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My next bike will probably be a non-fuel injected Sportster. They are fun to work on and ride and have that sound that is like a very old radial aircraft engine. There is a '79 Kawasaki KZ750 vertical twin in the Phoenix Craigslist that is very much like the first bike I owned for only $3000. Of course that bike sold for around $1000 new, but inflation happened. It would be a great bike to have too. Amazing how much it looks like the CB1100.
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'79 Kawasaki KZ750

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(12-15-2022, 11:17 AM)Jgarciajr40_imp Wrote: I just feel Honda shouldn’t have omitting that.
It is a beef with many Africa Twin owners who feel the same.
In it absence, rationalization seems to be:
* Ground clearance is at its best,
* Minimizes weight to an already hefty bike,
* Minimizes base cost to an already hefty sticker price.
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(12-15-2022, 11:37 AM)peterbaron_imp Wrote: '79 Kawasaki KZ750 

I had an '81....loved that bike!
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(12-16-2022, 12:33 AM)KiowaEagle_imp Wrote: (12-15-2022, 11:37 AM)peterbaron_imp Wrote: '79 Kawasaki KZ750 

I had an '81....loved that bike!
I had an '81....loved that bike!
quote]
U never have bad bikes as far as I remember
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(12-16-2022, 01:00 AM)peterbaron_imp Wrote: (12-16-2022, 12:33 AM)KiowaEagle_imp Wrote: (12-15-2022, 11:37 AM)peterbaron_imp Wrote: '79 Kawasaki KZ750 

I had an '81....loved that bike!
I had an '81....loved that bike!
quote]
U never have bad bikes as far as I remember
I had an '81....loved that bike!
quote]
U never have bad bikes as far as I remember
Never had a bad one but there have definitely been some I liked more than others. That KZ750 was one of them.
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In kicking around this subject, the idea of an older, classic bike has rummaged through my mind. After all, it would be a third bike to accompany the CB and the Triumph (assuming I sell the 300). But, my life is too busy to fiddle... easy maintenance and riding would be my requirements.
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At the time I had my KZ 750 I didn't have anything I could compare it to, so it seemed perfect to me. It was not heavy, seemed to have a low center of gravity, the parallel twin engine was strong enough to carry me and my wife at very high speeds and was just a generally fun and forgivable machine. And it looked good, too. Hard to live up to and I have had a few bikes that cost a lot more and were not nearly as good.
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(12-16-2022, 05:57 AM)m in sc_imp Wrote: GS550. e model, trouble free and fun. pre 82.
Ive owned 2 e's and an L, they dont die.
https://www.autoevolution.com/news/9k-mi...76672.html
My second bike was an '81 GS1100 and it was awesome! Had it 24 years. Hated to let it go.
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I would have either of these two bikes next if they were available. When I owned a Suzuki 250X7 in 1980 I lusted after two Suzuki's. The often disliked Suzuki GS1100E, the oddball front end appealed to me just because it was so awful. Secondly the GS1000S, aka the Wes Cooley replica with the olde two valve 997cc engine.
Both bikes were so far out of my reach in terms of money and skillsets of course. I had left school at 16 and was an Engineering Apprentice living away from home in digs. I purchased my X7 on my 17th birthday and my loan payments were half of my monthly salary of £119. I could barely afford to put petrol in the flaming thing but I needed two wheels bad!