New rider coming soon!

[C V Man]

My brother is about to venture into riding soon with his first motorcycle.
(He's ridden some, but has never owned a bike)
It's a 1983 Kawasaki KZ 750 L3

The bike had the misfortune to sit for years (read 9), but the good fortune to be discovered by a friend of mine.
Then he went to work!
Now it's completely operable and rides nice and smooth.
Great fun to cruise around on an older bike!

I've only ridden 6 different bikes before, so after riding this one, I have a question.
It seems to have an odd gyro feel to the front end at low speeds (under 30). Not the normal gyro feel of mag wheels above 30. Seems like a slight resistance to steering effort, much like how a gyro reacts to a change in motion.
I've never felt this before on the other bikes I've ridden.

That's my only issue with the bike, and I think my brother's going to absolutely love owning it. (He's wanted a KZ750 since he was 13!)

If there's anything else you guys can throw in about the bike, I'd be glad to hear it. I don't know much about those older ones.

Oh, and don't say it's too much bike for a newbie. He's currently learning on something else.
Anyway he's 6'7" He needs a 750 just to be comfortable.

C V Man

 

[Tourmeister]

Hmmm... me thinks there is a GS 500 he could have been learning on

 

[C V Man]

And your thinks would be correct.

C V Man

 

[C V Man]

Nobody knows about the gyro thing?

Ok

C V Man

 

[inigo montoya]

Can't help you with the gyro question but wanted to say that I learned on an '83 750 (Honda CB750f). Taught myself putting around neighborhoods for a few weeks. Had plenty of respect for it and never once laid it down. As another big guy you really can need all that room. I'm not as familiar with the Kawasaki but I know my old bike was about 1/2 the speed of most semi modern 600's. It had a pretty forgiving throttle.
Hope he enjoys it, I think an older bike is the perfect way to learn. I sold mine 10 years later for $100 less and it had stopped running

 

[Shortline]

My first ride also was a 750, a 92 CB 750 Nighthawk. Loved that bike, intend to get another one, of the same year, color for pure nostalgia. Gotta love that honda I4, got to be one of the best motors ever made, for reliability/sheer bullet-proofness. Was a great bike to explore Alaska on. Nothing like touring in sunglasses, at 3 am!
TR
El Centro CA
(TX bound in 5 weeks....)

 

[Zapata]

KZ750

Grat choice.....!!! Those engines are bullet proof.....!!!! The KZ750 is the same engine of the ZR-7/ZR-7S.

My engine number starts with: KZ750xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Check this site for more info about the bike:

http://www.kzrider.com

Some history about the engine from the ZR-7.COM website:

=====================================
Here's the "unofficial" history of the
ZR-7 from ZR-7.com contributor D.B. Orr:
In 1976, the KZ650 was born, then it begat the KZ750 in 1980.

and there was much rejoicing...

The KZ750 displaced 738cc (sound familiar)
The sages at Kawasaki then waved the magic horsepower wand in 1982 and made the first GPz750 which was faster than its predecessor due to higher compression and polished intake tracts..

In 1983 the GPz750 gained a single shock with a rising rate
linkage (unitrak).

During this time there were various LTD and CSR models using this mighty motor, as well as the 750 specter that had shaft drive.

The GPz continued on until 1985 or 1986 (I am a little fuzzy on that one) and then Big "K" pulled the plug...

Verily, there was much wailing and hair tearing and the people wept.....

But lo, you can't keep a good bike down...thus was born the
750 zephyr in 1991 and there was again rejoicing.

But alas, the bike was ahead of its time in the U.S. and sadly
ceased to be imported (though it was still sold overseas).

But then happily in 2000, team green saw fit to bring the ZR-7 to the U.S. (overseas, it was 1999).

©2000 - 2003 ZR-7.com
=====================================

 

[C V Man]

No, I am Inigo Montoya!
You killed my father!
Prepare to die!

hehehe

Thanks guys for the info.

We fixed the weird gyro thing.
It was the front headset bearings needing some lube.
So the steering was just stiff enough to cause some resistance and made us overcorrect constantly.
hehehe

Rides fine now!

He picked it up yesterday and rode it around quite a bit today.
Got it inspected, cruised some back roads, stuff like that.
Great fun.

Shortline:
What were you doing in Alaska? Military?
I was there from 93 to 96... served my sentence!
You had a bike while you were there?
People must have thought you were rich.
Any time you drove a "Summer only" vehicle there, people thought you were rich.

C V Man

 

[Shortline]

I was did 8 years in the Air Force, flew as a loadmaster on Herks out of Elmendorf. Wasn't rich, but the flight pay paid the payment on the Nighthawk! And, believe it or not, I also had a Yammaha waveraider. I was all about playing, come summer time. Spent nearly all my summer free time on Big Lake, or on the roads riding. Man, those frost heaves were rough on a new rider! I was up there same time, basically as you. 93-97. Loved it, should have never left, but the wife (now ex) wanted to see Eurpope, so off to Germany we went. Can't complain, it gavce me the chance to ride in 5 countries. But, someday, I may just point the bike north, and not come back!

By the way, what do you mean summer only vehicle???? Didnt you ever ride any of the winter rides? Toys for tots? Nothing? Long as the rodes were clean (and, as you know, they were pretty good about that when possible) I would occasionally take a spin. Record snows winter of 96/97 cancelled most winter rides, but, the roads were clean, for the toy run december 95....though, riding a nighthawk at 15 below, is not exactly for the faint of heart! (and, not much fun, to be honest!)

Shortline:
What were you doing in Alaska? Military?
I was there from 93 to 96... served my sentence!
You had a bike while you were there?
People must have thought you were rich.
Any time you drove a "Summer only" vehicle there, people thought you were rich.

C V Man

 

[C V Man]

Oddly enough...

At that point in my life, I hadn't started riding yet.
Too much snow for me up there (I'm a native Texan).
Felt like I was in prison most of the time I lived there.
I did buy a Mazda Miata while I was there, and got heckled all the time.
Maybe it was because I was young, and I was cruising in a $15,000 car (bought it slightly used) (8400 miles on it) that was only good for 3 months out of the year.
I got really tired of shovelling snow to go somewhere I didn't really care to be (work).
I was an F-15 avionics back-shop guy, also stationed at Elmendork. Had the comfort of a controlled environment, but some windows would have been nice.
Overall, I think the place is really pretty, but I would have rather just stopped in for a visit (too much snow). We had two 4 wheel drive vehicles, a Jeep Wrangler, and a Suzuki Samurai, so getting around was ok. 4-wheelin' in the snow was fun, but it WAS a little cold. Ended up selling the Samurai and driving the Jeep back to Texas. 3800 mile road trip! Now THAT'S something I'd do again!

By the way, my wife is now also my ex... ...What's with that?
I sure miss her...
...The Samurai, not the wife!!!!

C V Man