Hello Guest User,

Please feel free to have a look around the forum but be aware that as an unregistered guest you can't see all of it and you can't post.

To access these 'Registered Users Only' areas simply register and login.

GPz1100A

Advertise your BIKES and PARTS here

Moderators: chrisu, paul doran, Taffus, KeithZ1R

Message
Author
janluke
100Club
100Club
Posts: 157
Joined: 11th Jun 2011
Location: South Lanarkshire

GPz1100A

#1 PostAuthor: janluke » Thu Dec 13, 2018 2:48 pm

I'm listing this for a pal as its clearly "our" sort of thing and with Admin approval
Bike is located in Fife, Scotland
Price £2250
PM me for Willie's email address

His very honest description below with pics

I bought this bike in March 1998 so I’ve had it for just over 20 years! But for the last 14 years it’s sat idle 'on show' and SORNd in my garage (it wasn't my only bike) and I’ve only just ‘re-commissioned’ it and had it MOTd to sell it as it was crazy having such an iconic bike hidden away and unused.

When I bought it, it was fully complete but looking a bit sorry for itself having sat outside by the previous owner. I immediately did a rebuild exactly as I’d like an 80s GPz to be (in 1998). The frame was powder coated sparkle silver, wheels and footrest hangers and some other bits and pieces candy blue, and topped of with a stunning candy blue paint job. I polished most of the alloy that was originally black – except the engine which I kept black; and I had the seat recovered. I put new bearings in the Uni-trak (7 in all, if I remember correctly), new wheel bearings, new disks and pads, braided brake lines, other smaller bits and pieces and I set the valve clearances. I’ve also got a receipt for a new cam chain, but I genuinely can’t remember changing that, so don’t count on it! I got the original fuel injection working fine again (or at least as fine as a relatively primitive 35-year-old fuel injection is ever going to be). But otherwise since the motor was running well, I didn’t do anything else to the motor and left it untouched.

But remember all this stuff was done 20 years ago, albeit it's only done about 4,000 miles since. It wasn’t my only bike, so I just took it to a few shows and generally posed about on it. I also got a wee write-up in Classic Motorcycle Mechanics in November 1998 . I bought it at around 46,600 miles in March 1998, and from old MOTs I’d covered 4,000 more miles on it by 2003. (Current mileage as at today is 50,732.)

But it had a slight oil weep from somewhere at the base of the barrels and/or head gasket at what looks like the front left. It was difficult to tell as it was fine when idling and only showed up if you went for a blast. And by then the wind would blow the oil weep through the fins and I couldn’t see the exact source. So I took it off the road in 2004 with a view to getting the heads/barrels off and fixing the weep in the winter. But winter came and went… And the next summer… And before I knew where I was, 14 years had passed! And in the meantime I’d also switched from sports bikes to touring as befits a bloke now 20 years older and I couldn’t see me riding it again, so I decided to sell it as there’s also another bike incoming.

‘Re-commissioning’ it in the last month or so was giving it a new [gel] battery, a new DID chain (the old one had kind of ‘frozen’ in position), a new set of plugs, an oil and filter change, change the brake fluids, plus I gave it a clean.

I’ve put on about 100 miles since then and it runs OK as far as I can tell, but I’m no expert. It smells like its running a bit rich especially on startup and also a bit smokey from cold and there’s the occasional cough when it’s not fully warmed up. I’m thinking that this is maybe the best the 35-year-old fuel injection can do (there’s no choke, and so the ECU reads engine temperature and tries to work out fuelling) but there might be a voltage issue on one of the sensors, but there might be some oil burning too, or maybe that's just how it is. I certainly don’t know for sure, but it starts up instantly hot or cold, idles nicely when warmed up and runs fine; at least I think itruns fine and I was happy riding it around. But so you’re aware and there's nothing unexpected, when I had it out for a blast last weekend, at full throttle a couple of times in 3rd or 4th I felt the engine revs rise more than the speed seemed to be increasing and I thought maybe a clutch slip? But experimenting pulling-in/dropping the clutch in a high gear at high revs at low speed had it engaging immediately and I certainly couldn't force it to slip – so I’m now thinking it was maybe wheelspin on 20-year-old tyres? It might not be making the full 120hp Kawasaki claimed in 1983, but it's still plenty to light-up what are by today's standards very skinny tyres. But I am advising a slight possibility of clutch slip - but I can't replicate it now. I did put in semi-synthetic, and maybe olde worlde mineral oil would have been a better choice. Gear change is sweet and (to me, at least) it revs and pulls like a train, and the brakes work fine. But remember it is a 35 year old motor that to the best of my knowledge hasn’t had any significant work done on it so I’d be budgeting on an engine refresh at some point. And the brake pads have also now been in for 4000 miles (and 20 years) so maybe a check/replace them too if spirited riding is planned - but easily good enough to get through the MOT brake test, and they feel fine to me.

