Awesome bikes. I owned 2 of them. 1 was all stock I rode ofton on the street. The other was a full blown drag bike that got me into the 8 second 1/4 mile. It had an 880 kit, Mr turbo work, orient head and cams and several other bits. Yours is an extremely beautiful example. Ride it like you stole it!
That's exactly how it was ridden Gary, hence the reason for all the chassis upgrades -- a feeble attempt at making the GPZ-T handle as well as it accelerated. It helped, but these machines, especially with mods, will always have more engine than the rest of the bike can handle!
My old friend owned one of these awsome bikes. Our greatest memories of it is when i was riding pillion and we raced a GPZ 900 Ninja on the Northbound M6 motorway on the way to Manchester. The Ninja had a single rider but he could not shake us off, my friend Sean who was from Manchester moved his head over to one side so that i could look at the speedo, i saw it read 140MPH before i had to duck down behind him so the wind did not blow me off the back. I will always remember doing 140MPH pillion. We also raced a Porche 911 and completly wasted it, Sean was behind it at 100MPH and flashed his high beam to pass, the Porche moved over & Sean dropped a gear and gave it full throttle, it was like the Porche had deployed a parachute as we flew passed it. The acceleration of that bike from a ton up was unreal. The porche caught up with us on the exit slip road and pulled up beside us in the queue, wound his window down and said that just he could not keep up with us ! none of us said a word, i just pointed at the word TURBO on the side of the bike ; )
I had an 1985 ZX750E2 turbo for 7 years. Bought it as a new leftover in 1987, put 120k miles on it in Phoenix, mostly city miles. It was my only vehicle for those years. Loved it. Still have dreams about it. We were buddies like no other vehicle I've owned. LOL. Lots of stories. Never had a single issue with it ever.
@@YourKeysPlease I was a courier in Phoenix for a few years on it; put 950 miles on it the first week I owned it. I was really good about service intervals. The only mechanical issue I ever had was that the rubber clamp holding the FI unit in the tail section broke and the unit bounced around in there until it failed, so I wouldn't really call that a mechanical failure per se. I picked up a replacement for $50. I went through countless tires, chains, although I only replaced the clutch once (at 20k). Started every time, never even smoked. Just a perfect bike. I ended up selling it to a guy at Motorcycle Mechanics Institute for $1500. Bought it new for $3500. It was either that or a Yamaha Radian and the smart money was on the Yamaha. But I never once regretted my choice. So many stories about that bike....
Crazy irony -- prior to acquiring the GPZ-T we also had an '86 900 (sadly no video of it)... they were VERY rare that year since the 1000R also debuted in 1986 and everyone wanted the new one... got ours for a song! Thanks Simon, appreciate the memories friend!
That;s one beautiful bike, the 80s Kawasaki bikes were in my view some of the most beautiful ever made. Not just an awesome sportsbike, but you could take your girlfriend on the back and she wouldn't be crying in pain after 2 miles. You could load it up with throwovers and a tank bag and tour a country without crying in pain yourself. Proper bikes.
You nailed it James... there's a reason why machines from this era keep going up, Up, UP in value... all-day comfort, relative simplicity, and the reliability of an anvil... what more could anyone ask?
great vid, thanks... yep, if you dont remove the internal baffles they'll end up getting blown out anyway.... 3 issues i had with my Z750 Turbo was smallish fuel tank for thirsty engine at high speed and with no electric oil pump to the turbo you do not want to run out of fuel. turbo torque seemed to wear out soft back tyres quicker but harder tyres would slip, and chain and sprocket wear was something to constantly watch for... all these things were related to my heavy wrist coz it was a bike that was made for some abuse... apart from that the bike was awesome. real good for 200kph cruising.
I can remember riding mine in on a cool spring morning and you couldn’t keep the front wheel down until 3 gear with that cool dense air. The only down side of that bike was the weight!
Has been on dyno ? Mine made 117 rwhp with 22 pounds boost, aftermarket exhaust, modified fuel system etc. And even then was not getting enough fuel for more power. Sold it in 1988. Was a fun bike, when the boost kicked in felt like warp speed for the era.
Yes, it was on a Dynojet 200 and made 141.8HP to the wheel. As mentioned throughout the video it took many mods to get to that level. Appreciate your comment -- warp speed indeed!
