[VielenDank]

Hey guys,

I am picking up a ninja 400 to build out. My goal is to just track it and potentially get into some racing. I have already ordered the following parts:

1. K-tech 20IDS Fork W/springs
2. K-tech 35DDS Lite Rear Shock
3. K-tech steering damper kit
4. Vortex Rear Sets
5. Hotbodies MGP levers
6. Woodcraft Clip ons
7. Spiegler brake line kit
8. Driven wheel spacers
9. Driven 520 chain kit (non o-ring) Stock tooth count
10. Halo keyless fuel cap
11. PCV
12. Dynojet quick shifter
13. Driven grips
14. Yoyodyne slipper clutch
15. Norton race spec throttle W/ key elimination
16. Norton GP fairings
17. Norton GP fairing install kit
18. Angled valve stems

I will do my best to document the build. I am fairly mechanical, though I am sure I will hit many snags and need help from the forum.

Does anyone have any experience installing the slipper clutch? How was the install?

Thanks.

 

[mostly wolf]

Following, cheers! I'm in the same boat. Just picked up a 400 two nights ago and started planning/ordering - my buddy who races his 400 in MRA/Colorado let me know that the Norton GP fairings weren't allowed so you may want to look into that if you're going to race. I was interested in those as well but went with Hotbodies for this reason. Something the long the lines of the race body work needed to mimic the stock body shape or else it could be considered cheating? Not sure..

 

[51Ninja400]

Excellent list and many hours or wrenching. First time racer or previous experience? What tracks are you looking at to ride?

 

[VielenDank]

Following, cheers! I'm in the same boat. Just picked up a 400 two nights ago and started planning/ordering - my buddy who races his 400 in MRA/Colorado let me know that the Norton GP fairings weren't allowed so you may want to look into that if you're going to race. I was interested in those as well but went with Hotbodies for this reason. Something the long the lines of the race body work needed to mimic the stock body shape or else it could be considered cheating? Not sure..

I too have heard that as well. I am not sure if I will race and if I do what organization. Probably CMRA if I do. So I need to look up those rules.

What all are you planning to do?

 

[VielenDank]

Excellent list and many hours or wrenching. First time racer or previous experience? What tracks are you looking at to ride?

Never raced before. I have done track days off and on. Have never had a small bike and I really want to develop a better foundation. I am not 100% sure I will in fact even race, but I like the idea of racing the smaller bikes. I guess we will see

 

[51Ninja400]

I too have heard that as well. I am not sure if I will race and if I do what organization. Probably CMRA if I do. So I need to look up those rules.

What all are you planning to do?

I live in Kansas and have to travel to race since no organization is coming to Heartland Park. I will be racing up North this year with CCS. I am traveling 8+ hrs to race I may as well go North where it is a touch cooler than going South where it is hotter. I raced all sizes of bikes and really like this platform a lot. It is inexpensive and still fast enough to have a great time!!!!!!!

 

[VielenDank]

I live in Kansas and have to travel to race since no organization is coming to Heartland Park. I will be racing up North this year with CCS. I am traveling 8+ hrs to race I may as well go North where it is a touch cooler than going South where it is hotter. I raced all sizes of bikes and really like this platform a lot. It is inexpensive and still fast enough to have a great time!!!!!!!

I am in Houston, TX area. I have only ridden at tracks here in Texas. I know that CMRA does a lot of stuff around here. My buddy is supposed to be getting a track bike again and a toy hauler. He says we will drive all over with that, but I will believe it when I see it.

 

[sbk1198]

Following, cheers! I'm in the same boat. Just picked up a 400 two nights ago and started planning/ordering - my buddy who races his 400 in MRA/Colorado let me know that the Norton GP fairings weren't allowed so you may want to look into that if you're going to race. I was interested in those as well but went with Hotbodies for this reason. Something the long the lines of the race body work needed to mimic the stock body shape or else it could be considered cheating? Not sure..

That's only true for Kawasaki contingency. But you also have to have a certain number of racers on the grid in that class, and your bike must be a 2020 or 2021 model (for next year). If you don't qualify for contingency or you don't think you're fast enough to get it anyway, then you can use whatever bodywork you want.

Never raced before. I have done track days off and on. Have never had a small bike and I really want to develop a better foundation. I am not 100% sure I will in fact even race, but I like the idea of racing the smaller bikes. I guess we will see

The 400 is a great platform to start racing on. Little bikes tend to be way more fun in racing than for track days. I think you would enjoy racing it with CMRA. Give it a try, I bet you'll have more fun

 

[1983Merman]

That's only true for Kawasaki contingency. But you also have to have a certain number of racers on the grid in that class, and your bike must be a 2020 or 2021 model (for next year). If you don't qualify for contingency or you don't think you're fast enough to get it anyway, then you can use whatever bodywork you want.

Not entirely correct - for WERA Ssupersport, the bodywork must have the same same (except belly pan) as the OEM plastics - and since WERA only runs supersport classes for the little bikes, the Norton bodywork is a no go for that racing org...

 

[1983Merman]

Weird...not sure why it put my reply as part of the quote..

Not entirely correct - for WERA Supersport, the bodywork must have the same same (except belly pan) as the OEM plastics - and since WERA only runs supersport classes for the little bikes, the Norton bodywork is a no go for that racing org...

 

[sbk1198]

Weird...not sure why it put my reply as part of the quote..

