SUMMER 1999 THE KAWASAKITECHNICAL MAGAZINE VOL. 12,...

S U M M E R 1 9 9 9 T H E K AWA S A K I T E C H N I C A L M A G A Z I N E V O L . 1 2 , N O . 2

ROUTE LIST ❑ SERVICE ❑ PARTS ❑ SALESP L E A S E R E T U R N T O S E R V I C E L I B R A R Y

INSIDEFeature The Y2KXs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2Regional Update . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3News Tool Corner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

2000 Mule™ Vehicles . . . . . . . 52000 ATVs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5Super Sherpa and ZR-7 . . . . . . 6

Tech Tips Drifter™ Tool Kit . . . . . . . . . . 7Mixing Ratio . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7MSDS CD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8KL650 Transmission . . . . . . . . 8Digital Cameras and E-Mail . . . 9Prairie® Springs. . . . . . . . . . . 9Ultra 150 Tune-Up Tips . . . . . 10Ultra 150 Water Mufflers . . . 10

KX65

BIGTHINGS INLITTLEPACKAGES

BIGTHINGS INLITTLEPACKAGES

KX65

by John GriffinInstructionalDesigner/Instructor

The all-new KX65 high-lights the KX lineup for2000 (or Y2K, if you will).The KX125 and KX250return with a host of excit-ing improvements to theengine and chassis. Theremaining green bikesreturn to the line-up withattractive new graphics.

KX65The KX65 is a new big

brother to the KX60,which is still offered. TheKX65 engine is based onthe KX60 with changesthat solidly boost power.The chassis is new fromthe ground up, with moretravel, longer wheelbase,and disc brakes.

EngineThe cylinder bore is

1.5mm larger for a dis-

placement of 64.7cc, from60cc. This may not seemlike much but, with anengine this small, it reallyadds power and broadensthe powerband. The newcylinder has short studssecuring it to the caseswith separate studs secur-ing the cylinder head. Tohandle the heat created bythe additional horse-power, the cooling systemhas a larger radiator. Anew water pump reduc-tion gear reduces impellershaft rpm for longer seallife.

Better airflow in andout of the engine resultsin more power. Air flowsthrough a large airbox, airfilter, and air boot to aMikuni VM24SS carbure-tor that now has anair/fuel mixture screw.After combustion, airescapes through a moreefficient center exhaustport which was madepossible by moving thecylinder 12.5mm to theleft on the cases andchanging the frame to asplit cradle type. The airexits through a “low boy”exhaust pipe and aremovable, aluminummuffler.

Clutch action isimproved with a clutchrelease arm that rides inneedle bearings and newsteel clutch plates. Theclutch basket and hub useinvolute splines and arefastened with a circlip

instead of a bolt. Shift-ing is easier thanks to ashorter shift lever and ashift drum that rides onroller bearings.

ChassisThe all-new chassis fea-

tures a split cradle designand bottom link Uni-Traksystem. A large box sec-tion steel swingarm hasblock style chain adjustersand connects to an alu-minum, piggyback reser-voir shock that is rebuild-able and has a threadedpreload adjuster.

The KX65 front end ismore rigid with 33mmfront forks (from 30mm)with more travel and alarger diameter front axle(from 10mm to 12mm).Tapered steering headbearings add precisionand durability. Thewheelbase is 3/4 inchlonger than the KX60 andthe steering angle is 1.5degrees tighter at 26.5˚.This bike goes where therider points it, even atspeed in the rough.

Lightweight and strongaluminum rims are lacedto hubs with 180mmbrake rotors front andback that can “stop on adime.” Other featuresderived from the big KXsinclude: clutch and brakecontrols, a removable left-side rear frame piece, andlarge 40mm wide caststeel footpegs with sturdy10mm pivots.

KX125Engine

The 2000 KX125 is eas-ier to ride fast with abroader powerband andmore thrust. The cylinderports have been loweredto add bottom andmidrange power and theexhaust ports are wider tomaintain good top-end. Anew cylinder head lowersthe compression ratio(from 8.2:1 to 7.9:1 high-speed compression) to letthe engine rev quickerand higher. Revisions tothe exhaust pipe, K-TRICtiming, ignition map, anda one-tooth larger rearsprocket complementthese changes.

To improve engineresponse and make carbu-retion less finicky, the car-buretor has a redesignedair inlet circuit, new jetnozzle and new jetting. Aheavier flywheel helps thebike to hook up and goinstantly. The clutch pullis lighter with better feel,

SUMMER 1999 K-TECH NEWS

Cover Story

2

KX65

The new KX125 has abroader powerbandand new front forks tohandle those frontwheel landings.

