I was just curious if this was normal for our bike. This bike is only about 50-70 lbs more then my old bike, but it feels much heavier when the bike is off. It is not very easy to move. Is this normal? It feels like the bikes front brakes are grabbing. I know that disk brakes never fully release, but should it be hard to push the bike with your feet when sitting on it? I am having horrible fuel economy issues, yesterdays fuel up was 22.3. So i am wondering if the brakes are always somewhat on, that could cause a little lower fuel economy. Can you pressureize the front brake, so it is always pressed just a little bit? I know that the previous owner had a stainless steel line put on the front. Can you bleed them to the point that the brakes are always pressed a bit?

Thanks for reading.

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Can you get the front off the ground?Spin the wheel?The pads will contact the rotors,but the wheel will still rotate pretty much freely,like the rear does.My bike 'can' feel a tad heavy when just trying to push with my feet while sitting on it.It is afterall...over 500 lbs.Here's a test for ya....roll your bike forward while sitting on it.Now grab the front brake.How much 'play' is in the lever until it stops?When you release it,does the bike again move 'freely' as you push.You don't have to be sitting on it.You can push forward while holding her up.Just don't let the kickstand fold on ya as you go forward and hit the brake.You can do the same thing pulling backwards if ya want.You will most likely hear a 'click' from the pads doing it that way....but you get the same result.

If you think they're grabbing while riding....ride.Stop(using rear brake only).Now feel the rotor(s).there should be virtually no heat in em...or VERY LITTLE.Just be careful when ya do that...if they are grabbing...your rotor will burn your hand.

The pads will always have a light contact...but they are not "on" so to speak.ONLY when you apply lever will they make braking contact.

* Last updated by: blue07 on 8/2/2011 @ 10:54 AM *

Well, i got to sit and move another zx-14 last night. I met a rider last week. He helped me swap my sprocket for a 41 tooth last night. Well, i move his, it was way easier. There are two things though, my bike has sand in the tires for balancing, his did not. This makes it a little harder. But i think the brake is definitely grabbing now. I can clearly hear it. Also, i found out my rear brake was a little at an angle because the wheel adjustments were not even, so the rear brake is grabbing a little bit more.

Any suggestions on fixing a front brake that is grabbing too much? I dont have a tool to pick up the front wheel, so i cant really test that out right now.

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Hard to push? What are the tire pressures?
Hard to move the wheels? What color are the master cups filled with dot4? Clear or cloudy?
Hard dee har har we never flush our brake system every two years check the owner's manual.
Hard to say that mine along with blues have the same brakes sort of match roll for spin.
Hard to tell again if the disc has a warp but say not. Then if that was the case, would not the warp come around, push the pad in, then the other side coming around would be loose, right? It might be too late if it is an older bike with original fluid. Worse scenario is if the flush did not clean some of it, than the only way out is to pull the quad-rings, remove the crud under the rubber that won't let the square retract back and away from the pads.

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Yeah, the fluid is pretty darn clear. The brakes work extremely well. The guy last night was seriously impressed. Both front and rear grab very quickly. It was one of the things i liked the best about this bike when i test drove it.

Tire pressure is between 38-40psi front and rear.

* Last updated by: viperkillertt on 8/2/2011 @ 12:54 PM *

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41/41 is book. If it feels good, so be it. You're not that far off. Getting back to the brakes, the KAK is inn. You think you can handle some flushing or KAKit up... And no KAK... That was just a coincidence about the kit ting part and you having the same name and say, was that another coincidence about brake bleeding too? IDK!

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"sand in the tires"....for balancing.Rear caliper "off"....misalignment of ...axle?Viper...what the heck has your previous owner DONE that you don't know about.Shitty fuel mileage.IDK....I hope your bike's safe to ride.It is,isn't it?You need to get that front off the ground somehow.Check your spin.You don't want to be riding with your front brake grabbing.No way.Asking for a serious situation there.Or the rear either.Best get that sorted out soon.I'd also ditch the sand in the tires deal.

I'm still not gettin how your baby's only pullin down 22 mpg.What the heck's goin on?THAT is some serious loss of mileage.You mean nobody around there can tell ya what's happening?There's really only a few things that could cause such a situation.We here don't know enough about the circumstances going on with your engine and such to really diagnose what could be causing it.You changed out the gearing...okay...stock...that will increase your mileage.If it doesn't,then it's something else.

I'll ask some questions here...you answer with what it is...okay?

