NBT- I've gone Green!!

[Tricky]

Well, in paint colour that is

Since the H2 went, I haven’t had a Ninja in my life, apart from the food processor, and I've missed it!

Seriously though, I’ve been getting itchy since Christmas as I haven’t bought a bike for a few months, and booking a 3 dayer at Cartagena a couple of weeks back got me thinking, especially as my young (relative term ), but most importantly, fast, R6-riding mate is going and although of course as we all know, it’s only a trackday, and speed isn’t important etc etc etc, I had to ride the 765 harder than I’ve ridden any bike for a very long time to stick with him at Lydden last year, he's been to Cartagena twice before (I'm a virgin) and I just know I’ll be tempted to do the same on the 890, so I decided to get a more track focussed, and cheaper bike, just in case, like, and leave the 890 at home

And this is what I bought- I ummed and arred over a few things (another ZX10, GSXR1000 and also that V4 Tuono someone linked to in MoFo’s new bike thread were all in the running), but stumbled on this little beauty at what I think was bargain money.



She’s an oldie (2003) and has a few miles up but has been cared for. The fairings are original genuine Kawasaki, but will a pro lacquered over sticker job, which I actually think looks quite cool, they’ll be coming off and replaced with trackday fairings (which I already have) as initial shakedowns aside, I don’t anticipate using it on the road, and they are too nice condition to risk wrecking
It’s had some money thrown at the suspension with KTec cartridges and springs in the front and an Ohlins rear, an Akra full system and PC , custom mapped, and a few other nice bits and pieces too, along with the standard system, etc etc.







These were cracking bikes when they came out, absolute screamers but with relatively good mid-range for a 600, they’re the lightest ZX6, and with decent and well set up suspension I think it should make a great track bike.
The front callipers have been professionally refurbed a year ago, and brand new front disks and lines were fitted at the same time, and it’s just sat in a garage since- I have receipts for all the work over the years and the previous owner (he has it for the last 9 years) has kept a nice record of every oil change with dates, and what brand oil and filter etc.



I’m away this weekend so not going to get a chance to do anything with it, but before I rip the road fairing and lights off and replace it with track bodywork, I’ll tax and insure it and run it around the roads over the next couple of weeks to check all’s well.

Alongside that, current plans to sort ( aside from a good going through with the spanners along with replacement fluids and filters etc) before it gets shipped off to Cartagena in 4 weeks time are:

• Replace current Diablo Rosso III tyres- I want and will need some really decent grip, not sure I can be arsed with the whole stands and tyre warmer palaver anymore so it will likely get either Sport smart TTs, or maybe just S22s

• Replace standard Kawa master cylinder with a Brembo RCS or decent radial Nissin etc of a current sports bike- the standard one on these is the same as the early ZX10s and is crap, a decent one transforms it

• Rearsets. Although the position of the standard rests is fine, I am really not a fan of folding pegs on the track, so I’ll treat it to a set I think

• New wheel bearings- they all seem smooth and fine, but she’s no spring chicken, new bearings are cheap and it’s easy to do.

• And a Quickshifter!! - an absolute must for heightened pleasure on something like this ( despite what one or two old has-beens on here think )

I’ll also run it down to Gav @ MSG racing and get it up on the dyno to set the QS up and see what sort of power we have etc if I can too

That’s it for the moment, more to follow over the coming weeks!

[weeksy]

When you take it to Gav let me know. I'll be there 1 afternoon next week to collect ours, waiting on powder currently.

Welcome to the gang!

[Count Steer]

Oh! Well found sir. That looks brilliant for that age of bike. Where did you discover that little gem?

[Skub]

She's a clean one mister. With all the proper toys too.

Health to enjoy,sir.

[weeksy]

YOu know Gav does QSs for good money, i think ours was £250 supplied and fitted and Dyno'd.

[weeksy]

It's honestly the best QS i've ever known or tried.

[PitaNaanRoti]

Get D213GP’s rather than Sportsmarts.
Good enough to keep with the boys running slicks at Almeria 99% of the time and blitzed then the moment there was a hint of moisture.

[Couchy]

Had a new one of them and the RR version, raced one too. Still one of the most powerful 600’s around. Be interesting what that makes on the dyno as 120+ is common. That looks a very well kept one too, even standard rear mudguard, nice

[weeksy]

Does this mean the end of the road for the 390 ?

How about the 890R ?

I assume the big red multi stays for you and the missus to go out on.

[KungFooBob]

Great bike, shit rev counter, the clocks annoyed the hell out of me when I had to ride one, they were the same on the Z1000 IIRC.

