Kawasaki ZXR250 Modern Naked Cafe Racer Inspired

[bobbyhavok]

(dodgy phone pics)


I initially bought this off a fellow PSBer for $500 with 6 months rego as a cheap fixer-upper/commuter.
Needed re-wiring/wiring diagnosis as indicators etc don’t work.
Has a cooling system problem, as coolant enters the crankcase through suspected damaged water seal.
So the plan was to fix it up on the cheap and use it to commute.

Then another ZXR250 appeared on here which I picked up for $450 for the complete bike.
This one was binned so has damaged fairings/cosmetics, but everything else is good.



So the plan is to
Swap over the newer better looking swing-arm/rear end from the donor bike
Swap over the front end
Swap Engine/electrics

And that will get it running.
I have further plans to keep it naked with café racer inspiration.
Ideas:
Building a tubular trellis style sub-frame and build a custom solo seat.
Large round single headlight.
Remove and polish rims.
Tank/seat section colour: I’ve got a custom orange with white/gold pearl – similar to the XR5 pasty orange.
Paint frame/sub frame either white, or black (if I go black – ill do the headlight, forks black too) if white ill polish the swing-arm.
Paint engine black.
Build a custom GP style shorty exhaust.
Use the clip-ons off the donor.

I could have regd the donor bike, sold it at a profit, got the bunky going on the cheap and left it, but I figured I may as well build one good bike out the two – instead of two average bikes. And ill have some fun on the way.

[bobbyhavok]

All i need is a round headlight and i should have all the parts i need to finish the project, this part can wait, but if you have one laying around, or a cheapie, please let me know =)

[bobbyhavok]

last night i pulled the exhaust and rear fairings off the bike, had the little fella running around so i didnt get much work done.
pulling the can off gave me the idea to build a tidy GP style short underslung exhaust

current progress


also made me realise how messy the work area is.
as you can see, with all the cr@p in the background, my garage is a mess, so, i think the next part of the project will be cleaning up/organising the garage/workshop so i can build the subframe and get things nice and orderly.
A tidy workstation - something im truely looking forward to!

[Frogger]

man u got a bargin on that second bike. just check the clearances before u go reving the crap out of it.

build an exhaust like this
YouTube - ZXR 250 with custome GP exhaust (sounding)

[bobbyhavok]

ill do a big service on the motor before kicking her in the guts.

yeah, heaps nice guy too, was super stoked with the purchase.
nah, exhaust more like this =P
YouTube - ZXR 250 No Exhaust

[Frogger]

lol yeah that would be nice except it would burn your valves within a week.

[bobbyhavok]

if you rejet the carbs it should be ok aye?

[Frogger]

i think its more to do with back pressure. but im not sure realy. but since it revs so high i read its more likely to have problems then say a ninja250. if ur good with a welder u might want to talk to mattpack about the exhaust they put on there current project.

[esquire]

All i need is a round headlight and i should have all the parts i need to finish the project, this part can wait, but if you have one laying around, or a cheapie, please let me know =)

I got one of these for my R1 (I've done a similar thing to what you're planning).

Looking forward to seeing where this goes.

[bobbyhavok]

That's a bloody good price, hope to pull out the old motor this weekend, as long as I get my garage sorted out

[Frogger]

just so u know the head on the old engine was worked over by gav GD enginerring so its worth putting somewhere clean as a spare.

[bobbyhavok]

Do you know what work was done?

[Frogger]

he did the clearences so new shims he reseated the valves and he cleaned it all up.

[bobbyhavok]

Sorted the garage out... well better than it was two bikes, two sets of fairings and my old tool days rolling cab take up a lot of room in half a garage.
Got the donor bike running, some fresh fuel, carby clean, charged battery, fire up go!
Makes me think, maybe reg it, and do the cafe idea on the other.

[mike-s]

Just watched that exhaust video. I forgot how these bikes sound like their going stratospherically fast and the bike is just thrumming about. Good luck with the 2dodgy:1good project

[bobbyhavok]

Cheers. Yeah they're pretty funny. Funny seeing people ride em wot, lots of noise, not a lot of action.
Will fully strip the bike this weekend

[bobbyhavok]

Pulled the rear end off.
Now to buy a bench grinder and buffing wheels.

[Daz]

All this talk of backpressure is bs the best a engine can run is with open intake and exhaust that it fueled correctly.

[bobbyhavok]

off to bunnings to buy a bench grinder/buffing wheels tonite.
take it to the swingarm.

[Frogger]

lol gl with the wheels . thats how far i got , they were completely purple and had a white layer under that and a black one i think. i used paint striper and steel wool. and i wasnt able to get the front wheel off.