Valve Rebuild / Durability Issue - SOCALSPORTBIKES.ORG

Fishbowl · 11:09 AM

Well don't take this the wrong way anyone, please. I am at this maintenance of a bike I have in my 2013 ZX-6R. It's at almost 60,000 miles and both exhaust valves on cylinder 4 are getting the thinnest possible shim installed today. There is no more room for adjustment, the valves need to be rebuilt next time around. So roughly 6-8K miles from now.

This is absolute, complete and utter #*!T. I have two FZ1's (as many of you already now) that are both North of 60,000 miles and the valves are no where near this far gone. In fact my 2006 has THREE TIMES THE MILEAGE and the valves are well within spec. Yes, that's almost 180,000 miles. This is no joke.

There is a HUGE durability difference when it comes to the larger engines.

My advice if you plan to pack on miles commuting DON'T BUY 600 cc sport bikes for high mileage.

This sucks.

MadMax · 03-28-2017, 11:43 PM

FightingChance · 03-29-2017, 12:52 AM

Yeah, several 600rr's up there in miles... I have a friend with a '12 ZX-6R that has had a lot of issues as well. Kawasaki quality seems... variable.

zrx12dan · 04-05-2017, 06:46 PM

I don't know about the newer kawasakis but the 90s vintage ZX10/11 had problems with soft or too thin of a hardening on the valves. I had to replace them on my ZX10. Not cheap. I never put enough miles on my ZX12 to notice on there.

03-28-2017, 11:07 AM	#1
Fishbowl Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2014 Feedback Rating: (0) Posts: 431 Experience: 6 years	Valve Rebuild / Durability Issue Well don't take this the wrong way anyone, please. I am at this maintenance of a bike I have in my 2013 ZX-6R. It's at almost 60,000 miles and both exhaust valves on cylinder 4 are getting the thinnest possible shim installed today. There is no more room for adjustment, the valves need to be rebuilt next time around. So roughly 6-8K miles from now. This is absolute, complete and utter #*!T. I have two FZ1's (as many of you already now) that are both North of 60,000 miles and the valves are no where near this far gone. In fact my 2006 has THREE TIMES THE MILEAGE and the valves are well within spec. Yes, that's almost 180,000 miles. This is no joke. There is a HUGE durability difference when it comes to the larger engines. My advice if you plan to pack on miles commuting DON'T BUY 600 cc sport bikes for high mileage. This sucks.
	Last edited by Fishbowl; 03-28-2017 at 11:09 AM.

03-28-2017, 11:43 PM	#2
MadMax Part Deux Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Rancho Cucamonga Feedback Rating: (0) Posts: 673 Experience: 10+ years Trackdays: 10+ Bike(s): 2014 675R 2008 R6 (Totaled) 2005 R6 (Sold) 2003 R6 (Stolen)

03-29-2017, 12:52 AM	#3
FightingChance Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: Torrance Feedback Rating: (0) Posts: 1,274 Bike(s): 2007 CBR-600RR 1998 VFR800	Yeah, several 600rr's up there in miles... I have a friend with a '12 ZX-6R that has had a lot of issues as well. Kawasaki quality seems... variable.

04-05-2017, 06:46 PM	#4
zrx12dan Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Arizona Feedback Rating: (0) Posts: 368 Experience: 10+ years Trackdays: 10+ Bike(s): 2010 Yamaha R1 2002 Kawasaki ZX12	I don't know about the newer kawasakis but the 90s vintage ZX10/11 had problems with soft or too thin of a hardening on the valves. I had to replace them on my ZX10. Not cheap. I never put enough miles on my ZX12 to notice on there.