Not entirely correct - for WERA Supersport, the bodywork must have the same same (except belly pan) as the OEM plastics - and since WERA only runs supersport classes for the little bikes, the Norton bodywork is a no go for that racing org...

Really?? Laaame. Well I guess that rules me out for any WERA races this year :/ I've never heard of a racing org having restrictions on bodywork like that. Thought the only requirement is that you have a belly pan, everything else is whatever you want.

 

[1983Merman]

4. SUPERSTOCK:
h) Exact replica replacement bodywork (this includes the tailsection) may be used on machines equipped with bodywork from the factory. If the stock bodywork includes air-ducting tubes they may be removed. If they are utilized they must be stock or exact replica parts. Solo seat cowlings may be added when not supplied by OEM. If an aftermarket tailsection is used that incorporates a solo seat cowling when one is not offered by the manufacturer, the tailsection must conform to the shape and size of the stock bodywork that is provided by the manufacturer. The solo seat cowling portion of said bodywork must start at the position of the stock bodywork on the rear and rise to no more than 1.5 inches above the seat when measured from the top of the bodywork to the top of the seat on a stock motorcycle. The shape of the bodywork must conform to the shape of the seat (no huge rises in the middle etc.). A “Superbike Seat” is allowed (i.e. the seat is molded into the tailsection). Tinted windscreens are allowed, Any windscreen may be used.

 

[1983Merman]

You could always swap your other bodywork back on for the WERA races...

 

[sbk1198]

4. SUPERSTOCK:
h) Exact replica replacement bodywork (this includes the tailsection) may be used on machines equipped with bodywork from the factory....

But it does say "may", not "must" Since I'm not a lawyer, can I just play dumb and say that I interpreted "may" as in, I can if I want to but it's not necessary? lol

You could always swap your other bodywork back on for the WERA races...

Sold it to Bret and Brian for their budget endurance bike build. I gave them all my bodywork, windscreen, rear sets, a full akrapovic rashed exhaust with Spears hanger bracket and a new Spears blockoff plate for like $450.

If WERA won't allow the GP bodywork for the 400, then I guess that'll just make my decision really easy about which rounds to go to (none of them!) lol But I'll probably ask Sean to confirm that first. I mean if you think about it, none of the FZ07s in race trim look anything like the stock ones since they're all using some GP-like type of bodywork, or I've seen one brand that's very similar to R1 bodywork. And I haven't seen any of them not being allowed in Superstock races.

 

[1983Merman]

If WERA won't allow the GP bodywork for the 400, then I guess that'll just make my decision really easy about which rounds to go to (none of them!) lol But I'll probably ask Sean to confirm that first. I mean if you think about it, none of the FZ07s in race trim look anything like the stock ones since they're all using some GP-like type of bodywork, or I've seen one brand that's very similar to R1 bodywork. And I haven't seen any of them not being allowed in Superstock races.

It's only a problem if someone protests you - 99% would not, but it only takes one whiner to ruin it for the rest of us....
I was thinking about doing the undercut transmission due to the gear slipping issues...posed it to Sean as a bike "defect" and safety issue (i.e., someone drafting right behind you)...he still said not allowed...if someone protests...

 

[1983Merman]

Saves me some beer money tho....

 

[sbk1198]

It's only a problem if someone protests you - 99% would not, but it only takes one whiner to ruin it for the rest of us....
I was thinking about doing the undercut transmission due to the gear slipping issues...posed it to Sean as a bike "defect" and safety issue (i.e., someone drafting right behind you)...he still said not allowed...if someone protests...

I think that's dumb. I would do it if I was you because they don't really have anyway to check that and nobody on the grid would even know. That doesn't give you more power so nobody can say "oh he's clearly cheating, do a teardown of the bike". IMO that's one of those things that you don't even ask, just do it lol I don't plan on doing that because of the complexity and cost of it for what you get. I'd rather just deal with the occasional misshift where it drops back to 4th gear. At PittRace it was happening quite often during the track day on Friday going through the kink on the back straight. I ended up just being more aggressive with my foot on the shift to 5th gear, told Brian and Bret to do the same and it was ok. I think in the 2-hour race it might've happened only once or something like that.

 

[1983Merman]

Yeah, I'm a bit paranoid about those kinds of things...put so much time, money and effort into the endurance races would suck to get DQ'd because someone in the pit asked you how you dealt with slip issue and then used it against you later...easier just to go by what "the boss" says and play the game...fun regardless...

 

[VielenDank]

I am looking for inspiration for the paint scheme of the fairings. Anyone have any ideas on where I can look? I have tried doing misc. searches to find some examples but I have not found much... I thought I had seen some online configure thing where you could play around with colors and designs.

I want to do a very different looking bike. I don't want to have the same paint job as all the other track bikes, but not be too ridiculous looking.

 

[sbk1198]

I am looking for inspiration for the paint scheme of the fairings. Anyone have any ideas on where I can look? I have tried doing misc. searches to find some examples but I have not found much... I thought I had seen some online configure thing where you could play around with colors and designs.

I want to do a very different looking bike. I don't want to have the same paint job as all the other track bikes, but not be too ridiculous looking.

Do you want something totally original? If not, a good option is to just look at bikes from MotoGP/Moto 2/Moto 3/WSBK/WSS/MotoAmerica, etc.