[jdrocks]

i've been using a KLR250 folding footrest for the new folding end on the brake pedal for the V649 bikes, but the inexpensive supply of footrests from the models years i was using seems to have dried up. the low cost footrests are missing pins, bent, have no or broken return springs, or are left side. vintage Honda XR250 footrests are very close in size, and have a better return spring, lets try those.

the mounting bracket for the right side rest gets clipped off, and the welds will get ground flush with the back of the footrest stirrup before being positioned and welded to the OEM Versys brake pedal.

i'm replacing the power cord on that new grinder, then i'll smooth up the back of Honda folding end. the left side footrest shows the type of heavy mounting bracket that bolts to the frame on the Honda. the part gets sandblasted for paint prep.

 

[jdrocks]

as mentioned, one of the great things about the Z1000 50mm upper fork clamp is that it uses a conventional damped handle bar mount. the OEM mounts are 7/8", i use 1 1/8 fat bars these days, so i need suitable bar mounts. the V649HP uses ProTaper mounts, robust, and the mount is eccentric so that you have a little adjustment front to back, so i ordered another set. don't be tempted by knockoffs at a slightly lower price tag, these are the ones you want.

i've run the ATV High bend since forever, so the Scooter gets those Contour bars. i may run a riser, we'll see after i check the fit with the bike assembled. The Contours are tough, the V649HP has been down a bunch of times and the bars are still factory straight.

 

[jdrocks]

the last V649HP got some aluminum plate, now the Scooter needs it too. when it comes to aluminum plate, i prefer the kind that's both battle tested and has the ability to fly. this particular piece survived a battle with a drunk driver, then flew right into the back of my truck.

 

[jdrocks]

with the prelims complete, let's go ahead and clip the back of the subframe clean off, yikes, might hurt.

i can't have anything move during the process, so a stabilizer was accurately fitted to a pair of existing mounts. these OEM mounts are stout, and are used for pannier rack attachment points, strong and stable.



i'm going to shorten the subframe 100mm, and the cuts need to be as accurate as possible. i've found these Kawasaki frames to have some unexpected variances, there must be an acceptable tolerance at the factory, but you need to pick a point and index from there. there's a small flat on the back of the brackets i was anchored to, and that was my index, with the actual cut location to the rear. a cutoff disc is used, but it's still a freehand cut, so i clamped on a small piece of angle to use as a guide. if you look at how the subframe is designed, there's a double tube at this location, and only the top tube is being cut. a stitch weld joins the tubes, and this weld is carefully removed prior to the cut.



quit procrastinating, cut that thang...

 

[jdrocks]

i'm going to run a 310 or 320mm left side rotor, but what happens with the right side, i hate leaving a bare hub. usually i would cut the small center out of a junk rotor, the size the same as the face of the hub. let's make a mini wave this time, try that out instead.

 

[jdrocks]

now that the end of the subframe is loose, i can put it on the bench and remove 100mm of tubing from each side. this section still sits in the deformed tubing underneath it, but i still fitted some additional tubing for both alignment and strength. the end of the subframe starts to curve past the cut and will only take a firmly seated 20mm insert section, while the exposed end which inserts into the remaining subframe is 30mm. the cross plate was trimmed so the sections would mate at the 100mm mark.



since everything was locked off and couldn't move after the cuts, the shortened subframe section was installed with zero drama, and the new assembly didn't have any movement. a final measurement against the index flat, and the subframe was tacked back together with the MIG. 100mm clipped out of the subframe doesn't sound like much, but there's a marked difference in appearance. this design exercise is a challenge, but i have a good idea of what i want.

 

[jdrocks]

before the chop...



after the 100mm chop...

 

[jdrocks]

i was finally able to source a real nice but very inexpensive OEM 310mm rotor from a ZX14R, a new take-off from a bike the owner upgraded to 320mm. i suppose 200HP requires some brakes, but i don't have even half that number, so a single 310mm will get it done...especially with the caliper i'm going to run. block off plate shown left in the photo, but the full size rotor goes on the left. when a guy has a nice set of new rotors, it's unusual for the seller to part with just one for cheap money, so he did me a little favor.



for those keeping score, the Scooter front end is now Z1000 clamps, ZX10R forks, ZX6R wheel, ZX14R rotor, and a tire from a KTM390...whew, sounds complicated.

 

[jdrocks]

new cop motor for the Scooter now in the shop. took way longer than expected to find the right deal, but was worth the wait. photos to follow, eventually.

 

[jdrocks]

spy photo of the cop motor headed for the Scooter, i don't think anyone would confuse this motor for the Versys 650 ptwin version, at least through the 2023 model year.

 

[fasteddiecopeman]

R U gonna tell us WHAT it IS?

