Sold for two model years, the GPZ750 Turbo from Kawasaki is generally considered to be the best of the 80s Japanese turbo bikes that had a brief impact in the marketplace. 112 horsepower was good enough for a 10.7 second quarter mile – consider that a Kawasaki ZX-11 did the quarter in 10.26! This example was originally purchased by a Kawasaki dealer tech who got it custom painted.
For more on the GPZ Turbo, check out this Retrospective from Sport Rider. Their summary on what it’s like to ride:
“All right, what’s Kawasaki’s Turbo like to ride? Exciting, that’s what. No, you won’t flick through the chicanes like your buddies on their CBR900RRs and VFR750s (or old Norton Commandos, either); canyon carving isn’t the Turbo’s metier. Instead, it makes deliberate progress, as befits machines with nearly 60-inch wheelbases. Sweepers and straights are a different story. In this environment the ZX750 will hold its own, thank you. It is, after all, making 73 foot-pounds of torque at 6500 rpm. These are serious numbers. Turbo-heads don’t give a lick that preboost performance (under 3500) is, well, civilized (Okay, a little doggy). Two blinks of an eye later and those two little wheels are doing their stuff. By four grand you’re hearing their high-pitched whine, like a demented dentist’s drill, only probably faster. By 5000, even guys with skidpads on their knees had better be paying attention.”
The seller has a walk-around of this bike here for your perusal:
This example (VIN: JKAKXDE15FB503218) has 15,873 miles and it looks to be in good shape, if you can tolerate the custom paint. The Kawasaki tech who bought this bike new was named Alex Savage, which is why “Savage” is painted on the tail. It has been tuned for the aftermarket F1 exhaust. In 1995 it was sold to a local 18 year old. Now that owner is letting the bike go to a future third owner.
Find this GPZ Turbo for sale in Menasha, Wisconsin with bidding up to $3,000