Working on an Iconic motorcycle! A Quick look behind the scenes!

You don't see too many it this condition! Working on a Iconic motorcycle. The famous Kawasaki GPZ900R.
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[@volvogt21]

Film everything! We'll watch it! She's a beauty. Hey I watched some of your old stuff recently and you promised that carb synchronisation video 6 years ago!!!!!!! I then spent an hour looking for it. Lol

[@SuperbikeSurgeryTV]

Sorry 😂

[@kainetyrie5355]

@@SuperbikeSurgeryTV Would be great to see it!

[@volvogt21]

@SuperbikeSurgeryTV good things come to those who wait! I understand why you haven't done it. Having high standards means things take time and motivation. Sometimes the planets just need to align.

[@dazcapri7004]

Looking forward to the carb balancing video, it'll be great to see how it's done the right way

[@jasonwood6100]

Great video as always, bit tight down in there, where’s Jeremy Beadle when you want him?😂

[@paulvanhout9695]

Really enjoy watching your surgeries on these classics that were part of my formative motorbiking years👍

[@nickrider5220]

Remember seeing the new gpz900r in 1984, I was at a petrol station with my 250 x7 and I thought it looked so high tech....I almost over filled my tank !

[@weldmachine]

They definitely looked COOL when they first came out 👍👍 I remember my silly die hard Yamaha mate trying to race 2, 900R's from the traffic lights. He heard about a new Kawasaki 250 coming out, I think it was the KR 250 ??. He was on an RZ250R Of course they left him behind 😅 Pulled up at the next set of traffic lights, looks over and sees GPZ 900R. I laughed my head off when he told me.

[@Northfox46]

I had a Gpz1000rx many years ago. Great bike with a fantastic motor. Handled much better with 17” fitted 👍

[@munter10]

the RX always looked fatter and over weight next to the GPZ900 lol

[@weldmachine]

@@munter10 The 1000RX did have that Fatter look to it. At least not as bad as a Suzuki 1300 Hypabus ???

[@robbie2awesome]

wow that was some cake, man you're a lucky guy!

[@weldmachine]

Even though the GPZ900R was as heavy as a ship anchor I still Love them. I was a die hard Kawasaki fan years ago. Pretty much had every model from the early 80's I even owned 2 GPZ 900R's. But, at separate times. First one 1985 model I fitted the Factory Superbike kit, which took the capacity out to just under 1000cc along with the other bits and pieces included in the kit with some serious Port & Polish work. The next one an 1988 model I went with a full engine swap to a GPZ1000RX motor and increased the capacity to just over 1100 cc with all the goodies included except I didn't go with the Factory kit this time around I went with Aftermarket parts. It definitely brings back some memories of my early days with Bikes ❤❤

[@muckle8]

You definitely had that “ need for speed “ - you must have spent a small fortune . - we all did looking back. 🤔

[@weldmachine]

@@muckle8 😁👍

[@darrylcoomer1539]

Love the humour and the technical waffle!! Keep going mate and that carb balancing video will be very useful!

[@dumbwaiter3644]

I love the rants !

[@charlesemerson6763]

I had the 750 version with the 16"front wheel. Great bike but that rear suspension was never that great. I ended up replacing it with a Fournales rear shock. I had a mate who had the 900, same colour too. He had the unfortunate experience of spinning a main bearing when one of the tangs broke off the shell. Easy fix as those engines came out with no problems.

[@munter10]

Thanks for showing us that, Jim. I had a GPZ900A1 from '95 to '99, cool bike, did a lot of kms on the old girl, rebuilt the motor after it ran a big end bearing, had a chase with the cops in '97 and maxxed it out at 255kmh on the speedo. . . AND outran the cops on a 38km chase in the Mackenzie basin of NZ but was caught later and paid the price. So yeah, great memories lol. The thing I did not like about that bike was the 16" front wheel, the steering was not great, unlike the GSXR1100M which was my next bike. Also the power was not that good, only 96rwhp tested on a dyno. But a great road bike for the times back then.

