ZZR1400, Teenage me's dream bike

[Druid]

Let me try the pics again

Hateful VFR

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I've had 2 VFR750s, I think they're excellent.

I hope you enjoy your inferior Kawasaki

[Cousin Jack]

Welcome Steve : FWIW I don't like VFRs either (have only ridden one or two), despite the technological goodness therein (we all like different things).

Plonk [x].
You are dead to me.

I will forgive Steve because he is new, but VFRs are ace. I will accept they have a high C of G but they are still a fantastic bike.

[Omegasteve]

Welcome, modified zzr11 owner here, if you can't be bothered to read (don't blame you)my thread the basics are, 12kglighger, 4kg off with zrx1200 wheels, a 4 into a exhaust and radial calipers from a r1200rt bmw

I will certainly be giving your thread a look-see, I love a ZZR of any flavour!

[Omegasteve]

Let me try the pics again

Hateful VFR

20230810_200117.jpg.4f3f0c59ea942abc1079a905e80d6beb.jpg

I've had 2 VFR750s, I think they're excellent.

I hope you enjoy your inferior Kawasaki

Genuinely, from the millions of positive reviews I'm convinced that I'm wrong but I will die on this hill

[Omegasteve]

So after the ride home and having a better look at her in my garage I realised that the steering lock didn't work .

Amazing what you miss when the rose tinted glasses are on isn't it?

A slight cause for concern as I then wondered if it had been nicked previously but if it had, the HPI hadnt shown anything.

Annoying.

After a quick investigation, it appears that the top clamp was sitting up higher than it should and thus was causing the steering lock pin to not engage the notch in the frame. Odd? It had bar risers fitted and I began to wonder.

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Hmm, someone's been here before

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I ordered a new seal cover and locking washer for the stem and once they arrived I got started.

[Omegasteve]

Stripped off the clip ons and risers, removed the top clamp and took the stem nuts off (which were only finger tight!).

Replaced the seal as the bearing looked and felt fine, according to the service history it had been replaced by a bike garage in Telford less than 3 months prior. Had they left the stem nuts loose or had it been after? Well I think i may know .

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During reassembly I fit the top clamp down correctly and torqued everything to spec and this is where the cause of the non-functioning steering lock showed itself.

With the top clamp in correct position, the bar risers could not sit flush to bolt down due to the tops of the forks? Weird? (I have no pics of this, sorry). So out came the manufacturer manual and my vernier calipers.

The forks are supposed to protrude through the top clamp by 24mm, mine were at 37mm?!? Good God. So whoever had lifted the forks through the bottom yoke had then had to raise the top clamp up the stem to make the risers fit .


I wanted it back to factory settings so with my limited equipment I had to get inventive.

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Not sure why its rotated the image



Not ideal by any means but it worked. I then loosened the fork clamp bolts and little by little raised the jack to bring the forks down through the yokes.

Once I had them to 24mm I clamped up the bolts, torqued to spec and removed the jack. Perfect!

Risers fitted on perfect now and everything was tightened correctly.

And the steering lock worked!!

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Job jobbed.

Took her for a spin out to celebrate, bonus to this was she now felt a lot more planted. Placebo maybe, or due to the correct geometry? We'll never know.

[Supermofo]

Stuff like that is one of the reasons I love new bikes, previous owners, including me at times, are idiots. Seems a very odd thing for them to have done though, probably something fat bloke down the pub said as an improvement. Gotta wonder at that level of bodgery though.

Sounds like you are handy enough with the spanners though to sort it which is lucky, well done.

[Omegasteve]

Stuff like that is one of the reasons I love new bikes, previous owners, including me at times, are idiots. Seems a very odd thing for them to have done though, probably something fat bloke down the pub said as an improvement. Gotta wonder at that level of bodgery though.

Sounds like you are handy enough with the spanners though to sort it which is lucky, well done.

I'd love something new but I genuinely dont know what I'd buy and I'm not currently in a financial position to do so anyway! We moved into a new house that needs total renovation and also we are getting married next year

Does make you wonder on the logic behind the decision of what was done to the bike though.