TheY2KXs

Continued on pg. 12

3SUMMER 1999 K-TECH NEWS

Regional

K-TECH NewsVol. 12, No.2Summer 1999

K-TECH News Staff

PublisherKawasaki Tech Services

Publications ManagerDon Church

Executive EditorGary Herzog

Editor-in-ChiefGregg Thompson

Communications EditorJohn Griffin

Regional EditorsPiscataway/Grand Rapids

Fred DeHart

Atlanta/TulsaWalter Rainwater

Irvine/TacomaRobert Taylor

ContributorsDavid Behlings, Randy Davis,Kenny Osberg, Keith Pestotnik

Graphics/Production

Graphic ArtGregg Thompson

PhotographyDave Corey, John Griffin,

Walter Rainwater

ProductionHolland Marketing Services

©1999 Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A.All rights reserved.

Published by Kawasaki

All suggestions become the property ofKMC. Sending a service suggestion givesKawasaki permission to publish and/or

use it without further consideration.Specifications subject to change without notice.

A $10.00 "TOOL" THAT SHOULD BE INYOUR TOOLBOX!

Here is the scenario:Your boss walks back

to the service departmentwith Joe Customer andasks you for the piston-to-cylinder clearance forJoe’s motorcycle in inchesbecause the person boringthe cylinder does not havemetric measuring instru-ments. You grab a calcula-tor out of the top of yourtoolbox, take the metricspecification and multiplyit by 0.03937. Within thirtyseconds, Joe Customer hashis piston clearance ininches, and the boss andJoe think you are a genius.Reality: You bought a ten-dollar calculator and keepit with a conversion chartin your toolbox!

How about this one?You need to torque a nutto 3.5 kg-m but the onlytorque wrench you canfind is in foot-pounds!No problem, grab yourcalculator and multiply3.5 kg-m by 7.233 and youhave the equivalenttorque in foot-pounds.You saved yourself a half-hour of looking for themetric torque wrench.

Shop manuals do not

always give specificationsin both English and metricterms. Sure, you can lookthrough several referencesand probably find theequivalent specification,but a calculator with aconversion chart does itfaster.

Most service manualshave a conversion table inthe appendix. Kawasaki’sService Update seminarhandbooks also contain aconversion chart. The cal-culator takes the drudgeryout of doing the math.

Keep a calculator andconversion chart handy. Itwill save you time, andgive the perception oftechnical genius everytime you help a customeror fellow employee. Everygood technician needs acalculator!

Fred DeHart201 Circle Drive N. #107

Piscataway, NJ 08854(732) 469-1221

MORE “EXTRA" SPECIAL TOOLS

“Extra” special toolsare tools you make your-self because no one manu-factures them. Here aretwo variations of a tool tohelp assemble watercraftcrankcases. To assemblecrankcases, you must sup-

port the upper crankcaseoff the workbench so theconnecting rods can hangdown freely to avoid pos-sible damage. If you haveever installed a crank inthe upper case while bal-ancing the whole assem-bly on shaky boards, youwill appreciate either ofthese tools.

Tool #1: Simple metaldowels. Four dowels arethreaded in one end sothey can be fastened ontothe 8mm cylinder basestuds as extensions. Imade the set picturedwith 4 1/4" long sectionsof 5/8" tubing bonded tocylinder base acorn nutswith epoxy. This size fitsnearly all Jet Ski® engines.Another option is to take4 1/4" long sections ofmetal stock and drill andtap one end with 10mm x1.25 threads.

Tool #2: A plain woodbox. I use wood from awatercraft crate becausethe soft wood doesn’tdamage the crankcases.The boxes are 5" tall withholes drilled for the studsand locating dowels to

PISCATAWAY/GRAND RAPIDS

ATLANTA/TULSA

slide down into. Use abase gasket as a patternfor the size of the box andhole location. The casehalf should sit firmly onthe box as you assemblethe crankcases. I have adifferent size box for 750twins, 900/1100 triples,and the 1200 triple.

I hope you try one ofthese tools. They makecrankcase assembly mucheasier.

Walter Rainwater6110 Boat Rock Blvd. S.W.

Atlanta, GA 30378(404) 349-2000

NEW TRAINING SEASON

It’s time to start plan-ning for next year’s ser-vice training. Once again,last year’s attendance wasa record for K-Tech train-ing, and we’re expectingeven more this year. Withthe introduction of some

very special products,training is even moreimportant this year. Thisyear there will be 2 one-day seminars: ServiceUpdate 2000 covering allthe new models and somespecial items to kick offyear 2000. The secondseminar will cover theKawasaki Jet Ski Water-craft Direct Injection sys-tem. You may attend oneor both seminars.

