Kawasaki Sportsbike Riders Club - Australia - Online Forum

z900/zx9 wrote:

bonester wrote:I guess that is why GTs are cheap- they aren't the prettiest. I guess it is similar to girls- some of the plainer ones have hidden virtues that make up for any cosmetic inadequacies.

Yeah point taken but who wants to ride an ugly girl around

Ahhh but beauty is only a light switch away!

GT550 boring as batshit, but will ride almost ever. - GT750 exactly the same only faster. Most London Couriers use the 750. I owned the 550 for the commute to London, was great but lost the t-bone battle against a ford escort.

I'm gonna go out on a non Kwak limb here and say CBR600F. My first was the fist model, the 1987 FH. It started first time every day despite living outside, even in the UK winter (and was commuted right through the winter). Only issue I had with that one was a lose header bolt, and I was commuting 160Km per day. Again this one lost the t-bone battle with an Izuzu Trooper (Bit like a Pajero). My second CBR600 was the 1999FX, I put 70,000Km on it in two years, 300Km for 15L of fuel every time. Only twice did it give me issues - rectifier went and Balls Performance returned it from service with a screwdriver shorting the battery. This is now my track bike and continues to run well. Discs, clutch and almost everything else is the same as when I got it with 12,000Km on the clock. That's right, discs and clutch have done 80,000Km! I used to run quite hard tyres and best was 16,000km from a rear and 31,000 from a front (Dunlop 220).

I'm with Mike on the CBR6! a 1992 model F2 could be picked up for that with tatty cosmetics and good mechanicals! Or, if taying kwakka, Zephyr. I'd say GT750, but they are now 30 years old!!!!!

ZZR600 E series, reliable, great riding position, go for ever, mine has 130k km on the clock ad still going strong.

ttc wrote:Sounds like you need a pushie

nah, im riding my pushie, its had more maintenance than any bike i've ridden the same distance.

bloody flat tyre, worn chain and sprockets, (too much power for the chain it jumps teeth)
batteries for the head-tail lights.
worn hand grips,'
new crank


maybe i should buy a new pushie...

Wattie wrote:

ttc wrote:Sounds like you need a pushie

nah, im riding my pushie, its had more maintenance than any bike i've ridden the same distance.

bloody flat tyre, worn chain and sprockets, (too much power for the chain it jumps teeth)
batteries for the head-tail lights.
worn hand grips,'
new crank


maybe i should buy a new pushie...

I know some one that does HID lights for pushies wanna blind some cagers

Okay well I've done some looking and the specs on the GT750 are quite liveable... it makes a good 20hp less than my current GPX600R but similar torque output and much lower in the rev range so I would assume it is a pretty useable/rideable thing. I do like to be a little lazier with the gearchanges so the bigger engine suits. Quarter mile stated as high 12's and around 105mph.

The GT750 does weigh in at 227kg dry which is fairly heavy for what looks a basic bike, I couldn't fid a weight spec or torque output for the GT550 but power is down another 20% on the 750. Quarter mile stated as low 14's which is better than a 250 but might get a little tedious after the 600 I'm currently riding.

RE: The CBR I am looking to avoid a newer style bike and/or one with a full fairing, I would like something that will tidy up nicely with minimal money, fairings are expensive while a bare frame can just cop a good whack from some pre-packed paint tins.

The GT 750 was Two Wheels "Bike Of The Year" back in the mid 80's. For a cheap, reliable bike that can do *everything* you want, they would be the ducks guts.

Early XJ900's should also be on your shopping list - they tend to last forever if they get regular oil changes......

Still Looking ?
Local wrecker has this . A few issues , and wants a grand . Want me to find out more , let me know .

that looks like *exactly* what you are after. For a gorilla, its a great base to start with. Spend a few bob on some new rear shocks, good tyres and replacement cables and brake pads, oil / plug / filter changes, and you would have a great, reliable cheap mode of transport.

I recently saw a 1992 CBR1000F for only half a grand over that... it had about 60k on it and would probably last that long again.... I reckon keep an eye on the trade papers and you will strike gold

Stereo wrote:I recently saw a 1992 CBR1000F for only half a grand over that... it had about 60k on it and would probably last that long again.... I reckon keep an eye on the trade papers and you will strike gold

You , I think , invented "the rule" ... Pics or it didn't happen

Gosling1 wrote:that looks like *exactly* what you are after. For a gorilla, its a great base to start with. Spend a few bob on some new rear shocks, good tyres and replacement cables and brake pads, oil / plug / filter changes, and you would have a great, reliable cheap mode of transport.

and best of all....its not a bloody suzuki!!

its a kwaka...