The year was 1987.

The Kawasaki GPz305 was cool black.

It was my first 'proper' bike after passing my test on my previous bike, a Suzuki GP100

I used the GP100 as a part exchange trade-in for the GPz.

I bought the GPz new from Street Machine motorcycles in Aylesbury (when they first opened in New Street)

At the time there after sales service was realy struggling and I wasn't too impressed with them.  The bike had a tendency to misfire/cut-out at high speeds.  They never did resolve the problem even though I took the bike back numerous times.

I've since discovered that the problem was most likely to have been the side-stand cut-out switch.  It was a problem that most of the bikes suffered from at that time..

It was a good bike though.  The top-end seemed a bit rattly and fragile.  However it ran very smoothly with almost no vibration, helped I'm sure by the belt final drive instead of conventional chain.  

Acceleration was reasonable, fuel economy was good and it had a top speed of about 105mph.

Unfortunately within 6 months we were to become a statistic.....  

Ooops and ouch.  A jittery pillion passenger assisted the bike through a hedge and into a deep ditch

  

Unfortunately one of his legs touched the exhaust just as we got there....