[heckhole]

My buddy picked up a 99 ZX7R in good condition considering mileage. It has 20k miles.

He asked me to test drive it and I said no way am I test driving a bike I can't thoroughly inspect and maintain first. Good thing I didn't. We got it home and I noticed the first 'woulda ruined my day' problem. The seller had the forks off to have the fork seals done (provided receipts), but his wife was diagnosed with an illness and was bed ridden in the hospital & put the forks on in his spare time and told us to inspect everything good before he rides.

Both 8x25 bolts on both forks were hand tight or loose.

I'm the go-to mechanic for snowmobiles and cars for all my close buds, so naturally his bike is in my garage.

Do these bolts need to be loc-tited? It appears they are allen so do I just snug or really crank these on?

Next, is there anything else I need to look over before I let my buddy ride? Tires look good, chain looks good.

I noticed while in gear with the clutch it, if you rev it up you can feel the bike trying to lurch JUST a touch. Any suggestions?

I also noticed the left bar can touch the frame, but the right bar doesn't. So on closer inspection I see the handle bar is bent. Can he purchase clip-ons for an easy fix?

I understand the bike is a 99 and will have some quirks we need to work out.

 

[Masta Squidge]

The bike has clip-ons stock, technically. So yes you can buy clipons for an easy fix. Just go on ebay and buy replace the offending stock bar.

Clutches drag a little in the oil, if its cold its worse. Also, too thick of oil can make it drag more than normal. Mine doesn't at all. It only drags just barely enough to rotate the tire when its on a paddock stand.

 

[heckhole]

The bike has clip-ons stock, technically. So yes you can buy clipons for an easy fix. Just go on ebay and buy replace the offending stock bar.

Clutches drag a little in the oil, if its cold its worse. Also, too thick of oil can make it drag more than normal. Mine doesn't at all. It only drags just barely enough to rotate the tire when its on a paddock stand.

Never thought of e-bay. Will check that out for a bar.

I also assumed the clutch was doing that because of the temps, but didn't want to answer my own question without input from actual owners. :lol

Do you know if those 8x25 allen bolts on the bottom of the fork should be loc-tited and hand snug/or cranked on real tight?

 

[2fat2fly]

Do you know if those 8x25 allen bolts on the bottom of the fork should be loc-tited and hand snug/or cranked on real tight?

Loctite is your friend.

 

[Masta Squidge]

That I don't know off hand. I could give you a torque spec, but my book is out in my truck and I am supposed to be doing paperwork.

Plus its all metric anyways, so I tend to turn to my PDF of the US 7R specific manual I have on my tablet - which is at home too... damn, I need that later lol

Do you mean the ones that lock compress onto the axle to hold it from unscrewing? I would imagine that just a 1 grunt snug would hold it, but I wouldn't bet my, or your life on it.

http://www.4shared.com/office/9J-AvwYK/Kawasaki_ZX7_Rn-p.html

Thats the one I have on my tablet.

 

[Turbo329]

Do you know if those 8x25 allen bolts on the bottom of the fork should be loc-tited and hand snug/or cranked on real tight?

Don't locktite those. You'll need to loosen those when you pull the front wheel off.

Road grime gets in there and has a way of welding them tight anyway. I actually broke one of my bits trying to loosen one of them once and I don't lose loctite.

 

[romulox]

Never thought of e-bay. Will check that out for a bar.

I also assumed the clutch was doing that because of the temps, but didn't want to answer my own question without input from actual owners. :lol

Do you know if those 8x25 allen bolts on the bottom of the fork should be loc-tited and hand snug/or cranked on real tight?

i had a bent throttle bar preventing the nice snap back of the throttle cables thought ebay would be a good idea too, the bar looked straight in the pick but it was slightly bent as well buyer beware :banghead

 

[romulox]

straight from the book
A-right side axle clamp bolt
B-axle

very hear to read apologized my only means of pics are my 3 megapixel flip phone....

torque-
front axle nut: 145 N-m(15.0kg-m, 110ft-lb)
front axle clamp bolts: 20 N-m(2.0kg-m,14.5ft-lb)

 

[ravenreign]

torque it to spec's dont use loc tite (on those particular bolts)