I had a good mate who owned one of these years ago. Sadly he's no longer with us, the big "C" got him. I miss him. When he bought the bike second-hand it had a few issues, one by one he got them sorted out, and enjoyed several months of trouble free running. I owned a car with an somewhat crude home-made after market turbo setup on it (Holden Gemini - I'm in Australia) and we both learned a lot about turbocharging during that time. Then one day a car pulled out in front of him at an intersection and he had to lay the bike over to try and avoid her - unsuccessfully. When he and the sliding bike hit the car the left footrest went through his ankle and destroyed it, and sadly the bike was destroyed also. He organised to buy the wreck back from the insurance company. Two rounds of surgery and two years later he wanted to rebuild the 750 turbo - he searched long and hard for another one to build one good bike out of two, but there were none to be had. He eventually bought a GPZ 1100. Soon after he said he preferred the 1100 - it was a different prospect to the 750 Turbo for sure, a lot more comfortable on long trips and much less twitchy. It pulled almost as hard but was a lot less fussed at highway speeds, and a lot easier to get parts for as it wasn't a rare bike. When he was first diagnosed with cancer he and his wife decided to sell the 1100 (which he'd had for over a decade at that point). Even though I don't ride I sometimes wish I'd bought that bike. I hope it went to a good home and is still cruising the roads somewhere. I have no idea what happened to the 750 Turbo wreck - last time I saw his wife I asked her if she knew and she did not. Pity - it may well have been re-build-able, but we'll never know now.
They're out there Matt... and the way the prices have been escalating the last few years, selling a kidney might be the only way to afford one. We let ours go WAYYYY too cheap!
If you'd like to up the boost pressure anything beyond stock, at least 93+ octane. 100 octane low-lead aviation fuel is also a good choice if you're going for big boost. The intense heat of AZ won't help -- turbos love cool, dense air to avoid detonation and make big power. Hope this helps!
@@YourKeysPlease thats exactly what my father did. He worked on a private airport at the time. Ran aviation fuel often. Substantially higher boost, and a nice bov
@@YourKeysPlease Thank you. Yeah I don't ride her in the Summer out here. I guess it's like the boys in the Midwest not riding in the winter! 111 yesterday and 110 today in Scottsdale.
That is one special bike and looking fantastic! Would love to own one of these turbo versions someday. I'm currently restoring the motor and forks of my old GPZ750, which looks nothing like original anymore, it's more or less a ratbike.
Thanks Hapklaar -- if you ever have a chance to grab a turbo... do it. Btw, owned many a 'ratbike' over the years, believe me. Hope to get a few up on the channel soon!
Thanks for the comment Mark. We also had a Red, White 'n Blue '86 900 Ninja (final year) prior to the 750 Turbo... all the Kawi's from that era are really great bikes!
I had a 1986 GPZ 1000RX when I was 21 after owning a Suzuki 250 X7 and passing my test only eleven months earlier.Some beast that was in comparison. Quick in a straight line but handled like a tank even with early Michelin radials and a steering damper. My Cousin had a 1985 GPZ 600R great handling but not maybe enough power. Great era for bikes, I just wish I had kept mine. Also once rode a GPZ900R with the RX motor. Great handling and just as quick. Luckliy my mate worked at a bike shop so he would borrow the bikes and let me take them out for a test run, not that his boss knew. Rode a GPX750 and a Honda VFR750 from the shop but they were nowhere near as exciting as the GPZ's I had ridden before. The only bikes that were anywhere near as good were a GSXR1100 and a FZR1000 genesis.
That 10.71 time was on a pre-production GPZ-T prototype that was surely a 'tweaked' factory ringer to generate great press before the worldwide release of the bike... oh, and Gleason weighed about 90 lbs. soaking wet with his Bell helmet on... 😁
Hey Wayne, thanks for the compliments. Considering the substantial weight and the fact it's now more than 35 years old (hard to believe it's been that long -- ugh!), the turbo will definitely still run with many current machines. From our perspective though, the new stuff has no 'soul', everything is refined to the point of boredom. In our opinion, older machines like the GPZ simply ooze character and are very engaging to ride and own. Bonus -- they're also continually going up in value as we head toward an electrified future. Appreciate your comment!
This bike was capable of 170hp with minor mods done in 2 hours for free put computer in race mode,dfi.mod ,with a drill and Philips head ,waste gate threads in punched to make adjustable, strong hose clamps for extra boost.plus 110 octane fuel.
You're correct Jon. Our computer was in race mode, had an aftermarket Garrett turbo unit with an adjustable wastegate, heavy-duty clamps throughout the intake, upgraded thicker engine mount bolts (important when you start making big power), and on 94-octane Sunoco pump gas made 141.8HP to the rear wheel on a Dynojet model 200... this works out to roughly 175HP at the crank. Appreciate your comment, thanks!