The seminars will be inthe same cities as lastyear, however we havealready added a few newcities. Last year severallocations ran into prob-lems because so manypeople signed up verylate. When we reserve alocation for a seminar, weuse the student number tobook the room size, num-ber of meals, and neededmaterials. The rooms havea maximum number ofpeople they can hold; and,because of local codes, wecannot accept any moreunless we get anotherroom, which can beimpossible on such short

notice.Last year we could

have had two seminars atsome locations if we hadan accurate attendancecount. Please sign up asearly as possible. Look fora Service Bulletin to bemailed in September list-ing the dates and loca-tions. This year the semi-nars will start in mid-October.

The Kawasaki FICHTJet Ski Watercraft DirectInjection class will coverthe technical features andoperation of Kawasaki’sall-new watercraft featur-ing FICHT Fuel Injection.This class includes fea-tures of the new water-craft, component opera-tion, circuit operation, andsystem troubleshootingusing all-new diagnosticsoftware. As an incentiveto the dealership, all atten-dees will receive the diag-nostic software and man-ual as part of the course.�

Rob Taylor9950 Jeronimo Road

Irvine, CA 92618(949) 770-0400


Regional

C o n g r a t u l a t i o n s ! Ray Sumner from Millennium Cycleworks in Lilburn, Ga.

and Gary Bustillos from Beaumont Kawasaki in Beaumont,Calif.

We have a tie for the Grand Award in the 1999 KawasakiService Contest. Remember, the Grand Award is earned by theperson (or persons) with the highest cumulative score from allthree quizzes of the Service Contest.

Ray and Gary are about as loyal to Kawasaki as two peo-ple could be and we sincerely appreciate their participation.Both gentlemen have competed in all three Service Contests(1993, 1995, and 1999). Gary was the Grand Award winner inthe first contest.

Each award winner has selected a gift certificate for theitems of his choice from the Kawasaki accessory catalog. Look

for more information on award winners in the next issue.�

The History of FlywheelPuller 57001-1405

I receive many calls on this toolbecause of numerous part numberand physical changes. It originatedas the flywheel puller for theJH900-A1 as P/N 57001-1223,and was modified several times butretained the same part number.This caused confusion because thetool looked different, but operatedthe same. It was also used on theJH/JT1100’s flywheel, and wasslightly modified soon after, but stillretained the same part number. Inshort, 57001-1223 was used on all3-cylinder Jet Ski® engines.

In 1997 when the Prairie 400came out, 57001-1223 was usedto remove the flywheel, but thepart number changed to 57001-1403 without any physical changesto the tool, and 57001-1223 wasdropped. This caused confusionbecause the watercraft manuals stilllisted 57001-1223 as the flywheelpuller with no reference to 57001-1403 as the new puller.

In 1998, we changed 57001-1403 to fit upcoming models andchanged the part number to57001-1405, which is the currentnumber. Part number 57001-1405works fine on the Prairie 400(note: the Prairie 300 uses 57001-1191) but will no longer workproperly on the 3-cylinder water-craft engines. Those enginesrequire adapter 57001-1279 alongwith 57001-1405 to avoid damag-ing the end of the crankshaft. Theadapter is not used with the oldertools 57001-1223 or 57001-1403.�—Rob Taylor,Supervisor, CurriculumDevelopment

CornerTool

Regional News - cont’d

IRVINE/TACOMA


The 2000 KawasakiATVs feature refinementsto improve durability andcomfort. The biggest newsfor all ATVs is the addi-tion of a brake light. Aswitch on the front andrear brake levers activatesthe brake light(s). All theATVs also get resistorspark plugs, a moredurable parking brakelever and boot, and newgas caps with recessedvent tips to avoid impactdamage.

The Bayous and theLakota feature a moredurable clutch material ontheir centrifugal clutch.The Prairie models use anew drive belt with cogson both sides of the beltfor added rigidity andimproved wear resistance.The floorboards on thePrairies have new holes to

increase traction for therider’s boots.

Here are models thatreceived additionalchanges:

Bayou® 220: A redesignedfront rack makes it easierto carry a load. New car-buretor settings help sta-bilize the idle andimprove response. Thefront brake drums arereinforced in the bearingarea to reduce brake noisewhen hot.

Bayou® 300 4x4: Newshocks front and rear haveall-new damping andspring rates for a plusherride. Compared to lastyear, the springs areslightly stiffer initially,then significantly softer inthe middle and end of thestroke. The shocks have alot less rebound dampingwith a tad more compres-sion damping.

The plastic cover infront of the handlebarclamps is now made ofnylon instead of ABS to

add strength. Anew left-handswitch case withstart button is moreresistant to wet andmuddy conditions.

