GPz's in Sonic Gold?

The Kawasaki GT series was not marketed in North America and was a drive shaft model. I have read accounts of folks using the GT750 as a courier vehicle and commonly clocking several hundred thousand miles.

The despatch riders favored the GT 550 and 750s, detuned motor, shaft drive, big tank, rear rack ....ugly old things imo but boringly reliable. Often clocked 100k miles plus, the motors used to die last and before then the whole bike was stuffed. Also in Uk a lot of them suffered from bad frame rusting, riding in all weathers through salted icy roads in the winter.

Here is the one I have been offered. Sonic metal gold aint too sexy, but I am though inclined to purchase as this painting is

so darn rare!
This is an Italian model from 1982.

To Tyrell's point on how ugly the GT 750 is: :laugh:
this is my 87 GT 750 P5. I know most deem it ugly and boring but I do love that machine!
It is plain and bullet proof in all parts and a fun to ride.

And here in Germany, unlike in the UK, this model is totally underrated and you get even well preserved machines for a handful of bucks.

sorry, now with pic

The Italian Gold GPz750 appears to be nice...and like you mentioned, rare. I might jump on that also. As for the GT750, I always wanted one just because they were never sold on this side of the Atlantic...and I'm not sure what makes the model appear so odd...maybe the tank? Nice post on the Sonic Gold GPz...

No offence on the 'ugly' :laugh:

Anyone buying an import GT check it out carefully, I was offered one silly cheap recently but the frame had rusted away by the front engine mount. I wish I'd taken a pic of it, it was unbelievably bad - like totally rusted away, daylight where frame tube should have been.

I'm told in the 80's there was a worldwide shortage of steel, and some manufacturers used lower grades that rusted badly. Ford cars in the Uk were very apparent, early 80's Escorts good, newer later mid 80's often rust buckets...had about 5 of them.

I'm suprised the Police didn't use the GT750, for a lot of couriers and fleet bikes the GT550 /750 was the standard issue. I think they made many more GT's than all the GPz's, maybe as much as a quarter of a million.

So, while perusing Craigslist today, I noted a Sonic Gold 1982 GPz1100 for sale from the Dallas/Fort Worth area...the first I have seen in the United States.

But then, the more I look at it, the more I 'see' that is not 'GPz'...any comments from others?

You right Mcdroid.

Its not a Gpz750R1 -82, look at alternator cover and the 16' rear wheel.

/A

Michael that's either an import from somewhere or a frankenbike. Either way you need to at least go look at it. It appears to have a J model motor but if you look at the right side of the bike in picture number 5 of the listing you will see a kickstart lever which never came on any US spec J motor. It looks like its got Ltd exhaust and possibly a 16 inch rear tire. No blacked out engine no oil cooler, no FI all this has me scratching my head. It's a real bastard bike if I ever saw one. I'd sure be Interested to know what the VIN number shows. Looks like if nothing else you could make a nice ELR clone out of it.

kawural wrote: Hi,
was seeking for a Z750GP in Sonic Gold, too, and came across your thread here.
Was offered a Sonic coloured machine in Germany recently but was not sure it has even been sold in that colour anywhere as in Germany it was only offered in fire cracker red.

then I found this:
z750.bbconcept.net/t1955-kawasaki-z750-gpz-r1

Scroll down ia bid to the forth page. It proves the Z750GP in question was delivered indeed in gold, at least in some countries incl. the US as the flyer looks like US:

In fact, I found out that the machine I was offer originally came from Italy!

HOWEVER, I never found a good picture of one painted in Gold. If you have such bike I would appreciate sharing a pic, pls.

THX and greetings from Munich, Germany

I'm thinking that might be an UK ad.Was looking at an 82 Cycle Canada with a comparo of 550 sporty bikes,they're GPz550 was in Sonic Gold.Started me thinking about that option and looking for this thread.Was looking for it back a bit as I didn't think it had been posted on in a bit :blush: I was starting to wonder if the bike in the video I posted was indeed a stock Sonic Gold bike,it probably was as the US and Canadian red bikes have black wheels while others have body colour like in that ad.I find Kawasaki's gold not to my liking ,to brown for my taste.Kind of sad because I think it could be way better with a more vibrant gold I'd still like to see more pics of Sonic Gold GPz's to.

to GKPO:
found this on the web. It is the GT750 (which was never sold in the US) in its first production year in 1982.
It is the same Sonic Gold painting (incl. gold wheels) that the GPZ 750 was painted in 1982.

On the GT 750 Sonic Gold stayed one year only (guess why before they switched to sliver and red varnish
in yet in 1983.

Cheers

now with picture