I caught at the end 630 chain and sprockets, put a modern 520 O ring conversion on it I reckon you would get another 5hp, plus less wear and tear on sprockets. Lovely bike, I raced a GPZ 750 in the 80's, great motor, but had gearbox issues.
That's true Sean, fitting a lighter 520-kit certainly would've liberated a few extra ponies, but for reliability (and the original 630 set was still in such great shape thanks to regular lubrication and adjustment) we left it alone. Incidentally, you mentioned the gearbox -- if memory serves the turbo's had a strengthened 5-speed box not shared with any other Kawi's. Hammered ours year after year, shifted like hot butter and never needed anything but one set of OEM clutch plates. Appreciate your comment!
Kawasaki was the last to release a turbo (1984), and in typical Kawi fashion... after seeing what the competition had to offer, they released the biggest, baddest, fastest one of them all. Ridiculous? Perhaps. More fun than it should be legal to have with your clothes on? Without question. Ask anyone who's owned (or ridden) one. Appreciate your comment!
Love this! I had an 83 GPz 750. Same motor, chassis, fairing.... Just a lot less power without the turbo. In fact, as I sit here looking at this beautiful piece, you are showing the crank cover. This is all I have left of my ol' bike. Except it's a bit, well, broken. Had me a little low-speed, cold tire high-side.
Not the same sprockets ,transmission shafts are larger, its fuel injected, the chain is larger.it as a sealed aluminum intake plenum. The list goes on as the motor was built for turbo charging. I have 2 of these machines . I will be putting a gpz frame with title on eBay this summer 1984 .
Gorgeous bike!! Always wanted one! I had a 86’ Ninja 600R in the same colors. Sold it due to it being a tank slapper. I’m guessing that fork brace you installed was to also help the handling?
Your guess is spot-on David. Most of the mods performed were aimed at bringing the handling up to par with that mega-monster of an engine. Even with the Works shock, fork brace, rebuilt forks with Progressive springs, thicker mount bolts, etc. etc. you'd never mistake the handling for a new ZX-10R, but it wasn't bad. Hard to get around the laws of physics, and 540lbs. will always prefer a straight line over a curve.
I put my Kryptonite Lock Right through the Engine ..goes through Perfectly...I owned an 85...sold it to Burbank Kawasaki for 6500 with 34,000 Miles...I still regret it now...🏍🏍🏍🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 😥😫
We'd second that notion Michael and go so far as to say they're GREAT motorcycles, shame they're so hard to find (and costly) these days -- appreciate the comment!
Cool bike.... What model garrett turbo did you use? I'm restoring a turbo at the moment that came without a turbocharger unit and can't find an original hitachi unit.
Hi Martin, the Garrett was available at the time through Mr. Turbo which at the time was owned by Terry Kizer and operated out of TX. It was rated for up to 30psi on the GPZ. You might try reaching out to them as they seem to still be in biz. It's also possible your original Hitachi could be rebuilt with new bushings and seals if you care about originality. Hope this helps and thanks for your comment!
Couriered on a nearly new Kawa.750 turbo '84, no bike Kawasaki for 27 years, March 19 got a 05 Bandit 650 inj. Wow 58, 59 times more biking joy than the turbo, although enjoyed my nearly new Kawa. GT750 shaft drive, all round, more than the turbo, which was SPLENDID for High speed planted travel. Alas now a HOPEFULLY only, semi retired Banditateer BANDITLESS CRAZY MAD Banditaholic, ruined for any other bike, and I ain't even lying.
@@YourKeysPlease 20, 21 months of Blessed Bandit Time Times,, NOW a Banditless Crazy Mad Banditateer fekkin Banditaholic ruined for any other bike, Bandits the Best bike Ever.
@@YourKeysPlease Was... Past tense, a BIKING TREAT, better than ever, and I had Countless Biking BLISS, JOY rides on my favourite Kawasakis GT 750 shaft drive, and 750 turbo. So over planted high speed travel ???, As my PhD Masters Degree in Bandit Torque Enjoyment only, nothing technical, taught me ?, All about the Acceleration. My late beloved 05 Bandit GSF 650 inj., one very careful cautious owner, who basically ran it in for 15,000 miles ?. Swear it felt like an industrial catapult fired it off, totally upright PROPELLED forward, arms limp, body slouched ALL, ALL at the back wheel. Called it a Perfect Storm of Acceleration, Defies Logic. Oh BANDITS BANDITS BANDITS, BANDITS ARE THE BEST BIKES EVER, and I'm not even lying. Yours truly Scott Loch. Na, Professor Bandit B.T.E. Torque Enjoyment only, out.
