K-Tech News Vol.11 No.1
Contents
1. Rob Taylor 9950 Jeronimo Road Irvine CA 92618 714 770 0400 57001 1406 ZX 9R Fork Cylinder Holder 57001 1405 ZX 9R Flywheel Puller SPRING 1998 4 K TECH NEWs Voice of the Customer Discovering Issues that Impact Customer Satisfaction by Don Church Manager Service Training and Communications Last year Kawasaki s Technical Services Division contracted with BI Research Systems to help us conduct a pro gram for measuring and monitoring motorcycle customer satisfaction The areas we were looking at specifically were customer feelings about the condi tion of the product itself and the after sale service provided by the Dealer and Kawasaki The results of inter views with 500 owners and 21 dealers were ana lyzed to determine which specific issues have the most impact on overall customer satisfaction Here is the good news Kawasaki s Technical Services recorded an overall CSI score of 81 indicating solid performance in the customer satisfaction arena Overall satisfaction with motorcycle product quality is very high 8 6 on the 10 point scale Furthermore product condition at time of delivery is considered a defi nite strength Customers also rate service quality from their dealer 7 7 quite highly During a Voice of the Customer workshop after the results of the survey were compiled members of Tech Services identified the strongest factors affecting cust2. We have found that a shop s reputation is made through the service department It is impor tant to do each job proper ly on time and at a fair price the result has been numerous referrals We also try to introduce every new customer to the ser vice manager This gives them confidence from the beginning We even ask the technician to speak with customers occasional ly This may cost a little in short term productivity but it is time invested in future business Advertising We will advertise in fewer media but more consistently We also participate in the Falls Agency programs they ve provided a good response Demo Ride Liability concerns make demo rides rare for us We have found that what customers really want when they ask to ride the unit is confidence We suggest that they buy the unit and if it isn t all they expected return it within 25 miles or less and we ll take it back Seeing the confidence we have in the product usual ly gives them confidence too Promotions Being involved is a big key Two of our employees are rac ers so they bring in a lot of motocross and trail rid ers We had our first Fun Ride on a cold day in February and were pleased to have a big turnout despite the weath er People want a shop they can interact with and we want to become as good at that as we can Walter Rainwater 6110 Boat Rock Blvd S W Atlanta GA 30378 404 349 2000
3. after several hours of rid ing These loose latches Call Hotline can actually pop open if ECA Lae G bounced hard enough Lk In our investigation of these reports we found amp S that the hood can settle onto the gasket and the hard jolt rests on are 5mm thick dampers to replace the four rubber dampers Our Quality Assurance You can get 4 more of 5mm ones especially when used in people have come up with these 5mm dampers P N Whether you are dou rough water conditions two ways you can fix this 92075 3757 and glue them bling up on the stock 5mm This eventually takes the problem if you run into it onto the existing ones or dampers or installing tension off the latch and The four rubber dampers you can call the Kawasaki 10mm ones the VALCO allows it to pop open glued to the under side of Hotline and we will send Cincinnati HV 350 adhe when the boat receives a the hood which the hood you some 10mm thick sive works very well SPRING 1998 K TECH NEws KAF620 MULE FRONT WHEEL BEARINGS by Gregg Thompson Product Support Supervisor We ve heard of some KAF620 Mule 2500 2510 and 2520 customers who experienced repeat fail ures of their front wheel axle bearings Of course there can be many possi ble causes of wheel bear ing failures but our inves tigations have turned up something you might not think of when replacing a set of wheel bearings We have found that paint can sometim
