ZVIZ

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Jablonsky
Posts: 113
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2010 2:21 am
Location: Slovenia, Europe

ZVIZ

Postby Jablonsky » Sun May 30, 2010 11:20 am

ZVIZ is an '82 suzuki GSX 400L. The first owner was Herr Helmut Bergmann from Munich, Germany.

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In December 2007 I found the bike in the classifieds and just couldn't resist to buy it. When I brought the bike home, it looked like this:

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Reasonably good for a 25 years old motorcycle, but if you took a closer look, you noticed decay. Rust on the frame, mufflers and everywhere else. The paint was dull. The engine neglected. The seat was cracked ans ducktaped. Mr. Helmut lost the side panel badges and replaced them with some stickers. He also put on some seriously ugly footpegs. What kind of a man would do such terrible things to a bike???

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By the end of 2008 I decided to have the bike restored. I took ZVIZ completely apart, had the frame sand blasted and powder coated, tank and side panels re-painted, fenders & other shiny stuff re-chromed, engine polished and clear powder coated, seat re-covered, bought new mufflers, original footpegs... I couldn't find original emblems, so I had them engraved.

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And ZVIZ is young and beautiful again :) The engine purrs like an old Singer sewing machine. And it's featherlight to ride.

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As you can see, I also added a sissy bar with a small rack and a pair of hard saddlebags. But I keep the original grabrail in the garage. Freshly chromed. You know - for the parades ;)
No hay banda. No hay Jablonsky. Todo está grabado. Nada es lo que parece, todo es una ilusión.

burkbuilds
Posts: 350
Joined: Thu Jan 14, 2010 9:29 pm
Location: Rome, Georgia

Re: ZVIZ

Postby burkbuilds » Sun May 30, 2010 7:21 pm

Hey, great job, what a beautiful bike. Thanks for sharing the results of all your hard work with us, the bike looks showroom new. :D

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Triangles
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I ride: '94 Black Cherry Vulcan 500, '06 Candyfire Red Vulcan 500 LTD
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Re: ZVIZ

Postby Triangles » Mon May 31, 2010 10:16 pm

wow very nice!
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Jablonsky
Posts: 113
Joined: Thu Jan 21, 2010 2:21 am
Location: Slovenia, Europe

Re: ZVIZ

Postby Jablonsky » Mon May 31, 2010 11:05 pm

Thanks. I really like and enjoy the old beast :)

I thought I'd attach a scan of a Japanese brochure I bought recently off eBay. I don't understand much, but (on page 4) it seems that the original version had 44HP, while the version imported to Europe had 27. Most probably due to European regulations.

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No hay banda. No hay Jablonsky. Todo está grabado. Nada es lo que parece, todo es una ilusión.

Ringo Steele
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Dec 26, 2010 7:46 pm

Re: ZVIZ

Postby Ringo Steele » Mon Dec 27, 2010 7:36 pm

Nice Suzi! I had a GS450L of about that vintage that looked just like that one except mine didn't have the engine case guards. Fun little bike. Very smooth engine, too. I wish I could have it back in the same condition as I sold it!

Enjoy!
Ringo


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