I used 1 inch spacers double stacked and I rotated the throttle cables to the bottom. I made a couple of brackets for the Brake and Clutch Reservoirs. My Throttle Lock just touches the fairing at full lock.
I've had this setup for 3 years.

I have a set of handlebars from my previous 1986 Concours. They are very tall on the Ninja.
If I was going to raise the grips again I would used www.apexmfr.com or converti-bars. These bars have adjustable angles for your hands.

* Last updated by: doubleD on 1/1/2016 @ 8:30 PM *

I looked in the gayrage and the 14 is still there. Well I had to take all the stuff that was thrown on it off to see if it was a table or a bike under it. I fired up the compressor and blew off the dust that was not stuck to it then plugged the battery charger in.
That was enuf for 2015

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I quickly glanced at mine, as I rolled out on one of my winter bikes for a short spin in the mid 30 degree weather.

Hoping for the El Nino effect that they keep talking about to kick in and give us some warm weather so I can go for a real ride on any bike. 2nd wettest December in history here, and ever since it stopped raining its been frigid...

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Removed valve cover and measured clearances. As it sits 3 exhaust and 2 intakes are under. The ones within spec, most are around miminum (intakes right at .15mm, exhaust .229). The most under is an exhaust at about .204, the highest was .165mm intake.

I'm going to remeasure everything again just to be certain I have the correct values.

My thought is to just bite the bullet and adjust them all to around .170mm (intake) .240mm (exhaust).

VicThing,
How many miles on your engine?
If your engine has 30-50,000 miles I would only change the shims out of Spec.
Check again at 30k.
The C14 owners are getting 50-70k miles with initial factory settings.
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Just throwing my opinion out there......
When you buy a new Bike check the valve clearance for a point of reference (the Factory should give each owner this reading, they give us the HP Spec sheet). I read on the Internet from a Kawa Dealer that our engines were set from the Factory with "tight tolerances".
Another owner measured each Spring Bucket and they all had different center point thicknesses. Several ways to get back to the correct settings.

15k miles.

Another owner measured each Spring Bucket and they all had different center point thicknesses. Several ways to get back to the correct settings.

Interesting approach, shuffle around the buckets itself of the shims??? However, I think I'd rather keep the buckets matched to the cams they always have been with to avoid starting a new wear pattern. Changing them around could affect hp too. A shim doesn't cost that much. Just change in the right size and hope for the best once you get it all back together. DO go with OEM shims if you want accurate thickness....or else plan on reordering different sizes if you go with aftermarket. Aftermarket shims is sorta hit and miss.

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I'd rather just adjust the shims for what Rook said. You can wipe a cam lobe do that sort of thing. All kinds of crazy shit can happen, not saying it will, but it sure as hell can.

Rook my plan is to measure everything and see what shims can be shuffled around and then possibly just look at at shim kit.

Rook my plan is to measure everything and see what shims can be shuffled around and then possibly just look at at shim kit.

I was able to get about half of mine to the exact clearance I wanted by switching around the existing shims. The rest I had to buy new shims for. I saved the old shims I switched out for future adjustment if that is ever necessary. Man that was some majorly careful arithmetic I did and careful measuring. If you just follow the charts and order the OEM shims you need, it simplifies the whole process a great deal. OEM shims were about $5 bucks/piece I think but they mic out dead nuts accurate. If you order an aftermarket kit, it's a must to mic every one before using it but you should have plenty extras to measure if one mics a few hundredths off of what it is supposed to be. The aftermarkets vary a little bit from what they are marked as sometimes. I used HotCams mostly. I ended up ordering a couple OEM to avoid screwing around waiting and hoping the HotCams I ordered would be the size I predicted they would be.

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I liked the idea of knowing what they were set at the factory. That would have a bearing as to what I would do if I could know, but that's impossible afaik. The service manual says to aim for the mean, so .175 intakes and .245 exhaust. I'd assume most likely this is what they were set at the factory.

I was fairly surprised I think at half the intakes are .150 and maybe 5 of the exhaust are .229.

What do you think about most of the intakes being right at .150? I'd assume Kaw probably had them around .160-.170 as one is .165. It would make sense they'd set all of them to .150 except one which for some reason they set to .165. I don't know, have all the valve seats done some settling?

Most likely a dealer mechanic would tell me if their in spec they don't need adjusted. And I don't disagree. But frankly, if there was a good chance if I set them all back to middle tolerance they'd all be in spec at the 30k mile inspection I'd be just as fine with that. Where as I'm fairly certain at least the min spec'd clearences will be under at 30k requiring adjustment again.

Adjusting them all to mid-spec would be a gamble, as there's probably still a decent chance next interval some would need adjusted. At the same time, if I don't adjust the one's at or near min, it's basically a guarantee adjustments will need made.

I did the valve clearance stuff on my old bike, but it was a lot easier because it had rocker arms and set screws. I don't have a lot of experience with the wear patterns and what to expect over the next 60k miles.

It would make sense they'd set all of them to .150 except one which for some reason they set to .165. I don't know, have all the valve seats done some settling?

I would think they about the same thing you are going to do which is put the shim in there that that brings it closest to the middle of the road. They can't measure the clearance until the cams are in and the timing chain. I don't think they would tear that back down to readjust the clearances...I'm sure they have had a lot of practice so they prolly can set the clearances up by using a lot more intuition and a lot less measuring than we can.

Yeah, My guess is all the seats have worn in and I doubt they will wear much more than they have already. Mine did not change 20k miles after the first adjustment.

if there was a good chance if I set them all back to middle tolerance they'd all be in spec at the 30k mile inspection I'd be just as fine with that. Where as I'm fairly certain at least the min spec'd clearences will be under at 30k requiring adjustment again.

Might as well play it safe and make all middle spec. I made mine minimum spec at 24k and they are all still right there at 44k. I'm sure I will have to adjust some day but at this point, if I had chosen to go to max spec, I don't think I would ever bother to check them again unless I was taking the cover off for some other reason.

Adjusting them all to mid-spec would be a gamble, as there's probably still a decent chance next interval some would need adjusted. At the same time, if I don't adjust the one's at or near min, it's basically a guarantee adjustments will need made.

Middle spec is a very safe bet IMO. If you do that, I would not consider it imperative to check them for 15-20k miles.

I don't have a lot of experience with the wear patterns and what to expect over the next 60k miles.

If yours is like the Gen1, there is not much to worry about. They don't seem to change a lot after the initial wear in. If they do go a shade too tight, that's not going to damage anything. I'm sure there are lots of high miles 14s out there that never had a valve lash check. Not that I'm saying "don't bother to do it" but I don't feel it's necessary to stress over it.

* Last updated by: Rook on 1/3/2016 @ 1:54 PM *

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VicThing,
Check with your local dealer mechanic. I had pretty good luck in the past with the mechanics willing to swap shims. Change out what you can and then take a list and your extras to the dealership and see if they will trade you.
Dave

Replaced stock clutch line with braided Galfer. Took her for a chilly test ride, then a freezing commute to work today.

Nice mod. No real performance gain but the fancy line looks cool and it does reduce weight a tad .

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"Nice mod. No real performance gain but the fancy line looks cool and it does reduce weight a tad ."

Agreed, now all the lines look the same. I am not sure what to do next lol

Installed a fender eliminator. $60 off eBay and included the correctly sized and drilled holes to remount the luggage hooks.

TH

Since mine is due for winter valve check, I parked the garage heater next to it yesterday. Temp dropped to 12F last night, so riding season is over for a month or so.

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