The intake temp at 22psi without an intercooler was certainly HOT... very hot... too hot! It was on the ragged edge of severe detonation. Definitely would've benefitted from more octane.
Hello Prokopis, thanks for the question. Wish I had an easy answer, but Mr. Turbo who used to sell the Garrett seems to be out of biz now. Measuring the stock Hitachi HT-10B turbo and slightly upsizing to a modern one (ball-bearing units spool noticeably quicker than old bushing turbos, for example) shouldn't be all that difficult. The power gain will be VERY noticeable. Make sure you have proper fueling to match the boost level -- turbos hate detonation. Hope this helps!
@@YourKeysPlease , hello. I am now restoring one and want to put a good tc to work at good psi range. I read GT 20 is a good choice but GT 20 has many types and nobody clarifies exact type to use
@@MrProcopis Speak to a turbo specialist who will be familiar with the various specs (impeller and housing sizing is critical) and can spec the best one for the GPZ. Aftermarket units may require some custom piping for a perfect fit. Good luck with the resto -- love to see a vid of it here!
@@MrProcopis Get ahold of Charlie at Evergreen Turbo in Ocala Florida. He is the man when it comes to the turbo for these bikes. Get on 750turbo.com and you'll find answers to a lot of your questions
That isn't making anywhere close to 175 horsepower with stock exhaust. 120 maybe, they made around 100 rear wheel horse power give or take a bit, about like a 900 Ninja
Sorry to have to disagree, but the 175hp at the crankshaft is very real. As clearly stated in the video, our GPZ isn't stock. The mods included a larger Garrett turbocharger with an adjustable wastegate, ECU in race mode, elimination of the restrictive stock air intake (K&N directly on the turbo inlet), stainless clamps throughout to prevent high pressure boost leaks, etc. At 20psi it made 142hp to the rear wheel which factoring customary driveline losses equates to 175 or so at the crank. Btw, what appears to be the stock exhaust are really just two hollowed-out, powder coated cans with the internal baffles removed. Hope that helps clarify things -- we thank you for your expert commentary!
@@ZXLNT We have it all -- dyno sheets, time slips, all the parts costs and invoices... but it isn't possible to add them to a completed video. Appreciate your interest!
@@bertr286 Unless one were able to attach the dyno directly to the crankshaft, we went with industry accepted drivetrain power losses. Agreed, a unitized setup as found in most motorcycles likely experiences slightly less power loss than the average automobile drivetrain, but determining exactly what that difference is would be difficult. Appreciate your comment.
YKP 'Quip-of-the-Day': "It was only after buying my first motorcycle that I found out adrenaline is brown."
What would Mork say ?, Brown, Arf, Arf.
Awesome bikes. I owned 2 of them. 1 was all stock I rode ofton on the street. The other was a full blown drag bike that got me into the 8 second 1/4 mile. It had an 880 kit, Mr turbo work, orient head and cams and several other bits. Yours is an extremely beautiful example. Ride it like you stole it!
That's exactly how it was ridden Gary, hence the reason for all the chassis upgrades -- a feeble attempt at making the GPZ-T handle as well as it accelerated. It helped, but these machines, especially with mods, will always have more engine than the rest of the bike can handle!
My brother had one it was awesome when that display swoops across you know your into some serious warp drive.
You got that right Brybish, when that boost gauge started moving... better hang on tight!
My old friend owned one of these awsome bikes.
Our greatest memories of it is when i was riding pillion and we raced a GPZ 900 Ninja on the Northbound M6 motorway on the way to Manchester.
The Ninja had a single rider but he could not shake us off, my friend Sean who was from Manchester moved his head over to one side so that i could look at the speedo, i saw it read 140MPH before i had to duck down behind him so the wind did not blow me off the back.
I will always remember doing 140MPH pillion.
We also raced a Porche 911 and completly wasted it, Sean was behind it at 100MPH and flashed his high beam to pass, the Porche moved over & Sean dropped a gear and gave it full throttle, it was like the Porche had deployed a parachute as we flew passed it.
The acceleration of that bike from a ton up was unreal.
The porche caught up with us on the exit slip road and pulled up beside us in the queue, wound his window down and said that just he could not keep up with us ! none of us said a word, i just pointed at the word TURBO on the side of the bike ; )
We've also seen the north side of 140++ many times. It's positively exhilarating. Great story... thanks a lot for sharing it!