Prairie 300® andPrairie 300 4x4: The

wiring connector forthe electric carbure-tor heater has beenmoved to make ser-vicing easier.�


News


Some good news forMules in 2000 is the addi-tion of a new Mule 520.This model is based on theMule 550 but features dif-ferent tires and a reducedtop speed of 15 mph (from20 mph). We featured theMule 2510 Diesel in ourlast issue. That model isset to be released to deal-ers this September.

Mule 520The biggest difference

between the Mule 520 andthe Mule 550 are smaller,smooth, hard-surface tires.The smaller tires combinewith a different enginegovernor spring to cut topspeed by 5 mph. Thechange in governor speedlowers the maximum rpmto 3000 rpm (from 3600).

Mule 550The Mule 550 is now

even more durable with anew CVT belt and addedreinforcement to the steer-ing rack and pinion. TheMule 520 also featuresthese additions.

Mule 2500/2510 4x4/2520

Refinement is the nameof the game for the newMule 2500 series. Thesemodels received a rein-forced rack and pinion.Also larger diameter reardrive shafts and pinionsadd strength and durabil-ity. The 2510 4x4 getslarger u-joints for the frontpropeller shaft.

Kawasaki also focusedon small details. The handshift lever is now largerand more rigid for easiershifting. New seals withan added dust lip protectthe front wheel bearingsfor longer bearing life. Theparking brake inner cableis covered with a liner toresist corrosion andwear.�

Mule 520

2000 ATVs

The 2000 Bayou 300 4x4 maylook like last year’s model, butit has several refinements,including new shock absorbersfront and back.

Mule™ Utility Vehicles for 2000

News



The Super Sherpa andZR-7 are new models justintroduced to the U.S.market. They both are do-it-all machines with maxi-mum “bang for the buck.”They give their rider com-fort and the ability to havefun wherever they go.They expand Kawasaki’slineup to meet the grow-ing demand for motorcy-cles in our country.

ZR-7The ZR-7 follows on

the success of theZRX1100 with the powerand handling to carvecanyons and the comfortand reliability to handledaily commuting. If youadd the optional hardbags, it’s ready for sporttouring. This bike resists

being fit into a category,but if you must, Kawasakiis calling it a Naked StreetBike.

It is powered by apumped up, air-cooled738cc engine with rootsthat tie it back to thefabled Z-1. It uses dualoverhead cams with directvalve actuation and shimunder-buckets. New wrin-kles include the KawasakiThrottle Responsive Igni-tion Control (K-TRIC) forexceptional throttleresponse and fuel econ-omy, an oil cooler, and astainless steel 4-into-1exhaust system.

The chassis is readyand willing with stiff41mm conventional forksup front and Uni-Trak inthe rear. The rear shockoffers 4-way rebounddamping and 7-way pre-load. Wide and lightthree-spoke rims like the

ZX-6R/ 9R are wrappedwith Z-rated DunlopSportmax II radial tires(120/70-ZR17 and 160/60-ZR17). Braking chores arehandled by dual 300mmrotors up front and a sin-gle 240mm rotor in back.Dual-piston calipers areused all around.

The 445-pound ZR-7 ismade even better with abargain price of $5,699. Itoffers a comfortableupright seating position,5.8-gallon fuel tank forgreat range and fullinstrumentation with afuel gauge. It has nice fea-tures like a center stand,adjustable hand levers,storage under the seat,and grease fittings for therear suspension. This is agreat bike at a great price.

Super SherpaThe Super Sherpa is

sure to bring tons ofsmiles per mile. It has atorquey 250cc engine withthe magic button, that is,electric start. This featureis invaluable, since inex-perienced riders can startit at will and quick trips tothe store are simple. Thelow, narrow seat andlightweight agility allowriders of all sizes to rideconfidently and explorenew ground. Long travelsuspension gets you therewith a plush ride, and

front and rear disc brakesoffer a quick stop whenyou are ready.

The air-cooled, DOHC,4-valve, single-cylinderengine is based on thesuccessful KLX300R. It isprotected with an alu-minum skid plate and hasan exhaust system madecompletely of lightweightstainless steel. A 6-speedtransmission allows a gearfor every situation, streetor trail.

The chassis is ready foradventure with 36mmfront forks providing 8.7inches of travel. The Uni-Trak suspension in therear features an alu-minum swingarm and 7.3inches of travel. Othernice features include atrick digital speedometerwith large display, dualtripmeters, and clock. Thechoke knob is easy toreach mounted next tohandlebar clamps. Goldanodized aluminum rimsare a classy touch on amotorcycle retailing foronly $3,999. The SuperSherpa is a natural fortraining new riders soKawasaki has made itpart of our Rider Educa-tion Program.�

2000 Super Sherpa and ZR-7

Super Sherpa

ZR-7

Vulcan™

1500Drifter™

Tool Kitby Gregg ThompsonProduct Support Supervisor

Have you ever tried tofind the tool kit on aVulcan 1500 Drifter?Some dealers and cus-tomers have had troublefinding it. For sure, thetool kit can be hard tofind, but it is usuallythere.

