Author Topic: My FZS600, modding in Oz. (Read 24963 times)

Nebuchernezzer · « **Reply #50 on:** 09 December 2015, 10:43:24 pm »

Yeah we don't have the crazy large plates, mine is a bit old and ratty looking and is in the generic state colour from about 10+ years ago so at some point the plate will go in the bin and i'll replace it with a red/black or black/gold one to match the rest of the bike. Size will remain the same, that's the only size available for the bike.
Rego numbers don't stay with vehicles for their life here (they do in the UK don't they?) and depending on which state of Australia you're in the options and details of personalised plates are pretty extensive

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As for the side view it's slim enough for now, if i was staying with large indicators i'd keep it as it is, and it took minimum time to mod it like that. But i'd like it to be just the numberplate and by necessity the CDI box being visible from the side when i'm done, the indicators tucked up high on minimal bits of plastic and the gap between the wheel and the tail being more or less free of anything.

joebloggs · « **Reply #51 on:** 09 December 2015, 11:30:24 pm »

I'm in the middle of drawing a numberplate bracket that will be wrapped around and bolt to both sides of the CDI tray with the rear of the bracket that the number plate fixes to at 45 deg. Bit of an over kill maybe but should look a lot neater than a bracket bolted directly to the rear of the tray
Hopefully it'll look factory fitted when finished

Nebuchernezzer · « **Reply #52 on:** 10 December 2015, 05:45:41 am »

Yeah that'd be pretty neat.
I was thinking with the bracket on the rear of the tray that it'd be pretty much hidden by the numberplate and would essentialy just be there to give the numberplate a bit of upwards angle relative to the vertical (ish) rear of the CDI tray.
But having a bracket going down the sides of the CDI tray could also pick up the indicators and look pretty neat.

joebloggs · « **Reply #53 on:** 10 December 2015, 06:36:09 am »

Quote from: Nebuchernezzer on 10 December 2015, 05:45:41 am

Yeah that'd be pretty neat.
I was thinking with the bracket on the rear of the tray that it'd be pretty much hidden by the numberplate and would essentialy just be there to give the numberplate a bit of upwards angle relative to the vertical (ish) rear of the CDI tray.
But having a bracket going down the sides of the CDI tray could also pick up the indicators and look pretty neat.

My indicator brackets, they're so small I didn't need anything substantial to mount them to

Nebuchernezzer · « **Reply #54 on:** 10 December 2015, 08:50:51 am »

I'm looking at somthing similarly small. Was wondering if I should bore a hole in the outer plastic and mount my indicators through the cdi tray plastic itself. Saves me having to leave 'tags' on the outside for them. Depends on if they can be seen around the numberplate of course though if I do that!

fazersharp · « **Reply #55 on:** 10 December 2015, 11:47:33 am »

A black plate would be good but the plate laws in this country are explicit with regards to the font and the height and the thickness of the letters and although some plates have less letters and numbers the min size of the plate is a fixed size, so the plate that I have is the smallest it can be - even if it had less numbers.
So like you I have cut my guard down to the same size of the plate I saw no point in cutting away what the plate is covering, I am looking forward to seeing how jobloggs looks when it is done.
Here is mine from the side

And slightly from the front and also a photoshopped version with more guard cut and the luggage tie removed

Nebuchernezzer · « **Reply #56 on:** 10 December 2015, 08:55:53 pm »

They have height and letter requirements?
So you can make your own plate if it complies?
We just buy ours as is. If they offer it in red we can have red, if they offer it with palm trees all over it we can have that haha!
https://www.ppq.com.au/our-range

fazersharp · « **Reply #57 on:** 10 December 2015, 11:27:34 pm »

Quote from: Nebuchernezzer on 10 December 2015, 08:55:53 pm

They have height and letter requirements?

Yep that right - they HAVE to be certain height AND thickness AND font, also the plate has to be a minimum size (mine is that)

Nebuchernezzer · « **Reply #58 on:** 12 December 2015, 03:47:04 am »

Took my belly pan off and lined it with heat tape today, just as insurance against cooking the frp or the paintwork from the inside out

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And the brackets I made for the belly pan too, if anyone gets the same pan in future I have dimensions for what I made.

Nebuchernezzer · « **Reply #59 on:** 31 December 2015, 06:25:04 am »

Got some LED indicators for Xmas so put them on today and further trimmed the tail. Will make a bracket to mount the numberplate a bit differently perhaps but it's good for now.
Bike still filthy haha.

joebloggs · « **Reply #60 on:** 31 December 2015, 09:30:58 am »

My shorty rear guard.