[Omegasteve]

Most recent work on the ZZR1400 replacing the fork seals and renewing the oil. There was nothing in the service history or receipts to show when this had last been done and one of the seals was missing anyway so why not sort them.

So first port of call was to get her up on the ABBA stand. Perfect bit of kit for the job

Took the mudguard off before taking the pic.

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Laid out all the specific tools for the job.

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Off with the front wheel and forks, this is pretty straight forward. If you dont have an axle nut tool you can use the back of a large spark plug socket with a long extension through the axle.

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[Omegasteve]

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I'd then recommend doing one fork at a time to completion, just to keep track of the parts and to avoid swapping them between the two. Probably unnecessary but its more reassuring that its done properly.

Clamp one fork in a vice, protecting the fork lower with something.

Using a 14mm, wind out the damping adjustment nut fully. This takes the tension off the spring and will stop the cap from flying upwards when undone.

Then, again using something to protect the top of the fork, undo the cap with a 24mm spanner/socket.

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At this stage, removed the fork from the vice and turn it upside down over a container to drain the oil. There's a fair bit so make sure the container is large enough. It can take a while to drain fully so you may want to go make a brew at this point.

[Omegasteve]

Next step is to fit the spring compressors, locking them in the holes in the side of the plastic sleeve, and get creative . I found this worked well to compress the springs

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Expose the 17mm lock nut and put the locking tool underneath it.

Now put the assembly back into the vice, with the spring still compressed and you'll need to put a 17mm spanner onto the locknut and a 24mm onto the fork top and turn the 24mm anticlockwise to loosen it. They are tight so be careful.

Unscrew it fully and carefully set to one side.

Carefully then remove the thin centre rod and set that aside too.

Now, safely remove the tension from the spring and remove the plastic sleeve, followed by the spring itself. Set these aside too.

The 17mm locknut can be left in place.

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[Omegasteve]

Once these parts are out. The fork can be easily pulled apart. Do this over the container as more oil will be released.

Set the bottom section to one side and turn the top section over. Gently remove the dust cover then the wire clip and then, with great care, prise the fork seal out, being careful not to lose the washer.

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Clean everything up and you are now ready for reassembly.

Using plenty of red rubber grease. Slide the new dust cover down the lower section, followed by the new seal. Make sure these are orientated correctly.

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Now slip the fork upper over the lower and turn the whole assembly upside down.

Fit your seal tool and smoothly tap the new seal into place.

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[Omegasteve]

Fit the wire clip. Making sure its seated correctly and then slide the dust cover into place.

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Turn the fork the right way up and its time to put your oil in.

A fork oil tool is not essential but makes the job a damn site easier.

Once you've got the oil in, using a damper rod tool. Plunge the rod slowly a few times to get the oil through the fork.

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Now reassembly is all the above in reverse. Just take your time and double check everything is done in the correct order. You'll kick yourself if you forget that thin damper rod you removed earlier!

All back together and no longer leaking. Damping, rebound and compression settings taken back to factory setting for now too as they were all over the place! Werent even matched between sides!!

Afternoon well spent.

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[Count Steer]

Better, and clearer, than a Haynes manual!

[Supermofo]

Nice write up, I wish I was mechanically minded......and less bone idle

[Druid]

Nice work.

I was a bit wary the first time I had to replace fork seals on USD forks, but I think they're a bit easier than RWU as long as you have the fork spring compressor

[Omegasteve]

Better, and clearer, than a Haynes manual!

Thank you When I was looking to do the job I could not, for the life of me, find a decent guide for ZZR1400 forks. I know most USDs are similar but its nice to be certain when thinking of tackling a job so hopefully this helps someone in the future.

[Omegasteve]

Nice work.

I was a bit wary the first time I had to replace fork seals on USD forks, but I think they're a bit easier than RWU as long as you have the fork spring compressor

Me too! I have done a few RWU forks over the years but this was my first time tackling USDs. I would absolutely agree they are easier and if I was doing them semi-regularly I'd definitely invest in a spring compressors as the ratchet straps were a bit dicey

[Tricky]

Better, and clearer, than a Haynes manual!

Absoloutely- great write up!

[Omegasteve]

Massively appreciated @Tricky . I hope it one day helps someone!