To find it, you firstremove the LH sidecover, which is secured

by a keyed lock andthree rubber dampers.Under the side cover is acompartment, which on49-state models containsonly a small strap, thekind of strap that nor-mally holds the tool kit.On California models,this compartment holdsthe evaporative emis-sions charcoal canister,but on all other units,the compartment isempty except

for the strap. Itlooks like the

tool kitshould beright there,

held by thatstrap.Dealers and

customers understand-ably come to the conclu-sion that the tool kit has

been left out by the fac-tory. But in fact there issort of a false bottom tothat compartment withanother compartmentbelow it. By pulling outthe bottom of the com-partment, you will dis-cover the tool kit hiddenin the back of that lowercompartment.�


Tech Tips

Carbon Clean Mixing Ratio

by Gregg ThompsonProduct Support Supervisor

As mentioned in the Summer 1998 issue of K-Tech News, the

Kawasaki Accessories department has a new chemical product

called Carbon Clean (P/N K61030-003). The purpose of this

gasoline additive is to break up and remove carbon deposits

from engine combustion chambers while the engine is running. Our big V-twin engines (both the 800s and 1500s)

are particularly susceptible to developing heavy carbon deposits during slow speed use and often can benefit from

this product.

Unfortunately, our initial shipments of this product came without mixing ratio instructions on the label. The opti-

mum ratio for removing existing carbon from the combustion chamber is one bottle of Carbon Clean to 3 1/2 gal-

lons of gas. However, the ratio is not critical. Any amount of this additive is helpful and it would take almost

straight Carbon Clean in the gas tank (not a likely scenario) to cause a problem. Even then, the problem would

most likely be that the engine simply would not start. Smaller amounts used more frequently can help prevent the

build-up of carbon.�

Pull out compartment

Tool Kit

EmptyCompartment

by Gregg Thompson andRandy Davis

In our Winter 1997issue of K-Tech News, weran an article explainingsome changes in theKL650 - A10 and latertransmission that couldresult in trouble for you ifyou were working on anearlier (A1 - A9) model.At the time there was anew style output shaftthat was not directly inter-changeable with the ear-lier one. However, thepart number for the oldershaft could substitute tothe newer one if the olderone was backordered. Fora while, the part numberfor the older style shaftwas actually canceled,making it impossible toget. Recently that errorwas corrected and the old

style shaft was madeavailable again. However,there are other complica-tions with ordering KL650transmission parts thatcan result in confusion.All the information forordering the correct parts

is on the fiche but youmust be careful. Makesure you are ordering theparts for the correct modeland, in the case of theKL650-A10, make sureyou order the correctparts for the customer’s

exact engine number.There were midyearchanges that are not inter-changeable.

For your conveniencethe above table shows theparts evolution for thistransmission.�

Model A1-A9 Early A-10 to Eng. 32217 Late A-10 (Eng. 32218 and later)

Description Part No. Teeth Part No. Note Part No. NoteShaft, Input 13127-1147 15t 13127-1147 15t ←2nd Gear, Input 13129-1518 17t 13260-1464 18t ←3rd Gear, Input 13129-1519 22t 13260-1466 6&6 dogs x 34mm 13260-1518** 5&6 dogs x 36mm4th Gear, Input 13129-1520 22t 13260-1325 6 'holes' 13260-1519** 5 'holes'5th Gear, Input 13129-1410 24t 13260-1326 24t ←Shaft, Output 13128-1175 with flange 13128-1203 no flange ←Collar N/A 92143-1721* replaces flange ←1st Gear, Output 13129-1838 34t 13260-1327 34t ←2nd Gear, Output 13129-1523 26t 13260-1465 26t ←3rd Gear, Output 13129-1524 26t 13260-1467 25t ←4th Gear, Output 13129-1525 21t 13260-1330 21t 13260-15205th Gear, Output 13129-1575 19t 13260-1331 19t ←Sprocket 13144-1163 15t 13144-1253 15t ←Nut No nut 92015-1963*Collar 92027-1800 Sprocket ← ←Lockplate 13183-1525 Not used ←Lock Tab Not used 92200-1065 Sprocket nut lock ←Shift Fork Low Gear 13140-1023 ← ←Shift Fork 2 & 3 13140-1024 ← ←Shift Fork 4 & 5 13140-1025 34mm dia. ← 13140-1257** 37mm dia.


