hi chaps, just got a 90 zfr600.. poss clutch probs? help!!!!

[FZRFZRFZR]

Just got a new 90 plate fzr600...

Amongst the long list of things that the bloke who sold it didn't tell me about....

is that, at slow speeds when decelerating (say as you go into second gear for a slowish corner..) using the resistance of the engine to smoothly slow the bike, mine doesn't!!

It will lurch and catch, lurch and catch a bit... which does amazing things for your balance...

At higher speeds on engine braking it is fine...

I've also noticed that the clutch, with the lever fully adjusted outward, (I dont have it like that tho, I have it looser at the lever because i want the biting point to be closer to the grip for comfort (not sure this is the best way)..) ...is very, very heavy.

Under use, the clutch feels a bit grabby, all or nothing, a bit...and occasionally has a little bit of a slip for a second as you pull away..

It almost seems like something is adjusted too tight hence lower speed engine braking becomes jerky not smooth..????

Where should I start chaps..??

The other issue (although not overwhelming) is that the first quarter of the throttle feels like its underpowered and then the bike is quick..

i expected it to be nippy from the get go, but you need to get and keep the revs up a little for the performance??

there is a rather nice sounding aftermarket can made by ART Pro Series II
fitted to the bike...

I did ask a yammy tech and he said that the lack of power may be a fueling issue and that the carbs probably hadn't been jetted for the end can...

he suggested adjusting the needle height on the carbs one stage higher to increase the rate of initial fuel flow presumably??

The engine does rev in the first quarter throttle but it's not directly translated into what you would expect the power to feel like at the back wheel...

Could it be clutch related also i wonder... I would of thought if there was any clutch slip it would be at the higher rev range..

bear in mind i just sold my fzr1000 exup and that was nippy from the start line..

Any wisdom, would be absolutely norman.

Cheers.

[DonTZ125]

First off, personal frustrated racer rant - engines are to make you go fast, brakes are to slow you down. Improper downshifting and engine braking does bad things to the chassis composure in mid-corner. Also, braking up to a corner warms the front tire, with obvious traction benefits.

Now. These bikes do not like to be lugged; they like to spin. They like being lugged in reverse even less! Chugging and lurching at low revs is not uncommon; as the mech you spoke with mentioned, improper fueling will make this even worse. I would suggest however that the needles are too high up in the feed level - you want to look at your pilot jets or fuel level, as well as gunge in the bowls or filters.

Your clutch probably needs adjusting at the sprocket cover:
1. Loosen off cable adjuster at the lever
2. Remove the rubber plug in the sprocket cover
3. Loosen the locknut
4. Back off the adjuster if needed; turn it in until it JUST touches, then back off 1/4 turn
5. Tighten the locknut, being careful not to disturb the adjuster
6. Replace the rubber plug
7. Adjust the cable at the lever to your preference.
If this doesn't work, you may have hard-parts issues, like a welded throw-out ball, broken push rods, worn or warped clutch plates. These aren't hard to deal with; the clutch can be serviced without draining the oil (put a drip pan underneath).

[FZRFZRFZR]

Thanks for the reply DonTZ125..

Point taken on the frustrated racer rant..

Bear in mind that I am talking about slow moving manoeuvring 5-20mph.. typically second gear corners around town.. there is a higher friction type of sound from the engine and this seems to catch and then release repeatedly (causing instability), rather than be a smoothish constant sound and feeling as you decelerate like all the other bikes ive ridden...

Don what does lugged mean as opposed to spin...can you put in different terms pls...

The bike rides fine mostly just takes a bit more skill to ride it.. dont think I should need to pull in the clutch and then feather it out in slow corners though..

With this in mind, do you still recommend what you said, ie float hight, pilot jets, gunge and adjust the clutch..??

thanks for the effort.. I will let you know how it goes..

Muchos Gracius.

[DonTZ125]

If you're in 2nd gear on a closed throttle doing 5-20mph, I have no doubt the engine is shuddering. It's just turning way too slowly to carburet properly.

'Lugging the engine' = trying to get it to work while turning too slowly.

Feathering the clutch mid-corner is a fast way to inspect your front fender!

One thing I missed - lube your clutch lever pivot. A dry, rusty pivot can totally ruin any chance of feeling what the clutch is doing.

And yes, I think your fuel system needs cleaning. It really isn't hard.