Date: 28-03-24  Time: 23:18 pm

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Messages - Pondlife

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Introduction / Re: Not been here ages
« on: 18 July 2017, 03:28:41 pm »
Never mind the ponies and sheep....fecking tourists are the worst! The ones that go so slow you could pick flowers during the ride/drive or the ones that stop dead in the road....like they have never seen a fecking horse before.
Anyway since we are like neighbours, let me know if you fancy a bimble sometime...


A bimble might be rather nice but I do warn you, I am pretty much a bimbler full stop, too many knobheads on the road for me to be anything else really. I had a couple of nasty tumbles when I was a kid, neither of them really my fault but they did have the effect of making me a bit over-defensive I suppose. Then of course there's all the added delights of Somerset roads, random farm entrances, completely oblivious tractor drivers, mud and gravel on corners, sometimes I wonder why I even bother with this biking malarky as it's resemblance to walking through a minefield is there for all to see. I'm not adverse to giving it some beans when the road allows for it though, when I got this Fazer I knocked up a ton on the North Devon link road as a matter of duty. Two days later I saw the condition of the totally knackered front sprocket and figured that perhaps it would have been more prudent to have checked that out before hitting three figures....sheesh, that was a close call.
Anyhoo, I'm Charlie, nice to meet you, feel free to PM me if you've got nothing better to do!  :)


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Introduction / Re: Not been here ages
« on: 17 July 2017, 03:08:36 am »
I am in Wellington...went out for my first proper run last week, took in Porlock Hill and Lynton. Was a good day out!


Shudder! Porlock Hill, I've done that exact same trip on a number of bikes and no matter how slowly I'm riding, it still never feels like I'm going to get round some of those corners on the hill, then of course there's always the danger of suicidal sheep and ponies as you cross the moor. Lovely when you get to Lynton though with those stupendous views which kind of compensates for all the stress of getting there. As you've probably guessed, I'm not the bravest biker in the world! Ride safe!

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Introduction / Re: Old git with newly acquired FZS600 Foxeye.
« on: 13 July 2017, 02:36:42 am »
We need to start a Fazer 60+ club. As long as we don't doze off before hand...


Good idea, as long as you're talking 60+ in years and not speed, not sure I could ever contemplate going that fast, not with me being so ancient an'all!  ;)

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Introduction / Re: Old git with newly acquired FZS600 Foxeye.
« on: 13 July 2017, 02:28:37 am »
70+ is the new 50+ :lol .Trouble is you have to renew your driving license(every 3 yrs) more often than your bus pass(5yrs). Old guys rock.


Old guys certainly do rock, just look at the Rolling Stones....I'm not rocking quite as well as I'd like to though what with a buggered shoulder and knackered knee....sigh!
Still, if the sun's out tomorrow I'll be getting in the saddle again....it'd be rude not to really!  :lol

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Introduction / Re: Old git with newly acquired FZS600 Foxeye.
« on: 12 July 2017, 11:13:40 pm »
You are all "youngsters"! I realised the other day that that old fellow in the bathroom mirror is only a reflection(or apparition!) :lol
My "lifetime" driving licence expires 02/02/18-the good news is I only have to supply one more photo to DVLA-its the same old git as featured on my free bus pass!
Nice looking "Foxeye"-it is always satisfying to do your own maintenance etc-adds to the pleasure of riding knowing all is ok.
Talking to my friendly Yamaha dealers salesman this morning he sold a new bike to an 82 year old last week so this age thing is mainly in the mind of young whippersnappers :lol  Rode back from Anglesey to W. Mids Saturday just gone-176 miles all through Snowdonia-keeps me young at heart!


Bloody hell! I did a hundred miles today and feel like I've been shagged by a rhino! You have my total respect sir!  :)

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Introduction / Re: Old git with newly acquired FZS600 Foxeye.
« on: 12 July 2017, 10:06:47 pm »
Welcome to the over sixties club I'm 62 later this year. Glad your enjoying the fox eye something strangely satisfying about taking on a bike that's been not looked after properly and getting it back to it's former glory.


So agree with you there. Like I said, I'm pretty clueless when it comes to spannering, I made some hideous mistakes along the way but with the aid of YouTube videos I managed to get it largely sorted out. Of course, in the process of doing all those jobs, I've become very familiar with how the bike is put together which should help a great deal when the next thing goes wrong! I do feel a bit proud of myself being honest and just having returned from a 100 mile trip round some of the nicest roads in Devon without the wheels falling off, I can definitely say that my hard graft has been rewarded. Love that little Fazer, working on it has made the bond so much stronger than had I just gone out and picked up a minter. 