Tech Tips

KL650Transmission Info

It Is Coming! MSDS CDSoon you will receive a CD-ROM containing the Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for the hazardous materials you receive from Kawasaki. Each chemical (or

“material”) has its own data sheet. The MSDS give vital details about hazardous chemicals such as: physical hazards (like potential for fire, explosion, and reactiv-

ity), health hazards, primary route(s) of entry, and emergency first aid procedures. Kawasaki currently supplies this on microfiche. Paper copies are available upon

request.

The MSDS CD has several benefits. You will be able to print any MSDS page on demand. A CD takes up very little space. The information is easy to find with sev-

eral ways to search for any material. Locate it by KMC part number, product type (adhesives/sealants, lubricants/oils, battery acid, etc.), or by the Manufacturer of

the product (Bel-Ray, Motul, Loctite).

Keep this CD in an easily accessible place and let all employees know about it. There are federal-and state-mandated regulations on MSDS in the workplace, so

check the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) regulation for your location.�—David Behlings

*The late style output shaft, collar and sprocket nut can be used as a set in the earliertransmission, if necessary.** These (late style) gears and shift fork must be used together as a set.

by Kenny OsbergProduct Support Specialist

Does your dealershiphave a digital camera yet?Or does someone in yourdealership have one? If so,you could really improveyour communication withthe Hotline by sendingdigital pictures by e-mailinstead of prints throughthe mail.

As it is now, when weneed to see pictures ofsome damage beforeauthorizing a repair, alarge percentage of deal-ers send Polaroid pictures.These are typically verypoor quality and oftendon’t show the damage atall. This is especially trueof white Jet Ski® water-craft hulls. Many dealerswill use either a dispos-able or inexpensive point-and-shoot 35mm camerawith only slightly betterresults. A few dealers usea higher quality 35mmcamera with a good closerange lens, which pro-duces significantly betterpictures. But picturesfrom a digital camera usu-ally show details even bet-ter than the average pho-tos from a better-than-average 35mm camera.

But that doesn’t take intoaccount other factorsinvolved.

Let’s say the Polaroidand cheap 35mm camerasjust aren’t good enough(which is usually true).Here is a comparison ofthe whole process with agood 35mm camera vs. adigital camera.

35mm Camera:•Find a roll of film or goto the store and buy one.•Move the subject vehicleinto proper lighting forpictures.•Take the pictures.•Take the film to have itdeveloped (often wastingmuch of the roll).•Go get pictures afterdeveloping (there goesyour lunch break).•If pictures aren’t goodenough, go back to stepone (there goes your day).•Package and send thepictures, once you’ve gotgood ones.•Wait for pictures toarrive at KMC and theHotline Tech to call youback.•What a pain!

Digital Camera•Take pictures (digitalcameras can compensatefor almost any lightingconditions).•Review pictures immedi-ately (free processing!).•Download (into an e-mail message) just the pic-tures you want to send.•Send the e-mail and talkto the Hotline Tech thesame day.•Really fast!

With digital pictures, ifyou didn’t get what theHotline tech needed, it’seasy to take and sendmore—no cost for filmand processing and verylittle time spent. With the35mm method, it’s back tostep one again!

There’s no doubt thedigital camera is a betterway to go. You (or yourboss) should consider get-ting one for your dealer-

ship, and then the nexttime a Hotline tech asksyou for pictures, ask himfor his e-mail address. Weall have one. Of courseyou must have a PC withaccess to the Internet inorder to send e-mail.

In addition to sendingpictures for authorization(mostly in the case ofwatercraft hull repairs), e-mail pictures can be usedto help explain anythingyou are having troubledescribing over thephone. A picture is wortha bunch of words (I for-get how many).

Your digital camerashould come with somephoto-editing softwarethat will enable you toload your pictures intoyour PC. If you put yourpictures in a JPEG file, itwill be easy for us toreceive and open them atthis end.�


Tech Tips

DigitalCamerasand E-Mail

by John GriffinInstructional Designer/Instructor

Kawasaki offers optional stiffer springsfor the front and rear suspension of the1999 and 2000 Prairie 300 and 400 mod-els. These springs fit both the 2wd and 4wd models. If you have customersthat bottom their suspension regularly or have a snow blade or other heavyaccessories attached, sell them stiffer springs. They will improve rider com-fort. The part numbers are also listed on the parts fiche and KIC.�

Stiffer Prairie® Springs Available

SPRINGS PART NUMBER SUGG. RETAILRear Spring 92145-1199 $96.95Front Springs (2) 92145-1225 $81.95 ea.

