1991 KAWASAKI ZXR400-L1 1900 MILES FROM NEW

[RedexRobB]

Which is now mine!

Some of the eagle eyed among you may have seen this on ebay among some of the other low mileage examples which seemed to have cropped up lately, and I come so close to buying this earlier in the year but due to finances, couldnt afford. Fast forward a few months and the rates which overtime is being paid at work bumped up with a payrise, made this affordable

Ive bought this totally blind in that I havent seen it, just the photos below and a good conversation with the sellers about its condition and spec. Totally standard uk bike, full service history with just the first service. Owners manual included. Looks to have all the stickers too. Anything its missing I will buy to get up to spec and if there anything im not happy with ill replace with new.

Story is that the first and only owner bought the bike new, rode it every now and then for a year or so and then left in thier garage till last year when they decided to sell it. Last date on tax disc was some time in 1992 and was the last time it was on the road.

Its being delivered in early July, cant wait!!

Heres the catch though, once i have it, im gonna have a few miles (3 or 4) riding it, amend anything as explained above, then store it up. Ive bought this as more of an investment than a day to day bike. It would be more than a shame to start using this all year round!!

Ill take some more when the bike is delivered for you all. In the mean time the below will have to do.





























As for the other ZXR, poor things going to be put off for another year. Ill just buy bits for it throughout the year as and when with e view to finishing off for next summer!

[Gemini]

Nice bike but whilst I can undersrand the investment idea, a mass produced bike will never sell for masses.

at best I reckon you'll sell for the original RRP in 10yrs

get out and enjoy it, bikes are for riding not displaying

gem

[cargo]

I beg to disagree...........there's 350 Yamaha power valve for sale here for £3500........was about £1200 when new.....................massively mass produced


A good clean H2 750 Kawasaki triple will fetch as much as £14000...............there's one on ebay right now for that.



Oh and how refreshing to see one that not been butchered by some idiot know it all amatuer mechanic.


good move Rob IMHO

[CaNsA]

Subframe looks twisted.

I'll do you a favour and take it off your hands for 3 or 4 hundred quid.

[RedexRobB]

Thanks for the comments.

I'm not overly bothered if it's only worth rrp after ten years, but I believe like cargo that these will become a sought after bike.

At the moment some 70's and 80's bikes are seeing pretty good values just like the RD350 as cargo said. I recall seeing a zero miles crated Z1 sell for 30k a few months back.

The zxr is one of those bikes that everyone has had at some point on their way up the bike ranks, and there's no ignoring that at some point people get nostalgic. A yamaha fs1e is a good example of that, a mid 70's refurbished one are fetching 4 or 5k, another mass produced bike. I think it's just a matter of time before this starts to happen with 90's bikes. Something pretty iconic of the time was a 916, I can only image what they will fetch 20 years time.

weather the same happens with the zxr is yet to be seen of course, but ill take my chances.

[cargo]

As a casual disinterested observer I think prices are already on the up for clean good condition ZXR400s. Prob more so for low mileage ones.

I know for sure that one other forum user has also noticed this.

They might NEVER achieve the huge sums that some bikes reach but for certain sure there is real potential for growth all the more so given how many are being destroyed and broken for parts.

I was looking at a 1977 Suzuki GT500 yesterday that a mate bought for £250 around 20 years ago.................As a bike it was nothing special the RD 350 and 400 ran rings round it all day long. Look on Ebay............there one on there for £5000.

Funny thing is he's given me the job of replacing the gear shift shaft........................scary !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[KwakKwak]

I had my eye on this one for a while, had it looked at, the rust on the underside of the tank put me off though

Nice bike, and will defo rise in value, the AR80 and the KR1S are both now recognised as classics, the ZXR will be.
A word of advice on this example, after mine got soaked the other day I decided to cure my bloody occasional cut outs once and for all, in taking it apart the water hides everywhere it's horrible - DO NOT get it wet PLEEEAAASE

[banner001]

I had my eye on this one for a while, had it looked at, the rust on the underside of the tank put me off though

Nice bike, and will defo rise in value, the AR80 and the KR1S are both now recognised as classics, the ZXR will be.
A word of advice on this example, after mine got soaked the other day I decided to cure my bloody occasional cut outs once and for all, in taking it apart the water hides everywhere it's horrible - DO NOT get it wet PLEEEAAASE

take apart all your connectors and look for signs of rust/corrosion, remove it, or replace the connector pins/block if its that bad, then pack out everything in dielectric grease/vaseline if your cheap...works wonders, my bike is out in it all, rain/snow/ice, ive never had a single electrical problem since i sorted it properly.

[cargo]

I had my eye on this one for a while, had it looked at, the rust on the underside of the tank put me off though

Nice bike, and will defo rise in value, the AR80 and the KR1S are both now recognised as classics, the ZXR will be.
A word of advice on this example, after mine got soaked the other day I decided to cure my bloody occasional cut outs once and for all, in taking it apart the water hides everywhere it's horrible - DO NOT get it wet PLEEEAAASE

Was good to see you yesterday and delighted that our project L2 helped identify the cutting out issue with your bike
Eyes are wide open looking for the next one.

Pity every time we talk over a coffee I spot another problem to fix

I'm driven to ensure there will be chocolate coated cushyness next time.