[@SuperbikeSurgeryTV]

Thanks for taking the time to comment 👍

[@munter10]

@@SuperbikeSurgeryTV . . . hmmm, I think I may have "over-shared" with that story lol

[@weldmachine]

@@munter10 Not at all👍 It's great reading the comments about guys who owned bikes around this time. The Suzuki GSEXR 1100M was and still is a Very nice bike. I bought the earlier L model mostly because I Loved the Slingshot shape. Current bike GSEXR 1000 k4. But, it's far from standard, LOL. The top speed sounds about right for the 900R (255 kmh.) The version I owned with the Factory Superbike Kit managed to hit around 285 kmh. A little hard to tell because the speedo I went up to 260. It went well past there, LOL. Now it's so easy on a GSEXR 😉

[@colfergusson4242]

Just call me Alan 😃😃 between the pair of you, both your skills are truly exceptional and grateful to those that follow you on your channels

[@SuperbikeSurgeryTV]

Thanks 👍

[@scottyd024]

Looking forward to carb sync video off you 👍🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

[@testwall3217]

hi, i`m a past owner of the incredible GPZ900R, unfortunately now i`m unable to ride anymore. in my younger days of dispatch riding in the centre of London, the few RTA`s had taken a toll on me ageing body. My point is that I came across you and your vid`s.....They have brought back so many memories plus making me laugh 😂 😂. Keep up your tallent and personality, as the few F `s and dribbling on...lol its brilliant. I miss very much of the kin-ship of the biker clan and messing around with bikes. more content of you riding in the cool...haha! with the right amount of layers it one of the best biker feelings,I miss. After the gpz I had a Suzuki GSX 750 F THE TWO 17" made a fantastic ride. Once again FANTASTIC CONTENT, A MUST WATCH. cheers an City Link X rider.👍👍👍👍

[@geraldfitzgibbon7428]

Sound of that trottle action ❤ .as pop larkin says perfick

[@petermosdell580]

Looking forward to the carb balancing video Jim. I’ve always done it at idle with one of those Morgan devices. Often wondered if I’m doing it right or should try one of those fancy electronic balancers or conventional rotary gauges. Keeping wallet firmly holstered and mind open 😉

[@scottwheeler5665]

Great job Jim as always 😁👌I’d love to see a carb balancing video Jim 👌😎

[@MrBuzzBrain]

I remember it was a bit pain to service these carbs, as the airbox sits so tight. But was a nice bike to ride 😊

[@zzzpip]

look forward to the throttle body video.

[@carlhansen8668]

Great work 😊

[@ZAMsChannel]

Thank you, Jim... 👍

[@maximilijan77]

Thanks!

[@SuperbikeSurgeryTV]

Thank you 🙏

[@575ban]

Not many modern bikes have throttle cables Jim 😉😂 I know what you mean though, same with clutch cables, get the routing wrong and you've what seems like a knackered cable.

[@stephenwilkins376]

Jez Jim, you made me feel really old when you said it was 40 years old. I had one at 19 😢😢

[@steveclark..]

How did you afford to insure it at that age? Although I did get a GSXR1100 at the age of 22, back then I think it cost me around £300 to insure it.

[@stephenwilkins376]

@@steveclark.. The bike was £3500 new 🫣 I think will check still have the receipt, The insurance was around £400 ish. They said would be cheaper when older 🤣🤣🤣

[@munter10]

@@stephenwilkins376 bloody amazing you survived to become 'older' lol. I paid $3000NZD in 1995 for a 10 year old GPZ900A1 and didnt bother with insurance. . . it's optional here in NZ.

[@steveclark..]

@@stephenwilkins376 Sounds about right I guess. I've only ever bought one brand new vehicle in my life, an FZR600R back in 94 for £6500 if I remember correctly. With my part exchange and cash, I had like 4.5k down, the 2k I paid back via their 0% finance scheme.

[@weldmachine]

@@munter10 I remember a mate wanted a GPZ900R he would sell his soul for it, LOL. As you would when you're young. AUD in 1984 $5500 I can't recall If it included on road cost ?? Insurance was around $2,000 because he was under 21. He borrowed the money from a Bank, back in the days when you either needed to own a house or have your parents add their house to the loan application ?? He only owned the bike for 1 year because he could not afford the Insurance for the second year 🙄 Seems like a total waste of money even buying the bike ??? The things you do when you're young.

[@Carlnewman68]

Loved it mate

[@Cees1984]

Nice you-tube channel. I’m a car mechanic and i do bikes as a hobby for about 20 years now. I see a lot of real world isseus that you’re explaining very well and the diagnostics are simular to that of a car ( or any engine for that matter). Thanks for the video’s 😁 🛠👌

[@tomevans4078]

“Just call me Allen” 😂

[@virtuosomuso]

Looking forward to the throttle body syncing Jim , I'll be doing mine on the Kawasaki z1000sx shortly

[@paullanham1014]

Needs to be a cupcake to be a true connoisseur ‘Alan’

[@SuperbikeSurgeryTV]

😂

[@firestorm755]

Yep, I'm guy of a certain age.... Awesome bike.