4. license This allows use on all public lands and is not tied to a VIN or name It can be purchased by any one at locations ranging from motorcycle shops to convenience stores Call 916 324 4442 for more information SPRING 1998 6 K TECH NEws D Late Model VN1500 Transmissions C4 in 1997 There were however by Gregg Thompson Product Support Supervisor some complaints from In 1996 the VN1500 D1 customers about hard or Classic came with a trans noisy shifting into 2nd mission that was different from the previous VN1500 models The Classic had taller gearing in 2nd 3rd gear with that newer style transmission Most of the complaints we received were from D1 Classic and 4th top gears For owners We believe the the most part dealers and shifting problems were customers preferred the related to less common taller gearing of the riding styles and shifting Classic to the early trans techniques since most cus mission in the A and C tomers had no problems models The D1 transmis But there were some run sion was applied to the ning changes made in the other models A11 and D2 to change the shifting 3rd Gear Output 13260 1653 2nd Gear Output 13260 1652 D2 5 DOG GEAR SET Order As a Set 2nd Gear Output KO D1 A11 C4 6 DOG GEAR SET characteristics and still maintain the taller gear ing In the D1 transmission 2nd gear on the output shaft had three slots that
5. were engaged by 6 dogs on the slider 3rd gear out put Very early in the 1997 Classic D2 the engagement dog configu ration for 2nd gear was changed to 5 dogs and 5 slots The 6 dogs and 3 slot style parts that came in the 96 D1 and early 97 D2 Classics as well as the 97 A11 and C4 models are no longer available The new style parts are not compatible with the old style so both 2nd and 3rd gears on the output shaft must be replaced as a set A parts bulletin MC 96 01 was distributed in June 96 regarding this change It listed a new style 5 dog gear set that was intended to prevent dealers from ordering just one gear and receiving a part that was not compati ble with the one still in the transmission Unfortunately the new microfiche for all the above models show only the latest style 5 dog 2nd the fiche are not compati ble with what came in these units So here s the rule FOR VN1500 D1 EAR LY D2 A11 AND C4 s ALWAYS ORDER BOTH 2ND AND 3RD OUTPUT GEARS AS A SET In mid production of the 1997 VN1500 D2 another change was made to the transmission First gear ratio was made taller closer to 2nd gear First gear on the output shaft was changed from 40 teeth to 39 teeth and the input shaft was changed from 16 teeth to 17 teeth This modification prob ably did more to change the 1st to 2nd shifting characteristics than the dog configuration change As with the 2nd gear parts o
6. IRVINE TACOMA New Model Special Tools and Special Tool Catalog The all new ZX900 C1 ZX600 G1 and VN1500 E1 G1 models require some new special tools The ZX 9R uses a new fly wheel puller P N 57001 1405 fork cylinder holder P N 57001 1406 and throttle sensor setting adapter P N 57001 1400 The ZX 6R requires a new throttle sensor setting 57001 1408 ZX 6R 57001 1400 ZX 9R VN1500 E1 G1 Throttle Sensor Setting Adapter adapter P N 57001 1408 different from the ZX 9R And the VN1500 E1 G1 uses a new drive shaft holder P N 57001 1407 and flywheel holder P N 57001 1410 The VN1500 E1 G1 use the same throt tle sensor adapter as the ZX900C1 More good news on the tool front is the availability of the updated Special Tool Catalog containing special tools up to 1998 Not only does the catalog contain Kawasaki special tools but also tools that can help a technician per form a job more efficiently These tools include micrometers I gauges small hole gauges calipers mercury vacuum 57001 1410 VN1500 E1 G1 Flywheel Holder 57001 1407 VN1500 E1 G1 Drive Shaft Holder gauge two stroke pres sure tester timing lights and much more The new catalog part number is 99960 0065 03 What makes this even better is that the new catalog will be sent to your dealership automatically at no charge We will be stock ing copies just in case you need more at a nominal charge
7. clockwise CD but then the two cylinders fire only 55 degrees apart That is the front cylinder fires and 305 degrees later the rear cylinder comes to TDC on the exhaust stroke not the compres sion stroke It then goes another 360 degrees fires on the rear cylinder and then 55 degrees later fires on the front cylinder again If you add that up it comes to 665 degrees of crankshaft rotation between the front cylinder and the rear cylinder fir ing and then just 55 degrees between the rear cylinder and the front cylinder firing Even on the twin car buretor models where each cylinder breathes through its own carbure tor this causes the engine to run and sound odd But in the single carburetor models this problem results in a significant power loss as both cylin ders try to breath through that one carburetor simul taneously So always fol low these rules when installing the cams in a Vulcan engine Turn the crankshaft to the T F mark and install the Front Camshaft with the marks lined up as shown in the service man ual Rotate the crankshaft COUNTERCLOCKWISE 305 degrees as seen from the left side of the engine to the T R mark Install the Rear Camshaft with the marks lined up as shown in the service manual It sounds very simple and is but it s also very easy to make the simple mistake of turning the crankshaft the wrong way If you make that mistake the p
