Ok guys and gals...I'm seriously considering getting rid of my 929 and moving to the middleweight class. So I want to know the specifics about the 636.
First, it's legal in all middleweight classes right? Would putting the 6rr slipper clutch in it make it SS illegal?
How does it handle and how do you like yours? Are there any "must have" mods? I know it's got the most power of the 600s, but what about the brakes and all the other stuff. Are there any maintenance issues?
Basically, just give me all your thoughts on it from those that race them to those that have comparred them to your R6/600RR. I appreciate your input. ;D
Jumping off the honda boat are we? I understand I'd like a little kawi myself! Though the 600rr are strong!
I would consider the number of other riders at the track that might have spares. Not many folks with the 636.
Also, how much would it cost to put the slipper in the 636? more than a $1,000 and you might want to consider get the STM version, which might have more adjustment built into it, although Lithium Motorsports would be the ones to ask.
Well, I don't even know that I would be changing to the slipper clutch. I was just wondering if it would be "legal". I've put up with a standard clutch in a liter bike, so going to a standard clutch on a 600 is a piece of cake. :P As far as spares go...how easy do you think it is to find spares for a 929? LOL
Donald, I'm just sick and tired of dealing with the handling woes this bike has given me. I've spent more than a thousand dollars trying to get it fixed. I'm sick of pouring money into this thing with no return. Plus, we both know the 929 aint gonna cut it once those white plates go on!
clay,
I have a race ready 636 for sale if you are interested. This bike was a back up to a 2003 zx6rr that i have been racing all year. There are a lot more people racing kawasaki compared to last year. any questions let me know, thanks Dwayne #17 great plains
clay,
I have a race ready 636 for sale if you are interested. This bike was a back up to a 2003 zx6rr that i have been racing all year. There are a lot more people racing kawasaki compared to last year. any questions let me know, thanks Dwayne #17 great plains
QuoteWell, I don't even know that I would be changing to the slipper clutch. I was just wondering if it would be "legal". I've put up with a standard clutch in a liter bike, so going to a standard clutch on a 600 is a piece of cake. :P As far as spares go...how easy do you think it is to find spares for a 929? LOL
Donald, I'm just sick and tired of dealing with the handling woes this bike has given me. I've spent more than a thousand dollars trying to get it fixed. I'm sick of pouring money into this thing with no return. Plus, we both know the 929 aint gonna cut it once those white plates go on!
Clay,
You think you have handeling woes now... you will have more with the 636. And no, adding a slipper clutch would make it illegal for SS as it is a modification to the clutch and you would not be using a stock clutch basket. Pretty sure you can buy aftermarket plates and springs, but not a slipper.
I raced a very fast and very expensive 636 at Daytona last year at the ROC. Did well but even with the forks done and an Ohlins top of the line there is little front end feel. Little front end feel = LITTLE CONFIDENCe.. that's my final answer.. The motor rocks, but as you are finding, HP alone does not win races. Handeling, feel and a GOOD motor can..
Went faster right away on the r6, and HP was very comparable..
Oh yea.. the friggin RPM gauge sucks bad. You can never read the damn thing.
Good seein ya at barber!
Melk, I'd think lack of feeling vs violent headshake would be a good trade off. :(
Dang, I don't know what to do. Thing is, I've got a guy that's going to possibly trade me bike for bike. I don't see ever being able to sell the 929, so I'm seriously considering it.
Always go with the Kawi ;)
My experience with the 636 is different than Melk-Mans except for the engine part- that Kawi motor plain rips!
As far as handling goes, I finally got the 636 where I want it although it took a long time and a ton of help setting it up by my friend to get it there. Using Michelins was part of the solution, I never felt confidence with the Pirelli front. Now the handling is almost telepathic, as my friend said after he rode it this past weekend.
Since I wanted the 6RR slipper clutch, I designed replacement parts to adapt the 6RR slipper to the 636. I made 6 sets of parts and being too busy at work and home, I just haven't been able to do whats needed to get these out to the market. And the rules are somewhat vague regarding the slipper clutch, saying the "same type as stock" is required. BTW, the stock basket is used in my design and it's the same as the 6RR basket.
The only complaint I have about the 636 has something to do with the seating position. No matter how many adjustments I've made to the bars, seat and footpegs, I can't get it to be like the feeling I get when riding a GSXR. Maybe it's the shape of the tank that doesn't allow me to lock to it.
QuoteMelk, I'd think lack of feeling vs violent headshake would be a good trade off. :(
Dang, I don't know what to do. Thing is, I've got a guy that's going to possibly trade me bike for bike. I don't see ever being able to sell the 929, so I'm seriously considering it.
Trade even up.. thats a good deal.. As the others said. You CAN get the bike to be rideable. There is much more data out there to set up the 636 than when i rode it. HEll, when i rode it, Ohlins sent us a shock spring fitted up that they thought would be right.. turns out it was a spring that worked for a 250LB rider!! Im 160.. and told them so. Thats how little was known. Even with the right spring (which did help alot).. it needed much more work. THe motor made up for alot, and the BRAKES were killer also.. If he will trade even up id do that in a heartbeat..
