Posts by tag: Kawasaki

Kawasaki September 25, 2018 posted by Aaron

Superbike gold: 1983 Kawasaki KZ-1000R Eddie Lawson Replica

Before he ripped his way to four 500cc Grand Prix World Championships, Eddie Lawson had become a hero to legions of American kids on the back of his lime green and electric blue AMA Superbike Kawasaki KZ1000Rs. The series was huge at the time, with riders pulling down proper pro athlete salaries, and the street replicas of Eddie's bike were the top of the street bike heap in their heyday.

1983 Kawasaki KZ1000R ELR for sale on eBay

This 1983 Kawasaki KZ1000R Eddie Lawson Replica is an unrestored original, which is insane given how nice it is. Sure, it carries some patina here and there, but it's an honest, well-cared-for rider, and the all-important green-white-blue paint scheme looks flawless. It also comes with the original owner's manual and tool kit, and an extra set of original wheels, which are, as you might imagine, nigh on impossible to get.

Remarkably, the bike has just over 10,000 miles on it, which means it spent most of its time waiting for the right moment to rip. According to the seller, everything, from the electronics to the drivetrain to the brakes, works as it should. We'd expect nothing less given the condition of the rest of the bike, but the assurance is a nice bonus.

From the eBay listing:

Really nice example of a 1983 Kawasaki Eddie Lawson replica. ELR. This bike has spent most of it's life in storage. Only 10,974 original miles in 35 years. The extra set of wheels was picked up years ago, and are included with the bike. The owners manual and tool kit are also included. This is a rare bike. It has a clean Indiana title. The bike starts, runs, shifts, and rides great. The gas tank is clean. The brakes and all the electrical work fine. The Dunlop tires only have a few miles on them. This motorcycle sounds incredible. This bike is ready to ride right now. They are only original once. You can restore it or have one of the few originals left. Local pickup only. We will assist in loading it on your truck. Buyer will be responsible for all shipping arrangements. Thank you for looking.

Given this bike's rarity, originality, condition and position among the elites of AMA Superbike lore, the $18,500 buy-it-now isn't half bad. There are fewer of these around every year, and they won't get any less desirable.

Superbike gold: 1983 Kawasaki KZ-1000R Eddie Lawson Replica

Kawasaki May 11, 2018 posted by Mike

Featured Listing: 1989 Kawasaki KR-1R or 1990 Kawasaki KR-1R – buyer’s choice!

Update 5.11.2018: Based on his latest eBay listing, the 1989 is still available. Our original write up from November is shown below. Good luck to buyers and seller! -dc

When RSBFS last listed this 1989 Kawasaki KR-1R on our pages, we considered it to be a bit of a world exclusive. That should tell you the rarity of what we are talking about. But how do you describe TWO KR-1Rs in the same collection? Unicorn doesn't quite cut it. You are looking at two examples of what has to be the rarest of the 250cc two stroke set, both in amazing condition. Utah collector Gary has certainly amassed himself a magnificent cadre of bikes - and RSBFS has been honored to help him list many of those bikes on these pages. But this particular event takes the cake: pony up $20,000 USD and take your pick of either one of the amazing R bikes listed here.

The KR lineup is a bit of a dark horse in the quarter liter sport bike world. Never as popular as the NSR/RG/TZR set, the Kawasaki offering provided a solid chassis and a very powerful parallel twin. In fact, a KR series bike held the 250cc land speed record at Bonneville thanks to that Kawasaki power. Outside of Japan, the KR is relatively unknown, although it was exported to the UK and AUS/NZ in limited numbers. Even the aficionados who are aware of the KR-1/KR-1S/KR-1R family have likely never seen one in person. And while some will be quick to point out that the KR-1R model is really just a 1S with slightly bigger carbs and more power, the value of the model has evolved well beyond the cost of the parts. These are rare, coveted machines and will remain at the sharp end of the collector scale for the foreseeable future.

1989 Kawasaki KR-1R D1 for sale on eBay

From the seller:
The bike came from a Kawasaki collector in Japan. Motor is all stock. Stock carbs,
stock airbox, stock heads, ect all confirmed OEM Kawasaki. Fairings 100% OEM.
Windshield appears to be OEM. Two Keys.

Previous collector has cosmetically customized this KR-1R with Kawasaki OEM green
front fender, Beet rear sets and Beet exhaust and mufflers. Some suspension
components have been polished.

