Good things never die.
"What's a Ninja now?", "It's a fossil.", "You're still throwing money at that motorcycle? "Why don't you buy a new one? These are all common phrases that I hear, and they may not be wrong as phrases.
But those people don't get it.
There are plenty of new models coming out every year that can beat the Ninja's performance. But do those vehicles still exist as objects of respect, adoration and admiration?
There you go, the Ninja is different. It's not an air-cooled Z, it's not a full-cowl ZZ-R, it's a GPZ900R that has a charm that only a GPZ900R can offer, and that's why it continues to fascinate owners to this day. So, in this article, I'll be showing you a mixture of standard and recommended custom parts that are still available today!
- First, the exhaust system!
- NITRO RACING: 4in1 Machine-Bent Titanium Exhaust System
- Marvelous Engineering: Flagship Model Conical Goldie Full Kit (Hand Bending)
- Techserfu: All Titanium Exhaust System Type 2
- Tsukioki Racing: TR Exhaust System Full Exhaust System
- K-Factory: Full Exhaust D-Header
- Yamato Racing: Spec A Slip-On Silencer 2-Way
- As for the intake system, replacing the carburetor is standard practice!
- I suggest you replace the entire rear suspension, it's a weak point!
- Hidden gems
- Good things never die.
First, the exhaust system!
If you don't have a preference for the stock two-piece exhaust system, the exhaust system is the first step to customization. Full exhaust systems are also more popular than slip-on silencer on the Ninja. You can recreate the original customization, or you can use the latest titanium exhaust. It's a great style, so everything looks good on it!
- It's easier to choose the assembly format if you decide between 4-1 and 4-2-1.
- Note that the 4-1 has a lower minimum ground clearance and is more likely to hit the assembly on bumps.
- Slip-ons aren't cheap because you need two expensive silencers.
NITRO RACING: 4in1 Machine-Bent Titanium Exhaust System
This is the most popular one these days. You can choose between a short tail and a long tail, but the short tail is currently the most popular. The long tail also has the advantage of preventing the heel of the shoes on the step from touching the silencer, and the back of the motorcycle looks like a Ninja from the past.
Marvelous Engineering: Flagship Model Conical Goldie Full Kit (Hand Bending)
Marvelous Engineering's Gordi Exhaust System is popular despite the fact that it may require some modification to the vehicle body for installation. The feature is the Nojima exhaust pipes and assemblies that have a special shape with a twist called the "SC Pyramid"! Good exhausts, good assemblies, and good silencers, that's what makes them so popular?
Techserfu: All Titanium Exhaust System Type 2
This is a full exhaust made by TechSerfu which is familiar to the fans of the past. It is characterized by its beautiful form when mounted, especially when viewed from the side, but its performance is also first class. The shape of the silencer end is good, and there is almost no "buzzing sound", which is pleasant. The large capacity silencer and pleasant yet realistic sound volume may also be a popular point.
Tsukioki Racing: TR Exhaust System Full Exhaust System
Along with the Techsurf, this is the classic Tsukigi Racing that every fan of the past knows!
It took the world by storm around '90, so it's got a very nostalgic image, but even looking at it now, the "long, thin silencer" looks damn good!
Isn't the price so cheap now!
K-Factory: Full Exhaust D-Header
The most popular shiny type is made by K Factory. Full polish from the exhaust to the silencer, so the burnished color is very beautiful! The pipe near the connection to the exhaust port is D-shaped, which is another feature of the recent design concept of increasing flow velocity and reducing back pressure.
Yamato Racing: Spec A Slip-On Silencer 2-Way
This is the one if you want to go for the left/right 2-piece! It is not a major part of the Ninja lineup, but for this reason, the rare Yamamoto two-piece is a welcome addition. And the interesting thing about the Ninja is that it makes a better sound than a bad set of tubes. If you want to enjoy the good sound without removing the cowl, this is the best choice.
As for the intake system, replacing the carburetor is standard practice!
Since these vehicles were built before the spread of injection, all vehicles from the early to the final models use negative pressure carburetors. As is well known, replacing this carburetor will dramatically improve performance. The power-up effect, of course, is a bonus. The real effect is that the throttle response is no longer drowsy, and the acceleration feeling in the middle range, where it is used regularly, becomes outstanding!
The longitudinal control of the vehicle is at your will, and I can assure you that you will be more impressed than the price.
- Decide if you want to keep or remove the air cleaner box.
- When removing the air cleaner box, decide whether it is a funnel or filter type.
- Decide the carburetor brand (Mikuni or Keihin)
- Decide the carburetor diameter
Bito R&D (Keihin): FCR Carburetor
Speaking of Ninjas, FCR! So the most popular is the FCR carburetor. The secret to its popularity may be its ease of use, as it can be adapted to a variety of specifications with a wide range of attachments and its mild setting range, so it won't suddenly stop riding even if the setting is slightly wrong. If it's a funnel version, you'll hear the clinking of the floating valve loudly, so it's nice to have that 'not-so-ordinary feeling!
