2014 Kawasaki Z1000SX ongoing review

[Kwacky]

The shop is 50/50 Kawasaki and KTM, but the staff were both wearing KTM polo shirts and the main sign out the front is KTM. I suspect that there's a bigger profit on that make.

The senior mechanic there is spot on though. He's serviced my bike and really done a great job each time. He's a nice bloke and takes pride in his work.

[Ash]

Yes that was my impression as well, thanks for the tip on the mechanic, unfortunately Due to work commitments and poor health
I've not been out a great deal on mine, I did a 290 mile run around Crossgates and then the long way home on Thursday, it left me about worn out sadly.
That was my last but one day with my current employer, new job next week and hopefully a chance to work on getting fit again. (I had heart surgery at the end of last year)

[Kwacky]

Good luck with the new job and with getting back to full fitness.

[Kwacky]

Dropped the bike off for it to be serviced on Tuesday.

I was told that the tech service manual says that the hoses need replacing this service. I pointed out that I'm doing almost 3 times the expected annual mileage, so given that the hoses are rubber it's likely to be a time related replacement, not a mileage one. The mechanic came out and agreed with me. He'll look at the hoses when he services the bike but he doubts they need replacing on a 2 year old bike.

[Deegee]

Dropped the bike off for it to be serviced on Tuesday.

I was told that the tech service manual says that the hoses need replacing this service. I pointed out that I'm doing almost 3 times the expected annual mileage, so given that the hoses are rubber it's likely to be a time related replacement, not a mileage one. The mechanic came out and agreed with me. He'll look at the hoses when he services the bike but he doubts they need replacing on a 2 year old bike.

You should be able to check the state of a hose by a combination of the colour of the brake fluid, lever feel and visual inspection, tbh most serious bikers would probably know the pipes were getting spongy before any timetable kicked in.

Kawasaki have to put a life expectancy on a degradable part like a hose to fend off a legal claim in case of failure, but I'd have thought it would be a timed life though, not a mileage related life.

[Blade]

If it helps I have the kawasaki factory maintenance manual for a 2011 zx10r which states the brake hoses should be changed on a time interval of 4 years.

[Kwacky]

Sorry for any confusion, I mean radiator hoses, not brake lines. I've got braided lines on the SX.

http://www.kawasaki-techinfo.net/showOM ... lyear=2011" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Ash]

Good luck with the new job and with getting back to full fitness.

Thanks for that, I did manage to get out this morning for breakfast over at Fradley Wharf.
Got back to investigate the dropping clutch pedal on the old Alfa that we have, nothing obvious that I could see.
But the master cylinder looks like it would be a bit of a mare to change, the air intake hose is split as well,
probably unavailable now, hey ho.

[Kwacky]

Picked the bike up from the service. Only thing they flagged up is a notchy clutch cable. Otherwise the bike is fine.

[Cav]

How ridiculous.. do you not look after your bike at all?!

[Kwacky]

I wash it, lube the chain and put fuel in.

There's nothing else to do is there?

[Cav]

I just ride it.. I put fuel in once I've stuttered to a stop

[duke63]

Think I would order in a new clutch cable if it's playing up. Could snap in the middle of nowhere.

[Kwacky]

I've already done so.

[duke63]

[Kwacky]

The SX did me proud. Seeing as I've only really being using it for work I got to grips using it more as a sports bike ( which I acknowledge its not). The suspension is soft and the brakes showed their limitations when you're getting a move on, but the handling isn't that bad and the engine did a great job when asked.

Then when you're on the motorway home it's a proper mile muncher.

The only problem was the brake micro switch failing on Sunday.

[Cav]

The good thing about softer suspension is the confidence to get the most out of it.. for most people the lower levels of feedback associated with soft suspension also help them

You were clearly overworking that micro switch mate

[Kwacky]

The brakes were worked hard. That bike is heavy when you're shifting.

[duke63]

Did you know the hazards come on when you brake really hard, Kwacky? Or was that just you?

[Kwacky]

When was that? I was putting them on when we were on the motorway during the filtering and slapped them on for the horses.