Interesting GPz1100 z1000J known faults

Informative article on early gpz1100 z1000j from a UK dealer's view back in the day . Critical but insightful and he has a great writing style.

Interesting about the revised gear selector drum and cracked mag wheel reports. Not plugging anyone here just I've met the guy a few times and he is a mine of information on these bikes and though it worth sharing.

www.z-power.co.uk/merchantmanager/view_information.php?pId=35

Oh yea.... J's were not without their issues. Them and 750's were regular scheduled work for head gaskets under warranty in our shop. The EFI's main problem was with the air gate. It would literally bounce if you hit the throttle, let off and hit it again. DFI was much, much better.

Cranks were a regular warranty item on all the big bores from 81 right on up through 84 J and GPz 1000 / 1100. We sold over 20 83 GPz11s in 83 and warrantied every single crank. Winter work... was back in the Pre ATV days so it really helped through the slack months.

Although the trans issues mentioned were not part of what we saw as common.

The 1000j was known to drop valve guides

peter1958 wrote: The 1000j was known to drop valve guides

I just tore a J motor down yesterday and knocked the guides out of the head. This is the first one in a long while that didn't have any loose exhaust guides..... There's almost always one or two that need +002 or +004 installed.

Also realized there was no mention of the cam chain tensioner problems in that article.

My brand new 1982 GPz1100 used to drink oil...just like mentioned, about a quart every 500 miles...and never fouled a plug ...also had to have the front rotors resurfaced as they warped at about 15,000 miles

Yea, I had a new 82 GPZ1100 and saw a lot of those issues, they replaced the wheels, 2 engine rebuilds, fork seals, stator under warranty. Probably more I can't remember. I had it for 18 months and 24,000 miles which I thought was quite a bit in the day. 24,000 it was pretty much worn. Cycle World did a long term test and said they didn't age well and after 20,000 miles or so had lost a full second in quarter mile acceleration.
I really liked that motorcycle though, one of my favorites ever despite its many problems.
My dad had a 1981 KZ1000J and never had one problem with it, so some must have been better than others,

My new 1983 GPz1100 had the shifter quit working with 10 miles on it...IIRC it was the spring that holds the arms to the drum just popped off. No other issues for a year.....got rid of it to get the new 900 Ninja.