1)clean air filter?Y/N.
2)91 octane fuel?Y/N?
3)New or fairly new plugs?FACTORY MODEL NGK's?Y/N? 3a)Have you pulled a plug and inspected it?Y/N?
4)Factory timing wheel?Y/N?
5)IDLE HOLDING STEADY while running?Y/N?
6)BROWN SMOKE ever coming out of exhaust...under any circumstances?Especially when throttling up?Y/N?
7)WHITE SMOKE ever coming out of exhaust...under any circumstances?Y/N?
8)Any OVERHEATING going on?Boil overs?Y/N?
9)Stalling?Y/N?
10)Missing?Y/N?
11)ANY change in exhaust note while running...maybe getting more tinny or deeper?Y/N?
12)Black soot at tail pipe...excessive that is?Y/N?

Okay...that's about all I can really think of that might be causing the problems you're describing.Just one last one here...when you're riding,cruising,in traffic or whatever...just running steady in whatever gear,does the engine sound "right"...like everything is how it should be?Or is it jerking,not smooth,missing...anything like that going on?There's a real problem if you're only getting 22 mpg Viper.

* Last updated by: blue07 on 8/3/2011 @ 12:09 AM *

Have you ever lubed (had the shop lube) the axels it may be that or your calipers may be dirty hub has a great vid on brakes.

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I don't remember if you said you have a PC on there,with flies removed and a decent map.Do you?IF you do have a PC on there..DISCONNECT IT and go for a ride.That can eliminate several things that might be affecting your mileage.Just reconnect the harness in the midframe there...she'll be fine..it won't hurt anything.You don't need to remove the PC ground or anything like that.

If your brakes were affecting your mileage THAT seriously,you'd be in the ditch somewhere by now with a melted rotor and fried wheel bearings!

* Last updated by: blue07 on 8/3/2011 @ 12:18 AM *

1)clean air filter?Y, about 2 months ago when i started talking to you guys
2)92 octane fuel?Yes, always. Never fuel up any of my cars without 92. I drive high compression turbo cars.
3)New or fairly new plugs?FACTORY MODEL NGK's?Y, brand new plugs, right when i started talking to you guys, about 1100 miles on them now.
4)Factory timing wheel? I believe so, but i am going to get the muzzy one soon.
5)IDLE HOLDING STEADY while running?Yes, it is very smooth.
6)BROWN SMOKE ever coming out of exhaust...under any circumstances?Especially when throttling up?No, I have never seen any smoke.
7)WHITE SMOKE ever coming out of exhaust...under any circumstances?Nope
8)Any OVERHEATING going on?Boil overs?No, She hits the 4th spot and the fans come on. She has never got to the 5th or 6th spot.
9)Stalling?Yes, only when i start the bike. If i jump on the bike and she is not warm, i usually go less then a block and if i have not given her a good pull, then she dies. BUt it clearly is all to do with cold start. I think it is totally fine.
10)Missing?Nope, She does back fire when i am decelerating quickly on the freeway, but that is all.
11)ANY change in exhaust note while running...maybe getting more tinny or deeper?I dont believe so.
12)Black soot at tail pipe...excessive that is?Not excessive. There is no build up. My supra has A LOT of build up from too much fuel. I just polished the broc's pipe and it had a very light coat of black. It is still very shiny after about 150 miles.

I am going to re calibrate my speedo now that i have changed the wheel. The bike is so much better now. OMG! It is nice to go into a turn and not have to drop it into second. With the 39 tooth, i had to do that most of the time. I am talking aobut just driving around town, not on the highway. With the 41, i can cruise around a corner in 3rd at around 30. Much better. I am going to give an update once the bike has a few more miles on the new sprocket. Thanks

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I don't remember if you said you have a PC on there,with flies removed and a decent map.Do you?IF you do have a PC on there..DISCONNECT IT and go for a ride.That can eliminate several things that might be affecting your mileage.Just reconnect the harness in the midframe there...she'll be fine..it won't hurt anything.You don't need to remove the PC ground or anything like that.

If your brakes were affecting your mileage THAT seriously,you'd be in the ditch somewhere by now with a melted rotor and fried wheel bearings!

When i bought the bike, if you remember, the PCIII was plugged into itself. I put 700 miles on the bike without a computer. The fuel economy was the same as it currently is. I posted pictures in my other thread. So, i know it is not directly related to the pcIII. I really have high hopes for the new gear. I am going to get a new set of tires on her probably early next week and i will be sure to re grease the bearings and check everything out.

For more info about the "Sand" in the tires: http://www.innovativebalancing.com/index.php
I guess semi's do it. I thought it was crazy, but when i was working with my friend wayne on the bike and i told him that i thought i had sand in my tires, he knew about it. He asked me if my tires ever vibrate, i was like, no. It is totally smooth on the freeway. He said, that is why. I then looked my wheels over and noticed that they do not have any weights on them. So yeah, it sounds very strange to even me, but it does work. There is very little dyna beads in my tires. It is just funny, you turn the tire and then you hear a little bit of sand move.

* Last updated by: viperkillertt on 8/3/2011 @ 12:42 AM *

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