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I am the 4th owner of a 1998 750F with 37,500 miles as of the 28th. This is the first motorcycle that I've owned. I'd like to tell you all a little bit about it and my first experiences with it.
First a little about me. I excelled in the CA CHP-MSC this past October, and subsequently obtained my M1 license. This Kat was the second bike I looked at. The first being an '03 Kawasaki Ninja 500. I am interested in the reliability and new rider friendliness of these two bikes primarily. I went with the Kat, because it was the better of the two bikes I looked at.
The day I bought it I rode it 100 miles on Los Angeles Freeways home. I've never ridden on the freeway before that day. I've never ridden at night either. The last half hour was night riding. It was a pleasurable experience, thankfully. No issues with the bike whatsoever. Plenty of traffic to contend with. It didn't feel like it was getting hot at all. The ambient temperature being in the 60s F helped keep it cool.
I couldn't help but notice that this Kat is quite buzzy between 3,700 RPM and 4,900 RPM. It is smoother from 5,000 RPM up, but certainly not without vibrations. This sounds like a normal situation from what I've read here. I would like to reduce the vibrations in that RPM range though. I plan on performing a valve clearance check/adjustment and a carb sync. I am going to construct a DIY manometer for the task. I do not object to purchasing a Carbtuner, but would like to try the DIY version first. The previous owner said that he purchased the carbs from someone on this forum, presumably Arsenic, but I can't verify this. The carbs look very clean from what I can see with the fairings on. The only issue relating to the carbs that I've got is that the starting enrichment lever does not remain in any position other than fully off. I can utilize it's function only by holding the lever in the desired position. Thus, it is slightly awkward to operate, but the enrichment circuit in the carbs does seem to work fine. I'm not sure if the problem-if there is a problem, I don't have the owner's manual to verify that the lever should remain in any position the operator desires within the fully on to fully off limits without a constant input of force- is in the switch box on the handlebar or at the carbs. I'll look into that when I do the aforementioned valve adjustment.
The bars aren't stock. It has convertiBARS installed. The current height is a bit too high for the stock throttle cable length, because at steering lock left the engine speed raises a few thousand revolutions. I've familiarized myself with the convertiBARS system and will do likewise with the throttle cable routing when I have the tank off. I like the idea of having the adjustability the convertiBARS affords, but am not unwilling to revert to the stock handlebar setup with lead shot and heavy bar ends to reduce the vibrations. I was given the stock handlebars, triple clamp isolation plate (not sure what that part is called exactly; the plate with the cast in handlebar clamps), rubber isolators for the handlebar clamp, and the already filled with lead shot handlebars. So, I'll experiment and report my findings to the appropriate section of the forum. When I am into the bike I will also inspect all of the rubber isolators for the engine and tighten any fasteners that require it. Hopefully all of this will reduce the vibrations. The vibrations aren't bad enough to cause hand pain or numbness as of yet. I would think on the 100 mile, 2 hour ride home that if my hands would go numb or be in pain from the vibrations that they would have.
Once I got the bike home I more thoroughly inspected it. I discovered that the clutch cable has begun to fray at the handlebar end. It looks like two strands have sheared. I should have discovered this fact prior to riding it home 100 miles. Luckily it didn't fail during that ride. I'll be replacing that soon. I want to determine if I need to replace the throttle and starting enrichment cables in addition to the clutch cable. Hopefully not, seeing how the return cable has proven to be somewhat difficult for me to find in comparison to the throttle pull cable.
I believe the OEM air filter is in place which is a good thing. The bike is fitted with a Vance and Hines slip-on that has a nice sound at all engine speeds without being oppressively loud.
All of the electrical components work fine.
So that is a little bit about my first bike. I apologize for this post being lengthy and a bit unorganized. Hopefully it is understandable. I hope to learn from you all and then pay it forward. Thanks.
First a little about me. I excelled in the CA CHP-MSC this past October, and subsequently obtained my M1 license. This Kat was the second bike I looked at. The first being an '03 Kawasaki Ninja 500. I am interested in the reliability and new rider friendliness of these two bikes primarily. I went with the Kat, because it was the better of the two bikes I looked at.
The day I bought it I rode it 100 miles on Los Angeles Freeways home. I've never ridden on the freeway before that day. I've never ridden at night either. The last half hour was night riding. It was a pleasurable experience, thankfully. No issues with the bike whatsoever. Plenty of traffic to contend with. It didn't feel like it was getting hot at all. The ambient temperature being in the 60s F helped keep it cool.
I couldn't help but notice that this Kat is quite buzzy between 3,700 RPM and 4,900 RPM. It is smoother from 5,000 RPM up, but certainly not without vibrations. This sounds like a normal situation from what I've read here. I would like to reduce the vibrations in that RPM range though. I plan on performing a valve clearance check/adjustment and a carb sync. I am going to construct a DIY manometer for the task. I do not object to purchasing a Carbtuner, but would like to try the DIY version first. The previous owner said that he purchased the carbs from someone on this forum, presumably Arsenic, but I can't verify this. The carbs look very clean from what I can see with the fairings on. The only issue relating to the carbs that I've got is that the starting enrichment lever does not remain in any position other than fully off. I can utilize it's function only by holding the lever in the desired position. Thus, it is slightly awkward to operate, but the enrichment circuit in the carbs does seem to work fine. I'm not sure if the problem-if there is a problem, I don't have the owner's manual to verify that the lever should remain in any position the operator desires within the fully on to fully off limits without a constant input of force- is in the switch box on the handlebar or at the carbs. I'll look into that when I do the aforementioned valve adjustment.
The bars aren't stock. It has convertiBARS installed. The current height is a bit too high for the stock throttle cable length, because at steering lock left the engine speed raises a few thousand revolutions. I've familiarized myself with the convertiBARS system and will do likewise with the throttle cable routing when I have the tank off. I like the idea of having the adjustability the convertiBARS affords, but am not unwilling to revert to the stock handlebar setup with lead shot and heavy bar ends to reduce the vibrations. I was given the stock handlebars, triple clamp isolation plate (not sure what that part is called exactly; the plate with the cast in handlebar clamps), rubber isolators for the handlebar clamp, and the already filled with lead shot handlebars. So, I'll experiment and report my findings to the appropriate section of the forum. When I am into the bike I will also inspect all of the rubber isolators for the engine and tighten any fasteners that require it. Hopefully all of this will reduce the vibrations. The vibrations aren't bad enough to cause hand pain or numbness as of yet. I would think on the 100 mile, 2 hour ride home that if my hands would go numb or be in pain from the vibrations that they would have.
Once I got the bike home I more thoroughly inspected it. I discovered that the clutch cable has begun to fray at the handlebar end. It looks like two strands have sheared. I should have discovered this fact prior to riding it home 100 miles. Luckily it didn't fail during that ride. I'll be replacing that soon. I want to determine if I need to replace the throttle and starting enrichment cables in addition to the clutch cable. Hopefully not, seeing how the return cable has proven to be somewhat difficult for me to find in comparison to the throttle pull cable.
I believe the OEM air filter is in place which is a good thing. The bike is fitted with a Vance and Hines slip-on that has a nice sound at all engine speeds without being oppressively loud.
All of the electrical components work fine.
So that is a little bit about my first bike. I apologize for this post being lengthy and a bit unorganized. Hopefully it is understandable. I hope to learn from you all and then pay it forward. Thanks.
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