Finally got around to seriously modding my Rex

[rowdyram]

The Houston Area Rex Riders came over to my house a couple weeks back to show me the ins and outs of a valve adjustment. That's when the cascade of upgrades began.

According to one source, the radiator must be removed to perform a valve adjustment. Why? I dunno...anyway, off it came. After the valve adjustment one of the HARR guys says "Duane, you should go ahead and put that SuperTrapp exhaust you got in that box on your bike, you know, since you took off the radiator." Oh boy.

Off came the stock exhaust and on went the SuperTrapp. "That'll make your bike run lean..." (which it did, wayyyy lean), so "you'll have to order some pods for that thing."

While that was happening, another "helper" suggests I go ahead and put on the ZX11 side covers I bought.

Hmmm, to get the ZX11 trans cover on the bike (which is where the oil filler now resides), the front sprocket has to be removed. "Hey Duane, that chain you got on there is kinked, I can see it from here!" "Your rear sprocket is kinda pointy too." Grrr...ok, on goes the trans cover, a new chain, rear sprocket, Coerce sprocket cover for the front, and re-routed wires and hoses.

After three weekends of modding, tweaking, adding, taking away, and re-engineering with a BFH, the bike is back together and runs better than ever.

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r285/rowdyram/CIMG00221.jpg
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r285/rowdyram/CIMG00241.jpg
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r285/rowdyram/CIMG00381.jpg

I need to put my tank protector back on, but otherwise she's done with "upgrades" this year.

[aks801]

I bet you felt like you had totally lost "ownership" of your bike for a while, didn't you?

Those mods all sound tasty. The Z-Rex has always been one of my favorites, and ranks toward the top of my "short list" for when I get my next bike (should happen in Feb or Mar of '09: the reasons for that timeframe are extremely boring...).

Is there in fact an active Rex group here in H-town?

Also, I see that you have one of the fast colors....

[Tim Kreitz]

Groovy mods. You didn't re-jet? :shrug:

Oh, and take that book rack thing off the back! Heh-heh.

[rowdyram]

I bet you felt like you had totally lost "ownership" of your bike for a while, didn't you?
SNIP
Is there in fact an active Rex group here in H-town?

The HARR guys are great, and yes they're quite active with rides and mods...usually they communicate through pm's and emails on www.zrxoa.org.

Here are a coupla pics of them at my place:
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r285/rowdyram/pic33.jpg
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r285/rowdyram/pic22.jpg
http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r285/rowdyram/pic44.jpg

Groovy mods. You didn't re-jet? :shrug:

Oh, and take that book rack thing off the back! Heh-heh.

I definitely rejetted...put in DynoJet Stage 3's and now the ol' blue girl ROCKS. Yeah, the bookrack thing is a little big, but it was the best looking type at the time. When I commute to work (which is much less often these days) I like to strap my laptop bag to it.

[Tim Kreitz]

Here are a coupla pics of them at my place:

That's a groovy sight. It's a good thing your driveway is so long!

[whitesands]

The ZRX is one of my favorite bikes..

[rowdyram]

That's a groovy sight. It's a good thing your driveway is so long!

You shoulda heard them when they started up a few of them...there are a couple that will actually blur your vision when they rev. Others are much more reserved.

The driveway is a blessing and a curse. There's plenty of room for working on and cleaning vehicles, but you can't park two cars side by side. They have to "staged" for the next day, unless a vehicle or two stays on the street.

The ZRX is one of my favorite bikes..

I've ended up liking mine even more than I thought I would (and I had high expectations!) :thumb:

[pacman]

Very nice! The DJ stage 3 really wakes the Rex up!

[rowdyram]

Very nice! The DJ stage 3 really wakes the Rex up!
Thanks!

I had no idea how much until I rode mine after the mods. My Rex is the only one I've ever ridden, and it had a DJ Stage 1 in it with a K&N and Muzzy can on the stock exhaust up until now.

I want to get it on the dyno to see what it's making. I got a baseline done in March, so to me it'll be interesting to see the gains.

[whitesands]

Kawasaki needs to bring the ZRX back to production with the traditional styling and perhaps some updates...

[budzrex]

yep a modded rex is a joy indeed. Oh and a valve shim and exhaust can be
done with the rad in place.

HARR guys are a great group. From the looks of the Photo you had
the full crew, I saw Mitch staring at an exhaust, Jack working and Brian supervising from under that bucket hat

[rowdyram]

Kawasaki needs to bring the ZRX back to production with the traditional styling and perhaps some updates...

Welllll, all ya gotta do is move overseas...they're still in production believe it or not. Check out the '08 models on Kawasaki's Australian site:

http://www.kawasaki.com.au/index.php?category=motorcycles&sub_category=5&product=13&product_details=photos

Now I'll agree, a ZRX1400 would, um, captivate me.

[rowdyram]

yep a modded rex is a joy indeed. Oh and a valve shim and exhaust can be
done with the rad in place.

HARR guys are a great group. From the looks of the Photo you had
the full crew, I saw Mitch staring at an exhaust, Jack working and Brian supervising from under that bucket hat

I had 14 HARR guys there. Mitch, Jack, Brian, Chris, Rick, Eddie, Glen, Mark, Jeff, Dennis, and 4 others I can't even remember names for. Easy to do when you're hunkered over a Rex working on a valve adjustment, exhaust install, side cover change out, etc. But yeah, I figured about 20 seconds after we started removing the valve cover that the radiator didn't need to come off.

Oh well...it needed a good coolant flush anyway.

[whitesands]

Welllll, all ya gotta do is move overseas...they're still in production believe it or not. Check out the '08 models on Kawasaki's Australian site:

http://www.kawasaki.com.au/index.php?category=motorcycles&sub_category=5&product=13&product_details=photos

Now I'll agree, a ZRX1400 would, um, captivate me.

Why is it the U.S. seems to always be left out when it comes to these issues ?

[Tim Kreitz]

yep a modded rex is a joy indeed. Oh and a valve shim and exhaust can be done with the rad in place.

I meant to mention that, too. When I did my first valve check, I left the radiator on. They were just telling you that so you'd install the new exhaust! :clap:

[Tim Kreitz]

Why is it the U.S. seems to always be left out when it comes to these issues ?

Because we apparently lack culture and good taste. :rider: :lol2:

[Sleepy Weasel]

Because we apparently lack culture and good taste. :rider: :lol2:

This, according to the people who would cry themselves to sleep every night if we cut off their supply of McDonalds, Snickers, and Coca-Cola.
:lol2:

[GALAZIO]

(and I just had a Coke and Snickers)...

[Tim Kreitz]

I've ended up liking mine even more than I thought I would (and I had high expectations!) :thumb:

The Rex has an appeal that's diffcult to articulate or quantify, but if you ever try one, you immediately understand. When you twist the throttle, it feels like you're riding on a shotput that was hurled by a mountain giant.

[whitesands]

Can't do sweet and sweet.....Pop corn and coke for me....

[Tim Kreitz]

Can't do sweet and sweet.....Pop corn and coke for me....

Peanuts and Diet Coke = Yum.

[rowdyram]

RC and a Moonpie
Peanuts and Dr. Pepper

Rum and Coke...(speaking of which I think I'll go get some rum as I'm out)

[pacman]

Shiner Bock and popcorn. :chug:

[whitesands]

Peanuts and Diet Coke = Yum.

Oh yeah....Peanuts and coke! Me and my wife's favorite.