New FZ8 and a few mods..

[farmer giles]

Hi all. I've put a few postS up already for some bits and bobs but thought I'd introduce myself and new new bike..

Been a Kawasaki man for a few years but wanted to try something a bit more upright, not getting any younger  :o and the FZ8 seemed to fit my requirements..

So here it is and a few pics of this weekends efforts so far..


After finally getting my new bike on Friday and riding it home in the pissing rain I was keen to give it a bit of a clean up and get my new bits fitted, well most of them as it turned out..

This is the starting point..



and after the wet ride home she was in a bit of a state but the aim of the day was to get rid of all this stuff



and fit my new bits and get the bike set up for me, lever positions, throttle and clutch etc..

Started by striping the rack and old numberplate hanger off.. looking better already.



Then came the mirrors. got to love the left hand thread on the offside... 



Then it was off with the old exhaust.  yes I did and yes it was loud..  :evil :



Now time to start fitting things back on..



and finally left with this.  much improved IMO..




Unfortunately the exhaust hanger I bought only fits with the standard can so the foot peg stays for now. The hanger will go back and I'll get the one from the same place I bought the exhaust..

After this last picture I removed the white part of the rear seat unit as you can see it's got holes in it to fit round the rack so there is a new unit on order along with a 8x6 plate (dont want to go too silly), bar end mirrors, some plastic bungs to go into the old mirror holes and also a set of adapters for my Abba stand..

For the record the exhaust and link pipe are from SP Engineering and the tail tidy is the Evotech item.

Hopefully the final new bits will be here mid week so by next weekend it should all be done ready to enjoy..

hope you like..

[slimwilly]

Very nice, and how does it go?  gets the heart racing?

[noggythenog]

Yes indeed, how quick are these FZ8's???


I do really think it would be a nice bike for me, but are they actually much quicker than my 600?, i imagine handling is pretty pin point considering they are based on the FZ1.


Nice work on the bike, not a fan of stubbys myself but that is quite nice, i just think a can that comes out level with the back but without going beyond it would look cooler but thats jus personal preference.


Look forward to seeing more as quite a quiet corner down here on the fz8 bit. 8)

[farmer giles]

Very nice, and how does it go?  gets the heart racing?

It's quick enough for what it is but I've not ridden for nearly a year so anything was going to feel quick..  It did set he heart racing yes but that was more down to the 'budget' suspension I think. Not quite as composed as the sports bikes I've been used to riding and little or no adjustment either..  but you just man handle it around, that's part of the fun with the upright style and wide bars..

Yes indeed, how quick are these FZ8's???


I do really think it would be a nice bike for me, but are they actually much quicker than my 600?, i imagine handling is pretty pin point considering they are based on the FZ1.


Nice work on the bike, not a fan of stubbys myself but that is quite nice, i just think a can that comes out level with the back but without going beyond it would look cooler but thats jus personal preference.


Look forward to seeing more as quite a quiet corner down here on the fz8 bit. 8)

The last bike I had was a ZX6R with the 636 motor and whilst the top end rush on this is not quite so fierce it has way more mid-range than the smaller bike so it's much more usable. Having said that the 636 is set up a bit like a two stroke in terms of delivery so you have to rev them and with less mid-range the step into the power band is more noticable. This revs out at around 11k where as the 636 revs out to 14k I think but the delivery does suit the style of bike and your never left short so long as you have at least 4k dialed in, as it's a bit fluffy below that, your good to go.. Guessing it's an emissions thing but nothing a PC and some dyno time wont fix though..


I can only suggest you go and test ride one. I can wax lyrical about all the fun I'm having but if it's not for you then you ain't gonna like it.. 

I love the looks of it and the 60 or so miles I've done so far were great fun even in the heavy rain. Think that says lot to me..

It's also cheap to insure, I'm 40 with only 1 year NCB, zero claims and it was £160 fully comp including legal cover which I though was pretty good..  Almost half the amount of an equivalent age and valued Street Triple..

HTH

[farmer giles]

All the stuff I've just taken off I have put on the scales and it's weighed in at about 11.5 kgs. The OE can on it's own was 5.9 kgs and the rack was nearly 3kgs.

I know the new can is about 1.3 kgs and the tail tidy and exhaust bracket, when I get it, are not going to be much so I recon I saved between 9 and 10kg all in with the rear foot pegs and mirrors also coming off.. and alot of that was high up on the bike too. Will be interesting to ride it again to see if I notice anything different.

