New Bike, 1985 ZX750-A aka GPz 750!

Very nice GPz Irish!

Nice bike Irish. I have a couple of these hiding in the shed which I hope to make one good one out of one day.

Thanks gang, waiting to take delivery soon currently residing in Pops' heated garage (versus my cold as heck back porch) and waiting on the new gas tank and side covers to be taken off this one's twin and put on mine. The twin was bought by a customer as a project to turn it into a cafe racer so he won't be using the tank and covers anyways and they are in near mint condition without weathering and graphics bubbling like it is on mine. Its not shown in the pics but the opposite side of the tank is trashed and graphics are starting to fade.

swest wrote: As promised. The CC is 20 years old but still works. I'll buy a new one sometime. The cramp buster I use all the time and they're cheap. Lots of Sunday drivers out today.
Steve

Hey Steve,

Nice setup there bet that makes cruising a lot more enjoyable. My hands kill me due to bad arthritis so I am getting softer grips and a bit nicer gloves to help out, the position of the GPz makes me put a bit more weight on them anyways, but thats a habit I am trying to change to be a better rider and keep much less weight and pressure off my hands and start using my legs and core to help with steering as well.

- Irish

If you're talking about foam grips, they start coming apart after a year. My bars are a little taller so I can ride with one hand and the CC lets me ride without holding the throttle. People back off when they see that. They really get scared when I take both hands off the bars and stretch. :woohoo: The thicker gloves make me have to squeeze harder and it's tough on the old hands. I swang a rigging ax most of my life so I still have the grip of a 20 year old but they do get tired. :whistle:
Steve

swest wrote: If you're talking about foam grips, they start coming apart after a year. My bars are a little taller so I can ride with one hand and the CC lets me ride without holding the throttle. People back off when they see that. They really get scared when I take both hands off the bars and stretch. :woohoo: The thicker gloves make me have to squeeze harder and it's tough on the old hands. I swang a rigging ax most of my life so I still have the grip of a 20 year old but they do get tired. :whistle:
Steve

Yeah I hear ya, I like the padding of the thicker gloves I have but the thin grips and hard rubber of the GPz along with the slightly more forward riding angle put a lot more pressure on the hands. I have degenerative muscular and spinal conditions that attack the connective tissue and cause inflammation, so while I am only 27 (nearly 28), I have arthritis of a 60+ year old man. Kinda disappointing that I have to think about stuff like this already at my age but it is what it is. I was looking at probably getting the dual compound gel ProGrips that I see on Revzilla, anyone have some thoughts on that? I want a significantly softer grips with good vibration control and padding without sacrificing control. I know, want my cake and eat it too but trying to find a happy middle ground.

These: www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/progrip-719-rvgs-gel-grips


- Irish

Interesting. I like mine. They're a little fatter and soft rubber, they look good too. When you get yours, tell us about them.
Steve

Secondary vibes at twice the engine frequency are one downside of an inline four. You notice it worse on a long journey cruising at about 5k. Foam grips help a bit.

There is a thread here within the last few months about handlebar risers, there is a pic of my 550 that is wearing a 750 front end - a top yoke riser handlebar conversion which you could probably do on yours.

Sorry to hear of your disability, to put it bluntly there may be more suitable kawasaki fours other than the sporty GPz750 that might be more comfortable long term. Maybe more cruiser style -the ltd750 custom for example, which had a nice motor but handled poorly .

swest wrote: Interesting. I like mine. They're a little fatter and soft rubber, they look good too. When you get yours, tell us about them.
Steve

Absolutely Steve will do, due to colder weather here in CO not sure when I will order them and install, wife is telling me to stop buying Moto stuff since Xmas is coming up and she wants ideas lol so probably around then. Will do a review on the install and use once I do though and post it up with pics.

- Irish

Tyrell Corp wrote: Secondary vibes at twice the engine frequency are one downside of an inline four. You notice it worse on a long journey cruising at about 5k. Foam grips help a bit.

There is a thread here within the last few months about handlebar risers, there is a pic of my 550 that is wearing a 750 front end - a top yoke riser handlebar conversion which you could probably do on yours.

Sorry to hear of your disability, to put it bluntly there may be more suitable kawasaki fours other than the sporty GPz750 that might be more comfortable long term. Maybe more cruiser style -the ltd750 custom for example, which had a nice motor but handled poorly .

Tyrell, couldn't agree with you more and yes a more upright riding position is absolutely better on my back, was always pretty comfy on the Sr650. That being said my style of riding is weekends, evenings/days off and always in the canyons riding hard. I will normally do a 4-6 hour day riding on a day off and regardless of even upright position pretty sore afterwards. That being said, I learned long ago since I have had this for over 10 years now, that sometimes you gotta just deal with the pain otherwise you start losing what you love to do, and overall it is still tolerable so not too big a deal. Plus, I keep spiking the pegs on the SR in the corners and making the bike hop which I really don't like and isn't ok in my book, since I am aggressive in the corners and canyons I needed something that fit my style of riding better and was designed and meant for more that sort of thing. Really do appreciate the concern and kindness though, goes a long way in my book

- Irish

If it is any consolation, a lot of sportbike riders find the modern hyper performance stuff really uncomfortable for long journeys.

You'l love the motor on that, smooth and tourquey like the z650 but with that headbanging GPz 'warp mode' rpm power.


What is it about GPz750's , whenever a member gets a 'new' one here they are always buzzing about it an there is always several lengthy threads

@Irish-Kawi
Sorry to hear about your condition, but I am all with you, you can’t stop doing what love!
I bought GPz750A -83 a couple of weeks ago and will keep it as a runner while I give my trashy GPz750R1 -82 a makeover this winter and I am also thinking of swapping the clap on’s for a more comfortable handlebar. There has to be some triple tee with approx. the same geometry that fits. I will let you know if I find a good swap.

@Tyrell

What is it about GPz750's , whenever a member gets a 'new' one here they are always buzzing about it an there is always several lengthy threads

Yes! What is it with the GPz750 ?



I was sold that day in May 1982 when I found this issue in our mailbox and I lost intrest in my Z500 with in a second . . . . .

/A