Kawasaki Z200 with a twist.... would you?

[cat with a hat]

BuzzBravado said:

Surely this isn't right:

https://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/family/kawasaki_z200

4 on the road and 21 SORN'd.

could be wrong or simply under slightly different model names

Good thread, you make it look easy!

[BuzzBravado]

All these parts are one front caliper. Never seen so many parts in a caliper before.



This is the casings after bead blast then glass blasting.



Used an aftermarket fuel filter as the fuel filter built into the petcock was toast and I couldn't get another.

[BuzzBravado]

Now running. My lovely chromed downpipe is blue already

http://vid77.photobucket.com/albums/j63/mj_skinner...

Edited by BuzzBravado on Monday 25th January 10:43

[graham22]

BuzzBravado said:

All these parts are one front caliper. Never seen so many parts in a caliper before.



This is the casings after bead blast then glass blasting.

Makes you understand why cable operated disc brakes did not take off.

[Biker's Nemesis]

Another great restoration, I hope you plan to use it.

[BuzzBravado]

And that is it finished and coated in acf 50. The exhaust is a little louder than I wanted and the carb still needs setup properly. The front brake will take some getting used to. I kept track of costs which was a rediculous amount for a bike like this but I don't mind since I'm keeping it.

A few lessons learned on the way:

1) a project bike with cast wheels and no chrome will be much cheaper, like for like.

2) measure the hub offset before cutting out the hubs with a grinder.

3) second hand parts on eBay described as "mint" never are.






Video:

[BuzzBravado]

Time to dig out the v5 and in doing so found some ancient MOTS. When was the last time you see documents like these:



Also laid out my invoices that built up, and these are just the ones outside of eBay, which is where most of the bits were bought.

[George111]

Looks really great and I bet you feel good about it !

[evil len]

Great work !
C'mon then ... how much did you spend total ?

[BuzzBravado]

Looks to be £1584 but £500 of that was chroming and the bike was free so pretty modest for a restoration but nuts for a z200.

[CaptainSlow]

Fancy selling?

[graham22]

Looking good.

Does it need the gaitors on the forks? Usually a sign of hiding rusty fork legs which, judging by the restoration, isn't the case here - they didn't have them as standard.

[BuzzBravado]

They are hiding the very slightest of pitting but above the used area. You wouldn't notice in the photos but you see it close up. New forks are still available but they are pricey.

[peterg1955]

BuzzBravado said:

Time to dig out the v5 and in doing so found some ancient MOTS. When was the last time you see documents like these:

I saw documents like those last night.... but then I've had the bike from new in 1996 and still have the original purchase receipt from P&H Motorcycles in Gatwick - I actually ordered it when they were still in Crawley town centre!

[BuzzBravado]

Taken it out for its first legal run on the road. All good so far and quite fun in a novelty sort of way. The only issue I have is it jumps back down from 5th gear to 4th on its own if I put it under too much load.

Any ideas why it jumps back down gears?

[WinstonWolf]

Sounds like there's possibly some wear in the selector mechanism. The only way that I can think of diagnosing it involves pulling the clutch side cover to investigate further.

[Gunk]

peterg1955 said:

BuzzBravado said:

Time to dig out the v5 and in doing so found some ancient MOTS. When was the last time you see documents like these:

I saw documents like those last night.... but then I've had the bike from new in 1996 and still have the original purchase receipt from P&H Motorcycles in Gatwick - I actually ordered it when they were still in Crawley town centre!

Same with my 1994 Fireblade, previous owner bought it in 1996, it came with every piece of documentation, original service book and manuals, both original keys, every MOT, and every bill and tax disc is all in a neat folder. I love previous owners like that, you just know they bothered to look after it rather than "no service history as I lost it in the house move"

[Otter Smacker]

Fantastic rebuild, Buzz!


Looks amazing.

[MollyGT3]

Great story - great job - congratulations & I hope you are still enjoying it. Now its my turn to say 'would you?' about another Z200.

I had one back in the early 1980s and it served me well. Very manageable for the slip-of-a-girl that I was at the time and a great reliable commuter bike for my 20 mile B road trip to work. Now I have the chance of another - a low mileage one at that - and I've got all nostalgic about it.

I expect the reality is that I would be daft to go for it as its bound to need all sorts of attention and even if I get it cheap it will probably just absorb money. Then there's all the kit I would have to get again etc. .... so really what I'm saying is my head is saying no but my heart is saying yes.

What do you think? Would you ....?

[MollyGT3]

Further to my post above I would just like to truly, sincerely congratulate the original poster of this thread (who got the bike for free) and tell you all that the two low mileage (sub-1,000 mile) Z200's that went through auction in Herefordshire today both individually made £2,500!! ... sadly too rich for me and I didn't get one after all