The Duke is a great bike but I saw this going for only $1000! It was listed as a spares bike and there was no fairing or headlights but everything else was there and was straight. It turned out that the guy had bought it for the fairing and headlights to replace the ones on his other bike that he had crashed. Then he was going to convert this one into a race bike but never got round to it.
To Do
- Oil and filter change (synthetic) – bought some Amsoil 10W40, just need to put it in. I checked the oil in the window on the crankcase, the level looks good and it’s a nice golden colour so I don’t feel rushed to do the oil change right away.
Completed
Q2 2021
- Installed handlebars – found a longer clutch (Motion Pro #04-0311) and throttle cables (Motion Pro #04-0331) going cheap on Kijiji so had them shipped to me, good deal. Took a while to install the cables and then found that I had to drill a couple of little holes in the handlebars to accommodate the switches. Also had to 3D print some grommets to hold the bar end mirrors more securely.
Q1 2020
- Safety certificate/register – had to install an LED license plate light for safety and the mechanic found that the clip was missing off the split link!!
- Install the little bikini fairing that came with the ZXR – found some bulbs at Twin Seasons Recreation and ended up having to 3D print some bulb holders (post coming on these) rather than wait for some from China. Found the fairing mounts in the ZX6R parts box along with some bar end mirrors and got the fairing on. 3D printed a (ahem several) mount for the rev counter and gauges that attaches to the fairing (another post coming), it’s not perfect but it works … for now. I ordered some handlebar mounts from Amazon, couldn’t find any black ones cheap so went with chrome. Installed the mounts and bars and exerted some effort getting the grips off the clipons only to find that the throttle, clutch and brake lines are all too short!! I’ll leave it for now and see if I can find some cables for the naked version.
- Install the new tires – I put the Avons on that I bought for the Duke. The rear is a 150 where the stock is 160 but I think it should be fine. I read a post where a guy said he had won a race with that set up so that is encouraging.
- Swap the gear linkage round so it’s 1 down 5 up – it was installed how some people like it on the track as 1 up 5 down but I don’t think I’ll take this to the track when I have the ZX6R. I wondered why it was difficult to pull away and even harder to find neutral!!
- Fix the gear position switch so the neutral light works – ordered some contacts and a spring and Jake helped me install them. It had been put on upside down and didn’t work at first but was good once we figured that out. Strange how it has contacts for all the gears but only activates the neutral light – might be a cool little Arduino project for a gear indicator there.
- Fix the throttle so you don’t have to roll it forward to accelerate! – swapped the cables round on the fuel injection under the tank.
- Install chain guard.
- Install radiator, fan and horn – tried to repair the straight radiator with no joy so had to go with the curvy one, it’s not leaking but I’ll just keep an eye out for a straight used one.
- Connected stator.