larger front rotor??

[caltony]

I initially posted [1st post] that my 250 was low on power. I fixed it with a 6 Sigma carb kit. K&N R-0990 Pod air cleaner and put on some after market slip-on exhausts from my other bike.

What a difference. Really love that bike now. Which brings me to my question.... does any one know of a larger sized rotor that has the same bolt pattern as the 250?

Question 2
Is there an aftermarket device to move the handlebars forward or do I have to make them myself?

Comment: Removing the stock airbox took some time but I was happy to do it knowing that I'd not have to fiddle around with the stock air box again. Now I can Pull the K&N and use my UniSync to sync the carbs in just a few minutes.

Tony

[mania]

Yes various large rotor kits available.
Here is one for your model I believe
http://www.beet.co.jp/english/kawasa...50r/index.html

As far as moving bars forward many of the clip-ons would do that
Woodcraft,Driven,Vortex etc

[Yakaru]

I have the clip ons on my 300, same as the new-gen 250 -- they'll move the bars forward and down. Highly recommended I recommend you find a way to put bar-end weights back on -- I used the fuel-line trick, but I don't know if that works on the pregen.

[choneofakind]

Originally Posted by mania

Yes various large rotor kits available.
Here is one for your model I believe
http://www.beet.co.jp/english/kawasa...50r/index.html

As far as moving bars forward many of the clip-ons would do that
Woodcraft,Driven,Vortex etc

Close. But no cigar. The bikes shown in that link are 2008-2012 bikes. The OP has an older model. The brake rotors are not interchangeable. AFAIK, pregen owners wanting a larger rotor are out of luck. However, large improvement can be made with stainless threaded lines and vesrah brake pads. A larger rotor is not really necessary with this setup, as I've not experienced fade at during track time. Not sure why people automatically go for a larger rotor unless they're experiencing fade. Galfer (i think) does make a wave rotor for this bike. Not sure if that does anything significant or just looks pretty though.

As for moving the bars, sorry you're also a little off. Standard clipons will touch the tank and/or fairings unless they're adjusted to an awkward angle. The best way to get more aggressive bars on the pregen is with woodcraft lowered risers. They're more aggressive and have no clearance issues. They attach to the triples just like the standard OE risers.

[mania]

Originally Posted by choneofakind

Close. But no cigar. The bikes shown in that link are 2008-2012 bikes.

Bummer

[caltony]

Thanks for the replies. I will look into the Handlebar suggestions. In the meantime I will fabricate some thin alum sheet stock to allow for moving the stock bars forwards.

As for the larger rotor issue. I have oversized rotors on all my plated bikes except for my CBR[Those brakes are just fine]. It's not so much fade issue as "feel". It just feels different than my other bikes and I'm just not that used to applying the added pressure that's required with the smaller front rotor. I always ride with my forefinger on the front brake. With the smaller rotor I find that many times one finger just isn't enough.

Tony

[old3]

A 4 piston GSXR Tokico caliper and the 1/2" master off a 08-14 works really well regarding feel. IDK what master you have on an earlier bike. A custom cal bracket will need to be made.

With help from Mania, I found a 320mm rotor for the 300 but I was ready to have an aluminum carrier built to add a floating outer rotor off a GSXR or similar bike. The 2000-maybe 07 Honda 929/954 bikes had 330mm rotors, but the carrier is most likely not a match.

GSXR parts seem the most common and cheapest to source off ebay in good condition in the USA.

[choneofakind]

If you're going after feel, start messing with MC vs caliper combinations. Larger rotor dissipates heat and requires less pull for the same braking. But unfortunately that's not really an option on the pregen. I've looked and found nothing so far.

Stainless threaded lines and vesrah sintered pads should help get you the bite and feel you're looking for. I know they made a good change on my bike. Also, go check out old3's thread about playing with various MC+caliper combinations.

[old3]

I haven't had a pregen in years and never messed with bigger rotors or better calipers on them. Is there anything blocking a bigger rotor install, something on the fork tubes or wheels that limit clearance?

[choneofakind]

No, nothing in the way AFAIK. I've just never seen a larger rotor that matches the bolt pattern and is 'intended' (or at least marketed) for the pregen.

So maybe such a thing does exist and we just don't know about it?

[caltony]

Just got through looking through my EBC catalog again and couldn't find anything. However they do have a blank form page where you input your size requirements and they will make up a rotor for you.

The stock EBC # is MD 4041 RS and the rear is MD 4042.

I haven't checked the bolt patterns for both the front and the rears but if they are the same the 40 series might indicate the bolt hole pattern and there are quite a few 40 series rotors in the catalog.

I looked at the max size that could be allowed for the 16" wheels. A 320 might be a tight fit but a 300 would be a certainty. I've made brackets for relocating front calipers before. They usually take an hour to make by using alum stock, a drill press and a hack saw to trim the alum.stock.

The biggest reason for me wanting a larger front rotor is I do a lot of riding in the twisties of the Calif mountains. Because of the roads being situated right along the hillsides many of the curves are blind curves. Going uphill isn't a problem but downhill if your going too fast is really scary if you are just about to enter a blind curve and find someone coming from the other direction and they're halfway in your lane.

That's why the larger rotors on all my other bikes and that's why I always have one finger on the front brake.


Nope, just checked. Front and rear hole patterns are not the same.