8. running Non resident Use Permit 1998 000008 California OHV Permit Valid through December 31 STATE PARKS S NEIGE go S O VOO A ay In 1998 even riders from out of state need a license on California s public land This one year permit sells for 20 ownership be issued A title or pink slip is avail able for a one time 10 00 fee This is important for customers who are financ ing their purchases 4 Is there another type of license available Orange transportation per mits are available for a 3 00 one time fee These stickers have been required for transporting competi tion vehicles in California for years Most people nev er use them because the law has been rarely enforced The permits are not tied to a VIN or per son s name so there is no tracking or proof of owner ship 5 Are allowances made for racers to practice for off road events on pub lic lands There are plans to allow off road racers dis playing a special competi tion sticker to practice on some public lands This sticker would be sold through race organizations like the AMA There are still questions about which lands are available and how often you can prac tice It looks like racers will be able to practice any time but riding areas near large smog zones may be limited 6 What about out of state people who want to ride on California pub lic lands They must pur chase a 20 00 one year
9. us he said The motorcycle company was looking for a place in the Northwest for dealer training because the nearest training site at Kawasaki s U S head quarters in Irvine Calif was difficult for local dealers to reach Church said The oth er Kawasaki training sites are in Dallas Atlanta Grand a gt Rapids Mich and Piscataway N J The South Tacoma com munity itself is perfect for what we re looking for in the Northwest Church added The campus parallels Interstate 5 and is near motels and restaurants he said In exchange for providing a place for Kawasaki to set up a training site in the school s 10 000 square foot motorcy cle shop the Japan based company has donated 139 000 worth of equip ment including six motorcy cles four new watercraft an all terrain vehicle and a small all purpose utility vehicle The equipment will stay on site year round and will be upgraded as new equipment comes along said John Irish associate director of continu ing education and apprentice ship at the college Bates instructors will learn to work on the Kawasakis and will be able to pass their knowledge along to Bates reg ular students Irish said Currently 36 students are enrolled in the Bates equip ment repair program he said Kawasaki provides its own trainer for the dealers techni cians but the Kawasaki workers must pay their own food transportation and lodg ing G
10. Many classes were full to capacity as dealers took advantage of this training opportunity Nine different classes were offered including training on Police motorcycles Jet Ski Watercraft Mules ATVs and motorcycles The Bates facility in Tacoma is a permanent training facility for Kawasaki so Northwest dealers should plan on sending technicians yearly Dealers can also benefit from a new resource of entry level techni cians with Kawasaki experi ence trained year round at Bates The Kawasaki products training aids manuals tools and equipment stay at Bates and are utilized in Bates Marine Motorcycle and Power Equipment Mechanic program To get more information on the Bates program or graduates call Instructor John Irish at 253 596 1729 Bates Technical College cont d The training program enhances the Tacoma school s existing 20 month program in marine motorcy cle and outdoor power equip ment repair at its South Campus on South 78th Street Kawasaki officials learned of Bates last year while in the area for a seminar They tuned in to the school s radio station KBTC 91 75 FM and heard an ad for Bates equip ment repair program said Don Church Kawasaki s manager of service training and communications depart ment He met with Chris Manning director of the col lege s South Campus and immediately things started rolling Church said They were just very open to working with