[@motorcycle_workshop]

That apple cake was awful! I mean, it was at least half the size a grown man requires for a proper tea break.

[@HalfdeadRider]

I saw that video and replied to your comment on it (carb balancing, all I said was I read it should be done with the engine warm, nothing about increasing the idle), the confusion is likely from them misunderstanding instruction, as the engines rpms can rise while balancing which isn't a problem, but you leave it until you get a smooth idle then bring it down to normal idle speeds, and do the next carb (I'm only going by my ZX9r's manual, I haven't had the need to balance mine as it was done a few years back, might be good to try soon). They obviously thought it was saying to increase the idle for some reason, and as you said, they then make vids and people copy. I am pretty sure I have seen you balance carbs in a video, but a dedicated video explaining it in more detail would be great for many of us.

[@virtuosomuso]

Lovely bike Jim , guess what ? I've got a lazy lob on 😂

[@SuperbikeSurgeryTV]

😂😂

[@MrNiklas1967]

Good video

[@Bandit19990]

Looking forward to a long waffle carb ballance video, lol you know what i mean.

[@kwakgreen]

Jim, for God's sake it's bakewell tart not a Bad boy. By the way being an owner of a ZX9R owner, carb balancing is a eagerly anticipated vlog.

[@SuperbikeSurgeryTV]

😂

[@HalfdeadRider]

Best bikes ever! I might be slightly biased 😎👍

[@kwakgreen]

@@HalfdeadRider Nice Bike. Is it the E or F model?

[@HalfdeadRider]

@@kwakgreen E1 mate 👍

[@martyniner8893]

Great video!

[@bikerstuff2]

Don't forget to tell people that Japanese bikes use JIS screws not Phillips. Too many chew up screws on Japanese bikes or brakes using the wrong tool. Almost every Nissin brake reservoir cap has chewed up screws holding the cap on.

[@SuperbikeSurgeryTV]

I agree, and do mention it quite a bit 👍

[@munter10]

