Kawasaki GPZ500 vs Honda CB 500

[john24ssj]

Hi guys,

To give the short story my girlfriend recently passed her A2 license and looking for a good bike within a low budget.

The two that look nice to her are GPZ500 and the CB 500 as their both in low insurance groups and we can get them restricted for £100.

Was wondering if you guys got any tips or advice which one to go for? or Maybe there is something else? (not GS 500e or ER5 please!)

Thanks
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Bikes: Honda CBR600Fi, Kawasaki ER5

[Matt B]

If you are going to restrict why limit yourself to those two?

How about an MT03, Ninja 300, Inazuma 250 that don't need restricting?
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stinkwheel: He had an animated .gif of a cat performing fellatio. It's not socially acceptable. It can have real life adverse effects on other people.

[c_dug]

They're quite similar bikes, having owned both I'd go for the GPZ by choice, but a good CB500 over a poor GPZ.
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I am a bellend, I am a man of constant sorrow, I am a gummy bear, I am a rock.

[whitedevil]

Ive owned a gpz and ridden both, i'd get whichever comes up first for the right price, condition etc.. The gpz will offer more wind rain protection due to the fairing.
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GPZ500 sold ~ CBR600FS-2 sold ~ ZX6R sold ~ Street Triple R

[Rogerborg]

See many, many threads passim, e.g.:

https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=190251

stinkwheel's superimposition showing that there's virtually nothing in it in vis-à-vis ergonomics.

https://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f216/stinkwheel/cbontop.jpg

Thing is, they're both knocking on a bit and you can only buy bikes that are actually for sale. If you have a choice, then I'd go with whichever is in better condition, lower mileage, well looked after and so on. They'll both be just fine if you get a decent example.
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Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

The prices of some of these cb500s are wildly optimistic - anything up to £1800, often not actually all that good either. £500 could get you something reasonable, and £750 something that with good maintenance could do 100k and/or last 5-10 years. Such bikes under a grand might well be wanting fork seals or some niggle or other, but with a bit of searching they're out there and eminently usable. So don't be tempted to pay over the odds for bikes off dreamers.
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Mobylette Type 50 ---> Raleigh Grifter ---> Neval Minsk 125

[Fladdem]

What about a CB400 Super Four? I have had a spin on a CB500, and would take my little 400/4 any day, I got mine for £900 with only 82,000 on the clock

There's not much in it either, ergonomics wise, they're probably not quite as cheap to run or easy spares as a CB500, but I would say that's a reasonable compromise. I don't know about the GPZ 500 but a mate had one and liked it.
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Current:1991 Honda MT50 (Soon to be a H100/MTX/MT5 hybrid), 1976 Honda Cub C70, 2005 Honda Varadero 125, 1993 Yamaha TTR250 Open Enduro , 2010 Road Legal Stomp YX140, 1994 Honda CRM 250 MK III, 1999 Cagiva Mito 125, 1992 Honda CB400 Super Four, Stomp T4 230, 1984 Honda H100s, 2009 Sym XS125K
Past:2003 Aprilia RS125, 1982 Kawasaki GPZ550(FREE BIKE!)
I'm having more fun than a well-oiled midget.

[RhynoCZ]

I can't comment on the GPZ (But I'd go for that because Kawasaki), anyway I have spent some time on a '98 CB500 (Brembo calipers) and it was alright, I guess. It wasn't exciting, it was fun, it was just a sterile dull Honda workhorse.

Also, some say the CB500 engine is indestructible.

Both motorcycles were quite popular back in the day, large quantities of them were sold, so there are tons of spare parts.

A 400cc in-line 4 cylinder would be more fun (for me). But you get slightly worse MPG and you're gonna find yourself speeding a lot, in pursuit to rev the tits out of the screaming engine. I miss the CB-1, sort of. It was fun to ride like a GP racer all the time, yet the top speed was about 115 mph and it didn't really get there quick past the 100mph mark.
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'87 Honda XBR 500, '96 Kawasaki ZX7R P1, '90 Honda CB-1, '88 Kawasaki GPz550, MZ 150 ETZ
'95 Mercedes-Benz w202 C200 CGI, '98 Mercedes-Benz w210 E200 Kompressor

[john24ssj]

Thanks guys for all the replied, we both really appreciate it
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Bikes: Honda CBR600Fi, Kawasaki ER5

[Alpineandy]

Why just 500s?
Plenty of smaller and 550/600/650s of similar size.
What about an SV650?
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[john24ssj]

[Alpineandy]

[john24ssj]

[Alpineandy]

You may find a half decent 550 Zephyr for that money...
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The above comment isn't necessarily the truth and anyone that says it is, is only correct if it's the truth or they're bigger than me.

[john24ssj]

[Kickstart]

Hi

ZZR600 should be available for that. Saw a nice one from a dealer for around that

All the best

Katy
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[Alpineandy]

[ws4936]

If you do go with GPZ, go for D6+ because wheel size.
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If everything seems under control, you're just not going fast enough.

[john24ssj]

[trevor saxe-coburg-gotha]

[UncleFester]

I didn't pay much more than that for my CB500 - had about 36k on it.

Came with a 50L top box, engine crash guards, small Givi screen, heated grips.

Fitted a new headlight - £31 David Silver spares
4 indicator lenses - £20 as above
Seat retrimmed £30 - place in Baldock

That's all it needed but treated it to these;

Delkevic stubby exhaust - £120
Pair of LED driving lights £60
used Bark Buster guards £12 ( ebay)

Because it's easier to see at night with better lights and the stock exhaust doesn't sound great. BB guards keep some of the cold air wind flow off your hands - debateable but they did deflect a heavy bird strike and stopped me bending levers when i threw it over the garage forecourt

Think i paid £800 for the bike .... would not pay more than that and there's plenty bargains in nicer condition to be had.
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2017 Z1000SX

[Rogerborg]

[wr6133]

[whitedevil]

[DrSnoosnoo]

You won't get a ZZR600E for an A2. Claimed power is too high.
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I'm Sam; Northern, Ginger, Lover
Did have: '95 ZZR600 '83 CG125 '97 ZZR1100 '15 Hypermotard 821 SP Do Have: '10 ZX10R