Real-World Ride
Classic Motorcycle Mechanics|April 2017

CMM's very own Scott Redmond buys a Kawasaki ZZ-R600 for loose change and asks why more of us don't do things on a shoestring!

Scott Redmond
Real-World Ride

One-by-one those motorcycles from our yesteryears get elevated to full blown classic status and every year sees a new class inducted to the school of lost classics. 

For years many of these machines littered the bargain basement end of the market, cheerful transport for those who needed a cheap fix of motorcycling. You could be mistaken for thinking that all 1980s and 1990s motorcycles are now appreciating at an alarming rate. 

Well, there are still certain models that can be found for £1000 or less. I had a budget of a grand to spend on a bike, not a project or something with potential but a machine that had an MoT and was ready to ride. After several weeks of searching I found the perfect answer to my question. 

The 1993 Kawasaki ZZ-R600E: it's one of those bikes that nobody ever wakes up thinking 'I need one of those in my life'. It's an overlooked bike and largely forgotten which makes it a brilliant bargain bike. The E model is the second incarnation of the ZZ-R600 bloodline. The earlier D model came and went fairly swiftly from the Kawasaki brochure (1990-1992). My one is a 1993 model, one of the earliest E models on a K plate.

Taking my life in my hands I bid for the ZZ-R on eBay. Other than a short description and a few thumbnail sized photos staring back at me on my iPhone, I didn't have much to go on. The bidding topped out at £701 and I was the winner, hooray! The seller and I exchanged messages and he offered to deliver the bike to me for £20 to cover his fuel. 

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة April 2017 من Classic Motorcycle Mechanics.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة April 2017 من Classic Motorcycle Mechanics.

ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.

المزيد من القصص من CLASSIC MOTORCYCLE MECHANICS مشاهدة الكل
Classic Motorcycle Mechanics

Honda VFR750R - RC30

If there’s a more worshipped V4 out there, we’ve yet to see it: welcome to our reboot of the awesome VFR750R RC30…

time-read
2 mins  |
September 2021
Mountain tension!
Classic Motorcycle Mechanics

Mountain tension!

Award-winning motorcycle engineer!

time-read
5 mins  |
September 2021
Fazer set to STUN!
Classic Motorcycle Mechanics

Fazer set to STUN!

What do you get when you mix CRK’s lovely café racer kit to Yamaha’s budget middleweight and the recently-retired Martin Fox? Well, one helluva foxy Fazer!

time-read
6 mins  |
September 2021
Project Suzuki 1984 RG250 part 4 BRUNO BARES ALL!
Classic Motorcycle Mechanics

Project Suzuki 1984 RG250 part 4 BRUNO BARES ALL!

This month, while we wait for backorder engine parts, we strip the chassis back to the bare frame, assess what is needed and plan the reassembly…

time-read
6 mins  |
September 2021
Project Kawasaki Z900 Stocker part 2 Ralph has a blast!
Classic Motorcycle Mechanics

Project Kawasaki Z900 Stocker part 2 Ralph has a blast!

For the best finish on his Z900’s motor Ralph wants the best, so he visits Stephen Smethurst Casting Renovation to find out how it’s done properly.

time-read
10 mins  |
September 2021
Project Suzuki TS400 Part 8 Loom with a view!
Classic Motorcycle Mechanics

Project Suzuki TS400 Part 8 Loom with a view!

We’re getting down into the nitty-gritty this time with component testing and loom building. What could go wrong?

time-read
6 mins  |
September 2021
Project Yamaha TX750 Part 12 A question of balance…
Classic Motorcycle Mechanics

Project Yamaha TX750 Part 12 A question of balance…

Only The Beach Boys had good vibrations… so what’s Mark been up to, to sort out the bad ones coming from his TX750?

time-read
6 mins  |
September 2021
Splitting links
Classic Motorcycle Mechanics

Splitting links

Ralph Ferrand works with tools all day long – he sells them too at bikerstoolbox.co.uk so he knows what works.

time-read
4 mins  |
September 2021
Classic Motorcycle Mechanics

STAVROS: PRINCE OF PRANKSTERS!

It’s probably fair to say that Stephen JamesParrish’s persona and overall levity throughout his life have muddied the waters as to just how good a bike racer he was back in the day.

time-read
1 min  |
September 2021
Metal magic!
Classic Motorcycle Mechanics

Metal magic!

Ralph Ferrand works with tools all day long – he sells them too at bikerstoolbox co uk so he knows what works.. .

time-read
3 mins  |
July 2021