Copyright (c) 2008 GoodMotorcycles.com
My first bike was an MZ TS125. Stop laughing and don't turn the page over, I had to have something to pass my test on because the government decided I couldn't do it on a 250. After a year I passed my test and bought......yes, a MZ 250. There was no point in buying an expensive 125/250 when I only intended to keep them for a short time.
After six months I found the bike I was looking for. A slightly used Kawasaki GT750P2. I say slightly used, it had 60,000 miles on the clock. Yes, I know what they say about ex-despatch bikes but I was in love with this shifty shafter. I went to the despatch company to get the service record, main bits were a new set of cams and a rebore 10,000 miles ago. Nothing major had been changed, which could mean Kawasaki make tough bikes or something was just about to happen.
The price? 850 big ones, but I got her for £650 with an extra years warranty and a brand new Arai helmet. They assured me they would service the bike and that the battery only needed charging.....I signed for her and then noticed the legend, sold as seen. Only the ignition worked, they told me it was only corroded connectors, so I WD40'd the lot. No joy, in the end it was traced to the ignition black box and two loose wires - a quick solder and everything worked. The shop appeared a little miffed!
The bike was bog standard with genuine wobbly Showa shocks. I heard amazing stories of how to cure the GT's DTs on the bends. Simple, change the rear shocks for Koni Dial-a-Rides but buy the ones made for the normal Z750 (the 750 ones are too short and soft). All the talk about steering dampers, headraces, tyres, etc is a waste of time when the rear shocks don't have any damping and are so soft that the back end gets jacked up and way out of line on the slightest of bumps in a corner.
I recommend Michelin M48/A48 tyres in standard sizes, Dunlops are okay as well. You can get at least 7000 miles out of the rear and 10,000 miles from the front, which includes wheelies and doughnuts. It may not be a race replica but it's great to see the look on other bikers' faces when they can't lose me and see it's a boring old GT. You have to ride it through the various weaves and wobbles, for if you ignore those you'll find that it will stick to its line in a way that reiterates its large tyres and conservative steering geometry. Flickability?
Sure, nothing a bit of brute force and muscular input can't make up for. If you weigh next to nothing you may well have problems, but as a six footer I have never had too many problems. I've had 130mph on the clock and average over 45mpg. The worst I ever got was 35mpg when doing the ton for a few miles on the A46.
The brakes may look dated by today's standards but they were good in '84 and are still good today. Triple discs with a good feel and I found it difficult to lock the back wheel. Dunlopad or Lockheed are good pads and they are quick and easy to change, but don't forget to grease the pin on the caliper and take your time bedding the new pads in. If the bike's left in storage those calipers will certainly seize up.
As for twitching on the overrun this is another myth. It may be true on the caveman's BMW R90 or Guzzis but not on the GT. If you don't believe me, then borrow one and have a go. Don't expect it to pull your arms off, it's smooth and controllable with a decent exhaust note that doesn't upset the cops. Unlike the Wop plodders, the gearchange is reasonably slick and even at this mileage false neutrals are very rare. There are worse boxes on some new bikes!
Two up, I'm able to scrape the pillion's foot and footrest on the tarmac - a stock bike would doubtless be worse, for the Z750 shocks jack up the rear end a little and improve ground clearance. In comparison with some newer plastic replicas, it will rattle a little over rough going, but at least you can feel what the tyres are doing. Wet weather riding is predictable and safe, just as well with all those poor despatch riders having to survive the winter. God, I love summers.
It's worth noting that an overloaded rear carrier can snap the rear subframe. And that GPZ550H2 bars give a much better riding position than the high rise items fitted as stock. PJ1 fork oil and 7psi in the forks help tauten up the front end. The seat is fine solo whilst pillions never seem to complain. Unleaded affects top speed and mpg, stick to four star.
Problems? In all the time I had her the only real problem I had was a leaking gearchange seal. To change this just lean the bike 45 degrees to the right and pull out the old seal after removing all the appropriate bits. This means you don't have to change the oil. Check the starter motor carefully, if it won't catch and rattles then it could be the starter clutch (inside and expensive) or if it whines it could only be the starter motor (a hell of a lot cheaper). The pathetic sidestand cut-out switch should be ripped out and thrown away - find the bullet connector and wire the ends together or it won't go. Something that goes for nearly the whole range of Kawasakis.
The fuel gauge is okay and we have come to an understanding. I love the LEDs, the first time the last block flashes means 50 miles before reserve and 25-30 miles on reserve. Some idiots don't put oil in the bevel drive in which case it'll glow in the dark. The electronic rev counter is connected to the right-hand coil, so if the engine is running rough and rev counter is not working, check the coil connection. That's it, this Jap Crap has few other problems. To stop thieves getting far on your pride and joy, put a toilet roll or rag inside the air filter housing. After two minutes the engine will stop - don't forget to remove it or you could embarrass yourself in town. Another way is to fit a hidden kill switch.
I took my wife to Devon on our honeymoon and over four days we did 1200 miles at an average of 45mpg with speeds between 80-100mph and no complaints from the bike. We stayed at a campsite in Sidmouth who were wonderful and went to a great vegetarian restaurant called Poppys. The roads between Sidmouth and Lands End are excellent with lovely scenery and fast sweeping dual carriageways.
I was doing about 90mph when I saw a dark blue car in the blur free mirrors. I already had six points. It was not the Feds, so I gave chase and was taking bends at over the ton. The dark Vauxhall thing soon chickened out and I waved bye-bye. Secondary vibes from the across the frame DOHC four is a bit harsh at times but not so annoying that it caused you to either back off or lose feeling in your hands.
I would recommend a GT750 to anyone, they are fast enough for most people, they wheelie great and don't have any quirks, like naff camchains or hinged frames. They can be neglected (except for the oil) with few apparent ill effects. Ex-despatch bikes should be checked out carefully, those owned by a company rather than an individual will at least have had regular servicing.
They are the last of the great all-rounders, although the styling is not to everyone's taste but price and reliability make up for it.
