If I sell (to get a yesteryear superbike)

[William K Denton]

The superbikes of the 70's and 80's are still super; we're the ones who've 
changed (expectations).  I prove this to myself every time I switch up a 
ride on the '96 GPz for the '80 CB-X.  Things that seems effortless on the 
GPZ (like an 80mph sweeper) take a great deal of concentration to do on the 
big six w/o getting spit off.  Time and technology march onward and upward, 
and bring with it our expectations of what a "good" bike should be and do.

If you want to do something truly barbaric, find someone who owns a version 
of your first car and drive that.  I did so recently with a '68 Camaro. 
327CI w/ a 4 speed (Saginaw), drum brakes all around, manual steering, 
manual brakes and <gasp> roll down windows.  AM radio, no A/C.  Not a spec 
of heat or sound insulation in it anywhere.  It steered and braked like a 50 
yr old p/u truck.  I thought the thing was going to break into a million 
pieces at 80mph.  Compare that experience to the cage presently in your own 
driveway and you'll suddenly see the Z1, CB750, XS1100, GS1000, <insert 
superbike name here> in a different light...

Bill Denton
Yardley, PA
wkdenton at verizon.net
Lazarus Cycleworks, LLC
Breathing New Life into Old Bikes

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "The Masons" <masonjs at nrtco.net>


>I have a friend in Kirkland Lake who had a black & red 83 with 7500 km.  I
> asked him to call me if he ever wanted to sell it.  I didn't make it to 
> his
> yard sale and it went for $500.00.
> I should go and get my 78 -900 Z1 out of the barn in Micksburg before the 
> mice
> eat it.
>
> Jim
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "art.robinson" <art.robinson at rogers.com>
> To: "'schnowz'" <schnowz at att.net>; <gpzlist at micapeak.com>
> Sent: Friday, August 07, 2009 10:45 PM
> Subject: RE: If I sell
>
>
>>I almost had a beautiful low kms '84 GPz 550 a few years ago with all
>> black engine and exhausts. I waited a bit too long ands it was gone. I'm
>> still mad about losing it. It's a very pretty bike!
>>
>> Art
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: gpzlist-bounces at micapeak.com [mailto:gpzlist-bounces at micapeak.com]
>> On Behalf Of schnowz
>> Sent: 07 August 2009 21:24
>> To: gpzlist at micapeak.com
>> Subject: Re: If I sell
>>
>> --- On Thu, 8/6/09, The Masons <masonjs at nrtco.net> wrote:
>>
>>
>> He said old standard Jim not Flintstone era..
>> Dave you're fucking nuts, yer must have been hanging around Bill
>> Maggitz too long..;-)
>> Serously I have been looking at old standards the last few weekends for
>> my son to learn on. I'd like a nighthawk or GS from 400 to 550cc if I
>> could find one in decent shape but they go fast or are not what they are
>> advertized to be. One thing that became obvious is how crappy the brakes
>> were back then especially the drum brakes which seemed non existant.
>> I see an old GPZ 550 is in the local paper this weekend and may sniff
>> it, but from what I've read the the powers a little peaky for learning
>> on..
>> I wouldn't ditch the GPZ1100 though..everytime I ride another bike I
>> realize what a keeper it is..
>>
>> Pete S
>>
>>
>> From: The Masons <masonjs at nrtco.net>
>> Subject: Re: If I sell...
>> To: "Dave Daniels" <dwaynedaniels at sbcglobal.net>, "GPZ LIST"
>> <gpzlist at micapeak.com>
>> Date: Thursday, August 6, 2009, 7:42 PM
>>
>>
>> Ok I'll bite what is an old standard?? I've owned anything from a 1965
>> Suzuki 80 Sport (only ever new bike) to a 1929 HD 61 CID with a side
>> car, 42 WL 45 CID? HD, 47 HD 61 CID EL; 53 Zundapp 600 cc, 59 Matchless
>> 650, and others.
>>
>> Jim
>>
>>
>>
>
>