Kawasaki Sportsbike Riders Club - Australia - Online Forum

Mel wrote:So on a cold and frosty winters morning in freeze-berra carb icing could be a serious problem? I've not had that problem on any other bike... is it something peculiar to the 7's?

My 6 has played real funny buggers on some of the real cold mornings this winter. Which is why it'll be making way for something with fuel injection.

Mel wrote:So on a cold and frosty winters morning in freeze-berra carb icing could be a serious problem? I've not had that problem on any other bike... is it something peculiar to the 7's?

Yeah Carb icing is an issue with them. Some punters were lucky enough to hassle the dealer hard enough to get the factory to retro fit a carb heater kit, which was fitted to all the Euro models to stop the problem. If there is a coolant hose running into the back of the carbs, it has had the kit retro fitted. If not, your are going to suffer in Cold canberra winters. It's not a temperature issue though, more a wind chill issue! In cold misty conditions is when it's at it's worst and it only happens when cruising along on an even throttle. When getting up them, they usually don't ice. So it may just mean you have to ride it like you stole it everywhere in winter!!!

2ndclasscitizen wrote:

Mel wrote:So on a cold and frosty winters morning in freeze-berra carb icing could be a serious problem? I've not had that problem on any other bike... is it something peculiar to the 7's?

My 6 has played real funny buggers on some of the real cold mornings this winter. Which is why it'll be making way for something with fuel injection.

Wanna buy a 'slightly used' fuel injected 636?

My old 6 never had a problem like that!

Well I tried to get on a 7 today... failed.

The ZX7R is my favourite bike, owned 2. Can't complain about too much. Never had Carb Icing issues but I owned them in NSW/QLD. Only thing I know is an issue is that the front discs have a tendancy to warp later in life (Current bikes discs are fairly bad right now) and the radiator overflow bottle has a cracking issue (had 3 go on me). Way around that is to buy them new, $10 more than from wreckers and the plastic is not brittle.
Heavy and underpowered compared to todays bikes, with a sterring damper on you will probably find it even heavier steering. Jack the rear up about 10mm and they handle better.
Ideal thing would be a ZX7R with a 9 motor in it (My plans)

* Braided lines & steering damper don't mean shit. My bike has plenty of gear on it & has only seen the track once. 30,000k's is fine for a 2000 model. Both my 98's had around 20,000 on them when bought, current one has about 50k

* Mel, 7's will feel slow compared to your 636

Having owned a 99 ZX7R i'll throw a few comments in.

Great bikes. Plenty quick enough and handled better than I could use it.

One of the biggest probs I had with it, which you'll have id imagine with a few kwakas around that year range that are carbied.

Carby freeze.

Of course, this only occured in the middle of winter on the freeway going to work. however, when your 4 cyl sports bike starts sounding like a dirt bike and you cant get it to accelerate quickly, you think the world is dying.

Some models will have the carby heater doovie on them, they were something Kwakasaki released to help with the problem.

Other than that you wont regret buying one. Mine did about 200km to a tank, was always a looker and sounded great.

One tip though. Hyundai excels like them too

All depends on what's available at the time but the idea of a 7R certainly appeals.

Must say though I know of a cheap TRX850 so that's pretty high on the list at the mo.

Have someone looking at the 12 on the weekend so fingers crossed it isn't another exercise in futility.

Mel wrote:

2ndclasscitizen wrote:

Mel wrote:So on a cold and frosty winters morning in freeze-berra carb icing could be a serious problem? I've not had that problem on any other bike... is it something peculiar to the 7's?

My 6 has played real funny buggers on some of the real cold mornings this winter. Which is why it'll be making way for something with fuel injection.

Wanna buy a 'slightly used' fuel injected 636?

My old 6 never had a problem like that!

Maybe. Depends how much you want for it. And mine probably gets it worse because it's been fightered so the carbs are exposed.