J McReynolds
The first Kawasaki GT750 I bought was in 1986. The dealer had repossessed it after the owner had failed to pay the HP. Less than six months old with only 1350 miles on the clock. My immediate impressions were of massive bulk, a great rush of power and vibration. I complained to the dealer about the latter and he admitted that the carbs had not been balanced since new. That done, the mill was a bit smoother but still not as good as I had expected.
Three months worth of despatch riding put some serious mileage on the GT. The engine appeared bullet-proof but the carbs needed a balance every 500 miles to stop the frenzy of secondary vibes going out of control. It was likely that the youthful first owner had thrashed the motor the moment he swung a leg over it. The engine never felt like a low mileage one should.
The finish on the cycle parts was also poor, with rust breaking out on the engine screws and paint falling off the frame and swinging arm. Okay, so I rode it through the worst of the British winter and didn't much bother with the cleaning chores.
I found the GT heavy in traffic, but got used to it after a month or so. It was quite secure on wet roads, braked predictability and started first press of the button every day. Reliability was the main criteria for a DR bike; the GT's shaft drive was also a relief after rapidly decaying chains on previous bikes.
I soon settled into life with the GT and was looking forward to a couple of years ownership. Disaster occurred when I left the bike in the gutter to deliver a parcel in Kensington High Street. I heard a horrible crunching noise even from the depths of the building. Running back to the street I was too late to suss the offending vehicle but the GT had been crushed to death. Flattened wheels, tank, exhaust, forks, etc. It looked like it had been crushed by a bloody great steam-roller. As I had third party insurance I was sunk.
Three years in a proper job without a bike followed. A two year old 1987 model caught my eye. 23000 miles, a bit rusty but cheap. Smoother than the previous model there was a big flat spot from 2500rpm on until the power kicked in at 5000 revs. Something to do with the holes in the silencers. It needed new tyres so a set of Avons were thrown on and suited the bike well, eliminating a susceptibility to white-lines. It would cruise at up to 80mph but beyond that weaves and wobbles set in despite turning the suspension up to its highest settings.
On the first big run the engine started misfiring, when it finally cut-out it refused to start. By the time I finished the battery was dead from excessive whirring of the starter. Pushed the bike half a mile to a garage (ouch) who agreed to charge the battery. I phoned up the nearest Kawasaki dealer and they reckoned spark plugs. They were right, they need changing ever 2000 to 2500 miles.
Did nearly 9000 miles on that bike without any other serious problems. Then it started to smoke out of the exhausts. Damn, knew I should have checked the valves. It only became noticeable after 10 miles, so I was able to get a trade-in on a 1988 model from the local dubious dealer.
It had 13,4000 miles on the clock, went faster than any of the previous GTs with an indecent need to break the ton, but the vibes above 6000 revs were something else. What I didn't like was the wobbles that hit the chassis at 90mph. I could take the previous bikes' weaves as they never went vicious but this one was something else. Sure enough, when I pulled the tank off there were the tell-tale signs of a straightened frame.
The dealer didn't want to know. Surprise, surprise. The bike was fine as a commuter, so I used it for six months but was never happy taking it on a motorway or a weekend tour. I always felt that it might suddenly let loose. I don't know why, but when the chance of a one year old GT came up in another dealer's I did a trade-in. This time I whipped the tank off to check the frame before handing the cash over.
This was the best one so far. The mill was smooth, the torque prodigious with only the slightest of flat spots and the handling stable up to 110mph, the fastest I'd care to ride on any bike. It came with new Avons, a set of panniers and a polished sheen that suggested much tender loving care.
In a year I did 23000 miles, putting 33000 on the clock. I let the dealer do the valves and carbs twice -about sixty quid, which was a reasonable price to pay for peace of mind. The bike was not entirely free of faults but nothing major. The silencers rotted through, although the paint finish was much better than previous efforts. And the coils failed. Twice! Once near home, the other time miles from anywhere. I put in some Honda items the second time and have not experienced a failure subsequently. The rest of the electrics have been okay, even the horn and lights are passable.
The wheels and discs corroded come the winter, needing much attention. The motor seemed to run poorly in cold, damp weather with the odd bit of misfiring (even with new coils). Cleaning out the petrol filter which was full of rust from corrosion inside the tank did not help! Neither did new spark plugs, which lasted for 4000 to 5000 miles.
The Avons provided decent grip on greasy winter roads, lasting an exceptional 15 to 17000 miles. This was just as well as the twin front discs would grab on occasionally with all the ferocity of a Dobberman attacking a young child. The shaft drive was much less of an intrusion, only the most dumb footwork would cause the back wheel to seize up on downchanges. Back wheel skids were easily controlled even with the 500lbs of mass.
A couple of long holidays, complemented the commuter chores and weekend joy riding. The GT took everything that I could throw at it - I'm not a fast rider and could cope with the bulk of the GT; it is, after all, touted as a tourer and not an all out sportster. Comfort was one of its distinctive plus points. The riding position was an excellent compromise between pain-free town work and comfortable 80mph cruising. A full fairing would help in wet weather but the handling is already heavy enough.
Running costs are low. Fuel at 45 to 50mpg is the only dodgy item as the shaft is maintenance free, the tyres and pads long lasting and expenditure on engine bits down to the occasional new oil filter. Both forks and shocks are covered, so rapid seal wear doesn't occur.
When a bit of excessive vibration started hitting the chassis, I began to think that some serious expense was due. I knew from some other owners that the camchain goes at around 40,000 miles and even a whole top-end rebuild was often needed at that mileage. I also knew a couple of guys who'd done over 200,000 miles without any really serious expense, so they can be tough buggers.
When I rode in to the nearest Kawasaki dealer I was shocked to see a heavily discounted new GT750 for sale. The 550 version was proving much more popular due to lower insurance, making the 750 cheaper to buy new! Having nothing to lose I asked the dealer for a price on a trade-in deal. The GT was looking a little sad as I had not cleaned it for a while, so I was a bit shocked when he offered what I'd originally paid. That's how I come to be running in a brand new GT750. I'm taking a lot of care with this one and hope to hang on to it for a long time.
H.K.L.
