GPZ305

Littledumptruck

Littledumptruck

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Anybody got any experience of these? Think I may have just bought one for my lad. Pick it up tomorrow:rolleyes:

Not sure it's my wisest moment:blast

But 33hp, and belt drive as he's hopeless at maintenance, and not much of a boy racer, just wants to get from a-b with his GF on the back now and then for the next 18 months till restriction ends.
 
Wish my Dad had bought me one.... I had to buy all my own bikes so your Lad is one lucky boy. He'll love it :thumb2
 
you will soon learn how to mend one:D
Make sure the oil is changed regularly or the cam will wreck the head.

One of the few bikes kawasaki managed to make that was worse than the one it replaced.
 
GlynnJ said:
And if he repairs it himself he will learn skills he will never forget and have a few tales to tell in the future. Good luck to him :thumb
Click to expand...

I suppose there is some hope, but no sign yet at 19.

Gecko said:
Wish my Dad had bought me one.... I had to buy all my own bikes so your Lad is one lucky boy. He'll love it :thumb2
Click to expand...

His mum and me have had big discussions about this. At some point we will have to leave him to sort himself out, but he just doesn't. I know, I know, rod for our own back. :blast. My dad wouldn't even take me to look at mine, or help fix them, and he owned a garage!!

abrasion said:
you will soon learn how to mend one:D
Make sure the oil is changed regularly or the cam will wreck the head.

One of the few bikes kawasaki managed to make that was worse than the one it replaced.
Click to expand...

Yeh. Looks like I need to check oil pickup and oil pump drive gear, seems they are the cause of the lack of oil to the head. And thrashing from cold before oil has got properly circulated. Actually reminds me of a Honda CB250RS that had same issues!!
 
I had a Z250T (the 250 version) which had all manner of major engine problems :mad:

When it ran it was quite a nice bike to ride, especially with a 305 top end fitted.
 
Well, we went and collected it, and wow, bit of a surprise. Ok it's a bit scruffy round the edges, but it is 25 years old.
I said it was really poorly listed on eBay and it was. Listing said it hadn't been used since last summer, but it starts on the button.
It's done less than 200 miles since last service, and less than 1000 miles since having a new belt, and the old ones included, although it is pretty poor. It's done a total of 18000 miles, and comes with almost a full set of old mot's and the service book :clap
Other things like braided brake hoses and Motad 2-1 exhaust just add to it. Good tyres, everything seems to work bar the fuel gauge. And new brake shoes, a spare shock come with the old belt.
Ok, so there is bad. Cam chain rattles, needs tensioner doing, I'd heard these were another week spot. And it's got a few bruises, most have been tidied up though, swing arm is Hammerite city, but hey, someone's taken the time to do it which suggests an element of care.
I honestly think I could take it straight for mot as it is. Not bad for a pile o poo that cost less than £500.
Already managed to find a new old stock oil pump gear.
To say me and Matt are well happy is an understatement.
Oh, forgot, it needs some air in the front tyre :jibber
 
Like most bikes of that age, any fallibilities they have - and their cures - have been discovered and documented, so with work on the oil pump you might just have a decent bike that'll keep a young rider happy for a year or two - undoubtedly for a lot less cash than a newer alternative.

There was something in Classic Motorcycle Mechanics about a year ago -they stripped and re-built a Z250 engine and there was a certain part which they said was poorly designed from new, and the bike would be significantly better if it was swapped or modified.

Of course, this would be a lot more helpful if I could remember the bit in question :blast:rob but it may be worth getting hold of a back copy, because I think the Z250 and GPz305 engines were very similar.

PG
 
The Other PaulG said:
There was something in Classic Motorcycle Mechanics about a year ago -they stripped and re-built a Z250 engine and there was a certain part which they said was poorly designed from new, and the bike would be significantly better if it was swapped or modified.
Click to expand...

Had a look at their back issues and can't find any mention of it:nenau

But it looks like the latest issue has something on the 305, doesn't sound positive though:eek:

"LEMONS
Kawasaki’s GPz305 Beltdrive lambasted."

Might have to get me a copy though.....:thumb

Update- found the jan, feb and march 08 issues cover rebuilding a z250 engine.
 
I though about getting one when I had the spare cash to get back into bikes, read the horror stories and got myself a nice CB 500. Great little bike, that I had hours of fun on. Maybe something to upgrade to when the GPZ is sold?
 
Rattley camchain should be an easy fix - it was on my Z550LTD, which i think, uses a similar set up.
Damned if i can remember exactly what it is though. :blast Sorry!
May be as simple as a longer adjuster bolt, a lock nut, and setting it up for manual, not auto (spring loaded) adjustment.
perhaps... :nenau

Good Luck.
 
John Armstrong said:
I though about getting one when I had the spare cash to get back into bikes, read the horror stories and got myself a nice CB 500. Great little bike, that I had hours of fun on. Maybe something to upgrade to when the GPZ is sold?
Click to expand...

Where he goes once the restriction has ended is up to him, and very dependant on his income and personal circumstances. He'll be 21, hopefully finished at uni, and hopefully earning a living.
I will admit a Gpz500 or cb500 are options unless he can afford better. He's got 4 yrs ncb, so if he can keep that going he could have 5 or 6 by the time he's able to step up.

Ogmios said:
Rattley camchain should be an easy fix - it was on my Z550LTD, which i think, uses a similar set up.
Damned if i can remember exactly what it is though. :blast Sorry!
May be as simple as a longer adjuster bolt, a lock nut, and setting it up for manual, not auto (spring loaded) adjustment.
perhaps... :nenau

Good Luck.
Click to expand...

Been looking into the tensioner, and it looks like its a spring loaded automatic type, but the springs loose their strength. Good thing is it looks like only a few quid each for new ones:thumb2
 
Looks like I've hit the first problem.

Cam chain tensioner seems to be a serviceable item rather than replaceable. Has two springs inside, which are the weakness. And........they're no longer available, and it seems there's none left of the main one anywhere :blast

Looks like I'll be modifying it to make it a manual tensioner.:augie
 
Hope it works out for your lad.. It looks cool, bags of retro charm, love the colour scheme.

Although the mirrors look like they were swiped off of a Mark 1. Cortina :)

Best of luck sorting the niggles :thumb
 
I had one of these as a first bike after passing my test years ago when you could still get them new. Mine was second hand but tidy with low miles. What a money pit it turned out to be.
There is a known fault in that the pick ups for the alternator are bonded to the metal plate. The epoxy fails and the pick up drops off in to the windings totaling that side of the engine.
He'll certainly learn plenty about mechanical stuff running one of those.
Good luck, and I hope you managed to get a good one.

Sent from my tablet with spelling and grammar as if I'm on them.
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
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