Date: 28-03-24  Time: 10:59 am

Author Topic: What did you do with whatever else you've got?  (Read 505277 times)

dickturpin

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Re: What did you do with whatever else you've got?
« Reply #1925 on: 10 July 2018, 06:28:51 pm »
Funny how red can be the fastest Honda colour when blue is yamaha's fastest!

red98

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Re: What did you do with whatever else you've got?
« Reply #1926 on: 10 July 2018, 06:54:45 pm »
 :lol
One, is never going to be enough.....

nickodemon

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Re: What did you do with whatever else you've got?
« Reply #1927 on: 17 July 2018, 11:21:08 pm »
Finally got my sc project race can for my tuono 1100... :)
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tex

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Re: What did you do with whatever else you've got?
« Reply #1928 on: 18 July 2018, 12:11:35 am »
Very nice
the night i was born, lord the moon stood a fire red., my poor mother her crying,
she said the gypsy was right, and she fell right dead

nickodemon

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Re: What did you do with whatever else you've got?
« Reply #1929 on: 18 July 2018, 12:21:29 am »
Thanks :thumbup
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Robbie8666

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Re: What did you do with whatever else you've got?
« Reply #1930 on: 06 August 2018, 11:19:00 am »
on ride back to Portsmouth took the Beast over 10000 miles
not bad to say it had 4500 on it when I got her 25th May!
« Last Edit: 06 August 2018, 11:23:45 am by Robbie8666 »
It ain't what you ride, it's who you ride with!!!

tommyardin

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Re: What did you do with whatever else you've got?
« Reply #1931 on: 17 August 2018, 03:48:25 pm »
Going to a Scooter ( :'( ) rally in Petersfield Hants on Sunday afternoon, it being hosted by PALS (Petersfield And Liss Scooters) Never heard of them, but I was given a flyer, so,  I have polished up the Chicken Chaser and me and the wife are popping down to have a look.
Prizes for the most customised and best turned out bike so hope I am in with a shout.

tommyardin

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Re: What did you do with whatever else you've got?
« Reply #1932 on: 24 August 2018, 08:49:50 pm »
Just a quick hello from Elounda, Crete. Been here for a few days, lots of great food and and Raki to drink (local spirit).
We were swimming off some rocks in crystle clear warm water and the Mrs got stung by a jelly fish, it was really lucky cos it could have been me. Seriously though though she was struggling for about 8 hours with a rash on her butt that she said wss like a searing burn. Ouch! it calmed down but still looks very sore, she says it does not hurt at all now, but I am not convinced. If it was me I would be milking it for sympathy.   
I know this post is worthless without pics lol !

« Last Edit: 24 August 2018, 08:51:15 pm by tommyardin »

fazersharp

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Re: What did you do with whatever else you've got?
« Reply #1933 on: 24 August 2018, 10:42:49 pm »
Just a quick hello from Elounda, Crete. Been here for a few days, lots of great food and and Raki to drink (local spirit).
We were swimming off some rocks in crystle clear warm water and the Mrs got stung by a jelly fish, it was really lucky cos it could have been me. Seriously though though she was struggling for about 8 hours with a rash on her butt that she said wss like a searing burn. Ouch! it calmed down but still looks very sore, she says it does not hurt at all now, but I am not convinced. If it was me I would be milking it for sympathy.   
I know this post is worthless without pics lol !


You need to piss on jelly fish stings.
Was there last year and loved swimming in the clear warm blue sea. Drank loads of Raki and brought some home with me, the local shops brew there own in the back garden and sell it in plain water bottles written on with a sharpie pen, its between 60 and 80% but no one really knows.   
I don't do rain or threat there of. dry rider only with no shame.