A disgruntled DR sold me his well worn '85 GT550 just as my own GT was due for the great scrap yard in the sky. My own bike had done a credible, maybe even incredible, 234,500 miles! The replacement a mere 84000. GT's are usually good for 100,000 miles before the motor needs a complete rebuild. Judging by the consistency of the oil in this one, expecting another 16000 miles was perhaps pushing my luck, but in the world of hard ridden despatch cycles stranger things have happened.
The GT sported several mods. A front end off a GPz1100, not because the GT550's forks were particularly nasty, just that they'd been bent beyond redemption, courtesy of a big red bus. The rear shocks were off something else as well, only reacted to the most vicious of pot-holes. Despite these mods directional stability was of a variable nature, the front end tracking as true as a supermarket trolley with one wheel locked up! A dramatic improvement resulted when I backed off on the steering head stem, which had been tightened down with gorilla force. It was just possible that the previous owner had done this as a joke; he was renown for putting spuds down the ends of fellow DR's exhausts. We wished him well in his new profession of collecting garbage.
Performance was what I'd expect from a well worn GT550 engine. Good for the ton, with sufficient city acceleration to see off most hot hatches. The motor was a bit wide to sneak through the narrower gaps but a blast on the air-horns usually sufficed. GT's are not light, weighing in at 450lbs, which together with conservative steering geometry make them a bit on the tiring side for extended despatching, but it's something I learnt to live with.
The electrics on old Kawasakis are another matter. Rotting wiring combines with excessive vibration to cause sudden failure of the ignition module, which needs more rubber mounting than stock. Replacements are rare in breakers, so the problem is potentially very expensive. Batteries that boil over and leads that short out due to the insulation falling off can also be expected. Lights are adequate for mild out of town excursions but a set of spare bulbs are essential extras.
My GT had a reluctant starter, so I usually left it running - it was so nasty looking that no self-respecting thief would bother stealing it. On one occasion I came back to find some urchin playing with the throttle, trying to see if 10,000 revs would break the engine. I broke his head with my fist before he had a chance to find out. I doubt if he pissed about with anyone else's bike after that.
The GT's a sensible motorcycle, the most obvious feature, save for the bland styling, being the shaft drive. This works so well, fades so completely into the background during town work that a lot of people completely forget its existence. In fact, it needs its oil changed once a year if you don't want to become an expert at replacing universal joints. I'd put some new oil in when I'd changed the engine oil.....only a thimbleful of murky white stuff came out of the drain plug. It wasn't that much of a surprise, then, that the shaft lurched, chattered and whined away.
It didn't help with the power delivery. The stock exhaust had long been replaced with a four into one of obscure origin, which blighted the engine with several flat spots. Along with the ambiguous shaft, there was quite a lot of delay between opening the throttle and the power arriving at the back wheel. This is not unusual on GT550s, so I was pretty used to having to carefully orchestrate my overtaking plays in traffic but would sometimes be caught out by the lack of instant acceleration.
One time, I was pushing the bike hard through a gap in braking cars to roar across a junction before the lights turned red. The bike stuttered rather than accelerated, then shot forward just as eager cars were hustling at right-angles across my path. The barrage of horns had the noise of dying metal added to them when some observant lout whacked the GT. The wobble was spine rattling, but the Kawasaki twitched forwards rather than spinning off the road. As someone had back-ended the cager who'd whacked me I didn't stay around to argue the semantics of light hopping. My hands shook for the rest of the day, which was penance enough!
The worst thing you can do when despatching on a bike like the GT is to skimp on tyres. Greasy London roads will soon have you off; even if your speedway techniques avoid that nasty end, eagle eyed Mr Plod will be only too happy to ruin your day. The eagerness with which they book motorcyclists makes me think they are on commission. I favour Metz's which have superb grip whilst lasting for more than 8000 miles. Cheaper tyres last better but you end up paying more for broken bits than what's initially saved!
GT frames are pretty tough, an accident will have to be so serious to bend them that the rest of the bike will be written off. The most serious cycle part debility concerns the petrol tank - after 75000 miles rust eats into it, causing it to go wafer thin. I've suddenly found myself with a lap full of petrol on more than one occasion. Poor engine running may well be down to a blocked filter. Finish on my bike was pretty appalling, with wheels and engine vying for the thickest layer of white crud and great scabs of rust on the frame and swinging arm.
The only reason the front twin discs worked was that they were off something else and had, anyway, been rebuilt several times. Stock GT discs get a dose of premature seizure every month in the winter, every other month in sunny weather, although they are reasonable for the first 15 to 20,000 miles. I reckon one breaker runs his Porsche on the profit he makes out of selling GT calipers!
The one thing that makes these bikes so popular with despatchers is the relentless way the engine keeps running without needing any regular maintenance, although the more conscientious owner changes the oil every 2000 miles. Carbs and valves rarely need much attention. Its only substandard component is the hyvoid primary drive chain which starts to wear out come 75000 miles, though some last for more than 100,000 miles. Camchains and tensioners often need replacing at 50,000 miles, though there are some that have gone around the clock on the originals!
Eventual engine demise is down to the crankshaft bearings, an expensive proposition to repair. Depending on the regularity of oil changes, camshafts can wear rapidly or outlive the engine. Surprisingly, the bores and pistons keep going for well over 100,000 miles. There's a lot of potential in these motors for extremely high mileages.
Not, alas, in my example. After a couple of months, with slightly less than 90,000 miles done, great clouds of oil were burnt off through the exhaust. After a couple of days of swathing London traffic in a great cloud of pollutants, I gave the weekend over to taking the motor down. Taking out the engine is really a two man job but I managed it, with an excess of curses, all on my own.
The motors are notorious for stripping the head studs, so I was doing well to only have two go by the time I'd prised the cylinder off. Turned out two of the small-ends had worn, causing the pistons to flop about, destroying piston rings, which sends lots of steel around the engine. It wasn't worth the effort to try to repair the motor.
One of the really neat things about GT550s is that they are still made. A bit of phoning located a crashed 9000 mile motor which went straight in. The carbs would not fit until some creative bodging was applied, which meant dumping the air filter. As this was full to bursting point with a decade's worth of crud it was no great loss. After a few incantations the new motor growled into life and I was back in business.