11. THE NE NEws SPRING 1998 THE KAWASAKI TECHNICAL MAGAZINE V0 L Kawasaki Comes to Bates Technical College is One of Six Sites in Nation for Cycle Maker s Dealers to Train Technicians by Gestin Suttle The News Tribune Tacoma Wash Bates Technical College has revved up its motorcycle repair program and is now one of six sites in the nation offering dealer tech nician training for Kawasaki Motors Corp Kawasaki dealers from around the Northwest will send their technicians to the school once a year during a four to six week span in February and March This years program drew about 100 partici pants Kawasaki instructor John Griffin said Cont d on page 2 ROUTE LIST 4 SERVICE O PARTS XO SALES PLEASE RETURN TO SERVICE LIBRARY Features Regional i 4 News me Tech Tips ae Bates Training School Update Voice of the Customer Removing Decals Closed Course Comp Coolant Pressure VN1500 Transmissions Swim Step Pad JS750 B C Hoods Mule Wheel Bearings KX125 K Cylinder Vulcan Timing VT Drive Systems Hotline Worksheet Finding Manuals Technical Training For Northwest by John Griffin Instructional Designer Instructor In this issue we are featur ing an article that ran in The News Tribune March 14 1998 It was a fitting end to Kawasaki s successful first sea son of fechnical training at Bates Technical College in Tacoma Wash
12. enalty pulling the engine out again is pretty severe SPRING 1998 1 0 K TECH NEws CD Hotline Worksheet by Ray St John Supervisor Technical Writing You remember the Hotline Worksheet It gives you a place to write down important info when you go to call the Kawasaki Hotline It also lets you make a permanent paper record of what you talked about on the call who you talked to and the all important final outcome is the warranty authorized or not Hotline worksheets are still available The part number is 99969 1256 01 and the dealer cost is two cents a sheet The sheets come in packs of twenty so each pack will run you forty whole cents Order them like any other part number just throw the number onto your next parts order Kawasaki HOTLINE CONTACT S MODEL FRAME MILEAGE FAIL DATE a ENGINE CONDITION ass COMPRESSION PSI aaa ETT AUTHORIZATION NO DESCRIPTION OF TROUBLE Ne HOTLINE SUGGESTION RESULTS HOTLINE WORK SHEET cate DATE LOG ENGINE CUSTOMER FRONT CENTER REAR AUTHORIZING INITIALS LOW RANGE FOR HIGH LOADS CVT DRIVE SYSTEMS by Gregg Thompson Product Support Supervisor A few issues ago Spring 97 we ran an arti cle suggesting that you inform all your employees to instruct your 4WD Mule customers not to use the 4WD mode unless it is needed T
13. es get inside the bearing bore of the steering knuckles dur ing the painting process This paint can prevent the bearings from pressing all the way into the bore dur ing installation leaving a gap between the inner races of the two bearings and the spacer that goes between them This gap is death to the bearings When the axle nut is tight ened the bearings become side loaded and will fail KX125 K MODEL CYLINDER STUDS by Gregg Thompson Product Support Supervisor Certain KX125 K riders have had repeated problems over the last couple of years break ing cylinder base studs Various remedies have been tried with only limited success if any The factory has come up with what we hope will be a final solution New studs which are made of the same material as connecting rod bolts have been made available under two new part numbers To do one engine you will need Qty 3 92004 1251 8x35mm Qty 1 92004 1252 8x28 5mm D BO Son a again in a very short time If you have a KAF620 Mule with failed front wheel bearings check the bearing bores in the steer ing knuckles for paint If there is paint present use a chemical paint remover or scrape it out before installing the new bear ings Press the bearings into the knuckle using a tool that contacts only the outer race of the bearing CLEAN BEARING BORES After installing the bear ings there should be no s
14. estion gives Kawasaki permission to publish and or use it without further consideration Specifications subject to change without notice PISCATAWAY GRAND RAPIDS Enough Torque Has this ever happened to you You are going to torque the cam cover bolts and the spec is 1 0 kg m or 87 in Ib You set your 0 100 ft lb torque wrench to the equivalent 7 2 ft lb and before your wrench decides to click you real ize you are about to strip the threads in the head or snap the bolt Time out Now is the time to put that torque wrench aside and get out a smaller one The first 20 of full scale on click type torque wrenches is notoriously inaccurate Some manu facturers only guarantee their wrench accuracy at 20 of full scale and up Get out a smaller wrench that allows you to use the top 80 of the scale With the smaller wrench you will probably find those cam cap bolts torque to spec with no problem A good service depart ment should have at least three sizes of torque wrenches on hand and you may want to add a fourth Here are some good sizes from what I ve seen in current tool cata logs 3 8 or 1 4 inch drive with a range of 30 200 in Ib 3 8 inch drive with a range of 20 100 ft lb 2 2 14 kg m 1 2 inch drive with a range of 40 250 ft lb 5 34 kg m The two smaller torque wrenches should probably be click style wrenches for convenience The amount they get used will jus