YamFazFan

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Re: What did you do with whatever else you've got?
« Reply #1934 on: 04 September 2018, 12:49:33 pm »

I hearby lay claim to having sent the highest UK post to FOC-U. Namely this one from the peak of Ben Nevis
« Last Edit: 14 November 2020, 07:54:31 pm by YamFazFan »

Millietant

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Re: What did you do with whatever else you've got?
« Reply #1935 on: 16 September 2018, 09:56:57 pm »
Finished my "spruce up" of the old FJ 1200 and took it for a shake-down ride around our in-adopted housing estate roads. I've made a few changes/updates (front and rear suspension, wheels, brakes, controls etc) and given it a thorough mechanical refresh (carbs stripped, cleaned, re-built with new diaphragms as required, all fluids and filters changed, hydraulics overhauled with all new pistons and seals) and major service, but tried to keep in the spirit of looking As it should have come from the factory.
She's not bad for a 29 year old bike with lots of miles  :)









nickodemon

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Re: What did you do with whatever else you've got?
« Reply #1936 on: 16 September 2018, 10:04:41 pm »
Looks fantastic :thumbup
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Millietant

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Re: What did you do with whatever else you've got?
« Reply #1937 on: 18 September 2018, 07:02:54 am »
Cheers 👍

agricola

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Re: What did you do with whatever else you've got?
« Reply #1938 on: 18 September 2018, 04:59:07 pm »
Yes, nice looking bike

Dynspud

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Re: What did you do with whatever else you've got?
« Reply #1939 on: 18 September 2018, 05:10:29 pm »
That puts a lot of much newer machines to shame  :thumbup
Take a deep breath, coz it all starts now, when you pull the foccin' pin

tex

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Re: What did you do with whatever else you've got?
« Reply #1940 on: 18 September 2018, 06:02:21 pm »







 Very nice  always liked them
the night i was born, lord the moon stood a fire red., my poor mother her crying,
she said the gypsy was right, and she fell right dead

Hedgetrimmer

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Re: What did you do with whatever else you've got?
« Reply #1941 on: 18 September 2018, 06:10:00 pm »
I agree with the above. Lovely looking FJ  :thumbup

Millietant

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Re: What did you do with whatever else you've got?
« Reply #1942 on: 18 September 2018, 08:59:25 pm »
Thanks guys.....took her for the MOT test today (last one was in 2009), after a rushed journey yesterday down to Hagon in Ilford for them to rebuild my shock and replace the leaking seal - I didn't spot it on my shake-down ride, but the drops of clear oil I spotted on the garage floor the morning after told a tale. Fair dues to Hagon, they did the rebuild while I waited (at the cafe next door) and I now have a 12 year old shock with a 2 year warranty.

Bike passed the MOT with flying colours and the tester even commented that it was "very well put together", which is a huge compliment (he's another FJ lover and raced his own a couple of years back). Did a little detour on the way home covering 40 miles in total and everything feels great.

Can't wait to get it out with the 2 Fazers now  :)

« Last Edit: 18 September 2018, 09:22:26 pm by Millietant »

Millietant

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Re: What did you do with whatever else you've got?
« Reply #1943 on: 18 September 2018, 09:18:32 pm »
Also, this evening I put the next project up on the ramp  :)  - Liz's VF 750 has been sat under a cover for more than 15 years, since she got the Fazer 1000. It's going to get 17" wheels too (currently sits on a 16" front and 18" rear), with better brakes, suspension and a mechanical and cosmetic overhaul. It was in good mechanical order when it went into "hibernation" and the bodywork had been re-done a couple of years before.






« Last Edit: 18 September 2018, 09:20:21 pm by Millietant »

nickodemon

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Re: What did you do with whatever else you've got?
« Reply #1944 on: 19 September 2018, 12:23:37 am »
I would be careful fitting 17" wheels as the steering geometry will be way out as front is a 16 and rear an 18. lower at front and higher at back :eek  making front higher and back lower....both going in opposite directions. I'm sure you have a plan!
If it's broken, it's not fixed.

Hedgetrimmer

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Re: What did you do with whatever else you've got?
« Reply #1945 on: 19 September 2018, 12:11:49 pm »
I would be careful fitting 17" wheels as the steering geometry will be way out as front is a 16 and rear an 18. lower at front and higher at back :eek  making front higher and back lower....both going in opposite directions. I'm sure you have a plan!


