• Required reading for all forum users!!!

    Welcome!
    Register to access the full functionality of the GSResources forum. Until you register and activate your account you will not have full forum access, nor will you be able to post or reply to messages.

    A note to new registrants...
    All new forum registrations must be activated via email before you have full access to the forum.

    A Special Note about Email accounts!
    DO NOT SIGN UP USING hotmail, outlook, gmx, sbcglobal, att, bellsouth or email.com. They delete our forum signup emails.

    A note to old forum members...
    I receive numerous requests from people who can no longer log in because their accounts were deleted. As mentioned in the forum FAQ, user accounts are deleted if you haven't logged in for the past 6 months. If you can't log in, then create a new forum account. If you don't get an error message, then check your email account for an activation message. If you get a message stating that the email address is already in use, then your account still exists so follow the instructions in the forum FAQ for resetting your password.

    Have you forgotten your password or have a new email address? Then read the forum FAQ for details on how to reset it.

    Any email requests for "can't log in anymore" problems or "lost my password" problems will be deleted. Read the forum FAQ and follow the instructions there - that's what we have one for...

  • Returning Visitors

    If you are a returning visitor who never received your confirmation email, then odds are your email provider is blockinig emails from our server. The only thing that can be done to get around this is you will have to try creating another forum account using an email address from another domain.

    If you are a returning visitor to the forum and can't log in using your old forum name and password but used to be able to then chances are your account is deleted. Purges of the databases are done regularly. You will have to create a new forum account and you should be all set.

  • In order to help others find info on a particular bike, be sure to put the year, make or model of bike that you are asking a question about, in the Topic Title. This will allow people to pass by posts they have no interest in.

ZX10 -88, info where art thou?

  • Thread starter Thread starter ART
  • Start date Start date
A

ART

Guest
Hi guys,

Since my GS1000G is kinda turning into a long term project ... and my BMW is for sale ... and the light of my life seems to want my VF400F for herself ... I bought a 1988 Kawasaki ZX10.

It is a nice bike. There are parts on ebay. I've found the shop manual for it.

But other than that, there is very little indeed in the way of information. I've searched. I am spoiled with this place.

(I found a promising forum, then found a sticky where a self proclaimed guru and electrical engineer "debunked" that jumpstarting an old bike from a running car can do harm because "volts are just volts, yo, and you can't push them into someting, yo" or something along those lines...)

I'm thinking smart upgrades and good tips'n'tricks. Anyone stumbled on anything of the sort? Or am I doomed to experiment on my own?

I know, I know, I should have bought another GS. I tried to! But the season started and the urge to ride got the better of me. :o
 
They are a nice bike. Not a lot of known problems with them either in street use. Kawasaki progressively widened the morse chain which - one way, drives the alternator,and - the other way, is the crank drive from the starter. because it has high loads in different directions, the tensioner is a good one to watch. The ZX10 still uses a narrow chain which doesn't give many probs. The later 1100 and bigger ones use a wider chain which does give tensioner problems...bigger is not better.
In race and heavy duty use, they can use oiling system upgrades. Street use not usually a problem.
It's probably worth looking at later 12/1300 brakes and discs too.

Enjoy.
 
GregT said:
They are a nice bike. Not a lot of known problems with them either in street use. Kawasaki progressively widened the morse chain which - one way, drives the alternator,and - the other way, is the crank drive from the starter. because it has high loads in different directions, the tensioner is a good one to watch. The ZX10 still uses a narrow chain which doesn't give many probs. The later 1100 and bigger ones use a wider chain which does give tensioner problems...bigger is not better.
In race and heavy duty use, they can use oiling system upgrades. Street use not usually a problem.
It's probably worth looking at later 12/1300 brakes and discs too.

Enjoy.
Click to expand...

Thankyou. I do enjoy it. And I will keep an eye (or ear more likely) on the tensioner.

Currently I have a mystery grinding noise in the front end. Will try to diagnose this weekend (but methinks it might be something not obvious -- brakes looks like they have been overhauled very recently, such supple rubber simply must be new, wheel bearings seem ok and steering bearings also feel real solid). Gah. Only when warm. In the morning when cold nothing in the city, nothing on the freeway. In the afternoon I do the reverse, freeway then city traffic. And as it gets warm, hey presto grind-klunk-grind-klunk-klunk while in the city. Can feel the klunks in the handlebar, and it is getting worse.

Ah well, dismantle-inspect-measure-replace until it goes away I guess. Front wheel has been bumped into something sometime and a new used one in good condition (with a better tyre to boot) was cheap on the bay, so maybe I'll just swap my trouble away...
 
ART said:
Thankyou. I do enjoy it. And I will keep an eye (or ear more likely) on the tensioner.

Currently I have a mystery grinding noise in the front end. Will try to diagnose this weekend (but methinks it might be something not obvious -- brakes looks like they have been overhauled very recently, such supple rubber simply must be new, wheel bearings seem ok and steering bearings also feel real solid). Gah. Only when warm. In the morning when cold nothing in the city, nothing on the freeway. In the afternoon I do the reverse, freeway then city traffic. And as it gets warm, hey presto grind-klunk-grind-klunk-klunk while in the city. Can feel the klunks in the handlebar, and it is getting worse.

Ah well, dismantle-inspect-measure-replace until it goes away I guess. Front wheel has been bumped into something sometime and a new used one in good condition (with a better tyre to boot) was cheap on the bay, so maybe I'll just swap my trouble away...
Click to expand...

Almost certainly a wheel bearing IMO.
 
I had an 86 Ninja 1000. Great bike. Mine warped the front rotors and blew a clutch basket. What killed it was a failed new riveted master link. Threw the chain and it broke the crankcase at the oil filler. Hope you have better luck with yours.
 
Maddevill said:
I had an 86 Ninja 1000. Great bike. Mine warped the front rotors and blew a clutch basket. What killed it was a failed new riveted master link. Threw the chain and it broke the crankcase at the oil filler. Hope you have better luck with yours.
Click to expand...

Ouch. Well, I guess it could be worse. I've always preferred shafts, so I've never actually had to replace a chain. Is it something a slow but steady home mechanic should leave to the pros?
 
Without an impact gun the front sprocket nut can be a pain to remove.Other than that replacing a chain is fairly easy.
 
I'll have a go at it on the Honda. Changing chain, that is. I think I can borrow a fairly decent impact gun, and know I can borrow a rivet tool.

Once again thanks, guys!
 
I had a couple of these bikes. loved them from the start. 88,89,90 ZX1000B 77 lbs lighter than the previous zx liter bullet.

intricate and elaborate body pieces . I love the trunk. balancer tensioner is adjustable and where they make noise and leak oil from. ( lwr rt side) it is a simple seal to replace - and you will replace it if you like a clean garage floor. I had to cut a piece off of the oil pan/cases when I installed a SS2r system.

one had a rear shock that went limp -- crappy air ride - has a fuel pump that you need to take care of also. I had an intermittent issue that left me stranded -- until I swapped it out -- faster than ever.

my 89 made 126 on the dyno. mostly stock just a pipe and jet kit
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top