GPZ 900R HISTORY + New ENGINE - Retro Kawasaki Rescue #3
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- čas přidán 5. 03. 2020
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Patreon: / d4a
Today we're picking up a new old engine for my GPZ 750R. After researching I decided that my rusted up engine in my 750R isn't a good starting point for this rebuild/restoration/rescue. Luckily I managed to find a used GPZ 900R engine locally and today we're going to pick it up. Along the way I will show you a bit of Bosnian roads and scenery and tell you about the history of the GPZ 900R.
The GPZ 900 R was first unveiled to the public in December of 1983. It laid the ground for modern sportbikes and changed the meaning of the word "sport bike" forever. Kawasaki needed a successor for it's Legendary Z1 motorcycle and after trying many different options and setups they settled for an inline four cylinder engine, but not just any inline four, it was the world's first liquid cooled dual overhead camshaft inline four cylinder engine mounted to a motorcycle.
The revolutionary engine was mounted very low in the frame thanks to the fact that it was a stressed member. This enabled the complete removal of the down-tubes (under engine sub-frame) the made the GPZ 900 R narrower, lighter and gave it a low center of gravity. This coupled with the fact that the engine output 115 hp (big power for the time) meant that the Kawasaki GPZ 900R was the first bike ever to break the 150 mph top speed barrier.
Only 6 months after the GPZ 900R was unveiled, Kawasaki entered three of the bikes in the Isle of Man Production TT race. They managed to take first and second place.
When it comes to the frame and suspension of the GPZ 900R things are less revolutionary than in the engine department. In the front we have a telescopic fork with Kawasaki's anti-dive (AVDS) system. It works and it's ok but it's pretty absolute compared to modern suspensions. In the rear we have Kawasaki's single damper Uni-Trak and the frame is a conventional steel frame. The Kawasaki GPZ 900R is also fairly heavy with a dry weight of 228 kg. The braking is also obsolete compared to modern bikes so this definitely isn't a beginner friendly bike. And I'm definitely a beginner. What am I doing here? Oh well, I'll be careful.
As you probably know the GPZ 900R is also a pop culture icon thanks to the movie top-gun. Tom Cruise playing Maverick rides a GPZ 900R is several memorable scenes of the movie.
A GPZ 900R was also owned and very much loved by alternative rock legend Lou Reed who even immortalized it in the lyrics of the song "New Sensations" from his album "Legendary hearts"
A very special thank you to my Patron:
Daniel
/ d4a - Auta a dopravní prostředky
Canadian here . bought an A1 brand new in '84 when I was in my my mid 20's. I just bought another A1 (900 ninja) a couple years ago, installed a 4 into1 Yoshimura pipe and custom fabricated my own airbox to make jetting changes easier. I love the styling ,the smooth ride,aggresive engine sound and reasonable riding posture. No way the current sport bikes have that charisma
Hello! I'm Hungarian. I have a TDM900. Bosnia and Herzegovina is a very very beautiful and cozy country. I have ridden motorcycles there several times.
I really like your videos, all my appreciation!
This series is awesome
Word of advice from a GPZ900r owner: Make sure you can get to the thermostat, parts hard to find, WORSE, bolts can rust and break! And how awesome would an icon engine series be for motorcycles!!!
Maybe I should replace the thermostat while the engine is still out?
@@d4a If you can get the parts, absolutely! Here in the US, it's hard to find parts for the bike. I'm currently restoring an 84 gpz900.
@@d4a override the thermostat, they only issue you will have is a slower warm up
Yes, an ASMR-style rebuild video would be fantastic!
Enjoyed the scenery, like road trips
Dude that area you went to get the motor looked great! I now I wanna go visit Bosnia!
You should visit, it's a fun place. Definitely not mainstream tourism yet, but there's things to see. This was near a place called Grude in Herzegovina.
That's even better!!! I hate touristy places. And your from their and that's more than enough of a good reason to visit your country!!!
@@johnlewis8156 The balkans really needs more guys like him
Loving the restoration so far! Just bought an '85 GPZ900R A2 as a nearly finished project but still needs some work. Carb rebuild video would be awesome! Visited neighbouring Croatia 2 years ago for a sailing holiday, loved the people and the fact it wasn't too touristy. Will definitely visit again, maybe on the GPZ this time :-)
Nice! Loved this bike when it was around. I couldn’t afford it, but it was it was always a dream to aspire to. Now the H2 series is the new counterpart.