The acceleration was transformed and top speed was a somewhat startling 120mph. Fuel stayed the same at 45 to 50mpg. Vibration was only apparent above 6500 revs, unlike the old engine which in its final days felt like it wanted to leap out of the frame even at tickover. The shaft drive had started to make a terminal knocking noise that discouraged me from exploiting the new found turn of speed. When someone offered me a decent wedge I gave in to temptation..... apart from anything else it was November and I felt like spending the winter in Africa. I sold off all the accumulated stock of wrecked GT motorcycles as well.
Despatchers love GT550s, and to a lesser extent the 750 version, because they are so dependable, even at mileages that would have most other motorcycles falling apart under them. Throw in loads of cheap bits and even whole engines from breakers and there are few other machines that can match their usefulness.
I’d prefer something lighter, faster turning and more economical. Arguably, a bike like the old Honda RS250 was much better suited to London traffic, but engines that wore out in less than 20,000 miles didn't make too many friends for this otherwise excellent little thumper. Kawasaki's GPz305 was another tempting alternative, but proved even more unreliable than the RS.
By the time you read this I will be in Africa, when I have to come back to the UK to turn a wedge, I will probably start despatching again. I may well go the GT550 route again, about the only sensible alternative I can think of is the Suzuki GS450E, another reliable motor that's been around for ages.
Martin Granger
Most tales of the GT550/750 involve massive abuse, despatch riding and total neglect. It says a lot for these bikes that even when so subjected they keep going against almost impossible odds. My five year old GT550 has never been despatched, rarely has it been thrashed into the red and it's given a cursory service every 2500 miles. The result of such a relatively civilised life is 110,000 miles on the clock.
I actually bought a stolen-recovered GT550 when mine had done 75000 miles because it had begun to run roughly but this didn't become any worse so I kept the old motor in there, intrigued to see how much longer it'd keep going. I bought the bike with all of 1500 miles on the clock, the engine so silky that I felt sure that the running in had been performed properly.
The only initial problem I encountered was changing down through the gearbox. Changing up was as smooth and slick as I could imagine, with no intrusions from the shaft drive - it made BMW boxers look like the old relics they really were. But going down through the box was vile, it was as cantankerous as the twenty year old MZ 250 I had in the garage (waiting for it to become a classic). It became better by the time 3000 miles were on the clock, but went off again after 45000 miles. It was most interesting in the wet, when a little inattention would produce a madly hopping back wheel.
That showed up the Japanese rubber as a pile of junk. Various brands have been tried over the years, Roadrunners having the best combination of grip and wear, although they were slightly thinner than stock and not recommended for the GT. I could get at least 15000 miles out of them, ride with them down to 1mm without any large wobbles and the slides, due to the back wheel locking up or diesel on the road, were always controllable, thanks to the big wheels.
That large wheel, I felt, always aided stability. I had expected it to be a bit of a handful in town, with its 450lbs of mass and conservative steering geometry, but it was dead easy to throw around, somehow encouraging me to ride it like it was a frenzied stroker rather than a middleweight tourer. The bars were only moderately wide and the engine width, even with mandatory engine bars, was not too excessive. Few were the gaps that I did not thrust through.
The horn was a pathetic squeak, my cat made a more piercing noise when I accidentally sat on him. Car drivers completely ignored me, probably figuring it was some infant on a bicycle. A set of air-horns soon solved that one, had great fun knocking out a dirge like a ship lost in fog. Unfortunately, the bracket to which they were fixed fractured, sending them tumbling down the road to be flattened by a following police car. They booked me for not having a horn, but the paperwork never caught up with me!
That was at 19000 miles, with nothing more than servicing and consumables necessary. To compensate for the poor note of the refitted horn, the silencers had rusted out their baffles, allowing rather more noise into the atmosphere than the manufacturer had intended. I loved the whine of that engine, but by 22000 miles the silencers were threatening to fall off. Motad time. I had great fun knocking the old silencers off with a hefty hammer but the downpipe's nuts preferred to snap off rather than come undone.
It took a whole weekend to put on the Motad 4-1. There didn't seem to be any extra horses, stock gives 56hp at 9000 revs, but there was a bit of a glitch between 5000 and 6000rpm. This was no great loss as the footrests had always been attacked by vibes at this particular rev range. The aircooled, DOHC four lacked any form of engine balancers, but the secondary vibes were only really noticeable at that rev range and when thrashed into the red. The bucket and shim valves, all eight of them, needed shimming about four times, something I left to the dealer as it's a very tedious business.
The carbs I could balance myself, about every 5000 miles, which just left the oil every 2500 miles and the filter at 5000 miles. The camchain tensioner was never touched and the original camchain is still there - can this be a record? The only sign of age the engine exhibits is a lack of willingness to rev beyond 9000rpm and a disinclination to put more than the ton on the speedo (it's gone through about ten cables).
That doesn't bother me as I quite often cruise along at no more than 65mph, these days, only very rarely doing more than 85mph, although that is a speed the GT can quite happily hold until the tank runs dry. Fuel hovers around 45mpg but used to do 55mpg in its prime. The worst I ever got was 36mpg, a near 100mph thrash along a German autobahn. With more than four gallons in the tank, the range matches the comfort afforded by the sensible riding position and well shaped seat (I'm on my third, they eventually soak up water through tiny cracks).
The most I ever did in a day was about 750 miles, which produced some slight cramps but I was ready for the road again after a good night's sleep. The GT had then done 45000 miles, purred at tickover after the hard day's riding like it had come straight from the crate.
Not long after that thrashing some oil started leaking from the cylinder head gasket, ruining an otherwise still shiny motor. The black engine finish had not flaked off to any discernible extent. Tightening down the cylinder head studs stopped the flow; something I had to do every 15000 miles or so thereafter.
Other oil leaks came from a wrecked gearchange shaft seal and from a blown engine sidecase gasket. The latter showed up the old bogey of stripping screw threads (at 61000 miles) but a combination of a helicoil kit and Araldite was sufficient to get the threads back into shape. Any internal engine job threatened to turn nasty because of the poor quality of the alloy, although everything that was stress bearing was well built.
