SHED FIND TO SUPERBIKE...

It’s been out of the mag for a few months, but Bruce has finally pulled his finger out and made some solid progress on his ZX-7R.

- BRUCE 

What started with a cough slowly turned to a splutter, as the Kawasaki cleared its throat and powered itself to life. “Yep, it’s running on all four,” shouted a beaming Paul over the seductive sounds of the ZX-7R that’d failed to run properly for the best part of 10 years.

Being honest, just a few days earlier I’d all but thrown in the towel on this bike, having lost faith in it and my abilities to remedy its plethora of problems – problems that now seem straightforward but at the time had me scratching my head harder than nits. Believe me when I say that getting to this stage has not been an easy ride, to the extent that I’ll admit buying this bike was one of the dumbest things I’ve ever done… but now it’s finally turned the corner and I’m beginning to see the Kawasaki for what it can be, instead of what it was.

For those who’ve been following this tale of woe, you’ll know I bought this bike on a whim, hopeful that it was going to be an easy machine to turn around, give a quick polish, and make a bit of cash on. The truth couldn’t be much further from that warped reality. Projects are seldom straightforward, as most who’ve attempted one will know, but the thing that’s made this bike extra difficult is the hack-job transformation it’s had from a road bike to a track fiend. When I bought it, it was neither of which, being not quite sorted for use on circuits, nor any longer a worthy road bike. I soon learned this reality after getting my mitts on the machine, and the initial plan had therefore been to accept it for what it was, to tackle the bare minimum needed to attain it a daytime MoT, and then sell it on as a trackbike for the road… if you like. Simples!