@@YourKeysPlease Your welcome
Some great memories that will live with me forever 👍
I had an 1985 ZX750E2 turbo for 7 years. Bought it as a new leftover in 1987, put 120k miles on it in Phoenix, mostly city miles. It was my only vehicle for those years. Loved it. Still have dreams about it. We were buddies like no other vehicle I've owned. LOL. Lots of stories. Never had a single issue with it ever.
WoW...120,000 miles...unreal! We stared at ours and wrenched on it more than rode it -- lol
@@YourKeysPlease I was a courier in Phoenix for a few years on it; put 950 miles on it the first week I owned it. I was really good about service intervals. The only mechanical issue I ever had was that the rubber clamp holding the FI unit in the tail section broke and the unit bounced around in there until it failed, so I wouldn't really call that a mechanical failure per se. I picked up a replacement for $50. I went through countless tires, chains, although I only replaced the clutch once (at 20k). Started every time, never even smoked. Just a perfect bike. I ended up selling it to a guy at Motorcycle Mechanics Institute for $1500. Bought it new for $3500. It was either that or a Yamaha Radian and the smart money was on the Yamaha. But I never once regretted my choice. So many stories about that bike....
I had one. The first thing you have to do is through away the exhaust & run a open header you can really hear the TURBO 🤩🤩😎
Appreciate the comment Daron, our turbo at 22psi definitely whistled Dixie! 😁
Cool bike ...man did I want this thing back in the 80s...wound up with the 900 (86) Red White & Blue Ninja instead....Man those were the days!
Crazy irony -- prior to acquiring the GPZ-T we also had an '86 900 (sadly no video of it)... they were VERY rare that year since the 1000R also debuted in 1986 and everyone wanted the new one... got ours for a song! Thanks Simon, appreciate the memories friend!
That;s one beautiful bike, the 80s Kawasaki bikes were in my view some of the most beautiful ever made. Not just an awesome sportsbike, but you could take your girlfriend on the back and she wouldn't be crying in pain after 2 miles. You could load it up with throwovers and a tank bag and tour a country without crying in pain yourself. Proper bikes.
You nailed it James... there's a reason why machines from this era keep going up, Up, UP in value... all-day comfort, relative simplicity, and the reliability of an anvil... what more could anyone ask?
great vid, thanks... yep, if you dont remove the internal baffles they'll end up getting blown out anyway.... 3 issues i had with my Z750 Turbo was smallish fuel tank for thirsty engine at high speed and with no electric oil pump to the turbo you do not want to run out of fuel. turbo torque seemed to wear out soft back tyres quicker but harder tyres would slip, and chain and sprocket wear was something to constantly watch for... all these things were related to my heavy wrist coz it was a bike that was made for some abuse... apart from that the bike was awesome. real good for 200kph cruising.
I can remember riding mine in on a cool spring morning and you couldn’t keep the front wheel down until 3 gear with that cool dense air. The only down side of that bike was the weight!
My first bike. Loved loved loved this bike.
Ours was a 1978 KZ-1000... surprised we're still here to tell the tale!
@@YourKeysPlease KZ1000 yes sirrrrr 👍🏾
Has been on dyno ? Mine made 117 rwhp with 22 pounds boost, aftermarket exhaust, modified fuel system etc. And even then was not getting enough fuel for more power. Sold it in 1988. Was a fun bike, when the boost kicked in felt like warp speed for the era.
Yes, it was on a Dynojet 200 and made 141.8HP to the wheel. As mentioned throughout the video it took many mods to get to that level. Appreciate your comment -- warp speed indeed!
I had a good mate who owned one of these years ago. Sadly he's no longer with us, the big "C" got him. I miss him.
When he bought the bike second-hand it had a few issues, one by one he got them sorted out, and enjoyed several months of trouble free running. I owned a car with an somewhat crude home-made after market turbo setup on it (Holden Gemini - I'm in Australia) and we both learned a lot about turbocharging during that time. Then one day a car pulled out in front of him at an intersection and he had to lay the bike over to try and avoid her - unsuccessfully. When he and the sliding bike hit the car the left footrest went through his ankle and destroyed it, and sadly the bike was destroyed also. He organised to buy the wreck back from the insurance company. Two rounds of surgery and two years later he wanted to rebuild the 750 turbo - he searched long and hard for another one to build one good bike out of two, but there were none to be had. He eventually bought a GPZ 1100. Soon after he said he preferred the 1100 - it was a different prospect to the 750 Turbo for sure, a lot more comfortable on long trips and much less twitchy. It pulled almost as hard but was a lot less fussed at highway speeds, and a lot easier to get parts for as it wasn't a rare bike.
