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General Discussions => Newbie Corner => Topic started by: R84 on June 02, 2016, 04:40:32 PM

Title: London noob just bought a 7r - with questions!
Post by: R84 on June 02, 2016, 04:40:32 PM
Hi all,

Thought i'd introduce myself - just picked up a 14K mile zx7r P5 for first big bike and although she's heavy I'm really enjoying it. I have a few questions if I may...

The bike has just ticked over to 14K Miles. I think it needs brake fluid and for peace of mind i'd like to get a full service done including the valve clearances - it is main dealer stamped to 12K, would it be worthwhile going to a dealer again? Could they do the 15K service early? What would I expect to pay for this? (London)

Tyre pressures - 36F 41R I have read is too hard - I'm only 70kg - how would 36F 38R work? I have BT-014s if that helps.

It came with a motad can fitted and a Yoshimura GP force can which sounds nice enough, but I noticed the bike has Akrapovic headers. The spring hook is still present near the can, it has just had a 3 stud fitment jubilee clipped on that the Motad/Yosh bolt to. I guess it had an Akra can at some point which was sold separately. Would it be worthwhile getting hold of an Akrapovic can?

Unsure whether this may be related but i've noticed the bike bogs a little under full throttle in 2nd 3rd before getting up and going - could this be a carb issue? I have no idea what if anything has been done inside. There is a receipt for 'dyno time and dynojet kit fitting' - what can that was with I have no idea. Would you recommend more dyno time and setup? Presumably when I've decided on the can. (I'm curious as to HP anyway :cool:)

Suspension - the rear shock as far I can tell has around an inch of compression and no discernible rebound. No idea what the ride height is set as. I'd like to know that everything is set up to a reasonable baseline and condition - after 14K miles is it time to consider an upgrade? Rebuild?

I was told that the forks were rebuilt - with what and to what spec I don't know. They do have some cool looking adjusters on the top nuts but theyre too stiff to move. Should I take these off and use a spanner to adjust them? The previous owner told me he "Dialled them right down so it dived" (...!) I want to put them back to standard settings.

Anything else I should know about these bikes and other tips much appreciated.
Title: Re: London noob just bought a 7r - with questions!
Post by: Lord Danoir the first on June 02, 2016, 04:59:12 PM
You have no idea how much excitement your post will be generating among our knuckleheaded fraternity...... we almost never get to answer technical q's regarding Kawasakis.

Welcome to the forum by the way.
Title: Re: London noob just bought a 7r - with questions!
Post by: Dom1 on June 02, 2016, 05:10:31 PM
Welcome.

Not to say we don't know, I mean I don't know but some of the others might, but also try asking the above on http://zxr.redmonkey.org/ they are specialists in 7R's.

Title: Re: London noob just bought a 7r - with questions!
Post by: R84 on June 02, 2016, 05:12:19 PM
Thanks for the welcome guys. I was actually aware of the redmonkey forum but can't seem to register on it, it hangs on a blank page. Tried the contact us link too, nothing. I don't think they're too bothered about new members!
Title: Re: London noob just bought a 7r - with questions!
Post by: m6rk on June 02, 2016, 05:57:24 PM
well it's nice to be a solid second choice forum contender...  :angel:
Title: Re: London noob just bought a 7r - with questions!
Post by: MOzZereLLa on June 02, 2016, 06:54:25 PM
Quote from: m6rk on June 02, 2016, 05:57:24 PM
well it's nice to be a solid second choice forum contender...  :angel:

Second - it's about 20th in my book......
Title: Re: London noob just bought a 7r - with questions!
Post by: R84 on June 02, 2016, 08:44:34 PM
You were ahead of zxforums, pistonheads and BCF if that helps. Seems like the 7 is a bit of a cult bike these days so figured at the least a kawi specific forum would work!
Title: Re: London noob just bought a 7r - with questions!
Post by: R84 on June 02, 2016, 10:10:48 PM
Can a mod move to general?
Title: Re: London noob just bought a 7r - with questions!
Post by: Manic636 on June 03, 2016, 05:37:30 AM
Where is Bullet when you need him  (resident 7r fanatic and tech expert on them)

Welcome to the forum fella. With regards the shock front and back will probably need some servicing due to time rather than mileage and if the front has been rebuilt at some point then at least getting it serviced will give you some clue as to what they are along with hopefully giving you back some adjustability..

As to the bogging down you'd probably need to be more specific, is where in the rev range is it? Was there a curve printout for the dyno time, who did it when was it which can was on it.. Too many variables to get a solid answer but yes once you decide what can you are going to have then it's a good time to get it setup on a dyno again

Enjoy the forum
Title: Re: London noob just bought a 7r - with questions!
Post by: Dom1 on June 03, 2016, 09:28:29 AM
I thought Bullet had ZXR750's not ZX7R's.

In terms of servicing, a major service with valve shims etc on my ZX6R was about £450-550 depending on how many shims needed chaning but I am not sure about London prices.
Title: Re: London noob just bought a 7r - with questions!
Post by: R84 on June 03, 2016, 06:07:51 PM
Quote from: Dom1 on June 03, 2016, 09:28:29 AM
I thought Bullet had ZXR750's not ZX7R's.

