Hello group! Oil Question??

[art.robinson]

I had an air cooled 550cc Zephyr as well as the GPZ and I used 20/50
Belray full synthetic oil. The bike was "cold blooded" from the start
the synthetic made a huge difference to the clutch action and the warm
up period. The bike really loved it!

My '95 GPZ runs "cool as a cucumber" and from what I gather from The
List this is the way it is.

Art in TO

-----Original Message-----
From: gpzlist-bounces at micapeak.com [mailto:gpzlist-bounces at micapeak.com]
On Behalf Of thomas hoy
Sent: 23 March 2010 13:56
To: 'GPZ List'
Subject: RE: Hello group! Oil Question??

Oil:

Now, I have an '84 gpz, and I run 20w50 in it.  I run 20w50 cuz its air
cooled, I live in CA and it is a hot-runner.  

Now, I have owned a whole slew of bikes in my life, but never a mid-90's
Kawasaki, but I could be off-base on this:
I have owned an '86 ninja 600 (zx600), and 85 zx900 ninja and a 1989
zx-10. 
All of these have been, although healthy machines, rather hot-running
motorcycles.  I have always run a 20w50 in them b/c a.) I was much
younger
and liked to go fast now and then, b.) lived in Texas and CA at the
time,
and c.) understood that heat is the enemy of viscosity.  

I really have no idea now whether the newer generation of kwaks like to
run
hot or not, but it can't kill ya to keep a little thicker goop in yer
oil
pan. 


-----Original Message-----
From: gpzlist-bounces at micapeak.com [mailto:gpzlist-bounces at micapeak.com]
On
Behalf Of patrick
Sent: Tuesday, March 23, 2010 5:53 AM
To: GPZ List
Subject: RE: Hello group! Oil Question??

Thanks art, should I use the 20 w 50?

Connected by MOTOBLUR™ on T-Mobile

-----Original message-----
From: Arthur Robinson <art.robinson at rogers.com>
To: 'GPZ List' <gpzlist at micapeak.com>
Sent: Tue, Mar 23, 2010 12:27:05 GMT+00:00
Subject: RE: Hello group! Oil Question??

I've been using 10-40 fully synthetic oil since 4K Kms. The bike now has
105K and doesn't use any significant amount of oil over the entire
season. 

I wouldn't go for anything else: I think it's a good investment.

Art in TO

-----Original Message-----
From: gpzlist-bounces at micapeak.com [mailto:gpzlist-bounces at micapeak.com]
On Behalf Of Patrick
Sent: 22 March 2010 19:49
To: GPZ List
Subject: Hello group! Oil Question??


Hello all, time for an oil/filter change on my '96 GPZ 1100. When I
bought the bike the seller gave me two full boxes of Castrol fully
synthetic R4 oil. 1 box of 20 W-50 and another of 5 W-50. I dont
generally use any synthetic oil, although this stuff is damn expensive
and I sure would love to use it. What is everyone's opinion? I would
probably use the 20 W -50 I suppose. Not sure though???  Thanks
"In vino veritas"

--- On Mon, 3/22/10, Chuck Driscoll <cdriscol2001 at yahoo.com> wrote:

From: Chuck Driscoll <cdriscol2001 at yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: Might be looking to sell
To: "GPZ List" <gpzlist at micapeak.com>
Date: Monday, March 22, 2010, 1:04 PM

Dave,
As someone who sold his, I wish I hadn't. I did use the $ toward my KLR
which I am glad to have, and I enjoy, but the GPZ is a great 2up road
bike, and the KLR is not that. With the GPZ the fun value is more than
the $ value. Do what you gotta, if you really need the $ or garage
space, but 1000 quality miles a year is better than 0 quality miles per
year.
Chuck Driscoll


--- On Mon, 3/22/10, mrgilmore at aol.com <mrgilmore at aol.com> wrote:

