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Shaft drive is a closed system so it doesn't get as much poo poo on it as a chain.
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Aug 6, 2010 20:18
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ChiTownEddie posted:So there are different types of drives such as shaft and chain (and others?), what are the advantages/disadvantages of them? Chain: Advantages - Gearing changes are simple and easy Easy maintenance Disadvanges - Frequent maintenance Shaft: Advantages Less maintenance Disadvantages Gearing changes are difficult/impossible/expensive Shaft jack can cause odd handling issues on the gas Those are the basics, really.
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Aug 6, 2010 21:02
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Perfect! Thanks for the info. There is so much random stuff to learn haha.
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Aug 6, 2010 21:22
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The_Raven posted:I've got a 1980 KZ440A1 (LTD) that I just picked up. Hi there 80s Kawasaki buddy! My first bike was an 83 EN454, which I think is pretty close to your model. Do you know if the PO rejetted the carbs to match the new air filters? It sounds like you have a bit of a lean condition. What do your plugs look like? It could be either too much airflow from the new filter or it could be leaky carb boots. Try a spray test with WD40 to check if the boots are leaking.
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Aug 6, 2010 21:48
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Another disadvantage for shafts: The maintenance that is required for them can be a pain in the rear end, especially compared to chain maintenance. And don't forget belts!
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Aug 6, 2010 22:38
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Endless Mike posted:Another disadvantage for shafts: The maintenance that is required for them can be a pain in the rear end, especially compared to chain maintenance. It's not that bad, honestly. I own two shaft driven bikes (one Honda, one Suzuki). Maintenance consists of draining the rear pumpkin and refilling with 80w90 gear oil around every 12,000 miles. There's no other cleaning, reoiling, or adjustments needed.
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Aug 6, 2010 23:23
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ChiTownEddie posted:Perfect! Shafts are more parasitic in transfering the power from the engine to the rear wheel. Chains are a little more efficient. Belt drives are sort of inbetween. I kind of wanted a shaft driven bike for a while but oiling/cleaning a chain every month or so isn't all that bad.
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Aug 7, 2010 02:02
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So I put a new spark plug in and cleaned my carb, and I'm still not able to go over 50 mph. It feels like a complete loss of power at about 50% of the redline RPM, like its not getting gas or something. I'm clueless, it's a single cylinder bike so it can't be a misfiring cylinder. Any suggestions other than take it to a mechanic?
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Aug 7, 2010 02:26
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Bottom Liner posted:So I put a new spark plug in and cleaned my carb, and I'm still not able to go over 50 mph. It feels like a complete loss of power at about 50% of the redline RPM, like its not getting gas or something. I'm clueless, it's a single cylinder bike so it can't be a misfiring cylinder. Any suggestions other than take it to a mechanic? What bike is it and how expensive would an eBay cdi be? Also did you check the coil an wiring?
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Aug 7, 2010 03:57
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ChiTownEddie posted:Perfect! Don't forget failure modes: Chain - when they go to moto heaven, they occasionally take chunks of engine with them. Belt - politely exits the rear of the vehicle. Common last moves before a break are rapid downshifts and hard launches. In both cases you're dead in the water, but belts are cheaper than engine guts. I've experienced neither of these things, so I can't tell you how to react to them at speed. I had a KZ shaft, and it required nothing beyond draining and topping off the unit with the correct oil. Power delivery is a noticeably different, and may take a bit of getting used to--but it's just a handling characteristic and not some brain-reprogramming game changer like swapping to right-side shift.
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Aug 7, 2010 04:00
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Bottom Liner posted:So I put a new spark plug in and cleaned my carb, and I'm still not able to go over 50 mph. It feels like a complete loss of power at about 50% of the redline RPM, like its not getting gas or something. I'm clueless, it's a single cylinder bike so it can't be a misfiring cylinder. Any suggestions other than take it to a mechanic? Quick check out there in webland says that KZ250s of the same vintage have been capped at 45-50 mph due to a pin hole or tear in the carb diaphragm. In one case it solved it, no post mortem on the other. Easy to check, not so easy to source. I leave it to the more proficient motorheads to yay/nay the possibility. http://www.kawasakimotorcycle.org/forum/mechanics-corner/78864-1980-kz250-engine-troubles.html http://www.justanswer.com/questions/1fn6w-i-have-a-kawasaki-kz-250-and-it-will-not-go-over-45-miles-an
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Aug 7, 2010 04:28
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Marv Hushman posted:Quick check out there in webland says that KZ250s of the same vintage have been capped at 45-50 mph due to a pin hole or tear in the carb diaphragm. In one case it solved it, no post mortem on the other. This is quite possible, and so is a pinhole in the vacuum petcock diaphragm.
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Aug 7, 2010 09:18
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I pulled my carb diaphragm back out to check and I can't find a single pinhole, much less a tear, all the symptoms match up though, hmm.
