Copyright (c) umgweb.com 1998
After 2000 miles on my new GPZ500 I was well pissed off. My first impressions of the bike had been good. Riding from the dealer it had felt commendably smooth, stable and flickable. Within the constraints of running in revs, I could feel the promise of sixty horses waiting to belt along less than 400lbs of metal. I carefully ran the beast in, so it wasn't until 2000 miles that I was fully able to rev the balls off it. There just didn't seem enough power to make it really accelerate, even if it went all the way up to an indicated 130mph without trauma.
The gearbox had become notchy, at low revs in top gear the bike made an awful clunking noise like the transmission was about to fall out of the engine cases. The tyres had lost their edge, the bike especially skittish on wet roads, and the front forks dived and twisted under heavy braking - I only weighed eleven stones, god knows what they would do if I was a more typical heavyweight biker.
I persevered, hoping that the 3000 mile dealer service would see things get better. They didn't, the engine felt exactly the same as when it went in. If I hadn't seen the mechanic adjusting the valves myself I might have suspected they had just dumped the bike in the corner for a day and done nothing. I started looking at 600 fours, but another round of price increases put paid to that particular daydream.
At 4000 miles the engine became smoother and the bike started to move with grin inducing acceleration. By 5000 miles things had improved so far that rather than think about selling the bike, I was convinced I had a good ‘un that I should hang on to for the next ten years!
When I did my own oil change at 5000 miles and put in some top grade oil, even the slight remaining notchiness in the gearbox disappeared. The bike obviously needs a much longer running in period than the handbook suggests.
The GPZ500 employs sixteen inch wheels that are almost perfectly matched to the steering geometry - at least on brand new OE tyres. The Jap Dunlops that the bike came with were fine for the first 1500 miles, then rapidly deteriorated until they were both dangerously inadequate at 5000 miles (when the rear was just legal). The 120/100x16 rear tyre is a real bastard to replace because of its odd size and few tyre manufacturers offer a recommended replacement, although I have seen bikes fitted with Metzs.
On new tyres, the GPZ is not twitchy, it is wonderfully flickable but still very stable in a straight line. On worn OE tyres, the front wheel shakes its head over bumps (although only once, thank god) and the rear weaves slightly on fast roads. On wet roads a worn front tyre can let the front wheel slip away without any warning and then seems to have little inclination to regain its grip. This may help explain just why there are so many GPZ500s advertised in breakers.
I was sure the tyres were at fault because I effected a complete cure to the problem by fitment of a set of Avon radials, one of the few sets of tyres recommended for the bike. The fat, 140/80 rear only just fits into the swinging arm and looks very meaty indeed. The set cost £125 including fitting, which is more than many readers will be willing to pay for a whole bike, but in view of the lack of alternative rubber and the loss of money in trading the bike in for something bigger (the only other viable alternative) it's money very well spent in my book.
Within yards of riding my reshod Kawasaki, I was a happy man again, instilled with confidence from both the feeling of security emanating, once again, from the machine and years of riding Avon tyred bikes. Although leaning the bike over sharply wasn't quite as progressive as I would have liked (an initial impression that either faded with use or the tyres settling in) I felt able to really lean the bike over at absurd angles - contrary to reports in other magazines I've never experienced ground clearance problems (perhaps those journos ought to shed some of the five stone beer belly and give the GPZ suspension an easier time) and nor do I consider the looks of the bike to be at all plain (cast your eyes at the all white job, morons). Put very simply, if you buy a GPZ500 insist on Avon radials as part of the deal. They are that good.
In fact, the tyres are ahead of both the engine power output and the chassis. Not that the frame or suspension are particularly bad. The Unitrack rear end is controlled by an adequate shock with only preload adjustment available (at least after you go out and buy a suitable spanner) that is still usable after 25000 miles and 18 months. The front forks are well damped but inadequately sprung - after 2000 miles it was far too easy to get them down on their stops and they twisted under heavy braking from the single disc. A fork brace helps here. Fork gaiters were fitted after 5000 miles and no problems with the seals have been experienced. I am so impressed with the rest of the bike, though, that within the next year I will be bunging on high quality forks and a new shock.
The square section frame is badly welded and badly designed in that it uses a bolted up section around the engine to allow it to be pulled out, but it is stiff and does have excellent steering geometry - so I can live with it quite happily for the next decade or so. The swinging arm, also square section, has old fashioned chain adjusters that are the usual tedious pain to operate (although the toolkit does provide the means to loosen off the back wheel), but despite no signs of flex I shall soon be replacing it with an alloy job with eccentric adjusters.
The Unitrack linkages are perfectly exposed to the road dirt, so I cut up an old inner tube and riveted and araldited it between the space between rear guard and swinging arm when I pulled the linkages apart at 6000 miles. There was no sign of wear but a distinct lack of grease (as per swinging arm spindle and wheel spindles), so I smeared on a copious quantity of grease and reassembled. The result, still no wear with 25000 miles up.
With the Avons fitted, even when well worn, the bike can be used with equal ease as a fast motorway cruiser or back road hustler. The seat, peg and bar relationship is just about perfect for any kind of riding. In fact, the seat is the most comfortable I've experienced since a K & Q equipped Gold Wing I once borrowed. Okay, with the suspension a bit dodgy it can rattle a bit over bumpy going, but I swear on the good book that I've never been able to lean a bike over so far before or cruise with such equanimity at ton plus speeds. On back roads I've seen off just about everything from rabid LC's to newish hyperbikes.
Braking is about as good as you're going to get. The single front disc is wonderfully powerful and controllable, works without the slightest hesitation or worry in the wet, and once a fork brace was fitted to help out the front forks, just couldn't be faulted. The original pads lasted 13500 miles and I was so impressed with them that I stomped up for a pair of Kawasaki originals rather than venturing into the dubious delights of aftermarket suppliers. The rear SLS drum was equally excellent. It is still on the original shoes, rod operated it has such excellent feedback that I've not yet locked up the back wheel, yet it provides more than adequate stopping power. Either brake can be applied mid corner without upsetting the machine. I really can't think of any way of improving on the brakes - and the front's still on the original brake fluid!
If the riding position is the perfect compromise, there are a few niggles that upset me after paying £2700 for a bike. The neat fairing does nothing to protect my hands, my leather gloves are still soaked through in a downpour. Had Kawasaki fitted conventional bars instead of the cast alloy jobs, I would have lost four or five inches off each end by fitting narrow, flat bars, thus putting my hands out of the wet and cold. Equally annoying is the stock screen that fails to throw the air over my head.
Easy enough to cure, I thought, fit a higher, flip-up screen. Very clever, at 90mph the wind blast deflects the screen downwards to the height of the original bit of plastic. Also, if the petrol tank was a few inches narrower it would have put my knees out of the wind blast.
