25-04-25, 10:18 AM (This post was last modified: 25-04-25, 10:29 AM by robbo.)
Just back from last weekends Le Mans 24 hour. Excellent racing, possibly the most edge of the seat endurance race I’ve been to, with Yart Yamaha crossing the line in first place, after crashing on the first lap in awful conditions. Really nice to be out riding on empty well maintained roads, taking my usual off the beaten track route. By going on Thursday I’m normally guaranteed a decent flat camping pitch in a quieter part of the site, which worked out ok this time as well. Despite the poor forecast for the weekend, my ride there and back was in the dry. The Fazer lapped up another 750 miles, like water off a ducks back, as it always does. Next camping trip will no doubt be the ABR in late June. Looking forward to it.
1. On the Shuttle
2. Winning Yart Yamaha
3. Quiet camping corner
Whizz kid sitting pretty on his two wheeled stallion.
(25-04-25, 10:18 AM)robbo Wrote: Just back from last weekends Le Mans 24 hour. Excellent racing, possibly the most edge of the seat endurance race I’ve been to, with Yart Yamaha crossing the line in first place, after crashing on the first lap in awful conditions. Really nice to be out riding on empty well maintained roads, taking my usual off the beaten track route. By going on Thursday I’m normally guaranteed a decent flat camping pitch in a quieter part of the site, which worked out ok this time as well. Despite the poor forecast for the weekend, my ride there and back was in the dry. The Fazer lapped up another 750 miles, like water off a ducks back, as it always does. Next camping trip will no doubt be the ABR in late June. Looking forward to it.
1. On the Shuttle
2. Winning Yart Yamaha
3. Quiet camping corner
Looks like you are camping on the side of the track
I don't do rain or threat there of. dry rider only with no shame.
Yep, on the side of the go cart track, which fortunately isn't operational when the Bugatti circuit is in use?.
In the '90's you'd barricade your tent with stacks of old tyres as protection against an out of control wheelie or doughnut. The french clamped down on all that about 15 years ago. You can't bring your own beer into the circuit, which makes an expensive weekend if you're thirsty at 10 euros a pint ?
Whizz kid sitting pretty on his two wheeled stallion.
Well the good news is that my FZ6 got through its MOT today.
The not so great news is that I did a grand total of just 189 miles on it in the past year!
Partly this is because I got the car and, as much as I like biking, four wheels are so much more convenient, but also because I kept meaning to get around to doing all the work (new fork oil, valve clearance checks, new oil and coolant, new plugs etc etc) and then thinking "it's going to take me a bunch of time to do all that, but I don't want to do it piecemeal as it would be simpler to do it all in one go so I don't need to keep taking the same bits off and putting them back on again", and then never actually getting started...
So hopefully this year I'll actually get off my backside and get it done
Changed the oil. Dropped the sump plug that i was using to control the flow of oil so it missed the oil tray under it and oiled my slabs
The cap was on to try and help but the problem on the FZS600 is that the side stand gets in the way of catching the oil. I almost need to put the stand in the tray or someone needs to invent a catch tray with a section moulded around the stand.
Hmmm I have got a heat gun.
I don't do rain or threat there of. dry rider only with no shame.
(29-05-25, 11:50 AM)fazersharp Wrote: Changed the oil. Dropped the sump plug that i was using to control the flow of oil so it missed the oil tray under it and oiled my slabs
The cap was on to try and help but the problem on the FZS600 is that the side stand gets in the way of catching the oil. I almost need to put the stand in the tray or someone needs to invent a catch tray with a section moulded around the stand.
Hmmm I have got a heat gun.
Im thinking its best to have it on the centre stand first-then stick the plug back in and finish off on the side stand. But would need to make s deflector for the exhaust as on the center stand it would go over it even more.
But then its difficult to get at the plug position- while you are trying to contort with 2 fingers to put the plug back in the oil is running down your wrist
I don't do rain or threat there of. dry rider only with no shame.
On the thou I do it in the centre stand and oil dribbles over the exhaust. Unavoidable I think. I then lean it over a bit to the side to get the last egg cup full out. Usually make some kind of mess but not so worried on the painted garage floor as comes up relatively easily.
(29-05-25, 11:50 AM)fazersharp Wrote: Changed the oil. Dropped the sump plug that i was using to control the flow of oil so it missed the oil tray under it and oiled my slabs
The cap was on to try and help but the problem on the FZS600 is that the side stand gets in the way of catching the oil. I almost need to put the stand in the tray or someone needs to invent a catch tray with a section moulded around the stand.
