utorak, 29. siječnja 2008.


THE KAWASAKI "ELIMINATOR" ZL1000

Hello Eliminator Pilots,

I'm going to try to put a as extensive as possible, technical explanation on this Site about the inner parts of a Kawasaki ZL1000, how to disassemble and troubleshoot.I will also attend many common problems we have with our Eliminators. This also counts for the ZL900.

Most of the ELI drivers treat their bike as there most precious baby. Sometimes even into the absurd.But only good care is not enough.In the meantime, most ELI's are almost 20 years old,and many engine blocks are falling apart, often on-repairable.There are fewer eliminators and parts to buy every day.

A mayor problem we face with our particular engine-block, is the lack of lubrication, especially now they are getting older.And the final stage is, that the third big-end bearing fails.That's the end of the story, there goes another engine down the drain.

My opinion is, to take everything apart, before it is to late, and renew everything possible..Bearings, piston-rings etc. are reasonable in price, and not to compare with the price you would pay if you wait to long.Warn out bearings are also the cause of lack of lubrication on other parts of the engine. Because the oil-system does not have any pressure regulators, the oil-pressure will drop in the whole system, if one bearing is bad, causing the rest to break down as well.

There are not many people that drive in wintertime, so we have a good reason totake care of the bike, after it has been taking care of us all summer.Remember one thing, taking your engine apart looks fairly simple, but it is not.It is a delicate piece of mechanics, that will not forgive you, if put back together the wrong way.For those, that hesitate.Remove your block, this cannot be to hard, and let an expert look at it.He will be happy, that he does not have to remove the engine, and can only do the "fun work".For you, the whole operation will be a cheaper to like this.

One of the best Kawasaki mechanics for those that live in the Netherlands, Niek, can certainly help you out.The site and address from Niek en Ellen you will find here
or call himmobile. 06 - 484 101 65

The ZL1000 that I will disassemble in this session, is a running ZL1000 with minor problems, but I want to show how important it is to check your engine, before it is to late.The Eliminator block is a high performance block, that was only build for speed, not forlong life use.

I new when I bought this second ZL1000 that the engine was not in perfect shape."The looks were good".Everything on the bike was 100% original, that is why I bought it.Because it almost got me into an accident due to technical failure, is why I am taking it apart now for a "down to the last part" inspection.

We will see what problems we are going to face.


Criticisms

The pursuit of drag-bike style resulted in some functional compromises. First, some riders[attribution needed] complained about a lack of cornering clearance. The ZL900 was long and low like a drag bike, so sporting riders who wanted ZX900 power in a cruiser had to give up riding the twisties. Additionally, pushing the bike hard overwhelmed the skinny front tire and brought the rear suspension's shortcomings to the surface. More universally, owners and magazines alike[attribution needed] bemoaned the Eliminator's lack of range due to its small fuel tank capacity. At 25-35 mpg on a 2.9 gallon tank, even conservative riders were forced to find a filling station after 100 miles or less.Length 2240 mmWidth 810 mmHeight 1075 mmWheelbase 1595 mmClearance 145 mmSeat Height 745 mmWeight 238 kgFluid Capacities Fuel, 2.9 gal

Oil, 3.7 LEngine Liquid-Cooled 16V DOHC I4Bore x Stroke 72.5 x 55.0 mmDisplacement 908 ccCompression 11.0Power 105 hp @9500, 63 ft·lbf @8000Carbs 4x 32 mm Keihin CVRake 29°Trail 102 mmTires Front, 100/90-17

Rear, 160/80-15Brakes Front, Dual Disc

Rear, Single Disc

[edit] ZL1000

The ZL1000 was an evolution of the ZL900, sporting a larger engine shared with the ZG1000 Concours and 34 mm carburetors.Overall Length 2305 mmOverall Width 790 mmOverall Height 1150 mmWheelbase 1615 mmRoad Clearance 155 mmSeat Height 750 mmDry Weight 244 kgCurb Weight Front 124 kg. Rear 146 kgFluid Capacities Fuel, 18.5 LLubrication System Forced Lubrication