Oh well, can't have everything. At least the seat height is very low, a factor with the large tank, that makes the rider feel right at home within a very short distance. The bike can be ridden for more than 200 miles without worrying about filling the petrol tank or any discomfort from the riding position - and it can hold 100mph without any problems.
At such speed there was none of the annoying secondary vibes so prevalent on four cylinder machines. My initial impression of the machine was that it was a little rough at certain revs, but once the initial 5000 miles were over I either became so used to the machine that it no longer bothered me or the engine became a real smoothy. I had assumed the handlebars had some kind of rubber mounting, but on disassembly (when I was trying to work out how to replace them with a more conventional set-up) found they were directly mounted to the yokes, so for a vertical twin the GPZ really is smooth!
There is little that is stunning in the basic engine design, save that Kawasaki are the only factory to apply such concepts to a road going vertical twin. Based on the EN450, itself half a GPZ900R, I really only have two complaints. The camchain should have been placed on the end of the crank rather than in the middle - to be fair, Kawasaki's camchain and auto-tensioner design is one of the better and I expect high life. The eight valve head has screw and locknut adjusters for valve clearance, despite being served by twin cams, instead of shims which could have been left alone for 20,000 plus miles.
Maintenance, as far as I am concerned, consists of changing the oil every 1500 miles and giving the bike to a dealer every 10,000 miles for a major service (£75). Getting at the valves to adjust them means a major disassembly job - I couldn't even get the petrol pipes off, let alone clear some of the plumbing out of the way. At the last service the dealer reported that everything was in good order, so this philosophy seems to work okay. I have great faith in watercooling and regular oil changes.
The bottom end design goes back to the days of Suzuki's mid seventies GS400, with pistons that move up and down out of phase and a single, gear driven (thank god) balance shaft. The GPZ engine always feels like it's working unlike the GS, and this is a plus point in my view. Primary drive is via hyvoid chain, to a light, predictable clutch and a six speed box.
I would have been quite happy with four or even three gears. Had Kawasaki not designed the gearbox so that only first or neutral could be selected from a standstill, I would've quite happily pulled off in second up quite steep hills. My only complaint was that even with a high mileage up the bike couldn't be run down to 1000rpm tickover in sixth - below 1750rpm the transmission crunched nastily, perhaps a leftover from the EN450 engine which in being belt driven did not need to pay so much attention to the cush drive design.
The GPZ is fitted with an O-ring chain that needed minor adjustments for the first 2000 miles and then settled in quite happily, requiring attention only every 1500 miles if given a quick spray every 500 miles. Unfortunately, chain spray technology (or lack thereof) still means that the back end gets plastered in crud. If I could buy a full chainguard enclosure I would. The original chain lasted for 15000 miles, the second is still going strong - I was not amused at the effort involved in fitting endless chains.
The new EN500 Custom has belt drive, as does the GPz305, so it's a pity that Kawasaki can't extend this design philosophy to the GPZ, rather than just changing the paint colour every year. A proper design of belt drive would get rid of the last bit of ancient design on modern motorcycles and also save some weight. I don't like the weight or handling penalties involved in shaft drive bikes.
One magazine had the absurd notion that the GPZ500 was buzzy. I suppose any engine that is willing to rev to 11000rpm can be described as buzzy, if you insist on misusing the English language. In fact, the 500 is a typical, schizoid vertical twin. Below 6000rpm it produces enough torque to waltz along on minimal throttle openings in fifth or sixth gear, and will run along at 70mph all day without a care in the world. Used thus, the bike returns 70 to 75mpg.
However, such fun can be had by revving the engine beyond 6000rpm that it's unlikely that any owner will achieve such economy. The exhaust takes on a really delightful howl and the power pours in. Harshly applied in the lower gears it's possible to get the front wheel a foot off the ground, but no more, such is the steering geometry of the Quack that you really have to push it to impress the LC brigade with wheelies. The power is a fraction short of the arm wrenching, vision distorting nature of big fours but quite addictive in use of excess revs and low gears. As soon as funds provide, I will fit a stainless steel 2-1 Motad exhaust, which as well as hopefully liberating an extra bit of urge will save some mass into the bargain. It is definitely a fun bike to ride, but one quite hard to get into serious trouble upon.
I average somewhere between 55 and 65mpg, although it's possible to go down to 45mpg. The engine doesn't like unleaded fuel at all, dropping consumption to a mere 40mpg and making the mill run especially rough. I tried it once and never again. Oil consumption was negligible between lube changes, although there was a very slight oil leak where the oil filter sits which was cured at the last filter swap.
Controls are common to many other Kawa models. The push to cancel indicators are a great idea once you become used to them. The headlight has an excellent main beam, adequate for fast work on unlit back roads, although the dip beam isn't quite up to that standard. The mirrors are perfectly mounted for hitting car mirrors when you filter through traffic but give an adequate rearwards vision, although at low revs they can blur a little.
Finish on the cycle parts is excellent - I have one of the all white bikes, a colour which perfectly complements the lines of fairing, tank and sidepanels. Mudguards, panels and seat base are all plastic which stops any worries about rust. Every 1000 miles, or so, the wheels need a quick polish to stop them going white and the bike gets sprayed with Gunk (don't bother with the foam version it doesn't work very well) and jet washed. It is still in excellent condition now, despite being ridden in all kinds of weathers. I dumped the bellypan as I like to see an engine and it saved a bit of weight. The stock exhausts are still serviceable and I suspect will last about three years.
I have done no pillion work so can't comment on that aspect. I do, however, suspect that anyone weighing over 12 stones who rides the bike solo will push the capabilities of the suspension to its limits, and that any three year old bike will need a new set, preferably of superior specification, to maintain the excellent standard of handling provided by the machine from new. Bear that in mind when considering if you can afford one.
I do feel, that for a modern motorcycle, Kawasaki have not paid enough attention to minor details and if they expended a little effort could get the dry weight down to around 300lbs whilst retaining the same motor. Afterall, Yamaha produce a 600cc four that weighs in at under 400lbs. I also feel that although it is a very practical machine, more attention could have been given to weather protection and access to the valvegear.
Overall, though, I am mightily impressed with the bike and intend to improve it as funds allow, sticking with it until the engine gives signs of expiring. It's a little too early to comment on engine longevity, but I have seen examples with over 50,000 miles on the clock already that seem in good shape. I am hoping for at least 100,000 miles before I have to do anything major to the motor. The engine presently exudes a feeling of unburstability and seems to have lost none of its edge. I look forward to many more happy years.