> From: mrgilmore at aol.com <mrgilmore at aol.com>
> Subject: Re: Might be looking to sell
> To: gpzlist at micapeak.com
> Date: Monday, March 22, 2010, 10:11 AM
> 
> Charles, Dave and all you guys,
> 
> I'm with you Charles...  keep it.  If you have
> the garage or other location to store it, that will probably
> make you very happy if/when you elect to get it out one day
> and re-experience why you rode (ride) in the first
> place.  Like you (Charles) I'm older than Dave I
> presume.  At 57, I figure I've also seen better days
> and getting out and riding when the opportunity presents
> itself is a really good thing for me.  Of course,
> living in S. CA gives me virtually year-round riding, but
> the principle remains the same.  I took a week-long run
> up and around CA last Oct., just me, tent/gear, some
> e-books, etc. and that was really great for my
> spirits.  These days, I don't go for the type of full
> morning or all-day rides like I used to, for a few
> reasons.  Mostly keeping the women happy, and also I'm
> pre-occupied with this home remodel presently going
> on.  I do intend to crank 'ol red' up for a brief ride
> today, but that'll probably be it for  a little
> while...  I can't afford a new bike, and I'm really
> glad I chose the Geeper when I bought it new in '95. 
> Been the best all around bike for me.  No complaints,
> period.  A little porky, but WTF?  That heft is
> reassuring when I crank up the RPMs if you know what I
> mean...
> So Dave, unless its a financial thing or the woman is
> handing you a difficult ultimatum, I say keep it and leave
> it in hiberation mode for your use when you want it.  I
> guarantee you'll miss it when the day rolls around and that
> feeling says "ride"...
> 
> Just my two cents...
> Ron Jordan
> lurking in Altadena, CA
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Charles Scappaticci <scapco at ecentral.com>
> To: GPZ List <gpzlist at micapeak.com>
> Sent: Sun, Mar 21, 2010 5:49 pm
> Subject: Re: Might be looking to sell
> 
> 
> Dave,
> I say keep it.
> I certainly understand where you're coming from.  It
> seems harder and
> arder to get out for a long ride with work, kids and
> everything
> tealing your time.  It seems I have less free time now
> than ever
> efore. And I've not given the GPZ or my dirt bikes the
> attention they
> eserve the past couple of years. But...
> It took a long trip through western Canada to remind me of
> how much I
> njoy riding and why I do it.  The solitude, the
> scenery and the
> lements are such a wonderful change from the daily
> pressures sitting
> ehind two computer monitors in my little office at work,
> making
> thers wealthy while my life gets harder.
> I'm a little older than you and my kids are older too, one
> gone and
> he other in just a couple more years.  My youngest
> rarely rides with
> e anymore with her school, sports and friends so it's just
> me
> sually.  I turn 54 this summer and time is certainly
> weighing on my
> ind.  My best years behind me now, how much more time
> do I have left
> o ride and partake in life's adventures?  How many of
> you listers
> ave read about Edelweiss tours around the world trip this
> fall?  8
> onths, 40K miles for $102,000, plus you provide the bike
> and other
> tuff, maybe $150K all together.  I'd give my left nut
> to do that ride
> f I could (since my marriage ended I don't use it
> anyway).  I'll
> ever get to retire thanks to the actions of others, so I
> choose to
> ide when I can as long as I can.
> I'm planning on a 10 day ride around Colorado in late
> August, just me
> nd the GPZ, a tent, sleeping bag and no schedule.  I'm
> going to find
> ome nice lakes to camp next to, a good book or two and some
> good
> orners and scenery.  2011?  Probably back to
> Canada, I just have to
> ecide east coast or west coast.  My biggest concern
> these days (other
> han paying for my daughters college) is how I'm going to
> get a newer
> ike, maybe a new Connie, BMW1200 GS, or something like that
> to eat up
> he miles.  I'll still keep the GPZ though, with
> insurance down to
> 183 a year (still full coverage!), and $50 annually to
> register it,
> t costs me almost nothing to keep it for whatever comes
> along. And
> ith 50K on the clock and a salvage title, who'd want it
> anyway
> egardless of the condition?
> So, my apologies for the long winded rambling, but I say
> keep it for
> ow and give it some serious thought.  Are you ready to
> retire to the
> az-boy recliner?  I'm not.
> Charles S.
> 
>  From: David Spaulding <spauldingd at hotmail.com>
>  I think it might be time to sell my GPz.
> 
>