I bought a 1980 KZ1000 back in 1986 with 32 miles on the clock, and it became the highest mileage bike I've ever owned (I've owned 150 bikes in 45 years). But, once my collection got so numerous that I had other choices that pushed certain buttons, the trusty old KZ became the RUSTY old KZ.
One fine hot Laredo afternoon (2001), I was at Joe Gregory's salvage yard looking for something or another, and as I wandered through the back of the shop to head upstairs to the parts bins, something flashy green caught my eye. Leaning against a pipe column was sadly front-ended 1999 ZRX1100, the modern incarnation of the classic KZ (I had been wanting one since I first spotted the intro adverts). It had bent forks, a dented gas tank, trashed front fender, fairing & instruments, and a broken footpeg.
I did an immediate about-face and found Joe in his office; I had a number in my head, and as soon as he told me how much he wanted for it, I told him I'd be back with the cash. We made the deal and I brought it home. Joe found me a tank and fender at a shop in San Antonio, which I picked up, along with a nice Muzzy CF muffler. Once I got the new fork tubes installed and got it all back together, it fired right up, but seemed to have a stumble that wouldn't go away. Turned out one carb had it's low speed jet plugged with a tiny bit of grit.
With that fixed, I took it out for it's maiden voyage and realized I was at extreme risk of losing my license at a moment's notice.
Talk about doing the ton, it was WAY too easy, in 3rd gear no less. Also, it had been a good while since I owned a bike that would wheelie that effortlessly, and that was a dirt bike when I was a teenager. I have to tell you, I racked up as many miles in 3 years on the ZRX as I had on the KZ in the previous 10 or so.
A few years later, I passed the bike on to my oldest son; he rode it for several years, a couple of his friends took turns dumping it, then he traded it in for a newer Yamaha FZR600.
One fine hot Laredo afternoon (2001), I was at Joe Gregory's salvage yard looking for something or another, and as I wandered through the back of the shop to head upstairs to the parts bins, something flashy green caught my eye. Leaning against a pipe column was sadly front-ended 1999 ZRX1100, the modern incarnation of the classic KZ (I had been wanting one since I first spotted the intro adverts). It had bent forks, a dented gas tank, trashed front fender, fairing & instruments, and a broken footpeg.
I did an immediate about-face and found Joe in his office; I had a number in my head, and as soon as he told me how much he wanted for it, I told him I'd be back with the cash. We made the deal and I brought it home. Joe found me a tank and fender at a shop in San Antonio, which I picked up, along with a nice Muzzy CF muffler. Once I got the new fork tubes installed and got it all back together, it fired right up, but seemed to have a stumble that wouldn't go away. Turned out one carb had it's low speed jet plugged with a tiny bit of grit.
With that fixed, I took it out for it's maiden voyage and realized I was at extreme risk of losing my license at a moment's notice.
Talk about doing the ton, it was WAY too easy, in 3rd gear no less. Also, it had been a good while since I owned a bike that would wheelie that effortlessly, and that was a dirt bike when I was a teenager. I have to tell you, I racked up as many miles in 3 years on the ZRX as I had on the KZ in the previous 10 or so.
A few years later, I passed the bike on to my oldest son; he rode it for several years, a couple of his friends took turns dumping it, then he traded it in for a newer Yamaha FZR600.
