GPZ is the name Kawasaki gave to a family of road motorcycles built in capacities from 250 to 1100 cc. The series began with the GPZ 550 in 1978 and grew through the 1980s into one of the best-known sports ranges of the period.
Kawasaki GPZ series at a glance
| Maker | Kawasaki |
|---|---|
| Type | road and sports motorcycles |
| Capacities | 250, 305, 400, 500, 550, 600, 750, 900, 1000, 1100 cc |
| First model | GPZ 550, 1978 |
| GPZ 550 | built 1978–1990 in three versions |
| GPZ 500 S | from 1987, also sold as the EX500 and Ninja |
| GPZ 750 | 1983–1988, including a turbo version with 112 hp |
| GPZ 900 R | 1984–1999, 115 hp, 260 km/h |
| GPZ 1000 RX | 1986–1989, evolution of the 900 |
| GPZ 1100 | 1981–1998 in two series |
The English article is little more than a list of models; the details come from the Italian article.
History of the Kawasaki GPZ series
The GPZ family started in 1978 with the GPZ 550, a road sports bike that Kawasaki built in three clearly different versions until 1990. Over the following decade the badge appeared on machines of almost every size, from a 250 to an 1100, with a common emphasis on performance and, in the bigger models, full fairings copied from the racing bikes of the day.
Small and middle capacities
The GPZ 250 was built from 1983 to 1987 in three series; the second series, presented in 1985, was the point at which the model was also marketed as a Ninja and moved from a naked bike to a half-faired one, with a new braking system, a split seat and indicators integrated into the fairing. The GPZ 305 of 1983–1990 was a naked sports bike with trumpet exhausts and a square screen, available at full power or restricted to 17 hp. The GPZ 400 R of 1983–1985 was heavily faired, with a full-power or 27 hp version. The GPZ 600 of 1984–1989 had very enveloping bodywork and a rectangular headlight. The GPZ 500 S arrived in 1987, presented at the Cologne show in 1986.
The 500 that lasted
The GPZ 500 S, known outside Europe as the EX500, was designed as a cheap sports bike. Its 500 cc parallel twin was made by splitting a four-cylinder 1000 engine: the barrels of the GPZ 1000 RX were fitted to the crankcase of the Z 450 LTD custom. In 1994 it received a deep restyling, with a larger half-fairing, a bigger screen and more modern graphics that made it more suitable for touring, while the rear drum brake gave way to a disc and the single-piston front calipers were replaced by two-piston units. Sold in some countries as the Ninja, it stayed in production until 2007.
The big GPZs
The GPZ 750 of 1983–1988 came in two forms: a naturally aspirated model, developed into the R with a revised engine producing 98 hp at 10,000 rpm, and a turbo version with 112 hp at 9,000 rpm; both used a Uni-Trak rear monoshock that made them more stable on twisty roads. The GPZ 900 of 1984–1999 was a fully faired sports bike with a diamond frame, built in three series; only the first had a 16-inch front wheel. Its high-performance R version, later nicknamed Ninja, had a water-cooled 16-valve four of 115 hp and reached 260 km/h. The GPZ 1000 RX of 1986–1989 evolved from the 900 with squarer lines, a trapezoidal headlight and indicators built into the fairing, and the GPZ 1100 of 1981–1998 was built in two series.
Design and features
- Racing-derived fairings: from the 400 R onwards the bigger GPZs wore bodywork modelled on 500 cc Grand Prix machines.
- Turbo option: the GPZ 750 was one of the few production motorcycles of the 1980s offered with a turbocharger, at 112 hp.
- Uni-Trak suspension: the rear monoshock linkage introduced on the GPZ 750.
- Long model life: the GPZ 500 S stayed in production from 1987 to 2007, and the 900 R from 1984 to 1999.
- Shared engines: the 500 twin was built from the parts of a four-cylinder 1000, which kept costs down.
Kawasaki GPZ series versions
- GPZ 250 (1983–1987): three series, from naked to half-faired.
- GPZ 500 S / EX500 (1987–2007): the affordable middleweight, restyled in 1994.
- GPZ 750 (1983–1988): naturally aspirated and Turbo versions.
- GPZ 900 R (1984–1999): the flagship sports bike, 115 hp in R form.
- GPZ 1000 RX and GPZ 1100: the biggest members of the family.
The GPZ line fed into later Kawasaki sports bikes such as the ZX-10, and its 500 twin also powered the ER-5. More models are in the Kawasaki collection.
Video: 1997 Kawasaki GPZ 500S Review
Video by Men and Motors on YouTube.
Sources
- Kawasaki GPZ series, English Wikipedia: the series as a whole
- Kawasaki GPZ, Italian Wikipedia: model by model history, capacities, specifications