Nebuchernezzer · « **Reply #61 on:** 01 January 2016, 03:24:04 am »

Looks good, I'm considering doing something very similar to mine based on how yours looks

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When I go back to work and have some metal handy. Until then I'm pleased with how. It is though.

joebloggs · « **Reply #62 on:** 01 January 2016, 08:25:59 am »

It fits better than it looks in the pics (bottom one) just loosely fitted it as it needs powder coating

Nebuchernezzer · « **Reply #63 on:** 01 January 2016, 08:56:51 am »

It looks like it fits well.
I've not cut the outer part of the plastic off (I think you did?) but I've got an idea for a folded metal section that fits with how I've cut mine and is held on by using the indicators to hold it on the sides and an extra bolt at the rear that will be covered by the numberplate when it's all done.

joebloggs · « **Reply #64 on:** 01 January 2016, 10:31:26 pm »

Yours does look slightly different although its hard to tell from the pics you've posted. TBH you may have saved yourself some extra work as I will have to somehow seal the cdi tray or prevent water from spraying up through a couple of holes that such drastic cutting created

Being able to use such a small number plate also gives youi more options

Nebuchernezzer · « **Reply #65 on:** 02 January 2016, 10:16:37 am »

Yeah no holes in my cdi tray except the ones for the wiring that already existed and also some tiny extra ones I added for my wiring re route. It probably wouldn't be a massive deal if some water got in anyway though, the plugs are pretty solid and various other wiring etc on the bike gets soaked all the time.
The smaller number plate is great compared to that billboard you guys get. I'm glad I live in Queensland now where I can get a variety of colours for a reasonable (ish) price unlike new south Wales... Red and black will be the colour choice sometime soonish... Or perhaps black and gold hrmm..

joebloggs · « **Reply #66 on:** 02 January 2016, 05:19:07 pm »

Many people used to cut their plates down or have small ones made but police really anal about them now. Shame they can't put more effort into catching real criminals

Nebuchernezzer · « **Reply #67 on:** 13 January 2016, 10:21:54 am »

Bought a smoked led tail light from Germany to match my new smoked led indicators. IMHO it looks great. Just put it on, will get a pic tomorrow.
One thing I've noticed from led tails is how fast the brake lights come on. I put led tail lights in my silvia, just had one in for comparison and put your foot on the brake and the difference is very noticeable speed wise. Will it make a difference in the real world? Maybe, who knows, can't hurt!

Nebuchernezzer · « **Reply #68 on:** 13 January 2016, 10:47:45 pm »

darrsi · « **Reply #69 on:** 14 January 2016, 06:38:02 am »

I have a scaled down number plate, but also have a questionably illegal unbaffled exhaust too, so weighed the odds and put the legit number plate back on to fend off the plod.
Do i really give a shit about a number plate i can't see when filtering traffic going to work? No, not really!
It's a bit like having a mullet for a barnet, you can't see it yourself so it's not really there.

darrsi · « **Reply #70 on:** 14 January 2016, 06:40:39 am »

Apologies to Nebuchernezzer if you sport a fantastic looking mullet, i know they're the in thing in Oz

Nebuchernezzer · « **Reply #71 on:** 14 January 2016, 07:37:09 am »

Nah rats tails are the go if you want the real westy bogan look now :P

Frosties · « **Reply #72 on:** 14 January 2016, 09:13:46 am »

Bike looks really good fella, like what you've done.

Given any thought to replacing the rear grab rail with the later plastic type as in link below?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2001-Yamaha-fazer-600-rear-grab-rail-/262235356283?hash=item3d0e71fc7b:g:Gw8AAOSwa-dWk6es

Nebuchernezzer · « **Reply #73 on:** 14 January 2016, 11:13:48 am »

Thanks mate

I actually would like to remove the rail entirely and fill the holes in the tail and respray it. My missus doesn't use the rail anyway. I'd also love one of these single seat units but I can't really justify the price...
Its 199 euro plus postage which ends up being like 400 aud in the end :/

fazersharp · « **Reply #74 on:** 14 January 2016, 11:36:01 am »

Quote from: Nebuchernezzer on 14 January 2016, 11:13:48 am

Thanks mate
I actually would like to remove the rail entirely and fill the holes in the tail and respray it. My missus doesn't use the rail anyway. I'd also love one of these single seat units but I can't really justify the price...
Its 199 euro plus postage which ends up being like 400 aud in the end :/

I had one of those seat cowls for a short time but quickly sold it on because it just looked crap/wrong/obvious/out of place/bolted on/big, fat.Pictures from the manufacturer look good but its just in real life in different angles it wasn't right.
Yes rather than swap the grab rail when I took it off to fit the cowl I never put it back and stuck some round discs over the holes made out of a sheet of sticky back plastic and you hardly see them