When he was first diagnosed with cancer he and his wife decided to sell the 1100 (which he'd had for over a decade at that point). Even though I don't ride I sometimes wish I'd bought that bike. I hope it went to a good home and is still cruising the roads somewhere. I have no idea what happened to the 750 Turbo wreck - last time I saw his wife I asked her if she knew and she did not. Pity - it may well have been re-build-able, but we'll never know now.
Hi Woopimagpie, really appreciate you sharing that incredible story.
I had one of these in 84 or so, I'd buy another in a flash. Best 750 ever made .. Steering a bit due to better stability option
We'd love to have ours back too... except now they bring 10-Grand ++... inflation + nostalgia = crazy high prices! 😳
thats some bike...i only have the gpz750 but love the sound of it...
Thanks Gareth, you're right... they have an unmistakable sound!
I owned a turbo most exciting bike i ever rode loved it and would give a kidney for one today
They're out there Matt... and the way the prices have been escalating the last few years, selling a kidney might be the only way to afford one. We let ours go WAYYYY too cheap!
My dad had one back when he was younger. And he beat the ever living dog crap out of it.
Can't kill 'em SlowRB... the only thing a turbo can't stand is low-octane fuel or running lean. Appreciate the comment!
@@YourKeysPlease What do you consider low? I'm out here in Arizona.
If you'd like to up the boost pressure anything beyond stock, at least 93+ octane. 100 octane low-lead aviation fuel is also a good choice if you're going for big boost. The intense heat of AZ won't help -- turbos love cool, dense air to avoid detonation and make big power. Hope this helps!
@@YourKeysPlease thats exactly what my father did. He worked on a private airport at the time. Ran aviation fuel often.
Substantially higher boost, and a nice bov
@@YourKeysPlease Thank you. Yeah I don't ride her in the Summer out here. I guess it's like the boys in the Midwest not riding in the winter! 111 yesterday and 110 today in Scottsdale.
That is one special bike and looking fantastic! Would love to own one of these turbo versions someday.
I'm currently restoring the motor and forks of my old GPZ750, which looks nothing like original anymore, it's more or less a ratbike.
Thanks Hapklaar -- if you ever have a chance to grab a turbo... do it. Btw, owned many a 'ratbike' over the years, believe me. Hope to get a few up on the channel soon!
My friend had one, loved it. I had a 900 ninja. Those were the days!
Thanks for the comment Mark. We also had a Red, White 'n Blue '86 900 Ninja (final year) prior to the 750 Turbo... all the Kawi's from that era are really great bikes!
I had a 1986 GPZ 1000RX when I was 21 after owning a Suzuki 250 X7 and passing my test only eleven months earlier.Some beast that was in comparison. Quick in a straight line but handled like a tank even with early Michelin radials and a steering damper. My Cousin had a 1985 GPZ 600R great handling but not maybe enough power. Great era for bikes, I just wish I had kept mine. Also once rode a GPZ900R with the RX motor. Great handling and just as quick. Luckliy my mate worked at a bike shop so he would borrow the bikes and let me take them out for a test run, not that his boss knew. Rode a GPX750 and a Honda VFR750 from the shop but they were nowhere near as exciting as the GPZ's I had ridden before. The only bikes that were anywhere near as good were a GSXR1100 and a FZR1000 genesis.
Nice.
10:71 stock w/gleason.
That 10.71 time was on a pre-production GPZ-T prototype that was surely a 'tweaked' factory ringer to generate great press before the worldwide release of the bike... oh, and Gleason weighed about 90 lbs. soaking wet with his Bell helmet on... 😁
What a beautifull 750....probably keep up or blow off alotta bikes on the market today !!!...Kawi's are tops !!!
Hey Wayne, thanks for the compliments. Considering the substantial weight and the fact it's now more than 35 years old (hard to believe it's been that long -- ugh!), the turbo will definitely still run with many current machines. From our perspective though, the new stuff has no 'soul', everything is refined to the point of boredom. In our opinion, older machines like the GPZ simply ooze character and are very engaging to ride and own. Bonus -- they're also continually going up in value as we head toward an electrified future. Appreciate your comment!
This bike was capable of 170hp with minor mods done in 2 hours for free put computer in race mode,dfi.mod ,with a drill and Philips head ,waste gate threads in punched to make adjustable, strong hose clamps for extra boost.plus 110 octane fuel.
You're correct Jon. Our computer was in race mode, had an aftermarket Garrett turbo unit with an adjustable wastegate, heavy-duty clamps throughout the intake, upgraded thicker engine mount bolts (important when you start making big power), and on 94-octane Sunoco pump gas made 141.8HP to the rear wheel on a Dynojet model 200... this works out to roughly 175HP at the crank. Appreciate your comment, thanks!