 

[jdrocks]

R U gonna tell us WHAT it IS?

it's finless.

 

[jdrocks]

one of the interesting observations found with this parts bike frame is a fully greased headstock. this headstock has more factory grease applied than all the rest of the ER6 frames i've had my hands on combined. maybe Kawasaki was listening to all the comments and complaints about their assembly practices, or maybe some assembly line guy just got carried away. Kawasaki previously used what i would call general purpose chassis lube, but this grease is different and looks to be a better quality grease.

note the weak fairing mount tab on the front of the headstock, it used to be a heavy duty mount on all the ER6 frames at 2X thickness, not any more.

 

[jdrocks]

cop motor in transit to the Scooter...

 

[jdrocks]

lucky i got an official cop motor for the Scooter now, starting in 2023 there will be no such thing as a cop motor since the ER6F (Ninja), Z650, and Versys 650 will all be sporting the same motor with the same tuning. all hail the cop motor, it's the end of an era..

 

[JT in GA]

The thin blue line is getting thinner for scooter builds...

 

[jdrocks]

ain't over 'til it's over, those bikes haven't hit the States yet...and i haven't run out of ideas, like for another gravel runner.

 

[jdrocks]

4th generation ER6F (Ninja 650) frame with ABS attached, 2017 and up...is this type of frame in the Versys 650 future?



this frame followed the frame disaster Kawasaki introduced with the 3rd generation ER6F. that frame used a peculiar center mount for the swingarm which required side plate brackets, had an exceptionally weak subframe, and an unbraced pressed steel assembly for the front motor mounts. even a minor drop could mean the bike got totaled if the subframe bent or the motor mount(s) deflected which usually broke the cast lug(s) on the motor case.

Kawasaki went on a weight reduction binge when designing the 4th gen frame, it's very lightly built, especially in comparison to the Versys frames. Kawasaki claimed that they took 17kg out of the bike, and i'm betting quite a bit came from the frame. they claimed that the new frame was fabbed with JIS equivalent CM tubing, i don't have a way of verifying, but i sure hope so.

for comparison...i did say lightly built. i haven't heard that riders have been breaking these frames in half, so i guess it works.

main frame hoop: Versys 44mm, Ninja 25mm with a 34mm drop leg at the motor mount.
main frame secondary: Versys 32mm, Ninja 16, 20, and 22mm miscellaneous bracing and cross tube.
subframe: Versys 25mm, Ninja 25mm

the linked rear suspension will be coming to the Versys at some point, definitely if the Versys gets the lighter frame. note the light shock mounts, half the thickness of the mounts on previous ER6 frames.



the swingarm is asymmetrical. and has an angled rectangular cross tube which also supports the lower shock mount. it looks like the swingarm is bent at first glance, but it's the practical method to connect the arched right side to the straight left side. this swingarm got the cheap pull style axle adjusters instead of the nice push adjusters on the beefy 3rd gen ER6F steel swingarm, and Versys swingarm since the introduction of this model. the swingarm is also lightly built, and with the present design there's no way to incorporate push adjusters.



the subframes of both the Versys and Ninja use 25mm tube, and this makes for an interesting design study. Ninja subframes have never incorporated braces, but he Versys uses them, and the Versys subframe will flex if they're removed. both subframes are presumably designed to carry the same loads, like a passenger, try to figure out what is actually going on within the design. this 4th gen subframe looks crazy light, but those fancy passenger footrests are right there.

through 2011, the Versys and Ninja subframes looked similar. i documented the differences between the Ninja and Versys subframes back in 2008 with photos that showed Kawasaki deleted critical bracing found on the Ninja when they designed the Versys subframe, but then added struts. many riders removed those struts on the 1st gen model because they didn't like the appearance, good luck with that move.



i intended to sell this frame, but i've had second thoughts. it has a clear title, maybe it should be the base for a relatively light weight something or other build.

 

[jdrocks]

ZX14R 310mm rotor on left...



shop fab mini wave block off plate on right...



i'd have the caliper mounted, but i made the mistake of ordering a set of ZX10R caliper bolts from Revzilla a month ago, never again, i'll try some other sourcing. Revzilla finally agreed to declare the shipment lost yesterday, maybe i'll get a refund, but they want to review the situation first. sure, kick it around, review the hell out of it, force me to make a few more phone calls and emails on this 15 buck order. total waste of time.

 

[jdrocks]

can't have an all Kawasaki front end on the Scooter, just wouldn't seem right for this wanged together mashup of moto parts, enter the Yamaha R6 Nissin radial mono block caliper. mated with the ZX14R 310mm single rotor, should stop the bike just fine. i ran both the 310 and 320mm rotors with the OEM ER6 Tokico caliper, and this caliper is way mo betta.