(Wet Sump)Engine Oil SF or SAE 10W/40, 10W/50,

20W/40, 20W/50Engine Oil Capacity 3.7 LSpark Plug NGK D8EA or ND X24ES-U

or NGK DR8ES-L or NG X24ESR-UEngine Liquid-Cooled, 16V DOHC I4,Bore x Stroke 74.0 x 58.0 mmDisplacement 997 mL / ccCompression Ratio 10.2Max. Horsepower 80.9kw (110ps) @, 9,000r/pm (rpm)Max. Torque 91.2 N-m (9.3kg-m, 67.3 ft lb)

@, 7,000r/pm (rpm)Carbs 4 x 34 mm CVK KeihinRake 29°Trail 102mmBrakes Front, Dual Disc. Rear, Single DiscTires OEM Front, Dunlop Tubeless F17 100/90-18 56H.

OEM Rear, Dunlop Tubeless K425 160/80-15 74H

[edit] ZL750

The ZL750 was sold from 1986-1989 as a mild-mannered version of its big brothers.Length Width Height Wheelbase 1595 mmClearance Seat Height 745 mmWeight 238 kg (dry)Fuel/Oil Capacity 11.0 L / LOil cap. Engine Liquid-Cooled 16V DOHC I4Bore x Stroke Displacement Compression Power 77 hp @9000, ft·lbf @Carbs 4x 32 mm KeihinRake Trail Tires (F,R) 100/90-18, 160/80-15Brakes (F,R) Dual Disc, Single Disc

[edit] ZL6001995 ZL600 Brochure1995 ZL600 Brochure

The ZL600 had the same type of transplant as its bigger siblings: a slightly modified engine from the Kawasaki Ninja 600.

[edit] Criticisms

The ZL600 was sold as late as 1996, though by then its mid-80's engine earned reviews from the motorcycle press that dubbed the bike outdated, underpowered and overpriced.Length 2210 mmWidth 775 mmHeight 1120 mmWheelbase 1550 mmClearance 145 mmSeat Height 720 mmWeight 194 kgFuel/Oil Capacity 12.3 L / 3.0 LEngine Liquid-Cooled 16V DOHC I4Bore x Stroke 60 x 52.4 mmDisplacement 592 ccCompression 11.0Power 74 hp @10500, 39.8 ft·lbf @8500Carbs 4x 30 mm Keihin CVRake 29.5°Trail 107 mmTires (F,R) 100/90-18, 150/80-15Brakes (F,R) Front, Single Disc

Rear, Drum

[edit] ZL500Length 2240 mmWidth 795 mmHeight 1065 mmWheelbase 1550 mmClearance 145 mmSeat Height 720 mmWeight 195 kgFluid Capacities Fuel, 12.3 L

Oil, 3.0 LEngine Liquid-Cooled 16V DOHC I4Bore x Stroke 55 x 52.4 mmDisplacement 497 ccCompression 11.0Power hp @, ft·lbf @Carbs 4x 30 mm Keihin CVRake 29.5°Trail 105 mmTires (F, R) 100/90-18, 150/80-15Brakes (F, R) Single Disc, Drum

[edit] ZL400

The ZL400 ceased production in 1994. Unlike larger models, some versions of the ZL400 had a chain instead of shaft drive.Length 2245 mmWidth 720 mmHeight 1090 mmWheelbase mmClearance mmSeat Height 705 mmWeight 195 kg (dry)Fuel/Oil Capacity 13 L / LEngine Liquid-Cooled 16V DOHC I4Bore x Stroke x mmDisplacement 398 ccCompression Power 53 hp @12000, 3.4 kg-m @10000Carbs Rake Trail Tires (F, R) 100/90-18, 150/80-15Brakes (F, R)

[edit] VN250

This model started production in 1998 and is still a current model.Length 2355mmWidth 775mmHeight 1075mmWheelbase 1620mmClearance 150mmSeat Height 690mmWeight 167 kgFuel/Oil Capacity 14L / LEngine Liquid-Cooled DOHC 8v V-TwinBore x Stroke 62.0 x 41.4 mmDisplacement 249 ccCompression 12:1Power 35 hp @12500, 17.7 ft·lbf @9500Carbs 2x 32 mm Keihin CVKR32Rake 33°Front Suspension 41mm telescopic fork, 160mm travelRear Suspension Dual Shocks, adjustable preload, 300mm travelTrail 154mmTires (F, R) 120/80-17, 160/80-15Brakes (F, R) Single 300mm Disc, 130mm Drum