You just couldn't see the revs easily, unless it was just me.

[Tricky]

Thanks everyone, and yes, I think it is a pretty thing, and am quite excited about this one

When you take it to Gav let me know. I'll be there 1 afternoon next week to collect ours, waiting on powder currently.

Welcome to the gang!

Cheers- will do, not likely to be for a week or two I think though probably

YOu know Gav does QSs for good money, i think ours was £250 supplied and fitted and Dyno'd.

Currently it's looking like this one with have the Healtech fitted that came off a certain member's Z1000SX and is just sitting in a cupboard since he sold the bike , but yes, that is a good deal and very tempting, hmmm..

Get D213GP’s rather than Sportsmarts.
Good enough to keep with the boys running slicks at Almeria 99% of the time and blitzed then the moment there was a hint of moisture.

Cheers- had 212GPs on my ZX10 and they were super sticky, albeit they made it dead twitchy, but don't 213s really need warmers to get decent life out of them?
The Sportsmart TTs I had on the H2 and 765 were brilliant I thought, super sticky too, never used warmers and last really well too

Had a new one of them and the RR version, raced one too. Still one of the most powerful 600’s around. Be interesting what that makes on the dyno as 120+ is common. That looks a very well kept one too, even standard rear mudguard, nice

The graph I have has 111 at the wheel on leemotorcycles.co.uk Dynojet Dyno- that was back in 2017 when he got the full Akra system and PC fitted and PAIR blanked off, so will make an interesting comparison

Does this mean the end of the road for the 390 ?


How about the 890R ?

I assume the big red multi stays for you and the missus to go out on.

Yep 390 will be gone as soon as I get my arse in gear and get it advertised, but nothing else changes- the ZX6 will just be there as a track bike for any TDs, 890 will still most likely come to to any UK days, and yup Multi is going nowhere for the foreseeable

Great bike, shit rev counter, the clocks annoyed the hell out of me when I had to ride one, they were the same on the Z1000 IIRC.

You just couldn't see the revs easily, unless it was just me.

Agree and it wasn't you, it's the same display as on my old 10 and that was shit, thankfully they have a shift light though which is all you need really

[Numnut]

That's lovely! - I've been looking at these a lot recently. It's not easy to find a really nice one, but looks like you managed it!

[IanB]

I like those 636s a lot & often thought one would make a great track bike for me. Did I imagine it, or is one of the model years a bit flighty in the handling department?

[Skub]

I like those 636s a lot & often thought one would make a great track bike for me. Did I imagine it, or is one of the model years a bit flighty in the handling department?

I think that's a similar story to the 04 ZX10R,the flighty reputation was down to a rock hard rear shock and soft forks. Once those are sorted,all is good.

[KungFooBob]

My mate had an orange one, Canadian import.

With a full Arata system and a full 3d remap, it made 116bhp at the back wheel, which for it's day was bloody impressive.

He ended up selling it because he convinced himself it was about to blow up (due to the way he raped it everywhere).

[PitaNaanRoti]

My 10R is rock solid on Dunlop’s- twitchy as on anything Pirelli/metzeler!
Never needed warmers at Almeria but could see any track focused tyre found wanting in the uk unless it’s summer 1976. The 213’s are basically a road legal race tyre unlike the Sportsmarts which are a full road tyre that’ll happily put up with trackdays

[Bigyin]

My mate had an orange one, Canadian import.

With a full Arata system and a full 3d remap, it made 116bhp at the back wheel, which for it's day was bloody impressive.

He ended up selling it because he convinced himself it was about to blow up (due to the way he raped it everywhere).

His name wasnt Dale by any chance

I loved my little B1H and put almost 40000 miles on mine without any issues at all.

As others have said the rear suspension was its weakness as the standard shock had fuck all damping and would rattle your eyeballs loose on anything but smoothest roads. I replaced mine with a Nitron and it transformed the bike. Used it for commuting, playtime and even toured bits of France and the UK with some throwover luggage and the missus on the back

You'll enjoy it as they are superb little bikes which were race bikes with lights. Kawasaki softened them up with the C model that followed with a more comfy seat and wider higher clip ons and a softer rear shock

I forgot how small they were after the Multi for the last few years and pushing the boys new 636 about leaning down to reach the bars

[Tricky]

A little bit of an update- I still haven’t ridden the 636 t yet, but I’ll be off on it’s way to Cartagena in two weeks' time so I need to up the ante this week, particularly as Tim, my young( compared to me) R6 riding fast mate may end up needing it- he did a Crescent Yamaha 3 dayer (well, it turned in to just under 2 dayer for him ) at Alcarras a couple of weeks back, hired James Hillier for a day who helped him get a shit load faster until…


He found the limit




It was a fair speed off and unfortunately, it flipped when it hit the gravel trap, but no damage to him ( apart from his wallet), so it could have been a lot worse and was for this Panigale owner in his garage.....



