Forum > Exhaust, Fuel Management, and Performance

Bike feels slower, could it be...

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PsyCLown:
Hey all,


So my bike has started to feel a bit slow... or slower than it use to be.
I have had her since Feb this year, she had 38 000KM on her and now has just over 50 000KM. The past few months she has started to feel a bit lazy and today she felt quite slow and sluggish. Now she started to feel a bit slow around the time when my exhaust fell off (I suspect someone tried to steal it, didn't have enough time to finish the job and then since the 2 screws were loose it just fell off on the highway)... then I put the stock exhaust back on and 3 weeks later I got a new aftermarket exhaust. So I drove for around 8KM in the rain without a slip-on - just the branches.

At 42 000KM I did the regular service and tried to check the shims with a friend of mine - so let my bike stand over night and then we checked the shims and it seemed as if the exhaust shims were out of spec. 48 000KM did the other normal service and I think around 49 000KM I finally managed to find some spare cash and time and sent my bike into Kawasaki to have the shims done - the mechanic called me the morning after I dropped the bike off and asked why I think the shims need to be done. Told him my friend and I checked the shims with the feeler tool thingy they were out of spec... The mechanic then said that he let the bike run / idle and the top end sounded quiet and the bike idled fine and did not struggle to start.

Apparently if your shims need to be replaced you WILL hear it in the top end, the bike WILL struggle to start in the cold and if the shims are too tight then your bike will struggle to start when ever. So now I am not too sure about the mechanic, would like some input from you guys on the shim issue. Also for a while now my bike does not idle like it use to when I first got her... When I first got her she produced a nice constant purr, now at times she almost "chugs" or "splutters" if I could call it that - kind of like a harley when they idle... its not constant, its in burts... she idles like that occasionally. The idle speed is between 1000 and 1100 RPM.


Then today after work I did a 50KM ride and she just felt quite lazy and dead, also as I stated previously the pat few months her acceleration has felt a bit slow... Now I am not sure whether I am just getting use to the power of whether she needs some attention. There was a Volkswagen GTI which wanted to have a bit of fun the other day and I struggled to pull ahead of it, only once I hit 2nd gear did I manage to pull ahead (although he may have slowed down) and there was a BMW R1200GS where we were both lane splitting and when the robot turned green, he stuck right next to me in 1st and then slowed down when I changed to 2nd gear.
I know for a fact the Z750S DOES easily leave the 1200GS's behind in a straight line, as in June I went to the track and a buddy of mine went on his 1200GS as his Blackbird was not ready yet (project bike) and in the corners he gave me a run for my money (also has a lot more confidence and experience than I do) but as soon as we hit the straights he was left faaar behind. Now I may not have had the throttle open fully when accelerating or changed gears a bit early (8K maybe 9K)....


So I would like some feedback please. Do you think I am perhaps just getting use to the bike and riding her slightly different, perhaps not opening throttle fully all the time as I seldom do... do not really NEED to - occasionally rev her up in 1st and 2nd gear. Do you think it may be the shims which need to be replaced? Could something have gotten damaged and just gotten worse during the 8KM or so of riding without a slip-on exhaust in the rain on the highway? I replaced the spark plugs (all 4) and did an oil change, cleaned air filter 2000 KM ago (during the 38 000KM service). I also made use of some addative (Liqui Molly addative, I used Liqui Molly oil too).

Thanks

blackrat:
If you want to get a shift on you're changing gear to early.....if it's like mine she only really starts to pull hard when you hit 8-9000 rpm, so you may be changing just as she gets into the power band. If I'm having a bit of blast I don't change until at least 10500 rpm.
Not to sure re adding moly, think I read somewhere you really shouldn't use additives because of the wet clutch?

PsyCLown:
Yeah, she does only start to really pull around there and I too take her up to around 11k at times if I am having fun. But she has just started to feel slower, I remember her a lot faster before the 8/9k mark or at least getting there faster.

Also I know you have to be careful with additives and oil due to the wet clutch, although this additive is specifically made for 4 stroke bikes with wet clutches - there was a different product for bikes which have dry clutches and I think another one for 2 stroke bikes, but may be wrong there.

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