A sensible approach

Here's a chance to show off your zxr400, so get them digital cameras out and show us some piccies.Rebuilding your bike or modding it then let everyone in on it.

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Big Hoddie
Posts: 191
Joined: Fri Jun 15, 2012 5:33 pm
My Bike: ZX4R
Location: Wellesbourne

A sensible approach

Post by Big Hoddie »

Now that I have some more money winging its way thanks to overtime, I can get the bike (and myself) ready for the coming academic year (college). The plan is, after getting some new gear, to make the bike more user friendly on the commute, kit it up for winter, work on the brakes and suspension, then, come spring, summer tyres, ditching the college kit and I'll get on with getting some modifying done, to engine, wheels and body :D

The free mods to do towards the start of september is to relax the position of the bars, have another stab at tweaking the suspension, fluids change and a good old scrub :P It's the little things that count.

Then its some crash bungs, heated grips, winter tyres, digi clock with ice warning (nowt special but lets you know), new hugger (don't like the 2 holes), panniers for all my extra stuff, tankpad, fork protectors and other bits and pieces. I shall update as I progress :D

Please no nastiness. If you're not interested in my posts, don't comment. If you're interested and want to follow the bike's progression as I learn how to kit it up each season and offer my opinion on what works FOR ME then please feel free to comment.

Thanks
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banner001
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Re: A sensible approach

Post by banner001 »

Big Hoddie wrote:Now that I have some more money winging its way thanks to overtime, I can get the bike (and myself) ready for the coming academic year (college). The plan is, after getting some new gear, to make the bike more user friendly on the commute, kit it up for winter, work on the brakes and suspension, then, come spring, summer tyres, ditching the college kit and I'll get on with getting some modifying done, to engine, wheels and body :D
Thats fair enough, but your previous posts said you wanted to fit dymags (~£2500), 6-pots+braided lines+MC's (~£300), race bodywork and single seat (~£600), fork internals (~£200), Full exhaust (~£1000), flatsides+dual velocity stacks+ramair box+rejetted carbs (~£1200)...so all in all from a few months on the forum you have already amassed a goody bag of shiny add-ons for a grand total of ~£6000, plus cost of bike (i dont know) £1500 so a total outlay of £7500+...and this is with no previous experience of bikes, quote "cause until recently, I never even knew how to take my wheel off, as my first experience of bikes was a pile of shite nsr125 that became a money pit".

You have not said anywhere what you think these "ooohh shiny expensive" things will achieve? i stripped my front calipers, fitted braided lines and new MC internals because my brakes were fecked, there was a reason for me doing it, i didnt do it for show. Plus the racers with 70+bhp work damn hard to keep the engine in tip-top condition in order to achieve that sort of power, it all needs to work in sync and costs a lot of money to first of all build, and secondly maintain...you dont think rossi takes his GP12 on a daily london commute do you??
Big Hoddie wrote:Please no nastiness. If you're not interested in my posts, don't comment. If you're interested and want to follow the bike's progression as I learn how to kit it up each season and offer my opinion on what works FOR ME then please feel free to comment.
Most people aren't trying to be nasty, but coming onto a forum, with a hell of a lot of knowledgeable blokes, who work daily in the field of racing/engineering and acting like a spoilt brat, flinging "daddy's cash around" will get you shot down in seconds, as you have found out. This current post you have made is more in keeping with what is likely to get you a bit more respect. Also check my location, im only up the road in coventry, thats a 40 mile round trip, if you want a hand to work on your bike, im now fairly good, and will have done most of the things you want to do, bung me £5 for fuel and a few ales for my time and ill gladly help you out. I like my bike, i want others to respect theirs, plus it gives me a bit more experience and im taking apart a bike for once thats not MY daily commuter.

again, if you want a hand its gonna set you back a fiver and a few nice ales...
UK ZXR400 L3 (1993) - Fully restored and on the roads, my green beast!
JPN ZXR250 A2 (1990) - Revs to 19,200rpm... 'nuff said :smt003
Big Hoddie
Posts: 191
Joined: Fri Jun 15, 2012 5:33 pm
My Bike: ZX4R
Location: Wellesbourne

Re: A sensible approach

Post by Big Hoddie »

Thanks. I've spent the past couple of weeks reading through what people have done to their bikes and am gonna take my time and add stuff when it needs it and when my skill level catches up with the bike :)

I wish i could fling my dad's cash around. I have to work for my money, as my dad supports the family as my mums retired due to ill health and recently had a stroke-not having a go, as you wouldn't have known that, just thought I'd clear it up.

