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Topic: 2005 Kawasaki ZRX (Rex) 1200s (Read 1480 times) previous topic - next topic

2005 Kawasaki ZRX (Rex) 1200s

The current 2 wheeler, owned since the January 2019.

So I've had this for a couple of weeks now...




And although the weather has been absolutely atrocious I've still managed to put a few hundred miles on it already and loving every minute.

Even though it's basically got a small car engine in it, 1200cc 16v, It's not the fastest bike I've ever owned with only 10.9 seconds for a 1/4 mile and a top speed of just 160mph but hey ho ... that's probably just as well.

Re: 2005 Kawasaki ZRX (Rex) 1200s

Reply #1 –
If you're wondering why there's not been an update on the Golf in a while well this has jumped the queue. Last MOT the place I take it too advised me the exhaust was blowing at the collector box, where the 4 down pipes join into one.

Thankfully they're a nice bunch of people (not like car testers) so without asking, and more importantly without failing it, they bunged in some exhaust putty and to fill the hole and kept my 100% MOT pass rate on this.

Obviously they advised me this wasn't a permanent fix and I would need to replace the exhaust. Well that was September 2020 and with COVID still ongoing and me continuing to work from home I haven't really needed either the bike or the car so I did nothing.

Before I know it I'm getting my MOT in a month reminder through so had to jump on it and £320 later this arrived



Then I had to get to the exhaust



Following this, I then had to remove the fuel tank for access, drain the coolant system and remove the radiator as the exhaust header bolts are behind it!

And I was faced with this:


which soon ended in this:


... that's right the stud snapped.



and as you can see the next stud is also very grotty and subsequently that one also snapped while trying to remove it.

after a lot of work, I did manage to get these two out without damaging the head.



I was dreading that I would be looking at an engine out and strip down, resulting in sending the head somewhere. Not that the engine out would phase me much, but I knew that would escalate into a full restoration and before I know it I'd be wanting to send the frame off for powder coating etc.

Anyway... massive transformation after a clean up and a quick squirt of engine paint and a new stainless steel stud kit.



it looks so shiny and beautiful...



But before I assembled everything, time for the general service



Obviously I'd already dropped the coolant, I also drained the oil while the exhaust was off. The oil filer is under the engine right next to the link pipe so is easier to change with the exhaust out the way anyway. With some aftermarket exhausts they need to be removed to change the oil filter, crazy! Luckily with this one there is clearance.

Brake fluid hadn't been touched in my ownership and looked nasty:


Once bled through and replaced it's so clear you would think it's empty.


The callipers themselves are 6 pots, so 12 pistons on the front pair. They could probably benefit from a strip down but that's no small task, I have done it before on a previous bike that had the same set up. For now I just removed them and cleaned them up and pushed out the pistons (without popping them all the way out - easily done!) to make sure there's free even movement across all 12.

The rear is a totally separate system so drained and flushed the rear master cylinder too and bled it out.

Cleaned and oiled the K&N air filter.


Generally cleaned up a few bits and bobs, also rubbed down a dew grotty bits and squirted some more paint around. Put it back together and called the shop to get booked back in for the MOT.

As luck would have it a slot next day and it passed.

So would be rude to not go for a ride and grab a few pics.







So I still have 100% pass rate on the MOT, but I did pick up a couple of advisories for the tyres which I knew about anyway.

But as you can see the paint on the wheels is pretty bad and I want to get the powder coated or painted so I'll try and get that all done in one hit to save removal and refitting of tyres too many times.

That's all for now. Bike is road legal again, so focus can come back to the Golf hopefully before the bad weather hits. At least I had a deadline to get it off the axel stands as we're having our driveway done in November.





Re: 2005 Kawasaki ZRX (Rex) 1200s

Reply #2 –
Have to say the new exhaust has released a few more hp, and is a good couple of kg lighter. Runs a lot smoother too. I was going to go with a Carbon Fibre can which would have saved an extra half kilo but was an extra £60 and I had to draw the line and having had one previously they can be brittle and are prone to crack.

I hadn't bonded as well with the bike as I'd have hoped by now but this has certainly renewed my interest, and with new tyres I'm sure that will take it to the next level. Just need to wait till next pay day.

Re: 2005 Kawasaki ZRX (Rex) 1200s

Reply #3 –
On subject of hairy bikes. My last steed was a 1979 Honda CBX which ran beautifully during the 18 months I had her. This bike scared me in a good way and gave my muscles a good work out! Always had bikes whenever pocket money allowed but wifey never bonded with any of them. The only time I got her on as pillion the wretched bike of the day (1969 Triumph T150 US import)
Shed a battery earth and left us both stranded on A38 in Somerset, in the rain of course.
Have promised myself a Norton 961 Cafe Racer for 70th birthday if I can still get my leg over lol.

Re: 2005 Kawasaki ZRX (Rex) 1200s

Reply #4 –
I know bikes aren't for everyone but hey-ho, I'll keep this updated anyway  :))

If you look closely in my previous picture you'll see some pretty bad flakey paint on the wheels. I've been waiting till replacing the tyres so the time finally came.

First hurdle


A rounded disc bolt


And the welder showed me it was a worthwhile investment once again. Although a stupid mistake on my part I welded a stud not a bolt, I just grabbed what I had to hand so then had to weld the nut on  ::)




So I started with a wire brush on a drill ...






... and finished off by hand with various grades of sandpaper.
The spokes have a little more texture from factory than the rim, which is why the OE paint has stayed on there better, it's a solid base so I haven't needed to take that all the way back.

And off to the shop to get the tyres removed


Some other bits..




And then onto my spray jig for etch primer  :))



Later a high build primer and flat, which I didn't take pics of, but you can see hare as the top coat goes on the primer on the rim...






The paint looks a bit bronzey brown in the pics, but it's just generic gunmetal.

Back to the shop for new rubber and wheel bearings to be fitted


And built back up


In a later session, I finished building up the back, including new chain and sprocket kits but didn't get pics. Just this one..


Which is the new sprocket fitted and me holding up the old one in front, if you look how thin and curved the teeth of this are you'll see I've had my moneys worth out of this. The bike is on 26k miles, and I fully suspect the chain and sprockets are factory originals.

I'm off on a tour for the weekend so hope to get some nice pics then.

Re: 2005 Kawasaki ZRX (Rex) 1200s

Reply #6 –
Are you sure you were in Wales it looks too dry

Re: 2005 Kawasaki ZRX (Rex) 1200s

Reply #8 –
A bit of an update, I've finally got around to rebuilding the brakes.

No small task on one of these.



The rear caliper was pretty shot, and I had to order new pistons


I hadn't intended to paint them. I do have a small Ultrasonic cleaner, when I say small it'll only take one half at a time. So when I put the first half in it stripped the paint as you can see here, so I finished the rest on a quick cycle in the dishwasher  8)







I didn't really want gloss but I also didn't want to make a big deal out of it so got what I could get cheap and easily.




28 seals
14 piston
10 bolts
6 pins
6 R-clips
6 o-rings
and
4 bleed screws later ...





oh, and a new back disc


As you can see, the bike is well used and far from mint. And at almost 20 years old could probably benefit from some restoration.
But it does the job.