Acat
Novice Class
Posts: 99
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posted November 21, 2008 07:54 AM
Shift Quality
Hello all! New to forum. I was wanting to know how your bikes are shifting. Neutral to 1st bangs pretty hard which I think is normal. Yes my chain is adjusted correctly. Idle speed 1050. 1-2 clunks pretty good. Like a Harley! The rest seem fairly smooth but not great. But downshifting below 4th seems vague with no detents, kinda mushy. When I ride my Suzuki it seems like a Swiss watch by comparison. 07 w/ 2000 miles. It really detracts from the ride. Is there something I can adjust to improve things? Thanks
  
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ruthless rider
Parking Attendant
Posts: 14
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posted November 21, 2008 08:27 AM
I think mine shifts smoothly compared to my 03 Z1000 but I use fully synthetic oil in mine, you can try that, it may help smooth out the gearbox.
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bawls
Needs a job
re-learning to ride
Posts: 2701
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posted November 21, 2008 08:32 AM
sounds like you've got the same thing going on as my 07.
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Best 60ft: 1.42
Best 1/8th: 5.97
Best 1/8th MPH: 119
Brockland Police Badge # 001
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wrenchhead
Novice Class
Posts: 76
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posted November 21, 2008 08:33 AM
quote:
sounds like you've got the same thing going on as my 07.
+1 me too. 1st clunks pretty good, 4th downshift isnt bad though. Full Syn. oil helped my clunk a little bit
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BobC
Pro
Posts: 1736
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posted November 21, 2008 08:43 AM
If you've just got off something like a GSX-R then the Kawasaki will feel a little agricultural. OK when you get used to it though.
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Candy Thunder Blue 2006 ZZR1400
Stock wheelbase
Max: 205.4 mph in 1.25 miles
2012 ZZR1400 in Golden Blazed Green
Brock CT Full System. etc
Max: 203.1 in 1 mile (so far)
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lucky14
Pro
Posts: 1439
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posted November 21, 2008 08:54 AM
Be sure that you're not *driving* it like a Harley.
I never noticed any "clunkiness" until I started riding behind my wife when she was first learning on her Ninja 250 and I was shifting at very low speeds to just putt around behind her.
The 14 seems to be optimized to shift at higher RPMs.
If you're short-shifting at - say - 2000 rpms, that doesn't work well for me. Try at least 4000 or higher (alll the way to redline) and it should be smooth as silk. 
____________
You only need two tools: WD-40 and Duct Tape.
If it doesn't move and should, use the WD-40.
If it shouldn't move and does, use the duct tape.
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bawls
Needs a job
re-learning to ride
Posts: 2701
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posted November 21, 2008 09:18 AM
I rarely ever see anything under 4000 rpm lol.
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Best 60ft: 1.42
Best 1/8th: 5.97
Best 1/8th MPH: 119
Brockland Police Badge # 001
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Acat
Novice Class
Posts: 99
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posted November 21, 2008 10:08 AM
I guess I might be a little paranoid because I bought the bike used from a dealer w/ 1000 miles on it , no chicken strips, said they did recall but can't see evidence [marks on engine bolts, punch mark by vin, no paper work ], Went to pull flies and they are gone, mileage was lower than ad said, no test ride allowed, their name on title not reassigned, good price! Beginning to think it was abused. Also makes a gear whine if I pull clutch in as I roll up to stop from speed. Does have warranty until march so I'm riding alot to form an opinion. Why is winter coming on so fast?
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Sticks_n_Stones
Needs a job
Posts: 3930
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posted November 21, 2008 12:45 PM
I got rid of most of my clunking by the combo of more miles (7500 so far) and a bit of unconventional ingenuity. I figured with the big-ass trans gears under such tight tolerances what it needed was for the gears to seat together and loosen up a bit. So at 1500 miles (where it was still clunky as hell with an occasional false neutral on 3-2 downshifts), I started clutchless shifting all the time. Every gear change while cruising around I just let up a bit on the throttle and banged it in. Bike trannies can handle that in general, and I figured thats the fastest way to seat the gears. I was right, after just 500 miles of doing that it was shifting WAY smoother, with less clunking in 1st and 2nd. I stopped doing that all the time after probably 1500 miles of it. Wasn't needed any more, the clunkiness and tightness was gone. 1st and 2nd are still not as slick as a good 600, but on par with the 08 Honda 1000RR and the 06 GSXR 1K I rode last month.
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'06 zx14
Muzzy M10/M14
PCIII w/ Muzzy map
Flies out K&N in!
bits n pieces...
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eklipse636
Needs a life
ZX-14
Posts: 6046
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posted November 21, 2008 01:37 PM
the few gsxrs ive rode wee quite a bit smoother than my 14 and my 05 636 was the same way as the 14, guess its just a kawi thing
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Best: 60ft 1.351 1/8 5.68 mph 123.98 1/4
8.89 mph 151.32
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Bluebyyou
Expert Class
Gettin My Curve On
Posts: 276
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posted November 21, 2008 02:14 PM
I make clutchless shifts, always have and like Sticks and Stones said mine doesn't clunk. One caveat, now when shifting into first at idle it does clunk but they all do that.
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2007 Bad to the Bone ZX-14 flies out, full Muzzy exhaust system, PC III, BMC race
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Acat
Novice Class
Posts: 99
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posted November 21, 2008 02:15 PM
Interesting............ I will give that a try.
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DogoZX
Expert Class
Posts: 348
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posted November 21, 2008 02:53 PM
Install a braided clutch line. Bleed the system with the bike leaned over to the right, away from the kickstand. Always shift into first before you come to a stop.
Those are my best suggestions. If I am stopped, mine still clunks a little into first, but not like when it was new.
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