1990 Kawasaki KR-1R D2 SOLD

From the seller:
This 1990 KR250-D2 is completely stock and has the black front fender. It has had the rear cowling and the lower cowling professionally re-sprayed. The upper and the tank and all other components are original. New tires, fork seals, braided front brake lines and chain complete the refresh. Comes with Utah title. Runs and idles like new. Bike has been tuned and has new engine fluids. 25,290km’s on the odometer. Bike came from a Kawasaki bike collector in Japan. It is very solid and runs surprisingly well for the mileage.

More details:

Price: $20,000 gives you the choice of one bike

Contact: rmurangemasters@aol.com

In case you have not noticed, it is not 1989/1990 anymore. The KR-1R - already rare when it was first introduced - has become a very exclusive tile in the two stroke collector mosaic. These were built by Kawasaki as sports production racers, and as such many (most?) were thrashed and cast aside. Those that survived often fell victim to sea air and corrosion common to the Japanese home market. In short, a clean and loved KR-1R is a rare survivor of a rare species. Here at RSBFS we always recommend that if you are in the market you should seek out the best example of a collector model that you can find - but how often can you find more than one example to compare? Today you can find TWO of these remarkable KR-1R models in pristine condition in one place - all you need to do is pick the one you want. Kawasaki isn't building any more of these, and the world's supply is low and getting lower. Resto mods and parts bikes may be available sporadically in the future, but you are not going to find bikes in this condition often. If a KR-1R is on your bucket list, you might want to act before these jewels appreciate even more. Contact Gary at rmurangemasters@aol.com to seal the deal. Good Luck!!

Kawasaki January 28, 2018 posted by Aaron

The Green Alternative: 1989 Kawasaki ZX-7

As slab and Slingshot Gixxers from the mid to late '80s get more and more expensive and desirable, now is an increasingly good time to look to their competition to snag an equally capable but much cheaper mount. Early Kawasaki ZX-7s are a great alternative, with more forward-looking styling and a reputation as the baddest race replicas George Bush-era money could buy.

1989 Kawasaki ZX-7 for sale on eBay

This 1989 Kawasaki ZX-7 hits all the boy-racer high points, with a garish tri-color livery that extends across the seat from the fairing, monochrome Japanese character decals and the infamous Ninja badge. If it were mine, I'd ditch the green tinted screen and have the wheels powder coated in their stock single hue. Otherwise, its pretty much as it should be, down to the period Vance and Hines can.

From the eBay listing:

SECOND OWNER 1989 KAWASAKI ZX7 WITH 23000 ORIGINAL MILES. GOT A BUY IT NOW PRICE OF $6500 OR WILL CONSIDER THE NEAREST BEST OFFER. GOT A CLEAN AND CLEAR TITLE IN HAND.

PLEASE ASK ALL QUESTIONS AND CLEAR ALL DOUBTS BEFORE BIDDING. IT IS THE BUYER'S RESPONSIBILITY TO INSPECT THE BIKE PRIOR TO BIDDING. CALL 718 966 0606 TO COME INSPECT THE BIKE. THE BIKE IS BEING SOLD 'AS IS' WITH NO WARRANTIES. NO RETURNS.

PAYMENT: $200 NON- REFUNDABLE DEPOSIT IS REQUIRED VIA PAYPAL WITHIN 24 HOURS OF END OF AUCTION AND THE BALANCE PAYMENT SHOULD BE MADE BY CASH IN PERSON, CERTIFIED BANK CHECK OR BANK TRANSFER WITHIN 7 DAYS OF END OF LISTING. IF IT IS A BANK CHECK, THE BIKE WILL BE HELD UNTIL THE CHECK CLEARS. I WILL NOT ACCEPT BALANCE PAYMENT VIA PAYPAL UNLESS BUYER MAKES PRIOR ARRANGEMENTS.

SHIPPING IS BUYER'S RESPONSIBILITY. BIKE NEEDS TO BE PICKED UP WITHIN 2 WEEKS OF END OF AUCTION. IF BUYER IS UNABLE TO PICK UP THE BIKE WITHIN 2 WEEKS THERE WILL BE A STORAGE FEE, IN THE EVENT I AM NOT INFORMED OF THE SITUATION.