Dick Lewis
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It was no good - the time for getting rid of the RG was ripe, because the longer I rode it the riper it became, ripening into a proper lemon. It obviously wasn't up to the 250 miles a week I had to commute and the cost in petrol, two stroke oil and spark plugs could have paid for a new bike on their own. Then, one fateful sunny day, a friend mentioned that Kawasaki had just unveiled their latest offering, a baby ZZR250 and it just so happened that my local dealer had just received one. Well, what could I do, the union was obviously fated so I ignored my mother's advice (as usual) and a contract was drawn in blood - mine, with my soul on the dotted line.
As the clock struck the first minute of August 1st, I took delivery. Ah, the joys of a brand new motorcycle - being the envy of all your friends, the racing ego, the mad polishing, the paranoia about scratching it and 500 miles of motorcycling at 36mph. Yes, 36mph, the price of having a 250cc motorcycle combined with a 14000rpm ceiling.
There are two things that strike you as you first set eyes on Kawasaki's new baby ZZR, one is the fact that the only people that can tell it apart from its older brother, the ZZR600, are the people that are lucky enough to own one and the second, in the case of the metallic two tone, red and candy pink version, is the colour.
The ZZR has the curious effect of acting like a magnet to the flat cap (and I had a Rudge when I was your age) brigade. On several occasions I parked the bike only to find on my return a moist eyed old gent leaning over it, who goes on to recount how he courted his wife on an obscure British bike and wished he hadn't sold it because now it would be worth as much as most houses.
The ZZR is composed of a beefy box section aluminium frame tastefully wrapped around a watercooled 250cc four stroke twin engine that's loosely based on the earlier GPX250, save that it develops slightly less power and weighs more. Add to this a 14000rpm red line, very little torque, a slightly dubious front end and massive back tyre, and dip in a vat of plastic bodywork, and just what do you get?
Well, what first strikes you when you leap on is the tank - literally. The 250 feels more like a 600, reassuring on a long journey because there is plenty of bike to hide behind if the elements aren't smiling on you. That's apart from your hands and feet, of course. Why is it that Kawasaki couldn't have added hand protection to a fairing that is otherwise all enveloping? As it is, the wind blast from the nose is directed over your hands rather than around them. Very silly.
And water is still thrown from the front wheel over your feet. Nothing that an extra three inches of mudguard wouldn't fix, so why couldn't the factory? At least the sculptured riding position was comfortable and there was a tank protector to stop the zip of my jacket gorging large scratches in the paint.
Starting it up is not a very satisfying experience. Instead of the expected boom like thunder, what is emitted is more of an embarrassed flatulence, disappointing any kids that may have been lingering nearby to hear the great red beast cranked open. Inoffensive is a word that springs to mind. Well, at least it doesn't wake the neighbours when you leave and return to the house at obscure hours of the day and night.
The inviting red line is only 14000 revs and a twist of the throttle away, but getting there can be so boring. If you're looking for any vestige of acceleration then forget the portion of the rev counter that sits below eight grand, because you'll find no favours down there, the amount of torque available feels non-existent. There are some advantages to this lack of power - good fuel consumption and tyre wear. Front tyres go 9000 miles, rears 7000 miles (That's good? - Ed) whilst chain and sprockets were pretty knackered before 10,000 miles.
A fast spin reveals an eagerness to corner, no doubt aided by the large rear tyre that's the same size as the rear end of a GPZ900. There was a rubbery feel above 90mph that turned into a wobble if you were silly enough to back off the throttle entering a bumpy corner. Not quite a full tank slapper but enough to lead you off your chosen line. There was also a tendency to deck the centrestand whilst two up, with little provocation, and believe me I'm no hero. Luckily, application of a C-spanner to the rear shock solved both problems.
One one winter trip from deepest Wales to the industrial heartland, the ZZR had to cope with muddy mountain roads, wet A roads and flat out rush hour motorway traffic. I was also tired, lost, carrying a full load of gear and had someone else's fat chick on the back. The bike managed all that with no great hassle, although the gearbox needed to be caned quite a lot. It seemed willing enough to cruise along at 90mph all day long on the motorway.
There are also nice touches, like the retractable bungy hooks and a little pouch in the fairing which is just right for carrying a padlock to put through the front disc to discourage Johnny Dishonesty from helping himself to your pride and joy. And the thumb nail adjusters on the brake and clutch lever that are dead flash, but probably triple the cost of replacement levers.
A good tip is that if you are going to carry soft throwover panniers then cover the tail of the bike in masking tape, it'll prevent a lot of paint being nicked and washes off easily in hot, soapy water. All in all, the standard of finish is unusually good for a bike of this size and it's always rewarding to take cheap and easy measures to keep it that way.
So, all in all, for your initial £3200 (admittedly expensive, but you pay your money and takes your choice) you get a machine that's dynamically beautiful to behold, revs like crazy while not actually getting you anywhere fast but won't drain your pocket substantially when you have to visit the petrol station and is generally cheap to run. An immensely big pose with the added advantage of cheap insurance and tax.
But one tip from someone who's not proud to admit he got caught out when working out whether you can afford to buy a brand new bike - service costs. If you are a high mileage, all weather biker, as I am, and bearing in mind that all the services have to be done by a dealer to keep the warranty, it may add up to a large dent in the finances. Estimate your average mileage - then double it, because you probably won't be able to stay off your new toy. When you add up the cost of services with the cost of consumables you'll probably find you can't afford to eat.
Zeman McCreadie
I thought I'd bought a nice little runner. A sort of universal Japanese motorcycle that would do everything I asked of it. It was a basically stock 1987 model with 55000 miles of abuse from three past owners. The engine didn't look like it'd been touched. And the suspension was as original as the day it'd been chucked out of the showroom. It shone with a sort of muted, burnished glow under the bright light of a summer's day. It seemed worth £1250 of anyone's money.
Things began to unravel the next day when I took the wife for a run. I was going to show her what a clever boy I'd been to buy such a bargain all on my own. Dream on! We must've had a combined mass of 22 stone. That was enough to have the shock down on its stop. The back end wagged like the tail of a dog who was about to be fed a meaty bone. I pulled over. Up on the centrestand, adjust the rear shock's preload (the only suspension adjustment on the bike). I wasn't sure which way to turn it, but assumed that it was on its softest setting, so cranked the adjuster right the way around.
When we got back on the tyre was dragging on the mudguard. Back off again, turn it the other way which just got us back where we started. It really wasn't rideable at speeds in excess of 30mph, which needed third gear. Taller gears and lower revs just left the chain trying to leap off the sprockets. By the time we returned home the wife was calling me all the names under the sun. Thinking about all the furniture she could've bought with the loot.
The engine was a grouchy old bugger below 6000 revs. Popping in the silencers, feeling rather strained and buzzing the handlebars. The riding position and the seat were better than anything else I'd come across. A comfortable stance with no bodily contortions needed. The saddle well shaped and near enough to the ground for this 5'9'' rider to feel secure. The gearbox clanged rather than changed for half of the time. I often found false neutrals.