I'll probably be giving you and gemini a call come spring time, when it comes to getting the bike set up for a summer that should hopefully be more sun filled than this one :smt013
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R P Corse
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Re: A sensible approach

Post by R P Corse »

banner001 wrote:
Big Hoddie wrote:Now that I have some more money winging its way thanks to overtime, I can get the bike (and myself) ready for the coming academic year (college). The plan is, after getting some new gear, to make the bike more user friendly on the commute, kit it up for winter, work on the brakes and suspension, then, come spring, summer tyres, ditching the college kit and I'll get on with getting some modifying done, to engine, wheels and body :D
Thats fair enough, but your previous posts said you wanted to fit dymags (~£2500), 6-pots+braided lines+MC's (~£300), race bodywork and single seat (~£600), fork internals (~£200), Full exhaust (~£1000), flatsides+dual velocity stacks+ramair box+rejetted carbs (~£1200)...so all in all from a few months on the forum you have already amassed a goody bag of shiny add-ons for a grand total of ~£6000, plus cost of bike (i dont know) £1500 so a total outlay of £7500+...and this is with no previous experience of bikes, quote "cause until recently, I never even knew how to take my wheel off, as my first experience of bikes was a pile of shite nsr125 that became a money pit".

You have not said anywhere what you think these "ooohh shiny expensive" things will achieve? i stripped my front calipers, fitted braided lines and new MC internals because my brakes were fecked, there was a reason for me doing it, i didnt do it for show. Plus the racers with 70+bhp work damn hard to keep the engine in tip-top condition in order to achieve that sort of power, it all needs to work in sync and costs a lot of money to first of all build, and secondly maintain...you dont think rossi takes his GP12 on a daily london commute do you??
Big Hoddie wrote:Please no nastiness. If you're not interested in my posts, don't comment. If you're interested and want to follow the bike's progression as I learn how to kit it up each season and offer my opinion on what works FOR ME then please feel free to comment.
Most people aren't trying to be nasty, but coming onto a forum, with a hell of a lot of knowledgeable blokes, who work daily in the field of racing/engineering and acting like a spoilt brat, flinging "daddy's cash around" will get you shot down in seconds, as you have found out. This current post you have made is more in keeping with what is likely to get you a bit more respect. Also check my location, im only up the road in coventry, thats a 40 mile round trip, if you want a hand to work on your bike, im now fairly good, and will have done most of the things you want to do, bung me £5 for fuel and a few ales for my time and ill gladly help you out. I like my bike, i want others to respect theirs, plus it gives me a bit more experience and im taking apart a bike for once thats not MY daily commuter.

again, if you want a hand its gonna set you back a fiver and a few nice ales...
......daaaaaaaamn you went to town lol
Big Hoddie
Posts: 191
Joined: Fri Jun 15, 2012 5:33 pm
My Bike: ZX4R
Location: Wellesbourne

Re: A sensible approach

Post by Big Hoddie »

???
petchickens
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Joined: Tue Jul 31, 2012 6:55 pm
My Bike: 1994 zx4r
Location: usually the dog house

Re: A sensible approach

Post by petchickens »

banner001 wrote:
Big Hoddie wrote:Now that I have some more money winging its way thanks to overtime, I can get the bike (and myself) ready for the coming academic year (college). The plan is, after getting some new gear, to make the bike more user friendly on the commute, kit it up for winter, work on the brakes and suspension, then, come spring, summer tyres, ditching the college kit and I'll get on with getting some modifying done, to engine, wheels and body :D
Thats fair enough, but your previous posts said you wanted to fit dymags (~£2500), 6-pots+braided lines+MC's (~£300), race bodywork and single seat (~£600), fork internals (~£200), Full exhaust (~£1000), flatsides+dual velocity stacks+ramair box+rejetted carbs (~£1200)...so all in all from a few months on the forum you have already amassed a goody bag of shiny add-ons for a grand total of ~£6000, plus cost of bike (i dont know) £1500 so a total outlay of £7500+...and this is with no previous experience of bikes, quote "cause until recently, I never even knew how to take my wheel off, as my first experience of bikes was a pile of shite nsr125 that became a money pit".

