This is a HOWTO on checking and adjusting (if necessary) the valves on an '06-'07 ZX10R. Realistically this process is the same on all bikes that are shim under bucket so you can use this HOWTO on other bikes as well. I'm going to go over the meat of the process and things that aren't really touched upon in the manual. I recommend using the service manual (warning, the service manual is 15Megs so it takes awhile to download) for doing each section that I go over, Otherwise I'll touch on the nitty gritty and the gotchas to get the job done. You ask "Why the hell are you even doing the valves..it's a PITA ?" Well you're right...and I personally not only enjoy riding the bike but working on it as well (to a certain point). I like working on my bike about as much as I wash it...twice a year. Oil changes are one thing, the rest of the maintenance better be infrequent or say bye,bye to the bike. That's the reason there's no Ducati in my garage ;) I also DIY for all maintenance on the bike to make it worth commuting on. If I didn't, a cage would be cheaper to run....which isn't a possibility. You're gonna save hundreds even thousands of dollars doing your own maintenance and there's no way I'm gonna sit on the freeway in gridlock like all the other suckers going and coming from work. To get this job done you need the service manual, tools required to dismantle the bike, 2 feeler gauges from different manufactures, a T45 Torx bit to turn over the motor, new coolant, mercury sticks to synch your tbodies, plenty of time, patience, and a micrometer. Let's get on to the valve job...

First remove the seat.

Then remove the gas tank.

In the picture of me removing the fuel line you can see the red plastic lock that you pull the tabs out on the right side to remove it. Don't spread them too far or you'll break the plastic ;)

One thing to note is there's a little tab between the tips of my fingers in the picture of the Tank Plug. You can either use your fingers or a small screwdriver to push it up and the plug comes apart easily.

Then remove the airbox and the rubber ram air outlets. Once you've disconnected all hoses, the temp sensor, and all bolts internally to the throttlebodies, turn the bottom of the airbox in the frame 90 degrees to remove it. There's no other way to get it out easily.

The next really fun part is pulling the throttle bodies off. I had the hardest time getting the plug off the fuel rail and the PCIII harness. Here's a picture of the fuel rail plug and how to get the damn thing off. Put a small screwdriver in the bottom tab and pull up. As you pull it up, pull the plug out. It may be a PITA because it's tight...but it should come out as long as you're pulling the tab up as far as it'll go.

The rest of the removal of the Tbodies is pretty easy. One tip to get the entire thing out of the rubber boots that go into the intake manifold is to rock them back and forth once the boots are loose. I loosened the boot clamps so that the threads of the bolt was flush with the nut. Pull the whole thing out and then disconnect the throttle cables. There's a little safety clip that holds the cables into the tbodies...just unclip once side, the other side is permanently mounted on the throttle cable. The first pic just shows right after the tbodies were removed. The second shows all the cables and plugs buttoned up with 3M Blue Tape. Make sure you cover all holes and I tape up all plugs too. Cleanliness is critical to doing a good job and not screwing up your engine. Don't be stingy with the tape...it's a hell of a lot cheaper than a new top end ;)

Next pic is of the tbodies sitting on my workbench. Did I mention keep the area clean and all the holes taped/blocked...good ;)

The last pic shows the rubber condom removed. The manual says remove the radiator..which I did by undoing the top bolt and letting it rest on the lower bracket. It's just pulled forward to get more room...works just fine. As to the rubber condom, it's a PITA to get off all areas. I actually just ripped/cut it off certain areas to get the stupid thing off. It's supposedly a heat shield...well it'll go back on well enough for me. If you wanna take it off gracefully....have fun.

Now on to the meat and potatoes....removing the valve cover and the hole to crank it over for each set of valves. Page 2