The engine had a cammy feel from 6500 revs on, quite a lot of power pouring in but there was also some heavy vibration, especially once past 9000 revs. The engine has a gear driven balancer and pistons that move up and down alternatively. Despite being watercooled it's not a heavy bike at 380lbs and the 16'' tyres made for snappy changes of direction.
Ridden solo I was not that unhappy with the machine. A replacement shock varied in price from £80 to £400 depending on make. No chance of spending that kind of dosh. Despite the earlier humiliation, the wife wouldn't let me wander around solo. The solution was a used shock at £25 from a breaker. Whilst pulling the old one out I noticed that the Uni-track bearings were loose. No grease on the spindles which were pitted and scored. I ended up buying the ones from the crashed bike.
With the rebuilt back end I expected the handling to be transformed. To be fair, the GPZ wasn't bad solo. Could be heeled right over and didn't react adversely to bumpy roads. The front end wasn't very precise and the bike would wander off line if I didn't pay it complete attention. Ogling some barely clad frail whilst roaring through town, I looked up to find that the Kawasaki had wandered over to the wrong side of the road. If I hadn't had a hard-on I would've pissed myself. Quick reactions and a willing chassis saved me from playing a terminal game of chicken with a well built if ancient Hillman Hunter.
Two-up, the rear shock compressed, leaving sod all clearance. The stand prongs and exhausts would grind away, threatening to catch in the road. The wife was soon digging me in the ribs and screaming abuse, as I got the engine into the power and tried to wing it through the curves. The resulting series of lurches seemed to unnerve her. On a smooth road the bike would cruise at up to 80mph without too much rolling around. Any greater speed had the bars trying to knock back and forth between their stops.
What really turned the wife against the bike was wet weather. The curvaceous half fairing, that'd been resprayed usefully in bright white, took off a surprising amount of the water.....then swirled it around my back into the nearest and dearest's face and lap. That put her in a foul mood which quickly became rabid when I had to brake harshly whilst banked over in a roundabout.
Some snivelling wimp in a cage had cut across my bows as if I had no right there. The front wheel locked as the single disc gripped, the tyre sliding away from the bike. The worn Dunlop had no chance of retaining its grip on the greasy road surface. The GPZ slid down the road, wife and I sailing off in unison, inheriting the bike's 20mph velocity.
Our dignity was hurt much more than our bodies or even the bike. The wife had an excess of flesh to protect her and I had my motorcycle gear. I was up before the bike had come to a halt on the grass. The wife looked like a beached whale, on her back waving her limbs all over the shop. I raced to pick up the GPZ before it lost all its fuel and had a chance to explode.
All the way home I had to suffer the same mantra: 'You did that on purpose, you did that.....' As if I'd risk the GPZ in such a way. Damage was slight, a bent brake lever and cracked indicator; nothing I couldn't fix myself. The next day I fitted a nice new set of Michelins, not amused by the Dunlops that had let loose without any warning. Tyres for this bike are quite rare because of their weird sections. By the way, if you take the front wheel out whilst the bike is on the centrestand it'll fall on to the forks and then pitch over sideways!
The GPZ is one of those modern bikes without a kickstart. It always came to life easily on the starter if the correct technique was applied on the choke lever. Pull fully on, hit the button, then take it right back and quickly pull it back towards the mid position until the engine caught. Don't ask me why this worked but it did, a useful trick passed down from the previous owner. What he failed to mention was that the electrical system was churning out so much power it was easy to boil off half the battery's acid in a hundred mile jaunt. The first time this happened the bike wouldn't churn over on the starter and the wife had to be coerced into giving a push. The battery looked like it might've come with the bike but as long as it was fed a constant diet of distilled water didn't seem to mind its age.
The front light was a revelation. Actually being able to cruise down country lanes at 60mph without straining my eyes was marvellous, although the dipswitch was far from naturally positioned and I kept forgetting which way to push it. Putting a pillion on the back had it pointing skywards......the bike just didn't seem set up for two-up riding. The push to cancel indicator switch was particularly neat, although the centrally mounted ignition switch would sometimes switch off the lights but keep the engine running. Age had made the key such a loose fit it could pop out as I was riding along.
After about a month of neglect I found that the whole bike was afflicted with a layer of corrosion. The weather had not even been that bad. I should've known better, having been to see a couple of GPZ500s that looked 20 rather than 5 years old; a clean bike a sure sign of a well looked after machine. I cleaned all the rust and rot off, using a toothbrush on the screw-heads and some black paint on the motor. After the next bout of rain it was as if I hadn't touched the machine, the corrosion back in full force. Incredible.
Things weren't helped by all the oil chucked off the back chain. GPZ's come with a tough O-ring chain as original equipment but mine was fitted with some quick wear rubbish that needing a daily coating of lubricant which it promptly threw off over the back of the bike and the wife if she happened to be on the pillion perch. The sprockets were worn as well, so after the adjusters were at the end of their slots I decided to invest in a O-ring chain and some new sprockets. This consisted of a bigger gearbox and smaller wheel sprocket, as well as a new length of chain.
The taller gearing helped give the GPZ a much more relaxed feel but made less than 40mph in fourth, never mind fifth or sixth, gear seem very nasty, the transmission jumping about and making BMW boxer type noises. Two-up the acceleration had become very slug-like unless I really caned the mill into red. Not something I wanted to do to an engine that had a very rattly motor, much amplified by the plastic fairing.
The bike has some neat touches. An airfilter that can be cleaned with an air-hose and reused. And the eight valves use screw and locknut adjusters. Apart from oil and filter (extortionately priced and of different type depending on the model) there wasn't anything else to do to the engine. The valves were very difficult to get at and only one of them needed any adjustment. The carbs seem to stay in balance regardless of the mileage. I put in some new plugs whilst I had the tank off as I didn't fancy tearing the bike apart by the roadside if they ever failed. They are pathetically difficult to access.
The top end rattle persisted, becoming quite frenzied by the time I had pushed the clock past 60,000 miles (the speedo cable broke twice, by the way). A new camchain seemed to be in order, about a hundred quid including fitting. It was done in the frame with the new one attached to the end of the old one until it was threaded through the engine. It was then riveted in place. Not the kind of job to entrust to the average gorilla. The engine was a lot quieter but still noisy. It wasn't any faster nor any more economical (45 to 50mpg) although the tank gave a range of close to 200 miles.
The next 8000 miles went by with quite a lot of fun, the wife having decided it was safer to stay at home, gorging on soap operas and boxes of chocolates. I'd bought a fork brace and some heavier springs for the front forks. As there was only one disc and the bushes were a bit worn the brace stopped a lot of the twisting I'd been experiencing. The heavier springs handled the brake dive from the still excellent disc brake (backed up by an adequate rear drum) but gave the front end a rather harsh ride. By then the rear shock had become very weak again, so some handling queasiness was present even when solo. In its way it was quite good as it limited the amount of abuse I was willing to inflict on the motor.