The only serious engine failure was a slipping clutch at 79000 miles. It had started to drag at junctions well before that, causing me to abuse it relentlessly which, no doubt, didn't help its longevity. The drum looked oval so a mildly used unit from a breaker was put in, which is still functioning. I almost ruined the engine when the oil cooler hose fell off. It happened in town and some helpful pedestrian started shrieking abuse at me as it was spraying off the bike on to what looked like her best summer dress. I wedged it back on and rode off before she turned vindictive. It was just as well that I caught it then because the hose looked very threadbare and due for replacement.
The air assisted shocks were dead meat after a mere 20,000 miles, Koni replacements go for about three times that but didn't seem much better than stock (when they hadn’t lost all their damping). Kawasaki put gaiters on both the shocks and the forks! The latter are still original but I refurbished them at around 60,000 miles, when they became very loose. Normally, I couldn't complain as they were a nice compromise between absorbing large bumps and keeping the front wheel where I wanted it......readers will have realised by now that I am not a hard rider, but then the GT is not a racer, so we are as well matched as the suspension.
The sensible design of the GT550 extends to a neat drum rear brake. Fine until 70,000 miles when using the brake made the back end feel like it was falling apart. This proved to be no illusion as there were hairline cracks in the cast wheel. Maybe due to the time I had to ride up a pavement (I'd saved the front wheel by doing a minor wheelie, not easy on the GT) or maybe down to old age. Replacing this also revealed that the splines in the shaft drive housing were totally without grease and well worn, so those bits were replaced with newer items from the ever grinning breaker. Apparently, every time the back wheel is pulled out you're suppose to put some grease in, but no-one told me so I never did it. The new bits made absolutely no difference to the clanking, malicious gearchange! By then neutral was absolutely impossible to find, even when new it had been awkward to locate at a standstill, involving much pushing and shoving, not to mention swearing.
The front brakes - powerful discs - would throw me over the bars given half a chance. The only things to upset them was winter salt (when the calipers would corrode) and ageing brake hose (when they went so spongy that the lever would come back to the bars). I went through six sets of calipers, two sets of discs and eventually fitted Goodridge hose. Pad life was in excess of 12000 miles.
The rest of the chassis is still in reasonable shape, just a bit of touching up of the paint necessary, although the Motad is about due for replacement (I have to wear ear-plugs). It's really a rock solid kind of bike that grows on you with every passing mile. Its sedate lines have worn well, giving a classic appearance that is all the more pertinent with the rise of the retro. I’d buy another one without hesitation but I don't have to as I have a spare engine ready and waiting.
M.R.
A 1987 despatch hack, gone around the clock at least once, but a worthwhile project at £275. The first thing to do was buy used but not too worn consumables. The second thing was the MOT, at a friendly back street mechanic's. The third was a bit of a test run, a taste of black neglect and rotten old age. The engine made noises like it was going to explode but put the ton on the clock. The air-adjustable front forks were leaking, inducing a yawing motion above 60mph.
The brakes, twin discs and a rear drum, were mightily powerful; the wheels and brakes had recently been replaced with newish stuff. A necessary safety measure on any bike that has done over 100,000 miles, as there's always the chance they may crack up. Finish on aged Kawasaki wheels is appalling, so it was a bit odd to have a rat bike with a pair of beautiful wheels.
After asking around I found out that the motors do rattle a lot after the first 40,000 miles, that it doesn't necessarily mean it's about to die. The weakest element's the camchain, which may need replacing after as little as 30,000 miles. They are otherwise quite capable of doing over 100,000 miles - some have done over 150,000; one tough cookie.
After a month I was sufficiently impressed to do the cycle parts. I replaced the petrol tank with a newish one before the rusted out sides caved in. Having experienced one bike that caught alight whilst I was riding along, I didn't want to encounter another. The panels and guards were sprayed with an aerosol can I just happened to have handy. A new seat was acquired from a dodgy character who made Arthur Daley look like a born-again Christian. The exhaust system was bodged with universal silencers on the end of the stock 4-2 headers. The wiring was tidied and a new (cheap via mail order) battery installed. Old inner-tube cushioned the black boxes, battery, seat and petrol tank as quite a lot of vibes came through above 7000rpm.
The engine was curious in a machine with such a staid, functional appearance. 56 horse were claimed at 9000rpm, but internal wear and the twists and turns of the shaft drive had reduced that to 35-40hp at the back wheel. Most of the power was made above 7000rpm. Between 5000 and 7000 revs there was a lot of surging and gurgling, a reflection of either wear in the carbs or bad design. Between 3000 and 5000rpm the bike burbled along happily enough but without much by way of power. Below 3000 revs the transmission made a hell of a racket, as if there was a chain trying to leap off the sprockets rather than a shaft drive.
Before all the devoted GT riders write in to complain bitterly about this slagging off, all of this is in the context of an old rat. It wasn't so much surprising that the gearbox was something out of a BMW owner's worst nightmares but that the engine still ran at all. Most of the hassles I could ride around, used as I was to nasty old Jap twins. In that context, the GT was fast, comfortable and well appointed.
It took me a while to get around to the front forks, as a lot of my riding was through London where I didn't do more than 50mph and the GT handled perfectly adequately. When I pulled the gaiters up I was met with a veritable forest of rust! No wonder the seals were blown and I had to pump air in every day. The sliders were beyond reclamation. Breakers were visited, brutally twisted forks rejected until a really nice pair were found for £50.
The GT550 weighs 450lbs and has very conservative steering geometry to keep the ruminations of the shaft drive in check. Handling's safe rather than inspiring but the engine wasn't churning out enough power to give me any wild moments. All kind of movements can be conjured if it's abused on minor roads.
With all the recent bits fitted the old girl was looking rather good. I added to this by whipping the engine covers off, having them bead-blasted and polished. The rest of the engine was black, which was easy to patch up. The bike looked a lot newer than it really was, an illusion shattered every time the engine was started up. Total cost at this point was around £400, including the initial £275 purchase price. It was worth £600 to £700 on the used market.