I caught at the end 630 chain and sprockets, put a modern 520 O ring conversion on it I reckon you would get another 5hp, plus less wear and tear on sprockets. Lovely bike, I raced a GPZ 750 in the 80's, great motor, but had gearbox issues.
That's true Sean, fitting a lighter 520-kit certainly would've liberated a few extra ponies, but for reliability (and the original 630 set was still in such great shape thanks to regular lubrication and adjustment) we left it alone. Incidentally, you mentioned the gearbox -- if memory serves the turbo's had a strengthened 5-speed box not shared with any other Kawi's. Hammered ours year after year, shifted like hot butter and never needed anything but one set of OEM clutch plates. Appreciate your comment!
I remember when these came out. This and the Honda CX 650 Turbo seemed ridiculous but fun.
Kawasaki was the last to release a turbo (1984), and in typical Kawi fashion... after seeing what the competition had to offer, they released the biggest, baddest, fastest one of them all. Ridiculous? Perhaps. More fun than it should be legal to have with your clothes on? Without question. Ask anyone who's owned (or ridden) one. Appreciate your comment!
Totally agree. The GPZ was the best of the '80's turbo's, engine and looks wise.
Love this! I had an 83 GPz 750. Same motor, chassis, fairing.... Just a lot less power without the turbo. In fact, as I sit here looking at this beautiful piece, you are showing the crank cover. This is all I have left of my ol' bike. Except it's a bit, well, broken. Had me a little low-speed, cold tire high-side.
Not the same sprockets ,transmission shafts are larger, its fuel injected, the chain is larger.it as a sealed aluminum intake plenum. The list goes on as the motor was built for turbo charging. I have 2 of these machines . I will be putting a gpz frame with title on eBay this summer 1984 .
@@MrHeavyzz4 I think kawi used the bottom end of the 1100 if i remember correctly..
@@craig_sez8534 More like the 1100 used the same bottom end as the 750 but not the sprockets or the chain as they are huge.
@@MrHeavyzz4 yeah i ment that the turbo used the 1100's bottom end..
@@craig_sez8534 When did Kaw bld first 1100?
Gorgeous bike!! Always wanted one! I had a 86’ Ninja 600R in the same colors. Sold it due to it being a tank slapper. I’m guessing that fork brace you installed was to also help the handling?
Your guess is spot-on David. Most of the mods performed were aimed at bringing the handling up to par with that mega-monster of an engine. Even with the Works shock, fork brace, rebuilt forks with Progressive springs, thicker mount bolts, etc. etc. you'd never mistake the handling for a new ZX-10R, but it wasn't bad. Hard to get around the laws of physics, and 540lbs. will always prefer a straight line over a curve.
I put my Kryptonite Lock Right through the Engine ..goes through Perfectly...I owned an 85...sold it to Burbank Kawasaki for 6500 with 34,000 Miles...I still regret it now...🏍🏍🏍🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 😥😫
I drive a Gpz 750 of year 1984. That are goods motorcycle.
We'd second that notion Michael and go so far as to say they're GREAT motorcycles, shame they're so hard to find (and costly) these days -- appreciate the comment!
I so very much miss mine
You're not alone George -- we'd probably have to pay $12K or so to get one in similar condition these days. Talk about inflation! Ugh.
Americans do love their chrome , bless em
You know what they say about chrome Pete? It don't get you home... lol
Cool bike.... What model garrett turbo did you use? I'm restoring a turbo at the moment that came without a turbocharger unit and can't find an original hitachi unit.
Hi Martin, the Garrett was available at the time through Mr. Turbo which at the time was owned by Terry Kizer and operated out of TX. It was rated for up to 30psi on the GPZ. You might try reaching out to them as they seem to still be in biz. It's also possible your original Hitachi could be rebuilt with new bushings and seals if you care about originality. Hope this helps and thanks for your comment!
Thanks👍
Very nice.
Thanks Mr. Heavy, it's definitely one of the ones we regret selling. Today they're bringing ridiculous $$$!
Beauty!
Thanks Papa, your Kawi Concours is too -- Ninja 1000R engine stuffed in a touring chassis!
@@YourKeysPlease Concours ain't pretty, or light, but damn they are a great bike.
