for signs of any particular weak point unique to that model.

That price should bring you a very good condition and sorted one,so go over it fully.
I`ve seen many 900Rs selling at £400 - £800,for instance.

Quite apart from the cosmetics of the bike,check everything mechanical prior to purchase,especially in the area of the exhaust collector and all pivots/bearings,and check the shock absorber damping.
Plus the normal stuff...fork seals,chain/sprockets,tyres,pads,etc etc.

You can do a 'mini MOT' on any bike in about five minutes,so just go over everything and make a checklist of needed expenditure.

Also factor in your own abilities and facilities.

Then see if it`s worthwhile.

One man`s bargain easy fixer upper is another man`s money pit abandoned project.

GPZ

Cheers tarka, most of the stuff doesnt bother me to much, i'm quite happy renewing seal linkages etc, but serious engine work engine work if required would stretch me, but i have got help in that department if required. Problem is ive just hit 40 and have got some money to spare not a lot but enough and want to relieve my youth! . I couldnt afford one when younger but have just started lusting after one again probably caused subliminally by an ad showing bits of top gun.

I also had a GPz900R a long time ago (C reg I think it was)
Blue and Silver (the fastest colours!)
If your going to pull one of these to bits you should get your hands on the official Kawasaki workshop manual for the GPz it puts the Haynes manual to shame
everything is clearly shown how to take it apart and put back together with loads of clear photo's

BMW should take note and do the same IMHO

GPZ

Good advice, i downloaded it last night and it does seem very comprehensive.

I had one about 15yrs ago - loved it.

I do not do my own spannering so I cannot comment on the ease of working on them but it ran sweet as a nut for a few years until I sold it. The only problem I had with it was the side stand cut out switch kept corroding and stopping the bike from starting.

Please excuse silly photo - was doing support for a charity cycle ride in Ireland and the charity stuck the balloons on !

Peter Burnett (Yorkie)

Brings back memories, I can remember a few things as I was a Kawasaki fan for many years.

An early red / silver A1 would be the most collectable, but I know the A1's had an issue with the frame cracking where the top shock mount locates, this was re-designed for the A2 onwards.

They can blow big end number 3 - normally this is due to crap on gause by oil pickup, what tends to happen (especially if bike is not ridden hard from time to time) sludge builds up in the sump, the first time you give it a good old razz it gets stirred / sucked up and starves the oil pump. Easy to sort as there is a sump pan you can drop of and clean out.

Overall the motor is very strong, I guess at the mileage / age of bikes you are looking at a camchain may be due, check also steering head bearings and swingarm linkages as these need grease and it is one of those often overlooked maintenance tasks.

I have seen one with about 170,000 miles on, held together by gaffa tape, well abused but apparently top end had never been off, just camchains replaced.

Don't worry about a small amount of up / down play in rear swingarm, this is normal - I bought a load of bushes for a GPZ750 once just to find it exactly the same - expensive mistake!

There was a recall for carb icing, never affected my bike, but as it meant free set of carbs on 5 year old bike I had it done anyway, if it has been done you will see some piping coming off cooling system to carbs.

Apart from that usual old bike problems, brake calipers probably will need overhaul, fork seals may be tired, coolant hoses perishing, brake lines useless, shot wheel bearings etc. etc. etc.

Great classic bike though - good luck

cooling system
will need a good check,i had two of these stunning bikes and the first one used to heat up .
later models had better brakes.
i loved mine,cheap supersonic speed wooooooooooooooooooooosh


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GPz

Right i think i may have a punt on it, camchain and cooling systems not beyond me. Cheers chaps.

I had an A4 if I remember correctly in classic red/charcoal. The original 4-2 exhaust rots at the muffler connection. The termostatic fan switch was badly sited and the motor could get way hot before the fan cut in...some never did so the fans seized, peeps put in a manual switch. If the fork seals have been done and then pop again it's the bushes that have worn, all the teflon wears off the brass insert. The anti-dive didn't really. Cam tensioners went in common with many UJMs. Cam wear was cured by better oil spray bars. If you get a project and it has been left sitting for some time and not used take sump off and clean everything out before thrashing....some have been known to eat the No.3 rod.. and the usual tired shock worn unitrack links etc.The seat to peg distance can cause sore legs if you have long legs or badminton knackered knees.
I loved mine that gravelly Kwak noise in it's bowels..... Z1B, GPz900R, GT750 (x2), GTR, ZZR600, GPZ550, GT550, Z200, KH100 partial to the odd Kwacker am I

Has one in about 1990 as my first big bike.

Fast a feck, especially with a race can, K&N, Dynajet etc........

Loved it.

Did my record 270 miles in 3 hours on that bike - Brighton to Crewe.

Mate had a late one Black /larger 17" front wheel from new. Religiously serviced at Kwaka main dealers and after many miles the cams went, I think kawa uk did them as goodwill out of warrenty repair (probably due to service history) /. He only sold it when he couldnt ride any more due to MS
I do recall he had a fair few miles on it as he commuted daily into the smoke from marlow/reading area.

Gpz

Went and bought one, now for the rebuild, better get saving.

It needs a rebuild.. ?

Rebuild

Yep want to get it back as new and original. New bearings/bushes paint etc. Good base to start with though i know.