The pictures don't give a huge amount of detail, but the bike looks mostly squared away but not perfect. With a little elbow grease it could be a decent collector piece, but it's a very nice rider as-is.

The Green Alternative: 1989 Kawasaki ZX-7

Kawasaki January 28, 2018 posted by Mike

Boosted Optimism: 1985 Kawasaki GPz750 Turbo

You are looking at what Cycle magazine dubbed the fastest motorcycle of 1985. Ripping off a quarter mile faster than liter bikes of the day, the Kawasaki GPz750 Turbo took the latest fad and turned it into a very sharp weapon indeed. Easily the most potent of the Turbo set, the GPZ750 Turbo pushed the boosted boundaries further than any of the Big Four. Yet despite the performance possible, Kawasaki failed to achieve success with their Turbo offering - much like the rest of the Big Four. Turbos screamed with graphics, torque and power, but generated few sales.

1985 Kawasaki GPz750 Turbo for sale on eBay

Kawasaki bolted a Hitachi HT-10B turbocharger in front of the engine, positioned as close to the headers as possible to reduce lag. Utilizing digital fuel injection, the air-cooled, transverse four-stroke in-line four was otherwise comparatively simple in design. Kawasaki engineers raided the parts bin, adding some strengthening to the normally-aspirated GPz750 block handle the Turbo pressure. The top end came from the more conservative KZ650, lowering the compression ratio to a range more compatible with a turbo and pump gas. Expect approximately 95 unfettered horses from this combination.

From the seller:
YOU ARE LOOKING AT A 1985 KAWASAKI GPZ 750 TURBO THAT I HAVE OWNED SINCE NEW. THIS BIKE LIVED ALL OF ITS LIFE IN A CLIMATE CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT. THE BIKE HAS NEVER HAD FUEL IN ITS TANK, NEVER BEEN STARTED OR HAS HAD ANY ELECTROLYTE PUT INTO THE ORIGINAL BATTERY. MOTORCYCLE WAS PICKLED WHEN NEW AND MAINTAINED THAT WAY THROUGH OUT ITS LIFE. I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY ARE STILL OUT THERE IN THIS CONDITION, I'M THINKING VERY FEW IF ANY. BIKE IS STILL ON MSO, NEVER REGISTERED. I HAVE ORIGINAL OWNERS MANUAL AND BROCHURE. THIS IS A CHANCE TO OWN A BRAND NEW PIECE OF MOTORCYCLE HISTORY. I HAVE MORE PHOTOS IF NEEDED. TIRES ARE STARTING TO SHOW THEIR AGE WITH A LITTLE CRACKING ON THE SIDES, REMEMBER THEY ARE 33 YEARS OLD. PAINT IS FLAWLESS AS IS THE REST OF THE BIKE. PUT IT IN YOUR OFFICE OR MUSEUM , IT IS CURRENTLY IN ONE OF MY LIVING ROOMS.

The Turbo era has remained a relatively underperforming element of the collecting world. Sure, Turbo bikes are rare and unique - and slowly (glacially) gaining in value over the years. However they have failed to ignite the collector world just as they failed to ignite showroom fires back in the 1980s, and just as they failed to deliver on "literbike performance" from a smaller package. One might be willing to call the entire Turbo era a wholesale failure according to nearly every standard by which we compare motorcycles. Those might be harsh words, but the unfortunate reality of this particular segment of our two-wheeled universe. These words, by the way, come from an owner...

This particular Turbo GPz is perhaps the last "new" bike of its type in the world. Zero miles, never filled with fuel and original battery and tires make this a unique find for the right collector. And it would need to be a collector, as after sitting this many years unused, considerable care would need to be taken to turn this back into a rider. But riding it would destroy the value of this zero mile example, making this a museum piece at best. And what price does a brand new 1985 model go for? Would you believe six figures? Me neither. Props to the seller for asking a huge sum, but not riding the fastest quarter miler back in '85 does not necessarily escalate the value tenfold. Yes, it can only be new once - but few bikes make it to the $100k milestone (and those are far more coveted models). Still, it is a cool time capsule worth looking at. Check it out here, and then jump to the comments and share your thoughts and experiences with Turbo bikes. Good luck!!