My Kawasaki GPz900R (1985-Ninja-blue-grey) with a short open Yoshimura pipe (was my 1st bike).. is until now..still the best sounding motorcycle i've ever heard in my life...and I had many motorcycles..a few Suzuki GSX1100R's ,Suzuki GSX1000R K8 and the Suzuki B-King with open Bodis exhaust..
Nice road trip. Great buy
The early GPZ900/750 had a problem with the rubber seal from the carb to the inlet twisting and upsetting the airflow, the later models have a locating tab on the carb to try and stop the problem. Just thought it may help.
Really enjoy your channel! Keep up the amazing work
I need D4A stickers. I sold my old race trailer and got a lighter one so I can pull it behind the wife's X5. But now it has no stickers!
I set up a merch shelf for my channel with stickers available. It should be automatically showing up next to my videos. Is it? If not I just put up a link in the description. Thank you for your interest and support ☺️
I didn't say I wanted to PAY for them. At least not until we get another Sexy Masonry video. Don't think I've ever laughed so much.
I think the last one I got cost me almost $20 with exchange rate and shipping to Australia. Sucks living on an island.
I am in the market for one of these atm, there is a project one nearby but thanks to covid restrictions I cant look at it for another week. I picked up a 900 engine a month ago for cheap intended to put in an offroad buggy but it gave me the motorbike cravings so here I am! Its a sick bike and the same era as my A70 and your Mr2 and maybe my to-be-swapped-4a-mini!
in fact come to think of it, the reason the GPZ900 engine looked so familiar to me was probably because I watched your content on it last year, you did this to me!!!!
Love you contents. Keep up the good work.
Yes, please do a carb rebuild and some explaination on carbs. My 1995 bmw f650 won't run. The mikuni carbs are to blame. Nobody else would explain it with the same spirit and detail.
Thank you. I do have an old carb explanation video: czcams.com/video/MA3h7qNVQFo/video.html but I could probably do a better one now, hmmmm
Good to see your project moving ahead. How about doing a series of videos on great bike engines like you did with car engines?
Svaka cast na kanalu,nisam znao da si sa nasih prostora,samo tako nastavi brate,zelim ti svu srecu sa kanalom. Uzivam da gledam tvoje klipove. Znam da se bavis uglavnom motorima ali da li bi mogao da napravis jedan video o e30 ix modelu,to mi je prvi auto i jako,ke redak,mislim da bi bilo zanimljivo jer nema takvih snimaka. Puno pozdrava iz srbije i samo tako nastavi. Svaka cast🤘
Take my breath away~
You can still get new parts from 🇯🇵 for the gpz900r. I got my 1984 gpz900r for $300 U.S. Trying to get it ready for summer.
ski81r do you have a link for this website in Japan? Thanks
@@MrJensDidriksen japan.webike.net/
I knew I had a good reason I subscribed
I love kawasaki I use to have a zx9R 1999-00
Did you finish the project? I want to know how the swap went! Don't leave us hanging! Some of us guys are car guys AND motorcycle guys! (I have a Mustang GT for a car, and four motorcycles: Yamaha FJR1300, a Kawasaki KLX300, a Duke 390, and a brand new SV650)
Top Gun bike😁
There is only one better bike from Kawa the Z1 mad max.
Greetings from Tuzla🇧🇦
odakl si broo 🤘
This is the bike in Top Gun, but it was lowered cuz Tom Cruise is short
How is this project progressing ?
Wrong. Honda CBX 6 cylinder topped 150 mph in 1977~78 and Vincent did it in 1950's. The picture of Rollie free in swim trunks is pretty famous. Suzuki GSX-R750 was on sale before the Kawasaki
Where can i buy this nice two engines Aygo? 183 HP should really be fun in this light car, ain't it? Great scenery, nice video, i really do enjoy your channel. Keep it this way ;) !
The hilarious thing is that the Aygo has twice the wheels but half the hp compared to the bike 😂
@@d4a 🙂 If you've got a little bit of time here's the link about my AE82 GT restoration ► www.japancar.fr/forum/Sujet-AE82-Corolla-GT-Twin-Cam-Black-Edition-Mise-a-jour-Page-1. You're welcome on the forum 😉 !
what was up with the 750 then why could you not turn over engine
hey, do you know Luka from Split ? Send him greetings from me, if you meet him. And I agree it is kawasaki and the rest of the world, or better said kawasaki ninja and the rest
maby you should buy a slower bike for a while :P
i honestly thought you are an american😅
Yeah, many people think I am. I've never even been to the USA 😂 but Americans can tell that I have an accent.