I have found what looks like a very nice clean ZX7R P5 model in green.  26k on the clock.

Seems sensible money, its on my modern classic list but I know nothing about them.

What should I be looking for??

Come and see mine....... Buy the exact opposite......

Quote from: Lord Danoir the first on February 12, 2014, 07:48:30 AM
Come and see mine....... Buy the exact opposite......

Also, anyone know how a bike qualifies for "classic insurance"??

Depends what you want it to be Moz.  They weren't really much progress from the ZXR750L (you'd be hard pushed to tell the difference with the fairing off it).
Bulletproof though.  I can't think of anything that goes wrong with them.  If it looks straight, has some service history, and hasn't been thrown up the road, it's going to be OK.  Only bit that needs looking after is the Tokico 6-pots on the front.
If you do nothing else with it, get some big washers under the rear shock mount.  Lifts the back end about 20mm and makes a big difference to the steering.

The early models,  like the L and H get classic insurance but not the P.

To ride they are great fun and really do have a stable front end,  if in honest I wish I had spent my money on one of these instead of the SV 650,

Just don't put a zx9r lump in it. 

pretty solid motors really if they are looked after..

if the top runs too quiet then the valve clearances are too tight.

As standard they do not fuel correctly as they have massive main jets (160 IIRC) in to stop them running lean flat out so there is a modification that you can do the remove the pressurised float bowls and then once that's done they can be jetted normally through the whole rev range..

I had one as a track bike and with the float bowl vent mod done and minus 1 tooth on the front sprocket and an end can and it was more than capable of keeping up with most machines even in my fists of ham...  and even though they are heavy (200kg+) once on the move they do handle really well..

Budget for some suspension work including raising the rear ride height (I did about 10mm on mine I think), float bowl mod, remove the clean air system, service the Tokico 6 pots and get some braided hoses on, minus a tooth of the front sprocket (speedo is off the front wheel so no negative impact) and jobs a goodun..

Essentially the P1 to P7 were pretty much unchanged mechanically, just frame and body colour changes through the whole of it's life..

Mine was a P2 I think but was a pure track bike.. 

whoring oportunity..   





there's plenty of info on the float bowl mod online if you google it.. 

The riding position is pretty full on with the clip-ons under the top yolk but for me it was not a problem as I only ever rode it on track, was never a daily ride..

HTH...

Mine had issues in the winter with carb ice up. They can re route the rad/coolant pipes to help with the issue.

As with most bikes of that age, if you have the time/budget a strip and rebuild of the calipers will be money well spent`

Apart from that, they are a quality bike

Classic insurance depends on the insurance company in question - of those I've spoken to so far some are 15 years, some 20.

I have the MV and NC30 on a Future Classics policy with Carol Nash - just been quoted 230 ish for the both of them.

still got mine in the garage 'cos they're a keeper although I've flogged the Dymags and the Ohlins. Gonna put a ZX10R swinger and a ZX14 front end on her. Haven't decided which wheels yet. Will be just for the occasional hoon round Cadwell 

Nissin 4 pot calipers from a bandit 12 are a straight swap for the 6 pots and don't suffer the same problems.

As with the 6Rs, it's worth taking of the gear lever of regularly, cleaning and lubing it.

The rear suspension mount is threaded, so adjusting height is very straight forward.

Quite an extreme riding position, lots of weight on your hands in town, but no issue when making progress and bike feels rock solid.

No preload adjustment on forks, despite what the manual days; needs modifying to get that, otherwise it just changes ride height.

And it's drop dead gorgeous.

I keep thinking I really should own one of these 

Quote from: Green_Ninja on February 12, 2014, 07:52:56 PM
I keep thinking I really should own one of these 

yeah you should...

Deffo should be on everyones bike bucket list.

On paper it shouldn't be that great but they just ride so well IMO and still a great looking machine 15 years on..

Quote from: Farmer Giles on February 12, 2014, 12:10:02 PM

That's exactly what I want mine to look like.

Quote from: Lord Danoir the first on February 13, 2014, 12:54:58 PM

That's exactly what I want mine to look like.

I did paint a number board on the front of it and add a few more stickers but the only pic I can find just now is me waving the back wheel in the air braking for the bus stop at LLandow.