buying 98 zx7r next week. flush fluids???

[tha5150]

i am buying my friends 98% mint 1998 zx7r next week and getting all types of excited. i have a few questions though. he hasnt rode in in several months, the battery is dead and he is replacing that for me, adding turning signals on the back for me aswell. ITS MY FIRST BIKE, so i want to make sure everything is perfect before the maiden drive. he had the stock pipe on there and was riding one day and i guess it fell off. heh. so he threw a gsxr pipe on it. why, i dont know. does it make that big of a differance? what should i do about that? how much is a decent pipe? not too loud but enjoyable. also, i want to flush EVERYTHING and start fresh with the liquids. also, i need to run all the old gas out of it. its been the same tank for a VERY LONG TIME. he just never rides it. he has a cruser and never takes the green machine out anymore. oh well, his loss.

what should i do about the gas? just run it out and then change all the fluids or what? he took off the tank to clean the filters and held the tank sideways and wasnt paying attention and the gas ate the paint right off. well, its all bubbly. how much would it cost to get this painted? i aam assuming they can tape the letters on the tank and spray over it. how much????

tires are brand new. rotors seem very good and brakes were nice. this bike is been taken great care of, you can see from inspecting the bike in detail...

[dbthump]

Honestly, I think you should calm down a bit about the bike and focus more on your ability as a rider.

ZX7R as a first bike? Wow. That's a death waiting to happen if you ask me. Don't get me wrong, I'd never wish that on anyone. But that is a whole lotta bike for even the most experienced of rider.

You should take a course on riding, get licensed. Make sure you have all the gear you need in the event you go down. Good luck to you man.

[tha5150]

Honestly, I think you should calm down a bit about the bike and focus more on your ability as a rider.

ZX7R as a first bike? Wow. That's a death waiting to happen if you ask me. Don't get me wrong, I'd never wish that on anyone. But that is a whole lotta bike for even the most experienced of rider.

You should take a course on riding, get licensed. Make sure you have all the gear you need in the event you go down. Good luck to you man.

thanks for your concern. i am not the guy your going to see going crazy on the road. it is just a good deal on a nice bike and will probably get rid of it after while and get something more suited for me. i used to race jetski's for a while, so i know about power and control. yes it is on the water and not the road. i can definatly see myself going very slow at first and eventually doing the speed limit. lol.


so what about my questions??

[dbthump]

While I don't have a lot of posts here, I've had my bike for 5+ years. There's no cars or trucks in the water to run you down, nor fire hydrants or abutments to stop you dead. And racing is within a controlled environment. Honestly, I think the comparison of street bike to jet ski may give you a false sense of ability.

I'd change the gas out for sure before you run it. The coolant is likely fine, as well as the oil. Dump the gas, then run it for a couple hundred miles and change the other fluids.

[tha5150]

by no means am i comparing it to eachother. just stating that i know you have to learn your motor and weight and physics of whatever your riding. thats all. again, not comparing them or stating it is the same by any means.

but i rode it lastnight for a little bit and thought to myself, this is so much fun. i also know that i will be very carefull for the entire time i have a bike, but at the begining will be extra extra careful.

[dbthump]

I'm definately stoked for you man. That is a sweet ride to have fall into your hands. I wish my wife would let me upgrade. ZX7 is what I really want.

When I ride, I ride as if I could be dead at any moment. One slip or lapse of concentration and it could be over. I don't think that's morbid, rather just being cautious. People in cars don't pay enough attention to riders, so I feel that I have to be hyper vigilant for my own life.

[tha5150]

very VERY well put!

[Madddox]

Congratulations on the zx7. I had one as my second bike. It is a great 1st sportbike
They were always a little boggy down low, and had great midrange.. A perfect
combo for a first or second bike. Plus you will grow into the bike, and not out of it.
GOOD choice! And GOOD luck!!

Not sure how tall you are, but I would recommend raising the rear ride height, Made a world of difference in the handling for me.