The engine was never really arm wrenchingly powerful, but it had a bit of character with none of the blandness of some of its rivals and a piercing exhaust note when on cam. The silencers were threatening to fall off by then (but if they were original, seven years and 70,000 miles ain't bad) and the engine was running poorly above 7000 revs as well as below it. As the cold weather descended it took to stalling dead as if protesting at its continued use. Not starting again until I'd done five minutes on the starter (and, yes, judging by the excess plumbing around the carbs it had received the necessary mods to ward off the carb-icing for which early watercooled Kawasakis were famous). Together with the degenerate appearance the bike was approaching rat status.
It didn't stop me persuading the wife on to the back, a rare visit to her mother, a sort of heavier and louder version of Les Dawson in drag. Someone up there must love me because five minutes into the journey the temperature gauge was heading for the red and the motor seemed to be really straining against the mass it was suddenly forced to carry. The coolant sounded like it was bubbling. I switched off the motor, it going dead with a loud clunk. Ten minutes later, when the gauge was out of the red the bike wouldn't turn on the starter. The horn sounded loud and clear so the battery was okay. The thing had seized solid.
It would be easy to conclude that the GPZ500S is a piece of overrated crap. I've tried a newish bike, though, and it was much nearer to what I'd expected, although the suspension still couldn't take two-up riding. Apart from detail changes it hasn't, until recently, been uprated since its introduction. Giving the engine the benefit of the doubt, it needs upgraded suspension, and a much better build quality. I really don't think I'd buy another, not even a nearly new one. Not unless I leave the wife........
Dave Kettering
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I'd spent a couple of weeks wandering around dealers looking for The One! I was after a 250 for cheap insurance but otherwise was open minded. You know how it is, once you see the bike you have to have it. That happened to me when I saw a '91 ZZR250 for only 1500 notes. A clearance special despite only having done 9000 miles. The salesman was reluctant to leave his office until I mentioned cash. Then he bolted out of the door like someone had shoved a firework up his bum. It took me half an hour to convince him that the only way I was going to buy the bike was after a test ride. It went okay so I handed over the money before he started licking my shoes or worse.
The ZZR shares the GPX250's motor but has much neater styling. Despite being four years old it was still a head turner, helped along by a loud two into one of unknown provenance. Vague recollections of ZZR250 road tests prepared me for the need to rev to make the best of the 40 horses. Even so, I was a bit shocked to find that the only real power was in the 9000 to 12000 rev range.
To enjoy the ZZR fully needs an excess of throttle happiness. The gearbox was notchy, cutting a fast path through the six ratios not that easy, the engine quite liable to end up in no-man's land below 9000 revs. The Kawasaki was a bit like a stroker in that it'd run at lower revs but would sort of make a deep, booming noise if the throttle was whacked open and provide sod all acceleration.
In the first couple of weeks the need to rev crazily wasn't too much of a bother. I had a new bike to play with and nothing much else mattered. Kawasaki had gone to a lot of trouble with the chassis, a high tech aluminium frame that wouldn't have looked out of place in a Bimota. Styling was such that if I rode fast enough I could pass the bike off as a ZZR600, a useful benefit being the relatively wide fairing that gave reasonable protection, though as usual with these types of bikes the screen could've been usefully six inches higher.
The riding position was natural, without any of the extremes of the race replica. Being a slim 5'10'' the bike fitted me perfectly, one of the reasons I was so quick to buy it after the test ride. It reminded me of a BMW R100RS I'd once had the privilege of sitting upon. Were the ZZR's bars a touch narrower the fairing would've given better protection to my hands as my gloves still became soaked in the rain. The seat became hard after about 150 miles, which was a useful point at which to look for some fuel - despite the necessity of revving it until it dies, the bike still turned in 50mpg (about 70mpg if you could stay awake for long enough, just using the first 7000 revs).
With a 55 inch wheelbase, neutral weight distribution and sensible riding position, doing wheelies was not easy, needing total abuse of the surprisingly heavy clutch and throttle. I kept being burnt off by strokers, that waggled past on one wheel, leaving me choking on their pollution. The ZZR's watercooled vertical twin engine was a little lost in the hot 250 category despite the sharpness of its power delivery.
It didn't make up the pace as a high speed cruiser, either. It was capable of buzzing along at 90mph (if at times of heavy going I had to change down to fifth) but by the time the ton was on the clock it'd run out of puff. Down an incline I once managed to put 110mph on the clock, the engine sounding like it was grinding itself into an early grave; my left hand hovering over the clutch whilst pulses of fear shot through my body.
Then Mr Plod came alongside. I had a vision of my licence being torn into millions of pieces as I killed the throttle, losing speed like hitting a brick wall. 70mph on the clock, the cops were still there. Bearded lords of the world, I wondered why they didn't pull me over. Then they shot off at about 130mph, siren going full song, the final salutation one of the cops waving his finger at me. Later, I saw what'd saved me from losing my licence, a caravan that'd overturned, causing cars to pile into each other. I weaved through the chaos, trying to look innocent in case the bearded ones were feeling retributive.
The all or nothing nature of the ZZR meant that it was usually thrashed everywhere. After about a month I became a bit tired of all the hustle and bustle required, especially when I didn't seem to be getting anywhere fast. On the good side, the bike was comfy and the handling little short of brilliant, the seventeen inch wheels shod with sticky Pirellis and the low mass of 340lbs allowing me to hustle with even the most advanced stroker in the curves. I often found myself taking the inside line as the stroker ran wide on an excess of power, lightening its front wheel.
There were a few weak spots, but nothing that held me back. The suspension was on the fragile side, shown up mostly when two up. They seemed to lose a little firmness as the mileage increased and the Uni-track's shock was already turned up to its highest setting. It was probably just the suspension going off with age, a typical Japanese trait and a sure sign of poor quality. The disc brakes at each end were not overwhelming in their effectiveness, the front being particularly notable as it made a clanging noise in low speed stops - I was never able to work out what this was despite checking everything over. In emergency stops, though, combined use of both brakes pulled us up in time, so they couldn't have been that bad. I was surprised that the calipers never seized up nor that the pads wore out.
At about 14000 miles the Uni-trak linkages went all loose. No grease equals premature wear equals new bearings and shafts equals loadsa money for the local Kawasaki dealer. The back wheel bearings were pitted with rust so I had to knock them out as well (the money went to the local bearing factor this time). I then noticed that the rear sprocket was knackered and the chain was on its last legs (they were probably original, so not that bad a life), so a C and S kit was also needed. I put it all back together before I found something else wrong.
