GPZ500s

[Iain]

I've looking for bikes to have after a pass my test but most of the ones i like are either too expensive or wont run well when 33bhp.

My instructer let me have a shot on a Kawasaki er-5 and i was quite impressed but less so with the looks. does anyone know what the gpz500s are like? i'm pretty sure someone here had one.

If all fails i think my next bike will be an er-5.

[Demonic69]

The GPZ's are nice and run ok at 33bhp. But most sports 400's out-perform the 500's easily. Especially the er-5 and the GPZ.
Why not look at a VFR/ZZR/ZXR/GSX/CBR etc. The performance at 33bhp varies little between bikes, mainly the weight will alter the speeds. As most 400's generally weigh less than the 500's it make more sense?
____________________
Back on a Blade. Just feels so right.

[Kickstart]

Hi

My better half has a GPZ500. Nice enough little bike (hers is an early one). Suspension is not great and it squirms around a fair bit when cornering, but actually handles OK (I like the handling of it). Riding position is too upright form me, but I think the later ones have lower bars. Top speed in full power form they do 127 I think. Fuel consumption is brilliant. I have been using her bike for my journies to work the last few days, and riding it down the motorway at a fair speed combined with crawling through traffic it has managed over 65mpg. It has done almost 220 miles on the current tank of fuel, and still isnt on reserve.

The seat height is quite low, which is great if you are short but a pain if you are tall. Brakes are not that great. Build quality is not great. Dry weight is 169kg, curb weight is 190kg. It has an 18L fuel tank.

https://www.alfa-pages.co.uk/gpz500.jpg

We paid £825 for it, but had to put new tyres on immediatly (the existing ones were OK, but were an illegal combination with a radial on the front and a cross ply on the rear).

Basically the GPZ500 is a sporty commuter bike. For everyday use they are very good, but probably not the best choice for a bike to just use for Sundays playing silly B's

All the best

Keith

[Kickstart]

Hi

By the way, there is one for sale on the sales and wants section of VisorDown (https://www.visordown.com)

All the best

Keith

[Ropehead]

WATCH out for rust!!
they dont last 2 well over winters!

[TiN]

lol!...Keith, I can see that you take much better care of your bikes than of your cars!

Tin

[Kickstart]

Mmmm, that was my first car. I still have it waiting until I have too much money on my hands to pay someone lots to sort the bodywork out. Have some spare panels already (wings, one rear wing, door, boot and bonnet lids, and some sills), but it will still cost alot

All the best

Keith

[Doddmaster]

That one looks better than the newer ones

[Kickstart]

Mmmm, cutting Mr Broadband

At least the engine still runs!

All the best

Keith

[TiN]

https://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=1750291367

Dunno what the reserve is though...

Tin

[Doddmaster]

No Keith I didn't mean it like that!!

I mean.... it seems to have bigger mfairings than the new models, and it looks quite nice!

[Milo]

The older version can easily out perform the modern sport 400's. it got 65bhp, it is a little heavy but it means you can give it more off the lights before the beast wheelie's. It's also got a monoshock, which adds to the better looks of the GPz, rather than the honda alternatives.
restricted is fine, but de-restricted is better! damn fiddly to do, especially when you forget about the vacuum hose to the fuel tank and it doesn't run properly.
I think the newer GPz500's are about 56bhp, cos it's only a twin.

happy hunting!

[Iain]

thanks for your help. A dealer in my town has a 97 for £2200. i had a sit on it and it seems to fit me quite well, so i'll go back tomorrow or the next day and talk about warrenty etc.

I really quite like the bike so i think i'll buy it.

i wont be able to ride it though, my test isn't until the 26th of this month.

[Kickstart]

[Iain]

went and spoke to the dealer today. He'll sell it with a new rear tyre, restricted, datatagged and a 3 month warrenty for £1950.

I'm putting a deposit on it tomorrow morning.

What do you think?

[Doddmaster]

if it was originally going for £2200 and you got it for £1950 with a £200 restriction and a new tyre, then yes it's a good deal

[Darknite]

I bought a 1998 R Reg Gpz500 in April this year. A private sale and we agreed a price of £900, with 12 months tax. It has a Nexus 2 into one exhaust, full history, and very little rust,,,Just a bit around the centre stand.

2 grande seems a lot. Admittedly I then spent £200 on tyres and MOT.

As for performance, mine is not restricted and for a first bike it takes a bit of hanging on to when you wind it up.

Insurance is £183 tpf+t which is another consideration. (33 yr old new rider in the sk6 postcode area. of stockport)



If you've already done the deal then Happy Riding, if not I'd pay a visit to Bike Trader.

[Darknite]

Seeing as I am new to this, how do I change the L Plate Warrior jobby ?

Looked in my profile but couldn't find it...thanks.

JDM.

[Iain]

Well, thanks for the advise but this thread was from almost exactly 2 years ago. I'm a few bikes down the line now.

[Frost]

So how was the GPZ?

Ive got my test in 2 weeks time and i'm seriously thinking about getting one. ive got a budget of £600 for the purchase of the bike, think i would pick up something in fairly decent nick for that?

[Darknite]

I wondered why some of the posts were from TOMORROW...D'oh.

[Inkognito]

Yeah how was the GPZ?
I just bought one and I think it's pretty nice for my first bike.

[stinkwheel]

I ran one for four years and think it was superb. Ideal for a newbie and if you are a shortarse (although I am 6"2" and managed fine). I kept it outside all tht time and the rust is just superficial. Fast enough to keep up with anyone who has the slightest hope of keeping hold of their licence.

They eat unitrak bushes (all GPZs do) and will not tolerate anything other than bridgestone tyres. Lazy handling and lumpy motor which turns into a hooligan when you push the revs up towards the redline, closest thing I have had to a power band on a 4-stroke.

They have been making them since the late 80's and still are, must've been doing something right. Only buy a post '94 model, earlier ones had a problem with the alternator magnets falling off and destroying the rotor (which you can't get for love nor money). Look for an E-model which is fitted with twin discs, the single disc is just about OK if you fit braided lines and HH pads.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[JonB]

I will be in the same situation in about 8/9 months time but a bike I was looking at was the Suzuki GS500F, are they any good? would you recommend them?
____________________
Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it?s worth.

[iCraig]