Kawi 250r race setup recommendations

Be careful not to overspring the front end on those 250's, guys. Use RaceTech's spring calculator to find a recommended spring rate as a ballpark figure. I'm a 175/180lb'r and the .75 springs are just about right.

How much do you guys weight in at?

 

We thought that also, but ended up running 9.25s in the front of ours...I was still bottoming out at RA.

 

I'm ~190lb w/o gear, so I think the .85 will work ... no?

 

I'm 170 without gear, have .85kg, and wish it was a little stiffer.

 

old gen or new gen? pic shows old gen, I have an 08

 

I don't recall what I finally put in my '97. They work well enough. The rod knocking keeps my mind off the bouncing/shaking front end anyway.

 

Old gen, can't see why it would be different between the gens.

 

Frame on our bikes is flimsy, hinged in the middle with a screen door spring holding it together. Make the front too stiff and it will try to spit you off.

 

Ah ha...that would explain something.

Are the frames really that much different?

The .75ers I'm using have worked great (HUGE difference over stock) on my old-gen and I haven't adjusted the damping except for the switch to heavier weight fork oil. IIRC some WSMC guys were leaving the stock springs in their 08+ 250's and only adding GVE's to the forks with good results.

 

Willow does not have the hard braking that a lot of the east coast tracks have. Yes, you can get a way with stock springs at willow. Im 170 without gear and the 9.25 front springs are just about right for me, a little on the soft side, on a new gen.

 

I'm 205-210 w/o gear, .85 springs and 20 wt oil (I think that's what Marie ran). Seemed fine to me in Dec at Tally, but the front end is like a jack hammer going through 1.

 

The inside of 1 has some bumps, stay a little wider and it's much smoother.

<edit> Also be sure and stay loose on the bars, if you tighten up it makes it worse.

 

I kind of had fun going over those bumps, a little unsettling at first.

 

Chris what was wrong with the bike?

 

You will do well, grasshopper. Well, that or crash...

 

Rear brake got hot and was locking up, must have got the adjustment off when I modded it this winter.

How'd you and DJ do, saw names on the sheets but never saw you in pits?

 

Oh ok, was worried for a few. Did Shroud figure out what happened to his?

DJ did well mixing it up with Dillion and James, think he got a second and a 3rd. I really was just treating it as a cold ass trackday and seeing what the little 250RR could do, and just trying it out. Fork seals are shot and during the transport a bunch of oil leaked out and it was pogoing all over the place. Gonna have the 400RR for barber though so that's cool

 

Sorry to hear about the problems; knowing you as I do it will be perfect for the next round! You gotta get up there and keep Peter honest!

Can't wait to see your new toys on track! Guess you are up to your eyeballs in exposed breastsesess about now in N'Awlins!

Got all my GP shift parts in for the EX and the SV is back home simply awaiting me to repaint the bodywork. I'll be signing up fro the Tally Nat'l and the Barber round in May, doing Clubman, V5, LWTs (SS & SB) plus DSS. So I'll see you boys in various combined classes.
It's gonna be fun having the 2-fiddies crawling up my arse plus Keeeeesler in LWTSB and George in LWTSS. There will be no time to relax for sure!

Look fwd to seeing you all again my friends!!!

 

Anybody have experience with the sportisimoto exhaust?

 

No, I need to call Matt and ask for the dimensions.