At least the new chain and sprockets improved the gearbox beyond recognition. The engine needed an oil change every 1500 miles and a carb balance every second oil change; the valves never went out of adjustment. Just changing the spark plugs was a major adventure with lots of bits to tear off to gain access. Engine reliability was good, though I've heard tales of wrecked camchains and top ends from 25000 miles onwards, probably down to a lack of oil changes.
They are, due to their very nature, thrashed relentlessly so high mileage examples have to be viewed with suspicion. Crashed ones are very dubious - I know of one that had its frame straightened which then broke at 50mph. The poor guy nearly lost his knee-caps and was in agony for about six months. He refuses to go anywhere near a motorcycle again. The dealer just laughed when he heard what'd happened, claiming the guy must've crashed and then straightened the frame himself despite us all knowing the previous owner. We set a few Dobberman dogs on him later that day and he's been walking like a queen ever since! Nasty things, those canines.
I was curious to see if a stock exhaust would make the bike run better. Also, my ringing head was less than enamoured with the two into one. Various breakers were visited until a reasonable exhaust was found for forty quid - they do rust, anything over three years old is a waste of time. I had quite a job fitting this but after an afternoon of cursing I was in business. The engine ran slightly stronger at low revs and power came in at 8000rpm. The new found silence was music to my ears.
But not for long. I'd fallen for the ZZR600 after a test ride. Okay, it's a bit heavier than a CBR but the comfort, looks and top speed are better. I had to have one. The dealer offered me £2250 trade-in for the ZZR250. That seemed like a good deal to me, after a visit to the bank I was in seventh heaven. What a brilliant bike!
The ZZR250 was a bit of a disappointment overall. Great looks and excellent handling but the motor was all wrong being just like a stroker in its delivery but without the huge kicks. Too highly strung for commuting but too slow for the fast stuff, the only saving grace is low purchase prices for old ones (and low cost insurance).
Dick Jones
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There are lots of fast bikes available in the used motorcycle marketplace but I was really pleased to buy a 9000 mile, two year old GPZ500 for £2000. I'd tested it by pulling a wheelie in first gear. Not at easy task as it needed a wicked wrench on the bars and throttle. The bike's balance wasn't perfect with an urge to throw itself sideways into the gutter.
The engine made all its serious power between 7000 and 11000 revs, tried to thrash the drive chain at the bottom end of the rev range. The six speeds worked with all the fluidness of an Ural but invariably engaged. The downwards change through the box was much smoother than the upwards. The OE O-ring chain was about half worn, careful adjustment determining the transmission's exactness.
These were my early impressions, confirmed by a fast thrash up one side and down the other of this great country of ours. I just did the run for kicks, none of that charity shit. Top speed was an indicated 130mph, the motor feeling busy rather than vibratory. The half fairing was quite efficient, judged on the way the bike surged forwards between the ton and ton-twenty.
Fitted with Japlop shod sixteen inch wheels, high speed stability was better than expected. Felt well planted to the tarmac even when flat out. Later bikes had seventeen inchers, running fatter tyres - the one drawback of the smaller front wheel was that it could suddenly let loose in bends, usually when the tarmac was less than perfect. I didn't experience that suicidal move, mostly because I looked where I was going. I did note that the bars shook when accelerating hard out of bends with just slightly bumpy surfaces.
One good aspect of the small wheels was that the 400lb twin was easy to chuck through the bends, feeling more like a 250 than a full blown 500 twin. I tried both Avon radials and Michelin tyres, but could discern little difference between the various makes and the Japlops worked out as the cheaper option (rear 6000 miles, front 8000 miles). One reason it was difficult to tell the difference between the brands of tyres was that the bike felt a touch remote from the road, lacking that essential communion between machine and tarmac. It wasn't the kind of motorcycle that you could take right to the edge and hope to survive to tell the tale.
The poor quality suspension's undoubtedly to blame for the remoteness. Even when I bought the bike at its relatively low mileage, the spindly front forks would clang and clatter over hard going. The rear shock, served by a Uni-trak arrangement, felt harsh and soft at the same time. The ride was still quite plush, doing a good job of absorbing most bumps, and when upright or banked over on smooth roads there wasn't much to complain about. When bumpy bends were involved, a hinged in the middle feel predominated and it didn't take much effort to get the chassis all crossed up.
In its favour, the chassis was neutral, didn't go berserk if the brakes were gently applied or the throttle slammed shut in corners. It was also light enough to haul on to a different line when necessary or pick back up when I wanted to make a straight line out of a corner. In short, the square section frame was up to the job of keeping the quick wear suspension in line.
It didn't take long for the contrast between the hard charging engine and squeamish chassis to irritate the hell out of me. This coincided with a buxom lass being taken pillion, her weight making the back tyre rub through the plastic mudguard. The single front disc was also troublesome, the pads rattling around like they were down to the metal and the whole front end squeaking during low speed stops.
It didn't take a great intellect to work out that a stronger shock and whole new front end were needed. Stuff off a GPZ900 was bodged on, giving the bike a solid feel, more Ducati than Kawasaki. The twin discs almost had me over the bars the first time I used them in anger. The only downside was a bit of a handlebar flutter at 115mph. I found that I could ride through it, the bike feeling much safer at 125mph! Any excuse to speed. As if any was needed!
The GPZ was a relaxed 90 to 100mph cruiser. Plenty of protection from the half fairing, a useful surge of acceleration in hand to see off any erring cagers, and rock-like stability with the upgraded suspension. With about 40mpg I could survive for 180 miles before worrying over fuel, which was about right with regards to comfort. The ergonomics were spot on but the seat needed an extra inch or two of padding as a hundred miles had me squirming around a little whilst 300 miles in a day resulted in a funny walk.
Wet weather wasn't much fun. My gloves were quickly soaked through and the minimal mudguarding, especially at the front, left the whole chassis in a far from pleasant coating of grime. The black engine make-up and tank paint were the best aspects of the finish; every screw on the bike was soon speckled in rust, the exhaust was quick rotting and the silver frame was seeping corrosion from underneath its paint. The alloy wheels corroded rapidly, as did the stands and handlebars.
The plastic was strong and flexible enough to survive the times the bike fell off the wimpy sidestand - usually, the indicators exploded. The fairing was susceptible to stones flying through the air and the excellent headlamp was holed by one stone but continued to work with searchlight intensity. One thing to watch for with the electrics is that the battery can lose half its water after a hard day's 500 mile thrash.
One thing that caught me out was the time a spark plug burnt out. The engine wasn't impressive as a 250cc single...I tried to do a roadside repair because I had a spare set of plugs, having read that they don't last for more than 5000 miles. You wouldn't believe the hassle I had just removing the petrol tank, someone seemed to have glued the fuel pipe on to the tap. The plugs are a long way down in the cylinder head and I almost cross-threaded them! Not funny, some of these companies have given up on the real world of roadside repairs.
