Tit, bum, fanny wank...

[Whosthedaddy]

...Is what I thought

After a recent spell in a local workshop, the ZXR is back on the road again

I rode the bike to work this morning for the 1st time in ages, it felt good to be on 2 wheels again, especially when there’s little traffic about at 06.30. After taking it easy on the local roads, I then nailed it going down a slip road, red lined in 2nd gear only to hear the bike fart when changing up and then a persistent ‘ticking’ could be heard for the remaing journey

The ticking appeared to be linked to the throttle, ie rev’d the engine and the ticking intensified. When I got to work, still puzzled by this noise, I noticed that the revs kept dropping below 1k and then cut out, the engine did fire each time it was tried

Upon leaving work, the bike fired, the ticking was still there so I thought bollocks (I’ve bike less for 2 weeks) I’ll ride it home anyway. With my confidence on the up after trying to speed round a handful of round abouts (in a vain attempt to erase some fecking huge chicken strips) I stop at some traffic lights.

I then have a rush of blood to the head and decide to rev the fuck out of the engine to see it that will finally stop the damn ticking / rattling noise…the most enormous backfire with foot long flames shot from the race can, smoke and a flash of flames then bellowed from under the front fairing. I am now sitting on the bike, in heavy traffic with my arms up in ‘I surrender position’ with flames licking the bike.

I quite wisely decide to get off of the road, cut across the inside lane, bumped over the curb and onto some grass.

The engine switched off, with smoke still clouding the fairings, I climb off the bike, oil was pissing out of the bottom of the bike and all over the down pipes causing the aforementioned smoke.

I then calmly remove my helmet and place it on the ground, although the temptation to push the bike over and jump all over it was in there somewhere too. I then just stood there in disbelief that the bike was broken AGAIN

If any pikeys are watching this thread, the bike is still on the side of the road with only a disc lock on For it to be nicked would be such a great loss

I have absolutely no idea what to do now:

fix it
scrap it
leave it
SORN it?

All suggestions are welcome

If anyone knows what that noise was or why my engine pissed oil that would be very helpful too

To put the icing on the cake, I had to walk 4 miles home in my Sidi boots and not only carring my lid, but the tank bag as well By the time I got home my left spud felt like it had friction burns form a snug pair of boxers
____________________
Current : MSX 125 Past : CBR 900RR Monkeybike : c50 LAC : ZXR750 H2 : FZR600 : ZX7R P3 : YW100 : TRX850: Trophy 900 T309 : GSXR 600 L0: Monkeybike : XJ6S Whosthedaddy

[Fastgut]

I suspect you are going to get all sorts of answers involving big ends, little ends, tappets, crankcases, rods etc etc. In less technical terms the bottom line is its absolutely buggered and the initial ticking was a big giveaway as it came on with throttle. You should have ridden it a lot more gently to the nearest garage or workshop but then hindsight is always 20/20 vision. The pissing oil is probably because the inside of your engine is now a collection of bits and pieces. Good luck with it
____________________
Was a driving instructor now working in Insurance
Bikes:2005 Speed Triple and 2004 FZ6 Fazer (now the other half's)

[Sephiroth]

That sucks, but if you're going to scrap it I'll take it off your hands .

Say it was nicked and you found it like that (take disc lock off first!).

[Robby]

Is it a ZXR4 by any chance?

A kawasaki lunching its engine. Funny that.

[Whosthedaddy]

[colezxr]

[Rob W]

Sorry to hear that mate, really seems like you've had no luck at all with that bike. Shame that, was looking forward to going on some rideouts with ya, mind you it's a good excuse to chuck a ZX-9 lump in there, I'm pretty sure Barry_MC is doing just that with a ZXR7, might be an idea?


