Kawasaki Versys Forum banner

Front Rotor Maintenance?

1K views 5 replies 4 participants last post by  buildbigboats 
#1 ·
Recently acquired an 09. The previous owner was a stickler on maintenance. In the collection of stuff that came with the bike I found a homemade tool consisting of a bolt with 2 nuts and 2 washers. Called and asked him about its intended use. He said he used it to clamp through the front rotor "bobbins" in order to rotate and lightly oil them. Looked at service manual, searched online and do not see where anyone else does this on semi floating rotors. Doesn't seem like a bad idea but then again is it a good idea, something I should continue doing every once in a while?
 
#3 ·
Believe the intention is to very lightly oil/lubricate the interface between the "bobbins" and the two portions of the rotors...the inner fixed portion bolted to the hub and the outer semi-floating portion that gets clamped by the pads to make sure the "bobbins" don't get frozen up preventing the outer portion from moving. Sounds logical but not sure whether to be all that concerned about keeping up with that aspect of the PM...but then again maybe he was on to something. Never had a bike with this type of rotor.
 
#4 ·
There's a good vid on the Youtube where a guy shows the difference between street bike floating rotors and race bike floating rotors. Street bike floating rotors barely "float" at all. At best, they probably act as a mild weight savings, with the hub a lighter metal.
The floating race rotors OTOH, rattle around enough you'd think they were going to fall apart with all the noise. I suspect they do a better job of holding heat in the rotor where it's needed for optimal use.
In any event, my FJR never needed rotors and I never oiled them. The bike had ~60k miles on it when I got rid of it.
Some people love to fuss with their machines. I ain't one of them. I just like to ride the poo poo out of them. YMMV.
 
#5 ·
MK1 Maintenance / Bobbins

http://www.kawasakiversys.com/forums/594146-post1.html

A considerable number of threads on this, I experienced it on my 07, used the same method except I had a piece of threaded rod, one end went in the portable drill, WD40 and brake cleaner, lots of junk came out, when done I could rotate with my fingers.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top