Wheelie a ZX7r

[AndyMX5]

Hi Guys,

I thought the ZX7R would be easier to wheelie than the ZX-6R (98 model)

But, even just using the power in first it just goes faster rather than lifting the front.

Trying to clutch it up in second either gives me too much acceleration or too much clutch slip.

It's probably my rusty technique... but does anyone have any excuses for me as to why it seems harder to "get it up these days"

thanks.

[trumpet600]

Too much weight over the front end?

Diet needed!!

[Fire99]

ZX7 has IMO a very forward-biased riding position where a 98 zx6 is a little more upright.
Also the zx-7 is quite a heavy beast with a very a very planted front end.
IMO certainly not an easy bike to wheelie.

[Conian]

they clutch up in first ok but it's not the safest way to wheelie. People will tell you all kinds of stuff about dropping teeth off sprockets etc but thats gonna mess up ya MPG and ya speedo readings etc.

They wont pop up in first, simple as that. Buy an R6 or practice those clutch wheelies in 1st. I'm not gonna quote RPM figures cos i could never routinely wheely my 7r, it was all hit and miss for me.

I got a C2 9r now, and i wont even try to wheelie it, it's too expensive when it all goes wrong.

[F.M]

Arse against seat hump...knees together....just a matter of the right level of aggresion on the clutch slip with the correct throttle....It will be heavier too so will need some `proper` gas....
The clutch might be a bit ropey for wheelies though ...by the time you have worked it out after a few sessions it may be already past it`s best...I`d abuse it until you cracked the correct technique then after it has suffered enough, bang in a heavy duty one if unicycling is your bag...

[gfunk]

all in the skills you can wheelie anything if you know how just practise and then practise some more just clutch it up you might want to try to compress the forks a little before clutching it up but all in one fluid motion.

[AndyMX5]

trumpet600 said:

Too much weight over the front end?

Diet needed!!

It's my big head that weighs the most.... I'll make sure I look up more!

Thanks for the replies guys... I'm going to look at how easy it is to change the clutch before I try too many wheelies

[Conian]

Clutches are dead easy, when you do ya first one you will always wonder what the fuss was!

drain the oil out
remove clutch cover
undo the 5 (is it 5?) bolts that hold in the springs

remove the clutch plates 1 by 1 keeping them in order
refit them in the same order, but swapping a new friction pad for an old one
(coating each pad in fresh motor oil both sides before fitting

you dont actually neeeed to put the metal plates back in the same order, but it's best to, so im told.

bodge it back together with a new gasket and put oil in.

[AndyMX5]

Cool! Even I can do that.... (Ummm, well it sounds easy put like that!)

Thanks a lot. Don't suppose you have a link to good and cheap clutches for the 7?

[Conian]

Ebay is ok, buy a brand you have heard of and you wont go too wrong on there, dont forget to buy a gasket from Kwaka, if there isnt a dealer near you then Cradley Heath Kawasaki have always done a good mail order job for me.
Plus always, and i mean aaaalways, check with Kwaka for prices of parts before buying off Ebay... Sometimes youll find Ebay IS cheaper... occasionally you'll see people selling aftermarket tat or breakers selling used parts for more than a new one costs! Eg brake levers.

Best advice i can give to a new 7r owner is look after your Tokico calipers, theyre amazingly good but can get dull when covered in crud. Keep the pad-pin nice n smooth n clean.

[Biker's Nemesis]

Sit back in the seat, accelerate hard and when you get half way up the rev range, give the clutch a quick flick. when it comes up, increase or decrease the amount of throttle needed too keep it up, not forgetting too cover the back brake in case it gets too high.

Repeat for the next few years until you have the hang of it.



HTH.

[F.M]

AndyMX5 said:

Cool! Even I can do that.... (Ummm, well it sounds easy put like that!)

Thanks a lot. Don't suppose you have a link to good and cheap clutches for the 7?

