Odd suspension problem

[johnandchris]

Folks, odd one this.
I have a 55 plate (2006 model) zx12r.
Just adjusted the front, however the top adjusters (presumably the damping adjusters) have different numbers of clicks. The left one (as you sit on the bike) has 16, however the right one has 6???????
Any ideas, i have tried a bit more turning pressure at both extremes but they feel as though they are at their limit. i am reluctant to try any harder.
Anyone else experienced this.
Help appreciated.

Thanks
John

[johnandchris]

Anyone experienced this?

Regards
John

[rileydeed]

That definately seems odd. Sorry I can't really help as I have no experience with your model bike, but was just wondering if you ignore the clicks, do both adjusters turn the same distance?

[johnandchris]

Good question. Will go and have a look.
Anyone else got any ideas.
Regards
john

[Hammerhead]

If a previous owner or blockhead service tech has had the forks apart for service, they may have assembled something incorrectly.

[GELETA]

i would try to download a service manual to see whats right ... never turn the adjusters hard or you will be really sad

[zzr lon]

they should move with virtually no resistance.

then they tighten at the extremes.

id say you have had the right leg serviced (new oil seal etc) and its been put back wrong.

[johnandchris]

Hi folks.
I think that you are porbably right, incorrect refitting. I normally do them myself on the zzrs that i have had, however no centre stand on the 12, bugger!!!!
I will try and find the problem, any ideas how to raise the front without a dedicated centre stand?

ZZR LON, i seem to recognise your avatar fomr the zzr-international forum, were you a member on there?
Regards
john

[zzr lon]

Originally Posted by johnandchris

Hi folks.
I think that you are porbably right, incorrect refitting. I normally do them myself on the zzrs that i have had, however no centre stand on the 12, bugger!!!!
I will try and find the problem, any ideas how to raise the front without a dedicated centre stand?

ZZR LON, i seem to recognise your avatar fomr the zzr-international forum, were you a member on there?
Regards
john

yep guilty as charged


if you can remove the fork top first so it pops up and see if it works then as that may sort it .
put it back in different way and that may be all that's wrong


you can try this if it helps

i found if you put a jack under the right side of the engine you can lift the bike enough to get the fork leg out.(trolley jack with some wood between jack and engine)

use something to chock the rear wheel front and back or find a way to apply rear brake.

undo all the time consuming bits guard calipers etc
undo the wheel axle before you lift the bike then just lift it so the wheel is just clear.
the side stand works as a pivot.

you may have to remove the leg to do the job and a vice would help.

if this sound a bit scary it is but it works (just make sure your happy with the jack and that first.

the other option is abba stand or the garage roof for support and rope etc

[johnandchris]

Right.
Parked the bike on its sidestand and popped the top of the forks off, thinking that they would be like the inside of a ZZR fork and that i would be able to take the internals out easily. WRONG. Put the top back on.

Took the bike to my local mechanic Phil (who is an ex sidecar racer and racing mechanic) who is superb and i trust implicitly.
He stripped the front down, had a good look and couldnt find anything wrong with them. He phoned round the Kawasaki dealers/authorised mechs and they were very tight lipped about the matter. Phil put the forks back together, setting the forks up with the damping gauged from fully out (i think that is what he said, it was the standard KWAK way, whichever that is). He only charged me £35 for the stripping down and rebuild!!

Bike feels nice and settled and i am happy with my suspension now, however i am still puzzled by the difference in number of clicks.
The forks cannot be from the wrong year (i have the latest radial forks) and the number of clicks does not correspond with other years. I am really puzzled.

I would be grateful of any help in this matter.
Kind regards
John

[raylsgreen]

Kawasaki's service manual says both forks should be setup exactly the same. Rebound, compression, fork oil type and volume. Otherwise twisting and unhappy handling can result. I'll bet somebody either though they were smarter than Kawi or made a mistake. I will add that as you go out on the number of clicks, the less each click makes a difference. So 16 is probably not as different from 6 as 6 would be from 3. Still, they should be the same. I've done the Racetech thing on two 12 fork sets and while my own opinion is that the stock can be setup as good for a single use, track day for example, the Racetech's do give you a bit better overall performance. If your rebuild was with the stock innards, you might want to consider the Racetech in the future. Otherwise annual oil change works well too.