13-Aug-2008

From My own experience here is a review for the GPZ600R. Please feel free to submit me a review of your own and if it is good enough I will publish it here.

When I first laid eyes on this machine I wanted one badly, Not because of the hype nor the reviews that I was reading in magazines at the time but because it was different, different to all the other machines on the block, yes I seriously was considering a GPZ550 for a time and was actually riding a Suzuki GS550. I had seen the GPZ 900 around but it wasn't quite enough for me to go and buy it or even desire it,

The GPZ600R arrived. I was salivating at the mouth, heck it even looked better than the race machines on the track. I did for a time have a weakening for the Yamaha RD500LC, Forgive me if you don't understand these naming regimes, but different countries have different names for the bikes that are sold, in the US The Kawasaki is called the ZX600A (The A being for 1985, B for 1986) But in the UK and over here in Oz its called the GPZ600R, The name Ninja didn't adorn the bike in 1985 but came a little later or at least it did in the UK., ZX600A can be found on a name plate just in front of the steering head, you will also find the month of manufacture.

I eventually managed to save up the lollies to buy the GPZ600R and as soon as I had it in my dirty little paws I jumped aboard the GPZ I just want to open the throttle and get lost somewhere on the country roads and in along the twisty bits that the British countryside is so famous for.  I am surprised I haven't lost my license yet or even been done for speeding because I would have been if I hadn't had the steel to control myself. I did spend a lot of time looking at how good my elbows were in the mirrors, they were next to useless which meant a lot of head turning when riding this bullet, and again with me having to keep twisting around it saved my bacon more than once.

I have read reviews that the GPZ was a little stiff up front and at the rear, but from experience I actually thought it was too soft, but then again I am comparing to my SV650 of today. I didn't have many problems with the front forks only occasionally wallowing in long sweeping bends and a few pounds of air pressure at the front soon reduced the wallowing, whilst I was at it I also added some air to the rear as well, not for the riding but mainly because I used to carry passengers a lot.

Whilst holidaying in Germany I did get the chance to open the bike right up and got to insane speeds I clocked around 135mph which is the top speed rated in the magazines but taking account of Speedo error reading I was probably doing a true 125mph still bloody fast on a bike and for a 600cc at that. It was quite funny really doing around 200kph on a bike and police Porche cars and the like passing you as though you were stood still. Most people think that over Germany you can drive at insane speeds but that isn't the case, you have to be sensible and pick you moments as they are only certain sections where you can unleash the beast that your sat in.

To give the bike some more stopping powder I replaced the original pads with sinterered metal pads and left the rear brakes as standard. The brakes instill enough confidence I am sure that Kawasaki made this bike to lean over at ridicules angles and just for hauling it around any tight bend that would be thrown at it.

some of the things that annoys me about this bike is the fact if I want to do any kind of adjustment on the rear suspension I have to get a screwdriver to remove my side cover to get at the adjustment and the clutch  cable get in the view of the fuel gauge and like the majority of bikes the mirrors are nack and the master cylinder on the handle bars also covers/blocks the temperature gauge view.

Some of the things I like about ZX600A, I especially like the bungee hooks that can flip out at the side of the bike and the helmet locks, not even my SV650K5 of today has convenience like this, the radiator is easy to fill and even the fairing cowl can be left on if you want to change the angle of the light beam. overall a nice tight package. (a bit like my wife really.)

I haven't had a chance to ride the GPZ600R here in Australia yet,  have ridden one around the UK and Europe so it will be interesting when I do eventually get the bike back on the road to see how it handles the heat. I think I will even do another review, like the bike, I will be 21 years older than the original review I done, so it will be interesting to sum up my bias (bias being that over the years you forget and/or other bikes come along and have more technology attached to them) My bike is now nearly ready for the road, just a couple of things that I need to get sorted such as seat and screen then I will get a roadworthy done and off I go.

I have managed to get the bike from out of my garage and go for a ride, I still don't think my front forks are set up correctly, they are ok when riding normally on normal roads, its just that going up a curb that is still "clunks" Maybe I still have to play around with oil levels etc, maybe the oil I put in was too stiff for the bike. The bike runs absolutely true when you take your hands off the handlebars although I don't recommend you do this at any speed and certainly not when there is other cars/traffic around.

I have reduced the CLUNK by putting air in the front forks, and on the above picture the seats and screen have been done.

The rear of the bike seems soft even after adjustment I think I may have to have a look at a new Mono Suspension set.