TOP GUN
REVIVAL Words: Milo Dokmanovic Photos: Pete Chicken
T
he unforgettable 1980’s Top Gun action film appealed to the masses and touched the hearts of adrenaline seeking speed junkies everywhere, so when Pete Chicken got wind of the sequel, the allure of creating a replica GPZ900R got the best of him.
Pete’s passion for motorcycles started around the age of 14 years old, with his first encounter of the powered two wheeler kind being in the most affordable fashion of pulling an old scooter from a river and getting it running. We interviewed Pete to find out more about himself and the fascinating Top Gun replica project he undertook!
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TOP GVUI VNA L GPZ R E
Tell us a little bit about yourself Pete? I left school at sixteen years old and joined the RAF as an Electronics Technician. After twelve years I was lucky enough to get selected as Aircrew, being a Flight Engineer flying Hercules and VC10 aircraft. Essentially the VC10 was a flying petrol station and it was here that I first saw the F15 at close range. These magnificent machines would rock up, flash their lights, close to a few meters and take on fuel, however they were not good customers as they never once stopped to pay! Through this job I saw operations all over the world. Having left the Airforce I did a few engineering and design jobs, I now design and build Hydroponic systems and teach Yoga... A bit diverse, I know. What inspired you to get involved in the Top Gun GPZ900 replica project? I had just completed a restoration of a 1954 Ariel Huntmaster and so I was on the lookout to restore something newer, faster and with a great spares backup. The biggest problem with any restoration is the cost and availability of spares. Last year I saw the trailer for the new Top Gun movie. When Tom pulls the cover off his old GPZ900R it took me back to my flying days and I knew then that I had to create the bike in the film.
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Don’t be fooled by the odometer reading: this is essentially a new 36-year-old bike with rebuilt engine, a near-identical bike to the one Tom Cruise used in the movie, right down to the US-spec reflectors on the mid-section of the fairing.
How did you come by the motorcycle? A search on eBay revealed a 1984 GPZ900R which had a bit of work done. The frame had been powder coated while the engine bad been fully rebuilt thirteen
years ago and had not been run. It had then stood in a garage and not moved. I could not get around to seeing it so I bought it on spec, not something I would recommend but the guy seemed OK and was adamant a lot of work had been done.
After being sat unused for 13 years Pete will be riding the GPZ once it passes the MOT
Talk us through the restoration and tell us what the most challenging part of the build was? When the bike arrived, it was a bit of a mess with some bits done but the brakes for example were seized. I decided to fully strip the frame and made a list of work to be done. The lower fairings and trim were missing, along with the air box and the carbs would need a complete refurbishment. My biggest concern was, I found the head cover was corroded and there were signs the bike had been left wet for some time, was the bike seized? A custom engine frame was ordered
from Ireland and was sent to be powder coated along with the engine cases and foot rest support arms. I decided to replace all the seals and gaskets with Kawasaki originals. A lot of these bikes have aftermarket exhausts and carbs fitted but the original bike does 150 mph and handles like a dream, a true testament to Kawasaki being at the forefront of innovation in the 1980’s, as it is now. I wanted to build an exact replica of a 1984/85 machine so I bought a second hand original exhaust, which cost half the price of the bike. Electrics on these old bikes can cause no end of problems so I decided to chop out the old Datatag alarm, redo all the dodgy connectors and re-loom the wiring harness. The cooling system was flushed and new silicone hoses replace the standard items. Space is tight and even adding a washer can mean fairings don’t fit.
How are the bikes in the movie different to the standard model? I spent a lot of time researching the bikes used in the film and was confused as the stickers seemed to move and change in some of the press shots and in the film. The riddle was solved when I got a picture of both bikes (from the film) together and saw they were not identical. One was dented and the stickers were different and in different places. My bike is a copy of the one Tom Cruise rides through the streets chased by Kelly McGillis. There has been talk that Tom rode a 750cc bike for the film but this is disputed by the guys on set. The American spec machines had side reflectors and luckily I managed to source an American spec lower fairing. As far as I can see the only difference between the film bike and my one are the wing mirrors which are reproduction items and the rear pegs and the carb clips which I can change later.
During my research I came across an untouched pristine bike from the same year so I struck a deal and bought it. This allowed me to compare things like cable routing and get the rebuild on this one correct. The biggest problem was getting the carbs sorted. They leaked after they were rebuilt and were subject to sonic cleaning. The GPZ FORUM was a massive help and I was pointed to GPZ Zone who had special bowl seals made. The final paint was applied by Nicols of Calne and the guys recognised this was going to be a special build so spent a lot of time getting the paint striping and decal placement correct. The bike fired up after a few turns and the only problem was the fan connector was left off (oops). It took a bit of time to balance the carbs with paint stopping the choke releasing fully but this was sorted. This is essentially a brand new bike and needs to be run in and checked after 300 miles.
How long did the project take you? The build took five months to complete and because of the build quality of Kawasaki machines, all the replacement parts fitted easily and very few parts needed to be junked. As for the cost, well it is not a cheap option but doing as much as you can gives great satisfaction knowing you have saved a piece of bike history. Where will the bike be on display? The bike goes for MOT soon and I intend to ride it and not let it sit for another 13 years. It will be attending a GPZ ride out from the Haynes International Motor Museum and other events on the calendar. What is next for you in terms of motorcycles? Well I seem to have collected 4 more of these now. Three will be oily rag restorations one is stunning in red and silver with 24,000 miles and amazing paint. The fourth one could be an exciting build. It is in a sorry state externally but has an MOT and is mechanically great. It had the seat and rear rests chopped about so I may change the colour and do a custom in the Kawasaki racing colours of the day. n
Above: There were at least two GPZs used in the film with subtle differences in sticker placement
Right: Pete now has 5 GPZs in the stable, three of which will be restorations while the fourth is a mint red/silver model
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