Help please - 1988 Kawasaki GPZ500

[O8ride]

Have the offer to buy a GPZ500 for very cheap - £400. 33500 miles on the clock. Way I see it, at that price I can probably re-sell it if I don't like it much and get my money back.

But I have no idea about these bikes. If anyone has any experience of these, can oyu please let me know? My offer runs out at 7pm UK time Sunday.

Whoever put on the new exhaust created a problem as it is burning through the belly pan plastic. Something to worry about?

Thanks

O8

 

[monkeystrada]

I'm guessing the guy who designed the rear end had just got a new ruler and wanted to get his money's-worth from it!

Don't know much about the bike, but like you say for £400 you can probably buy it, have a bit of fun on it and sell it on without too much drama

 

[O8ride]

Well, it seems my offer has disappeared. I asked the following questions:

I am interested, but some useful information would help to clinch it.My problem is that Brigg is really difficult to get to by public transport to pick it up, and then ride it back. So:

a) what sort of miles per gallon are you getting?
b) would it be safe to pick up and drive away on a 70+ motorway trip, before it can be serviced?
c) how are the brakes?
d) do you have a youtube channel and could you put up a video of starting it up in the morning and showing the electrics? If you put it up as an unlisted or private, and send me a link, I will be able to see it.
e) If I do agree to buy, would you be able to wait until 24th?

Unfortunately, I don't think he liked being asked the questions.

hi I have read your reply,the bike is to be sold as seen sorry I have used the bike to go to work on and been to various bike meets clocking up to a 100 miles at Times.it has always been a good starter in a morning on choke.I'm just hoping for a quick sale now sorry so I'm just going to relist with a buy it now

sorry if this has wasted your time but I only put it up for an easy sale

Were my questions a little too direct? Do I need to be a bit more tactful?

 

[MrCods]

Sounded alright to me but as he said it looks like hes in a real hurry to sell and just wants to walk away without any hassels.
If it were mine I would have just told you to come and see it yourself.

 

[dandoolittle]

Well, it seems my offer has disappeared. I asked the following questions:



Unfortunately, I don't think he liked being asked the questions.



Were my questions a little too direct? Do I need to be a bit more tactful?

I think your comments were a little OTT only the one about uploading a video etc. I would presume you'll be pain customer and not worth the hassle

The bloke wants a quick sale. I would just say that you'll buy it once you've seen it, then arrange a viewing after the 24th and simply say you're busy until then rather than saying you won't have the money

He has answered your question but I reckon he's brushing you off

 

[NastyEvilNinja]

For a £400 sale you're lucky if it's got an engine! No way would I answer that list of questions unless they were already in my listing.

You're basically buying cheap parts for that price, so the fact it runs is a bonus.

I've had a GPZ500 for about 18 months, now. Exhausts rot to death and are very expensive and fiddly to replace - my aftermarket system also touches my lower fairing, which has melted and smells a bit but doesn't seem to want to catch fire or anything, so I'm just ignoring it.

I had to strip the rear suspension as that all seized up, and one spark plug came loose but screwed back in and hasn't been a problem since.

Overall it's a massivley reliable bike that hasn't even come close to letting me down through 2 Winters, and it's VERY easy to work on so would be brilliant for anyone wanting to learn their own mechanicing. It's also quite a bit of fun to ride (I thought I'd hate every second compared to my ZX9R).

I paid £600 for mine in nowhere near as good condition as the one in the pics, and I still think mine was an absolute bargain for a second/Winter/commuting bike!