Yoshimura: TMR-MJN Carburetor
This special version is based on Mikuni's TMR, but uses Yoshimura's original MJN (Multiple Jet Nozzle). The red head cover with crystalline coating is distinctive and recognizable at a glance. The merit is that the ambiguity inherent in carburetors is greatly reduced because the precision of fuel control is increased. Once you benefit from it, you may never go back to a regular carburetor!
MIKUNI TMR38 Carburetor
This is the "bare" carburetor which is the base of Yoshimura TMR-MJN. The most important feature is the excellent acceleration feeling. If you want to accelerate with a bang, this is definitely the way to go. Perhaps because of the good atomization characteristics of the gasoline, we often hear people say that it is difficult to fog even if the setting is removed.
I suggest you replace the entire rear suspension, it's a weak point!
If there's one thing the Ninjas are weak at, it's rear suspension! I promise you that just by replacing this part with a high-performance external part, you'll be able to drive like you've never seen before! The stock rear shocks have a strong look that cannot hide the age of the design (what with the bellows rubber cover!). So you may want to replace it for "appearance" regardless of the performance. It's definitely better to replace it with an external one than to go through the trouble of diverting it to another motorcycle's stock.
- If you're planning on changing wheels, make sure it has ride height adjustment.
- If the reservoir tank is separate, you may need to make your own stay.
- Even the less expensive ones are often significantly better than stock.
- Difficulty of replacement is relatively high due to the special frame shape
Ohlins: Rear Suspension
The most popular one is the most gorgeous one made by Ohlins. Separate reservoir tank, full adjustability, hydraulic pre-load adjuster, ride height adjustment. If you're going to buy one, buy the most awesome one! I guess that's why. This is a standard rear shock that has been around for a long time and has a lot of setting data, so you can rest assured that you won't have any trouble setting it up (there is a lot of setting data available to the public).
Nitron: Rear Suspension Monoshock NTR R3 Series
The turquoise blue coloring is an eye-catching and recently popular brand! Chic black springs are also available. The compression side damper can be adjusted separately for high speed and low speed, so it has a wide range of optimal settings that can be used from street driving to hard driving on the circuit.
Hyperpro: Streetbox Monoshock 460 Emulsion
Full kit of front and rear suspension including rear shocks, fork springs and damper oil!
The front fork springs are "constant rising rate" springs, which means that the spring rate becomes stronger as the spring retracts, allowing you to handle a wide range of loads from low to high speeds without having to worry about fine preload adjustments.
If you are concerned about the balance of the front and rear shocks being affected by shock replacement, this is the shock for you.
YSS: MONO LINE Rear Single Shock [MZ Series] MZ456
The modest but well-known performance YSS products are also popular. The Ninja is the simplest and most popular of the air-cooled Z models from Kawasaki. It has a good reputation for durability (resistance to oil leakage) and is supported by users who mainly ride on the street.
Bitubo: Monoshock
Bitubo is rapidly becoming a household name these days. If you're an experienced rider, you'll be able to grin at the quality of the Italian-made detail design. When the stock damper is damaged, it is better to replace it with a bitubo than to buy a stock damper again.
Hidden gems
Originally, it was a thing of the body of the position such as a super high-performance high-speed sports tourer, and a peculiar weakness is exposed when I ride Ninja in Japan. In addition, since many years have passed since the end of production, there are some parts that cannot be avoided to deteriorate over time and some problems that can be confronted when customizing.
Finally, here are the promised parts that solve such problems. Sooner or later you're going to have to replace it, so it's a good idea to do it first!
AS Utani: SPII Full Power Kit
There are quite a few vehicles that have concerns about ignition coils and igniters due to aging. In addition, there is a case that the ignition timing is not optimal with a stock igniter because it has reached a hard engine tune at some time by the customization that has been done steadily. This is the popular ignition system that makes all such anxiety and worries pass! By the way, you can feel the great effect in the middle range even if you install it on a "normal" vehicle.
PMC: Radiator fan switch
Speaking of Ninjas, Overheat! It's a promise that the radiator fan will be on full blast when you get stuck in traffic. So here it is! You can control the fan arbitrarily and prevent the fan from "turning after it stops and gets hot". Moreover, the fan also stops when the ignition is turned off, so you can avoid a situation where the fan keeps riding and the battery dries up.
Hurricane: Bar Handle Kit
Ninja = Pipe Handlebar.
Normally, this would be a handlebarnization that would be uncool, but for some reason, only ninjas get to be cool! Makes it easier to ride, brings the distant handlebars closer together, all that good stuff! Nice that it comes with a brake hose that needs to be extended!
Good things never die.
As is the case with all famous motorcycles, they have a charm that cannot be described by mere performance alone. This is true for both motorcycles and cars. There are plenty of high-powered motorcycles with the latest electronic controls that are faster and easier to drive. But "it's not".
Whether you're already an owner or you've always wanted to be, this is the time to get started. Would you like to get stuck in a bottomless swamp?
