Spot the difference

[Falcon 269]

I seem to be the only one here who is reversing mods ...

Then



Yesterday




and today



So, what's gone and what's replaced it?

[Panthor]

Lots, usd forks, front discs, screen, belly pan, exhaust, seat, grips, mirrors. Why? Yours is one of the best looking fazers I've seen

[BMCfaz]

Is this the work of the Spanish "MOT" testers, Mike?

[Falcon 269]

It is indeed.  It was simply too much hassle every time to try to come up with type approval certification for every single mod.  When you have to fight to persuade a tester that an Ohlins shock is a pretty good replacement for the stock item (at 50k miles, too!) you start to wonder if it's worth the trouble.   

The TCP undertray had to go because the number plate hanger wasn't right and TCP, like Renthal and several other aftermarket parts firms, don't pay to have the EU type approval testing done on their products. 

Ironically, while the tester was nitpicking things like the width of the handlebars, he never even noticed the R1 front end.  The Akra headers went some while back but I still have the Akra titanium end can.  The stock dustbin is just on for the imminent test.  At least I can hear how quiet the motor still is now. 

The seat was changed for looks and greater comfort (more room to move with less of a scallop).  The K-tech modded OE forks were a recent lucky find and it seemed sensible to swap out the R1 front end before Senor ITV got wise. 

Refitting the centre stand was a bit of fun but it's kind of nice to see the old girl like she was a decade ago.  I guess I must be heading into my retro years. 

I hope that I can get through the next test with minimum aggro.  May have to tape over the Renthal lettering on the bars and hope that the Rizoma blingdicators are bright enough to escape censure.  The cut-down OE screen is there because tinted screens are a no-no.  As if I can even get low enough on the tank to look through the screen, FFS!

I may refit the belly pan after the test and call it good.  At heart, she's still the best all-rounder ever.     

[celticbiker]

What a load of old rubbish.
Makes you realise how lucky we still are here in the UK.
So long as the lights work and it stops you can pretty much do what ever mods you want without type approval requirements.

[Falcon 269]

And the worst part about it is that they have never done a proper safety check during any of the tests the bike has had since I brought it here in 2004.  They test exhaust volume, emissions and - sometimes - the brakes.  Physical checks on suspension, brake hoses, fuel lines and such ... zip, nada, nothing.  Ride in, ride out, 5 minutes plus haggling time, then 10 minutes for the office to issue the paperwork.  It's a joke, really.

[steve 10562cc]

Just goes to prove what a load of B*****ks most of the EU rules are. Nice bike both before and after. 

[BMCfaz]

Well, I'm finding the LSL rearsets I bought from you very comfortable, so I'll happily consider taking any other bits you want to get rid of off your hands!!


It does seem crazy that there seems no consideration of whether the modification represents an improvement in safety or handling and it's all about the right paperwork and nothing else.

[celticbiker]

And that's the thing about regulations. Check the things on the list, if they fall within specification the bike passes regardless of whether it's safe or not

[Falcon 269]

Well, I'm finding the LSL rearsets I bought from you very comfortable, so I'll happily consider taking any other bits you want to get rid of off your hands!!

I liked the LSLs as well but they were one of the first no-nos picked up when the testers started getting really picky.  I think (well, I hope!) that there's nothing left on the bike now which will cause problems.  All the other goodies that were taken off over the last couple of years have been sold.  The R1 front end complete is off to its new owner this week. 

The problem is when a bike is imported to Spain, it must have a technical inspection done prior to the MOT and this baselines the specification of the bike from then onward.  Most of my mods were done after that time but before Spain got silly with EU regulations.  The tester does stupid stuff like measuring the bar width (huh???) but ignores things like wheel bearing checks etc. 

I'm curious now to see how mine rides and steers with the K-tech modded OE forks.  These have K-tech's own SSK20K valves inside.  My original forks were among the first Fazer forks done by the company and they used CBR600 valves with custom shim stacks for the FZS1000.  I'm sure the steering will feel slower even though I've dropped the forks through by 12mm but I can live with that.

