Kawasaki Sportsbike Riders Club - Australia - Online Forum

Hello all. I am a newby so please go easy on me.
I have a 1983 A1 GPZ1100 that I have owned for nearly 28 years (yep I am an old fart).
It has been parked up for around 10 years now. It was pretty worn out having covered around 200 000 Km`s with me during the time I was riding it (the speedo was not working for some of the time).
Before I parked her up, the front suspension had been slowly sagging to the point where the Aftermaket Cycle Style lower fairing was rubbing just about every second corner and heavy braking. I also had a Harley Softail and an XR600 at the time so it was parked up and never looked at her again. I still have the XR. Turbocharged Harleys are death traps, so I sold it. It was written off a month later, luckily the guy who bought it off me was OK.
The GPZ has served me well with many enjoyable trips all over WA and commuting to work everyday. Including times early in the peace when I was part of a Speedway sidecar crew and we used to take turns riding to the country events. She was good fun on the open roads. The Speedway Outfit was Z1000 powered so the GPZ got some mods like 1170 kit and head work, dialed in the cams etc. She still has the DFI.
The old girl has been calling me and I have cleaned out the back room to fix her up and get her back on the road again.
I did neglect the old girl a bit even before she was parked up.
She is still registered, so I can do what ever I want and just ride her again!! I dont give a rats about permits or roadworthys. In WA you just keep paying your Registation fees until you get defected on the road.
Basically I want ot keep the Engine and Frame and electrics and I replace everything else from something more modern. I am sure that a service and new battery will have her alive again. Something a bit Mad Maxish with a modern twist tickles my fancy but nothing is set in stone.
Over time, on the internet, I have seen pictures of other examples around with late model front and Rear ends fitted. Upside down forks etc.
I would like to lower the gearing this time for mono fun.
Does any one know what front and rear ends go on easy etc.? Or pictures. Where does one go to get new aftermarket exhaust for these things? I am fairly handy with the tools but the easier the better. Of course a donor bike that can supply all the rolling stock would be preferred.
I have been out of the Kwacka scene for a while now so, any information or ideas will be greatly appreciated. If people are interested I can provide progress photos for entertainment.

good luck with rebuild,i like my gear left original but thats just me so i cant really help with your modifacations,there is a few blokes on here that will tell you what to do without hesitation because of their knowledge with Kawasaki bikes.Posting pics would be good and good luck with it

Welcome bigeddie351

No skills or patience to this kind of job but luv looking at pics of others doing it.

welcome aboard Big Ed

Looking forward to seeing the mutation of the old girl begin....

Reading between the lines it seems Z1000 or ZX10 USD Front ends are the go depending on the type handle bars. Can anyone confirm?

bigeddie351 wrote:.....Does any one know what front and rear ends go on easy etc.? Or pictures. Where does one go to get new aftermarket exhaust for these things? .....

mate you can make anything fit anything if you like, nothing goes on *easy* every modification needs some sort of fabrication. Nothing just bolts straight in and works....

Having said that - here is a pic that may be some inspiration ??




I reckon whoever built that GPz has done a great job.

The easiest way to get a late-model front end fitted is this - once you have sourced a complete front end (say ZX6 or ZX10R)

* get a spare lower clamp from another ZX1100A1
* get an engineering workshop to press out the centre stem from this clamp
* then get them to press out the centre stem from the new front end lower clamp
* and then install the old ZX1100 stem into the newer lower clamp - just pay attention to installed height. It needs to be identical to the installed height on the original ZX1100 clamps.
* engineering shop may also have to enlarge the stem hole in the new upper clamp - depends on which front end you use.

This mod then allows you to simply bolt the entire new front end into the ZX1100 steering head, using stock ZX steering head bearings and fittings. Easy and cheap, should not cost you more than about $200 all up. I have done this exact mod to a few bikes now, including dirt bikes. It works.

Looking forward to seeing the pics of this build as you progess - I have a ZX1100A1 as well, it is a great old bike, still running the original DFI system as well.......here she is

Gosling1, Hello Gosling,
I would like to know if you have any idea where I might be able to find an exhaust system for my 83 gpz 1100 dfi. Is there one that doesn't have to be removed every time you do an oil or filter change. What brand have you placed on your green GPZ 1100.

Regards Ben

Ben - you can fit a new Kerker from the US - or dig around at some wreckers for a 2nd-hand system. Some of the old ones which would let you access the filter & drain plug are O'Brien and Transac. I have a set of O'Brien headers fitted to the GPz now, these are good for access but not so good for ground clearance when cranked over on the left.....(not the exhaust system shown in the photos above.)

The easy way to tell if they give you oil filter clearance, is that the pipes all bunch over the left (when viewed from above) to the collector, then swing across to the right and up for the muffler. If all the header pipes just come in evenly to the middle collector then have a slight swing out to the right for the muffler - these won't give you filter clearance.



Good luck with the search, these pipes are out there hanging off wreckers walls up in the dark dusty corners

Thanks Gosling 1 for the advise on front end fitting... seems easy enough.

There's a 98 model ZX6 complete front end on ebay at the moment.
I know they're not USD forks but I might give them a go any way.
Would there be any issues with that Front end?

Thinking about losing the fairing completely and fitting fork mounted headlight and a different front mudguard.
I may also look at getting hold of a matching rear wheel (to the ZX6) and lower the gearing heaps at the same time.

I will probably get amongst it once a front end arrives.

There was an old Z9 in Jaffa colour recently in one of the bike mags with ZRX running gear and it looked the goods.
This is a different one:



Here it is. I think it looks shit hot.



Wonder what the GPZ11 would look like with ZRX gear on it?????

bigeddie351 wrote:.....Thanks Gosling 1 for the advise on front end fitting... seems easy enough.

There's a 98 model ZX6 complete front end on ebay at the moment.
I know they're not USD forks but I might give them a go any way.
Would there be any issues with that Front end?

Thinking about losing the fairing completely and fitting fork mounted headlight and a different front mudguard.
I may also look at getting hold of a matching rear wheel (to the ZX6) and lower the gearing heaps at the same time.

I will probably get amongst it once a front end arrives......

no probs mate. It is way easy to convert any front end doing the centre-stem swap. Just make sure the installed height is identical - to the mm - as it is on the stock clamps. Otherwise you run into problems. The 98 model ZX6 forks will be fine, just keep an eye on the overall height. If it is a bit shorter than stock you can run into ground clearance problems. Changing to a 17" front wheel with a low profile tyre also effects the overall geometry.

Looking forward to some pics of your build

You may also find a lot of information on front end swaps here....http://www.750turbo.com/forum/viewforum ... 8f4ddc1625

And for rear end swaps....here....http://www.750turbo.com/forum/viewforum ... 8f4ddc1625

might have a sniff around those links myself

Thank you Gosling for the help and info. I'm not sure what I've got on now except who ever put it on removed the centre stand because of it not to mention affecting filter and oil plug. I'll keep looking but hope to find something in Aust.
Cheers Ben.

I have an original ZX1100A1GP 1983. My seals have gone in the rear brake, I tried to find a replacement kit but they are long since out of stock. Local wreckers have not kept any parts. Local brake specialists do not stock seals that small. Does anyone have a suggestion.?