I tried thicker oil in the engine. This can be dangerous as the oil--ways are narrow to start with and time tends to clog them up a little, but the DR had fervently insisted that he'd done the oil every 1000 miles (as did I). I gave the engine the benefit of the doubt and it sounded better, the gearbox was slicker and there was less churning at low revs. Smoothness was further improved by finding a mechanic who could actually balance the carbs. Normally, simple enough but they were so worn that it took a lot of minor adjustments to balance them.
I had some problems with fuel gushing out of the bowls. The float heights varied on a whim of their own. When this happened to the carbs on the inner cylinders it was a major hassle that involved lots of swearing and tearing bits off the bike. The stock airfilter box was soon dumped to facilitate quick strip downs. Much to my surprise, the engine ran harder, the power delivery was smoother and it was a touch faster. Don't try this on a stock bike - it doesn't work - so I can only guess that one time in the bike's venerable life it had run a 4-1 with altered jetting that hadn't been changed.
At one point I took the carbs off, stripped them down, soaked in paraffin and then blew high pressure air through them. This worked, no more fuel lost. The peds in London must've been very thankful - one less crazed biker tearing into Jap iron in the gutter.
Another area of fear and suspicion was the ignition circuit. HT leads breaking down in the wet's common - something you don't want to combine with a leaking petrol tank! The electrics on my bike weren't that old and only gave the odd misfire in the really heavy storms (though they were all too frequent). Mind you, I had a bit of a shock one dark, wet night when I looked down to see an excess of sparks off the HT leads. One of the connections between lead and plug cap was leaking; easily sealed. Some old GT550's are dire in the wet, so check carefully if you're in the market for one.
The GT was running some cheap Avon tyres which were fine in the dry but somewhat precarious on wet, greasy roads. Metzelers are much more secure but are expensive and last for only 6000 miles against more than twice that for the British rubber. I almost fell off a couple of times in Central London...a hurried (motocross boot shod) foot down threw the GT into an alarming lurch but stopped me from getting seriously hurt. DR's hustle around on them all day long without serious incident, so they must be okay.
One worrying moment came when all the electrics went dead but the motor kept on running. I juggled the ignition key and all was well. The same thing happened several times before juggling the key had no effect. The ignition lock was worn out. No problem, just find another in the breakers...shit, all the wiring had changed and I spent a whole weekend trying to match the wires up and make all the electrics function.
The front light seemed to be made for a 125. This was because it probably was. It certainly wasn't stock. I fitted a stock light and then found out why it'd been replaced. The battery kept going flat. I didn't want to delve into the electrical system - God knows what I'd fine - so put the old light back on and suffered eye strain and close shaves at night.
All in all, I got nearly 20,000 miles out of the GT at a total cost of £500 (plus petrol at 50mpg). The engine was really impressive in how it just kept going and going; the rest of chassis wasn't so tough but cheaply replaced with nearly new parts from breakers. When sold, the bike polished up nicely and went for £750, which meant I'd had my biking for free for two years!
Of course, after that experience I went out and bought a one year old GT550 for £2250. Only 4000 miles, absolutely immaculate. The engine was so quiet and smooth it was like I was on a different model. Later bikes share the Zephyr engine - no faster but a stronger midrange and much smoother delivery of power. The handling was almost sporty on the new suspension. It's one Japanese model that's definitely evolved into an improved machine. I'd recommend them to anyone who wants serious motorcycling.
J.T.
The new bike had to be reliable and capable of 20,000 miles a year, cheap to run and available for under 2000 notes. My CX500 just managed to survive 200 miles a week, suffering the usual abuse... I'd rebuilt it three times (cam and chain, alternator; dropped valve, camshaft and tensioner; blown valve and alternator). It also handled dangerously - jelly front and rear ends. About the only good points were that it started first time (unless it wasn't going to start at all - failed alternator) and the rear drum brake worked without any attention.
I managed to find an advert for a G reg GT750 with only 12000 miles on the clock. I went to look at the bike, found it looked consistent with minimal riding but there was a disturbing rattle from the bottom end of the mill. My brother had broken and rebuilt a couple of GPz550's, reassured me that it was just normal clutch rattle.
After a test ride and another inspection, I concluded that the only things wrong were a leaking front fork seal (the owner said it was WD40 used to lubricate new seals - it wasn't) and a lack of petrol. He wanted £2200 but rapidly agreed to £2000, which had me worried...
The first note of concern came from the strange way the machine handled around the corners. The next day we (frail and I) travelled to Morecambe (50 miles), with my brother and his girlfriend on my old CX. When we got there he stated that the CX was a death trap - I'd become so used to its strange ways that I thought the GT was bad. A few weeks later I was forced to ride the CX, as the GT's exhaust collets had completely collapsed (corrosion from being stood so long) - the last time I rode the Honda and it scared the shit out of me!
The GT was thus a vast improvement. I concluded that the GT's suspension transmitted to the rider the force of the tyres pushing in the direction you lean, in line with the laws of physics. On the CX, these forces must've been present as it did go around corners. However, the suspension produced enough other forces to convince a rider unused to the machine that the tyres were going in different directions and the frame had a pivot in the middle.
In the first six months on the GT, I replaced the exhaust collets (Motad system), the brake piston seals and pads, the gearchange shaft seal, the tyres, and the front wheel bearings. Which with the exception of the tyres had all failed due to corrosion (corroded pistons killing the brake seals, pads so far gone they fell off their backing plates). I also doubled the mileage, which combined with the above gave me confidence that the clock was reasonably genuine.
In the 18 months I have owned the machine, I've covered 31000 miles in weather that has varied from the scorching heat of last summer (speeds of 90mph producing no wind chill) to the freezing snow of winter. The bike looks much rougher now, mostly due to minor accidents. Such as stopping in Oldham to check that the bag on the pillion seat wasn't about to fall off - as I stepped off the bike I realised there was a slight slope. The bike rolled off the side-stand, crashing the left-hand engine case neatly into the kerb, Liquid metal makes a good repair but doesn't look quite the same.