I agree, it sounds a bit involved to get it handling right with the change of wheel sizes.
I like what you're doing though - taking some nice older models and making them more relevant without changing the original looks. Tasteful yet practical mods. I hate the way so many folks take these old bikes and hack them to pieces in the name of "cafe racer" or "street fighter" etc, and just end up with a complete dog's dinner.

Millietant

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Re: What did you do with whatever else you've got?
« Reply #1946 on: 19 September 2018, 06:42:59 pm »
LOL yes Nicko' I always have a plan  :)

I've always liked to take older bikes and "modernise them" (been doing it for 30 years now). Luckily, I started my adult life as a structural engineer, designing bridges and cranes, before I got side-tracked into other stuff, so I'm confident in tackling bike geometry.

But, it's pretty easy for the VF - swapping the front for a 17" and going for a lower profile "modern" radial tyre, makes a difference of about 1.5mm (larger) in the outside diameter of the tyre, but as I'm changing the forks and yokes, I can work with the position of the fork legs in the yokes to get the top of the steering head bearing at exactly the same height above ground as the original set up. I'll measure the fork offset from the stem when I'm choosing the right year of CBR 600 (or maybe VFR 750) forks. I'd be happy with a slightly lower offset distance to shorten the wheelbase a tad (there's a bit of room to work with before the wheel hits the radiator).

At the rear, switching to a 170/60 x 17 radial tyre will drop the tyre outside diameter by about 15mm, so I can change the new shock length, or adjust the top mount to compensate for that easily enough.

I'm planning on keeping the standard swinging arm and don't want to alter the overall "look" of the bike. I'm definitely with 'Trimmer as regards to modern "cafe racers" and "street fighters". My preference is to improve function over form and to leave bikes looking as though they'd come from the factory the way I build them.

It wasn't always the case though - back in the early '80's I also went for more radical, but still restrained, changes in appearance  - take, for example this 1973 CB500F that was my first real "frame" job - I designed a monoshock conversion for it based around a Spax shocker for a 350 LC, using newer Honda "Reverse Comstar" wheels and a CX 500 twin disc front end. This helped us put on much wider tyres front and rear, which altogether got rid of the +100mph weave that had previously afflicted the bike from new. Adding in a 550F1 tank, a Kawasaki Z650 tailpiece and seat, CB 550 K 4 into 4 pipes, CB900 switchgear and throttle and lots of other changes with new paint resulted in this, when "sit up and beg" was the style (street-fighter, before street-fighter) to go for.





A couple of years later, we went for the sportier approach, put on CB650 carbs, a Yoshimura big bore kit, customer fabricated Kerker replica 4 into 1 exhaust and fitted the CB650 rearset footrest plates and some ace bars. That was a really sweet bike, will try and hunt out a photo.


I'm definitely a fan of the more "subtle" approach rather than the TAT that's spouted as Cafe/Fighter today.
« Last Edit: 28 October 2018, 10:53:15 pm by Millietant »

nickodemon

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Re: What did you do with whatever else you've got?
« Reply #1947 on: 19 September 2018, 07:10:10 pm »
I kinda thought you would have a plan :lol  Love that pic. :thumbup
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Hedgetrimmer

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Re: What did you do with whatever else you've got?
« Reply #1948 on: 19 September 2018, 07:24:05 pm »
a Kawasaki Z650 tailpiece and seat









Nice, but the best looking bit is the Z650 tail unit with 2/4 seat. But then, I'm a dyed-in-the-wool Z650 fan  :D
The pipes look good there too.
If i had the money to be buying older bikes, I'd be wanting to do similar mods. Mostly contemporary kind of things from their day, plus handling, and maybe a little tuning.
My ultimate project would have been a Z650 with 750 barrels taken out to 810. A chap who used to work at a local bike dealer had this done to his, and it's something that I've wanted to do for donkey's years. Improve handling (I've seen one with RGV front and rear ends) and chassis strength, but retaining the standard look as far as bodywork/lines go. Alas, I never had either the money or skill to do such a thing.

nickodemon

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Re: What did you do with whatever else you've got?
« Reply #1949 on: 19 September 2018, 08:21:49 pm »
This is my latest project.....Now ready for mot
If it's broken, it's not fixed.