Dumped the Gpz, she's toast

[sheldonbourgeoi]

Was out riding with the guys yesterday, great ride we were having. Went into a corner and the front end washes out on me...gravel and lots of it. Bike slid on top of me for about 30 feet then let me go which is when I logged rolled for another 15 feet.

Cosmetically the bike made out OK. Cracked the fairing a small bit, broke the brake lever and front signal light. The bad is that she slid on the right side, and the ignition cover and engine case took the punishment. Ripped the ignition cover off and cracked the engine case all to ****. Left a 1 inch wide, 1/2 inch gouge down the pavement for about 15 feet, which I can only assume was the end of the crank. I noticed the timing plate turns oblong now and not true...never good.

I don't know weather or not to get new engine cases and fix it, or part it out? I've spent so much $$ on it now, with the $$ I'd spend to fix it up I could spend an extra few bucks and get a modern sportbike, which is where I'm leaning.

Breaks my heart to see the old girl take this kind of punishment, but all I can say is I was riding sanely and it just happened. Nothing anyone could have done.


My Joe Rocket jacket was a godsend. Got chewed up but did its job. No road-rash anywhere on my body, and Draggin" jeans are worth the $$$ as well. Ground em down to the Kevlar, and with the exceptions of a few bruises lower body is ok.

Joe Rocket gloves on the other hand, no good. Was wearing a brand new pair of Atomic 4.0 mesh/leather gloves and the road tore them apart. The mesh ain't worth crap, and the knuckle "protection" ripped off like nothing. Tore my knuckles up really good, and my right hand is full of big heat blisters.


Going to take a month or two off then start looking for another ride, but man me and that old GPz had some really good times over the past 10 years. I'm really going to miss her.



One of the guys made a half assed comment to lighten me up, it worked, but man I was hurting.

[pat0021]

glad youre ok!!

[Gary - K7GLD]

Stories like that make an old guy like me think REAL hard about getting involved again in riding - after a 30 year non-riding period, and now at nearly 76 years old. At me age, we don't bounce well or heal fast...

Glad you are OK, too bad about the bike - but THEY are replaceable!

[zoro]

Im happy to see your standing and smiling! Hate to hear about the bike, hopefully its just the timing & advance mech. bolts that got bent. I dropped mine at a stop sign last month to make a quick idle adjustment, had to replace the clutch lever a mirror and a rear tail light assembly. Forgot to put the kickstand down! Glad your OK!

[Hugojose]

You were not supposed to ride any of these classics. You were supposed to set it up in your living room and stare at it. When will you ever learn?

[Gary - K7GLD]

You were not supposed to ride any of these classics. You were supposed to set it up in your living room and stare at it. When will you ever learn?

ONLY partly a joke, for some of us.

My restored '83 KZ1100 LTD has only used about 3 tanks of fuel since I got it late last summer. I have to admit that while I regularly rode Honda 750's and Harley Sportsters back up til the early 80's, this KZ intimidates me at my age with it's power potential and serious weight and high center of gravity. And being timid about riding in this part of the country with lots of narrow and curving roads is NOT a good thing!

That said, my own "classic" will likely spend most of it's time out in the garage being polished and pampered - but ridden very little. At some point, after I finally get tired of it, will probably make it some new owner's pride and joy...

AH, to be 30 years younger...

[buck484]

Glad you're ok but too bad about the bike. In a few days you'll probably decide the next step. Don't hurry just take it slow.

[sheldonbourgeoi]

Next step decided..I'm fixing her.

[oldcoldankles]

Glad to hear you are OK, and good for you Sheldon, these old bikes never die. I just took my 1983 KZ550 out for a 406 mile day trip from the Okanagan to the Fraser Canyon on Thursday and it ran like a top, right alongside the big boys.

[zoro]

Awesome! Glad to hear it Sheldon! I'll keep an eye open for case covers and plastic! Hey, you can always "Chop & Bob" that baby!

[sheldonbourgeoi]

Just need an ignition cover and the pulsar unit.

The fairing wore through where it slid, small hole. I'll ABS cement it then sand it down, paint. Small nick on the side cover I can touch up and buff. Signal light is $15 from Emgo, mirror is $25 and $15 for a brake lever from motion pro!

And the club I ride with here, a former member has the engine cases I need! He thought they were for the turbo but are not, and he's not far from here "same province anyhow" so that's a bonus. Found a few on ebay anyhow and with shipping cost around $250-$300.

Going to be a bit of work and I may not be on the road this year, but I'll be back riding her and that's all that matters.


Wife says I made the right decision too, because I love that bike more than her! And whatever $$$ I need to get her back to where she was, it's OK with her. No questions, just buy what I need as needed.

Plus my "tire" guy is a certified Harley mechanic and works on Jap bikes too. He has a shop so he's going to rebuild the engine for me, at a labor rate much, much cheaper then the $100 an hour they want here. I'd LOVE to do it myself, but after the move no more garage so I have no area to work on it. I don't care what I have to spend anyhow, I'm spending it.

Chop and Bob you say. Yeah, maybe if I was 20 years old with no clue on how to treat a classic! The thought of it just makes my balls sink into my gut!

[Bill Lowen]

I am happy you decided to fix her and even happier about you not getting hurt.. Although If your wife read the comment about loving the bike more than her.. actually you deserve to get hurt by her!!!

[Geonerd]

Glad to hear you and the bike will ride again!

[kopcicle]

Next step decided..I'm fixing her.

You know where to find me

~kop

[sheldonbourgeoi]

You know where to find me

~kop

Thanx kop.


I'm looking for a machine shop up here that may be able to fix the damage, which ain't as bad as I thought. The body damage ain't too bad, and there is a shop up here that takes a pic of the bike, computer color matches the paint, then loads it into spray bombs so easy touch up.

Used the bars for tie downs taking her home the other day, left bar mount snapped. Was black inside so may have been cracked for some time. So now need to find a left handlebar mount as well.

Here's a pic of the engine case damage.

[07Ninja250]

Dang.....I'm getting a better picture of what crash bars can prevent. I'm glad to hear you're fixing it. I think you're saving yourself from some serious regret later in life.

[peglados]

WoooHooo! Go for it! You followed one of my philosophies: Dress for the crash, not for the ride. Any time you can get up from a crash it's a sign to keep on goin'! Couldn't live without my Gpz's altho' there's always room for another, faster bike when I find it.

[peglados]

I used JB weld to fix my busted cases, then filed and sanded it for a good fit.

[Medina]

WoooHooo! Go for it! You followed one of my philosophies: [COLOR="rgb(0, 0, 0)"]Dress for the crash, not for the ride.[/COLOR]

+1 (million)

[GPZ600R]

Next step decided..I'm fixing her.

You know it makes sense

Keep riding cowboy !!