Might have found a starter bike

[aussieidiot]

opcorn:


i wouldn't buy a kawasaki because they are green!

[jeffcoslacker]

I know I'm biased, because I had so many Kaws, but I like them better as starter bikes....I just always found them somehow easier to work on, and more forgiving than other makes.....

The first Honda I got was a seventy something 750 SuperSport....and it was then I decided that me and Hondas just couldn't be friends. I was changing the plugs, and one plug fell out of the socket and dissappeared into the finning in the head and took me forever to fish out, the sump cracked when I tried to take the oil drainbolt out, the front brake would just decide to seize and lock every now and then for no apparent reason...then one day the chain started making this weird grunting noise on every rev...and I found it seemed to have a tight spot, that was the final straw...

I told the guy I sold it to that he needed to change the chain before riding it....which he ignored, and rode it like a maniac all summer that way...then he sold it to another guy, who also didn't think it was a big deal...

The guy was riding at 75 mph down the highway when the chain finally snapped and wrapped the hub and locked it up...guy went lowside sliding and the bike did a couple of highside flips after it ran off the road...totalled...RIP, bastard...God I hated that bike....

[Alibi]

Note to self: Don't ignore funny noises....

[jeffcoslacker]

Originally Posted by Alibi

Note to self: Don't ignore funny noises....

Yes, that's true, but initially you will go nuts trying to figure out what's normal and what's not...bikes have so many chain drives, jackshafts, and other noisy stuff inside, they make a lot of racket....if you could ride around town sitting on top of your car's engine, you probably be alarmed at some of the stuff you'd hear also

And when you have a windshield...oh man...that's just a big plexiglass parabolic sound reflector that captures, amplifies and focuses every driveline noise right at your head...you hear EVERYTHING, it sounds like the bike is coming apart...every valvetrain tic, chain tensioner chatter, gearshift crunch, gearbox whine, etc...you'll hear it all, and it will make you nervous until you get used to it...

The other thing that drives most new riders nuts at first is trying to get used to the higher revs and shift points of a cycle motor...if you're used to a car, the proper shift points will sound insanely high to you, you'll feel like you are hurting it somehow...but you get used to that in time as well....

But anyway, you need to be observant, the key is usually not obsessing about every noise it makes, but noticing when there is a change in the sounds and vibrations that are normal...that is telling you something is wrong...

Check you tires as often as you can stand to, your only connection to the road is in about 4 square inches of contact patch...when you look at that bike, get it up on the center stand, and sit back far enough that the front wheel comes off the ground, then turn the bars slowly from side to side. They should not bind, but shouldn't feel absurdly loose either, and pay particular attention for the presence of a "notch" feeling when you come through center...any of this means the head bearings are bad or dry or wrongly adjusted, which can cause serious handling problems...then get off, have someone sit on it while you try to push the rear wheel side to side and watch for lateral movement in the swingarm bushings...if they are worn, the front end will seem to squirm a lot, and you'll feel like it's coming from the front, even though it's not...

I test rode a Kaw 1000 LTD a few months back for a friend who was in the market, this thing ran like a scalded dog, just perfect, but it had the odd feeling that it wasn't going to turn when you began to lean...then when it turned in, it was too much...very strange...I did like I said above, checked it on the center stand, and you almost couldn't turn the bars...it felt as heavy as with the weight on it...bearings completely rusted up or something...

Head bearings are cheap, but a pain in the ass to replace.

[Alibi]

Ok, all good to keep in mind. I joined a Kawasaki-specific forum and I've kicked up a couple good pages with 440-specific info so thats a start.

I was wanting another suggestion though... I found a complete running motor on Ebay for $100 (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...286786&rd=1,1). My brother lives near KC so picking it up isn't an issue. Does anybody think it would be a good idea to just buy this motor and swap it onto the bike I'm getting? The original motor is low-mile, but it also hasn't been run or rebuilt in a while so it would make an excellent parts motor.

Thoughts? Suggestions?

[richtazz]

If it's the same year (or mechanically the same) motor complete with the starter you need, you'd be foolish NOT buying it. Don't beat up Honda's Jeff. Before the Harley I have now, that's all I've ever owned and loved every one of them. My Magna was such a sweet all around bike, my Nighthawk 700S I still miss dearly, and all my CR Dirt bikes were the cat's ass! I agree with Aussie that Kawi Green is a little bit "busy" for my taste, luckily my buddies 440LTD is Burgundy. If anyone knows someone looking for a starter bike, I have an 82 Sukuki GS650 that I got as a result of a bad decision. A young kid I knew needed a car and I held this bike as collateral for my 91 Grand Prix beater, and he skipped town (on a side note, a mutual friend told be he put the car in a ditch and broke the subframe, ain't Karma a Bitch, ). It's not a bad bike, but not anything I want to ride either. It needs some dents in the tank fixed and a paint job, and it will be ready to sell this spring. I should be able to get my money out of it, as I was only asking $500 for the car. I live in Flint, MI if anyone is interested.

[jeffcoslacker]

I didn't say Hondas were bad bikes...they just don't like me.

[aussieidiot]

i didn't say Kawasaki's were bad either...... i just hate green and therefore i wouldn't buy one on principle.


besides every one knows red's faster. see red beats green

[VR43000GT]

^^ Haha red does beat green. Kawasaki makes some good bikes......they just aren't my cup of tea.

[richtazz]

With the Green and Red and all the violence, it looks like my family's Christmas Eve get-together,

[Alibi]

Well, I got the bike and its sitting under my carport now I'll post pics soon.

Oh, and its neither red or green... its black

Only one key though so I've gotta make a bunch of spares tomorrow...

[richtazz]

Congrats Alibi, we'll be waiting to see the pics. Keep us posted as to your progress. When you get her running, ride safe, ride often, and have fun! Ifyou haven't taken one, find a MSF riding safety course in you area and sign up, it's worth every penny you'll spend.

[Alibi]

Picture time

So far, I'm going to convert it to belt drive, replace the front fork seals, replace the motor, replace fluids, and maybe replace tires. After that, I'll just have to see when I get 'er running.

I took some pictures today so I though I'd share

Cracked fork seal:


Gauge cluster:


Looks like somebody spray-painted the motor:




Tread on front wheel:

[Masonovsky!]

Originally Posted by jeffcoslacker

Depends. One kid my brother used to hang out with died after going airborne into a tree when he got his three day old GSXR-1000 (first bike; brilliant) up over 80 mph coming through an apartment parking lot (showing off) and couldn't make the turn onto the road...

Now I doubt he could have achieved that on a 450cc bike....you know what I mean? just doesn't have the oomph to do it....

I understand what you mean, but sometimes too much is too much....that GS750 I had was not only pretty fast, but also heavy and lacking in stopping power...not a good combo...

Depends on your maturity and learning curve...I always got ahead of myself, first bike I ever road on the street was a Kawasaki 750 LTD, and it scared the living hell out of me, I'd shake for 10 minutes after getting off the first few times I rode it...it was WAY too much bike for my skill level, and if I'd had a bit more sense it might have scared me away from riding for good, but I stuck with it (that delicious combo of thrill and terror, you know).

I've never wrecked on a bike, and I attribute that to the fact that I've never considered myself an expert, never lost that slight terror when riding, and never let it feel "routine" to be riding...I'm always thrilled with it.

Complacency and cockiness is what gets you killed. Not CC's, you're right there...kinda like saying you're less likely to kill yourself with a .22 than a .45....technically, maybe, but not if you're determined to kill yourself...

Very well said. I almost want to sig that last part.....