Z1OwnersClub GB

Hi guys
last tuesday I bought my twentieth bike, a Kawasaki GPz750R1, it's dated 1982, the only year the Akashi factory produced it this way.
She's rather complete, the engine runs and it can get on the road as it is.
Perhaps I'll restore it some day we'll see.
Enjoy the pictures.



She's resting next to her little sister in my collection
Greetings from Belgium
Philippe

Hi Philippe,
That looks like a lovely find, keep her as she is, ride and enjoy. They are only original once.

Nice collection

hi Philippe

looks like a really nice find that one

so you will be needing a GPZ 750 turbo to go next to it and may be and Unitrack 1100 gpz as well

Nice one phillipe use as it

would be nice to see more images of the third bike from the right, please.

Philippe wrote:She's resting next to her little sister in my collection

What is that little sister? Z550? Z500? Or (and I really want it to be this) a Z400J?

That 750 looks great, I had one and really liked it. A car driver didn't like it so much!

Hi guys

thanks for the reply!
@ ANZed: I think you mean the green-yellow '73 Z1 ? Just confirm it's that one and I'll send some pictures by PM.
@ Kwackman: it's a Z400J, your wish became reality! I found it in a barn in 2016, restored it in 2017. Nice little bike to restore, just wanted to restore one that wasn't so heavy as the others and when the opportunity came along, did it.
You only live once and people told me this was the last time I do. In my previous lives I believed in reincarnation but in this live I don't ...
GrtZ
Philppe

Philippe wrote:@ Kwackman: it's a Z400J, your wish became reality! I found it in a barn in 2016, restored it in 2017. Nice little bike to restore, just wanted to restore one that wasn't so heavy as the others and when the opportunity came along, did it.

Good to know there are still some out there! Looks like a J3 from the paint work.
I'm restoring one, my first restoration and learning how much I don't know!
If you ever want PDF scans of the parts book for the Z400J, let me know.

I owned a Z400J3 in the 80s, I traded it it for a GPZ750R1, same as your new toy.

Hi Kwackman

nostalgia!!! Yes it's a J3 from '82 or '83 . Glad to know you're restoring one. As far as the parts book or the shop manual is concerned, thanks for the offer but I have both. I allways get those two before I start a restoration. At least I know what parts to use and how to assemble parts in the correct way.
Can you post some pictures of your work? A lot of chaps on the forum would be very pleased!
Keep up the good work!
GrtZ
Philippe

Philippe wrote:Yes it's a J3 from '82 or '83

Good to know there's at least another one out there!
If you get spare time, I'd be happy to see some photos.

Philippe wrote:As far as the parts book or the shop manual is concerned, thanks for the offer but I have both. I allways get those two before I start a restoration. At least I know what parts to use and how to assemble parts in the correct way.

I didn't know parts books existed at all until my permanent ebay search for Z400 things brought one up. I scanned it to PDFs for convenience. As you say, it's great for figuring out how things go together.

Philippe wrote:Can you post some pictures of your work? A lot of chaps on the forum would be very pleased!
Keep up the good work!

"Good work" is a dubious description. I did start a thread when I got it, I must replace the now dead links to photobucket [EDIT Now replaced] , and maybe update.
But, and this isn't me being ultra humble, it's a catalog of getting things wrong, using lump hammers where I shouldn't etc. I have asked and got good advice from people here (yourself included), maybe asking "is the crankshaft supposed to rotate both ways?" gives you an idea of the level of my knowledge/skills!
But, I'll put some updates on soon- learn from other's mistakes.
viewtopic.php?t=39225

Nice collection you've got there Philippe, but keep the GPZ with its original finishes - you wouldn't restore a piece of antique furniture would you? - and as it has been said, they're only original once.

Hi Andrew
thanks for the advice! I'll give it a thought. Anyway I'm not up to this one yet. A few others are waiting.
GrtZ
Philippe