Motorcycles 1

Owner: Jason Leemans
Make / Model: 
GSX-R750
Year: 
1987
VIN: 
GR71G-103745
Style: 
Superbike
Condition: 
Modified (Period Correct)
In regular use
Photos: 
History: 

 

This GSXR 750 is a Japanese import that arrived in Vancouver, BC, Canada in the spring of 2010.  The GSXR was one of a collection of six assorted bikes that were imported with the specific objective of selling for immediate profit.  While I enquired about the ad, it had already been snapped up by a fellow who raced these bikes at Westwood in the late 80s, as he was overwhelmed with nostalgia and couldn't resist the temptation of getting his hands on another one.  Within a few weeks he came to his senses, as he was raising a young family and was knee deep in a massive renovation project, so he relisted the bike with the exact same photos from the original listing.  I responded to the ad with more success this time around, and the rest is history.

 

My understanding is that the Japanese market bikes were restricted to 77 hp.  This was accomplished by blocking off a portion of the primary exhaust tubes at the flange where they mate with the head, along with 29mm carburetor jetted with 97.5 main jets.

 

While I consider this bike to be essentially stock and unmodified, there have been some subtle performance modifications made that likely took place in the very early days.  The Yoshimura Cyclone exhaust appears to be as old as the bike itself, and the carburetors are 34 mm that are set to '87 GSXR 1100 specs (130 main jets and 42.5 pilot jets).  The plugs suggest that this is the ideal carburetor / exhaust combination for this bike.  The seat of the pants feeling suggests the same for an essentially stock bike.

 

At present the bike registers approximately 26,500 km, and I try to add 500 km or more per year if at all possible.  The 1st generations GSXR is a timeless classic that will never lose its cool!

Gotta love that fuel gauge, and those Japanese symbols always telling me to slow down.