what did you do with your fazer today ?

[Hedgetrimmer]

Usual route today. Estuary at Ravenglass (deja vous):






Yew Tree tarn, between Coniston and Ambleside:








But then altered the route from Ambleside to take in the Kirkstone Pass, stopped for coffee at the inn:











Down through Patterdale and Glenridding, mad blast along the A66 back to Keswick, then up the A591, and 595 back home. 140 miles-ish.
Getting to know these roads very well now - no nasty surprises on the gnarly mountain bits now for example, I know exactly what to expect. I do this route so often because it has a great mix of fast A road, the aforementioned mountain stuff, and everything in between. The Striple handles the mountain roads better in the sense that you can take more liberties, but it does get bounced around a bit more. Overall, I prefer the Fazer still 

[Graham53]

Went out on 100 mile ride attempting ( unsuccessfully ) to sort out suspension settings in attempt to cure handling probs after having progressives fitted, then went to Yam dealer to order clutch basket tab washer for the 600 where the bike decided to backfire as I tried to start it and it shat the life out of a pensioner, a small child and embarrassed me outside the shop, then went to Epping for a tea and a well deserved intake of nicotine.

[tommyardin]

Who shouted out LINEARS   
Should have gone to specsavers

[Graham53]

Who shouted out LINEARS   
Should have gone to specsavers

You may have been right, confusious says with old age comes great wisdom    trouble was I needed to go 2 up / long distance and was told by mechanic that progressives were better option for that, now renamed the bike The Axe Murderer as it wants to kill me at every corner.   I hope mechanic has focced up fitting then I can get it sorted, other than that more £££ to go linear route instead.

[tommyardin]

Daughter and I went to Loomies (In Hants) today for their magic cheesy bacon chips and a mug of tea, funny how much more friendly bikers are when you have a 23 year old pretty little blonde on the back of your bike. LOL!
I know cos I'm the same He he!

Met up with another Fazer owner down there, I was taking a pic of his bike for the Forum and he came up an introduced himself, Red FZS 600 Boxeye, nice condition his name was we think Mark H or maybe Mick H, said he gets in here now and again but not all the time, Friendly guy.

Left Loomies and headed North to Alton in Hants, across country through Worldham and into Bordon then on to Liphook and up to my mate 'Wildplums' house in Hindhead for a slurp and a yak with Terry and his her-in-doors, left there and had a rapid blast down the A3 Southbound, slowing down dramatically just before the Liphook slip road as Old Bill is often there with his camera van, then business as usual once passed the dreaded zone (He was not there) mind you the bugger got me doing 90 mph in my sports car there 7 weeks ago, like the Mrs said be grateful he was not a couple of miles further North as we were allegedly doing a little more than that, but it's all hearsay, my MR2 will not do 135 (Well not with the handbrake on)

Really pleased with the bike and the way it handles after all the suspension work that went on over winter.

I feel the Nitron R1 shock on the back works magic, it has taken all the Pogo rebound out of the bike, so no Pogo effect what-so-ever and the Ohlin's front Linear springs coupled with the cartridge emulators are so smooth and the bike inspires me to lay it over, the old Yamaha dual rate front springs were like 2 Yo Yos up front. The work has really changed the bike for the better. I was pleased with it riding solo and today was the first time i have had a pillion on board since the work was done and daughter remarked how much better it is than before.
It is the rebound that is so much better, the sting is really taken out of the bump, but it is like the back and front wheels somehow keeps contact with the road throughout the rebound both ends, also I have noticed that the front of the bike does not seem to fall/turn in if hitting bumps whilst laying over on a bend, whether that is the emulators or the Linears I'm not sure? but it sure works.
Anyway we did about 85 miles today and to be honest it would be easy to forget that my little girl was on the back she is so trusting and I was going to say nothing fazes her but were both got  ed today.
Mark or Mick/Mike H's Red Boxeye.         

[tommyardin]

Who shouted out LINEARS   
Should have gone to specsavers

You may have been right, confusious says with old age comes great wisdom    trouble was I needed to go 2 up / long distance and was told by mechanic that progressives were better option for that, now renamed the bike The Axe Murderer as it wants to kill me at every corner.   I hope mechanic has focced up fitting then I can get it sorted, other than that more £££ to go linear route instead.