[edit] EL250 (D5)

The EL250 had a production run from 1988 to 1997 at which point it was superseded by the VN250.Length 2180mmWidth 745mmHeight 1055mmWheelbase 1490mmClearance 160mmSeat Height 725mmWeight 140 kgFuel/Oil Capacity 11L / 1.9LEngine Liquid-Cooled DOHC 8v Parallel-TwinBore x Stroke 62.0 x 41.2 mmDisplacement 248 ccCompression 12.0:1Power 27 hp @11,800Torque 12.9ft·lb @9,800Carbs Keihin CVK30 (2), Constant velocity, diaphragm-typeRake 29°Tires (F, R) 100/90-17, 140/90-15Brakes (F, R) Single Disc, Drum

[edit] EL175

The EL175 is sold in India by Bajaj Auto.Length Width Height Wheelbase 1470 mmClearance Seat Height 681 mmWeight 128 kgFuel/Oil Capacity 13 L / LEngine Air-Cooled SOHC 2v SingleBore x Stroke 55 x 52.4 mmDisplacement 174 ccCompression 9.6Power 15.2 hp @, ft·lbf @Carburetion 1x Mikuni 28 mmRake 34°Trail 122 mmFront Tire 90/90-17Rear Tire 130/90-15Front Brake Single DiscRear Brake Drum

[edit] EL125Eliminator 125 Stock.Eliminator 125 Stock.

The Kawasaki Eliminator 125 is Kawasaki's entry level cruiser. Its light weight, small stature and unintimidating power delivery make it a great choice for new riders. The Motorcycle Safety Foundation uses this bike in their beginner riders courses for those very reasons. It is powered by a 125 cc, air cooled, four stroke, single cylinder engine. In 2005 the MSRP for this model was $2,649.

The Eliminator 125 has the distinction of being the smallest production motorcycle (not including scooters) currently being sold in the United States.[citation needed]

Kawasaki Eliminator


The Kawasaki Eliminator is a cruiser-type motorcycle that has been produced in several variants since its introduction in 1985 as the ZL900. Billed as a "power cruiser" through the 1980s and mid-1990s, Kawasaki now sells the Eliminator as an entry-level cruiser. Available in black for 2005, the Eliminator 125’s styling features include a stepped seat with laid-back riding comfort for two, a stretched 3.4-gallon fuel tank, straight-flow exhaust and chrome-plated single headlight.[1][2]Contents[hide]

Models

ZL900

Introduced in 1985, the ZL900 evolved from the legendary Kawasaki Z1. The ZL900 was designed to evoke images of the wildly successful Z1 drag bikes, with a bobbed rear fender, short travel fork, large rear tire, fat chromed mufflers, a small fuel tank and low straight handlebars. The ZL900 engine was a transplanted and slightly modified version of the liquid-cooled I4 introduced in the 1984 Kawasaki ZX900 Ninja. Kawasaki used smaller 32 mm carburetors (the ZX900 used 34 mm), different timing and camshafts with less duration. This gave the engine a dramatically different personality, trading the Ninja's high-end surge for low-end grunt and a meaty mid-range that was more suitable for a cruiser. At the time, the ZL900 was the only bike in its segment using an I4 powerplant instead of a V4 configuration.

The ZL900 garnered praise for its excellent powerplant and inspired styling.

[edit] Criticisms

The pursuit of drag-bike style resulted in some functional compromises. First, some riders[attribution needed] complained about a lack of cornering clearance. The ZL900 was long and low like a drag bike, so sporting riders who wanted ZX900 power in a cruiser had to give up riding the twisties. Additionally, pushing the bike hard overwhelmed the skinny front tire and brought the rear suspension's shortcomings to the surface. More universally, owners and magazines alike[attribution needed] bemoaned the Eliminator's lack of range due to its small fuel tank capacity. At 25-35 mpg on a 2.9 gallon tank, even conservative riders were forced to find a filling station after 100 miles or less.