My Kawasaki ZX12R Long Term Review

I purchased my 2000 model Kawasaki ZX12R just over six years ago and I would have to say that I have mostly loved owning it in that time. There have been only a couple of small problems which ZX12s share, all of which I have experienced
- warped front discs due to seized calipers

- the clutch grumbles like crazy in the early models due to oil   starvation in the clutch basket

- difficult battery access

 The only way to solve the warping discs problem is to regularly clean the pistons in the brake calipers. If you are having hot start problems then it is 99% likely that your battery needs replacing, I have read that batteries tend to get hot because they are fully enclosed and right behind the engine. Access to the battery in the 'twelve' is a painful process which involves removing the tank cover, then five screws on the cover plate and then removing some cables! If your ZX12 gets ridden only now and then, definitely invest in a trickle charger and wire it up so you can plug it in with everything in situ.
It is a brilliant 'highway blaster' being very stable and not to mention comfortable for long periods. I actually bought the ZX12 because I wanted a sportsbike that was comfortable and capable a commuter. It does run fairly hot in slow traffic even on cold days and does not like travelling at anything below 40km/h anyway, so I have yet to overheat it! I live in a fairly warm climate where summer days often go above 40 degress celcius (110 farenheit). My bike is not a high mileage unit having only done just over 36,000km (only having 19,000km when I bought it).

 In the time I have had it, the neutral sender was replaced under warranty, had two batteries, had the  front dics replaced with MetalGear discs, sprockets and chain and both tyres. On the subject of tyres I am now running Michelin Pilot Powers front and rear. The old rear tyre was a 200 wide tyre, but was replaced with a 190 wide tyre to improve turn-in, which is noticeable. I am very happy with the bike because I still own it!

 

Cheap Budget Track Day Bike

Just the other night I was thinking about what would be the cheapest way to get into a track bike that could be used on a road course or a kart track. It needs to be reasonably quick, have good suspension and brakes and not cost a squillion to maintain. Durability is also very important, so if I throw it down the road at speed it won't shatter into tiny pieces.Chinese bikes are out, eighties sport bikes while cheap to buy will need lots of cash throwing at them, and seventies bikes are definitely worn out?

Turns out the best bang for your buck at the moment is late 80s to early 90s two-stroke motocross bikes. These can be had for around $2000 in good condition. At around 45hp and 95kg they have good power-to-weight (1988 KX250 pictured above). I know the usual route is to fit motard wheels, but at $1500 for a good used set-up, its a bit pricey. So instead just fit some road tyres or dual sport tyres like the anakee 3s at a cost of around $450 fitted(see pic above). Probably will also need to fit some axle sliders (home made $50) and some handguards to protect the levers at around $50.

New Crispy Logo

Bare metal tank

I decided that I would like to use a bare metal tank on my next build. This tank I purchased for $6 at a garage sale more than a year ago. After spending about four hours getting all the paint and body filler (bog) off, this was how it looked. It has a few dents on the left -side and one slight dent on the right-side. As you can see from the photo, the dent on this side is barely noticable. My intention is to polish it up and then spray it in clear lacquer. Am also working on a new 'crispy' logo to apply to the tank. After a little image searching on google, I ascertained that the tank is from an 80s model Honda XL185S.

Yamaha vs Ducati Hyper Trix

There is only one new motorcycle currently on the market that I would buy. And that is the Ducati HyperMotard. The cheapest model (used) will still set you back thirteen grand ($13K). And with that you get the infamous Ducati gremlins. So I have quickly mocked up my own example of the breed, my own franken-bike, a bike I call the Yamaha Hyper TRIX..Simply fit the hypermotard body work to a Yamaha TRX850 and voila!!! Its an ideal marriage as the Yamaha is also a twin, so it would sound the same and also has a trellis frame, so at a glance you would never know....