[Nirvana]

Hi, my names Mladen. Im a rider from Croatia. Been riding motorcycles for 3 years, last 2 seasons zx6r 2009.
2020 was my first amateur racing season, fell for it (both literally and methaphorically), had some decent results for a novice and now Im up to learn and get even better.
Crashed couple of times, learned a lot and now its time to prepare the bike for the upcoming season.

BIKE: zx6r 2009, 34000 km, stock aside from exhaust (can), air filter, 520 conversion, ecu flash, braided lines, Dunlop d213.

Heres how she was when I got her:

Race fairings:

After the last race of the season:

This is her now:

Goals for the season:
-Repairs ( Ill post everything as Im progressing including prices and a comprehensive mods list)
-Sort out bikes geometry and suspension setup (upgrading shock and cartridges)
-Learn to keep my head cool when losing and gaining positions
-Work on technique (breaking is my weakest spot, coasting too much)

Primarly Im racing at Grobnik racetrack near Rijeka Croatia and ocasionally train at some smaller local tracks.

Heres a video of one of my last races of the season:

I will post a short clip of my last crash so you can comment on that as well.

Ill post pics as I move along, questions, tips and criticism are all welcome.

Cheers!

 

[Neonmarine]

Nice to see people getting into racing with older bikes! Good luck this year

 

[Nirvana]

Steering damper revalved so it actually does something.
Price: 75 euros

Note: One of the local racers told me this bike loves short wheelbase, he said hed even cut swingarm to make the wheelbase even shorter so the bike turns in better. I knew nothing of geometry at that time so I did it. This combined with 180/60 tyre and stock 5mm fork protrusion resulted in bike being shaky and unstable at front when exiting corners under full gas. This is where this steering damper comes to play. Mine was completely stock, did not do its job and the front was acting scary to say the least. This also played a role in my crash later in the season. All being said, bike turned in amazing, was fast thru the corners and it felt great despite this probelm that I had. This led me to conlusion that zx6r geometry loves low trail numbers. This holds true for my current knowledge and understanding so Id be thankful if anyone who is more experienced and knows this bike could comment on my observations.

Spider racing rearsets are also fitted.
Price: 300euros

 

[Neonmarine]

I find that I need my 2005 ZX6RR to be as long as possible with higher trail numbers. If I remember correctly, these bikes have very similar geometry settings from the factory. Right now, I have the forks flush with the triple and the swingarm adjustment within a few millimeters of max.

Anyway, it's all in how you want the bike to feel and how you are able to exploit that setup. I like to be on the gas as much as possible, so with the Dunlop rear, there's a lot of spin. A longer bike gives me more stability and confidence during the corner exit. That's just the difference between riders I think. Use what works for you man, this isn't a "one size fits all" sport.

 

[Nirvana]

Thank you for your input.

This is a video of my last crash.

Zx6r crash

Watch "Zx6r crash" on Streamable.

streamable.com

Note: I have little to no feeling of my front. I assume seat time and experience is the reason for that. I will try with softer front tyre, Supercorsa perhaps. That might give me some more feeling in the front.

 

[Neonmarine]

Low trail numbers can take away feeling for turning performance. If I was you I'd start trying to raise the front of the bike by dropping the forks in the triples a few mils at a time and see how it feels.

 

[Neonmarine]

Thank you for your input.

This is a video of my last crash.

Zx6r crash

Watch "Zx6r crash" on Streamable.

streamable.com

Note: I have little to no feeling of my front. I assume seat time and experience is the reason for that. I will try with softer front tyre, Supercorsa perhaps. That might give me some more feeling in the front.

Don't changes the tires (yet).

Watching that video, this makes a lot of sense. The higher trail numbers allow for much more edge grip feel but sacrifice turning performance. You guys are moving pretty quick and with the fast change of direction, combined with a short trail, you literally had the front roll out from under you.

Suggestions:

Raise the front by 2mm and take out 1 turn of preload out to compensate for the height change. Then add some length to the rear by using smaller sprockets (with the same gear ratio). Like going from a 15/45 to a 14/43. This will give you a couple mils of added chain length to move the rear wheel back . Add 1 turn of preload to the shock, compensating for the leverage the added length gives the swingarm.

You'll have to anticipate the turn more and give more effort to the turn but you'll gain front end feel. Also the added trail numbers will widen the margin for error when your on the edge of the tire.

Cheers!

 

[Nirvana]

Don't changes the tires (yet).

Watching that video, this makes a lot of sense. The higher trail numbers allow for much more edge grip feel but sacrifice turning performance. You guys are moving pretty quick and with the fast change of direction, combined with a short trail, you literally had the front roll out from under you.

Suggestions:

Raise the front by 2mm and take out 1 turn of preload out to compensate for the height change. Then add some length to the rear by using smaller sprockets (with the same gear ratio). Like going from a 15/45 to a 14/43. This will give you a couple mils of added chain length to move the rear wheel back . Add 1 turn of preload to the shock, compensating for the leverage the added length gives the swingarm.

You'll have to anticipate the turn more and give more effort to the turn but you'll gain front end feel. Also the added trail numbers will widen the margin for error when your on the edge of the tire.

Cheers!

Sounds reasonable.

