Is it possible to swop out the swingarm on my 2003 ZR? If so what swingarms can I look for?

not sure why you would want to......unless your looking for longer?

It's not that there is anything wrong with it..... Just would like to upgrade it for better handling etc.. I know very well little about bikes and just wanna improve the bike a bit...

Better rear shock and either a fork swap or upgrade the internals of the stock forks. Proper spring rates and good valving will make a big difference in the ZR.

If you want true sportbike handling lift up the number plate and slide a sportbike under it.

Originally Posted by JonF

Better rear shock and either a fork swap or upgrade the internals of the stock forks. Proper spring rates and good valving will make a big difference in the ZR.

If you want true sportbike handling lift up the number plate and slide a sportbike under it.

What type of forks can I swop? can I have any front end?

when it comes to bikes..yeah you can pretty well have any front end..but....and this is a BIG but..youll have to useualy get the tripples with it and in most cases make/find the correct bearings and races to go into the frame..other times its a direct swap in and you HAVE to get the brakes, wheel, forks, trees all from the same bike..now sometimes youll have to mix n match the trees..but thats dictated by the steem bearings and the fork size....great example is my 83 honda someone put a DRUM front end on it and im fixing to swap it back to disc but going all the way up to 96 stuff..and what do i need?..wheel, forks, brakes, triples

swapping out a swing arm on the other hand is not useualy even wise..a longer arm means youll NEVER pull the nose but the longer it gets the more that tires going to break loose....even an inch makes a big differance..and when i say break loose i mean it..youll be breaking it loose in damp corners and i doubt you want that..shorter will make the bike more twitchy in the corners but it will also plant the power better..

a lil here a lil here and it can totaly toss the balance of the bike way off in a hurry..stick to valving the shocks and fork swaps...and really..if you want more get a more sport built bike than the touring sport that the zr is...and i dont mean that to come off sounding like an asshat...but its very much so the truth

If you are after "sportbike" handling, change the bike - that is the only right thing to do.
But if you want to improve it a bit towards the "sports" section I can tell you what I did: changed sprockets to 17/39, used a same linkage chain but pushed rear wheel forward a lot (almost an inch) to get right chain tension,set preload and rebound almost to max (I don't know you weight to tell you exactly how to set it, I am 190pounds) to get more rear height thus less front rake, bolted belly-pan nose down (aerodynamically shaped) and changed front fork oil to 15w.
Maybe flatter handlebars will help you, but only because they change your sitting position. The sporty riding requires you to be on top of the handlebars, or being leaned forward a lot. I didn't change mine because of the long trip comfort.
The aftermath is that you are forced in buying better (read more expensive) tires but the result is so sweet...

How to build a ZR-7e(s)

There is also thepossiblity of installation of Gold valve Emulators and correct spring rates for the stock forks which can improve handling.

And dont forget yourself. Enroll in a track day or advanced riding class to make yourself a better rider.

il agree with the flatter bars..seems to help a TON actualy..and your right it pulls you forward thus helping more...HOWEVER..ive run into a problem of the rear wants to spin..i rip out of gas stations and even egtting on it too hard in a damp corner the rear just lets loos and spins up..the front is ALWAYS planted.....to compensate for my weight as well as the added fairing work i did i actualy RAISED the front end in the tripples to the max possible....when im on the bike she is perfectly level....pulling in the rear wheel is a hell of a good idea and im certain that would cure my rear tire spin atleast some

IMG_20120602_193107.jpgi got an 06 zx636 swingarm and shock installed on my bike...it was quite a bit of work to get it on....but its ready.... with that swing arm it allowed me to make an undertail exhaust....i still have the 636 rear wheel on it...i still have to fit a 2001 zx-9 rear wheel on it so it matches the zx-9 front end thats on the bike...

droooooool undertail exhaust!!!!!!!