[tha5150]

Madddox: i am 6 feet tall. about 175-180. what should the front and rear ride height be?

also, the tire pressure, i want this to be low for better handling around town and learning on the bike. am i opposite with this thought? what should it be front and back??

[dbthump]

also, the tire pressure, i want this to be low for better handling around town and learning on the bike. am i opposite with this thought? what should it be front and back??

What ever is rated on the tire is best, I think. Under inflated tires on my bike causes the steering to be unstable.

[Thmastr]

I (this is just me to save me trouble) would runt the tank untill almost empty... will it up with the good stuff (92) and buy a bottle of that carb cleaner/ gass aditive stuff. put about a third of it into the tank and go riding some more!

I ride with 34psi front and 36 psi in the back (cold at 50 F) and I like the ride.

yes lower pressure does make it less stable. for the track is about 28 front and 30 back (so you have an idea)

I havent seen you post any gear in this thread or any others.

what is it going to be?

[tha5150]

gear?? i assume your speaking riding gear? i only have a helmet coming to me, i have been looking online for jacket and gloves all day. not too sure what to get. i would like all black. know anyone i can get a suit from or an XL jacket and gloves???

[tha5150]

i cant seem to find not 1 pipe on ebay... any help ??

[Thmastr]

hm ebay not so much but if you want to go online and get stuff I very strongly advise you to go to the store first and try that same excat model (for size) after that feel free to buy it online.

here are some places I frequent.

http://www.kneedraggers.com/

contrary to what they might sound like they do sell new stuff!
http://www.newenough.com/

http://www.motorcycle-superstore.com/

I have purchased from this last one a few times just lie new enough and they are very good about it..
http://www.bikebandit.com/

now as far as gear goes...

Leather protects more against abrasion than the textile prducts (usually made out of nylon).

Armor helps only with the collision, but trust me it helps a lot at that time when I whent down I dislocated my shoulder (popped out and back in messed up the ligament) had I not had armor in my shoulder I probably would have broken it.

good boots and pants wouldnt really hurt.

Leather stuff is more expensive than textile and it wont be offered in water proof versions like the textile items are. I don;t know how the weather is in Fl but here it is pretty predictable so I have no problems with a leather jacket, pants, boots and gloves. I wear jeans along with the gloves, helmet and jacket at all times, 98% of the time I will also wear my boots, and I only wear my pants when I go on longer rides like the entire day...

[sebastian1000]

cool.

[spdrkt ZX7R]

Just to be on the safe side I would change all the fluids including bleeding all new fluid through the brakes.

To change out the gas I would empty what is in the tank, fill the tank half full of high octane fuel, drain that, and then fill to the top with new fuel and you will be good to go. You could shortcut this step, but I wouldn't recommend it. If you get a bit of "bad gas" through the carbs the bike will lurch, and as a new rider that is somethink that I woundn't want to cope with on the street.

I woudn't worry about the Gixxer can on the bike. It will not hurt the engine to run a pipe from a different manufacturer on a bike although I don't know if I would want anything Zook on my Kawi.

I wouldn't worry about the rear ride height yet. Get used to riding the bike before you worry about modding it. Raising the rear ride height will make the bike more "flickable." Keeping it at stock ride height will make it more neutral and stable. This will be better if your still learning.

There are tons of mods for the 7R, and for some reason my mod list keeps getting longer. Click the 7R link in my siggy for tons of 7R info and chat. I do ask that you use the forum search function before posting questions though.

Congrats on the 7R. They're awesome bikes.

[Thmastr]

yes definately a very good point!

dont worry about ride height just yet.. adjusting it could change the geometry of the bike and that can become troublesome.

however I would set the suspension according to your weight and your type of riding...

[Fixion]

Nice choice of bike!

The ZX7 can be alot of bike, but if you treat it with respect you'll grow into it. It's tame under 4000 rpm, just be careful above that.

Ride height? Not sure. I'm 6' 175-180lbs and I can barely flatfoot mine, but my bike really isn't stock...