[KwakKwak]

take apart all your connectors and look for signs of rust/corrosion, remove it, or replace the connector pins/block if its that bad, then pack out everything in dielectric grease/vaseline if your cheap...works wonders, my bike is out in it all, rain/snow/ice, ive never had a single electrical problem since i sorted it properly.

Cheers banner, but worry not, I have no bike electrical issues in the wet, my point was how if taking a ZXR apart after a serious soak one sees exactly where our watery droplet friends hide, on Rob's lovely shiney practically out of the box bike it would be horrible to add more rust to the existing rust underneath the tank, especially as the bugger is not going to ride it, just wind us all up with more pics of it as and when he likes.

And do not call me cheap

Was good to see you yesterday and delighted that our project L2 helped identify the cutting out issue with your bike
Eyes are wide open looking for the next one.

Pity every time we talk over a coffee I spot another problem to fix

I'm driven to ensure there will be chocolate coated cushyness next time.

I demonstrated the problem you spotted to the lady wife, took her a while to see it in workshop conditions, she is now worried that either you are far too familiar with motorbikes, or you are sneekily causing faults on mine whilst I search your biscuit tin in the vain hope you ever do a big shop.

I owe Project L2 and your scrutineering self a big thankyou, Rockys and plenty of them on their way.

[RedexRobB]

Well today was delivery day and its now sat in my back garden













Really really pleased with it. Had a good look round and there's more marks than I hoped, a few large marks on the left side of the tank and on the tail and looks as if someone has had a go at touching them up with a darker shade. The left hand indicator appears to have be re-wired in too. In fairness I did buy the bike without seeing it so I cant complain and although I have mentioned this to the sellers ill sort them myself.

However, opened the filler cap up and shock fucking horror.....



My heart sank and though what the f*** now? A very cynical side of me said that Kwikkwak was right about the rusty tank, but he didn't mention it was on the bloody inside the giraffe!

Decided to give the sellers a call and he was very surprised it was rusty and that he hadn't noticed it as they have been caught out before with bikes imported from abroad. But since this wasn't an import he couldn't use that excuse. He did try to justify that I should have gone and seen it but I argued that weather id seen it or not, I've paid very top money for it and therefore wouldn't expect the tank to be rusty. He conceded that point and asked how I wanted to sort it.

I see two options, one is to replace the tank, or treat with rust treatment. We agreed that id go get some quotes and look at some prices and then we'll come to an agreement on payment to fix it.

A call to Cradleys revealed they are not available and they would be about 655 quid if they were. The guy at Cradley mentioned P15 treatment which he used just a few days ago to treat the tank on a 1983 Honda so im going to take a look at that. Im also now out for quotes for someone to fix it, I would do it myself but I've now got spend the time on something that shouldn't have occurred in the first place.

I've emailed them the above picture and looks to me it can be sorted with the treatment and I know someone here has used previously/something similar so im confident of a fix.

Apart from the above ive small list of bits to fix such as fitting standard nuts and bolts where some allen bolts have been fitted and sorting the slight misfire it has on tick over and its a job done.

One thing I have found though and that is the complete urge to ride it, ive not ridden a bike since November when I sold my Versys so I guess the time away from a bike is making its contribution. I have plans to store it up but I think im changing my mind on that now. All in all very very pleased with what I have and have a few things to keep me busy to, so I get to have a little tinkering time with it too.

Hi res pics in the bike pics link in my sig.

[Leey]

That's a nasty surprise you had there but hey that's all part of the fun buying unseen
Have you still got the white zxr ? Always liked the white zxr be shame not to see you get it going.

[CaNsA]

A call to Cradleys revealed they are not available and they would be about 655 quid if they were.

Chat to this guy.

Mori Man
memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=990

[KwakKwak]

That must have been a real downer, I've just sorted two tanks, the ZXR with Bill Hisch Slosh, tank was not rusty, just a badly repaired seam weep, someone had used some sort of resin crap that had not adhered to the tank properly. I checked out a few tanks on ebay and they were absolute sh1t.
Also fixed a rusty AR tank with the Kreem kit, etches, primes and seals the tank, and would appear to have worked well.
But with the miles on your bike I'd be loathe to be lining the tank, in fact I'd be very, very pissed off, having said that the value of my ZXR just went up.
Also used a rust treatment called Vactan, bloody brilliant stuff, but do not know if it would be suitable for a tank internal.
I'm still bathing in the glory of a Mr Honda 600 mile tank, and no fooking money

[RedexRobB]

today I've ordered some OEM bolts to replace some non standard items, namely the bolts that hold the rear panels just under the rear brake light and corresponding washers, indicator orange filter screws and a fuel filter; there's some horrendously large filter on it at the moment, no doubt to catch the crap coming out of the rusty tank

Cant source a bolt that holds the two panels together under the oil cooler (not available apparently) so emailed our friend in Japan, MoriMan, for some help.









Going to get the tank and bodywork off next weekend and get the root of the slight misfire on tick over, I suspect a dodgy plug but will see.

Hopefully get some movement on getting the rusty tank sorted this week too.

I also have a pipe guide down by the right hand footrest which has nothing going through it so something else to look at, firstly at the manual . I'm bound to find more things to sort once I get the bodywork off, and quite honestly I'm looking forward to it!