Once access was gained, the GPZ was easy enough to maintain. Adjust the eight valves every 10,000 miles and balance the carbs at half that distance. Even the air-filter could be cleaned out with an air-hose. Oil was changed every 2500 miles and the oil filter whenever I felt guilty about it. An excess of slow town work caused the sight-glass to sludge up with white gunge from condensation in the oil but a hard blast cleaned it up. I prefer a dipstick myself as they are less dependent on putting the bike on a perfectly level surface.
I did about 35000 miles in eighteen months with no major mechanical hassles. The motors, despite developing 60 horses and liking to be revved, are known to be tough, with the camchain the first thing to go at around 50,000 miles (maybe half that if regular oil changes are neglected when the cam lobes will also scar). The major sign of wear's in the gearchange and looseness in the final drive chain (curiously, and primitively, primary drive's by hyvoid chain and not gears, but it lasts well). It's never as bad as some Hondas but it does show up an otherwise sophisticated piece of engineering; at least until you get used to its machinations and learn to ride around it. One less gear would happily be exchanged for a slicker box. If, on a test ride, you find the gearbox completely impossible then it's probably a sign of very high mileage.
GPZ500's do attract the hard cases and it's also an ideal DR mount, making it difficult to find nice ones, especially with the way the finish goes off rapidly. I managed to sell mine for £1750 and buy a nearly new one for £2700 (the better suspension and wheels making post '94 bikes somewhat superior) with just 2400 miles on the clock. This one's really immaculate and I intend to keep it that way for the next two or three years (helped along by the excellent Scientific Coating's liquid on the chassis). The GPZ caries on the fine tradition started by the Bonnie, bikes that are very versatile, fun to ride and not so expensive to run that you have to rob banks.
Peter Daller
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Humble beginnings often lead to great things but trading in my RXS100 for a prime GPX250 nearly did for me. The day I picked the bike up from the dealer's, London traffic was locked up solidly. Spying a fast disappearing gap, I gave the GPX some throttle in second gear. GPX's need at least seven grand before they begin to shift and I was starting from 3000rpm. The bike began to move for the traffic gap but just when I was expecting acceleration to pick up, the motor developed a fit of the stutters. The gap was closing fast with two cagers likely to slam-dunk me into the next world. Finally the motor caught mightily, elevated the front wheel and charged through the unlikely hole with just the odd millimetre to spare. I screamed in celebration.
This was to be a constant irritation on the GPX. Certain days when it was especially humid the engine developed a strong reluctance to rev cleanly. It was a peaky unit at the best of times, a watercooled, eight valve twin that needed the same kind of care on the throttle and gearbox as a peaky stroker. However, every time I went back to the dealer to complain, the problem disappeared! I tried many different things to sort it - from very expensive spark plugs to using leaded petrol, but they made not one bit of difference. Talked to a couple of GPX250 riders - one reckoned it was something that happened after some wear got into the engine, the other had no problems that he would admit to. The clock on mine read only 7300 miles, just run in for a Kawasaki, according to the grinning dealer.
To nearly kill oneself on the first ride doesn't exactly endear a machine to you, but after the learner it had so much more performance that I soon overcame my initial hesitation - it anyway ran much better if the mill was kept above 8000rpm! It was an odd old motor, mind, with 40 horses on call but they were never backed up by any of the vertical twin torque that you might expect. Both power and torque were supposed to peak at 11000 revs but anything approaching a steep hill would have me pumping the gearbox down one or even two gears to keep the momentum up.
The DOHC engine really howled away flat out in fourth gear, the buzz that ran through the chassis not that unpleasant - motor and frame well matched to absorb what little vertical twin vibration was produced by the engine at most revs. The six speed gearbox wasn't quite slick, nor brilliantly spaced either - always seemed to be in the wrong ratio. Whilst changes didn't cause any trauma when I was having fun and games on the throttle, trying to engage gear while clumping along at low revs was another matter. The gearbox just didn't want to know, the poor old drive chain fluttering away like it wanted to tear itself apart. Which judging from the frequency of adjustment was exactly what it was doing - every couple of days; every day if it rained!
I did find lining the wheels up a chore, as the marks on the adjusters told lies and I had to do it by eye. Also, tightening up the spindle nearly always made the back wheel move slightly. It was crucial both to attain the correct chain adjustment and make sure that the wheels were in line - otherwise the gearbox went really nasty and the handling turned very flighty. The 310lb machine always had a nervous feel from both of the narrow sixteen inch wheels, but get them slightly out of line and it'd try to twitch its way off the road.
The GPX didn't look at all light, with its huge expanse of plastic that was already dated when it came out, but both in real terms and in feel it weighed next to nowt. In terms of getting the most from the engine power lack of mass is obviously a good thing, but with sixteen inch wheels geometry and weight distribution assume massive importance. The GPX was far from being spot on but rarely dangerous. The flightiness of the chassis wasn't that different to my RXS which was knocked around by road bumps and even whitelines. The major difference was that instead of 60mph silliness to contend with, the GPX would howl along at 100 to 110mph!
As far as the engine was concerned the top speed was a viable cruising velocity but the chassis went all weird above 90mph. The suspension just wasn't up to such excessive speeds, going all weak at the knees. Where the quick turning and light mass really gave the machine an edge was through the tighter curves. I still had the impression that the front wheel had a mind of its own, but it didn't get too out of line. The bike could be hurled from side to side with hardly any effort and thrown inside those lumbering replicas as they hastily braked for the bend. Their riders weren't quite as amused about that as I was.
One time, though, the very swiftness of the front's reaction caught me completely unaware. A bit of cowshit on the entrance to a series of switchbacks went unnoticed until the front wheel touched it. The next thing I knew I was flying through the air, the Japlop had lost its grip and flipped away at an incredible rate. No warning twitch or anything, just a dose of gravel rash. The only good thing was that speed was relatively mild. Bruised elbow and torn jeans were the major damage to yours truly, plus a nice gnash in the helmet - loads of street credibility there. After I got over the shock, I decided I was lucky the bike hadn't run me down!
The Kawasaki had lost its momentum by spinning around, taking a nice slice out of a hedgerow and dancing along a bank by the side of the road. Bent bars, dented exhaust and scratched plastic, plus the usual ruined indicators and back light in a thousand bits. When the shakes had died down, I was able to wobble home without too much effort. The usual bargaining with the breaker and bodging into the early hours of morning soon had the bike back on the road. Oh, I also fitted a set of Michelin tyres, not wanting to trust the worn Japlops again. You live and learn, as the saying goes.