WELCOME TO THE MID WT CLASS CLAY!! 8)
It's not a done deal yet. :P
Go with the zx6rr, slipper clutch and adjustable swingarm pivots, it's such a great handling bike, a little low on power stock though....got one for sale race ready!
Here's my interpretation of the rule. If you follow the AMA rules at all, I think it was two years ago that they stopped allowing team to change from the wet stock clutch to the custom/aftermarket dry clutches. Given that, I would almost assume that the CCS rules could be interpreted similarly. Therefore, slippers would be allowed, but not a conversion from wet to dry. I try to get a hold of FUSA's head technical inspector. He's got the best understanding of the rules. You could also contact Kevin Hunt, KWS Motorsports (http://www.kwsmotorsports.com/), Crew Chief for Shawn Higbee. He builds motors for FUSA teams.
Just take it to 4 & 6 Performance in the Chicago area and have Jim computrack and optimize it.
We roll our bikes out of the hauler at the AMA nationals and they are 95% there and we don't spend all weekend trying to set the them up.
Computracking it will give you the optimal chassis geometry without trying to figure it out on your own.
What's your time and lost contingency worth to you?
Once we got our ZX6RR set up, there wasnt much more than one click either way from track to track.
It is a bike that is very gearing sensitive, less so on the 636....
The 636 is a decent platform, and you can convert the slipper clutch for less than $500 from ebay stuff...
Good point Kevin. 4&6 knows their stuff. I was just trying to point them to someone I knew who has built several of the recent top FUSA motors. Although the motors in Denning's and Gill's bikes can definitely lay the smack down on the field.
Well, no use anyways. The guy backed out. ::)
If any of you guys would like to trade a race ready r6/600rr/zx-6 for a 929 with lots of goodies (and all the street plastics/tank) then let me know. :P
Quoteyou can convert the slipper clutch for less than $500 from ebay stuff...
by buying used parts and having to remove the engine & split the cases to install the 6RR main shaft, right? At dealer cost, these parts run about $850. Removing the engine and cracking the cases is why there are only a few with a slipper in a 636. Or, I could work harder at selling my kit....
Sorry to hear the deal fell through, Clay. Maybe something else with turn up.
Ask my teammate about his 636. Bought it new last year, ran 4 weekends on it, and in that time, went through 3 transmissions (yes, three.) Between the transmission problems (misses the 3-4 and 4-5 upshift a lot, and would not stay in 3rd gear when decelerating), and having a really rough time getting the bike to handle, he wound up parking the bike in the back of the garage and buying an R6. Never looked back.
A few weeks ago, he decided to send the trans out to get back-cut, and get the bike back together to at least a rideable condition. We decided to take it down to Barber with us.
After crashing his R6 in T11 in spectacular glory this past weekend... Dan ran his 636 (good thing we brought it!) After we ripped out all of the suspension stuff someone else put in, put the geometry back to near stock, and took it to Thermosman, he got it handling "ok." Still not nearly as easy to ride as the R6, I believe "vague" was a word he used to describe the handling. He was running 1:34s, riding at 60% on the R6.... and running 1:36s, riding at 100% on the Kawi.
To be fair, I'm SURE that if you spend enough time on the bike, and use a competent suspension guy (such as Thermosman)... you can get the bike handling great. I mean, the Haydens are winning on them, so they can't be all THAT bad. I think they just take a lot of time and effort to get them dialed in.
The R6 is almost a plug-and-play bike. Easiest bike to go fast on... at least, that I've ridden.
Dan's 636 is for sale now... email him at dan@kingpinracing.com if you're interested.
Also - if you're looking to swap in the slipper clutch, keep in mind you also have to change the entire shaft the clutch runs on.
Clay,
I am running a 929 this year and so far I have been fairly happy with the handling. We resprung and valved the front end, put an Ohlins on the rear and dropped the front end 5 mm. Other than that (and a scotts damper) everything is stock and it seems to handle fine - I certainly don't have any issues with headshake.
If you have any good spares you want to get rid of shoot me an email at gal1970@yahoo.com - I might be interested as I do plan on running the 929 with my white plates next year. I am confident that the limiting factor is me, not the bike.
George Linhart
CCS #773
Well, I don't know what's gone on with my handling on the bike. It didn't use to do this. I'm going to have to take it to GMD to figure this one out. I don't know if it's something related to the frame or my suspension setup. It handles fine on smooth tracks, but once you throw in elevation changes and bumps...it gets bad. :(
then stop throwing good money after bad.. if you are not all that happy, sell the bike. Put that cash toward a proven bike. GMD could sort you out.. perhaps, but how much is that gonna cost and its still an old 929, not a new mid wt bike.
Yes, forgot about the kawi 636 tranny troubles. I have NEVER had a blister on my big toe. After a couple days at Daytona i had a big one. That friggin thing is the hardest clunkiest tranny i have every had on a bike.
Haydens may win on em, but they are Haydens (ie. FAST AS S**T).. and have a "factory" "stock" 636..
QuoteWell, I don't know what's gone on with my handling on the bike. It didn't use to do this. I'm going to have to take it to GMD to figure this one out. I don't know if it's something related to the frame or my suspension setup. It handles fine on smooth tracks, but once you throw in elevation changes and bumps...it gets bad. :(