The tyres have plenty tread and are tubeless, but I just can’t recall if I changed them at the rebuild. I’ve a suspicion I changed the back tyre, but even then it would mean they’re no newer than 20 years old, so maybe not so grippy any more.

Everything cleaned up pretty well and the paint is still excellent – it’s stunning in the sun - and the wheels look great too. But the candy blue on the right-hand foot hanger seems to have bubbled, and there’s some chips on the candy blue on the rear brake torque rod and the calliper brackets. And the black paint on the motor is starting to chip-off; hopefully all this is clear from the pictures. And there are a few other spots where there’s a bit of surface corrosion or the chrome has rubbed off (like on the handle bars).

Everything works – the fuel injection, instruments, LCD warning panel on the tank, fuel gauge, volt meter, lights, switchgear etc and it just sailed through the MOT in mid-september, so nearly a year left.

I love the candy blue and the small/no rear mudguard (the precursor to tail-tidies I guess) and the shorty 4-1.

But if you want to create a totally standard GPz1100 the tank, side panels, tail piece and fairing have no scratches or dings so would just need a colour change with minimal prep; likewise the wheels, and change some of the polished alloy and frame back to black. It would also need the standard 4-2 exhaust, the bigger rear mudguard and standard rear indicators. I’m not a GPz aficionado, but apart from the colour change I don’t think it would need much more in the way of these parts to become a standard bike again. Oh, and although both mirrors look the same, one is a pattern (non-Kawasaki-branded) replacement.

The bike is in Dalgety Bay, Fife and you’re welcome to come and inspect it. I’m happy to try to answer any other questions anyone may have and can take more photos of anything you want and send them on.
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image

deka
Custard Cream
Custard Cream
Posts: 764
Joined: 20th Feb 2018
Location: Newcastle upon tyne

Re: GPz1100A

#2 PostAuthor: deka » Thu Dec 13, 2018 4:05 pm

Very nice unitrak Good luck with the sale
GPZ1100 A1 zrx1100 gsa1200

User avatar
Charlie
Custard Cream
Custard Cream
Posts: 862
Joined: 11th Jun 2011
Location: Sheffield
Contact:

Re: GPz1100A

#3 PostAuthor: Charlie » Sat Dec 15, 2018 12:11 pm

I saw this bike go through on Ebay two or three times. I was kind of surprised it didn't sell, especially as the asking price fell. I almost went for it myself - but the colours and the picture of how it started out (in the magazine article) put me off in the end. I just couldn't rationalise needing to get everything painted back to stock as well as any other potential issues.
Maybe I was wrong to let it slide - who knows
Why do I persist in debating with idiots ? I really should know better :)

janluke
100Club
100Club
Posts: 157
Joined: 11th Jun 2011
Location: South Lanarkshire

Re: GPz1100A

#4 PostAuthor: janluke » Sat Dec 15, 2018 1:57 pm

I suspect if it was standard colours it would of a) sold by now or b) I'd of bought it from him! Like you the blue isnt for me although it does nag away at me too

martinz1000r
Custard Cream
Custard Cream
Posts: 919
Joined: 1st Jul 2007
Location: Oxfordshire

Re: GPz1100A

#5 PostAuthor: martinz1000r » Sat Dec 15, 2018 4:08 pm

I love my GPz Unitraks and also followed this when it was eBay. I dont do stock and really like this scheme etc but it's the wrong end of the country and I'm just plain broke or I'd try do a deal with you.

Good luck selling!
Z1000R, Moto Martin GPz, z900 A4 Crosby Replica, Harris Magnum 2, Suzuki GSXR 1100 Slabbie, SP1 Hoonda x 2, Katana 1100, Bimota SB6R and Tuatara

User avatar
Big Fluff
Hardcore
Hardcore
Posts: 2541
Joined: 1st Mar 2007
Location: Marbury, Shropshire

Re: GPz1100A

#6 PostAuthor: Big Fluff » Mon Dec 17, 2018 2:59 pm

A very honest and open advert that, I like it.... a lot!
However with 4 bikes already in the stable I don't yet have enough room for another.
Best of luck with the sale..... best looking GPz in my eyes.
Will
Kawasaki GPz750T, Kawasaki ZRX1100R, Kawasaki GPZ1000RX, H**** VF1000RG Rothmans, H**** VF500F2F, H**** CB1100RD, Suzuki GSX1100EFE, H**** XL125K2


Return to “For Sale”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 19 guests