[Andy W]

Cripes..!!! 
I'm sure there are many, many plusses for living where you do Mike, but fekking hell...those rules & other nonsense would do my head in!
You should get a Fazer Guru Medal for your patience AND of course your Ivan's fettling..! 

[Falcon 269]

Don't know about a medal, Andy, but I did seriously wonder whether it was worth hanging on to the Fazer after the saga of the previous MOT.  I just couldn't get my head around the idea of having to undo everything after getting the bike to such a highly modded state.  I'd made it mine in every detail, if that makes sense, and dismantling all that wasn't something I relished doing.  However, I reminded myself that there's a great allrounder underneath all the mods and stepping back - going retro, if you like  - still gives me a bike that will do everything I want and more.  Looking at it that way has made the process bearable and I'm more than content with the outcome. 

[Panthor]

At least taking it apart and putting it back together gives you the chance to do a thorough clean. 😁

[Falcon 269]

Ah, yes ... about that.  I was hoping the dead bugs weren't that obvious. 

Once the MOT is out of the way (in October, we're away for a while on our travels) I'll give the old girl a really good polish and wax.

After 15 years loyal service, she's worth it. 

[bludclot]

Seeing as the very youngest FZS1000s are now 12 years old it's unrealistic to expect Yamaha to stock every spare part, things will (if they haven't already) become no longer available (NLA). I would like to know the authorities stance on running older bikes when NLA parts are no longer serviceable.


As usual it seems that road users that buy a new vehicle at least every 5 years are catered for and have their lives made easy, users that choose to run older vehicles are seen as the enemy.

[Falcon 269]

A good point about spares availability on older bikes.  Part of me can understand the logic for the legislation ... it's intended to ensure that we don't go fitting unsafe, untested aftermarket parts to our machines.  Things like the dodgy Chinese brake discs and such like that were around a while ago.  What's incomprehensible is that the same 'keep it safe' mentality doesn't apply to physically testing what's presented to the test centre.  That's just laziness and stupidity.

[Dudeofrude]

Seeing as the very youngest FZS1000s are now 12 years old it's unrealistic to expect Yamaha to stock every spare part, things will (if they haven't already) become no longer available (NLA). I would like to know the authorities stance on running older bikes when NLA parts are no longer serviceable.

Having lived, worked and owned a business in Spain I can tell you the most likely answer is they won't give a shit. Tough titties is the phrase that comes to mind, if it doesn't have what it needs then take it off the road.
I run my own business for more than 5 years and I can tell you that trying to get past any sort of red tape out there is beyond a nightmare. You quickly learn (as falcon has) that it's easier to play ball, like it or lump it.
It's part of the reason I came back, just a constant up hill struggle to earn a living. I'd retire there in a heartbeat as long as I didn't have to set foot near another ajuntament haha

[Kenbob]

What amazes me is that whilst the small man is being shafted, the big man can go con lots of little men into buying timeshares illegally and get away with it.

[mtread]

What I can't work out is how do they know what's original and what isn't? Unless they've got a blueprint of every part of the bike? OK some are obvious like usd forks, but how do they tell the difference between a Chinese pattern disc and a Yamaha one?

[Falcon 269]

In a lot of cases, it's obvious things like aftermarket (ie smaller indicators, shorty adjustable levers etc.  Funny enough, the R1 forks had gone unremarked for years but it was only a matter of time, I felt.  I guess if you see enough bikes in your daily routine, you get to know what's likely to be OE and what isn't.  I've got Armstrong slotted discs on the Fazer and anyone remotely familiar with Yamahas from that era will know that solid discs and blue spot calipers are standard.  Again, the discs have escaped comment so far but who knows what the tester will move his attention to now that I've dealt with the things he picked up last time around?