Kawasaki Sportsbike Riders Club - Australia - Online Forum

Does It Not End?

For those who don’t know there’s been a few dramas with my 08 5month old Z1000

First it was the clutch – total replacement
Issues with gears - adjustment
Tech Screw through the front tyre – clearly new tyre

NOW punctured radiator AND I HAD A METAL RADIATOR COVER!!

So what happened?

Because the cover sat flush against the radiator small stones which passed through the cover (which I had never heard of before) had no where to go – so with the vibrations of the bike they wedged their way down and wore holes in the radiator.

I have only done 6800km and the cover had been on for just on 2 months !!

The cover has now been spaced out at the base out and pushed in at the top…
and radiator was welded today so im back on the road tomorrow..

Check your covers!

faaarrrr? not another problem was that a guard you fitted poss?

Bad luck, kiddo. I confess once a week (Friday evening) I go over both bikes (they commute 5 days a week at least). I clean the chain while it's warm (kero), dry and regrease it, polish the bike with Mr Sheen and just check everything. It's amazing how often you find stuff like that just waiting to bite - loose screws, rocks behind the screen, nails, loose pegs (that was a surprise!) and so on. We call it 'bike appreciation', and it often involves a Coopers' Sparkling Ale or two...

Hope your luck improves; see you on the road...

Possum wrote:Does It Not End?

For those who don’t know there’s been a few dramas with my 08 5month old Z1000

First it was the clutch – total replacement
Issues with gears - adjustment
Tech Screw through the front tyre – clearly new tyre

NOW punctured radiator AND I HAD A METAL RADIATOR COVER!!

So what happened?

Because the cover sat flush against the radiator small stones which passed through the cover (which I had never heard of before) had no where to go – so with the vibrations of the bike they wedged their way down and wore holes in the radiator.

I have only done 6800km and the cover had been on for just on 2 months !!

The cover has now been spaced out at the base out and pushed in at the top…
and radiator was welded today so im back on the road tomorrow..

Check your covers!

Maybe you should trade it in for a 08 10r make your bad luck a positive one

But really I hope you don't have anymore bad luck.

Possum wrote:Does It Not End?

For those who don’t know there’s been a few dramas with my 08 5month old Z1000

$50 posted !

$50 posted !

It's worth a bit more than that!

thats no good Poss.

what brand was it?

I feel your pain

DaveGPz wrote:

$50 posted !

It's worth a bit more than that!

ok so $60 and you can deliver it Poss, you can take the 9 that has no dramas at all and will also soon have the patented Radguard on it, (if POnti ever gets his arse into gear)

i feel for ya Poss.

that does seem like a slim to none kinda issue.

You didn't have the Projekt D Rad Guard did you?
the mesh on mine isn't fantastic.


maybe try this for some good luck...

Things You’ll Need:

* Salt
* Running water
* A shovel

Step1
Turn around 3 times in a circle in a counter-clockwise direction as soon as you break the mirror. This will confuse the bad-luck spirits.
Step2
Toss a pinch of salt over your left shoulder. Salt is a universal bad-luck dispeller, and according to legend the devil is always standing behind you on your left side so this pinch of salt should hit him right in the eye. Supposedly if he blinks it distracts him from making mischief for you.
Step3
If the mirror is a small one, you should hold it under running water in your sink or shower. You may also toss it into a stream or river, as any type of running water is said to wash away all kinds of bad luck.
Step4
Bury the pieces of the mirror outside in your yard. It is best to do the burying by moonlight if possible, and as soon after breaking it as you can manage.
Step5
Take one shard of the broken mirror to a cemetery. Hold the shard against a gravestone so the bad luck will pass on to someone who is already dead and therefore won't be bothered by it.


hehe

Seriously twisted !!!

Perhaps you should also think that you follow Collingwood Poss, that's pretty bad luck just on it's own

mick_dundee wrote:Perhaps you should also think that you follow Collingwood Poss, that's pretty bad luck just on it's own

Yeah and not winning a premiership for 44years is good luck Pffft Yep im thinking that after hearing waranty issues im not ever buying a new bike

OK OK just got her back tonight and it’s not all bad…

The guard was www.radguard.com.au and not my choice – I asked for kwaka but they don’t make?

And yes I fitted it as per instructions, but it could only go on one way and I take it the web address painted on it faced out

Yes too – I’m seriously thinking of trading up to the 09 Z.. why not I say – green all the way.. so no more mods for the moment cant stand anything else going wrong

And yes Ron I will sell her for $50 but i guarantee postage will be a killer

Certainly going to take more “maintenance” care ! tossing around between bending the cover a bit further (why not its not worth much in my opinion) or adding spacers so the “stones” can fall out the bottom

Over all.. I got off pretty light actually …. A local radiator guy welded the radiator for $20 !!.. could this be the start of better luck?

Mick what can I say.. if the Maggies didn’t sell the papers or make the news .. no one would even know who Geelong is !!

Ok.. a couple of days after i placed some comments on the radguard web site Paul from Radguard called me.
He was conserned that my radiator had actually been punctured (and in more than one spot) and that the customer service i had recieved was inadequate.

We spoke for quite some time about the issue and how to address the problem.
They claim i am the first Z1000 to have punctured the radiator and with such low kms since putting it on... (who else to take a hit for the team!!)

It would seem they have taken on board the problem of the cover sitting flush against the radiator, but were conserned of contact if it were flared out at the base. I told them that i had already flared it out at the base and have had no such drama since... (well so far)

Eventhough they take no responsibility... they are sending me $50 for the repair to the radiator. They are also looking into changing the design of the Z1000 radiator cover.

My advice is that if you get this cover bend it out at the bottom to the width of the holes in the cover. This wont entirely fix the problem, but will not collect very small stones and grit and give you a better chance to discover larger stones lodged in it before too much damage... also listen to your bike.. .if it rattles theres a good chance theres stones in there.... I'm also tossing up putting on 2 inches of extrended guard to the back of the front guard...

Also thanks to Paul for taking the time to call me and follow up my comments.

Happy trails
Poss