zx12r handling

[98ninja]

rode the 12r down to sydney in the rain on friday night.
hadnt ridden it for a few weeks
i was thinking maaaan this thing handles like shit in the rain. and to top it off the front tyre got all torn on the sides.
next day after job interview was heading back and even in the dry handling really heavy and shit.
stopped for some petrol and checked the tyre pressures.
21psi front and 24 psi rear...........

after pumping the farker up it felt like a rs250!
scrapped pegs through brooklyn!

moral of the story
ride more often

[Gosling1]

Always check with The Hoffenator first for tyre pressures on a Barge !

[QuickaKwacka]

98 Ninja, have you seen the late model 12 at Norm Frazer Motorcycles Broadmeadow, its up for sale but if you get the chance have a look at the tyres, looks like it has done a very fast track day, both tyres shredded and balled from edge to edge. Suspension settings are interesting also with spring preload screwed almost all the way in and the rear shock screwed down about 20mm, must have been a rough ride but by the looks of it, it corners very well.


Regards
RonnieG

[98ninja]

when i first got the 12 the suspension was horrible
front was way too soft and the rear way too soft as well.
it would dive excessively under front brakes then when you released the brakes mid or pre corner
the whole thing would spring up all of a sudden.
After consulting hoffy and the internet i have the following settings
front pre load has 3 rings showing.
bound and rebound both 2 clicks out from hardest
rear adjusters both 1 click out from hardest.

the front still dives a little and it still feels heavy.
i have a pair of sportmax's on now and im not a big fan.
when im off my poor month i was thinking of a pair of pilot powers. with a 190 rear.
i was contemplating buying my old 9 back for a little while.

ill go have a look at that 12 at frasers now.

[Smitty]

when i first got the 12 the suspension was horrible
.

12s ex factory are set for a 65kg weakling
soft...soft...soft

when i first got mine...it was a limo...a sporty limo but still on limo settings
but
I hunted around and got some settings from the US Sportsbike site
http://www.sportrider.com/tech/146_susp ... ndex5.html
and a genuine Kwaka manual for the 12

and spent a few weekends out on it...with spanner and screwdriver to hand
its now nice and set for my 85kg frame, turns in nicely no real dive
and with 40psi F&R..just a great bike to ride


hth

Smitty

[98ninja]

40psi F and R?
oh ok
i was running 34 front 36 rear
ill give the 40psi a go though.

[Smitty]

40psi F and R?
oh ok
i was running 34 front 36 rear
ill give the 40psi a go though.

I found 34psi too soft for the front
so up and up it went until it felt ok
...at 40 psi

You can get away with a little less on the back
but I also found the 190 tyre on mine likes higher pressure (40 psi)
than the standard 200 size tyre (which i ran at 36psi)


hth

Smitty

[98ninja]

had at a look at the black 12 at frasers.
hes got 3 rings showing on the preload same as mine.
oh yes those tyres are nicely toasted.
i found the full arata exhaust system quite interesting as well.
if i didnt hate my job so much id almost buy it.

*edit* they want $15000 for it.
i could get a zx14 or do the same mods to my 12 with less than the price difference.

[Smitty]

*edit* they want $15000 for it.

[jamster85]

HEY MATE

Hell yeah i can vouch for that i find the best pressures are 42 rear and 36 front and i absolutly trashed my front tyre last time pressures were low was at 22 front and 28 rear , mine is a daily ridder and weekend warrior and yeah i find in the rain i loose pressure real easy , being a daily rider i need to do my pressures every 3 days bit shit but man i love seeing the look on those blokes with there bussas when i pull up next to them and absolutly anialate them bike is fitted with a power commander nearly gives you a hard on every gear hahaha good luck brother

[98ninja]

got a set of pirelli diablo corsas for cheap from that online deal.
got them put on the 12 today. only rode 25kms on them.
the rear is now a 190 instead of a 200.
any help on how or if the handling will change?

[Smitty]

a drop to a 190 from the 200 on the rear..is very noticable
on tip in and holding curves

apart from a PCIII and a front sprocket change ..one of the best mods
u can do to a 12R

[frog]

Lets put it this way ninja98, no one goes BACK to a 200 unless they are going to the drags.