Another Ninja Mutation

[ktmklx]

Hey Buddy,

So you bought your way into the club! Good Job. The bikes are fun, I love mine. I think the stock R1 spring would be way to soft for my set up. The reason I say that is that the spring I am running works really good and it is a lot stronger than the stock R1 spring. I did try the stock R1 spring with the stock swingarm, way to soft. Never ran it with the longer swingarm, but that would only be worse.

JDrocks helped me source my spring, check post # 958 of JDrocks build thread, I am using the same spring. This spring was pretty expensive, I heard some guys are having good luck with a Yamaha cruiser spring, check the Versys thread. I am running it on the lowest preload setting and I weigh 170 lbs.

How is the riding in Arizona this time of year?

[4play]

Thanks, I had a KTM990S & although they are pretty capable 100hp dirt bikes, there is plenty of room for improvement in many areas but cost of ownership & weight were my biggest objections. Then I started seeing the Mutants & I've been following the builds waiting for the right time.
I had the pleasure of riding with Dentvet last year in AZ (not on the Thinja), when I saw it was his bike up for sale I had to pursue the opportunity.

I saw JD's Racecraft 16kg spring & intend to have a spring wound as well. I was just curious what your take was with your swing arm mods.

Thanks

Oh yeah, riding in AZ is awesome. With elevations from 0-9000' you can ride year round chasing the temps.We've got desert, scrub & pine trees you can exerience in the same ride depending on the time of year. Our typical dirt rides are 50-130 miles with almost no pavement.

[SamM]

What about installing a Versys engine in a 950/990 motorcycle?

[jdrocks]

Originally Posted by 4play

I saw JD's Racecraft 16kg spring & intend to have a spring wound as well. I was just curious what your take was with your swing arm mods.

i put up a link for an alternate spring source in the V649 thread, might work for you.

[jdrocks]

Originally Posted by SamM

What about installing a Versys engine in a 950/990 motorcycle?

where's your Versys ptwin powered KLR, sort of a variation of the same question isn't it?

[Ednukey]

Originally Posted by jdrocks

i don't have my OEM R1 spring handy to confirm the physical dimensions of this spring, BUT if the spring is the metric equivalent of 2.25x7", then here is another source to replace the 9kg/mm OEM spring with a spring rate suitable for the direct connected Versys/ER6 suspension.

Cannon Racecraft custom R1 springs now cost almost double what i paid a few years ago. good product, and no complaints with their service at all, just the price.

confirm your spring dimension, then check here...

http://www.hrpworld.com/index.cfm?tp...action=product

i have not used this spring. please report back on your experience if you do.

I can confirm all this. I called Cannon last winter about and R1 shock spring and they quoted me $160+. So I said no thank you.

After more research, I ended-up ordering a Hyperco spring from HRP. With shipping it was under $100. You will also need to order the reducing collars from Racetech directly. IIRC, they are less than $10. It all fits together perfectly. In case you are worried about the collars - don't be. It's the same spring and collar set-up that Elka uses on their Versys shock. I know, because I had one for a bit.

The biggest PITA of the whole project was finding a shop that could compress the springs. The spring compressor that I already own wouldn't work on the R1 shock - the spring and shock body were too close. Same story with the loanable ones at the local auto shops. None of the local bike shops where I spent the winter had a compressor that would work, either. It wasn't until I moved to the Rockies for the summer that I found a shop that had a moto-X shock spring compressor that would do the job. And the dipshits still managed to scratch the shit ouf of the shock and spring. Always so hard to find folks that do good work.

Here, this will make it easier: http://www.kawasakiversys.com/forums...?t=4958&page=3

[SamM]

jd,
I do like the mutants. You guys are doing a great job with these bikes. I've looked for a Versys frame but can't find one that isn't destroyed and comes with a title. I may revisit the KLRE650 build later.

Sorry, for the hijack!

[sailah]

Sam check copart thats where I got mine

[SamM]

Thanks sailah, I will.

[sailah]

Just an fyi, pa does not require a dealer license so anyone can bid but different states have different rules.

The gavel price for my ninja was $350, but my otd price was $560. Still very reasonable I think.