From Missouri

[OBryan]

Howdy..I've enjoyed looking through the forum thought I'd finally register.
I boutht My 2006 gz in the spring 2007 a left over model so got a little deal and dropped down the cash and haven't looked back.
I heard like most have how after a year I'd be looking to upsize. Well a little over 2 years and 12,000 miles I'm still on it.
I'll be making my first longish trip this fall heading up to Iowa about 450 miles..
Only issue I see is I'm going to either get a new seat or a pad at least.
As all of you know I'm sure the seat does kind of break down..and I'm not as young as I once was.
anyway enough for now I love the little bike and have had NO issues except for the service from where I bought it so therefore do My own.

[wdnavion]

Hi All,
Just joined the forum yesterday and updated some info about cylinder head gasket replacement.
I have been riding my little 2002 GZ since I bought it new in 2003. It now has almost 26,000 miles on it. I really enjoy the smooth counterbalanced engine after riding some "English Thumpers" back in the 1960's. I have taken it on a few multi-hundred mile trips across Ohio but I mostly end up staying within 100 miles of home. The economy has been phenomenal with tank fill-ups usually running anywhere from the low 70 mpg up to the mid 90 mpg range. Even got 98 mpg on a leisurely back road trip of 200 miles a couple of years ago. Reliability has been generally excellent. The fuel strainer in the gas tank came apart and left me OOG with no reserve but luckily I was within pushing distance of a gas station. I was able to repair it a few days later. I got 14,000 miles out of the rear tire and the front brake pads are good for about 14,000 miles in my riding profile. I was able to eke out 24,000 miles on the chain and sprockets and had to resurface the front disk at 25,000 miles when I replaced the front tire. I change the oil around 1000 to 1200 miles and it is as clean as new inside. I did have to replace the head gasket at 25,700 miles and in the process installed a M6 threaded insert "helicoil" in the front of the cylinder head. The chat and pix are posted elsewhere on this forum. I love my little GZ for the kind of riding I do in Ohio. If I lived out west, I might want something a little bigger and heavier but it suits my needs for fun and economy and I hope to put a lot more miles on it!
Here are some pix with my grandson...

[Water Warrior 2]

English thumpers you say. You obviously met the Prince of Darkness on your travels.

[wdnavion]

Well, I did not ride the BSA single enough to have electrical problems but I did have to replace the zener diode regulator and the entire wiring harness between the battery and the diode because the diode had shorted..it was amazing..

[wdnavion]

I forgot to mention that was on a Bonneville 650
1967 model....

[wdnavion]

I forgot to mention that was on a Bonneville 650
1967 model....

[Water Warrior 2]

I forgot to mention that was on a Bonneville 650
1967 model....
They were considered big and powerful back then. Glad I didn't ride then except for the odd rental. Would have bought one or something similar and died young.