Ultra 150 Overheated Water Mufflersby Gregg ThompsonProduct Support Supervisor

We’ve had some calls on Ultra 150 watercraft with over-heated water mufflers. What brings this condition to the customer’sattention is that one or both of the large rubber hoses connectedto the water muffler becomes melted. In every case, the cast alu-minum part of the exhaust (the expansion chamber and exhaustmanifold) as well as the engine had not overheated. What causesthis condition is insufficient water flow from the exhaust chamberwater jacket into the water muffler.

Cooling water travels from the cylinders around the exhaustport through the exhaust manifold into the water jackets of the castaluminum expansion chamber. From there water goes two places. On the very top of the rear section of the expansion cham-ber there is a bypass outlet fitting. A hose from that fitting routes cooling water from the water jackets to the top of the jetpump cavity, where it exits the craft. Also, water exits the expansion chamber at the very end of the water jacket through two4mm holes underneath the rubber hose that connects the expansion chamber to the water muffler. Insufficient water flow atthese two small holes results in overheating of the water muffler and melting of the rubber hoses.

If you run into a JH1200-A1 with this condition, remove the exhaust system and disassemble it. Verify correct installation ofall gaskets and check all the passages in the water jackets for any obstructions such as sand or pebbles. Pay particular atten-tion to the two 4mm outlet holes at the rear of the expansion chamber. If you find pebbles in the water jackets, you know thecustomer has been starting off too close to shore or riding in water that is too shallow. Instruct the customer to avoid this prac-tice. Remember that the more power a pump produces, the more suction it creates beneath the boat. The Ultra 150 pro-duces lots of power and thus lots of suction to pull rocks and sand off the bottom.�

by Keith PestotnikLead Engineer, QualityAssurance

The JH1200A1 Jet Ski®watercraft is a highly engi-neered, high performancewatercraft. During itsdevelopment, new fron-tiers in PWC design wereexplored to meet the highexpectations of today’scustomers in this marketsegment. Standards wereestablished for manyimportant design settingsand specifications. Then

variations were tested tolearn what reasonable tol-erances could be allowedwhile maintaining suffi-cient performance stan-dards.

The Ultra 150, like allhigh performance vehicles,can benefit from reducedtolerance. If certain hullsettings are adjusted tooptimum design specs,handling may beimproved, especially ifsome items ended up nearthe wide end of the toler-ance during production.

Use these optimum set-tings to check these itemswhich can be easilyadjusted.

Remember, this is amass production modelwith all of these itemsalready confirmed to bewithin manufacturing tol-erances. Fine tuningadjustments for the pur-pose of reaching optimumperformance levels (likeblue-printing an engine)must be done at the cus-tomer’s expense, not war-ranty.

� Hull Mounting PlateNut Torque

As described in theSpring ’99 issue of K-TechNews, remember to checkthese three critical nutsoften. They are located inthe jet pump cavity justabove the pump housing.The new specification isreduced to 15 ft-lb. fromthe old setting of 18 ft-lb.

Loose hull plate mount-ing nuts may reduce hullrigidity and the usualcrisp turn tracking andstability may suffer a little.


Tech Tips

Ultra 150

Water Jackets

Two4mm

OutletHoles

Hull Tune-Up TipsUltra 150


Tech Tips

Ultra 150 Hull Tune-Up Tips - cont’d

➁ Sponson Adjustment

Technically, the Ultra 150 sponsons are not adjustable. But actually there is usually enough clearance at theirmounts to move them just enough to get them to these optimum settings. Loosen the four mounting bolts andadjust the sponson to the specifications shown in the diagrams.

To find point A, hold a small straight edge against the outer portion of the hull bottom and another straight edgeor measuring device along the side of the hull. Where thosetwo lines intersect is point A. Point A can be found any-where along the bottom outer edge of the hull. Point B isthe rear lower corner of the sponson and Point C is thefront point of the sponson at the mold parting line.

Sponsons adjusted outside tolerance limits may cause a little stern rolling during high-speed turns, or a vaguefeeling in the steering when running straight on smooth water.

➂ Trim Nozzle Adjustment

Turn on the key switch, briefly touch the start button, then run the trim switch up until you hear its motor stop.That’s the level trim position or where the trim nozzle should be set to level.

Measure the distance from the rearward edge of the steering nozzle to the rearward edge of the thrust nozzle atthe top and bottom of the nozzle (12 o’clock and 6 o’clockpositions) as shown. Do not lift up on the nozzle whenmeasuring it. The top and bottom measurements should beequal. Adjust it by turning the trim cable end as required.

An improperly adjusted nozzle may cause a little high-speed bouncing and reduced top speed.