In terms of servicing, a major service with valve shims etc on my ZX6R was about £450-550 depending on how many shims needed chaning but I am not sure about London prices.

Cheers. I've heard that figure elsewhere as well so hopefully it'll be around that. Stupid question but will they do a 15k service at 14k?
Title: Re: London noob just bought a 7r - with questions!
Post by: Green_Ninja on June 03, 2016, 06:09:19 PM
Quote from: R84 on June 03, 2016, 06:07:51 PM
Quote from: Dom1 on June 03, 2016, 09:28:29 AM
I thought Bullet had ZXR750's not ZX7R's.

In terms of servicing, a major service with valve shims etc on my ZX6R was about £450-550 depending on how many shims needed chaning but I am not sure about London prices.

Cheers. I've heard that figure elsewhere as well so hopefully it'll be around that. Stupid question but will they do a 15k service at 14k?



they will if you ask them too - to be honest it's only 1k miles shy so it would be daft to do anything else
Title: Re: London noob just bought a 7r - with questions!
Post by: David W on June 07, 2016, 09:04:41 AM
Tyre pressures?  Stick with recommended.  Quite frankly on the road it makes zero difference and anyone suggesting otherwise is kidding themselves.

As for the dynojet and suspension questions?  It's anyone's guess what the previous owner, and ten years of ownership has done.  I'd be getting new fork oil in it for a starter.  The ZX7R forks were a bit weird in that the preload adjusters don't actually preload the springs at all, they just change the ride height but there were ways that this could be changed to work like traditional preload from memory.  'Rebuilt' could mean anything.

If you want a start point for the suspension, wind the compression damping in to 50% front and rear, and set the rebound at 75% of maximum.  I forget how many clicks that is.
Getting it on a dyno is a good idea, just to see what the fuel/air ratio is like.  It will give you an idea of anything needs doing, or what might have already been done.

How has the bike been maintained?  I'd be tempted to strip the shock linkages and re-grease them, head bearings and strip the brake calipers and see how it feels after that.

Title: Re: London noob just bought a 7r - with questions!
Post by: Nat on June 08, 2016, 05:19:42 PM
I'm afraid I can't answer any mechanical questions, but I loved the 7r.  I almost bought one but for the weight!

Photos required!!!
Title: Re: London noob just bought a 7r - with questions!
Post by: the invisible dog on June 09, 2016, 10:07:11 AM
Quote from: Nat on June 08, 2016, 05:19:42 PMPhotos required!!!

:sign5:

I still want one of these  :rolleyes:
and a yellow 748R and a...
Title: Re: London noob just bought a 7r - with questions!
Post by: Phil_8 on June 10, 2016, 05:36:10 PM
YESSS!!!

Good choice. I got a 7r when I was 19, and 10 years later I still have it.

You mention breaks at the start and replacing fluid. While youre there, if the bike has been sat in a dealer/ garage for a couple of months it would also be worth rebuilding them as the pistons just love to seize up on them

Tyre pressures I run are 32,34

If its got a dealer stamp at 12k, id say your probably ok with the engine.....depending on whether it lists what was actually done?

The flat spot is most likey a jetting thing. Unless it really hinders acceleration, is noticeable and pisses you off, id say just leave it, but that's cus i'm lazy

....quite a big post with not a lot of useful information for you there...WELCOME TO THE FORUM
Title: Re: London noob just bought a 7r - with questions!
Post by: R84 on June 14, 2016, 03:46:22 PM
Thanks for the warm welcome guys. Pics will follow when this rain clears up (and I can ride it...which brings me to)

Problems :( Posted in the mechanical forum if anybody cares to take a look and offer any advice.

The bike seems quite well maintained, I was told by the PO that it was bought by the last guy as a track bike, it had only done 50 miles in 2 years before I bought it. I want to get the tank off this weekend and check if the float bowl/kleen mods have been done. There is a receipt for dyno time and dynojet kit "to investigate and solve fuelling issue" but I don't have any further details or printouts. Likewise with forks, I know as much as you guys do at this stage. I've found some instructions alongside the tips posted here to return to stock settings, which will do me for now. The plan eventually is to change the dynojet kit for a factory pro (I hear they are better and don't kill the emulsion tubes), float bowl mod, kleen air mod, ignition advance, carbon intake tubes that remove the resonators, akra can to go with the rest of the system, and put it in for some dyno time and tuning with all that done. However, I can't go further than a mile away currently so that needs dealing with first  :icon_scratch:
Title: Re: London noob just bought a 7r - with questions!
Post by: R84 on June 17, 2016, 06:29:32 PM
Quote from: the invisible dog on June 09, 2016, 10:07:11 AM
Quote from: Nat on June 08, 2016, 05:19:42 PMPhotos required!!!

:sign5:

I still want one of these  :rolleyes:
and a yellow 748R and a...

As promised...

http://imgur.com/Gsd6cSn

(Apologies, can't get embed to work)


Would love a 748/916 but I'm an IL4 man...
Title: Re: London noob just bought a 7r - with questions!
Post by: DaveH on June 17, 2016, 06:50:50 PM
 :cool: :moto: