1990 Ninja 600R Rebuild thread

theJester517 · March 26th, 2014, 09:21 PM

So after waltzing in on someone else's thread who was restoring the same bike as I, I decided to make a thread of my bike rebuild in hopes of getting some thoughts and encouragement.

The story is I have a 1990 Ninja ZX600C-3 California model that I bought in 2012 as my first bike. I bought it from the original owner off Craigslist in New Hampshire for $1500 and drove it home in the back of my pickup. I came to learn the bike was a California model when I started screwing around with it and was upset because it was bought brand new in NH but whatever. I rode it to death I put on 7 thousand miles I rode through the sun, the rain, the death heat, and even a snowstorm. I got compliments on the bike wherever I went about it being a vintage Ninja and I personally loved the way it looked.
So last July on the hottest day of the year, I was riding home on 684 NB when I had to go into Danbury on 84 EB but the ramp was backed up so I went WB and stopped at the scrap yard to check something out. I got back on the highway afterwards and was coasting at maybe 85-90 when I came to the turn around where the trooper likes to sit. I slowed to about 70 to pass and make sure he wasn't watching and when I saw the coast was clear I dropped two gears and took off. I got up to about 135 before I let off. I rode for miles before I went to downshift again only to realize I couldn't get past 5th into 4th. So I got where I had to go and then I left to go home. Starting in 5th. I rode home at about 100 and when I got off the exit ramp I DROPPED it. The bike found 4th and all the gears underneath but it was making noise.

theJester517 · March 26th, 2014, 09:28 PM

So I also noticed I was dripping oil so I let it sit. Eventually I took it to the shop and they told me I fried the battery, they called Kawi and said ride it. They did an oil change but told me the bike isn't worth breaking it down. So I rode a lot less. One night I decided to go up to Albany. So at 100 on the thruway on a cold October night I rode through the dark. Behind the wheel shield I felt the bike internally studder about half way through the trip. I tried to downshift but I knew the fate. She was stuck. So I finished the trip and DROPPED it at the exit and this time it sounded like item 4 in the tranny. Somehow I rode all the way home on it the next day and it sat. And sat. And sat.

(Drunk step dad threw it to the curb on me one night) Bent the handlebars broke turn signals and mirrors.) Whatever

Then on Craigslist one day.
1992 Ninja 600R for parts.

Let it go.

Found it from the next guy on CL even deeper in NJ

So I took a ride and picked it up.

JohnnyBravo · March 26th, 2014, 09:29 PM

Odd story... Get et fixed up

theJester517 · March 26th, 2014, 09:32 PM

Since then I've moved to Yonkers and I finally got both bikes down here last week. Where the rebuild is now. I have pictures all on my camera, So far I stripped down the parts bike and got the engine out. Tonight I stripped mine down. In the next few days I'll pull my engine, its ready to come out. Then its time to see what could possibly gone wrong. I dropped the oil tonight and it is nice and metallic so I'm sure it will be fun. Pictures to come soon. I'm gonna need some help with a few things as far as questions for more experienced guys than I, because I'm actually just a plumber, who doubles as a repair man of anything mechanical.

theJester517 · March 26th, 2014, 09:36 PM

Pictures of it before being mangled

I plan on having it done before May I wanna ride, please motivate me

theJester517 · March 26th, 2014, 09:43 PM

Right now my only idea besides restoring everything back to working condition and going through the bike with a fine tooth comb is removing the rear fender and putting some flush mounts and a license plate bracket on.

Shoot me any ideas though.

My questions are;
What should I do to clean out the radiator, I have it off already and flushed it both ways with water but I can still see some crud.

While I have the bike apart, what should i definitely change?
I was gonna do a thermostat, brake fluid, vac and fuel lines, (I rebuilt the carbs last year, the bike ran like a champ besides syncromesh's loud obnoxious evil twin) I was thinking which gaskets and seals I should change, I know I'm doing the exhaust ones but I'm not sure which other ones I'll come in contact with and should change, let me know

theJester517 · March 31st, 2014, 07:08 PM

Hey sorry I've been off the grid I got some pictures to show

theJester517 · March 31st, 2014, 07:10 PM

ok so the first is the parts bike the second is mine,
the engines are pretty self explanatory and the last....

Well that is my oil pickup, when I pulled off the oil pan thats what I had in there.
Process the bike was still rideable

theJester517 · March 31st, 2014, 07:14 PM

As of right now I'm at a dead end, I was able to remove the clutch hub by cheating with a harmonic balancer puller, and got the nut off the secondary shaft and rotor using a strap wrench to hold back but now I need to know how to pull the rotor off so I can split the crankcase, more of less I just need the tool but I'm not sure which one to get.
Any help?