15. h less severe the driven converter also suf fers abnormal wear just on the outer edges of the sheaves You should take every opportunity to educate your 4x4 Mule and 400 Prairie customers to select the low range when doing heavy low speed work riding on steep trails or just operating continuous ly at slow speeds In low range the belt won t slip and the torque converters will be able to shift nor mally and thereby avoid this expensive abnormal wear condition SPRING 1998 l l K TECH NEws The Marine Motorcycle and Power Equipment building at the Bates Technical College South Campus houses a class room large work area dyno room and PWC test tank Bates Technical College Cont d from page 2 Kirkland and Sean Phillips of Seattle were finishing up a three day class on motorcycle and all terrain vehicle repair The two technicians work at Bellevue Kawasaki We wanted to come down here to improve our knowl edge in the product said Phillips who also participated in the program s three day personal watercraft class The two were dismantling a clean Kawasaki Vulcan 750 engine and then putting it back together a job that would run about 810 for labor alone they said This is a huge job Phillips said Such hands on experience makes the program worth while the two said You get to learn as you re doing Eiffert said Instructors don t just tell you how
16. he Mule 2510 KAF 620 A model can have an obnoxious drive train popping noise if the 4WD mode is used in con ditions where it is not needed Well here is some more advice you can pass on to your customers this time to owners of Mule 2510s and Prairie 400s KVF 400 A B These units all have the torque converter style CVT drive system cou pled with a manually selected high and low range subtransmission These CVT drive sys tems respond to engine RPM and vehicle load to select the proper gear ratio for the conditions But the CVT cannot prop erly compensate for the vehicle being in high range when it should be in low range And that is where a lot of customers create problems for them selves Customers often keep the transmission in HI range even when towing or hauling heavy loads or working on steep hills The vehicle gives the appearance of doing fine under these circumstances because the torque con verters stay in the lowest gearing they don t up shift and the belt even slips some when taking off The vehicle still has decent power and since the customer isn t expect ing to attain high speeds under these work condi tions he doesn t notice anything is wrong But something is wrong With the belt staying in one small area on the inner most part of the drive con verter and even slipping at times both the belt and the drive converter experi ence very rapid wear Althoug
17. ide clearance between them and the inner spacer If the paint had anything to do with the bearing fail ure the new set of bear ings should outlast the old ones Note On reassembly make sure to use a torque wrench and tighten the axle nut to the proper torque 145ft Ib SPRING 1998 9 K TECH NEWS V ENGINE CAM TIMING by Gregg Thompson Product Support Supervisor Many dealership mechanics have had trou ble timing the cams in our Vulcan engines After assembling the engine and verifying that the camshaft marl line up perfect they are perpl to find that the engine just doesn t run quite right Most of the tir the mechanic doesn t check right away an when he does still line up pe what s wrong The proble1 cam in each he correctly to thi thus the marl rect but they timed correct ly to each other The rear camshaft is out of time with the front camshaft This happens because after installing the front cam the mechanic has turned the crankshaft from TDC on the front cylinder in THE WRONG DIRECTION the short way to reach TDC on the rear cylinder before installing the rear cam YOU MUST ROTATE THE CRANKSHAFT THE LONG WAY AROUND COUNTERCLOCKWISE FROM THE T F MARK TO THE T R MARK BEFORE INSTALLING THE REAR CAMSHAFT cece ROTATE CRANKSHAFT COUNTERCLOCKWISE camshaft It requires only 55 degrees of rotation to reach the mark by turning the crankshaft
18. it works Reprinted with permission of The News Tribune Tacoma Wash Finding Manuals in KIC One common question about KIC is how to find manuals for a specific model As you know this information is always on Grid A 2 of the microfiche But in KIC here s how to find them click on Model Inquiry then choose the model you want After clicking on the model the Model Options window comes up Choose Look at Diagrams on this win dow and the Diagrams window opens up From Model Search Name No More Matches the Diagrams window you can scroll down to Publications Click on Publications and you get a warranty claim ZX900 B4 Ninja ZX9 R 1997 Ps F Zx900 C1 Ninja Z2X9 R 1998 Use and to do fuzzy searches HA ston KIC Kawasaki V KIC is a pri Model Code ZX900 B4 Model Name Ninja ZxX9 R Year 1997 No Attachments ay Change Gen OEM Infor Coordinator and Ginny Maatman Senior Order Services Coordinator Grand Rapids w KIC Kawasaki Vehicle PWC Jax 2X900 B4 Ninja ZxX9 R Diagrams x MUFFLER S GIL COOLER Look at Diagrams vod J0 B4 Ninja 2X9 R Notes CAPS NUM SCRL arte 3 54PM list of part numbers for the Owner s Manual Assembly and Preparation Manual Service Manual Service Manual Supplement and Microfiche Not every mod el has a publications window yet so you may have to refer fo the microfiche on occasion From here you can double click on a manua
