New Zx6r drifts right

390 Views 28 Replies 8 Participants Last post by clarkbar, 2 h ago

Redfernb20

Discussion Starter · 18 d ago

Hello all! Within the last 2 weeks I picked up a new 2023 zx6r, bone stock (including tires) and never messed with any suspension settings. I have 700 miles and my first service has been completed. That all being said I’m having an issue if I take my hands off the bars and I’m at a high enough speed where counter steering comes into play, the bike drifts right. If the bike is going slow enough to where I can physically turn the handle bars and I left off the throttle and the bars, the bike falls to the right. It’s nothing extremely drastic but none the less it’s still there. I have done this at varying speeds and roads so I know it’s not the crown of the road. On top of all that, at 120+ mph I can feel a tiny ever so slight bit of isolation in the front end that I’m afraid could turn into a speed wobble. The closer that I get to 150 mph the worse it gets. The issues could be completely unrelated and the high speed issue could very well be wind, but I thought id throw it out there. I can’t imagine alignment is off on a new bike with 700 miles. The first service was a few days ago and one of the things they do is check tire pressure so I can’t imagine it has to do with that. I also have not messed with the triple tree clamps either. Any insight?

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Scumbag

· #2 · 18 d ago

Alignment can be off with any bike regardless of miles.

And just some advice. Check your air pressure often. The first thing I do before I jump on a bike is check the tires. After 30 years of riding I don’t use a gauge every single time If I’m riding everyday. But instinct is to look over the tires, chain and just a quick over the bike to make sure nothings obvious that’s gonna get me killed . And bad tire or failing chain can get you killed fast. Especially 150mph

Reactions: 1

Redfernb20

Discussion Starter · #3 · 18 d ago

Scumbag said:
Alignment can be off with any bike regardless of miles.

And just some advice. Check your air pressure often. The first thing I do before I jump on a bike is check the tires. After 30 years of riding I don’t use a gauge every single time If I’m riding everyday. But instinct is to look over the tires, chain and just a quick over the bike to make sure nothings obvious that’s gonna get me killed . And bad tire or failing chain can get you killed fast. Especially 150mph

Scumbag said:
Alignment can be off with any bike regardless of miles.

And just some advice. Check your air pressure often. The first thing I do before I jump on a bike is check the tires. After 30 years of riding I don’t use a gauge every single time If I’m riding everyday. But instinct is to look over the tires, chain and just a quick over the bike to make sure nothings obvious that’s gonna get me killed . And bad tire or failing chain can get you killed fast. Especially 150mph

Thanks for the advice. I checked tire pressures, the right one was a tad high but nothing crazy, didn’t fix the problem at all though. I’ll have the dealership check alignment as I’m told that should be covered under warranty this early on.

Scumbag

· #4 · 18 d ago

Redfernb20 said:
Thanks for the advice. I checked tire pressures, the right one was a tad high but nothing crazy, didn’t fix the problem at all though. I’ll have the dealership check alignment as I’m told that should be covered under warranty this early on.

The right one? How many tires you have? Lol

Curious. What psi are you running?. Easiest most obvious thing to do before you take it in is Look at your alignment marks on the rear adjusters and see if they are even. Very well could have just rushed pre assembly and got it off a tad.

Reactions: 1

Scumbag

· #5 · 18 d ago

Oh. You prob meant rear lol. 🤦‍♂️

Redfernb20

Discussion Starter · #6 · 17 d ago

Scumbag said:
The right one? How many tires you have? Lol

Curious. What psi are you running?. Easiest most obvious thing to do before you take it in is Look at your alignment marks on the rear adjusters and see if they are even. Very well could have just rushed pre assembly and got it off a tad.

Lol the REAR one was a tad high. I’m at 38 on the rear. I checked the adjusters also, they are spot on

RJ2112

· #7 · 17 d ago

How you're sitting on the bike will have an effect on which direction it goes. Sounds like a simplistic thing, but making sure you're balanced on the bike is important to where it goes.

So is where you're looking.

If it doesn't track straight ahead, and it's in warranty, this is not an issue you need to solve. The dealership and mother Kawasaki need to step up.

It's rare to have an issue with steering. There are a lot of highly critical things involved, and a whole lot of liability. If there is an issue it is almost certainly going to be in fork alignment, or operator error. Much smaller chance that it could be the rear wheel alignment (the marks aren't a sure indication of correct alignment).

Reactions: 1

Rich T

· #8 · 17 d ago

There are a bunch of threads like this here which might help, including: Pulling to the right... | Page 3 | Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R Forum (zx6r.com)

For the rear wheel, if you don't completely trust the alignment marks, you can also use a tool like this: Grating vibration after chain adjustment | Ninja 400 Riders Forum

Agreed with @RJ2112 -- ask the dealer to take a look (assuming you can show the issue at lower speeds)...

These bikes usually come from the factory/dealer with the steering bearings a bit (or more) on the tight side.

