Zephyr?

[weeksy]

I find it hard to get excited about older bikes, i really do. Unless they're older and classier. Old Japanese things like this, well i look at it and think "heavy this, rubbish that, slow the other"

I'm sure it'd ride OK, if you want a bike to go to the shops on....

THat seat does look particularly uncomfortable though.

I know it's all a bit of a weird answer considering i've got a new bike pretending to be an old bike

[weeksy]

They don't seem very expensive, you're right there yes.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1991-Zephyr- ... Swf3Zf9xfu

[Rockburner]

They're a "faux" Z, and probably the earliest "retro" as we currently understand the term.

Nothing wrong with them, classy styling with (at the time) relatively modern (if not top end) handling. Good road bikes.

Don't like that green one much, it looks unfinished.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

The 550 and 750 are good bikes as they have the original 550/650/750 Z engine, the 1100 is an overweight tub of lard, the engine is fantastically heavy (I've picked one up with a friend) the older Z900/GPZ1100 engine is better and lighter

[Skub]

They've always left me feeling indifferent too,it's almost as if Kawasaki built a Honda.

Cheap and a good platform for a custom,so they have that going for them.

[Asian Boss]

They're a "faux" Z, and probably the earliest "retro" as we currently understand the term.

Nothing wrong with them, classy styling with (at the time) relatively modern (if not top end) handling. Good road bikes.

Don't like that green one much, it looks unfinished.

Yes, that.

Zeds were authentic and from memory a bit lairy. Zeryrs were mild imitations. Also IMO their reproduction styling has not dated as well as the originals.

[Asian Boss]

The 1100 has a reputation for gearbox failures and camshaft pitting. Its basically a ZZR motor, some ZZR1100s have had big end failures too.

From memory I thought it was an air cooled 8 valve engine and based on the GPz1100. I could be wrong. Maybe they all have a lot in common.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

The 1100 has a reputation for gearbox failures and camshaft pitting. Its basically a ZZR motor, some ZZR1100s have had big end failures too.

From memory I thought it was an air cooled 8 valve engine and based on the GPz1100. I could be wrong. Maybe they all have a lot in common.

As far as I know the 1100 engine is entirely built for the Zephyr, it's not like an air cooled GPZ1100 as it has a plain bearing crank and not a roller bearing crank like the older bikes, it is an air cooled, 8 valve, twin plug engine, the head won't fit on an roller bearing engine, the cylinder spacing is different and the studs are in different places. The cam chain is in the centre, I think ZZRs have it on the left hand of the crank. Zephyr 1100s are also prone to big end failure, the one I saw had done this and I was looking at the head to see if it would fit on a roller bearing engine.

The one I looked at had a piston circlip in the bottom of the sump and a ton of instant gasket, so someone had the top end off at some point and did a really shit job.

[Bigjawa]

The reason Zephyrs never really took off, is that when they were launched, there was still plenty of old Zs still knocking about and because they hadn't reached classic status, they were just cheap as chips UJMs.

They were also slow, a Z550 would murder a 550 Zephyr in a traffic light GP.

[ogri]

Looked ok at the time, but every example i saw on the roads were rust-pits, probably why they disappeared fairly soon?

[Taipan]

The Zehpyrs are to Zeds what the Gladys is to SVs! But as this proves, when you've an engine in a frame you can change things to look better. Nice job I'd say!

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

If anyone wants a really nice 750 Zephyr I know someone who is selling one for a very reasonable price, pm me if your interested and I'll let you have some contact details, the bike is in Colchester.

[Rockburner]

They don't seem very expensive, you're right there yes.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1991-Zephyr- ... Swf3Zf9xfu

I'm almost tempted by that.
I still have the Shoei Mirthcycle fairing.

But it'd be a rusty heap after 6 months with me.

[Supermofo]

I like Zephyrs, bit harder to justify wanting one now Kwak make the Z900RS which is even nicer and a lot faster/better handling. Not as cheap as a Zephyr though.
I did consider one as a 2nd bike to build into a better looking copy of a Z but never got round to it. I've seen some really nice Zephyr specials though, mainly around the 750 lump.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

I seriously looked at buying a Z900RS, but there's something not quite "there" for me about them, I bet they're quick and handle well though

[Asian Boss]

I suspect the Z900RS may be dead wee and nesh while the old Zephyr could be a bit bigger.

[Skub]

The one I looked at had a piston circlip in the bottom of the sump and a ton of instant gasket, so someone had the top end off at some point and did a really shit job.

A lot of those big Zeds (900R ZZR1100) had a gauze filter over the pickup point for the oil pump,over time and especially those fond of using gasket goo,this filter became clogged. Usually the pump could suck enough oil to do at moderate speeds,but when the numbers crept up,then the engine let go.

Back then when I bought a bike,one of the first jobs I did was drop the sump and have a look. I caught my 900R just in time,it was well on the way to going pop.

There used to be a shop (Oxford Motorcycles?) who did a replacement/modded sump pan with an inspection plug,so you could check the filter without removing the sump. I made my own by stealing their idea. The plug was a Kawasaki part.

[Supermofo]

I suspect the Z900RS may be dead wee and nesh while the old Zephyr could be a bit bigger.

I like the look of the RS, but for my next bike I'd probably get the Z9, dunno why maybe cos the Z9 is just trying to be a streetbike rather than a retro so maybe a more pure experience. Not that any of that might be true Plus the Z can be had for less dosh.

I did also worry that the RS might be a big bike and unwieldy, but seeing one at Finchingfield in the autumn they are much smaller than I expected. Really compact and low, not like an old Z at all except in style. Which has made me think twice about them...a bit. Cos they look lovely

[Skub]

I like the look of the RS, but for my next bike I'd probably get the Z9, dunno why maybe cos the Z9 is just trying to be a streetbike rather than a retro so maybe a more pure experience. Not that any of that might be true Plus the Z can be had for less dosh.

I did also worry that the RS might be a big bike and unwieldy, but seeing one at Finchingfield in the autumn they are much smaller than I expected. Really compact and low, not like an old Z at all except in style. Which has made me think twice about them...a bit. Cos they look lovely

Try before you buy. I haven't ridden one myself,but several people have told me although they prefer the looks of the RS the Z1000 rides/handles a lot better.

[bevvo]

If its a choice between a transformer and a psuedo-retro - I'll go with the fake antique every time.