19. l and get the View Part Information window which will show you pricing supersession prior information and other part attributes From the Publications window you can also drag and drop the part number to a transaction counter sale K Share order or K Share Note As with most computer software there is more than one way to find what you re looking for Since all manual and microfiche part numbers start with 999 you can go to Part Inquiry and use a combination of 999 the wild card and model code to find manuals Give it a try Get familiar with using the wild card it s a great tool Basically it substitutes for any letter number or string of letters and numbers David Behlings Parts Data SPRING 1998 l 2 K TECH NEWs
20. ld style and new style 1st gear parts are only interchangeable as a set but in this case both types are shown on the fiche Unfortunately the taller Ist gear parts are shown as applying to all D2 s when in fact the change was made about halfway through the D2 s at Engine Number 41532 No Longer Available and 3rd output gears The change in the 1st gear Remember the latest style ratio was not applied to gears the onesshownon any other model SPRING 1998 7 K TECH NEws RE PLAC EME NT but that part is not in SWI M STE P stock yet Until now the whole 215 swim step PAD had to be ordered to replace a damaged or by Gregg Thompson worn pad The pad by Product Support itself retails for about 5 Supervisor This replacement pad is a tight fit on the swim The foam rubber pad step tube but can be P N 39156 3798 for the installed using soapy swim step on the JT1100 water as a lubricant and A B 1100 STX is now compressed air Blowing available from the parts air into the pad while department A different slipping it over the tube Replacement Pad 39156 3798 part number is shownon will make the job much the 98 model microfiche easier Tightening Hatches JS750 B C LOOSE HOODS by Gregg Thompson Product Support Supervisor and Charles Yim Product Quality Engineer gt SS SBS We have received reports that some JS750 B and C model engine hood aS latches have become loose 92075 3757
21. omer satisfaction and established priorities for KMC and Kawasaki dealer performance improvement As this article goes to press we are developing associated action plans You will be hearing more from us on improve ments we will be making and recommendations for steps dealers can take to enhance customer satisfac tion Here are the opportunities We can share with you right away some important findings There seems to be a gap between customer expectations and the actual terms of the warranty poli cies Customers also indicat ed that they want more instructions at the time of new vehicle delivery such as required maintenance and recommended service inter vals What this means is this Even when you are very busy MAKE THE TIME to explain in detail the warran ty policy as you give the cer tificate to the customer Go through the Owner s Manual and explain to your customer the maintenance requirements Explain the controls and adjust them to suit the customer Don t forget your cus tomer just spent their hard earned cash And the cus tomers we surveyed said that all they wanted was a little of your time It will make a difference in their satisfaction We all know that satisfaction with the product and dealer service are what build customer loy alty Good selling and ser vicing this season Vinyl Eraser for Removing Decals As most of you know remov ing decals can be a mes
22. rer s four strokes fall into this category Vehicles without green stickers can only be used on private land and closed courses such as race tracks or des ignated off road events Here are six common questions about this pro gram 1 Why are some cus tomers still receiving green stickers with 98 KX models The DMV made a procedure change not a computer change meaning the sys tem relies on DMV employees to manually check which Vehicle Identification Numbers VIN are ineligible Whenever people are involved errors occur 2 Will people receiving green stickers on ineli gible 98 units be able to renew them Apparently anyone recetv ing a green sticker should be able to renew it 3 Will a title showing COOLANT PRESSURE TEST TOOL by Keith Pestotnik Senior Product Quality Engineer You can use a standard 620 Mule radiator cap P N 49085 1068 as a special tool to make pressure testing one of our coolant systems quick and easy This cap seals against the upper lip of the filler neck and has no spring loaded seal to seat against the inner lip as pressure caps do Just install this cap on the filler neck and connect your pump pres sure gauge to the overflow fitting at the side of the filler neck You can now pressurize the system through the overflow fitting It couldn t be easier Note This cap can be used in the same way if you need to obtain a sample of coolant while the engine is
