[RDPrimeaux]

Found someone selling a 1989 Ninja 750. It is 350 miles away, so I am reluctant to drive all the way there and find out it was a wasted trip.


Messaged the seller asking several questions, wanting the good, bad, and the ugly. Last message sent back was "Everything in description what wrong with it"


Located in Grenada MS Asking $1000. Looks to be in awesome shape, but there has been quite a few bikes I went look at that were no where near what the photos showed, and some would not even turn over, much less run. Anyone in that area care to check this out?

 

[Apriliarider]

Sorry,
I'm in California so I can't go check it out for you. It looks mint though. That's a ZX750R (not to be confused with a ZX-7 but called a GPX or GPZ in the rest of the world) the bigger version of the old 600 Ninja. I don't see many of them come up for sale these days. When I do, they're usually complete write off bikes that were left outside under a tree or something.



That one looks absolutely mint. At $1K it would be worth picking up....I mean, if you wanted a bigger, heavier version of an EX500. By that I mean, the ergonomics will be quite close. The 750R though, will have around 90-100 Hp...specs say 106 hp.


It's from a time when the prevailing Japanese philosophy on bikes was do it all machines rather than the narrow focus of today's sports bikes. That in and of itself presents a few issues for everyday use.


Tires I think, are your biggest limiting factor. For one thing, 16" wheels are not exactly easy to find premium rubber for these days. That and the rear is an 18" wheel....also not so easy to find premium rubber for, but easier than a 16".



Not that you'd go sticking something like a DOT race tire on it, but even for a good sport touring tire like a Pilot Road 3,4 or 5 it is likely you'd find a rear but not a front.



Other than that, I'm fairly confident that you can find pretty much everything else you'd need, consumables wise anyway, to keep one running and in good order for several more years. Upgrading to standard 17" wheels would greatly increase your likely hood of being able to enjoy it on the road. All I got for ya....sean

 

[RDPrimeaux]

Well, after a bunch of beating around the bush, the seller finally admitted that this "great running" bike is not running at all. It does look to be in awesome shape. The price has now been lowered to $800. If anyone is interested, it is on facebook marketplace and is located in Grenada MS. I have too many other projects I am supposed to be working on to get a non running bike. It supposed needs a belt for the generator and has a slow leak on the clutch cover. That is what I was told, anyway.


I love the sportbikes of the late 80s and early 90s. To me, they look way better than those that are made today.

 

[Apriliarider]

I agree to a point. For me, the best looking sports bikes ever built are from the latter part of the 1980s through to the early 2000s. Seriously, nothing after around 2005 or so is of interest to me.



Maybe the last of the Aprilia V2 Mille R's or the Tuonos but once they went V4, I started to lose interest. Not that the RSV4 isn't a great bike. It is. I'd still consider owning one if I knew I wasn't going to end up in jail or losing my license on it. It is waaay too easy to go waaay too fast on that thing.



Back to that non-running 750....the alternator belt is buried in below the carbs and air box. It is however, quite easy to change once you know where it is, and how to remove the old one (it's likely shredded-don't ask how I know that) and install the new one. Really easy stuff there.


Same goes for the leaky clutch cover. I replaced the clutch in my old ZX-7 with a Barnett Kevlar unit. It came with a new gasket that I decided it didn't need. I ended up pulling the cover again later and replacing the gasket as I could not get it to stop leaking.



Again, this is actually a very easy repair. I put it on its side stand and actually didn't even need to drain out any oil. I lost a tiny bit, less than a shot glass worth when I removed the cover. All together it probably took maybe 20 minutes and 15 of that was removing and reinstalling the plastics.



If anyone on the forum is within a 100 miles of this thing, I'd not hesitate to go get it.....provided the pics are legit. If they're just stolen from elsewhere on the web....I'd just walk away.........sean

 

[Davenay67]

I'm a sucker for a good project as well, but this one has red flags beyond the dodgy seller.

Missing front fender
Taped-up turn signal
Is that a speaker on the fairing by the right mirror?
Large rust stripe on the fuel tank
Missing bolts in the upper fairing
Side panel ill fitting
Exposed and hacked wiring behind the side panel.

Those last 3 all point to a PO who has hacked his way around the bike. From a photo, for every thing I can see wrong I bet there are 2 others hiding.

 

[ducatiman]

Well, after a bunch of beating around the bush, the seller finally admitted that this "great running" bike is not running at all. It does look to be in awesome shape. The price has now been lowered to $800. If anyone is interested, it is on facebook marketplace and is located in Grenada MS. I have too many other projects I am supposed to be working on to get a non running bike. It supposed needs a belt for the generator and has a slow leak on the clutch cover. That is what I was told, anyway.

as well as clearly misleading "great running" statement, seller chose to provide a pic with a helmet onboard....implying its ready to go. On that basis, I'd strongly disregard anything the guy says.

Did he add the "well, it *was* running great when I put it away, xx years ago" ? The standard BS line these days. Shame that sellers aren't up front and lie like rugs in adverts.

Way back when, I had a '82 GPZ750, bought new....its forerunner.

 

[RDPrimeaux]

Thanks for the input. I was over it as soon as I discovered this great running bike was indeed, not running. I will not deal with anyone who seems deceptive or dishonest when they are trying to sell something.



Minor repairs, inexpensive with parts, that are not completed raises a red flag with me. For less than $50 in parts this bike should have been complete? I am not a motorcycle mechanic, or any type of mechanic by trade. No one works on any of my vehicles unless it is something I do not have the tools for. I have brought my bikes to be worked on in the past because I just did not have time to do it for the most part. It seems that a good motorcycle mechanic is just as rare as a good mechanic of any type. My workspace is taken up by my jeep which is in pieces, so to bring home anything else that would require to be worked on may detrimental to my happiness at home.

 

[Apriliarider]

I'm a sucker for a good project as well, but this one has red flags beyond the dodgy seller

Large rust stripe on the fuel tank


.

LoL....I’m such an idiot. I saw that and thought it was a reflection because the paint was so good. I’d never have noticed if you hadn’t pointed it out 😂