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« on: 09 August 2019, 03:02:12 pm »
100,000 miles
Bought my Fazer new in Easter 2001. It’s now clocked over 100,000 miles.
So for the benefit of anyone who’s thinking of buying one, or has an interest on how they perform over 100,000 miles, this is my experience:
Things that went wrong or broke.
The speedo drive
The speedo drive in the front wheel broke at around 20,000 miles.
It broke because I didn’t locate it correctly when putting the front wheel back in.
So yes it was my fault, but they could have made a more robust speedo
Front calliper oil seals
The front callipers (both of them) starting binding on the discs at around 30,000 miles.
I had to replace the piston seals, which is a pain of a job because there’s four in each calliper and you need a compressor to get the pistons out. Why did they fail? Probably because I put DOT3 as opposed to DOT4 brake fluid in when I bled the brakes. So yes, it was my fault.
Sprocket carrier bearing and drive side rear wheel bearing
They both collapsed at around 75,000 miles. Oddly enough I didn’t know this until I changed the back tyre. Why did they collapse? No idea, perhaps it was me over-tightening the rear axle nut.
Offside spark plug
Had a problem with this at around 45,000 miles (2009). I ended up putting Iridium tipped plugs in all four cylinders. I’ve checked them twice over the last 55,000 miles and they’ve been fine. But I’ve never attempted to check the offside cylinder, because I have a feeling I might not get a plug back in it. According to my local garage, they only change Iridium tipped plugs every 60,000 miles. In any event if you fit Iridium tipped plugs in a Fazer they should be good for over 55,000 miles.
Choke cable
The choke cable broke at around 20,000 miles. It actually rusted through mid point in its length. I’m guessing water must have been getting down it. I never bothered replacing it, because it rarely needs choke to start, and you can simple push the choke slide bar across if you need to.
Clutch cable and clutch release arm
The clutch cable nipple pulled through the clutch release arm at around 90,000 miles. I managed to get the bike home because, providing you don’t have to stop you can change gear at low revs without using the clutch. I fixed it by putting the cable back in the clutch release arm and tapping the opening closed with a hammer. Bit of a rough fix, but it’s still working.
Cam chain
The cam chain started rattling somewhere between 50,000 and 60,000 miles. I just ignored it. Anyway at around 85,000 it suddenly decided to shut itself up, presumably the cam chain tensioner finally clicked out.
Exhaust system
In 2006 I was on my way to Knot End at 9.00 a.m. on a Sunday morning. I was on a quiet country road and behind a couple of cars. Speed…. probably around 30mph. Without warning a 1.5 metre diameter white mark appeared in front of me (I didn’t see it coming because there were two cars in front of me). I just rode over it…. Didn’t give it a thought.
When I got to Knot End I noticed white marks on my jeans. And then I noticed white paint all over the front of the engine and header pipes. I’d just ridden through around 5 litres of freshly spilled white gloss paint. The likelihood of being behind two cars at 9.00 a.m. on a Sunday morning on this road is remote. The likelihood of there being 5 litres of freshly spilled white paint on the road, even more so.
By the time I got the bike home I’d ridden around 45 miles with a load of gloss paint quietly cooking on the engine and header pipes. It took the rest of the day to get it off. In any event I couldn’t effectively get it off the header pipes without removing some of the black paint. Ultimately the header pipes rusted and I ended up replacing them.
Spark plug caps
One of these fell to bits when I pulled it off. All the inside bits fell out.
Service intervals
Copper slipped exhaust header nuts/studs when I got the bike. Why they don’t do this when they build them, God only knows.
Changed the oil every year and it’s been run on fully synthetic all its life. I’ve used Asda’s finest because it’s usually the cheapest.
Changed the oil filter once every 10,000 miles.
Changed the air filter once every 20,000 miles, but give it a vacuum clean at 10,000 miles.
I use to change the plugs every ten thousand miles, but I put Iridium tipped plugs in the bike in 2009 (it had done about 45,000 miles at this point) and I’ve never changed them since.
It’s on its fourth chain and sprocket set, and it now needs a new set. Yamaha’s own chain and sprocket sets last the longest, but I don’t know if you can still get them. It’s a bit of fag putting a Yamaha set on the bike, because the chain is endless so you’ve got to get the swinging arm off.
I’ve balanced the carbs once every 20,000 miles.
Checked the valve clearances at 30,000 miles and 60,000 miles. They were fine, so the valve clearances have never been adjusted in 100,000 miles.
Decided to put a 120 – 70 sports compound front tyre on the bike at around 40,000 miles. The steering is quicker, but the grip you get is better than a standard 110 – 70 sports tourer tyre. You do however lose a bit of clearance between the tyre and the mudguard.
Paint finish on the engine.... Before I bought the Fazer, I already new about the problems with painted aluminium engines. The paint coupled with the heat from the engine makes the paint micro-porous. Moisture gets through the pores, reacts with the aluminium and lifts the paint. But there is a way of preventing this. Basically spray the engine with silicon. I use Carplan Original Black. But any silicon spray should have the same effect. The silicon seals the pores, moisture doesn’t get through, and the paint doesn’t lift.
Changed the fork oil at 75,000 miles. The oil was relatively clean so it was a bit of a waste of time.
I’ve never changed the fuel filter and never added any coolant or changed it.
However I didn’t like the fairing so I put a normal (LC350) headlamp on it instead. I used Suzuki Bandit fork leg brackets to mount the headlamp.
Things that should have packed in but didn’t
The battery is original to the bike. Why it’s not packed in… I don’t know, but it hasn’t. Apart from riding the bike, I only ever charge it up once a month when the bike’s not in use. Last year I met a guy who was riding a Thunder Ace. His bike was Y reg, same as mine. He told me his battery was also original to the bike. So we’ve both either been very lucky or Yamaha decided to fit good batteries in 2000 – 2001
The engine is a gem, anyone who’s ever ridden a Fazer, probably knows that. In any event I’ve rev'd the nuts off it for 100,000 miles, and it still runs fine. It’s probably down a bit on power from when it was new, but it still pulls well. It uses a bit of oil, but doesn’t seem to smoke.
Verdict
According to test reports I read at the time, the 600 Fazer was the best middleweight road bike on the market when it came out. I’ve test ridden similar bikes over the last eighteen years, not enough to form a conclusive verdict, but I reckon it’s still one of the best middleweight road bikes of all time. The engine is wonderful, the front brake is superb, and you even get a centre stand and enough space under the seat for your water-proofs and butty box.
My old Fazer is now starting to show it's age because things have got worn.... they haven't failed, but are definitely worn.
I think the engine has probably got another 20,000 miles + in it, but I'm not sure about the rest of it.