Newbie - ZX6R ('01)

Meloco

Meloco

Meloco

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Hi all,

venturing for my first bike purchase on a ZX6R '01 (J2). The bike will be stored outside (cover on), just wondering what to check for on the bike and whether an independent service once bought is recommended?
 
Are you mechanically minded? If so, everything can be done by you.

  • Check the condition of the chain and sprocket wear.
  • Give the brake fluid a once over, make sure it's all there! If you have a resevoir on your handlebar, turn the bike on, squeeze the front brake, the level should drop, release the brake, the level should rise.
  • Check the brake discs aren't pitted/are wearing evenly.
  • Check the condition of the tyres for excessive wear. They should have a good even tread all round.
  • Check the fork seals aren't leaking.
  • After ride, check the bike for any leaks (oil filter, radiator etc)
  • Check the downpipes and exhaust (especially where they connect to the engine block) for any excessive corrosion.

  • Change the oil and oil filter(might be excessive, but I would on an oldish second hand bike)
  • Change the brake fluid (might be excessive, but I would on an oldish second hand bike)
  • Change the coolant (might be excessive, but I would on an oldish second hand bike)
  • Change the spark plugs (might be excessive, but I would on an oldish second hand bike)
  • Test the battery (might be excessive, but I would on an oldish second hand bike)

All I can think of atm.

And if you're not mechanically minded, then yes, send it in for a service.
 
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Well that settled my next question which was 'should I inspect the bike in person first'. It's from a trusted seller, but the logistics of visiting the bike would not work for the cost of it. It has been garaged, with about 20K on the clock, recently passed MOT.

I was hoping that on a whim I could take it to be serviced (£200?) and would expect for a garaged bike minimal problems (if any).

My biggest concern would be corrosion within the fuel tank as I believe it has been stored for a while (2 years).
 
20k miles is nothing on those machines,im on 52k from new on the g1 model below the j series

things to look out for are the steering head bearings,to check simply turn the handlebars left and right full lock slowly,feel for any notchyness,you'll feel it if its there,it should be nice n smooth if its ok,they aren't a big job to do but are a pain

check the calipers also,that they arnt sticking,mild rubbing is ok but it should freewheel without any brake binding

you wont need to worry bout the fuel tank,they don't corrode inside,ive left mine layed up 2 to 3 years without any issues

only thing service wise to worry about is the valve clearances think I had mine done at 23k so they will be cropping up shortly if the owner hasn't had them done already (think Kawasaki have them due at 23K in the service book)

that's about it,they are a verygood comfy/fastish for a 600 reliable bike

EDIT: if its passed mot then the steering head bearings should be ok,aslong as the mot man was decent,same with the brakes,id still check myself though once I got the machine and look to see if the oil filter was shiny and new,if not change oil/filter,rest should be fine imo
 
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wazza300 said:
things to look out for are the steering head bearings,to check simply turn the handlebars left and right full lock slowly,feel for any notchyness,you'll feel it if its there,it should be nice n smooth if its ok,they aren't a big job to do but are a pain
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While you're doing this have the bike switched on and check that the revs don't vary while turning the handlebars. Normally not a problem to fix as it'll just be a trapped cable, but something that should be checked.

Is it a trusted seller as in a dealer? Do you get some sort of warranty with them?

Also check the cables around the bike. Make sure nothing's leaking anywhere (brakes, coolant, oil, etc.). As it's an older bike, and depending on the previous storage, the rubber/cables might be perished/wearing. Just another thing that's quick to check :)

Edit:
Just read about not being able to see it. As wazza said, tanks don't often rust. My Hornet stood for a year on an empty tank with no problems at all and wazza says he left his for 2-3 so really nothing to worry about :D

If it's from a trusted person and you really want/like the bike then go for it.

Are they going to deliver it? YOu could just do some checks on delivery and refuse if something is obviously wrong?

If you're unsure about anything or just want peace of mind then take it for a service. No harm really if you have the money.

Is it carbed I guess yes as it's a '01? If it stood for 2 years without any fuel stabiliser then the carbs might be blocked up and need cleaning out although I'm guessing the guy you're buying from has it started and running nicely? Really after 2 years storage I would want the seller to at least run a basic service on it.
 