____________________
TS50 > Senda 125 > ZXR400 > CB-1 > GSX-R1000 > Bandit 600 > ZXR750 H1 > GSX-R750 SRAD > '98 Fireblade > T595 Daytona > Hornet 900 > '04 Fireblade > GSX-S1000F (x2) > '23 XSR900

[Whosthedaddy]

Cheers Reflex

Was absolutely gutted when I missed the S'end ride out, a new heart in the ol' girl
____________________
Current : MSX 125 Past : CBR 900RR Monkeybike : c50 LAC : ZXR750 H2 : FZR600 : ZX7R P3 : YW100 : TRX850: Trophy 900 T309 : GSXR 600 L0: Monkeybike : XJ6S Whosthedaddy

[lllN30lll]

which road was it again?

i'll go get the van started
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Turbo R1
CRF450R

[Whosthedaddy]

[ZRX61]

[Rookie]

Bad luck dude.

But seriously, is there a cooler way to break your bike than that?

[Hotdog]

Stop buying kawasakis FFS.

They are complete shit.

Hotdog.

ps. don't feel too bad I know two other people with the same bike and no engine.
____________________
He's a gentleman, a scholar, he's an-acrobat, he's the one and only truly original.......
Hotdog....(Defender of the weak, the poor and the innocent)
He's The Ace - He's Amazing...He's the Strongest... He's The Quickest.... He's The Best!

[Jrod]

Scrap it, it's a fucking awful colour anyways.

[Gazdaman]

That does not sound good. Sounds like (although could be completely wrong) a valve/piston collision?

Did it tick over ok? Did you check the downpipes to see if any were cooler than the rest?

Then the oil is a mystery, do you know where it was coming from?

Gaz

[Hotdog]

[ZRX61]

[Hotdog]

The exception proves the rule.

Therefore....

Kawasakis are shit.

Maybe you ride like a girl ?

Hotdog.
____________________
He's a gentleman, a scholar, he's an-acrobat, he's the one and only truly original.......
Hotdog....(Defender of the weak, the poor and the innocent)
He's The Ace - He's Amazing...He's the Strongest... He's The Quickest.... He's The Best!

[Flip]

[Hotdog]

[Phoenix]

You clearly don't see many bikes then. Your statement is about as well thought out as all Skodas are rubbish (if you knew anything about Skodas, you'd know that's also rubbish).

The ZXR400 does have an issue with blowing head gaskets fairly early and wearing out it's camchain usually all before 30-35K miles. But It depends heavily on how they're ridden, ZXR400s attract redline freaks and racers. I wouldn't hesitate buying any other Kawasaki and I owned a ZXR400.

[Adam_P]

Can I ask what work you had done in the local workshop before you got the bike back in the first place?

My thinking is that it sounds like the muppett that did the original work doesn't know what a torque wrench is and has been over tightening parts inside the engine.

Which, when you gave it big licks (red line in 2nd for starters) they didn't react too well to.

Sounds like its thron something fairly major.

My advice. Sell it (maybe break for parts for better money?) and get something else that will be less hassle in the long run.
____________________
Colin McRae MBE 1968 - 2007 RIP
Orwell Rolls in his Grave
God is imaginary

[Jack_Cheese]

I'm quite impressed you decided to ride it on to the grass with the flames and everything. I'd have just dropped the thing like a sack of shit and ran away like a little girl.

I bet the flames gave a better effect than neons

Jack
____________________
www.bikepics.com/members/jackcheese <--- NOW FOR SALE! 51 Plate Cagiva Planet 125
Quacker_boy: "Jack, you really are a dick!"

[Fastgut]

[Hotdog]

For those too stupid to understand it the first time:

"Everytime I hear a rough sounding bike with an engine that is clearly in trouble, it is ALWAYS a kawasaki."

For your information I see a lot of bikes, I have worked with bikes and on bikes.

I have a lot to do with bikes.

In my experience and IMHO "Everytime I hear a rough sounding bike with an engine that is clearly in trouble, it is ALWAYS a kawasaki."

Clear enough ?

Hotdog.
____________________
He's a gentleman, a scholar, he's an-acrobat, he's the one and only truly original.......
Hotdog....(Defender of the weak, the poor and the innocent)
He's The Ace - He's Amazing...He's the Strongest... He's The Quickest.... He's The Best!