Still got mine b reg85
Couriered on a nearly new Kawa.750 turbo '84, no bike Kawasaki for 27 years, March 19 got a 05 Bandit 650 inj. Wow 58, 59 times more biking joy than the turbo, although enjoyed my nearly new Kawa. GT750 shaft drive, all round, more than the turbo, which was SPLENDID for High speed planted travel. Alas now a HOPEFULLY only, semi retired Banditateer BANDITLESS CRAZY MAD Banditaholic, ruined for any other bike, and I ain't even lying.
Glad to hear you're back on two wheels after all these years and lovin' every minute of it -- thanks for sharing!
@@YourKeysPlease 20, 21 months of Blessed Bandit Time Times,, NOW a Banditless Crazy Mad Banditateer fekkin Banditaholic ruined for any other bike, Bandits the Best bike Ever.
@@YourKeysPlease Was... Past tense, a BIKING TREAT, better than ever, and I had Countless Biking BLISS, JOY rides on my favourite Kawasakis GT 750 shaft drive, and 750 turbo. So over planted high speed travel ???, As my PhD Masters Degree in Bandit Torque Enjoyment only, nothing technical, taught me ?, All about the Acceleration. My late beloved 05 Bandit GSF 650 inj., one very careful cautious owner, who basically ran it in for 15,000 miles ?. Swear it felt like an industrial catapult fired it off, totally upright PROPELLED forward, arms limp, body slouched ALL, ALL at the back wheel. Called it a Perfect Storm of Acceleration, Defies Logic. Oh BANDITS BANDITS BANDITS, BANDITS ARE THE BEST BIKES EVER, and I'm not even lying. Yours truly Scott Loch. Na, Professor Bandit B.T.E. Torque Enjoyment only, out.
Hi. Nice bike! Which intake temp at 22psi?
The intake temp at 22psi without an intercooler was certainly HOT... very hot... too hot! It was on the ragged edge of severe detonation. Definitely would've benefitted from more octane.
@@YourKeysPlease how much?
Barely run in many more miles to be had!
Are you interested in selling??
Jim, if we hadn't already given away our beautiful Turbo for 5K (a moment of sheer stupidity), there's no way on earth we'd ever sell it! Oh well....
You mention Garrett, which type??
Hello Prokopis, thanks for the question. Wish I had an easy answer, but Mr. Turbo who used to sell the Garrett seems to be out of biz now. Measuring the stock Hitachi HT-10B turbo and slightly upsizing to a modern one (ball-bearing units spool noticeably quicker than old bushing turbos, for example) shouldn't be all that difficult. The power gain will be VERY noticeable. Make sure you have proper fueling to match the boost level -- turbos hate detonation. Hope this helps!
@@YourKeysPlease , hello. I am now restoring one and want to put a good tc to work at good psi range. I read GT 20 is a good choice but GT 20 has many types and nobody clarifies exact type to use
@@MrProcopis Speak to a turbo specialist who will be familiar with the various specs (impeller and housing sizing is critical) and can spec the best one for the GPZ. Aftermarket units may require some custom piping for a perfect fit. Good luck with the resto -- love to see a vid of it here!
@@MrProcopis Get ahold of Charlie at Evergreen Turbo in Ocala Florida. He is the man when it comes to the turbo for these bikes. Get on 750turbo.com and you'll find answers to a lot of your questions
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That isn't making anywhere close to 175 horsepower with stock exhaust. 120 maybe, they made around 100 rear wheel horse power give or take a bit, about like a 900 Ninja
Sorry to have to disagree, but the 175hp at the crankshaft is very real. As clearly stated in the video, our GPZ isn't stock. The mods included a larger Garrett turbocharger with an adjustable wastegate, ECU in race mode, elimination of the restrictive stock air intake (K&N directly on the turbo inlet), stainless clamps throughout to prevent high pressure boost leaks, etc. At 20psi it made 142hp to the rear wheel which factoring customary driveline losses equates to 175 or so at the crank. Btw, what appears to be the stock exhaust are really just two hollowed-out, powder coated cans with the internal baffles removed. Hope that helps clarify things -- we thank you for your expert commentary!
@@YourKeysPlease Dyno sheet
@@ZXLNT We have it all -- dyno sheets, time slips, all the parts costs and invoices... but it isn't possible to add them to a completed video. Appreciate your interest!
@@YourKeysPlease 19 percent power los ? That seems extreme for a chain drive. Looks more like a calculation for a driveshaft of car transmission.
@@bertr286 Unless one were able to attach the dyno directly to the crankshaft, we went with industry accepted drivetrain power losses. Agreed, a unitized setup as found in most motorcycles likely experiences slightly less power loss than the average automobile drivetrain, but determining exactly what that difference is would be difficult. Appreciate your comment.