Redfernb20

Discussion Starter · #9 · 17 d ago

Rich T said:
There are a bunch of threads like this here which might help, including: Pulling to the right... | Page 3 | Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R Forum (zx6r.com)

For the rear wheel, if you don't completely trust the alignment marks, you can also use a tool like this: Grating vibration after chain adjustment | Ninja 400 Riders Forum

Agreed with @RJ2112 -- ask the dealer to take a look (assuming you can show the issue at lower speeds)...

These bikes usually come from the factory/dealer with the steering bearings a bit (or more) on the tight side.

I used a tool that measured the width, they are all same width of the rear wheel adjuster. And yes, it will drift right or fall right at any speed with hands off the bars. The slight isolation is a higher speeds of 120+ but I’m sure if one fixed the other will be too

ON1WHL

· #10 · 12 d ago

Most roads are built high in the center with a slope to the curb, make sure it isn't the slant of the road?

Reactions: 2

riverszzr

· #11 · 12 d ago

I bet crown of the road and/or how the rider sits

but it could be misalignemnt of the chain (regardless what the notches say!!!!!!! they are never dead on) check via how the chain is riding surrounding both sides of the chain- equal gap to each side plate!!! spin the wheel and watch is
if it stays to the left side or the right side it is clearly a crooked wheel alignment

Reactions: 2

clarkbar

· #12 · 5 d ago

Any update on resolving this issue? I also just picked up a new 2023 ZX6R as well, no mods done, and it also drifts to the right when I sit up and coast. I tried this on the opposite side of a country road (no traffic in sight) and even with the crown of the road slanting left, my bike drifted right.

RJ2112

· #13 · 5 d ago

Now I’m curious…. What tire pressures are in use?

Scumbag

· #14 · 5 d ago

RJ2112 said:
Now I’m curious…. What tire pressures are in use?

Ya know. For whatever reason our 23 drifted right right out the box too. And I can’t count the complaints I have heard just on the 23”s.

it’s exactly like Lloyd said and it’s the alignment marks. My 20 and my 03 are pretty spot on the marks so I go by them. But on the 23”s I have setup and own I ignore the marks and adjust it by the chain gap and even double checked with my fancy motocross laser mount. And the marks are not the same. I will take a pic when I’m down in the garage but the 23 here is on the left side mark and almost to the next mark on the right side. But the chain is dead on. The majority of the time the marks are close enough to not cause any drift but I have seen them wrong Enough over the years I always start by hitting the same notches but fine tune by checking the chain. Plus the majority of the time you aren’t dead on even with a notch anyways if you slack the chain correctly everytime. So they shouldn’t be used as the final adjustment ever. .

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Reactions: 2

Redfernb20

Discussion Starter · #15 · 5 d ago

clarkbar said:
Any update on resolving this issue? I also just picked up a new 2023 ZX6R as well, no mods done, and it also drifts to the right when I sit up and coast. I tried this on the opposite side of a country road (no traffic in sight) and even with the crown of the road slanting left, my bike drifted right.

Nope, no update yet. I went to a local guy who a suspension guru to get my suspension set up to my weight and while I was there he checked my front forks and said they were fine. You know what I honestly think it is? I think it’s the weight of the stock exhaust on the right side. I just did a full akro system and I’m waiting for my ecu back in the mail. I’ll update you once I ride it but I have a feeling the 25+ pounds on the right side of the bike from the exhaust is causing the the drift

Redfernb20

Discussion Starter · #16 · 5 d ago

clarkbar said:
Any update on resolving this issue? I also just picked up a new 2023 ZX6R as well, no mods done, and it also drifts to the right when I sit up and coast. I tried this on the opposite side of a country road (no traffic in sight) and even with the crown of the road slanting left, my bike drifted right.

Nope, no update yet. I went to a local guy who is a suspension guru to get my suspension set up to my weight and while I was there he checked my front forks and said they were fine. I also checked the rear alignment with a tool instead of by the tic marks. Everyone keeps saying on this thread it’s the crown of the road but like you said I tried it on the other side of the road as well. You know what I honestly think it is? I think it’s the weight of the stock exhaust on the right side. I just did a full akro system and I’m waiting for my ecu back in the mail. I’ll update you once I ride it but I have a feeling the 25+ pounds on the right side of the bike from the exhaust is causing the the drift

Reactions: 1

Scumbag

· #17 · 5 d ago

Lol i can promise you the developing department did not screw up and forget to take in account of the exhaust system when the designed your bike . No offense but that’s one of the goofiest things I have heard. Rivers me and a couple other have explained the problem you can ignore it if you want. I have corrected dozens of these and the exhaust has got shit to do with it. It’s either that. Your tire pressure is wonky with the crown in the road or you don’t know how to ride. But it is 100% not the exhaust. Hell my 23 had a full tose system on it before we ever even started it the first time and I still had to correctly align the rear wheel to get it tracking perfectly.

Scumbag

· #18 · 5 d ago

I have hauled 32 cans of beer in one saddle bag of my Harley and nothing in the other and it still tracks the same. But then again. My rear wheel is aligned lol.

clarkbar

· #19 · 4 d ago

RJ2112 said:
Now I’m curious…. What tire pressures are in use?

I'm using 36 front 42 rear.

Reactions: 1

RJ2112

· #20 · 4 d ago

I run the same numbers.

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