What have you done today, Zephyr-wise?

Introduce yourself, share your heroic Zephyr tales, put the world to rights, gossip, etc.
750four
Posts: 53
Joined: 18 Sep 2017, 23:48

Re: What have you done today, Zephyr-wise?

Post by 750four »

Hmm, not such a good day today ...

After 20 years of town living, we're looking to move house. We've been actively looking for a few months now, and know the exact area we want to go to. Should be an exciting time, returning to the green and pleasant land after such a long hiatus, but its not turning out like that.

So what's the problem? Problem is none of the properties we're looking at, or can afford, have anything on offer remotely like the garage/workshop I've got here :( I can store my 8 bikes securely inside and still have plenty of space to work on them when required. Its just not gonna happen in the place we've set our hearts on moving to. Its a tiny village, with narrow roads and weeny, but very pretty, little cottage gardens - a single-car garage, or maybe a small shed behind the house, is probably the best I can hope for.

Reality check - 6 bikes are going to need to be sold, and two kept :shock: , and, unless that mansion-purchasing lottery win turns up, looking down my list I'm afraid that the only definite one I'll be keeping is the Z900. After that, its a toss-up for second place between the Zephyr 1100 and the GT185. Will nostalgia win out over big-4 love?? I may use the money from any sales to buy an RD400, but the second choice bike will also have to go to make that happen. So its out with the polish, get them all shiny and ready to try and find them all new homes, and we'll see what happens.

I'm really pissed off about all this, but I suppose I should have seen it coming. I've been very lucky to have such a great workspace, and I'm sure the new houseowners will have similar ideas about what opportunities a building like this affords, especially if they're petrolheads. If you've got a good workshop yourself, count yourself very fortunate and hang on to it - or just don't buy more than one bike! :roll: :lol:
Kawasaki KZ900A4
Suzuki GN250R
Suzuki GS550ET
Suzuki GT185A
Suzuki GT250B
Suzuki GT250M
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ZR468
Posts: 170
Joined: 04 Sep 2017, 13:51
Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada

Re: What have you done today, Zephyr-wise?

Post by ZR468 »

750four, making lifestyle change is never easy. There is always compromise. I hope in your new layback setting, you'll find new hobbies and activities. I used to like to tinker with my bikes too, but now I just don't have the physical ability to do mutiple projects. Now I just ride and enjoy.
Happy New Year to everyone.
Kenny
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Eddie
Posts: 180
Joined: 28 Oct 2017, 19:46
Location: Reading Berkshire

Re: What have you done today, Zephyr-wise?

Post by Eddie »

Don't be too hasty selling your bikes, there's always solutions too every space problem, after all you can cram in quite a few bikes in a single garage or small shed :) I live in a terrace house near the city centre of Reading Berkshire with no side access to the back garden, and realizing we couldn't afford to move house for a long time I thought I was going to have to sell some/all of my 6 bikes. But instead I ended up building a 15ft x 10ft workshop in the garden which currently houses 4 bikes with the other 2 dismantled in the loft/spare room!! The biggest pain is anytime I need to get a bike out I have to wheel it through the house :lol: I suppose the moral to this is I still have all the bikes I want to keep.....ok not in an ideal location but one day I might win the lotto or something :lol:

So I would hang on to them if you can, where's there's a will there's a way

Happy new Year!!
92 Kawasaki Zephyr 1100
78 Kawasaki Z1000a2
10 KTM 990 SMT
76 Yamaha XT500 supermoto
80 Honda Z50R Monkey
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ZR468
Posts: 170
Joined: 04 Sep 2017, 13:51
Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada

Re: What have you done today, Zephyr-wise?

Post by ZR468 »

Snow came and went, salt truck came and went, rain storm came and went, and the sun finally came out. I rode the Zephyr to my favourite ocean side pondering spot of which I posted a picture here about 10 days ago. To my surprise the promanade was closed. The storm littered logs and debris all over the pedestrian path, plus took out a 10 meter section of pier. The city has not yet clear the path. I am sure it will take several months to repair the pier. Mind you, that didn't stop the locals from jumping the fence to enjoy their regular walks.
Kenny
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750four
Posts: 53
Joined: 18 Sep 2017, 23:48

Re: What have you done today, Zephyr-wise?

Post by 750four »

the deed is done - couldn't get a satisfactory solution to the space issue at the new location, so the 1100 and the 750 are now up for sale. :cry: If only we had won the Euromillions! :roll:
Kawasaki KZ900A4
Suzuki GN250R
Suzuki GS550ET
Suzuki GT185A
Suzuki GT250B
Suzuki GT250M
User avatar
ZR468
Posts: 170
Joined: 04 Sep 2017, 13:51
Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada

Re: What have you done today, Zephyr-wise?

Post by ZR468 »

Went out for a sunny 150km ride today on the Zephyr. Temperatures varied from 6C to 10C. The bike is running flawlessly. The new bar risers give a new level of comfort and control. The gas or petrol price came down a lot. It was at $1.35 Canadian per litre, that is about $1.00US per litre for premium. I switched to premium das for the last 3 fillups. Now I am getting 20km per litre in a combination of city and backroad rides. I was getting 18km/L before with regular gas. Super nice scenic ride today, the Zephyr didn't want to go home.
Here is a pic at the boat launch in a National Park.
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David Richard
Posts: 273
Joined: 04 Sep 2017, 20:21

Re: What have you done today, Zephyr-wise?

Post by David Richard »

hi Kenny im in envy of the roads and country side views you have out there I can see how you can not be put off by the cold,david
andye
Posts: 71
Joined: 11 Sep 2017, 10:03
Location: Merseyside

Re: What have you done today, Zephyr-wise?

Post by andye »

Changed the Brake fluid & bled the brakes. Probably halved the lever travel.
It's one of those things that gets forgotten but shouldn't.
Supposed to do it every 2 years, but its been more like 4.
Be interested to see how it feels on the road.
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Ivor
Posts: 239
Joined: 06 Sep 2017, 20:49
Location: Hampshire UK overlooking the Needles :)

Re: What have you done today, Zephyr-wise?

Post by Ivor »

Changed the 1100's oil and filter. And just in the middles of swopping all the hoses for stainless braided ones ... nearly ready for the summer after a 6 year lay up :)
1995 ZR1100A2
750four
Posts: 53
Joined: 18 Sep 2017, 23:48

Re: What have you done today, Zephyr-wise?

Post by 750four »

Mixed feelings today. A phone call to say our offer on the new house is no longer acceptable :( so we're back on the house hunting merry-go-round rigmarole once again. Maybe the next one will have a big workshop? :) And I'm actually very pleased that nobody came forward to buy my Zephyrs during the last few weeks - there's now a possible reprieve on the horizon! :D
Kawasaki KZ900A4
Suzuki GN250R
Suzuki GS550ET
Suzuki GT185A
Suzuki GT250B
Suzuki GT250M
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