Hmmm I have got a heat gun.
We’ve all been there!
(29-05-25, 01:51 PM)Trebus Wrote: On the thou I do it in the centre stand and oil dribbles over the exhaust. Unavoidable I think. I then lean it over a bit to the side to get the last egg cup full out. Usually make some kind of mess but not so worried on the painted garage floor as comes up relatively easily.
Egg Cup
I don't do rain or threat there of. dry rider only with no shame.
So I finally decided to get around to checking my valve clearances today.
And, after about 5 hours of work...
... I've just got to the valve cover I need to remove to actually get access to them! At which point I decided to take a break because I was hungry and tired.
Ok, so I've never done this job before and when I'm doing stuff like this I go *very* slowly and carefully because I don't want to risk an expensive cock-up.
So what I do is read through the section of the Haynes manual, then look at what actually needs to be done on the bike. Then I take video where I talk through what I'm going to do so I can refer back to it when it comes time to put it all back together.
Of course it doesn't help when Haynes glibly says "First remove this bit (see section xxx)" and you find out that removing that bit is a major ball-ache and is going to take ages!
Also there's parts which probably haven't been taken off the bike since it was put together, so won't come apart without a lot of cleaning spray/ WD40 and careful easing so I don't break something.
Not to mention things like trying to drain the coolant and it spraying all over the place before you can get the bolt out properly and then it runs down the underside of the engine and then needs to be mopped up...
Sheesh, what a palaver...
Oh well, tomorrow I should actually be able to get the valve cover off (fingers crossed the clearances are ok and I don't need to take the cam shafts out!), then do various other bits like replacing the plugs, new coolant, new oil, repaint the radiator etc...
Well, after several more hours work, I've finally got the valve cover off and, thankfully, found that all the clearances are within spec, because I didn't relish the idea of having to take the cylinder head off and get the camshafts out.
Of course there's still a whole bunch of other bits I need to do, but that's the worst bit done and at least I can now put that bit of the engine back together and not worry about it for another 24k miles!
(29-05-25, 11:50 AM)fazersharp Wrote: Changed the oil. Dropped the sump plug that i was using to control the flow of oil so it missed the oil tray under it and oiled my slabs
The cap was on to try and help but the problem on the FZS600 is that the side stand gets in the way of catching the oil. I almost need to put the stand in the tray or someone needs to invent a catch tray with a section moulded around the stand.
Hmmm I have got a heat gun.
I use an old cola bottle cut in two , use the bottle neck end , and cut half side away, will send some pics when i get chance. Works for me .
Just back from the ABR, boy was it hot. I've not been before, but by all accounts it has morphed into an event which could be considered to be too big. Sort of like Glastonbury on dirt bikes. Excellent and interesting talks by various world travellers, some very famous and some not so, whose tales seemed more captivating. A good lineup of tribute bands,but unfortunately some start times clashed with book signings and talks. I felt sorry for the bands who were on early in the afternoon, starting at 1pm, as it must have been frustrating trying to create a rock'n'roll vibe on a hot lunchtime with a meagre number in the audience as there was plenty of stuff going on elsewhere. The air ambulance attended for someone who ran out of talent on the trail course, which must have been very hard work in the hot conditions. The Fazer took it all in her stride, as usual, but arrived home filthy due to the constant watering of the gravel road network, no doubt to keep the dust down. Not sure what my next outing will be, possibly my almost annual day trip to Cornwall.
Whizz kid sitting pretty on his two wheeled stallion.
(29-05-25, 11:50 AM)fazersharp Wrote: Changed the oil. Dropped the sump plug that i was using to control the flow of oil so it missed the oil tray under it and oiled my slabs
The cap was on to try and help but the problem on the FZS600 is that the side stand gets in the way of catching the oil. I almost need to put the stand in the tray or someone needs to invent a catch tray with a section moulded around the stand.
Hmmm I have got a heat gun.
I use an old cola bottle cut in two , use the bottle neck end , and cut half side away, will send some pics when i get chance. Works for me .
As promised n you can use the bottom for your nuts .
![[Image: 850481.png]](http://badges.fuelly.com/images/sig-uk/850481.png)
I have got a heat gun.
.
n you can use the bottom for your nuts