Gpz900r

**Angry Puppy** · 13th July 2018, 08:26

Hey folks. I've been off the forum for quite a few years as I haven't owned a bike for well, quite a few years. Mainly because of lack of time to ride and having small children that rely on me to be in one piece and able to pay the bills. Recently I've been thinking about a project bike - something to chip away at in the garage with a view to being road-worthy in a few years when the kids are old enough to fend for themselves. I was thinking about a cafe racer but suitable doner bikes on TradeMe aren't exactly free (Suzuki XV 750 'project bike' @ $1400).

So, I was thinking, if I'm going to spend a couple of K up front on the purchase of the project bike, my ideal would be an '80s GPZ900R à la Top Gun. I haven't seen one come up on TrandeMe and I'm suspecting that in NZ they won't come up that often and when they do, a project bike would probably go for around $4k+. If that's the case I'll look at bringing one in from Australia and save myself a couple of K (Yes I know I'll need to consider shipping, import duties and compliance). So I was wondering if you guys had ever seen one come up on TradeMe in the last couple of years and if so, what did it go for? Thanks for your input.

Andy

**Katman** · 13th July 2018, 08:46

Originally Posted by Angry Puppy

So I was wondering if you guys had ever seen one come up on TradeMe in the last couple of years and if so, what did it go for?

They come up from time to time on Trademe. Perhaps 2 or 3 a year.

The price they go for is entirely down to the condition they're in though.

**Hugo Nougo** · 13th July 2018, 09:53

Just started restoring my old 900r, has sat in the shed for nearly 2 decades but deserves better. I always say it was the bike that taught me how to ride, saved my arse almost as many times as i put it into harms way.
Personally I think they look great standard but good luck with any project you undertake, I remember seeing 1 at Boyles that had zzr1100 running gear, looked slick and apparently handled better, theres also a pre89 race bike around (akld?) with a moulded tank, seat and rear end unit that replaces the original stuff saving huge amounts of weight and again looked amzing.
I nearly cried a few years back at the cold kiwi watching 1 burn on the bonfire, it had a blown motor but i would have paid $1500 for the roller.

**Katman** · 13th July 2018, 09:55

Originally Posted by Hugo Nougo

I nearly cried a few years back at the cold kiwi watching 1 burn on the bonfire, it had a blown motor but i would have paid $1500 for the roller.

I shared your pain.

**Angry Puppy** · 13th July 2018, 14:37

Originally Posted by Hugo Nougo

Personally I think they look great standard but good luck with any project you undertake.

Yeah I agree, as a project I'd definitely be looking to restore it to standard. Funnily enough it turns out my brother has one in his shed in the UK that he's wanting to sell. IDK how much he wants for it yet and I'd need to look in to shipping costs. I suspect even if he practically gave it to me, it would still be cheaper to buy a project bike and ship it from Australia.

**jellywrestler** · 13th July 2018, 17:04

Originally Posted by Hugo Nougo

I nearly cried a few years back at the cold kiwi watching 1 burn on the bonfire, it had a blown motor but i would have paid $1500 for the roller.

yeah but way more than 1500 people got more than a bucks worth of entertainment out of it then....

**AllanB** · 13th July 2018, 19:00

Originally Posted by Angry Puppy

Mainly because of lack of time to ride and having small children that rely on me to be in one piece and able to pay the bills.

Fucks sake buy some life insurance and get ya arse back in the saddle.

GPZ900r

This I always thought would be quite collectible but apparently not so. Maybe I'm bias due to my age (53) and remembering it being the spiffy thing to have back in the day (plus it was on Top Gun).

Never mind. I still think they were and are great. But are not as collectible as the similar period Katana.

**Katman** · 13th July 2018, 19:19

Originally Posted by AllanB

Never mind. I still think they were and are great. But are not as collectible as the similar period Katana.

Back then every year seemed to produce a new King.

1982 was the Katana's year, 1984 was Kawasaki's year.

I think the GPZ range is still very collectable - but having two GPZ750s probably makes me a little biased.

**AllanB** · 13th July 2018, 19:55

Originally Posted by Katman

Back then every year seemed to produce a new King.

That's a fair point. The output of new Japanese bikes was quite stunning. An impressionable time for a young man

**Voltaire** · 13th July 2018, 21:05

Originally Posted by AllanB

That's a fair point. The output of new Japanese bikes was quite stunning. An impressionable time for a young man

On the strength of Top Gun I sold the 500/4 and bought a Z1000J and some Rayban copies.
Many a time it took my breath away as I entered the danger zone.
I bought a GPZ 900 in the late 90's and by then I'd lost that loving feeling and it was gone gone gone...whooooaaaoooo. do do do do.

I'd have one but alas have reached peak shed.

**husaberg** · 13th July 2018, 21:29

Originally Posted by AllanB

This I always thought would be quite collectible but apparently not so. Maybe I'm bias due to my age (53) and remembering it being the spiffy thing to have back in the day (plus it was on Top Gun).
.

Yeah but so did Kelly Mcgillis then

**AllanB** · 13th July 2018, 21:59

Originally Posted by husaberg

Yeah but so did Kelly Mcgillis then

I'm pretty sure that is beyond restoration ................ and it probably leaks fluids.

**husaberg** · 14th July 2018, 00:45

Originally Posted by AllanB

I'm pretty sure that is beyond restoration ................ and it probably leaks fluids.

Yes a nasal drip

At arround 18 secs you can see where its mounted on the trailer at front right lol

**jasonu** · 14th July 2018, 02:09

Originally Posted by AllanB

Fucks sake buy some life insurance and get ya arse back in the saddle.

GPZ900r

This I always thought would be quite collectible but apparently not so. Maybe I'm bias due to my age (53) and remembering it being the spiffy thing to have back in the day (plus it was on Top Gun).

Never mind. I still think they were and are great. But are not as collectible as the similar period Katana.

IMO at the time the GPZ was a great bike but there were many other greater bikes bought out that over shadowed it ie RZ500, RG500, GSXR's