what did you do with your fazer today ?

[Kosmic Kartman]

Skenfrith and Ludlow. I thought I recognised those old manor houses 

Nice part of the country. Used to take the caravan up there.

Bike is looking good.

My ride out today was a blast to Stowmarket to get some new out door bowls shoes in time for the new season. 

[slimwilly]

Skenfrith and Ludlow. I thought I recognised those old manor houses 

Nice part of the country. Used to take the caravan up there.

Bike is looking good.

My ride out today was a blast to Stowmarket to get some new out door bowls shoes in time for the new season. 

"BOWLS",,foc me,,,we have some posh un's on here

[Kosmic Kartman]

Skenfrith and Ludlow. I thought I recognised those old manor houses 

Nice part of the country. Used to take the caravan up there.

Bike is looking good.

My ride out today was a blast to Stowmarket to get some new out door bowls shoes in time for the new season. 

"BOWLS",,foc me,,,we have some posh un's on here

 

Posh!.. Hardly.

Only been playing since September. Started at indoor carpet bowls and took to it like a duck to water and I'm now on the A Team. You must understand there ain't a lot to do in the evening if you live in the middle of buck fuck having moved from London.

I've been invited to join Thorndon Bowls Club. They have a fully stocked bar and I live next door. It's a no brainer really.

http://thorndon.onesuffolk.net/home/leisure-and-social-activities/thorndon-bowls-club/

[Hedgetrimmer]

Had a ride down to Melksham to catch up with my ex-colleague from the returns department at Oxford Products (we both quit on the same day, leaving the new guy in a panic  ). It's a shame I'll be moving up north, cos we get on like a house on fire, having similarly cynical views of the world and it's folk! A nice ride in the sunshine, and a good natter over coffee 

[esetest]

Yesterday , charged and refit the battery , started the bike first time in 3 weeks , just got back from road trip in USA , took the bike out for a quick spin around chew valley .

[fazerphil]

Fitted carbon fibre fairing infils

[slimwilly]

Skenfrith and Ludlow. I thought I recognised those old manor houses 

Nice part of the country. Used to take the caravan up there.

Bike is looking good.

My ride out today was a blast to Stowmarket to get some new out door bowls shoes in time for the new season. 

"BOWLS",,foc me,,,we have some posh un's on here

 

Posh!.. Hardly.

Only been playing since September. Started at indoor carpet bowls and took to it like a duck to water and I'm now on the A Team. You must understand there ain't a lot to do in the evening if you live in the middle of buck fuck having moved from London.

I've been invited to join Thorndon Bowls Club. They have a fully stocked bar and I live next door. It's a no brainer really.

http://thorndon.onesuffolk.net/home/leisure-and-social-activities/thorndon-bowls-club/

You then will be referred to as "the new boy " by the old un's 


For Foc sake don't take Dazza,,he will be after the old widows

[dazza]

Did someone mention "old widows", where's my wing man Red ? 

[Hedgetrimmer]

So, tell me, how much difference has that front end made ? Is it mainly cosmetic, or has it made a noticeable improvement ?

Some further thoughts on this after today's ride:

This bike is now far and away more capable than it was with standard forks, even considering how much better I thought the R6 shock mod made it. It would be no exaggeration to say I am gobsmacked by what it now handles like. After yesterday's Wales run, I thought I had a good idea of how it was improved. Today, I just kept on finding that the bar has been set way higher, and I need to completely re-assess it's capabilities.

To find myself casually popping up my visor in mid bend to scratch my nose, only to look down at the clocks and see somewhere around an indicated 90, and the bike not feeling like it was being pushed at all 

I really didn't think a big, heavy sports tourer of the Fazer's age could ever be this good. I knew I'd find the handling improved, but not to this extent. Today was a case of  !!

Sorry, just had to get that off my chest, as you were 

[ChristoT]

Did someone mention "old widows", where's my wing man Red ? 

Who else remembers Dolly? 

[devilsyam]

went for a brake bedding session

[red98]

Widows......someone say, widows..............

[Billy Balthorpe]

Fitted carbon fibre fairing infils

Carbon fibre?? They look like the normal plastic ones? I was considering buying these rather than the standard ones because the CF ones are only about £40 more than the standard ones. I would want them to look like CF though.

[HarryHornby]

Did someone mention "old widows", where's my wing man Red ? 

Who else remembers Dolly? 

Who's bike was Dolly?  Didn't they do a video of a Fazer ride out a couple of years ago?