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Aug 7, 2010 09:29
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Bottom Liner posted:I pulled my carb diaphragm back out to check and I can't find a single pinhole, much less a tear, all the symptoms match up though, hmm. Remove both the fuel and vacuum line from your carburetor, suck at the (thin) vacuum line and check that fuel flows steadily from the fuel line. If not the diaphragm in your petcock needs replacement. Have you checked floater closing hight and inspected the closing surface of the floater needle valve. You can the operation of the floater needle valve by lightly blowing and sucking at the fuel line attached to your carburetor. The valve should open and close with very little effort. It's a good idea to empty the bowl before you attempt this 
Blaster of Justice fucked around with this message at 09:37 on Aug 7, 2010 |
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Aug 7, 2010 09:34
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The vacuum line being the tube on the bottom of the carb that is like a drainage line?
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Aug 7, 2010 16:36
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Bottom Liner posted:The vacuum line being the tube on the bottom of the carb that is like a drainage line? No, that's the overflow line. If you've don't have two lines to your petcock you don't have a vacuum petcock on your bike, and you can disregard the above advise. If this is the case start inspecting the float valve.
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Aug 7, 2010 16:41
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Ok, all signs are pointing to a major lean running bike. My plugs were dry and sooty grey, which is a sign of leanness correct? The bike only runs idle when it is choked, unless it's been running a while but even then it can't idle long without dying, and I'm having the power issue at high speeds. I'm going to adjust the floats towards more gas and pray that fixes it.
Bottom Liner fucked around with this message at 18:59 on Aug 7, 2010 |
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Aug 7, 2010 18:54
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If it was running fine before, the floats are not your problem, barring some sort of mechanical failure with them. Sounds like there's a fuel delivery problem, I'd check it by running fuel directly into the carbs from a slave tank, that'll help you isolate any issues with the petcock or fuel filter (if you have one).
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Aug 7, 2010 19:17
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Yeah that didn't change anything. Bike is running better at idle and in first through fourth, but still no power in 5th. My only other guess is air filter, it has a generic green foam filter stuffed in the end of the air box, and has for at least the 1100 miles since I got the bike, should I change it or are there any cautions against using those things?
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Aug 7, 2010 19:56
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Changed air filter, no dice. Took it by kawasaki dealership and had the mechanic look at it, he was at a loss too, had no idea other than checking the valve clearance. gently caress.
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Aug 7, 2010 22:04
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Bottom Liner posted:Changed air filter, no dice. Took it by kawasaki dealership and had the mechanic look at it, he was at a loss too, had no idea other than checking the valve clearance. gently caress. Did he check compression? However, I now suspect float valve to be the most likely fault.
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Aug 7, 2010 22:40
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Should I raise or lower it to make the bike run more lean? I think its running too rich, because at speed if I give it any choke it stalls out completely, like its being flooded.
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Aug 7, 2010 22:48
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KLR650, been down for like a year. Recently cleaned the carb, and gave it its first test-ride today, it's popping under deceleration a whole bunch. Throttle response seemed a little sluggish. I'm planning on: checking the tightness of the exhaust header bolts, and checking the pilot screw again for the correct setting. Is it out or in to richen the mixture? Anything else I should doublecheck?
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Aug 7, 2010 23:55
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In will lean out the mixture, out will richen up the mixture. Does it have new gas in it?
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Aug 7, 2010 23:56
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Forgive me Z3n, for I have sinned, the gas is vintage 2009.
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Aug 8, 2010 00:00
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Phy posted:Forgive me Z3n, for I have sinned, the gas is vintage 2009. Hey, at least it's an easy thing to remedy  I've made that mistake a few times before. 
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Aug 8, 2010 00:22
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Umm, I feel a bit dumb for not checking this earlier, but my chain is very very lose, like 2.5 inches or more of play. Obviously that's a problem, but could it be the cause of my troubles?
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Aug 8, 2010 07:53
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Bottom Liner posted:Umm, I feel a bit dumb for not checking this earlier, but my chain is very very lose, like 2.5 inches or more of play. Obviously that's a problem, but could it be the cause of my troubles? It's easy enough to adjust and find out! Just don't make it too tight.
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Aug 8, 2010 14:58
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So I took my 1993 GS500e to get inspected yesterday, and it failed horribly: Shock absorbers - fork seal leaking Brakes - road test @20mph Hydraulic system - rear possible air, not working correctly pads - oil soak front discs - front weak tires - cracking exhaust - leak at head, muffler loose headlights - low beam inoperable turn signals - mounting rear chain - loose Some of those are minor, and other things like the headlights and tires I knew I'd have to take care of, but the shop seemed to think the brakes and some other issues needed serious work. He's writing me up an estimate, but he said probably $800-1000 and if things looked bad once he opened it up it could be even more. The mechanic also told me that the bike is just overall in poor shape and I should consider just getting rid of it and buying a new one. I'm going to take it somewhere else next weekend, but I only paid $1200 for the bike in the first place, so if they say the same, I'm not sure I can justify sinking that much into it. I'm kind of torn, because I like the bike a lot, but if I could flip it back on CL to somebody else and get $1,000 back, I could take that and the repair money and get something in a little better shape.