You have not said anywhere what you think these "ooohh shiny expensive" things will achieve? i stripped my front calipers, fitted braided lines and new MC internals because my brakes were fecked, there was a reason for me doing it, i didnt do it for show. Plus the racers with 70+bhp work damn hard to keep the engine in tip-top condition in order to achieve that sort of power, it all needs to work in sync and costs a lot of money to first of all build, and secondly maintain...you dont think rossi takes his GP12 on a daily london commute do you??
Big Hoddie wrote:Please no nastiness. If you're not interested in my posts, don't comment. If you're interested and want to follow the bike's progression as I learn how to kit it up each season and offer my opinion on what works FOR ME then please feel free to comment.
Most people aren't trying to be nasty, but coming onto a forum, with a hell of a lot of knowledgeable blokes, who work daily in the field of racing/engineering and acting like a spoilt brat, flinging "daddy's cash around" will get you shot down in seconds, as you have found out. This current post you have made is more in keeping with what is likely to get you a bit more respect. Also check my location, im only up the road in coventry, thats a 40 mile round trip, if you want a hand to work on your bike, im now fairly good, and will have done most of the things you want to do, bung me £5 for fuel and a few ales for my time and ill gladly help you out. I like my bike, i want others to respect theirs, plus it gives me a bit more experience and im taking apart a bike for once thats not MY daily commuter.

again, if you want a hand its gonna set you back a fiver and a few nice ales...

i will give you a tenner and a crate if you can give me an opinion of what my bike could do with etc etc
"good" is a matter of opinion...its a 90's bike...styling is purely up to you, but its a nice bike, dont make it look like some wannabe-toad-looking-need-for-speed-ricer-pile-of-crap...
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banner001
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Re: A sensible approach

Post by banner001 »

petchickens wrote:i will give you a tenner and a crate if you can give me an opinion of what my bike could do with etc etc
wouldnt want to say without looking at it/riding it, and getting it on a dyno.

i really dont mind helping people out, as long as my fuel is compensated, and a few beers for me and the missus, im happy to get on spanners with anyone close to us.
UK ZXR400 L3 (1993) - Fully restored and on the roads, my green beast!
JPN ZXR250 A2 (1990) - Revs to 19,200rpm... 'nuff said :smt003
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banner001
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Re: A sensible approach

Post by banner001 »

Big Hoddie wrote:Thanks. I've spent the past couple of weeks reading through what people have done to their bikes and am gonna take my time and add stuff when it needs it and when my skill level catches up with the bike :)

I wish i could fling my dad's cash around. I have to work for my money, as my dad supports the family as my mums retired due to ill health and recently had a stroke-not having a go, as you wouldn't have known that, just thought I'd clear it up.

I'll probably be giving you and gemini a call come spring time, when it comes to getting the bike set up for a summer that should hopefully be more sun filled than this one :smt013
i work 70 hours a week, 7 days a week, bank holidays, weekends christmas...doesnt matter, and i only get paid for 38.5 hours so i know what working for money is like :D

we have a meetup coming up, i am in work from 6pm on the 29th until 9pm on the 31st, day out is the following morning...gotta do what you gotta do...

offer for help is still on btw, and for a total outlay of £10-15 you wont find a better deal...well unless someone will work for free :D
UK ZXR400 L3 (1993) - Fully restored and on the roads, my green beast!
JPN ZXR250 A2 (1990) - Revs to 19,200rpm... 'nuff said :smt003
Big Hoddie
Posts: 191
Joined: Fri Jun 15, 2012 5:33 pm
My Bike: ZX4R
Location: Wellesbourne

Re: A sensible approach

Post by Big Hoddie »

Is that the pie run to Melton Mowbray? Can't make it-work weekends :P
Big Hoddie
Posts: 191
Joined: Fri Jun 15, 2012 5:33 pm
My Bike: ZX4R
Location: Wellesbourne

Re: A sensible approach

Post by Big Hoddie »

Reckon you can come gimme a hand with figuring out how to put zx6r wheels in the near future?
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