Posts by Bluestar

I'll be at SSITR on Saturday the 3rd. Once you ride in an Alpha Turbo, you might reconsider the supercharger. Especially since you live where I do. Our altitude loves turbos a lot more than superchargers. Just sayin'.

Quote from Jonathan Thompson

This is really cool... I'm seeing a quarter of a million dollars worth of turbo kits in these pictures. As a supply chain guy I can't image a you're not expecting at least four turns a year making your turbo operation just for the slingshot a seven figure sales goal annually.

I still want to Henry when I grow up...

Well, I can tell you this Jonathon (and I am a perfectionist to the annoyance of many): If my SS fell off a cliff tonight, I would buy another one and do exactly the same mods I have done. How many products do we buy where we say "Oh, if I could do things over I would change this and that"? I don't feel that way with one single Alpha mod I have done. I'd do exactly what I did in round one.

Quote from xd675x

A little trick @Turbosling does in the shop...with the hood closed and latched properly loosen the four bolts holding the hood hinge brackets. These are attached horizontally to the frame on either side of the lower pivot tube. Then re-tighten. Sometimes this helps realign the hood and it might close better. I do agree with the other post that my own hood acts differently depending on the situation (inside, outside, hot, cold).

I will give that a shot too.

I spent about an hour tonight aligning everything. The Alpha adjustable brackets are a Godsend.

These hoods are picky that's for sure. Everything has to be just right. Patience, patience and more patience when aligning everything.

I Alpha.

Polaris Slingshot Reinforced Hood Brackets by Alpha Powersport

Quote from Jonathan Thompson

I'm ready. We are going Thursday morning to Sunday. Gotta be home for the pool party on Monday. Have any of the CO folks set up a Denver meet point to ride up together?

We're not going to head up until Saturday a.m. Jonathon and only staying for the day. More of a meet some members, check out the vendors, say hi and boogie back to Denver type deal for us. We might do the Mt. Evans loop if the timing works on heading back home but playing that by ear.

Can somebody clarify: Do I understand correctly when you are replacing the head studs you are doing so without removing the head and without replacing the head gasket? Want to make sure I got that right.

Thanks.

This is the kit I have. I've had it for maybe 15 years now and it's never let me down.

Amazon.com: Actron CP7835 Vacuum Pump/Brake Bleed Kit: Automotive

We did a normal 2 man bleed on mine to fill the line (I replaced my rear brake line so the master cylinder and line were bone dry) and then after got the line filled I Mighty-Vac'ed it.

Took about 15 minutes and a full can of DOT4 but my brakes are tighter than a drum now.

I can also reverse flush with the Mighty-Vac I have but never had much luck with that. I just keep the master cylinder reservoir nice and full and suck it through with the Mighty-Vac until she is running clear and clean with no bubbles.

I have read the SS ABS sometimes will need a secondary bleed after some miles. I think that is what is going on with the guys whose brakes are fine new and then after a couple hundred miles start getting spongy. This does not concern me too much and just means another bleed is in order to get everything 100%.

I agree with you - there is nothing easy about getting to the master cylinder fittings or anything else in that area including the dipstick mount bolt and the various wires zip tied to same.

I have a rating scale similar to Scoville rating for heat or Fujitsu scale for tornado's.

Honda cars have long held my top rating for the most difficult engine bays to work on (engineered extremely well but Honda are masters at packing in the most amount of stuff in the smallest amount of space possible within the laws of physics) but the SS is a close second.

One thing I have learned about the SS, moreso than pretty much any other vehicle I have worked on, is that sometimes the obvious method of accomplishing something is not the easiest or fastest. You think you see the forest but you are seeing the trees.

For future reference, the fuel rail and intake manifold is fairly easy to remove (especially after you've done it multiple times like I have) and greatly frees up space in that area. In hindsight I wished I'd have just done that to begin with when removing and reinstalling my dipstick.I would have save 75% of the time it took trying to get at bolts you can barely see much less reach.