That was my plan as well, I will go flush with the triple and see how it goes, rear ride height will remain stock. I'm currently running 15/42 and I find its perfect for Grobnik racetrack.
As far as rear shock is considered, its a stock shock and it hasnt been serviced for 10 years. As I got faster this became a problem and is not safe. I'm getting Ohlins TTX 36 and probably Nix 30 front cartridges although I'm pleased with stock forks and I dont feel its been a limiting factor for me yet.
This also was my first ever season to race, I did not know what geometry is let alone how to set up the bike. This is my no1 priority for the season since I've learnt that my safety depends on it.

I'll make sure to report my experience with raised front + short wheelbase and working damper.

 

[Neonmarine]

That all seems very logical. One thing I would caution: don't try to use the steering damper as a way to "slow the steering" down if the bike isn't stable. It works, yes...but its treating the symptoms not the disease.

Where is the rear axle in the swingarm? Close to the front? Middle? Mostly to the rear?

 

[zx6rguiy]

Steering damper revalved so it actually does something.
Price: 75 euros

View attachment 107836
Note: One of the local racers told me this bike loves short wheelbase, he said hed even cut swingarm to make the wheelbase even shorter so the bike turns in better. I knew nothing of geometry at that time so I did it. This combined with 180/60 tyre and stock 5mm fork protrusion resulted in bike being shaky and unstable at front when exiting corners under full gas. This is where this steering damper comes to play. Mine was completely stock, did not do its job and the front was acting scary to say the least. This also played a role in my crash later in the season. All being said, bike turned in amazing, was fast thru the corners and it felt great despite this probelm that I had. This led me to conlusion that zx6r geometry loves low trail numbers. This holds true for my current knowledge and understanding so Id be thankful if anyone who is more experienced and knows this bike could comment on my observations.

Spider racing rearsets are also fitted.
Price: 300euros

View attachment 107837

View attachment 107838

You should really use the correct button head style bolts for mounting the rearsets. The spider rearsets are not designed to be used with the oem mounting bolts. From the looks of it, you only have a couple threads into the frame. I wouldn’t be surprised if they back out on their own or strip the threads out of the frame the next time you have an off.

As far as geometry is concerned, different riding styles and different tracks will call for different setups.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Nirvana]

That all seems very logical. One thing I would caution: don't try to use the steering damper as a way to "slow the steering" down if the bike isn't stable. It works, yes...but its treating the symptoms not the disease.

Where is the rear axle in the swingarm? Close to the front? Middle? Mostly to the rear?

 

[Nirvana]

You should really use the correct button head style bolts for mounting the rearsets. The spider rearsets are not designed to be used with the oem mounting bolts. From the looks of it, you only have a couple threads into the frame. I wouldn’t be surprised if they back out on their own or strip the threads out of the frame the next time you have an off.

As far as geometry is concerned, different riding styles and different tracks will call for different setups.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

When I installed them bolt seemed to go into the frame enough. Ill recheck it.

 

[Neonmarine]

View attachment 107845

Wow...Yeah, I think your wheelbase is too short and will make for a very nervous bike with little room for error. Personally, I'd try to get it to the middle and see what that's like.

 

[Nirvana]

Ill try different things and see how it feels. This is going to be one interesting season.

 

[zx6rguiy]

When I installed them bolt seemed to go into the frame enough. Ill recheck it.

You have bolts that look like this

2009 KAWASAKI ZX6R REARSET MOUNT BOLTS ZX600 ZX 600 ZX 6R 6 09 10 11 12 K98 | eBay

2009 ZX6R REARSET MOUNT BOLTS. Vancouver, WA 98660. 211 west 16 st. Can't find the answer you're looking for?. Any problem with an item must be reported within warranty period. Orders must be prepaid before pickup.

www.ebay.co.uk

The shoulder thats towards the head of the bolt goes through the oem rearsets because the hole is larger. Thats the way they are designed. But with the spider rearsets, that hole is smaller. The shoulder on the oem bolts will not fit through it. So the way you have it now, you’re clamping at the shoulder of the bolt, not the head. Does that make sense?
You should have bolts that look like this.

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41LZVgUx2FL._AC_SX355_.jpg

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Nirvana]

Waiting for parts to arrive.
In the mean time, heres a picture of my headquarters while on track. Summer nights alongside track itself, magical.

 

[Nirvana]

You have bolts that look like this

2009 KAWASAKI ZX6R REARSET MOUNT BOLTS ZX600 ZX 600 ZX 6R 6 09 10 11 12 K98 | eBay

2009 ZX6R REARSET MOUNT BOLTS. Vancouver, WA 98660. 211 west 16 st. Can't find the answer you're looking for?. Any problem with an item must be reported within warranty period. Orders must be prepaid before pickup.

www.ebay.co.uk

The shoulder thats towards the head of the bolt goes through the oem rearsets because the hole is larger. Thats the way they are designed. But with the spider rearsets, that hole is smaller. The shoulder on the oem bolts will not fit through it. So the way you have it now, you’re clamping at the shoulder of the bolt, not the head. Does that make sense?
You should have bolts that look like this.

https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41LZVgUx2FL._AC_SX355_.jpg

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Some Basic stuff:
Pair valve blockoff kit: 50 euro
Grips: 15 euro
Tygond tube: 10 euros
Spark plugs