EBC heavy duty should be available I`d have thought ..sensibly priced too...worth checking out M&P,the Demon tweaks motorcycle catalogue or even perhaps the Hein Gerick one...

Edited by F.M on Wednesday 11th July 09:19

[Buelligan 984]

When you come to replace the clutch plates (and it is a doddle), whilst you've got the old ones out, have a good look at the clutch hub (the big metal splined thingy the plates fit around). Check to see if the sides of the splines are ridged at all - the plates tend to rattle a bit and dig troughs into the hub which can make the clutch feel "grabby" as the plates get caught in the little groves they've cut.

If its bad, remove the hub (usually a centre nut and a lock washer) and reprofile the splines with a very soft file or wet and dry. Remember the more metal you remove, the more space they have to rattle in next time, so its a balancing act. Use a new lock washer when replacing.

Dave

[AndyMX5]

Thanks Guys, clutch definately on it's way out... Even the slightest flick of the lever means the revs go astronomical and the clutch doesn't stop slipping until I back off...

Fine during normal riding though so I'll stop playing until I can afford the clutch and the time to fit it.

Cheers.

[Mad Dave]

It may not be knackered - ZX7Rs have slipper clutches but as standard they're set so that they rarely actually work, so many people swap the clutch plates to bring the slip threshold down a bit - it MAY be that. It is feasible that it's knackered though.

I could never wheelie my 7R, and they're renowned for NOT being a good wheelie bike as the front end is heavy.

[Conian]

Mad Dave said:

It may not be knackered - ZX7Rs have slipper clutches but as standard they're set so that they rarely actually work, so many people swap the clutch plates to bring the slip threshold down a bit - it MAY be that. It is feasible that it's knackered though.

Not sure what you mean there Mad Dave... a slipper clutch is a mechanical device built into the clutch basket that allows you to change down gears really hard n fast without the back wheel locking up.. zx7r's do not have these!

[mel]

ZX7R's or even RR's do not have slipper clutches as standard.

Besides all this talk of clutching it up is bollox, they should ride up on the power no problems with just a litlle arse sliding and loading up of the front forks, I've wheelied my old one in all sorts of inappropriate places

[Mad Dave]

Conian said:

Mad Dave said:

It may not be knackered - ZX7Rs have slipper clutches but as standard they're set so that they rarely actually work, so many people swap the clutch plates to bring the slip threshold down a bit - it MAY be that. It is feasible that it's knackered though.

Not sure what you mean there Mad Dave... a slipper clutch is a mechanical device built into the clutch basket that allows you to change down gears really hard n fast without the back wheel locking up.. zx7r's do not have these!

Yeah I know what a slipper clutch is, and I was always told that the 7R had one!

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/webzxr/zxr750r/Featur...

[Biker's Nemesis]

mel said:

Besides all this talk of clutching it up is bollox.

And why would that be boocks.


John.



ETA: that's the first word I've had Censored.

Edited by Biker's Nemesis on Thursday 12th July 00:28

[Conian]

Mad Dave said:

Conian said:

Mad Dave said:

It may not be knackered - ZX7Rs have slipper clutches but as standard they're set so that they rarely actually work, so many people swap the clutch plates to bring the slip threshold down a bit - it MAY be that. It is feasible that it's knackered though.

Not sure what you mean there Mad Dave... a slipper clutch is a mechanical device built into the clutch basket that allows you to change down gears really hard n fast without the back wheel locking up.. zx7r's do not have these!

Yeah I know what a slipper clutch is, and I was always told that the 7R had one!

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/webzxr/zxr750r/Featur...

They lied to you dude! The fupping lying liars! Dont think slipper clutches were even invented when the 7r was made.

Sorry to seem patronizing about what a slipper clutch is, I thought maybe you were meaning that they had some slippage engineered into them to stop grabbiness or something.

You're not Mad Dave from Lycos Bikerseye chat room are you? He's mmmmmad he is.