You asked for opinions on page 1 and I just kind of skipped to the end.

Here is my opinion:

I understand where you are coming from. You put your hard work into documenting this procedure and why should every Tom, Dick and Harry that is not part of the inner-circle be able to benefit from it?

I faced the same conundrum years ago with things like complicated procedures on motorcycles (valve shim adjustments, working around emissions crap, suspension upgrades, etc...) where I would spend hours documenting with pictures and well researched specs and steps.

Here was my take on it (and I am doing the same thing on a lot of the Sling mods I am currently doing):

If I spend the time to really document things, to help the next guy out not making the same mistakes I did - do I just want a few guys to benefit or do I want as many guys as humanly possible to benefit?

So my opinion to you is let anybody that needs the info have access to it. Are we all not driving the same vehicles and facing the same issues (potentially)?

When I shut down my ZX-12R website years ago, Dave Potter emailed me and said "Brother, may I host all your mod docs on my website for posterity?" Of course my answer was yes, absolutely.

I am unique (somewhat) to the SS as I am the new guy on the block and I bought a brand new SS and tore it down before it even had 200 miles on it.

Here are some of the links. Makes me happy that I might be helping some guy all these years later who only knows I was called "Blitz".

Dave Potter's Kawasaki ZX-12R Tuning Guide - ZX12R Modifications

I would encourage any and all going on this trip to do the Mt. Evans loop. I could try to explain the beauty but I am human and words fail me.

Just beware that you will notice decreased HP as you gain elevation but you will not hurt your vehicle or anything. Just take it easy and listen to your motor.

Trust me on this: The trip is worth the destination.

I would be happy to be there as a sag wagon if needed, but I don't think needed.

Quote from Ghostwheel

Ahh!

Well then from one native to another I will tell you I agree with you. It is quite rare when you see snow up there that early!

Also, as a native...you know the rule when it comes to weather above 10k. Always have a backup plan

Amen brother.

Ghost, here is the deal:

I have seen (personally, standing there with my own eyes) full dress Harleys being blown on their side from wind at the summit.

Watch the frost heave on the road up the mountain. Depending on the year and road work it can become the equivalent of a roller coaster ride tamed down a bit. I have had people not used to the altitude get sick in my vehicle on that road. You can still see one of them on the side of the mountain - yellow vest.

Have lunch in Idaho Springs and then hit the pass after and you will be fine. Bring a warm jacket.

And after you are done, you can brag that you and your SS and SO drove up the highest highway in the continental U.S.

You will note I did not say highest contiguous highway (Mt. Evans goes up/down the same way) - that honor belongs to Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park (which if you have a remote chance of doing, do it).

Quote from Ghostwheel

Hola...

If any locals have an alternative ride idea for Mt Evans road I would appreciate suggestions. It's the ride I want to do, but on Sept 1st there very well could be a foot or so of snow up there...need an backup plan.

Very doubtful you will see snow on Evans 09/01. Could happen but unlikely. Cold yes. It's normally 20-30F colder at the summit than at I-70, and it's always windy up there.

Source: Me. Lived here my whole life.

Thanks for the pointer to this book brother. It is most definitely one of the most thorough tech books I have bought in quite a while. Well worth the $$.

You have a good sense of humor. I like that.

Sorry about the live vs life thing. I did not mean it like I think you took it.

@mytoy - I didn't mean to stir you up my man. Your language is fine, your demeanor excellent and I meant you no offense.;-)

I was really (really) just kidding about the live vs life my man.

Ich hatte meine DNA getestet vor ca. 3 Monaten.

Ich bin 84 % deutsche, 15 % Italienisch und der Rest Franse Ostsee. Ironischerweise, sagt ancestory.com jetzt habe ich mehr rein deutschen DNA als die durchschnittliche Bevölkerung Deutschlands. Gehen, nicht wahr herauszufinden?

Shhhh!

"Life" not "Live".

I like 'em. I like 'em a lot.

And I'm a picky butthead.