Ooy Cheeky foccer


Very young 70 year old

[Graham53]

 

[tommyardin]

Who shouted out LINEARS   
Should have gone to specsavers

You may have been right, confusious says with old age comes great wisdom    trouble was I needed to go 2 up / long distance and was told by mechanic that progressives were better option for that, now renamed the bike The Axe Murderer as it wants to kill me at every corner.   I hope mechanic has focced up fitting then I can get it sorted, other than that more £££ to go linear route instead.

Ooy Cheeky foccer


Very young 70 year old

Graham getting the sag right is really important for the handling. RED = FRONT,  Purple =REAR


My Front Static Sag (Just the weight of the bike on the suspension) is: 25 mm.


My Rear Static Sag  (Just the weight of the bike on the suspension) is: 16 mm.

My Front 'Rider Sag' me with all my riding gear on inc helmet on sat on the bike feet on the pegs with someone holding the bike upright without applying any weight or lifting in any way is: 41 mm.

My Rear 'Rider Sag' me with all my riding gear on inc helmet on, sat on the bike feet on the pegs with someone holding the bike upright, without applying any weight or lifting in any way is: 37 mm.

With the hardware setup on my bike, for the track recommended is 30-34 mm Front Rider Sag and the same for theRear. So as you can see my Sag is a little softer than recommended for the track, but, it is on the firmer end of the spectrum for road use, was brilliant with 8 1/2 stone daughter on the back.Be worth getting a couple of mate around to help you set it up as you need a strong pair of hands to hold the bike upright and another pair of hands to do the measuring whilst your sat on the bike.Good luck you should be able to sort it out I have heard of lots of guys on here fitting the progressives and being very pleased with the result, but it will always be a bit of a compromise as one spring fits all riders weights, linears you buy a spring to suit your rider weight all togged up ready to ride.I am just under 90 kilos fully togged and I bought Ohlins 8.5 N/mm Linear Springs. I had a lot of academic help from Kebab19, he is the Bogs Dollocks when it come to front forks, he was also very helpful with advice in the setting up of cartridge emulators.     

[tommyardin]

Graham are you happy for me to message you in Foc-U? I could paste some helpful info into a message, as it would be hijacking this post if I do that in here.


Mind you thinking about it I have done a pretty good job of hijacking it already

[Graham53]

Feel free Tommy, any info at the mo greatly appreciated 

[tommyardin]

Feel free Tommy, any info at the mo greatly appreciated 

Message sent Graham hope its helpful. 
tommy

[mr self destruct]

Started the 1000 caliper mod to my 600. Got the caliper and bracket swapped over, went to change the disc, and it looks like fate's telling me to take it to a garage.

Attempted to get the disc off mine a couple of days ago.
I reckon my Allen key was better quality than yours... it was the heads that rounded off. 

Well fuck. That's literally just happened to me too! :-/
How did you sort it?

I haven't got back to it yet.. the plan is to weld some nuts on to the top of each screw.
Not only does it give you something meaty for a socket and impact gun to get hold of, the heat should weaken the superglue/threadlock.

Sorted it!


Couldn't get my hands on a left handed drill bit, so I tool an angle grinder to the heads to add some heat and put a flat on each side. Mole grips didn't work, so ended up banging a chisel round them anti-clockwise to undo them. Just got to find myself some threadlock and fit the new disc, so should be back on the road tomorrow afternoon.

[Fazerider]

Sorted it!


Couldn't get my hands on a left handed drill bit, so I tool an angle grinder to the heads to add some heat and put a flat on each side. Mole grips didn't work, so ended up banging a chisel round them anti-clockwise to undo them. Just got to find myself some threadlock and fit the new disc, so should be back on the road tomorrow afternoon.

 

Good to learn of a new technique that works!


Meanwhile, I’ve been overhauling my front brakes. Stripped them down and cleaned out all the crud that had accumulated with riding on salty roads, though the seals are recent enough not to need replacing.
New EBC organic pads, fresh fluid, a couple of hours faffing around getting the air out and they feel a lot better.
They are starting to show their mileage though: these are the grooves worn by the pads in the front part of the body.

[mr self destruct]

I've never seen anything like that before! 


I had a look at the two bolts when I took them out and they're not standard ones, so the last dickhead whoc changed the disc must've ran out of bolts an dused whatever was lying around.
They're 5mm longer, which meant they protruded out the other side of the wheel and corroded to shit, making getting them through the thread a real pain.