Since buying the bike I've done 8700 miles, had no other major problems. No major expenses except the tyres and fuel at 50-55mpg - the nasty old chain's still going strong! Given the peaky handling and wild front wheel, I don't think it's a brilliant bike to move up to from a mild 125, but experienced motorcyclists will probably find it a handy little second bike or it could even be used as a sole machine by someone after cheap insurance and road tax. I'm not surprised they didn't last very long, two years is hardly a major model life, is it? The engine turned up in the ZZR250, so some hope for spares. A detuned version's used in the EL250 but not even I would want one of those.
Phil Pearson
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for GPZ500's etc
Trying to burn off a cop car on a GPZ500S ain't really recommended. The bike has a surprising surge of acceleration at 100mph, will even put 130mph on the clock. But the cops were in some huge Ford that stayed within an inch of my numberplate. Wailing away merrily. It was the M4, early in the morning and I should've known better. My licence perilously close to an excess of points and automatic ban. God knows what the magistrate would think of me trying to break through the 130mph barrier.
The Kawasaki was very stable flat out. I had one of the recent ones with a seventeen inch front wheel. That helped, especially in tyre choice, but the older model - one of the which I'd run for 70,000 miles before selling to buy a 3000 miler - wasn't as bad as the pundits made out. I never came off, anyway. The bike was lighter and narrower than the four cylinder mob, helped with the aerodynamics and ease of flickability.
Despite having a mere two cylinders vibration was never a problem. True to its nature (and 180 degree throw crankshaft) the engine wasn't that pleasant below 3000 revs when drive-line lash also caused the chain to graunch away in the taller gears. Fortunately, the gearbox was a whole lot slicker than the older model's, no problem using the six ratios to avoid the low rev traumas.
The engine, though, ran better the harder it was used, although below 6500 revs there was plenty of torque, could be strung along on moderate revs and still not be so slow as to send the rider asleep. Flirting with the red sector didn't bring in any vibration of note, the engine felt bullet-proof even when thrashed, which was what I was doing to keep the cops on their toes.
The only way out was to do something stupid. With a turn-off just shooting past, I decided to pretend to pull over. Came almost to a halt on the hard shoulder with the cop car just behind me, used the bike's agility to whip around facing the pigs, then roared off along their inside, back towards the exit on the hard shoulder. F..king mad, but there was no way they could turn around. They probably had the helicopters out but they didn't catch up with me. The previous owner was probably gang-banged by irate plod as I forgot to register the bike in my name.
I suppose there are two types of GPZ owners. Those, like me, who want something for nothing, revel in the way the little twin performs despite its lack of power and cylinders. It's faster than most people suspect, handles with such ease that it makes the rider out to be a hero and is something of a giant killer. Basically, use the revs and ride the thing as hard as possible all the time.
The other kind of owner sees the Kawasaki as a serious motorcycle, about the only bike on the market that is in any way comparable to all those hordes of seventies twins. It's an extremely useful device without being silly in its use of fuel or consumables. Although watercooled and sporting four valves per cylinder, it's also a lot less threatening and overpowering than the Jap fours. It's also never boring or bland, melding the best of both worlds. It can be ridden mildly or flat out, depending on conditions and the owner's inclination.
But, as far as motorcycling goes, I've never been sensible. Put a bike between my legs and my right hand goes all twitchy. I like riding with manic intensity. The later bikes are better equipped for such excesses. Minor suspension upgrades make them a touch tauter and the bigger wheels improve security without in any way impairing the ease with which the bike can be chucked around.
I never had any problems with the old front disc/rear drum set up and the new bike, with discs all round, is just pandering to fashion. In fact, the rear drum was excellent, bags of feedback, just the right amount of power and absolutely no problems, with shoes that lasted for over 25000 miles.
Even with just 14000 miles on the clock the rear caliper has begun to seize up and it has become an annoying on/off switch in the wet. Front pads were just as short-lived as on the older model, about 7500 miles, but both bikes are free of any wet weather lag. The old disc went all squeaky every 10,000 miles, needed a strip and clean; the new brake has needed no such attention yet.
Despite many predictions of doom, I never needed to take the old Uni-trak back end apart, although by 20,000 miles the shock had gone all soggy. No problems from the new bike yet, maybe Kawasaki are putting grease on the linkages, these days! One tip, use some rubber sheet to extend the rear mudguard so that there's no gap between it and the swinging arm - that keeps most of crud off the linkages.
GPZ500 engines are generally tough old things, though they do need regular oil and filter changes. Neglect that, the cams will end up pitted and scored before 25000 miles are done. I wouldn't bother with one with more than fifty thou on the clock, though 75000 miles ain't impossible. After that, figure a rebore, rebuilt top end and even new hyvoid primary chain. One good point about the sixteen inch wheel models, so many people fell off when the front tyre snapped away without warning that there are plenty of good engines in breakers. It's possible to resurrect some cheap old rat.
Also, the finish wasn't brilliant. The tank and plastic weren't bad, but rust seeps out of the frame and swinging arm after as little as a year (my new 'un is better), when the fasteners will also come out in a rash of rust - this for bikes that are kept under cover when not in use. Manic despatching can turn them into rats in less than a year. This is mostly superficial, though, and they can be cleaned up with more elbow grease than actual hard cash.
Going back to that escapade with the cops, top of my wish list is more power. 60 horses and 380lbs ain't a bad combination, and the aerodynamics make the best use of that power at high speed - the new fairing looks better and gives improved protection, though the screen is still too low. It's a pity that Kawasaki haven't developed the theme properly, I fancy 650cc, 80 horses and 325lbs - there's plenty of excess in the chassis that could be pared down, not least in the way the frame bolts together on one side. The big question is how the engine would take the excess capacity, would it still be smooth or would the increased vibes ruin it?
Kawasaki get away with such a lack of development because there aren't any alternatives. The 600 Bandit has the power but is otherwise too excessive in mass and girth. The TRX850 is far too expensive for me and has none of the cheap running costs of the GPZ. The new ER-5 budget 500, based on a slower version of the GPZ500's engine, is a bit of an insult to the fans of the breed. No thanks.
There is a Motad pipe for the 500, which I fitted to the old bike when the original rotted through at 54000 miles. Nice noise but no extra power that I could discern - I was almost convinced that the rush of power at 100mph was a little bit diminished but it might just have been the engine getting old. There's loads of kit for upgrading them - from higher screens (which are silly as they flatten out at speed) to upside down forks, and it's worth looking out for bikes that have been sensibly modded on the used market.
You'll have to pay £2500 for a really nice one, though runners are available for less than £1500. Don't bother with dealers, they just mark them up to a silly extent. With Bandits becoming so popular because of their low prices, taking over from GPZ's as the cheap sportster, new prices have taken a bit of a dive, possible to get one discounted to £3650, which ain't bad value.
J.D.
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