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Introduction / Re: Not been here ages
« on: 12 July 2017, 12:57:40 pm »
Just relocated to Somerset....and fazer owners here?


I'm located near Wellington. Picked up a shed of a 2003 Foxeye a couple of weeks ago.
Welcome to Somerset ~ the healthy grave!  :)

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Introduction / Re: Old git with newly acquired FZS600 Foxeye.
« on: 11 July 2017, 11:18:17 pm »
''forgot to grease up the new speedo rotor so first test ride produced a screaming noise from the front wheel somewhat akin to a pig being murdered' '

I did that too. What a noise! Had to ride 30 miles home from the tyre shop where I put the new rotor on. Very embarrassing :-)

BTW nice things Foxeyes, but I'm not 62 until next month


Happy Birthday for next Month then, mine was last Month so we're not too dissimilar in that regard.
On FOC's Facebook page I found another poor unfortunate who sliced through his speedo cable with the disc and now your good self with a greaseless rotor so I don't feel quite as pathetic as I did when the aforementioned incidents occurred.
What a noise though, I was convinced it was some kind of effect the wind was having on the fairing so I pulled that apart in search of mysterious apertures or loose screws etc, to no avail off course, then I thought the wheel bearings must be knackered, I was getting pretty desperate until the penny finally dropped.
Still, I now know what's inside the fairing which is useful knowledge I suppose and I'm getting pretty handy at taking the front wheel out!   :rolleyes

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Introduction / Re: Old git with newly acquired FZS600 Foxeye.
« on: 11 July 2017, 05:59:52 pm »
Hi Charlie and welcome :) .What a thorough and well written introduction, you've certainly been busy since you bought your foxeye. I get where you're coming from on the age thing, as I often wonder who the old guy in the bathroom mirror is :lol .At least we're out there having a go.


Damn right! I am to spannery what Boris Johnson is to diplomacy but in a funny kind of way I'm glad that the bike needed a thorough sorting out as it's been a crash course in learning how it's put together and you can never put a price on knowledge. Hopefully I won't find any more nasties for a while though as my bank balance (read overdraft) has taken more than a slight hammering! Loving the bike though, I've definitely bonded!  :D

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Introduction / Old git with newly acquired FZS600 Foxeye.
« on: 11 July 2017, 04:04:05 pm »
Watcha, I'm Charlie, 62 years old (how the hell did that happen?) had bikes most of my life but due to arthritis in my right shoulder, I've just acquired a 2003 Foxeye 600 in the hope that the more upright riding position might be a little less agony inducing.


The bike was being offered for sale in the same town as myself (Wellington, Somerset) so I think that locality played a large part in my purchasing decision which in turn blinded me somewhat to the mess the flippin' thing was in.
Put a spanner in my hand and disasters are never far behind, I'm much more at home playing guitar or building computers but needs dictated, so I jumped in at the deep end.


So....fork dust seals replaced, front wheel sprayed, upgraded speedo rotor fitted (old one was shattered), chain and sprockets replaced with upgraded front sprocket nut fitted (such fun taking the old one off single handed....not!), old rusty manifold nuts replaced with stainless domes, new EBC pads all round, new oil, plugs and filters and endless hours of grime removal (the grease monster I discovered inside the front sprocket cover was indeed a sight to behold....see below).


Only two major cockups along the way, forgot to grease up the new speedo rotor so first test ride produced a screaming noise from the front wheel somewhat akin to a pig being murdered and I also routed the speedo cable incorrectly which resulted in the disc wearing through it, quite entertaining seeing the speedo registering over 160mph whilst crawling round Somerset lanes doing no more than 30 though!


Still need to sort out a few bits of graunchy bodywork but I'm almost there and I must say I love the bike. Really nippy when needed, fabulous brakes, half decent wind protection, slightly kinder to my knackered shoulder and the thing just loves the twisties, in all my 45 plus years of riding I've never known a machine so confidence inspiring when cornering, I'm never going to scrape the footpegs but at least my chicken strips are no longer deeply embarrassing.


Anyhoo, nice to meet you all. I'm sure this site will prove to be an invaluable resource as more problems rear their ugly heads!











 

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