Here's a 'short' summary on JIS vs Phillips . . . One of the most recognized types of screwdrivers in the US is the traditional Phillips screwdriver. It’s probably the most commonly used driver in your toolbox for fastening cross-point screws. Do you experience “cam-outs” and damage screws when using a Phillips screwdriver on Japanese brand products (motorcycles, ATV’s, automobiles, electronic equipment, office equipment, hobby remote control equipment, ect.)? If so, then it may be a “JIS” (Japanese Industrial Standard) screw. A JIS and a Phillips screw may look the same to the human eye, but they have completely different profiles and it\'s important to know the difference. Henry Phillips invented and patented the Phillips design in 1936. The Phillips design was a great solution for the automobile production lines since it was designed to “cam-out” after a certain torque was reached to prevent over-tightening of the screw. Another advantage over the use of flat head screws was that the Phillips self-centering design allowed operators to engage the tip of the driver into the screw head very quickly and easily. Japanese engineers developed their own cross-point design similar to that of the Phillips. The Japanese cross-point drivers also have the self-centering and quick tool and screw engagement, however the “JIS” (Japanese Industrial Standard) design allowed torque and over-tightening to be controlled by the operator and not at the head of the screw. This key difference is why Phillips screwdrivers cannot properly engage \"JIS” (Japanese Industrial Standard) screws. It’s very hard to distinguish the difference between a Phillips versus a JIS screw without magnification. Some JIS screws can be easily identified by a single dot or dimple on the head of the screw. However, it could be difficult to identify one from the other if the screw doesn’t have a marking. writeup jisdiagram writeup phillipsdiagram You can see the difference between the two cross-point designs in the above diagram. The Phillips and the Japanese JIS profiles may look the same, but they are indeed significantly different when you look at them under close magnification. An overall rule of thumb is that Japanese cross-point screwdrivers, such as VESSEL, are recommended in order to help prevent cam-outs and screw damage when working on Japanese brand products. What is Japanese Industry Standard (JIS) what is jis article icon Vessel logo About JDV and VESSEL Tools: JDV Products Inc. is Vessel Japan’s Exclusive North American Distributor. We are very proud to represent their prestigious industrial tool line ranging from general hand tools (Japanese cross-points, hex wrenches, wire strippers, hammers, ect.), air impact and torque tools, industrial bits, pneumatic cutting and crimping tools, ESD solutions, and so much more. Today, VESSEL is the oldest manufacturer for manual screwdrivers in Japan. VESSEL is known for their high-quality tool making and have been producing manual screwdrivers since 1916 - which is almost 20 years before Henry Phillips invented the American- known Phillips screwdriver! With over 97 years experience making hand screwdrivers, VESSEL has extensive “know-how” on producing superior Japanese hand tools which fit “JIS” (Japanese Industrial Standard) and the conventional American “Phillip” type screws perfectly. They have a long history meeting customers’ needs when it comes to fastening applications. The Phillips versus JIS (Japanese Industrial Standard) Phenomenon Does your Phillips screwdriver “cam-out” and damage screws? If so, it may NOT be a US Phillips screw - it may be a “JIS” (Japanese Industrial Standard) type! That is why you need VESSEL Japanese Cross-Point Screwdrivers! One of the most recognized types of manual hand tools in the US is the traditional Phillips screwdriver It’s probably the most used driver in your toolbox when fastening cross-point screws. However, when using a Phillips driver, do you experience “cam-outs” and damage screws; especially when working on Japanese brand products (motorcycles, automobiles, electronic equipment, office equipment, hobby remote control equipment, ect.)? If so, then it may be a “JIS” (Japanese Industrial Standards) screw. A JIS and a Phillips screw may look the same to the human eye but they have completely different profiles. Therefore, you’ll need the correct tool for the job. In 1936, Henry Phillips invented and patented the American Phillips design. The Phillips screw was a great solution for the automobile production lines since it was designed to “cam-out” after a certain torque was reached to prevent over-tightening of the screw. Also, unlike the flat head drivers, another advantage was that the Phillips screwdriver’s self-centering design allowed operators to engage the tip of the driver into the screw head very quickly and easily. Just like the US, the Japanese engineers developed their own cross-point design. Similar to the Phillips, the Japanese cross-point drivers also have the self-centering and quick tool and screw engagement. However, the key difference is that the “JIS” (Japanese Industrial Standard) design allowed torque and over-tightening to be controlled by the operator - not at the head of the screw. Without magnification, it’s very hard to distinguish a Phillips versus a JIS screw. Some JIS screws can be identified by a single dot or dimple on the head of the screw. However, if the screw doesn’t have a marking, then it’s very difficult to identify one from the other. That’s why it is important to choose the correct screwdriver for the job. JIS vs Phillips In reference to the above diagram, you can see the difference between the two cross-point designs. The American Phillips and the Japanese JIS profiles may look the same but they are indeed significantly different when you look at them under close magnification. Due to the different profiles, the conventional Phillips screwdriver’s tip will not seat all the way down into a JIS screw head. One reason is that the corner radius at the cross-section on a JIS screw head is smaller than that of a Phillips tipped screwdriver. Also, most JIS screws have a shallower cavity and since a Phillips screwdriver has a longer tip design (versus a Japanese cross-point driver), it won’t fit all the way down into a JIS screw. As a result, a Phillips tip may not grip the sides of the JIS screw properly and will most likely cause the operator to “cam-out” and damage the screw. On the other hand, a Japanese cross-point screwdriver fits both JIS and Phillips screws perfectly. If you don’t know what type of screw you are fastening, then we would highly recommend using a VESSEL Japanese cross-point driver since it’s universal for both screw types. Overall, as a rule of thumb, when you are working on Japanese brand products, you will need Japanese cross-point screwdrivers to prevent cam-outs and to help prevent damaging screws. Copied and pasted article from JDV Products Inc.

[@SuperbikeSurgeryTV]

​@munter10 Have you been having a play with "Chat GPT"? 😂

[@simp99bird]

Halfords currently have the best price on a set of JIS screwdrivers by Sealy. A great investment, you immediately notice how well the screwdriver grips.

[@simonrawle7885]

older bike are far better looking than the new stuff coming out . the new bike all look samey. good one to carb balance are the old vfr400 nc21 . you need a trained hamster in a fire suit to get the the screws in the back bank

[@heatz711]

carb balancing 👍 get her done!

[@FREE_PUREBLOOD333]

Pass me the tissue box!!! I'm going into the DANGER ZONE!!!

[@SuperbikeSurgeryTV]

😳😂

[@briandarnell5966]

The carbs on that series of bikes are a shitter to set up

[@memyselfandi7642]

Good suff

[@memyselfandi7642]

Stuff Doh

[@stephenwalsh8184]

🏍👍

[@mickleblade]

My 1st bike was a gpz550 that I bought early '96. Poor bike, I wasn't very nice to it..

[@stevencurtis-rich4178]

Dreadful job when you got big hands and fingers 😅