Life is good when beauties like this roll in

[doc]

Cmon people it's just another jappa. Now if it were a bonnie or an ole iron head sporty, it would take passion and unlimited nights and funds to bring back to glory. This thing probably only need a battery. Where is the character in that.

[Edbear]

haha i just traded one of them on the cagiva

How'd you like it? I'd keep it, personally, but not having owned one, not sure how they go. Owners I've spoken to a the time seemed to like them very much!

[JimO]

How'd you like it? I'd keep it, personally, but not having owned one, not sure how they go. Owners I've spoken to a the time seemed to like them very much!

i bought it when i got back into biking after a break of a few years it was ok and if i could have justified keeping two bikes i may have kept it but with a 05 hilux, 96 prado,1970 V8 falcon , 92 sprinter, 8x4 tandem trailor , 18 ft 6 caravan and a 17 ft boat the last thing i needed was another mouth to feed

[Drum]

A classic Z thou in showroom condition went for $19k on TradeMe a few months back. I shit you not.


EdBear, I ride a '91 750 Zephyr and can vouch for their all round excellence. A truly inspired piece of machinery that's gets everyone who was riding in the seventies all excited!

[oldrider]

When I was very young (too young alas to own a motorbike), my father used to buy a local magazine. The name of it I cannot remember but it was printed on pink paper. It was basically a mail order catalogue for surplus goods.

I can distinctly remember that it listed new unused Indian motorcycles , ex Army (US Army I think). Supplied crated, semi assembled. I think the price was ₤37/10/-.

When the Yanks left they dumped (literally) truckloads and shiploads of such things into the sea.

That was a long time ago. There have been no warehouses full of motorcycles for many many years.

Was it the "Auckland Weekly News" or the "Free Lance"?
Pink paper cover, glossy photos in the middle and full of "Valentines" war surplus adds? Getting hazy now. Cheers John.

[Ixion]

Was it the "Auckland Weekly News" or the "Free Lance"?
Pink paper cover, glossy photos in the middle and full of "Valentines" war surplus adds? Getting hazy now. Cheers John.

Ah. Valentines. That was the name of the surplus crowd. No glossy photos though. the pages themselves were pink, and it was specifically surplus / cheap stuff, mainly focused on radio gear (he was a ham in those days). It may not have been a proper magazine, more a catalogue sort of thing.

Definatey not the AWN , I remember that as well.

'Twas a long time ago, I just remember drooling over the Indians, and wondering how long it would take to save that much out of my pocket money! (The result of the calculation was always terribly depressing) . Mind you, in those days you could buy a motorbike, a runner for five pound.

('Twasn't the 'Pink Un' either, that was quite a different thing)

[James Deuce]

Every piece of the bike is solidly built.

Except for the frame. That's made from noodles.

[Ixion]

They did have a certain rep back in the day for handling. Or, lack of it. But no more than any of the other big Jappas of the time.

And nobody back then actually expected brakes to DO anything. It was universally accepted that they were an ornamental feature.

[T.W.R]

Except for the frame. That's made from noodles.

Lets you know the bike is alive and not some sterile compliant characterless PC item

[kiwicam]

when i sold mine you couldnt give them away in fact one of the local bike shops wasnt even interisted in selling it on behalf and i ended up downtrading on a trail bike and then selling the trailbike

well they had a wastegate that was basically a spring. points ignition. no anti knock techowhatsits ,cast standard kwaka pistons and enough acceleration to starve the oil pump.oh and lets not forget the sidedraught carby and both of its adustments. norjos in chch never forgave me for trading mine on a gpz550.

wish i still had both those bikes

[imdying]

Cmon people it's just another jappa. Now if it were a bonnie or an ole iron head sporty, it would take passion and unlimited nights and funds to bring back to glory. This thing probably only need a battery. Where is the character in that.

Just because it's not a piece of shite doesn't mean it lacks character. Even once you've spent your millions restoring a bonnie, it is still going to be a piece of shite. Had to laugh when I saw one go to the head of the lights the other day... I could have got out and ran faster than it could take off from the lights. Nostalgia is an interesting thing... a bonnie is cack, and yet, people buy them...

[doc]

Just because it's not a piece of shite doesn't mean it lacks character. Even once you've spent your millions restoring a bonnie, it is still going to be a piece of shite. Had to laugh when I saw one go to the head of the lights the other day... I could have got out and ran faster than it could take off from the lights. Nostalgia is an interesting thing... a bonnie is cack, and yet, people buy them...

Your kidding

[imdying]

No way mate... it was honestly the slowest piece of crap you could imagine! I mean, speed ain't the be all and end all of motorcycling, but sheesh, even a little bit would be nice! I want a least a little fruit to go with my oil leaks dammit!

[Edbear]

EdBear, I ride a '91 750 Zephyr and can vouch for their all round excellence. A truly inspired piece of machinery that's gets everyone who was riding in the seventies all excited!

I loved the look of the Orange/Brown paint scheme! Sigh! So many bikes, so little munny...

[T.W.R]

well they had a wastegate that was basically a spring. points ignition. no anti knock techowhatsits ,cast standard kwaka pistons and enough acceleration to starve the oil pump.oh and lets not forget the sidedraught carby and both of its adustments. norjos in chch never forgave me for trading mine on a gpz550.

wish i still had both those bikes

lols one of the original NZ issued 13 kit copies huh?
Allan, John, Mike, Badin, & Craig would have loved you

No way mate... it was honestly the slowest piece of crap you could imagine! I mean, speed ain't the be all and end all of motorcycling, but sheesh, even a little bit would be nice! I want a least a little fruit to go with my oil leaks dammit!