What shaft?

Looking at add a big old shaft drive to my SOB collection of one. Wondered
if anyone out there has opinion/experience of a Kawasaki GTR1000?

 

Barge. Cheap, but underpowered barge.
You want a _real_ big old shaftie, try a Z1300 or an older Wing. That will
probably cure you..
Ofcourse you could always get a Guzzi. Much nicer and easier to live with
IME. (not ot mention easier to pick up when you drop the sodding great thing
in your own drive.

JB.

 

Mate of mine had one. Terrible top-end trouble, necessitating new
cylinder head eventually. Dodgy oil feed, afair, but it all worked ok in
the end.

 

Grimly Curmudgeon fumbled, fiddled and fingered:

They suffered the same oil feed pipe problem that plagued the ZX900A
(GPZ900R), ZX1000A (GPZ1000RX) and the ZG1000 (the GTR1000), this caused
rapid wear on cams and followers.

They also suffered the carb icing problems that plagued that generation
of Kawasaki engines.

The build quality is average, with the fairing being a real PITA to
disassemble as there are screws and fasteners everywhere.

The fairing works well enough, if the optional taller screen is fitted,
comfort is also better with the option latter taller handlebar kit.

Fuel tank is a good size and gives good range.

Seat is huge and comfy.

Being based on the GPZ1000RX motor they're not too bad power wise,
although Kawasaki detuned the latter ones, I've only ridden early ones
and they seemed quite quick.

Panniers are nice items, as are the little bungee hooks at the rear. The
dinky carrier under the rear cowl is very small but adequate for a small
tote bag etc.

Hated the fall apart silencers, but then I'd been spoilt by the ugly,
but stainless steel one on my K's Motad did silencers in the n-ETA
range for them.

HTH?


--
Steve Parry
K100RS SE & F650
and a 520i SE Touring for comfort

(not forgetting the SK90PY)

http://www.gwynfryn.co.uk

 

I've owned 'em.

Big, squishy barge of a bike.

The restricted ones are easy to derestrict, but remain underpowered when
fully laden. They can be either very reliable, or, if the oil feed to the
head gets blocked, they can be an expensive nightmare.

Brakes on early models are single piston callipers, and are are only just up
to the job. Later ones had twin pots up front and they are better.

The fairing can become brittle with age and is a bit of a mare when, not if,
when it begins to crack around the mountings.

The front suspension is air assisted, the rear is mainly air with a very
soft spring in there as well. Easy to charge the rear, but you will require
a low pressure gauge for the front.

Heavy, slow steering, but actually handles quite well for what it is. Some
owners complain of high frequency vibes from the balance shaft, but it is
easy to dial them out. Comes equipped with Kawasakis Positive Neutral
Finder. Nice little gizmo, but if the battery, which needs regular topping
up, dies, it makes it a bitch to bump start on your own.

Comfort wise, excellent for both rider and pillion. Some models apparently
have adjustable bars. Mine didn't. Didn't miss it as I found it extremely
comfy as it was.

The panniers are an odd shape but are cavernous. Make sure you get the key!.

Servicing is easy once you have the fairing off, which isn't so easy.

If you go to look at one, check the stanchions for weeping, and while the
vendor isn't looking, pop the dust caps and check for bog roll stuffed atop
the seals. If the bike has single pot callipers, sight along the top of the
pads to make sure the friction material is parallel to the disc. If it
isn't, the calliper carrier is bent and they are very expensive.

Check for excessive cupping on the front tyre. Check the head bearings very
carefully as guess what, they are a right sod to do.

Not much goes wrong at the back. Ask the vendor to show you how to check the
air pressure in the rear suspension unit if it is still running an
original. Check for wear in the linkages. Don't worry about piss poor
damping as the oil is easy to replace.

Notice I've left the engine and exhaust 'till last.

Check the balance pipe for corrosion and bodging, then the headers and
silencers.

The carb heat circuit frequently blocks. Remove the pipe from the filter and
check the filter. It should be cleaned every service. Cheap enough to
replace but if it is badly clogged, the feed pipe may also be clogged and
that is a bugger to clean out. Check for mayo in the coolant. Any sign of
mayo, walk away. Don't even make an offer, just walk.

Now, the engine.....

Check for mayo. There may be a little this time of year but it shouldn't
smell of coolant.

From cold, start it and listen to the top end. Any knocks, and I mean any,
walk away. They do rustle and tinkle when cold like most Japanese fours,
but if it knocks, there is probably an oil feed problem. It shouldn't
knock. If the vendor has run the engine, be suspicious. Blip the engine to
3,000 RPM and then hold at 3,000 RPM. Any knocking on the blip again may
signify oil feed problems. By blipping, the oil pressure doesn't have time
to build. By holding, it has. Now listen again. It should sound silky
smooth. Any slight hunting may simply be down to bad carb balance. Again,
easy to do. If it won't hold or is hunting more than 250+- the diaphragm(s)
may be holed and NRP will become your friend.

Now quickly roll on to 6,000 RPM. It should be instant. It should be smooth.

Let it drop back to tickover and check the oil cooler. It should be -cold-.
It should begin to warm slightly as the radiator warms. If it stays cold,
there could be a blockage. If it heats up quickly, no real bother, just the
thermostat is jammed and the oil may not get hot enough.

Take it for a test ride. Make sure all 6 gears engage and it doesn't drop
out of 2nd or 3rd when the throttle is opened hard.

I really liked all mine. Top cheap barges. I'd have another if I was in need
of a cheap barge of a bike.

HTH

 

Thanks to you and Steve P etc., for the helpful info. Disappointed at the
frequent use of word 'barge' in replies. Think I'll bide my time and look
for a decent XJ900 instead.

 

Sport for Television used to have a fleet of slightly modded Kwak
GT1000's as camera platforms. These bikes did big mileages at motorway
speeds and crawling in low gears. They went well, handled sufficiently
well and suffered no reliability problems. They were on a par with the
BMW K100RT I used for the same job. On balance I would say an 8v K100LT
or RT is the better buy however on reliability, availability and spares.

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, Mark Olson

It remains as one of the few lardy Japanese touring-barge-type thingies
that I have yet to own. I really ought to remedy that.

--
Wicked Uncle Nigel - Podium Placed Ducati Race Engineer as featured in
Performance Bikes and Fast Bikes

WS* GHPOTHUF#24 APOSTLE#14 DLC#1 COFF#20 BOTAFOT#150 HYPO#0(KoTL) IbW#41
SBS#39 OMF#6 Enfield 500 Curry House Racer "The Basmati Rice Burner",
Honda GL1000K2 (On its hols) Kawasaki ZN1300 Voyager "Oh, Oh, It's so big"
Suzuki TS250 "The Africa Single" Yamaha Vmax Honda ST1100 wiv trailer

 

speaking of which, I had a knock to the head over the weekend and now
have an unhealthy craving for a Yamaha GTS1000.

 

as I said - I had a blow to the head. I expect normal (for me) service
will return soon enough.

 

Tell the truth, you read "Bike" and saw the word "cool" attached to
it.

 

What - complete and utter indecision in bike buying?

 

haha. I have decided what bike I'm going to buy next. And I haven't
changed my mind in months!

 

But have you left all the electrical things switched on at home?

 

you won't get me on that tip these days - I don't really have many OCD
symptoms these days.

 

Curse you, rain man.

 

And this amazing purchase will be what exactly? I don't recall reading a
definitive statement.

 

Paul Corfield wrote

Nor will you, not while the wind is from the NW in any event.

 

I did make a vague allusion to it, but basically, Triumph Speed
Triple, in Black.

 

Very nice choice.