So, I got my hands on a 2016 Kawasaki 10R the other day. She’s a beauty, but had some electrical gremlins that were driving me nuts. The guy I bought it from sold it to me cheap because of these issues, only 3900 miles on the clock. A real steal, I thought. Turns out, the fix was pretty simple. I just tightened up a loose ground wire, and boom, most of the problems went away. This is my first time with a liter bike, so I was a little nervous, to be honest.
First Impressions
This bike is a beast! I mean, they claim 197 hp, and let me tell you, it feels like it. Especially when you open her up around 13,000 rpm. But it wasn’t all smooth sailing at first.
Troubleshooting the Gremlins
- First thing I did was dig into the forums. Found some mentions of acceleration issues and rev limit problems on older models. I did find the font of the ZX logo. Not really relevant, but still interesting.
- Then I stumbled upon some posts about the 2020 model and things to watch out for. Not exactly my year, but you never know. Information is power, right?
- Lots of discussions about insurance costs – yikes! Glad I got that sorted before I even picked up the bike.
The Real Problem
After a few hundred miles, I noticed something was seriously off. It felt like the transmission was going to explode. Did some more digging, and guess what? Apparently, the 2016 and 2017 models have a pretty bad reputation for trashing their gearboxes. Weak third, fourth, and fifth gears, they say. On a bike that’s meant to be ridden hard, that’s a big deal.
Diving Deeper
I found a service manual online – thank goodness for the internet! – and started studying the wiring diagrams. This bike has a Bosch five-axis IMU, which is pretty fancy. It’s supposed to help with all the electronic aids, but it also means more stuff that can go wrong.
The Clutchless Downshifting Dream
One thing I really wanted to get working was the clutchless downshifting. This generation of 10R is supposed to be able to do it, but the stock sensor is kinda clunky. It needs a lot of movement to activate. I read about an ECU-based auto-blipper kit that’s supposed to make it way smoother. Might have to look into that later.
Where I’m At Now
Fixing up this 10R has been a learning experience, that’s for sure. I’ve had some frustrating moments, but also some really rewarding ones. I fixed that loose ground that was an electrical issue, but I’m still working through the transmission issues. It’s a bit of a gamble. But hey, who doesn’t love a good project? I’ll keep you guys posted on how it goes.
I’ve got to do something about that transmission. I’m not sure if I’ll just baby it for now or dive in and try to fix the gears.
I might reach out to some local mechanics and see what they say.
It’s all part of the adventure, right?
Wish me luck!