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Craig321 said:
While you're doing this have the bike switched on and check that the revs don't vary while turning the handlebars. Normally not a problem to fix as it'll just be a trapped cable, but something that should be checked.

Is it a trusted seller as in a dealer? Do you get some sort of warranty with them?

Also check the cables around the bike. Make sure nothing's leaking anywhere (brakes, coolant, oil, etc.). As it's an older bike, and depending on the previous storage, the rubber/cables might be perished/wearing. Just another thing that's quick to check :)

Edit:
Just read about not being able to see it. As wazza said, tanks don't often rust. My Hornet stood for a year on an empty tank with no problems at all and wazza says he left his for 2-3 so really nothing to worry about :D

If it's from a trusted person and you really want/like the bike then go for it.

Are they going to deliver it? YOu could just do some checks on delivery and refuse if something is obviously wrong?

If you're unsure about anything or just want peace of mind then take it for a service. No harm really if you have the money.

Is it carbed I guess yes as it's a '01? If it stood for 2 years without any fuel stabiliser then the carbs might be blocked up and need cleaning out although I'm guessing the guy you're buying from has it started and running nicely? Really after 2 years storage I would want the seller to at least run a basic service on it.
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Thanks for all the help so far, been doing some research as well and it seems that the Kawasaki's are known for a 'cam chain tensioner' issue. As I understand it this causes tension and oil spillages to occur and other nasty bits!

As a very brief estimate how much would a full service cost? I assume I would have to ask for very specific items to be checked.
 
cam chain tensioners are fine,i did have one fail not long after I bought the bike (all id did was make a loudish rattle) but Kawasaki replaced it under warranty,they said they have improved the design on the newer chain tensioners,that was at 4k miles,no trouble at all since then

im guessing at full Kawasaki service to be anywhere around the £250-£300 mark,oil n filter/plugs/air filter you can do yourself,valve clearances id let a bike garage do

I only just changed my plugs after 9 years of use so I wouldn't worry bout those but upto you
 
wazza300 said:
cam chain tensioners are fine,i did have one fail not long after I bought the bike (all id did was make a loudish rattle) but Kawasaki replaced it under warranty,they said they have improved the design on the newer chain tensioners,that was at 4k miles,no trouble at all since then

im guessing at full Kawasaki service to be anywhere around the £250-£300 mark,oil n filter/plugs/air filter you can do yourself,valve clearances id let a bike garage do

I only just changed my plugs after 9 years of use so I wouldn't worry bout those but upto you
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£300 excluding the oil, filters, plugs etc. ? Seems like it may be worth factoring that into the cost of the bike.

Also, carbs being blocked... does this mean they will have to be re-balanced as well ?
 
all in,idk its been a good few years since ive had mine serviced,ive done it myself since then

carbs are fine aren't they? they only have to be balanced if they've been messed with or are due in the service interval

20k miles I wouldn't worry about anything tbh,id still check things over though and listen/rev the engine

check oil level/coolant levels ect brakes binding that's about it,they are reliable bikes

since ive had mine ive had two things fail,the electronic fuel pump and the steering head bearings that's it,everything else is still original (apart from the obv chain/sprockets/consumables ect)
 
It might be I'm only guessing,can't remember if I had it serviced besides a valve clearance check,but it was around £250-300

This was in 2000 or 2001
 
Meloco said:
£300 excluding the oil, filters, plugs etc. ? Seems like it may be worth factoring that into the cost of the bike.

Also, carbs being blocked... does this mean they will have to be re-balanced as well ?
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Carbs getting blocked is just something that can happen if a bike is left for a while with no fuel stabiliser. It's never happened to me and mine stood for a year, then again for 6 months later on without a problem.

Basically if the bike starts then the carbs aren't blocked so nothing to worry about, was just a possibility.
 
Thanks for all the input, seems like there are an abundance of parts on e-bay as well ! I'll hopefully obtain more info soon and then see what state the bike is in from there.
 
I have a J1 ZX6R and its on about 25K. Has not let me down once. Had valve clearance done at 23K and all were still within tolerance. The only problem I have had is due to be being an idiot and the bike slipping of the stand. One new indicator later and all is well.
 
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