Kawasaki Sportsbike Riders Club - Australia - Online Forum

Hey guys

1. Front brake on my ZZR250 is very... notchy.Basically you squeeze the lever and it almost seems to 'stick'... then you squeeze it a bit more and it 'releases' a bit... before sticking again. Didn't bother me much at first but it's getting worse... so am I looking at a dodgy master cylinder, or is it the caliper? I'd prefer not to spend any unnecessary money at this stage so if I can start in the right place that'd be great...

2. The last few weeks the idle has been a little funny, sometimes high, sometimes low. Also, when you first hit the throttle sometimes it hesitates briefly before taking off (well... as much taking off as a ZZR250 can do anyway). None of that really bothered me, but this morning she didn't want to start and then started on one... ran like that until revs were up a fair bit. Once it was warm it was OK.

for the brakes flush and bleed the system, maby u have some gunk in there if not id say strip the master cyl and put rubber grease on the seals and piston and see if that helps.

when was the last time you changed your air filter?
maby try and drain the flaot bowls and see the gunk that comes outa the carbs
cheers Tim

Brakes have been recently bled so I don't imagine that is the problem, I'm thinking the master could use a hone & rekit so I guess that's my starting point. I'm fairly confident it's not the caliper.

As for the carby.. well carbies are black magic for me and I will leave that problem for another day and see what happens. Bike has a new air filter.

Ok well I've just been to Kawasaki and picked up the brake master kit... $48.05 for a replacement piston, spring and the two oil seals.

I feel kinda robbed but at the same time if it fixes the problem then it will be $48.05 well spent.

As a side note I then went to Repco to buy a cylinder hone, and there are none in Brisbane... but two in Charters Towers. WHY are there two in the middle of nowhere and NONE in civilisation?!

It probably doesn't need a hone. Just give it a bit of a rub with reasonably fine grade wet and dry to get rid of the gunge that builds up and all should be well.

I've had use for a honing tool a few times in the past, so I figure now's a good time to buy one... even if I don't use it at least it's there.

That said, the lever feel is horrible so I'm picturing a small bit of corrosion.

Have you had the bike long...? As in this time last year? Might be that as the weather has been a bit colder the last week or two it just needs a bit of extra warm up time?

Shifty wrote:I've had use for a honing tool a few times in the past, so I figure now's a good time to buy one... even if I don't use it at least it's there.

That said, the lever feel is horrible so I'm picturing a small bit of corrosion.

Mate the WORST thing you could do is run a hone through the hardened alloy master cylinder bore... DON"T DO IT!!!!

When you pull her down and clean it up with BRAKE CLEAN or METHYLATED SPIRIT (NOT kero,petrol or anything else!!)

If you find the bore is pitted once you clean out the gunk then you can either get it re-sleeved or buy a new/good second hand one.

Just trying to save you some heartache here..... Also - if she's getting on a bit you might want to check your flexi lines aren;t 'ballooning' when you apply the brakes. You may not be able to see it so with 2 people , 1 pumps the brake and the other feels the lines from top to bottom checking for expansion as the brakes are applied.. [very similar symptoms to what you describe]

See how you go..

Shifty wrote:
As for the carby.. well carbies are black magic for me and I will leave that problem for another day and see what happens. Bike has a new air filter.

Tell Wendy to get out of your bike frame!!!

My wifes bike was all grabby in the front brake too.
Bit of CRC onto the pivot point and wait 10 minutes, all the gunk is now gone and its nice n smooth again.

Try the simple stuff before delving into bigger repairs.

If it doesnt do anything, at least it was a 0.02 spray rather than 50 bones on parts that might work.

At worst it's probably due for a good overhaul int he braking department anyway.

I've got a braided line for the front ($70 well spent) and the master kit, might do the caliper while I'm at it and then they'll be right for years......