There's been a lot of noise on different forums about front rotor warpage on the ZX-14 and even moreso on the C-14. Digging around here, someone referenced an article in a magazine that stated the rotors do not warp, they merely need cleaning. It has been my experience that cleaning can help sometimnes, but that rotor warpage is a real issue, too.

Of course, everyone knows to scrub the accumulated brake pad material off the swept surface of the rotors, but has anyone thought of freeing up the buttons/rivets? These rotors are of semi-floating design, which means that there is very small play between the buttons/rivets and the carrier and rotor.

Since cleaning is a lot cheaper than replacement, it's worth a try to see if that alleviates your particular issue. Here's a method I have used with some success:

Remove the rotors and lay them on a flat surface. Put a drop of penetrating oil such as PB Blaster or Liquid Wrench on each button/rivet where it meets the rotor and carrier. Let sit overnight. The next day, take a hardwood dowel (or old, broken hammer handle) and carve a taper on one end small enough to fit partially through the hole in the button/rivet. Jam the piece of tapered hardwood into the hole and attempt to spin the button/rivet. There's not a lot of clearance there, but they should be able to spin freely. You may notice a grinding feeling. This is the accumulated muck and brake dust that keeps the buttons/rivets from moving freely and keeps the rotors from functioning as they should. When you get all the buttons/rivets to spin freely, thoroughly de-grease and wash the rotors. When dry, you can re-assemble them on the wheel and put things back together for a test.

If, after having freed up the buttons/rivets and sanded the glazed pad material off the swept surface you still feel shuddering at the lever, chances are the rotors are actually warped and require replacement.

Danno,

What if I were to tell you, a wrapped rotor is a human problem, not a material or cleaning problem.

I have over 33K on my bike. I run 100% front braking only. I've never cleaned a rotor in my life. I never loosened buttons. You need to talk to the hand. That needs the fixing.

Are you going to standare, tell me that the material is bad? I swap my rotor right now with a hand-warp'r, my rotors will warp, take a guess, yes or no?

Name those websites so I can collect more passwords, there is someone over there that just plucks them out of their ass IS!

No hint of such problems over at COG (Concours Owners Group) which is well over 1,000 C14s with 10s of millions of total miles.

No hint of problems on this forum that I can recall.

I think I had a wavy rotor on my GPZ1100 back in the day, but I just replaced it and it never happened again. So was probably a bad rotor to begin with.

I don't worry about problems I never see or experience. LOL.

If you don't have a problem, you don't have to do anything about it, but if you do, you do. I can name several instances of rotors being replaced under warranty for both ZX-14s and C-14s. Do all rotors warp? Obviously not, or KHI would be obliged to issue a recall. Is there a braking method that precludes warpage or one that causes it? Dunno and frankly don't care. I made the post for those who have a problem to try cleaning before they blow the money on replacement.

I had a guy on another forum tell me he had 12,000 miles on a rear tire on his ZX-14 and that he "rode hard all the time" Good for him. As always, I appreciate the experience and opinions of others.

On THIS forum Danno..."there can be only one".Try not to take getting smacked down personally.You made some good suggestions there...out of your own experience.Open minded posts help others.Close minded posts separate friends.I never would have considered cleaning the rivets...and in all honesty...I can't remember ANYONE ever suggesting this.So I think it's a good suggestion and makes total sense to me. Logically,the rivets are very critical to the rotor ability to expand and contract.Cleaning and freeing them up can only help I would think.I tried EVERYTHING else...but that...without success with my 07.Ended up getting the square rivet design rotors from EBC....VERY NICE.Solved MY problem anyway.

12,000 miles on a 'hard ridden' 14?...somebody's off their meds again

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 12/28/2011 @ 2:05 PM *

That's cool. I don't consider differing opinions or disagreement a smackdown. I figure people will read this and consider all viewpoints and come to their own conclusions rather than taking my or anyone else's experience as credence. Machines are made by men and neither are perfect.

"rather than taking my or anyone else's experience as credence".....Aside from the manual things...experience is all any of us have to really go by.Some worthwhile,some...not.Personally,I would rather take the word of someone who shows a modicum of humility above a boastful 'know it all'.But that's just me.Some people think the louder they shout,the more people will listen to em.Not me.

I think these people are known as politians.Lots of "oooh wow" rhetoric but minimal substance.

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 12/28/2011 @ 2:16 PM *

I'm running the stock rotors at a little over 30,000 miles with several track days on them without warpage...

Because the roaders are free floating sometimes dirt gets stuck between the metal bushing that holds the roader together with causes the same feeling as a warped roader I know it happened to me a while ago! To fix the problem I simply but my bike on the front stand and as I slowly spun the wheel I taped the roaders with a rubber mallet after that took it for a ride and it was back to silky smooth! If you think your roader is warped try this first it saved me over $300 P.S. it may take 2 or 3 tries to fix it and if after 4th try if it is not fixed your roader is probably warped!

....Aside from the manual things...

Personally,I would rather take the word of someone who shows a modicum of humility above a boastful 'know it all'.But that's just me.

* Last updated by: Hub on 12/29/2011 @ 3:23 AM *

The book says 42 psi in each tire. OOOOhhhh, better not let it fall to 41!

"Aside from the manual things".Well...at least you quoted me accurately.Unfortunately,you apparently don't understand the English grammar meaning of what I said,or how it was used in the context of the sentence.The word 'aside' in this context means...'to include '.So what I said was..."including the manual instructions'....for whatever maintenance procedure was being spoken of.Sorry if I confused ya!