I fitted the top box from the CX on to the rack as a safe way of carrying objects. This was fine until one weekend I removed the box for a while, replaced it using bungee cords...the 90mph bumps on the M62 were sufficient to knock the box off! I heard it hit the road, and the cars behind swerve/brake/panic. I stopped as the contents included the bike's doc's and my own ID, that I'd have to report to the police anyway.
I knew that I shouldn't attempt to retrieve the bag across three lanes of motorway, especially at 4pm on a week day. However, for some reason I ignored the helpful little arrows directing me towards the nearest emergency phone and headed back toward the box. I guess I was hoping the box had been bounced and bashed to the hard shoulder...no hope, I could see the cars in the fast lane trying to avoid it by cutting up the artics on the inner lanes! Traffic slowed until two lorries screeched to a halt, blocking the whole motorway off and allowing me to retrieve the top box. Lucky! Six months later cameras were installed on that bit of motorway.
I've managed to limit my accidents to minor/stationary/stupid stuff - petrol tank falling off the seat whilst doing a carb balance as I wasn't born with three arms, etc. There was one exception - one morning at 7am I heard a strange sound from behind me and slowed down, to be overtaken by an old Norton 650. I chased after him but was held up by traffic lights and cages. The first bit of clear road I saw him disappear round a left-hand bend and over a bridge. Before the left-hander there was a ninety degree right. As I go around this bend every day I was going quick. Just as I stopped braking and began to lean, I felt the rear end move and noticed that the white-line was very shiny...
As my knee hit it, I looked up to see the rear wheel passing the front and a stone wall in the distance. The damage wasn't great due to the fitment of engine bars two weeks earlier. Once the forks were realigned and the mirrors replaced, I was back on the road. The white-line was shiny due to a coating of diesel (or oil dumped by the Norton? - Ed), combined with the GT's engine braking when the revs dropped below 3000rpm, was too much for the Avon Roadrunner on the rear. I'd fit stickier tyres but at 14000 miles a set I think it's more economic just to ride a bit slower, and not chase Nortons, or better still not let them past.
The engine has only had regular servicing, including a carb balance every 6000 miles, which if neglected produces a rapid reduction in power and fuel economy. The only engine problem was the camchain tensioner, which stuck and required its two wedges replacing and a stiffening of the spring (add a couple of washers).
The bike's been very good on consumables (at least compared to figures in the UMG), helped along by the excellent shaft drive. Both brake pads and tyres do 14000 miles a set, the steering head bearings needed replacing at 35000 miles due to the accident, otherwise only oil and filters get replaced regularly. I'm going to see how far this machine will go - hopefully 100,000 plus miles - simply because I'm too tight to consider buying anything else.
Jim Caunce
My last trip around Europe was on an ancient CX500 (do they all upgrade to GT's? - Ed) that used as much oil as it did petrol; the expense and embarrassment more than compensated by the exemplary comfort and reliability. I lived for years on my tales of crossing the Pyrenees on my smoking monster, reassured that if the worst happened I could abandon the beast in the nearest field.
Seven years later with my despatcher days far behind me, it emerged that I was off on another trek (to the French Grand Prix), this time aboard a GT750. A 1983 model bought for the trip at a bargain £650. A gleaming red machine in exceptionally good condition. A mere 30k on the clock and Harris exhaust, to boot. With 12 months MOT it seemed almost too good to be true.
There had to be a catch but for once in my life there wasn't, unless one counted the worn rear tyre which would obviously need replacing shortly. The bike started first prod of the starter with a rich boom emitted from the exhaust which clearly rivalled Damon Hill's Williams (some kind of racing car, I think - Ed).
Not having ridden for seven years I had a rude awakening! GT750's are awfully flat below 3000rpm and the Harris exhaust clearly magnified this effect. The bike seemed to be struggling as I let the clutch out and slow progress led to that stomach churning feeling that follows parting with wads of cash. Then the revs hit 3500 - like being hit up the rear by an express train. Regret turned to panic as the horizon ceased to be a distant point. It was a tremendous buy for the money.
Everything seemed to work okay, after changing the rear tyre and oil I set off a week later to travel the continent. We'd agreed that following the GP, we'd tour France and then travel into Spain via Andorra. The Kawasaki performed superbly as we made our way to mid-France for the race in the kind of weather that makes motorcycling a sheer pleasure, though numerous speed traps and tales of fellow travellers meant we kept the speed down. After watching Michael Schumacher cruise to another victory, we headed south.
Passing through the French town of Le Guy, I once again experienced that sinking feeling; the clutch turning heaving and the climbing revs not matching progress. Examination revealed a severely frayed clutch cable which was clinging on by the last two strands. I was struck by the merits by giving the bike a proper service before I started off.
I have never really believed in miracles, but finding a moped and cycle shop whose owner dashed out to help me fit a universal clutch cable was rather too surreal for me. With no French except merci, I dashed to the local supermarket and rewarded my saviours goodwill with a dozen bottles of finest French beer.
The next 800 miles flowed easily beneath our wheels and the trip up the Pyrenees was superb. The return trip was a trouble free two day sprint back across France, with only one scare. I checked the oil one morning, to my horror there wasn't a glimmer of lubricant in the sight-glass. A top up from the local garage restored the level and frequent checks revealed no further movement. I can only surmise that the exceptionally hot weather and a 400 mile, 90mph dash along the autoroutes of southern France had resulted in exceptional oil loss. Back home in Britain once again, the level stayed constant.
The GT's now done 40,000 miles, being used to commute from Manchester to Liverpool daily (okay, in fine weather) and is superbly reliable. It's both comfortable and cheap to run. I may fit a higher handlebar set for further touring, but that low bar position is my only complaint as it does irritate over long distances. Fuel consumption seems very poor at 40mpg - I put this down to the Harris exhaust rather than the rider. The front pads sticking until warm, but some copper grease on the pistons should cure that. I don't intend to do much more than change the oil, plugs and filter for this summer's continental cruising. Kawasaki still advertise this bike as low maintenance and low budget - I agree!
At the price I paid for my bike I rate it as excellent value. There is no way I could afford to run anything more expensive and the reliability of the Kawasaki means that running costs are kept to a minimum. I may fit a small Z750 bikini-style fairing to keep off the worst of the breeze, but that will be the limit of my spending. I rate this bike an excellent buy!
