The Famous Kawasaki GPz900R

In the 1980s was all about power and speed. British motorcycles are pretty much faded from scene having been overtaken by the innovation and design of the Japanese manufacturers.

It was the 1968 Honda CB750 that really broke the mould as far as bikes went, taking the Japanese motorcycle industry away from the light and middleweight market and up into the heavyweight section. The British motorcycle industry, consisting at the time mainly of Triumph and BSA had underestimated the Japanese competitors by assuming that they would never dare take them on in the 500 cc plus market.

By the time the Kawasaki GPz900 came into the market, Honda had built up a huge reputation for power and innovation having already produced the VF750F which not only saw the introduction of its V4 engine and over 85 brake horsepower, it was also one of the first Japanese machines that was capable of doing more than simply travelling in a straight line, i.e. it could handle.

In recent years, Kawasaki have developed a reputation for developing powerful bikes, a reputation that back in the 80s had not yet been formed. It could be suggested that the big change occurred in 1981 with the launch of the GPz1100. Kawasaki were clever here, there was nothing particularly special about it is 1100 cc eight valve engine, but ensure performance terms it completely annihilated the competition and then Kawasaki built on this in 1984 with the introduction of the GPz900R.

Recently I was looking at these two bikes standing in a showroom side-by-side and in the same red colour. The bikes look almost identical, and although the rear tyres are somewhat thinner than you expect on the equivalent machine today, they still looked pretty cool.

Of the two however, it was the GPz900R ever became a true classic, with Kawasaki continuing to make them for 15 years. It saw off the two models it was intended to replace, namely the GPz1000RX and the ZX-10, both of which were discontinued before the GPz900R.

Powered by a liquid cooled four-cylinder 16 valve engine, a the bike achieves a sub 11 second standing quarter at Laguna Seca when the bike was launched, and hid in excess of 150 mph on the track. However, the speed wasn't simply confined to the straights, and despite having what many other manufacturers considered to be an outdated tubular steel spine frame, the GPz900R was one of the first bikes that could combine both power and handling, which was actually part of the original design brief.

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Best on Buying Your New Kawasaki Motorcycle

Kawasaki is among the biggest and most popular producers of motorcycles world wide. Because of its great quality and streamlined design, millions of motorcycle riders opt to buy Kawasaki. If you have decided to by your own Kawasaki motorcycle, you might benefit reading on for some of these useful buying tips.

When buying a Kawasaki motorcycle you should carefully scrutinize the following:

1. Seat Height – you want to make sure that the seat height of your Kawasaki motorcycle is right for you. Obviously, shorter riders would need shorter motorcycles, and tall riders would need taller bikes. Be sure that the seat height is just right for you.

2. Balance – different motorcycle models in each make, including Kawasaki, differ in balance. You need to find a unit that has the appropriate gravitational center for you to balance it well. A good measure of right balance would be trying to balance the motorcycle with your feet flat on the floor and your hands away from the bars. Just do this with somebody around to make sure you don't tumble.

3. Motorcycle Weight – you should check if the Kawasaki motorcycle has just the right weight for you. You should be able to pick it up without help. It shouldn't be so heavy that you can't balance it while waiting for the traffic light to go green.

4. Motorcycle Features – While Kawasaki motorcycles have similar features, each model might be different from the other. You have to check everything from the size of the gas tank, the styling, the looks, engine size and so on. You want to make sure that the Kawasaki motorcycle model you get is one that suits your needs.

Now these are just the things you should look for the Kawasaki motorcycle itself. You should also be aware of the dealership. See if the dealership is concerned about you or if they just want to get your money as soon as possible. They should watch out for your safety and be able to suggest the right type of motorcycle for you to buy. You would also want the sales staff to be knowledgeable about riding. You can only trust one who at least knows how to ride a motorcycle.

Perhaps the best tip for you when buying your Kawasaki motorcycle is to try it out. Don't buy the bike without even sitting on it. Insist on testing it to make sure that it is the right motorcycle for you.

Kawasaki motorcycles are known to be among the best. But you need to be sure that you are indeed getting the best you need to check it out carefully.