RE Any other original owners

[Steve Clark]

I still have mine 1997 as a left over in 1998 $8800 Cdn approx 45K miles, 
Had a low slide into the ditch on Tracy Road in New York State.  Rode it 
home, to New Brunswick, Canada.  Have been racing a Honda CBR600RR with very 
little street riding these last 4 years sense the crash.  Did make it to the 
2011 COG international Rally in Vermont but rode a goldwing.

At 52 I am being forced to accept I will likely have to give up road racing 
due to Lower back disc buldging and the risk of a high compression impact to 
my back forcing vertabra L4 and L5 togeather to a point there will not be a 
recovery.

The short of this is the GPZ will be back on the road this coming spring 
with an LSL bar kit to allow me to sit up a bit more.  The GPZ does a great 
job, is easy to perform the most critial motor maintenance - valve clearance 
adjusting, gets great gas mileage and its motor is smooth.  It is big enough 
for 2 and is great with 1.

What I have learned - if the GPZ is not a fast enough ride - get an old ex 
500 ninja (Cause they are cheap and cheap to run on a track) that has been 
track prepped and go to the track.  There is no comparision to riding a bike 
on the track and several track days and a few low sides without much but 
your feelings hurt and one starts to ask if some of the risks that use to be 
taken on public byways were made with a full understanding of what really 
happens in even a slower crash.  Race tracks do not have guard-rails without 
haybails, no culverts, telephone poles, trees, deep ditches and things 
coming towards you.  They also have EMTs to rush out and collect you and 
your bike in minutes after the crash.  There are even folks that wave flags 
to tell you there is stuff on the track like deer, ground hogs and the 
occasional porcupine.

The Down side - after several hundred laps of racing the street will not 
provide the same thrills but you will be a much higher skilled rider.