I also added several PSI into the front tyre as that was below 30 and should be 36. So that's either slow punctured or they never checked it as part of the service   

Just waiting for my new rear bodywork and mirrors to turn up now before I can ride it again...

[noggythenog]

Weyhey....so you can afford to scoff up to 10kg of festive treats this year then
i was amazed  after streetfightering (crashing!) My 600 and replacing the bars and the fairing...the front end now gets really light under heavy throttle in 3rd and 4th which it didnt do so much of before.

[farmer giles]

well it was pretty keen to lift the front over the slightest rise in the road as it was..

so even though it's now 10kgs lighter the weight distribution is probably more front biased now as all the weight was over the back end.

I'm sure it will feel different but just not sure how it will feel different. I might even have the change the rear preload but TBH it's probably still on the standard setting any..  might steer a bit faster if the rear end is not weighed down so much..  Once i have everything re fitted i will check the static sag and set the rear pre load accordingly so at least i'll know thats right.. anything else will take money to sort since theres no other adjustment available to me..

[farmer giles]

back on the road again today, new rear bodywork and new number plate fitted..  Just my mirrors needed now..  Went for a quick ride with no mirrors and it was horrible, just so  paranoid about what's behind me all the time..

hopefully that will turn up tomorrow and then it just leaves the exhaust bracket.. 

my wife will be pleased, the spending is nearly over..  for now.. 

[farmer giles]

bar end mirrors finally arrived so they will get fitted today and R&G exhaust hanger ordered but that won't be here until next week now..

From my 'limited' research the R&G one looks like it's the only one that will actially fit with an after market end can as I know the Evotech and the SP Engineering items do not fit with aftermarket cans so best to avoid those..

If you want the R&G one get it off of Ebay where they can be had for about £45 delivered. If you buy it direct from R&G it will be over £50 delivered.

More pics once the mirrors are on...

[farmer giles]

Here you go then..  99% finished just the exhaust bracket to go but you get the idea..

really please how it's turned out, totally transformed the looks of it IMO..

Having fitted them, I'm not 100% sold of the bar end mirrors but I will live with them for now as they look much neater than the old top mounted ones and there are not any other options that I've seen yet..

anyway enough waffling...









Just needs a good clean now..

I will put a pic up once the exhaust hanger is done but that's it for now..

Thanks for reading..

[farmer giles]

finally done the last few bits for now.. 

exhaust hanger fitted, still not 100% happy as I had to use the spacer from the OE fitment to make it work but doesn't look to bad and also the black shorty levers fitted..

pretty much it for now I think, just riding it when I can now, with the DB killer out it's V loud and pops and bang on the over run like a goodun.. 









not the best pics but there you go..

Next upgrade will probably be a pair of Road 3's in the spring..

[Mattsplat]

Ive got a brand new Nitron FZ8 spring for the rear shock if your interested?

[farmer giles]

Thanks for the offer but I think the spring rate is the least of the problems with this rear shock..  :'(

as and when I decide to do something about it I will replace the whole unit with something shiney..

[Phil]

A stiffer spring might stop the shock bottoming out 2-up, but the lack of rebound damping will send a solo rider into orbit. Its worth keeping your eye out for 2nd hand shocks as some people sell bits on separately when they
trade in the bike and its the same size as the FZ1 shock. Stiffer fork springs and heavier weight oil help the front.
At least the current softish set-up will means you keep your fillings over our bumpy roads :lol

[farmer giles]

A stiffer spring might stop the shock bottoming out 2-up, but the lack of rebound damping will send a solo rider into orbit. Its worth keeping your eye out for 2nd hand shocks as some people sell bits on separately when they
trade in the bike and its the same size as the FZ1 shock. Stiffer fork springs and heavier weight oil help the front.
At least the current softish set-up will means you keep your fillings over our bumpy roads :lol

I do trawl ebay every so often for 2nd hand stuff but TBH the 'bouncy' suspension has not been an issue thus far, it's part of the bike and so far I'm lovin' it, warts and all.. and I don't ride with a pillion so bottoming the rear shock out it not going to be an issue for me.

I've added 2 or 3 clicks of preload on the back and sag with me on the bike is now about 20mm..  Dont want to add much more or else my arse wll never be in the seat due to no rebound control..

Next thing for me to do is bin the OE Bridgestones and fit something abit more modern, and not 4 years old..