Kawasaki January 24, 2018 posted by Aaron

Tennessee Stud: 1989 Kawasaki ZXR400 H1

The hard-edged Kawasaki ZXR400 is something of a rarity among grey-market Japanese 400cc sportbikes, as importers drag far more Honda VFR 400s and Yamaha FZR400Rs to our shores. For whatever reason, the Hondas and Yamahas seem to command most of the demand.

1989 Kawasaki ZXR400 H1 for sale on eBay

It's not for lack of trying on the Kawi's part, though. The ZXRs are known to mimic their epic ZX7 big brothers, bringing racebike handling and revs to a street package aimed at tiered licensing laws. Never as comfortable as their competitors, the ZXRs made their mark at the apex.

This 1989 Kawasaki ZXR400 wears British registration plates in the pictures, though the seller shows photos of a Tennessee plate and title. The pictures don't show a whole lot of detail, but the bike looks very clean and well cared for.

From the eBay listing:

Here we have an ultra rare and cool looking 1989 zxr400 H1. It is Tennessee registered and ready to be ridden. This team green Kawasaki has lots of power for a 400, and is perhaps the fastest example of any of the Japanese 400 I've ever sampled. It suits taller riders better than the 400cc VFRs or CBRs. Handling is spot on as well as the brakes. This would make a fine lightweight class racing machine were one so inclined. Please contact me with any questions by texting or calling 423 747 3265.
A $300 deposit is due via PayPal within 24 hours of the auction's conclusion, and the balance within seven days. Please only bid on this item if you are serious and are willing and able to dispense with the transaction in a timely fashion. I will be posting several collector motorcycles for sale over the next couple of weeks, so please look for my other auctions. I can provide or arrange for shipping at a reasonable rate if needed. Thanks, and happy bidding!

If the video below fails to play, please visit my Youtube channel (Israel Gillette) and search for ZXR400 Test Ride

Bidding is low with the better part of a week to go in the auction, which means this could be a slick pickup to sort as riding season approaches the East Coast.

Kawasaki January 8, 2018 posted by Mike

Green and Clean: 1993 Kawasaki ZXR400R

Happy Monday RSBFS readers! The dreaded winter slowdown has yet to arrive - plenty of fantastic bikes continue to pop up despite the onslaught of weather across the US. If you are snowed in and looking for something to do, adding a rare bike to your collection from the comfort of your home might be an ideal winter activity. And if you need something to melt the snow, this hot ZXR400 might just be your ticket.

1993 Kawasaki ZXR400R for sale on eBay

Built for a time where the Big Four were concerned with the declination of the 250cc two stroke class, the 400s were intended to be the four stroke equivalent of a GP bike. Requisite top-shelf components are found throughout, including aluminum frame, upside down front forks (normal today, but race-worthy stuff in the 1990s), lots of suspension adjustability and big, 300mm brakes signaled the track intent of the small ZXR. On the power side, the rise of the small four stroke was based in RPM. Lots of RPM. With a redline north of 14,000 revolutions per minute, the liquid-cooled four cylinder with four-valves per offers up close to 60 horsepower (depending on the market). Packaged in a tidy, 350-ish pound serving size, the ZXR is a razor sharp missile...provided you are under 6 feet. Bigger riders may show a lot of knees and elbows, hardly comfortable and certainly not very aerodynamic.

From the seller:
Up for sale is a gorgeous 1993 Kawasaki ZXR400R “M” model in mint condition with only 5,045 kilometers (3,134 miles). Bike is completely stock except for steel braided brake lines. All fairings and components are 100% genuine factory Kawasaki. Brand new Dunlop Sportmax tires have been installed. Bike runs like the day it was new. Just serviced with New battery and fluids. This is a premium ZXR. Museum quality. Bike comes with Utah state title and is titled as a streetbike for road use.

A bit sharper than contemporary 400s - at the expense of overall usability - the little green screamer was a solid effort to supplant the quarter liter two strokers. The hype was real and the 300cc class today owes this bike a debt of gratitude. This ZXR400R looks great. This is a classic grey-market bike in classic Kawasaki livery. The passage of time is tough on performance benchmarks, but tips the scales when it comes to laws of supply and demand. This bike is being offered in a Buy It Now auction format for $10,800, with the seller open to offers. That is a premium price for a 400, but 25 years on it is getting harder and harder to find an unmolested example. Check this one out here, and join the large number of people watching what will happen. Good Luck!!