Motorcycle Talk

[Shorty429]

Let me know when you're workin on stuff and i'll come check it out and see if i can't learn some stuff. haha And that first KZ400 is a BAMF!

[Shorty429]

http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/mcy/1433425121.html

What ever happened to people sounding believable with their scams?

[scott5]

if you need a role model on a street bike dont follow in bishs path cause he has 4 in chicken strips on his bike... hahahaha flame suit on from bish. lol

[Troll]

OK, let's talk tires. I'm nowhere near wearing mine out yet, but I like to have my research all done when I'm ready. I've been looking at the Michelin Road CT2. They have a dual compound. Hard in the middle for long life and sticky on the sides for gription. Michelin also makes a Pilot Power CT2 with stickier compounds middle and sides, but they don't last as long.

Anybody have opinions on either? I never will commute on my bike or travel on a highway for any serious amount of time, but I would like to get decent wear, also.

[scott5]

OK, let's talk tires. I'm nowhere near wearing mine out yet, but I like to have my research all done when I'm ready. I've been looking at the Michelin Road CT2. They have a dual compound. Hard in the middle for long life and sticky on the sides for gription. Michelin also makes a Pilot Power CT2 with stickier compounds middle and sides, but they don't last as long.

Anybody have opinions on either? I never will commute on my bike or travel on a highway for any serious amount of time, but I would like to get decent wear, also.

I used pilot powers on my 750 in ny for mostly watkins glen but i loved them on the road and track but they did wear out fast but they were awesome tires.. I have been reading about these cause i hate my tires on my bike now.. They say the road ct2 are basically the pilot pros for the street and im going to try them probably in the spring..

You need to get rid of your chicken strips first adam. lol

[Troll]

I know. My rear looks like this right now. I'm such a pu$$y.

[scott5]

a buddy of mine that has an r1, his tire really does look like after we took a few laps. lol

[Inkdcountryboy]

i prefer pilot powers, or some strada's

[SonofaBish]

Troll,

I had Pilot Power 2CT's on both the TL-R and the R1... i wasn't dis-pleased, but i was never extremely pleased... They are sticky for the most part, but my complaints come in two areas... 1.) there isn't anywhere near as much lean angle as some of the other tires out there and 2.) at max lean angle, i felt they were a bit squirmy on the street... i had confidence that they were never going to fully let go, but i could feel the rear tire moving around a bit... it never bothered me really, but it could be scary for others, and cause them to panic.... I would probably just as soon get a set of Tomahawk tires as the Pilot Power 2CT's... i never had Tomahawks on the R1, but had them on the rear of the TL-R and they really aren't bad tires... they're heavy, but its not super-noticeable, and they lean just as far as the 2CT's, without the slippery feeling... plus, the Tomahawk lasted twice as long on the rear of my TL-R as any other tire did, and it NEVER made a flat spot in the middle, so the wear characteristics were spectacular...

I was always a HUGE fan of the Dunlop D208's before they discontinued them... i would fully expect that the D209 would live up to its prestige... but its a VERY soft tire, and it will wear out quickly...

I know tons of people that swear by the Pirelli Diablo's for a street tire... many even wanna use them at the track... apprently they are very sticky, warm up quickly, and last a decent amount of time in comparison to other similar tires...

Me personally, the last two sets of tires i've had are the Continental ContiSport Road Attacks... they are stickier than anything else i've ever had, along the same lines as the D208's... they last quite a while, and they have TONS - and i mean TONS - of lean angle... lean angles that were making the 2CT's squirley are a walk in the park on these tires... i have leaned the R1 to what seems to be the ends of Newton's laws... have drug the footpegs on this bike on many occasions, and i still have 1/2" of chicken strip on the front tire... rear tire is worn clean, but NEVER gets slippery in a bend... I absolutely love them, and won't buy anything else... they lean further and give you 100% confidence that they're never going to let go!! (and not that it matters, but they have a sweet looking tread pattern as well)

It depends on how hard you're goign to ride the bike... but if i were you, and you werent' going to be gonig to BeaveRun every weekend, i'd seriously consider the Tomahawk on the rear, with something else on the front... they will tell you to NEVER mismatch tires, but i did it a bunch of times on the TL-R (b/c i couldnt afford to replace 2 tires) and never had a problem... however, the one tire i would always stay away from is a Bridgestone... i had several of those on my TL-R and never found a one that didn't slide around liek it was on ice...

[Troll]

well, this thing got Pirelli Diablos on it. I've heard good things about the Contis, too. I don't have any complaints with the Pirellis, but I haven't ridden a bike like this in 7 years, so my opinion got some rust on it.

[scott5]

i personally dont like my pirelli, maybe i will change my mind the better they get wore down, but they dont have any chicken strips and doesnt slide that much but bounces sometimes in a corner? But then again hat could be from my suspension not being set in for me or maybe too much air?

[SonofaBish]

i personally dont like my pirelli, maybe i will change my mind the better they get wore down, but they dont have any chicken strips and doesnt slide that much but bounces sometimes in a corner? But then again hat could be from my suspension not being set in for me or maybe too much air?

bouncing in the corner is the suspension..... you might need soften up the rebound dampening or tighten up the compression dampening......

factory wise, the bike is prob setup for a 185lb rider.... so if you need a little hlep deciding which of the above you need, i can lend a hand... bu ti'm no pro at it...

[scott5]

I just got my service manual so im going to go through it and see what i can come up with to set it up for me.. I was never good with suspensions, i had pro action set up my dirtbike one

[Troll]

Scott, you got the Pirelli Scorpion Sync on yours which are like sport touring tires. You'd def like the Diablos better.

Also, you're pretty light, right Scott, but you're tall and lanky, so that's throwing your handling off a little. Still, I got mine set-up at the next 20lb increment that Buell puts in the book. Try that on the chart and see what happens. Another thing I notice about these higher bars... (remember, I'm rusty) it seems like this thing likes it when you just lean back and let it do the work. Not like clip-ons where you kind of attack it. ??? I don't know. Let's go for a ride!!!

[scott5]

Yea it weird, esp coming off the gsxr, you almost had to relearn how to ride "this" bike.. When i hit the corners, i barely steer it almost does it for you i just manuever my body and lean and it hugs the corner.. Yea i forgot that we had different tires, but the scorpions are what i do not like..

[Inkdcountryboy]

picked up the 75 KZ400 today.. took off the sissybar,backrack and grab bar and the crash bar, carbs are off soaking and im gonna kreme the tank this week. but should have her fired up this weekend then have it ready for a complete tear down so i can repaint everything

[Troll]

Yikes Bro. You got a lot of work ahead of you if you want that thing to look like those pics you posted. Was '75 the biggest year for gov't intervention or what? those turn signals are as big as basketballs. Foking safety nazis.

[Inkdcountryboy]

lol na its not really ALOT of work...if i worked on it for a week straight and nothing else. itd be done, but im gonna take my time on it..ill have it ready for spring. Yea All turnsignals are gone...it was 1975 turnsignals are for pu$$ies lol, itll be a head light and a side mouint brakelight/license plate

[Troll]

I keep looking at the other pics and looking at this thing and I can't wrap my noggin around it. ???

[Inkdcountryboy]

Lol dude. the 1980's sportster i built was i nalot worse shape..then bike just really needs cleaned up and a repaint.. but itll be comepletely redone....dont worry ill keep you posted o nthe build of it lol those pics are from the same kinda bike 74-78 KZ400's kick start only