ZXR 750 M frame and engine nos

[Fifer]

Anybody advise where to find frame and engine nos ? Had a look on the headstem but no frame number I can see.

[ZXRPI]

The frame number should be stamped in to the head stem. The engine number on a rectangular part of the case 'on top' of the gearbox / clutch housing. Hard to describe exactly with out a pic.

[Fifer]

Thanks for that - definitely has no frame number, engine number I'll have to get the tank off etc to have a better look.

[ZXRPI]

There were some ZXR superbike engines around back in the day that did not have engine numbers. One of my engines is an ex TKA job, and it is a 'blank' - ie no engine number stamped on casing. I know of a couple of others, too - ie genuinely not stamped... not stolen engines with fudged numbers!!

[Fifer]

So I checked my engine no. and its ZX750J101 etc so I'm guessing that's a J 91 model motor?

What is interesting is the spare motor I have in bits - see pic. I'm intrigued by the machining down of the case fins aswell.

[greenman43]

Interested in a pic of the milled area from a bit further back, hard to see where exactly it is.

Also, a pic pf the cases avove the alternator mount would give a good insight into what year it is.

Cheers, Brian

[Fifer]

Here y'are Brian

[greenman43]

Sorry for the appallingly slow response, sad to say those who know me will see this as fairly normal ...

Reason I was asking, there are two types of cases for these bikes (ZXR750 JKLM and ZX9R-B1-4): the early version, from 91-93, and the 94 onward. Two ways to tell the difference:

1. The later cases have a boss above the alternator housing
2. They also have two bosses in the front of the cases, between cylinders 1-2 and 3-4.

Based on the above pic, I'd say this is an early set that's been modded by TKA or perhaps even from the Phillis WSB team. A shot of the front will tell for sure.

You mgiht be interested to know, there's also two types of head corresponding to the same years - they're identified by a casting number on the intake side, between cylinders 1 and 2. The later type came with smaller ports for better flow.

Cheers,
Brian

[Fifer]

Thanks Brian! I was losing a little hope, thinking this really was only a forum about mufflers and sprockets but you've made my day!

Interesting stuff for sure - I'll get more photos. I have another set of cases with no engine no. at all, looks like some of this stuff could be a bit special.

I'm completely new to Kawas so I'm still trying to find out exactly what I've got. Bike funds are sadly asthmatic this year but it doesn't seem to need too much done in order to be rejuvinated and entered in the odd club race so we'll see what pans out.

[greenman43]

All good mate, sorry again for the slow response There's a lot of knowledge and good people on this forum, so do persevere with it

I used to have an un-numbered engine, ex-TKA built around WSB internals - it was a very good thing indeed !

Not sure if I've missed them, but got any pics to share of your race bike ?

Cheers,
Brian

[Fifer]

No trouble at all - pics of bike and front of cases (some Araldite there, haven't looked too far at that yet but...)

I have 1 1/2 engines, but not sure what I'm looking at - is the crank and the rods anything special? The loose rods are different and look stock to me. I have one Hallam head and what looks like a reco stocker.

[greenman43]

Not sure about the rods, don't remember if the kit rods had different ID numbers - they're 5mm longer than stock, if you have any others for comparison. Cases are clearly modified early ones. I - think - the crank may have be lightened, but to be honest it's a few years since I've looked at a standard one (attached is a pic of a factory crank that i have, from the WSB engine).

Bike looks nice, I have a feeling that Shaun Sutcliffe (ex-TKA) may have built it or owned it at one point (the ISRs and WPs (?) are a bit of a giveaway).

Cheers,
Brian

[greenman43]

Was just having a nostalgic trip through my photos of the trick ZXR parts I used to have, and found this shot of a standard J-K-L-M crank - yours is definitely lightened, then.

Cheers,
Brian

[Fifer]

Thanks Greenman, this is excellent stuff - so I've now got a possible name in the frame. I figured there can't have been too many of these with WP's or ISR's let alone on the same bike. It also Franks adjustable triples so it's got to be fairly one-off. The guy I got it from didn't know too about the history but did say it had been built up out of ex team bits by an ex team member, so that tallies so far. Seems it was run by the SRT team in Vic at some point, the Kalamatis brothers? I've dyno'd it at just shy of 130, and since I believe the kits were worth 140 or so, I guess it's a mix of some kit parts and some stock M bits....or maybe there is 10bhp in ignition set up etc?? Fuelling seems fine. I've gone back through lots of AMCN's from the time and couldn't see the bike in any pics which suggests it was either back down the field in the Shell series or just run at club level, or indeed built out of bits later and run maybe late 90's or later at club level. I also couldn't see any ZXR's with the same swingarm bracing so this too looks one-off. I raced a fairly stock VFR750 for a few years so this is like getting out of a biplane into an F111 !!

[ZXRPI]

Great to see some progress tracing the lineage of your ZXR!

130 odd hp sounds about bang on the money for an engine with a mix of stock and kit parts. You may be able to extract a few extra hp, but I'll jump the gun and assure you that Brian will advise you to drill, file, grind, dremel or just unbolt anything that doesn't need to be attached to save weight... our steeds sure aren't lightweights!!

Jumping off the VFR on to the ZXR will give you similar satisfaction... as you will still get the buzz of keeping up with and passing much newer bikes with far more hp!