Main Beam Light Pattern

When all the smoke has escaped from inside the wires...
Freddy
Posts: 695
Joined: 06 Sep 2017, 11:06
Location: Sydney Australia

Re: Main Beam Light Pattern

Post by Freddy »

Easiest first, the shocks you looking at won't fit. The top eye needs to be 14mm and the bottom eye 10mm in diameter (both 21mm wide). A budget shock like these are the correct size https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/KAWASAKI-ZR ... 1564292825

They seem to be available in a variety of colors. Are they any good???? All I can say is you largely get what you pay for when it comes to suspension components.

You should still expect to fit a heavier spring 99% likely. This is what a correct rate progressive spring should look like supporting just the weight of the motorcycle ....
Image

As you can imagine there is still 'room' for the lighter weight coils at the top to remain open and work when the rider sits on the motorcycle. If they are all coil bound they may as well not exist, they are nothing other than a spacer for a relatively short spring (the heavier section).
Freddy
Posts: 695
Joined: 06 Sep 2017, 11:06
Location: Sydney Australia

Re: Main Beam Light Pattern

Post by Freddy »

Adam wrote:Freddy,
when going round a very tight roundabout near me (it's not small, just an odd shape, with a point at one side of it) I managed to touch the exhaust down.
It's also an after-market exhaust, and I can see it's a little wider than the stock exhaust so in combination with the lower suspension, it must be much closer to the ground when cornering.
It was my daughter's first time as pillion too - she wasn't impressed!
I had noticed the exhaust, and not surprised it scraped. I expected it would but didn't say anything having already picked on your shocks not wanting to be a total 'killjoy'. It really needs to be addressed.

Getting the correct length shocks on the bike together with the correct rate springs, and with the front and rear rider sag set correctly should improve the situation. Will it still be a problem, IMO yes. Is it really important? IMO yes. Lets assume your not a 'raceboy' and just enjoy quite rides down quiet country lanes. Your riding along enjoying the countryside and the dapple light of the trees has hidden that the approaching corner tightens up really badly and you don't pick it till the very last moment, or a vehicle unexpectedly come around hogging the road. You need to lean the bike relatively hard to significantly tighten up your line. That muffler starts dragging. Whatever arc you are one is the one your are going to remain on, even if its into the oncoming car or into the far side guard rail. A bike that badly drags hard bits is dangerous. No shortage of videos on the internet of Harley Davidson riders throwing bikes down the road due to their pitiful ground clearance in corners. One below for your entertainment, don't underestimate the importance of good ground clearance. The 'fellers' on the end of the foot pegs should touch the road before anything else.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYxU_lYBHpY[/youtube]
Adam
Posts: 32
Joined: 01 Aug 2020, 16:51

Re: Main Beam Light Pattern

Post by Adam »

Freddy,
Thanks again for your advice!
Is a pity that JBS is so far away 'down under', but we do have wemoto.com and Hagon shocks here in the UK.
These I think will do the job:
https://www.wemoto.com/bikes/kawasaki/z ... oad_shocks
And will more likely come with the correct springs!

As to the exhaust, I'll need to see how much play there is when the hanger is unbolted.
It may be possible to bring it in with a different hanger, or, falling that, a different muffler that sits closer to the bike. Hopefully not an entire new exhaust!
It is shocking how inappropriate some spares are.

It is tough to hear these comments about my new toy, but I'd rather hear them here than find out the hard way in the road!

And that Harley. That's an ugly bike. I think we are all better off for having that one off the road.
You can see why they are called Hardly Drivables!
Jesting aside, I do get your point though.

Thanks again,
Adam
Freddy
Posts: 695
Joined: 06 Sep 2017, 11:06
Location: Sydney Australia

Re: Main Beam Light Pattern

Post by Freddy »

Adam wrote: These I think will do the job:
https://www.wemoto.com/bikes/kawasaki/z ... oad_shocks
And will more likely come with the correct springs!
If the hagon shock come like those in the picture, me I wouldn't buy them. I should probably point out your talking to someone who would never but a rear shock without independently separate adjustable compression and rebound damping adjustment. While the OEM shocks weren't the best in the world, at least they had 4 position independent compression and rebound damping adjustment. Why is adjustment important? Because the chance the valving that comes in ANY shock is going to be exactly what you like is near ZERO. That adjustment capability allows you to fine tune the shock ride.

As to why I wouldn't recommend the hagons. Leaving aside they don't have and damping adjustment capability (no budget shock is likely too) if they are like in the picture then I think that's the wrong way to manufacture a shock absorber. Putting the heavy body of the shock on the bottom means it is carried by the swing arm and becomes part of what is called "unsprung weight". You want the heavy shock body on the chassis end, and as such part of "sprung weight". Is this mission critical, no. But if you can buy another budget shock that has it the correct way around (like 99% on manufacturers do) then I'd buy that instead.

All my comments are made without any understanding of your budget or what you want from the bike. If you leave these criteria aside, I'd be saying don't even look at this cheap stuff. Look for at a minimum mid range stuff, with at least a combined compressing/rebound adjustment as a minimum. They'll likely just say its got rebound adjustment (but a rebound adjuster actually adjusts both rebound and compression).

Something like this is what I would recommend as a minimum ...... https://www.wemoto.com/bikes/kawasaki/z ... win_shocks And you would still need to add another 80 quid for a set of correct springs. Consider shocks as not a one off purchase, but something that lasts as long as you own the bike. That way the 'cost per ride' difference between stuff you may never be happy with and stuff that gives an enjoyable experience becomes negligible.
Adam
Posts: 32
Joined: 01 Aug 2020, 16:51

Re: Main Beam Light Pattern

Post by Adam »

Freddy,

I've sorted the exhaust. I think it wasn't a 'proper' ZR750 one in the first place - other opinions have suggested it's from a Z650 or ZR1100.
Anyway, I loosened the clamps at the bottom of the downpipes, which gave me enough movement to push it to the hanger to the inside of the rearset.
New position
New position
It is now high enough so the footpeg would touch down first - so hopefully no Harley impressions!
Freddy
Posts: 695
Joined: 06 Sep 2017, 11:06
Location: Sydney Australia

Re: Main Beam Light Pattern

Post by Freddy »

Adam wrote:Freddy,

I've sorted the exhaust. I think it wasn't a 'proper' ZR750 one in the first place - other opinions have suggested it's from a Z650 or ZR1100.
Anyway, I loosened the clamps at the bottom of the downpipes, which gave me enough movement to push it to the hanger to the inside of the rearset.
FB_IMG_1600254013849.jpg
It is now high enough so the footpeg would touch down first - so hopefully no Harley impressions!
Looks good. The feelers on the bottom of the foot pegs should be the only hard bit of the bike that can potentially hit the road. Anything that can before that has to be re-positioned,

I say 'potentially' the foot peg feelers because you don't even want them hitting the road. With proper suspension setup a 750 shouldn't hit the road other than say very unusual conditions (big dip in a tight down hill off camber corner) where just about any road bike will scrape. The first thing to hit the road should actually be the outside front edge of your boot if you have it positioned what I consider correct (on the end of inner peg when cornering) as per the picture. That way you don't get a massive surprise/fright and know you are close but still have some small safety margin to play with ......

Image

P.S. Not promoting the extreme knee out (just the foot position but your knee will still be facing out), you probably can't get it out like in the picture even if you try unless your younger than about 30 years old.
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