[Hedgetrimmer]

First visits of the year to a few spots today. Went through Borrowdale and over the Honister Pass to Buttermere:





Then out to Cockermouth and down that cracking A 5086, turning in for Wasdale Head:





Then through Eskdale Green, and the climb up onto Birker Fell, here with Kirk Fell in the background:





Pwetty waterfalls:





Next, over the Wrynose Pass:





And on to Langdale, the pikes in the background:





Crinkle Crags and Bow Fell:





Back through Ambleside, A591 up to Keswick and home. About 160 miles.

[Edmund]

That looks fantastic

[tommyardin]

I've never seen anything like that before! 


I had a look at the two bolts when I took them out and they're not standard ones, so the last dickhead whoc changed the disc must've ran out of bolts an dused whatever was lying around.
They're 5mm longer, which meant they protruded out the other side of the wheel and corroded to shit, making getting them through the thread a real pain.

That's odd, because all my disk bolts were longer and protruded 10mm or more into the centre of the wheel, with a lot of fiddling, swearing and achy wrists I was able to get into the wheel hub with a dremel and flexi drive with a small wire brush and clean up most of the threads and gave a sharp crack or two with a claw hammer on the head each bolt, whilst drenching them in W/D, little bit of heat with a gas gun and struggled but got them all out. i ran a tapered tap down each of the threads to clean them out and fitted the new disk with shallow headed (For clearance) stainless steel hex headed bolts. So hopefully if I ever need to remove the disk again it will come off ok. The stupid Allen Key headed screws that Yamaha fit are rediculas.

[mr self destruct]

Agreed. I fucking hate Allen bolts.
You have an M8 thread which usually has a 13mm bolt head, yet they expect you to use a key half that size with an Allen head. 

[Millietant]

Gave both Fazer's a quick check (tyre pressures, chains, brakes etc) then went out with Liz for our first ride out of the year - into Oxfordshire and home via (stopped for a cuppa) Upton House.

[red98]

Another year goes by.....another MOT booked....the mighty thou this time,10.45 tomorrow morning...

[tommyardin]

Another year goes by.....another MOT booked....the mighty thou this time,10.45 tomorrow morning...

Good luck in the morning 
My 600 went straight through on Friday 10th, hope yours does likewise

[red98]

Cheers tommy.....bike not been started since november last year , be out in the garage shortly , connect charger , check tyre presures , clean and lube chain and then just a mile ride too MOT MAN....tyres are a bit low but otherwise I think it will be ok...

[red98]

Cheers tommy.....bike not been started since november last year , be out in the garage shortly , connect charger , check tyre presures , clean and lube chain and then just a mile ride too MOT MAN....tyres are a bit low but otherwise I think it will be ok...

well , that did'nt take long......did'nt bother with the battery charger , just pressed the started and brum brum      tyres needed 1psi in front and 4 in the rear..cleaned and lubed the chain and checked adjustment....tread is close to the limit on the rear and a bit squared off but think it might just scrape through......bit of brekkie and then see how it goes...

[red98]

Cheers tommy.....bike not been started since november last year , be out in the garage shortly , connect charger , check tyre presures , clean and lube chain and then just a mile ride too MOT MAN....tyres are a bit low but otherwise I think it will be ok...

Passed...no advisorys...     MOTMAN was ok with the tyres so I'll get a few more miles out of them and replace  for the summer......






well , that did'nt take long......did'nt bother with the battery charger , just pressed the started and brum brum      tyres needed 1psi in front and 4 in the rear..cleaned and lubed the chain and checked adjustment....tread is close to the limit on the rear and a bit squared off but think it might just scrape through......bit of brekkie and then see how it goes...

[tommyardin]

Cheers tommy.....bike not been started since november last year , be out in the garage shortly , connect charger , check tyre presures , clean and lube chain and then just a mile ride too MOT MAN....tyres are a bit low but otherwise I think it will be ok...

Passed...no advisorys...     MOTMAN was ok with the tyres so I'll get a few more miles out of them and replace  for the summer......






well , that did'nt take long......did'nt bother with the battery charger , just pressed the started and brum brum      tyres needed 1psi in front and 4 in the rear..cleaned and lubed the chain and checked adjustment....tread is close to the limit on the rear and a bit squared off but think it might just scrape through......bit of brekkie and then see how it goes...

Jobs-A-Goodun