My 1st bike.... ZZR600

Destructo · 07-24-2009, 7:55 PM

I've just been sorting out some old pics and found these of my old (1st) bike - '95 ZZR600E.

http://i338.photobucket.com/albums/n...W/CIMG0197.jpg

http://i338.photobucket.com/albums/n...W/CIMG0198.jpg

Bought it cheap, it needed new downpipes (common on these bikes) and a new shock to make it useable.

All was going well until one fateful day on my way to work, I came out of a roundabout, felt the back kick out and the next thing I know I'm in to a tankslapper. My next memory is then picking myself up off the road, picking up the bike and wheeling it across the dual carriageway to the grass verge.

I had been doing about 60mph when it all went wrong....

http://i338.photobucket.com/albums/n...W/CIMG0611.jpg

http://i338.photobucket.com/albums/n...W/CIMG0612.jpg

http://i338.photobucket.com/albums/n...W/CIMG0613.jpg

http://i338.photobucket.com/albums/n...W/CIMG0616.jpg

http://i338.photobucket.com/albums/n...W/CIMG0604.jpg

I decided the damage wasn't that bad and so went on to fix the bike up. It only needed a few parts to get it ride-able.

For the body panels, I decided a re-spray in black was in order - I tried for metallic black, but it came out matt! It took ages too....

http://i338.photobucket.com/albums/n...W/CIMG1822.jpg

http://i338.photobucket.com/albums/n...W/CIMG1824.jpg

As for me, I was wearing full leathers at the time and so got off lightly. All my kit was trashed - lid, leathers, boots, gloves. One of my knees is still not right after 3 years, but apart from that there was no other injuries.

Twincam · 07-25-2009, 1:12 PM

Sorry to hear about the off!

I must say she does look better in black... What happened to her now?

StrumminRonin · 07-25-2009, 3:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Twincam

Sorry to hear about the off!

I must say she does look better in black... What happened to her now?

Hope you're alright. I second that, the black looks nice!

Destructo · 07-25-2009, 4:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Twincam

Sorry to hear about the off!

I must say she does look better in black... What happened to her now?

The crash was 3 or 4 years ago now!

It came out OK all things considered, even the scuff marks weren't too visible after a bit of sanding down.

I used the bike for probably a year or so after the crash, when it developed a misfire problem which I think might have been valve clearance related. I tried to adjust the valve clearances myself and screwed up the timing so bravely decided to give up.

So the bike got parted out on eBay..... and the proceeds went towards my Blade

Destructo · 07-25-2009, 4:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StrumminRonin

Hope you're alright. I second that, the black looks nice!

Yeah I got away lightly thanks to wearing full kit! I thought my ankle might have been broken at the time but it was OK, and my left knee will probably never be right - it's not too bad though, just gets painful if it's kept in some positions for too long.

The bike did look better in black, I managed to sell all of the fairing panels as a complete set to someone!

Destructo · 07-25-2009, 4:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Twincam

Sorry to hear about the off!

Quote:

Originally Posted by StrumminRonin

Hope you're alright.

Sorry, I forgot to say thanks for your well-wishes.... how rude of me

Twincam · 07-25-2009, 5:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Destructo

Sorry, I forgot to say thanks for your well-wishes.... how rude of me

I came off of mine last year - my ligaments in my ankle are still playing up

One of the many joys of riding.

Destructo · 07-25-2009, 6:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Twincam

I came off of mine last year - my ligaments in my ankle are still playing up

One of the many joys of riding.

that's not so good either.... I guess we all pick up these kind of ailments over the years.

I find that if I keep my leg exercised when I'm riding them I'm OK - so through 30 limits or on straights I stretch my legs out to prevent any pain in my knee from developing.

spina220 · 07-25-2009, 9:28 PM

The saying I think goes...."you wanna play you got to pay." My war stories can go on for hours about broken bones but as long as I can still walk, gas, clutch, shift, and brake I will be ok.

spina220 · 07-25-2009, 9:29 PM

Oh also sorry to hear about the off.

Destructo · 07-26-2009, 9:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spina220

The saying I think goes...."you wanna play you got to pay." My war stories can go on for hours about broken bones but as long as I can still walk, gas, clutch, shift, and brake I will be ok.

Quote:

Originally Posted by spina220

Oh also sorry to hear about the off.

Cheers - of course motorcycling brings with it some huge risks which we all accept every time we select first and pull away. I guess we all feel that the rewards generated out-weigh these risks!

KSJNX · 10-24-2009, 1:54 AM

sorry to hear about the crash. My first bike was the same one and that think was unstoppable. I ran it for over 40 miles without coolant (bottom radiator hose burst while I was on the highway). A water pump and a new hose later it still ran like butter.

Destructo · 10-24-2009, 5:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KSJNX

sorry to hear about the crash. My first bike was the same one and that think was unstoppable. I ran it for over 40 miles without coolant (bottom radiator hose burst while I was on the highway). A water pump and a new hose later it still ran like butter.

Thanks - the crash was a few years ago now.

My ZZR wasn't as robust as yours by the look of it, it had only done 22k miles when it was time to call it a day. It's put me off Kawasakis to be honest, I used to like them before!