Colin Turner
I had a look at several GT's before deciding on the four year old with 21000 miles on the clock. The engine sounded and felt like it was just run in - seriously, Kawasaki's do need a bit more running in than other models before they perform at their best. I was also tempted by the GT550 but in riding comparisons I found the bigger bike's stronger torque and power much more to my liking. Had I just been going to whizz around town I might've settled for the smaller bike but as long distance cruising was on the cards I preferred a bit more capacity.
The GT's have been around forever, haven't succumbed to fashion. Offer, instead, highly practical riding - shaft drive, covered suspension, big tank and, of course, that robust four cylinder motor which can trace its ancestry, if not all of its engineering, back to the 1973 Z1. People haven't just gone around the clock on them, they've done over a quarter of a million miles!
I had no worries about my one-owner. Saddled her up with my soft panniers, settled down for a bit of serious touring. GT's aren't really slow. They don't have the kind of acceleration that will turn your brain to mincemeat. What they do is wind themselves up to a high cruising speed and sit there come what may. Okay, it doesn't have a 175mph top end - thank God! But it'll burn along at the ton-ten without any complaints and in reasonable comfort.
That's too high for me, makes me a sitting target for the plod. I much prefer 85 to 95mph, which is just staying with the motorway traffic and unlikely to have the cops in an unreasonable rage. It also helps with the fuel - around 50mpg as opposed to 35mpg at 110mph. The engine feels like it can hold this speed all day...
I was a bit surprised when I pulled up after 760 miles in the first day to find that the engine sounded like a bag of nails. Even when I hurriedly turned it off, the metal crackled and ticked loudly as it cooled off. The external surface of the four cylinder mill was hot enough to make an omelette, though I don't know why anyone would want to do that.
I was too tired to figure it out then, stashed the bike in my friend's house in Glasgow. In the morning all was revealed. The oil level had sunk perilously low, didn't even register, though there was still a lot there when I drained it off. I should have done an oil change when I bought the bike, but was in too much of a hurry to do some riding. The level was at the maximum when I set out and there weren't any apparent oil leaks.
I think it was more down to the oldness of the lubricant than any design fault - it never lost oil at that rate again. It's always worth changing the oil every 1000 miles on these designs and checking it at each fuel stop - it takes about 750 miles for it to burn off from the maximum to minimum level. This is just a fact of life with GT's!
After filling her up with new oil, the engine went back to rustling away contentedly. The next little problem came when the engine started cutting out in the heavy Scottish rains. I was on my way to say hello to the Loch Ness monster and felt like dumping the bike in the loch! The thing was hopping along like a one legged kangaroo as the power came in and out.
When I looked down at the engine the problem was immediately obvious - a fireworks display between plug caps and cylinder head. Very impressive, if I wanted to set up the begging bowl. A few squirts of WD40 kept the worst of it at bay until I could buy some decent caps...what had the previous owner done in the wet - got off and pushed?
Later, riding hard down the M1, I had a rear tyre blow out at 90mph. The shaft drive was normally pretty unobtrusive but this time it whipped the back end into a real frenzy. The tyre was on its last legs so I shouldn't have been that surprised when it was ripped to shreds. Worse still, the rim ended up dented! The steering on the GT's is very conservative, favouring stability against cornering ease, and it was this alone that stopped me being thrown off in a blur of tearing skin and muscle. The rescue services proved their worth.
A secondhand wheel with reasonable Metz tyre was acquired for less than the cost of new rubber. It was at this point that I discovered the shaft's splines had never been greased and that the swinging arm bearings were just starting to go loose. This shouldn't be a problem at a mere 20,000 miles, so I began to suspect that the bike might be clocked.
After fixing these irritants a few months of hardcore commuting went by, basically not much fun as I was clocking up the overtime. The GT was a bit heavy for the madness of town trawling but it got there in the end. The front brake wasn't fierce enough to match some of the caged antics and I had a heavy fight with the bars on a few occasions to avoid hitting cars.
The nastiest thing that happened, given that the exhaust was quite loud, was when a pedestrian walked out in front of the GT. He just didn't expect a bike to fly between the rows of dead cages. I braked and screamed abuse at him at the same time. Hit his leg at about 15mph. What a wimp, he was screaming with the pain of it all. He was blocking my escape with his prostrate form so I ended up taking a right ear-battering from the cops. Of course, a couple of helpful witnesses popped up out of the sewers, or somewhere, reckoning I'd been doing at least 120mph! Amazingly, the cages barely moved a foot in all the time it took to sort out the mess. Last I heard, he was having pins put in his leg but no-one has tried to sue or arrest me; it was just the luck of the draw.
With quite heavy showers every day, the GT was becoming a bit ratty. Some rust on the frame and fasteners, plus squeaking calipers and rattling baffles. A nice run was obviously what was needed. It was sunny when I set out on the Saturday but after an hour it was thunder and lightning all the way to the Pennines. The GT's quite secure on wet roads as long as a careful throttle hand's employed - otherwise the shaft drive's directness can catch the back wheel out.
I survived the weekend with a drenching and the GT looked like it'd been mud wrestling, even though the guards give reasonable protection. Hate to think what would have happened if I'd had an exposed chain to worry about as well.
As long as the suspension was turned up to its highest settings, handling was generally competent and comfort good. It is a heavy old bus that reacts to worn out rubber with a bit of gentle wallowing but it never, unlike the old Kawasaki fours, turns really vicious. It's a bit like a BMW in that it needs to be set up for corners and doesn't react well to sudden changes of direction. It comes down to getting used to the bike and adapting in small ways to its mannerisms. Well worth the effort.
As little as £1500 will secure a decent example with 30-40,000 miles on its clock. A grand will buy something with a reasonable motor but worn out chassis. £500 buys one with over a 100,000 miles under its wheels and it's down to the gods how much life is left in it - if it's been at all well treated it could double that or it might just be on its last legs. Either way there are loads of spares in breakers, no need to buy expensive new bits. Two grand should secure a low mileage, near immaculate example. I can't see any reason to pay more than that, not unless you want to make dealers rich.
Bill Rawlings