23. riffin said The technicians taking part in the workshops gener ally have training in motorcy cle repair but need to learn specifically how to repair Kawasakis Griffin said It s important for the tech nicians to keep their skills up to date because the technolo gy is always changing Griffin explained This year s program is con sidered a success Church said Its the first year we ve been up here and we ve had full classes he said On Friday Brent Eiffert of Cont d on page 12 Cover photo Sean Phillips left and Brent Eiffert techni cians at Kawasaki Bellevue work at Bates Technical College on a motorcycle engine as part of a three day repair class SPRING 1998 2 K TECH NEws K TECH News Vol 11 No 1 Spring 1998 K TECH News Staff Publisher Kawasaki Tech Services Publications Manager Don Church Executive Editor Gary Herzog Editor in Chief Gregg Thompson Communications Editor John Griffin Regional Editors Piscataway Grand Rapids Fred DeHart Atlanta Dallas Walter Rainwater Irvine Tacoma Robert Taylor Contributors Dave Behlings Ginny Maatman Keith Pestotnik Ray St John Charles Yim Graphics Production Graphic Art Gregg Thompson Photography Dave Corey Production Holland Marketing Services 1998 Kawasaki Motors Corp U S A All rights reserved Published by Kawasaki All suggestions become the property of KMC Sending a service sugg
24. sy and time consuming chore This is especially true of Jet Ski water craft the larger the decal the big ger the mess Just peeling the decal off takes plenty of time but then it usually leaves a huge sheet of adhesive behind which is even harder to remove There is a special tool called the Vinyl Eraser offered by The Eastwood Company of Frazer Pennsylvania This tool is designed to remove all kinds of vinyl graphics from painted surfaces It does a nice job of removing a decal fairly quickly while leaving the paint undamaged not recommended for lacquer finishes The eraser should be mounted in a high speed drill or an air tool and spun at 3 500 to 4 000 rpm The tool becomes less effective below 3 500 rpm and should not be used at speeds above 4 000 The Eastwood Company also sells an aerosol solvent called Pre which does a good job of cleaning up after removing the decal Both products can be ordered by calling Eastwood s toll free number 800 345 1178 Ed SPRING 1998 5 K TECH NEWS CD California Closed Course Competition Units by John Griffin Instructional Designer Instructor In 1998 new emission standards affect California s Off Highway Vehicle program Off road motorcycles and ATVs meeting the standards are eligible for a green stick er license and models that don t are classified as closed course competition units Currently all two strokes and some manu factu
25. tify the expense The largest one could be the less expensive beam type since it won t be used so often With click style torque wrenches remember to do the following Use in the upper 80 of the scale for best accura cy Turn the handle clock wise to adjust the torque setting Turning the han dle counterclockwise to set it will be less accu rate Always bring the torque wrench back to its low est setting when not in use Storing your wrench at high torque settings will cause it to lose accuracy Take care of this expen sive and indispensable tool Keep it clean and don t drop it Fred DeHart 201 Circle Drive N 107 Piscataway NJ 08854 908 469 1221 ATLANTA DALLAS Reflections of a Rookie Season Millennium Kawasaki in Lilburn Ga has made a good start in its first 18 months and its owners have found the learning curve steep but reward ing Co owner Ken Shiver shares some insights about the shop s rookie season Sales We were pleased to make Ichiban in our first year We think sales ultimately boils down to a relationship If the cus tomer feels good about the product the salesperson and the shop they will usually buy Our focus is on friendly knowledge able staff and a low pres sure environment Our Cont d on page 4 SPRING 1998 3 K TECH NEWS Regional News cont d goal is long term cus tomers and repeat busi ness Service
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