GPz305 as a winter hack

R1150GS got quite badly corroded during last winter. BMW
were very nice and replaced the rusty bits under warranty.
Not sure how nice they'd be with an identical claim next year.

I'm thinking of a much much less expensive bike to use
as a winter hack for short distance stuff. Local bike shop
has a fairly tidy looking GPz305 (the one with belt drive)
for less than a grand.

Is it a Bag-o-shite or OK for what I want?

Mikey

 

It'll cost you almost half that if you **** the rubber band. I found
this out whilst racing a novaboy off a set of lights whilst riding an
EN500 [1] Cracked through first gear, shifted into second, and gave it a
handful and got screaming rev's but no go. Oh, I've found neutral thinks
I, yanks up the lever again and gives it another handful of revs without
any go.

Quick look in the mirrors see's the belt snaking it's way down the road.


[1] I know, what was I thinking, EN500?! Very loud on straight through
pipes though.

 

Isn't the GPz305 well-known as one of the worst bikes ever?


--
AndrewR, D.Bot (Celeritas)
Kawasaki ZX-6R J1
BOTAFOT#2,ITJWTFO#6,UKRMRM#1/13a,MCT#1,DFV#2,SKoGA#0 (and KotL)
BotToS#5,SBS#25,IbW#34, TEAR#3 (and KotL), DS#5, COSOC#9, KotTFSTR#
The speccy Geordie twat.

 

I've not owned a 305, but have had them out loads as loan bikes.

My main quibbles have been physical size (lack of) as I am a "lanky
streak of <didn't quite hear the last word>", and their light weight.

They went quite well up to a point (around 80) then ran out of puff,
probably due to my inability to fold up small enough to get out of the wind.

 

AndrewR says...

I am lead to believe its reputation is not of the highest.

 

mups wrote:

Besides which, isn't there considerably better options for spending a grand?

Or alternatively, considerably shiter options for spending £250 for a
winter shitehack.

 

grand?

For a grand I'd have to go for a GT750 as a winter hack, because I liked the
one Eddie had so much. Through traffic and on damp roundabouts I was
quicker on the GT than I am on the ZX.


--
AndrewR, D.Bot (Celeritas)
Kawasaki ZX-6R J1
BOTAFOT#2,ITJWTFO#6,UKRMRM#1/13a,MCT#1,DFV#2,SKoGA#0 (and KotL)
BotToS#5,SBS#25,IbW#34, TEAR#3 (and KotL), DS#5, COSOC#9, KotTFSTR#
The speccy Geordie twat.

 

Worse than a CZ 250? Is that possible?

Phil

 

I had fun like that years ago - going through a set of roundabouts into
Southampton on my GT550 against a gpz900 in the rain.

I could wind it on as much as I liked due to the complete lack of power
(I thought it was my godlike ability keeping me on at the time), and
matey kept passing me on the straight bits then sliding on the roundy bits.

 

So not recommended then?

To all those who responded, you definitely deserve your
FOAK reputations. Thanks.

OK. Bike duly ignored. Next....

Mikey

 

Not necessarily. I have had one given to me with 8,000 on the clock. It
had been well looked after by the previous owner. It is quiet, very
economical, handles very well, is quite quick for its size (105mph) and has
good acceleration. Apart from the fact that they are ugly, the bad
reputation of the gpz305 is mainly down to being thrashed to buggery by
people who wanted a fast bike but couldn't afford one - and who didn't
bother with adequate maintenace - leading to top end failures. The problem
with buying one is that there is no way of knowing what kind of previous
owner(s) it has had. I certainly wouldn't pay more than £500 for one unless
it had exceptionally low mileage and a credible service history.

Tony

 

TMack says...

*Ding*

GPZ305s can be reliable. I'd want to know the bike from new and know
every oil change and service before I'd part with 50 quid for one
though. I doubt there's one left that is worth anywhere near a grand
nowadays.

As others have said, buy something like a SOGT750 and it'll last for
years with minimal maintenance.

 

Mike wrote

I have. I commuted it up and down to London for 3 years.

Mine appears to have been the only one which actually ran rather well
but then I changed the oil regularly.

Over a hundred (indicated) but not by much.

 

MZ ETZ 250

 

Since one I had managed 60 ish miles with its main jet in the bottom of
the float bowl I've been pretty impressed with them.

Supa 5s are nicer but not quite the winter hack tool.

 

No. No no no no no no no no no no no no no no.[1]

Not ever. Not even if I was fucking paid, would I ever ride one of those
heaps of shite again.

CB250RS? Yes
CG125? Yes (at a push)
MZ anything? yes.
C90? Yes

GPz305 bored-out-Scorpion-250-bag-o-fucking-gutless-soulless-shite? No.

In fact, if I'd had your BMW problems, I'd rather lose a grand a year in
depreciation through corrosion than be seen within a mile of a GPz305....

Dave

[1] IMHO..... [2]
[2] I had a very bad experience[4] with one, OK?[3]
[3] Which wasn't mine, thank god.
[4] Not in the crashing sense, just that I'd have rather hitched a lift with
Mohammed Atta than ridden it again....