March 26th, 2014, 09:21 PM	#1
theJester517 ninjette.org member Name: Jesse Location: Yonkers, NY Join Date: Mar 2014 Motorcycle(s): 1990 ZX600C - Ninja 600R Posts: 13	1990 Ninja 600R Rebuild thread So after waltzing in on someone else's thread who was restoring the same bike as I, I decided to make a thread of my bike rebuild in hopes of getting some thoughts and encouragement. The story is I have a 1990 Ninja ZX600C-3 California model that I bought in 2012 as my first bike. I bought it from the original owner off Craigslist in New Hampshire for $1500 and drove it home in the back of my pickup. I came to learn the bike was a California model when I started screwing around with it and was upset because it was bought brand new in NH but whatever. I rode it to death I put on 7 thousand miles I rode through the sun, the rain, the death heat, and even a snowstorm. I got compliments on the bike wherever I went about it being a vintage Ninja and I personally loved the way it looked. So last July on the hottest day of the year, I was riding home on 684 NB when I had to go into Danbury on 84 EB but the ramp was backed up so I went WB and stopped at the scrap yard to check something out. I got back on the highway afterwards and was coasting at maybe 85-90 when I came to the turn around where the trooper likes to sit. I slowed to about 70 to pass and make sure he wasn't watching and when I saw the coast was clear I dropped two gears and took off. I got up to about 135 before I let off. I rode for miles before I went to downshift again only to realize I couldn't get past 5th into 4th. So I got where I had to go and then I left to go home. Starting in 5th. I rode home at about 100 and when I got off the exit ramp I DROPPED it. The bike found 4th and all the gears underneath but it was making noise.

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March 26th, 2014, 09:28 PM	#2
theJester517 ninjette.org member Name: Jesse Location: Yonkers, NY Join Date: Mar 2014 Motorcycle(s): 1990 ZX600C - Ninja 600R Posts: 13	So I also noticed I was dripping oil so I let it sit. Eventually I took it to the shop and they told me I fried the battery, they called Kawi and said ride it. They did an oil change but told me the bike isn't worth breaking it down. So I rode a lot less. One night I decided to go up to Albany. So at 100 on the thruway on a cold October night I rode through the dark. Behind the wheel shield I felt the bike internally studder about half way through the trip. I tried to downshift but I knew the fate. She was stuck. So I finished the trip and DROPPED it at the exit and this time it sounded like item 4 in the tranny. Somehow I rode all the way home on it the next day and it sat. And sat. And sat. (Drunk step dad threw it to the curb on me one night) Bent the handlebars broke turn signals and mirrors.) Whatever Then on Craigslist one day. 1992 Ninja 600R for parts. Let it go. Found it from the next guy on CL even deeper in NJ So I took a ride and picked it up.

March 26th, 2014, 09:29 PM	#3
JohnnyBravo Certifiable nontundrum Name: Harper Location: NC Milkshake stand Join Date: Mar 2013 Motorcycle(s): 2013 SE NINJA 300 Posts: Too much. MOTM - Sep '13, Sep '16	Odd story... Get et fixed up

March 26th, 2014, 09:43 PM	#6
theJester517 ninjette.org member Name: Jesse Location: Yonkers, NY Join Date: Mar 2014 Motorcycle(s): 1990 ZX600C - Ninja 600R Posts: 13	Right now my only idea besides restoring everything back to working condition and going through the bike with a fine tooth comb is removing the rear fender and putting some flush mounts and a license plate bracket on. Shoot me any ideas though. My questions are; What should I do to clean out the radiator, I have it off already and flushed it both ways with water but I can still see some crud. While I have the bike apart, what should i definitely change? I was gonna do a thermostat, brake fluid, vac and fuel lines, (I rebuilt the carbs last year, the bike ran like a champ besides syncromesh's loud obnoxious evil twin) I was thinking which gaskets and seals I should change, I know I'm doing the exhaust ones but I'm not sure which other ones I'll come in contact with and should change, let me know

March 31st, 2014, 07:10 PM	#8
theJester517 ninjette.org member Name: Jesse Location: Yonkers, NY Join Date: Mar 2014 Motorcycle(s): 1990 ZX600C - Ninja 600R Posts: 13	ok so the first is the parts bike the second is mine, the engines are pretty self explanatory and the last.... Well that is my oil pickup, when I pulled off the oil pan thats what I had in there. Process the bike was still rideable

March 31st, 2014, 07:14 PM	#9
theJester517 ninjette.org member Name: Jesse Location: Yonkers, NY Join Date: Mar 2014 Motorcycle(s): 1990 ZX600C - Ninja 600R Posts: 13	As of right now I'm at a dead end, I was able to remove the clutch hub by cheating with a harmonic balancer puller, and got the nut off the secondary shaft and rotor using a strap wrench to hold back but now I need to know how to pull the rotor off so I can split the crankcase, more of less I just need the tool but I'm not sure which one to get. Any help?