I couldn't find anything in the manual under "storing the motorcycle" that said for anyone to fill their tires to 70 psi for winter storage.Where was that again Hub?

You know Hub...I think I mentioned this before...but....why do you insist on bringing a knife to a gunfight?Do you WANT to be punished?

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 12/29/2011 @ 4:32 AM *

Someone should start a thread about all the screw-ups in the manual, most of which are problems with the Japanese-English translation. Some are quite amusing.

Actually, [any] bike likes a lot of tire pressure. I can tell it rolls easier when I fill each one up to 44 to 45 pee yes I do know a worse book is ape'spaghetti build a book. You know when the guy in the aeoroom yells to the pilot on the ducati?; where that the shop manaual needs col... And then the whole manual flies out of his hand? They gather those up, staple it; Hatsa manual. I'd read a japanese manual any day after that attempt at anything other than making noodles.

YOu can't find your way out of a paper bag if daylight was shinning in it, joe-A. These are high mileage, economy run settings. The book does not show you racing tricks/lean out the injector tricks. It only shows surface fundamentals. The basics.

"Actually, [any] bike likes a lot of tire pressure. I can tell it rolls easier when I fill each one up to 44 to 45"

Yes Hub....it DOES roll easier.That doesn't actually mean...it's okay.If they said...45 psi...then that's what they give for optimum performance and tire life/safety.The tire no longer is at 45 psi however after a few miles.And the harder you ride...the higher it goes.So....I'm no expert...but at 42 psi(cold)...within several miles...I'm rolling somewhere around 45.The mfg's know this...and set the pressure accordingly in the manual.If you want to set yours wherever...that's up to you.You and I both know that proper tire pressure isn't just about "rolling easily".Lots of other dynamics going on while riding.Especially a bike like these.She isn't SUPPOSED to be ridden like you're on a track...on the street.You're gonna get maximum performance for the specific design for THIS bike by doing what the manual says about it.We're not at Laguna Seca.Those conditions are vastly different with tires for almost any kind of bike if they're railin on the track.

"YOu can't find your way out of a paper bag if daylight was shinning in it, joe-A"....... That's MR. JOe A to you flyboy!

Hold it...wait a minute...gotta go and check the road condition map here...BRB

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 12/29/2011 @ 11:43 PM *

I also run my tire PSI on the high side but I think its more rider preference than anything!

" It only shows surface fundamentals. The basics."

Would that include setting fork height to .85" above the top of the top clamp?

Yes. As if the top cap is off, measure from the tube to the top clamp.

You mean,like this?

I realize that this thread is a bit dated, but would like to offer my experience. All metal contains stresses. When heated the metal can change shape influenced by internal stress. Metal can also change shape when heated due to the coefficient of linear thermal expansion. I warped a front disc on my ZX11. It was most noticeable at low speeds and had the same feeling as a large rust deposit on the disc's surface.(a pulsing that you could feel in the front end every time you pulled the front brake lever) The pulses quicken in frequency as speed increased. I could not see any evidence of a warp in the disc. I checked out all aspects of my front end, calipers, put in new pads, bled the brakes, etc. I finally took my wheel into a machinist friend and he set up a gauge and sure enough the disc had a slight warp. I bought 2 new discs for the front and all was well. I think we would all be surprised at just how much heat is generated during a heavy pre corner braking period. Consider the weight of the bike and rider, the amount of speed you are shedding, and the incredibly short period of time involved. makes you wonder how they ever manage to stand up. The disc that warped on me probably had around 48,000 km (30,000 mile)on it.

Spyglass

I know several riders who have had to replace warped discs on ZX-14s and C-14s, some more than once. Most who have had to do it after the warranty expired have gone to aftermarket parts, EBC, Galfer and even the Chinese-made Arashi. For all who would deny such a problem exists, you're living in a world of fantasy. If it hasn't happened to you personally, fair enough and good luck, but it is a FACT and the C-14s, being heavier, are worse. If may have to do with riding style or whatever, but it's not uncommon. I was lucky enough to find a bike that had already had them replaced by a previous owner.

That being said, if you suspect a warpage problem causing pulsing at the lever or having to grab the lever more than once to get braking power after the warped disc(s) knock the pads back in their bores, cleaning the rotor buttons is a worthwhile endeavor. If it doesn't cure the issue, you're not out much, but if it does, you didn't waste hundreds of dollars on new rotors when they weren't needed.

* Last updated by: Danno on 6/2/2012 @ 7:24 AM *

I have been riding for 37 years and have only encountered one warped disc ---- the front left on my 2008 ZX14
which I am dealing with at this moment in time.

Danno, cleaning the rivets is an excellent idea. I am off to the garage right now, will let you know how it works out.

I've just spent a couple of hours cleaning the rivets on the front rotor. I used WD40 and a tapered line up bar to rotate the rivets. It's very easy to do and would recommend this when the wheel is off for a new tire.
Unfortunately it did not help me. the rotor is still toast.

I think I am going to buy a new rotor, can any body recommend a site where I can buy one for a reasonable price ?

Thanks

No one listens to turtle, redboot. I could have saved you a lot of time. But what do I know? Move from 42 psi, you better look out! LOL

You need to talk to the hand. That needs the fixing.

So enlighten me with your theory of the above (in English)