[fazersharp]

went for a brake bedding session

What in the local park car park ?

[MickUK]

Went for an evening bimble...

[Dead Eye]

Yesterday , charged and refit the battery , started the bike first time in 3 weeks , just got back from road trip in USA , took the bike out for a quick spin around chew valley .

 

[Dead Eye]

So, tell me, how much difference has that front end made ? Is it mainly cosmetic, or has it made a noticeable improvement ?

Some further thoughts on this after today's ride:

This bike is now far and away more capable than it was with standard forks, even considering how much better I thought the R6 shock mod made it. It would be no exaggeration to say I am gobsmacked by what it now handles like. After yesterday's Wales run, I thought I had a good idea of how it was improved. Today, I just kept on finding that the bar has been set way higher, and I need to completely re-assess it's capabilities.

To find myself casually popping up my visor in mid bend to scratch my nose, only to look down at the clocks and see somewhere around an indicated 90, and the bike not feeling like it was being pushed at all 

I really didn't think a big, heavy sports tourer of the Fazer's age could ever be this good. I knew I'd find the handling improved, but not to this extent. Today was a case of  !!

Sorry, just had to get that off my chest, as you were 

Nick, I'd be interested to see what you thought of mine. I can by no means ride to the capabilities of the bike it also has an R6 shock, K-Tech front springs and the Fully Monty Ivanising so the main difference is the R1 setup.



Christo, foc off...

[ChristoT]

Christo, foc off...

Not on yer life. 

[Hedgetrimmer]

Nick, I'd be interested to see what you thought of mine. I can by no means ride to the capabilities of the bike it also has an R6 shock, K-Tech front springs and the Fully Monty Ivanising so the main difference is the R1 setup.

I think what you won't have, Liam, is the reduced flex that the R1 conversion gives you. This helps with stability in fast cornering, especially on a bumpier road. Also, I don't really understand the technical side of suspension very well. Luke muttered something about 'emulators', and Yamazer (^above) said something about them too, but I'm in the dark here. Someone care to explain what this is about? I believe it is what is reducing the dive under hard braking, and keeping a much more level platform. I'm guessing this means that the front is being pushed less on the approach to a corner when hard braking, allowing for later braking, as I don't need to allow the bike that fraction of a second to settle after braking before committing to the corner as on a standard Fazer set up, but tbh, I don't entirely understand what's going on, only what I feel the results to be.

The bike now has quite a firm front set up generally, noticeably more so than before. I think some folk may not like that bit, as it's perhaps less forgiving on the arms during more normal riding. On bumps for instance, the bike handles this well, seems less likely to be thrown off line (which on a firmer set up seems a bit of a paradox to me *confused*  ) but you do feel them through the bars and your arms. I'm happy to take this little bit of compromise on the 'comfort' side for the rewards given, others might not be.

I'd also probably best say something about the fact that I haven't ridden any sports bikes since the early 90s, so don't have a great deal of experience of sportier handling to compare with (lest my last post confuse anyone). So again, I can only record my own impressions since having the conversion done, and all is relative to how it felt before. But I am very happy with the results 

[devilsyam]

Given your above feedback I assume the  arm position worked out ok as given your injury was a concern

[Hedgetrimmer]

Given your above feedback I assume the  arm position worked out ok as given your injury was a concern

All is well there Luke. As you said, with the ride height adjusters and riser/standard bar set up you've done, no noticeable difference to before, brake lever position was fine as you left it too. I can confirm that the new set up is giving my gammy shoulder and arm no additional worries 

[Hedgetrimmer]

Luke muttered something about 'emulators', and Yamazer (^above) said something about them too, but I'm in the dark here. Someone care to explain what this is about?

Too slow Foccers, someone on another site helped out with this, for those interested:

http://www.racetech.com/page/title/Emulators-How%20They%20Work

All starts to make sense now, as I was noticing how the forks were behaving differently under different circumstances.

[Dead Eye]

Very nice read there nick I already understood all the fundamentals of the damping rod, and suddenly it all clicked when I saw the first diagram of the Emulator

Definitely something I'll look in to, but I really should deal with actually setting up the suspension correctly on my bike at some point...






Edit: Woah... emulators are expensive

[esetest]

New battery time , the bike wouldn't start after the interview , had to call out the AA , he tested battery 12.06 volts and not holding a charge , he started with his jump starter , rode the bike home , drove to Fowlers , got a new Yamaha battery for £62 , charged it up as they only come partly charged , will fit tomorrow , hopefully it will start .