I was reading on sportbike the suspenion settings for the zx6r if you are 14 stone. I found out that I am 10 stone(140lbs) and was wondering if anybody that is a similiar weight has any suspension suggestions for me? I appreciate any help that anyone could give me.
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Ok, I think I have it set pretty good now, But I don't see how I can raise the ride height a few mm's. If anyone has any advise on how I can do this on a 2002 zx6r it would be great! The weather is going to get better here in NY and I want the bike setup for the riding 
-thanks in advance for any help
-thanks in advance for any helpI just (re)did this a couple of days ago. Super easy. It'll help if you have someone to lift up on the rear of the bike so you can slip in the shim(s) -- or turn up the lower screw, depending on what setup you have.
Take a look at:
http://www.14teeth.com/forumimages/zx6r1.jpeg
http://www.14teeth.com/forumimages/zx6r2.jpeg
If you have a spacer instead of the screw, you need to place a shim underneath the spacer. You can buy shims from Kawasaki, I hear, but I just made one out of a piece of metal in my basement.
I started with only a 2mm shim, but after switching to a 70-series front tire I decided to try jacking up the back more (now 5mm) before dropping the front. Feels decent right now, but I'll still go more aggressive in the future, as I'm now experimenting with lower tire pressure which of course reduces steering sharpness.
Good luck, you'll be happy you did it.
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Dave Lee
Red '02
Take a look at:
http://www.14teeth.com/forumimages/zx6r1.jpeg
http://www.14teeth.com/forumimages/zx6r2.jpeg
If you have a spacer instead of the screw, you need to place a shim underneath the spacer. You can buy shims from Kawasaki, I hear, but I just made one out of a piece of metal in my basement.
I started with only a 2mm shim, but after switching to a 70-series front tire I decided to try jacking up the back more (now 5mm) before dropping the front. Feels decent right now, but I'll still go more aggressive in the future, as I'm now experimenting with lower tire pressure which of course reduces steering sharpness.
Good luck, you'll be happy you did it.
----------------------
Dave Lee
Red '02
Thanks for the tip! I knew I would need some type of shim or something. I will probably need to get one from kawasaki b/c I don't have anything that might work now. 5mm should be good for me since I just put on a 60 series tire.
Thanks a bunch, this should make riding a lot more fun!!
Thanks a bunch, this should make riding a lot more fun!!
NASTYZX6R,
You really don't need to buy a shim from Kawasaki, a bolt the same diameter as the ride height adjuster bolt will do fine -- just get one in the required height. I have a 2000, which has adjustable nuts, but I just inserted another nut in there to bring it up, and it's fine.
You really don't need to buy a shim from Kawasaki, a bolt the same diameter as the ride height adjuster bolt will do fine -- just get one in the required height. I have a 2000, which has adjustable nuts, but I just inserted another nut in there to bring it up, and it's fine.
What if I replaced the stock spacer that it comes with, with a nut so that I could have endless adjustability? Would that work just as well?
I just went out tonight with lower pressure in my tires(32 in back, 31 in front) and the bike had a tiny bit of headshake in long fast corners(over 100 or so). Do you think that is the tire pressure that is causing this?
-thanks guys
I just went out tonight with lower pressure in my tires(32 in back, 31 in front) and the bike had a tiny bit of headshake in long fast corners(over 100 or so). Do you think that is the tire pressure that is causing this?
-thanks guys
Can't answer the first as I don't have access to an '01, but theoretically it should work -- you're just replicating the set up on the J1 model.Originally posted by NASTYZX6R
What if I replaced the stock spacer that it comes with, with a nut so that I could have endless adjustability? Would that work just as well?
I just went out tonight with lower pressure in my tires(32 in back, 31 in front) and the bike had a tiny bit of headshake in long fast corners(over 100 or so). Do you think that is the tire pressure that is causing this?
-thanks guys
I use that tire pressure on my front, and I don't get any headshake. If anything, I think that lower pressure (without being soft) would actually make a bike more stable since the contact patch is enhanced. What settings on compression and rebound damping are you running?
poch
The settings that I am running are the same that the sportbike website said to run. I'm not sure if that is good for me at 140lbs but it sure does handle a lot better than the stock settings. What do you think? Thanks a lot!
The settings that I am running are the same that the sportbike website said to run. I'm not sure if that is good for me at 140lbs but it sure does handle a lot better than the stock settings. What do you think? Thanks a lot!
The stock settings make the bike wallow in corners -- for my weight, anyway. My only question with the sportrider settings are that they are expected to work for every rider, when the bike's suspension is sensitive to rider weight. The lighter the rider, the less preload and damping he needs, especially up front.
As for tire pressure, if you read between the lines of the manual, the 36/41 set-up is intended for the maximum load of 401 lb consisting of rider and pillion. The tire manufacturers with the exception of Bridgestone, I think, recommend 31/33; Bridgestone says 33/36. Similar to suspension, optimum tire pressure is weight-determined.
I have no doubt the bike is sharper now, and that translates to happy points, but how's your back? And is the rear of the bike throwing you off on bumpy roads, where you really ride?
It's not so much a matter of holding the bike rigid for track-riding, but finding the balance between the front and rear for the kind of riding that you do.
Sometimes a click or three back (especially if you're light) from the track settings will make a world of difference in comfort, without sacrificing performance.
Hope that helps.
As for tire pressure, if you read between the lines of the manual, the 36/41 set-up is intended for the maximum load of 401 lb consisting of rider and pillion. The tire manufacturers with the exception of Bridgestone, I think, recommend 31/33; Bridgestone says 33/36. Similar to suspension, optimum tire pressure is weight-determined.
I have no doubt the bike is sharper now, and that translates to happy points, but how's your back? And is the rear of the bike throwing you off on bumpy roads, where you really ride?
It's not so much a matter of holding the bike rigid for track-riding, but finding the balance between the front and rear for the kind of riding that you do.
Sometimes a click or three back (especially if you're light) from the track settings will make a world of difference in comfort, without sacrificing performance.
Hope that helps.
The bike actually responds very well to bumps and does not bother me at all. It is smooth over bumps in turns as well, its just the headshake that I am having a problem with. It's not that bad but I would just like to get rid of it completely if possible. Thank you for all your help, now let me go tinker around with it for a little(it is nice out here in NY). I'll let you know if I have any other problems, thanks a lot
The Kawi rear rebound damping is bad, but the front has always been good and confidence-inspiring. If the front is shaking in mid-corner then the front may be just a little bit too stiff to the point that it doesn't track as well as it should. Try backing off the rebound damping a bit to let it track?
And I'm glad to see that you're not automatically thinking of a steering damper to put a band-aid on the problem, which is suspension adjustment rather than any real twitchiness in the bike.
Ride safe, bro.
And I'm glad to see that you're not automatically thinking of a steering damper to put a band-aid on the problem, which is suspension adjustment rather than any real twitchiness in the bike.
Ride safe, bro.
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