The R6 is back and stripped, as a fair bit of damage but most new bits seem to have arrived this week so tomorrow I’ll be helping him nail it all back together – this is it’s the current condition



Anyway, I digress- back to the green bike.
it has had some attention in the garage over the last week or so, and I of course started with the most crucial part of any track bike first- adding a quick-shifter

@2xtwins made me an offer I couldn’t refuse for the Healtech that was removed from his Z1000 (after it fecked the gearbox ), so I set about fitting it.
Is very straightforward in terms of installation, just going in-line between the standard Kawasaki loom and coil packs, with the same sort of sensor that I have on my 390s going into the shift rod.





It was missing the conical spring washers so installation is not yet fully complete as it just needs the sensor installing, but I’ve ordered some up and it’ll be a 5 min job to finish it off as soon as it arrives.

As of course the airbox has to come off to get to the coil packs, I had the plugs out for a look ( which all looked fine so went back in) and pulled the air filter whilst I was there- was pretty cruddy, but it’s a K& N so a few taps and a blow-through with the airline and was good as new.

Before



And after



Next on the list were sprockets. Chain and sprockets are good quality and in excellent nick, but it’s on standard gearing, and never going to get close to pulling that on most circuits, so I thought that 1T down on the front is a good starting point, and I treated it to a nice lightweight Talon gold rear whilst I was at it, as I’m a tart, and of course took the opportunity to give the inside of the swingarm, hugger and shock linkage a good clean whilst it was all out, admittedly not that it needed much.



Next, I moved on to the front brake. Whilst it’s very recently had new discs, pads, and professionally refurbed calipers, it’s still on the original MC and the action at the lever is spongy. Standard is 16mm, but with 4 x 32mm pistons, a 3/4” (19mm) is more applicable, and a 19mm Brembo RCS made a massive difference on my trusty old ZX10 so that’s what I went looking for.
Along the way I found this- for the massive sum of £42 delivered all the way from China, including reservoir and folding lever.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/165183654085


I’ve heard a lot about how shit the copies are, and I was never contemplating having it on a track bike, but for £42 I thought I’d order one just to see if they are really as bad as I was expecting

First impressions were not bad, although I was shocked just how blatant they are with the branding
I put it onto the ZX and quickly bled it up with no problems just to see, and immediately had a big improvement in feel at the lever- nice and firm .



Looking a bit closer though, the engineering is, frankly shocking.
The pushrod mechanism is very basic with no ability to swivel and as a result when you pull the brake on, although at first it’s bearing down nice and straight on the piston, as the lever comes further back it’s pushing at an angle- not sure how well these pics illustrate what I mean, but suffice to say, it's something that’s not going to wear well or and definitely not something I’d like to have to rely on at the end of a straight on a track






So it’s come straight off, to be consigned to the bin, and is being replaced by this one, a nice 19mm Nissin off a brand new current model Bimmer S1000RR



With a lovely blingy folding lever as standard



The hose connection thread is a 1.0mm pitch rather than 1.25 on the OEM Kawasaki and Blembo, and I didn’t have a 1.0 double banjo, so that’s another job that’s not completed yet, but I’ll pick one up this weekend and the job’s a good un.
Once that’s on, it’ll get its first shakedown rode on the road, before a trip across to the MSG Dyno for a fuller workout.
After that, it’s ( hopefully) simply a matter of getting some nice new sticky tyres on it, the new rearsets when they arrive, and fitting the race bodywork and we’ll hopefully all be sorted and ready for its first proper outing on track in 3 weeks time- we're making it into a bit of a little Spanish holiday too and heading along the coast for another 4 nights when the TD is finished, looking forward to it.

Anyway, more to follow over the next couple of weeks as things progress

[weeksy]

Looking at those crash pictures reminds me why I don't go near a track any more, I lost my bravery on a bike at the end of my 20's and I've been scared to ride anywhere near my limit since.

I just ride at less than the limit and enjoy the day out. I don't recall the last time I went wide, had a moment or pushed myself on circuit.

[Count Steer]

Just wondering why someone would have a brake assembly from a brand new S1000RR available? If they've bought a new bike and swapped it out, what have they replaced it with (and why)? It looks like it has never been used and it's not exactly a cheap and nasty piece of kit.

Other possibility, binned it already and breaking for parts?