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Aug 8, 2010 20:16
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I don't know, other than the front fork seals, everything looks really easy to fix. Header and muffler leak probably just needs to be reseated and torqued down. Brake issues? New pads, new fluid, and bleed the system. Low beam not working? Probably needs a new bulb. How much would they charge you for just the front fork seal work? Why the gently caress would he tell you to get a new bike? Everything he mentioned is really minor. Is there something else wrong with the bike?
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Aug 8, 2010 20:39
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I think my chain needs an adjustment, I hear the chain whenever I engine brake, but no other times. Is that normal with a chain that needs adjustment?
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Aug 8, 2010 22:58
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Crayvex posted:I don't know, other than the front fork seals, everything looks really easy to fix. Header and muffler leak probably just needs to be reseated and torqued down. Brake issues? New pads, new fluid, and bleed the system. Low beam not working? Probably needs a new bulb. How much would they charge you for just the front fork seal work? That's good to know. It sounded like the brake work was the biggest part of the expense. I'll know more when I get the full estimate I guess. I think a few hundred of the total would have been for the tires, as well. quote:Why the gently caress would he tell you to get a new bike? Everything he mentioned is really minor. Is there something else wrong with the bike? He basically said that he could fix those things and it would pass inspection, but that there would still be other problems with it. I think I'll just take it to another shop next weekend though, and get a second opinion on it. If I sink that much money into the bike, I'd want to be able to keep it for a while because I'd never be able to sell it at a price where I'd recoup any of that.
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Aug 8, 2010 23:31
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Besides the fork seals you could get all that fixed in a day with, excluding tires, probably around 100 bucks, maybe even less... Forks seals would take a few hours to change, but they're far from a dificult job if you're at least a little bit willing to get your hands dirty. If you choose to do all that and needs help, post here and we'll help.
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Aug 8, 2010 23:45
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I've never really done any mechanical work, so I'd be a bit nervous about it, and I don't even have a garage or driveway or anything. If any of that is super beginner level though, I might be able to give it a shot, especially if I can convince a friend to let me borrow their garage. I'll check out the service manual and see if any of it seems easy enough, but I don't really even know what half that stuff even means.
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Aug 8, 2010 23:53
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SlightlyMadman posted:I've never really done any mechanical work, so I'd be a bit nervous about it. You will learn. When I bought my bike last year I didn't know a two-stroke from a four-stroke and had no idea how a carburetor worked. Since then I have dismantled and cleaned the carbs, changed the oil and oil filter, changed the brake fluid, fixed a cracked fairing, changed the entire charging system and now I'm about to do a valve adjustment. All from reading CA and the service manual.
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Aug 9, 2010 09:05
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I'm sorry if this seems stupid, but I know little to nothing about motorcycles and I need some guidance. A buddy of mine and I are planning a trip from Las Vegas, NV to Grove City, PA and I've begun to look at bikes. My dad seems to know about motorcycles and swears that the best fit for the trip is going to be a Kawasaki KLR650 dual sport, or something similar and absolutely a 650. Like I said, I'm a know nothing about this. Is this bike really going to get me across country with little incidence? Also, are there any other better choices and maybe anything cheaper? Is there anything imperative I should know before I begin doing anymore planning? Any guidance is welcome.
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Aug 9, 2010 12:12
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Are you going A->B across country? If there's no dirt involved there's no real need for a big thumpy dual sport. Pretty well anything with two wheels will get you across country. Finding something that is conformable enough to ride on all day that can carry all of your gear is the most important thing. That may be a KLR650, a ninja500, a busa, a cruiser, etc etc. Local availability is gonna be important aswell
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Aug 9, 2010 14:43
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GaiaFag posted:I'm sorry if this seems stupid, but I know little to nothing about motorcycles and I need some guidance. A buddy of mine and I are planning a trip from Las Vegas, NV to Grove City, PA and I've begun to look at bikes. My dad seems to know about motorcycles and swears that the best fit for the trip is going to be a Kawasaki KLR650 dual sport, or something similar and absolutely a 650. Like I said, I'm a know nothing about this. Is this bike really going to get me across country with little incidence? Also, are there any other better choices and maybe anything cheaper? Is there anything imperative I should know before I begin doing anymore planning? Any guidance is welcome. A klr is going to be one of your cheapest options, and they are indeed made for long trips such as this. A comofortab,e cruiser would also be a good choice, provided you're going to be on roads the whole time as mentioned above. Used Klrs can be had for around 3k, and make sure if you get one get a 2008 or newer, they had a major redesign that year with some nice changes and upgrades.
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Aug 9, 2010 16:23
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If your primary goal is to go distance on road, why the hell would you buy a 650 single? There are hundreds of other bikes I would choose for a trip like that, many of them cheaper. HP rules above all else when you're cruising on the freeway. At least take something like a GS500 or a Ninja 500 or Ninja 650/SV650 if you want to go naked.
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Aug 9, 2010 17:14
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I just discovered after my longish ride on sunday that my bike is definitely not charging the battery. I ordered a Clymer manual for it, but does anyone have any insight as to whether this fix is going to be over my newbie head?
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Aug 9, 2010 18:26
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