ZX-4RR prep questions

[feralchimp]

I have a bone-stock ZX-4RR that I *think* I'd like to trackday a bit this calendar year.

I haven't even had it chipped, due in large part to not wanting to pull the tank at home to get at the stock ECU.

My current thinking is "maybe I should just drop it at a shop and ask them to trackify it" up to some minimum standard.

I'm willing for it to be loud as a last resort, but would prefer to keep it as respectful as possible around the neighborhood. No interest in a full system but maybe a slip-on?

Would prefer to avoid track bodywork. Mine isn't a 40th anniversary so the stock bodywork can get scraped imo. Should I reconsider that position for other reasons?

I *might* be 160lb these days. Slow as the day is long, but would prefer to be less so.

Aside from the ECU flash, what else would y'all do right away?

- tires? replacement on stock wheels, vs. spare wheels and super-stickies? I have warmers.
- brake attention? pads/lines?
- will "lots of front preload" git'er done suspension wise, or will I really want new springs?
- lever guards?
- rearsets? I do have a hankering for some GP shift pattern, but the stock pegs feel probably-high-enough if I unscrew the feelers?

Penny for your thoughts, hive mind-

[boosten lebaron]

Run it as. See what needs attention afterwards.

[Kurlon]

Reflash, pads and tires to taste as needed, and see what you like/don't like as you ride it to dictate further changes if needed. You're not racing, so no need to spend like a GP team if the goal is some giggles. If you find you ARE pushing, upgrade where you find deficiencies.

[OneCheekRider]

I take it you've been to the track before since you have warmers? If the goal is to go out and improve your overall riding and not outright laptimes, I wouldn't stress about an ECU flash, tires, brakes, etc. As said above, run it as-is. There is typically a suspension person/business at the track; assuming there is one there, see if you can work with them all day -- around here it's a set fee but can go to them to fine tune adjustments between sessions to fit your needs/wants. They may suggest a respring/revalve or perhaps given your weight and riding style, none may be needed. I still put a lot of faith (and money) in my suspension guy.

Assuming you continue to ride at the track, you'll figure out pretty quickly what you may or may not want to do and any additional parts/changes can be made with a lot more knowledge rather than throwing parts at it. Since you've mentioned street riding in the neighborhood, you'll also want to think about how much street focus you want vs track focus. In my experience, a more track-oriented setup is much less comfortable for day-to-day cruising.

[tls25rs]

You could ask @572shawn on instagram he is a Cyclesmith Track Days instructor that has one and has been through whatever there is to be gone through getting his set up for the track environment.

Also Paul_E_D here participated in an endurance race in FL recently on Billy Saine's (sp?) bike so he may have some feedback for you.

[xrocket21]

I mean, minimum, you gotta flash it.

[Paul_E_D]

I agree, at a minimum, flash it and run it. If you do find you want to track it more than street it, I have a lot more info for you. The heaviest front spring you can get for it is a 9.0 and I would go straight there. a rear shock, and tires is nice. Learn how to get the traction control turned off and set that as the default for race mode. It really need stiffer clutch springs when ridden hard. Spears has some for it.

[Kurlon]

If heavier front springs than what the market is stocking are needed, call up Cannon Racecraft, they'll custom wind you whatever you need.

[feralchimp]

Thanks for all the replies, folks.

I'll start with a flash and think about tires. I see how people wind up just throwing airbox / exhaust / ECU all at once, "flash once cry once" but I don't (at all) expect power to be limiting my lap times after that first jump up from 55.

[ducatirdr]

I put a Graves full exhaust and tune on my ZX4-RR before I rode it a mile. I had ridden another bone stock ZX-4RR prior. This had told me how bad the stock restriction was. (The airbox mod I skipped)

https://www.vcyclenut.com/kawasaki-zx4-rr.html

I ran stock suspension with preload and clickers set and on Dunlops 300 Sportmax crap stock tires with 26/28 PSI and never had a slip on Thompson on a warm and dry day. The bike has limited torque so the bhp bump is all about reving it to the moon. I wouldn't be surprised if you simply run it lower in the rev range most of the time as it sounds like an air raid siren at 15.9k rpm rev limiter.

[feralchimp]

And you took that sweet 40th anniversary bodywork to the track?! What a beauty. I have half a mind to spring for another set of wheels / rotors just to unlock some green/purple/white styling shenanigans beneath the slicks I'm too slow to explore properly.

I guess you don't have a basis for comparison for the Graves vs. the stock exhaust sound, but that seems like the sort of thing YouTube will have waiting for me. The stock exhaust note has a pretty pleasing growl to it, but I've little doubt the Graves solution is way lighter and flows a lot more air/decibels at the limit.

Another edit: Man that vcyclenut web shop is an absolute candy store. I can already feel the siren song pulling me into GP shift / Woodcraft / f'ing all other manner of "visible only to fellow inmates" hard parts. Send buyers for my 701 and 821 please and thanks. :/

[Paul_E_D]

The exhaust absolutely howls above 14k. Sounds like it's coming to rip your face off.

[xrocket21]

MOTHER OF GOD

[OneCheekRider]

And you took that sweet 40th anniversary bodywork to the track?! What a beauty. =

In my experience, I've done far more damage on the street. At the last TD I had half a dozen people call me crazy for taking my Kenn's Daytona Moto 2 and its CF fairings on track.

[Kenn157]

call me crazy for taking my Daytona Moto 2 and its CF fairings on track.

You're a crazy great track racer!

[nhbubba]

MOTHER OF GOD

+1. That has to be a lot of fun.