➃ Steering Nozzle Adjustment

Sit on the craft and set the handlebars as straight as youcan by eye. Then measure the steering nozzle the same asin the trim adjustment (described above), but this time onthe left and right sides of the nozzle (3 o’clock and 9 o’clock). Be careful you don’t move the nozzle when you mea-sure it.

Adjust the nozzle by turning the steering cable end as required.By the way, due to the thrust flow pattern of the pump, it is normal for the handlebars to be very slightly offset to

the right at low speeds, and then more noticeably to the left at high speed. If you try to compensate for this byadjusting the nozzle other than described here, the bars will be excessively offset at one speed range.�

HULL Sponson

Straight Edge

PointB

Point A

Measure left andright sides for

Steering Adjustment

Measure topand bottom

for TrimAdjustment

Point B to Point A5mm

Point C to Point A65mm

Cover


thanks to a clutch releasearm with better leverage.

KX250Engine

The 2000 KX250 enginefeatures new cylinderporting and KIPS changesto mate last year’s strongmid-and top-end powerwith the awesome low-end of the ’98 model.Slightly smaller main andsub-exhaust ports boostlow-end and midrangepower. The sub-exhaustports are closer to themain exhaust port toincrease flow.

A new KIPS governorball bearing cup andstiffer, double KIPS gover-nor springs eliminatevalve fluttering. The KIPSnow opens from 6000 to6500 rpm, instead of 5500to 7000 rpm. To keeppower delivery smooth,the sub-port KIPS valvesopen 500 rpm after the

center valve through aspring-loaded arm thatallows the timing varianceand cushions the mecha-nism. Larger KIPS gover-nor bearings increasedurability.

Engine durability isimproved with a new con-necting rod that is hard-ened at both ends and hasa 2mm larger big-enddiameter to dissipate heat.Crankcase oil passages tothe main bearings grewfrom 5mm to 8mm forbetter lubrication.

Several changes makeengine response even bet-ter. A new air guide wingin the reed blockimproves midrangeresponse. The carburetorgets the same changes asthe KX125. The power jetsystem now closes from6000 to 7000 rpm to leanout the midrange and(like the ’99) from 8100 to11,000 rpm for overrevcapability. New K-TRICsettings and an ignitiontiming map with moreadvance add power andallow freer overrev.

Shifting is easier andmore positive with a newratchet lever and gearchange mechanism (or“shift star”) on the end ofthe shift drum. The shiftstar has separate polishedpins and an outer coverinstead of cast-in-placepins with no cover. Theinput third gear has nar-rower engagement dogsto engage quicker and

easier, which is criticalsince the shift from sec-ond to third is the oneused most often whendrag racing out of corners.

KX125 and KX250Chassis

New bladder-typeforks suck up impacts andhighlight the chassis withtechnology right from theworks bikes. The bladderacts as a second air cham-ber, in addition to the onebetween the oil and forkcap.

A new oil piston addedto the top of the cartridgeassembly works in con-junction with the bladder.It has large oil orificescovered by a washer thatsits under the fork spring.At low fork speeds, oilbleeds by the washer toeffectively use both airchambers (similar to a lowfork oil level) for smoothaction. During high-speedfork action, the oil can’tget past the washer fastenough and the bladderbecomes the only airchamber used (similar to avery high oil level) forgreat bottoming resis-tance.

Fork stiction is reducedwith new outer tubes thatare more highly polishedinside. Front wheel travelwas reduced 5mm toincrease fork overlap for

smoother action. Stiffer,straight rate springs holdthe front end higher in thetravel and, to compensate,the rear shock has morelow-speed compressiondamping.

The KX125 and KX250also feature detail changeslike seat brackets held bybolts instead of rivets, aneasier-to-adjust frontbrake lever, better seals onthe rear brake lever andcaliper, and handlebarsthat are flatter with lesssweep.

The green bikes for2000 offer something foreveryone from big tosmall. It should beanother banner year forriders in Green.�

The Y2KXs -Cont’d

FORK SPRING RATES 1999 2000KX125 0.39~0.41Kg/mm 0.41Kg/mmKX250 0.42~0.43Kg/mm 0.43Kg/mm

The bladder overthe cartridge actslike a ballooncompressed byfork oil. Inset:This new pistonand washerunder the forkspring work withthe bladder toeffectively varythe oil heightdepending onfork speed.

The 2000 KX250 is readyto assume its place asreigning 250 of the year.

SUMMER 1999 THE KAWASAKITECHNICAL MAGAZINE VOL. 12,...

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Transcript of SUMMER 1999 THE KAWASAKITECHNICAL MAGAZINE VOL. 12,...