Tony

[fast1075]

I tried a GSXR caliper on my pregen. Making the bracket was very easy. However, with the caliper mounted so the pads properly match the rotor, the back side of the caliper hits the wheel hub by maybe 10mm. A bit larger disc would allow it to clear.

On the other hand, at Daytona, I saw some interesting stuff where Cafe' racer builders had used early CBR 600 front ends on a variety of different bikes. I will make some measurements and see if this might work for the 250.

[InvisiBill]

The EX500, both the 16" Gen1 and the 17" Gen2, uses the MD4016 (solid) and MD714X (floating) up front. They're 5x280mm and match the NewGen bolt pattern (I have an MD714X sitting on my Vrossi wheel right now).

According to http://www.visordown.com/reviews/mot...tml#review2310, the R1 rotor is also the same bolt pattern, but smaller holes. It uses a 298mm rotor.

I couldn't find much detail on the 250 rotors/wheels, so I'm not sure how much this helps, but I thought I'd toss it out there.

[caltony]

Originally Posted by InvisiBill

The EX500, both the 16" Gen1 and the 17" Gen2, uses the MD4016 (solid) and MD714X (floating) up front. They're 5x280mm and match the NewGen bolt pattern (I have an MD714X sitting on my Vrossi wheel right now).

According to http://www.visordown.com/reviews/mot...tml#review2310, the R1 rotor is also the same bolt pattern, but smaller holes. It uses a 298mm rotor.

I couldn't find much detail on the 250 rotors/wheels, so I'm not sure how much this helps, but I thought I'd toss it out there.

You mention they match the new Gen but it wouldn't match the pre-gen that I have. Would it?

I have been looking through the EBC catalog as well as the Braking website and still haven't come up with anything.

Is there a place where you can look online for rotors by bolt pattern and hole size.

Also can someone give me the specifications of the pregen front rotor?

I like the sprocket mfgs so much better[JT,Talon] they always list the specs. Makes it easy to cross reference.


Tony

[kxpower?]

Seems to me I've seen a few people around the site who have swapped in a 600 fork into the pregen, but I can't seem to put my hands on them right now. I think it's mostly for the suspension upgrade but AFAIK all the 600 sport bikes have dual discs, and a lot of them have some massive calipers too.


Seems like swapping forks might kill a couple birds with one stone, and keeps you out of re-engineering a major safety system.

[InvisiBill]

Originally Posted by caltony

You mention they match the new Gen but it wouldn't match the pre-gen that I have. Would it?

Sorry, I didn't mean to confuse or add irrelevant information. I honestly couldn't even find if the PreGen and NewGen used the same bolt pattern (ignoring other measurements). I thought the part numbers might be helpful if you were checking out other options, and the Gen2 rotor does fit both the NewGen wheel and the Gen1 16" wheel (so it might fit the PreGen wheel as well), but I honestly don't know. It's a possible option, since it does fit at least some similar wheels, and isn't exactly the same as the NewGen rotor (which we know isn't a direct swap).

I know it doesn't fully answer your question, but I thought it might end up being somewhat helpful. Or it could be completely worthless, depending on the details of the PreGen's rotor...

[b.miller123]

There are plenty of guys who have raced the ex250 over the years. I've never seen a single one install a bigger front rotor. The 16 in front wheel will also limit what you can do. If you have installed stainless lines and good pads, you have a pretty damn good setup. Like Chone said, you can always mess around with different master cylinder sizes if you want.

Personally, I would be more worried about two things: tires and suspension. Tires will limit how much braking you can do long before the stock master falls short (when paired with good pads and lines). The OEM front suspension is undersprung for anyone larger than a motogp racer, and the stock damping system is ancient technology.

I would suggest the following:
Pads
Stainless line
Respring front (and install an 08-12 shock in the rear while you are at it)
Install race tech emulators in the front forks
Get a good set of tires

If you still have issues with being confident with the brakes on the street after all that, you should probably slow down a little.

[fast1075]

I for one am looking for better front brake. It isn't a question of how hard the stock setup will stop. I have a stainless line and EBC HH pads. It WILL stop. If you have a death grip on the lever.

If all you need is big stopping power for emergencies in a straight line situation, the stock set up will do (mostly).

For me, it is a question of nuance. I don't want to have to death grip the lever for excellent brakes. It locks up you wrist by and large, and affects steering inputs and feel while trail braking.

A "two finger" brake makes it a lot easier to manage steering inputs and throttle control. And yes there are times when you need a little throttle with your brake.

I don't know if I want to go thru the trouble of major mods, or deal with it, because in the long run I will most likely trade it on a new bike. What kind of new bike remains to be seen. I already have a "big" bike, which quite frankly does not get ridden nearly as much as the little bike, or even the scooter.

The last bike I decided to make a few enhancements to became a 2 year project, and cost several thousand dollars. All because no one builds what I WANT that can be bought at a dealership. I have already had insane thoughts about GSXR front ends, and RZ-350 engine transplants. Damn I love the smell of castor in the morning. Must resist.

Time will tell. The new Hero bikes are coming this summer or fall. I may get an HX-250r if the build quality is good. Or wait n see about Yamaha or KTM. I want to stay under 400 cc.

The thing that burns me up, is there are tons of perfect bikes that could be had, that fit the bill exactly, but they can't be brought to the good old USA and titled for use on public roads. I would give my left'n for an RS-250 to just run Ozella Trail.

[thumper64]

Just swap the 08 front end on. It has a larger front rotor.