REVscene - Vancouver Automotive Forum

vexor · 03-27-2014, 06:22 PM

Well this is the second bike I've owned. Bought her from Carter Motorsports just a few days before the 2013 new year. I didn't really need to get a bike at that time but I just couldn't ignore the deal that was on it. paid $8000 and the bike had approx 600km when I rolled it out of the dealership. Yes, 600 km on the odometer.

Unfortunately I am going to need to spend a bit more money on it since the previous owner barely rode it. The windshield was badly faded and the dealership got me a new one free of charge and I just ordered some new tires for the start of the riding season.

When I picked her up

new windshield, Zero gravity Corsa

Taking the body off for thorough cleaning and oil change

vexor · 03-27-2014, 06:25 PM

Pictures Galore

fT-z33wor · 03-27-2014, 07:06 PM

MGP Growwwwww-ler

I commend you on the decision of buying new tires for the season before riding it, that would have been the first thing I'd have done too. The oem tires have spent the last 5 years just sitting dormant with the compounds just slowly drying up. A lot of people don't realize how much of a difference a fresh pair of tires makes on the handling/feel of the bike.

These aren't cars, we only have 2 contact patches and they aren't big ones at that to begin with. A solid set rubber is such a common thing bike guys over look.

Once the release compound/film on a brand new set of tires is worn off, they do have a finite life qualitatively.

vexor · 03-27-2014, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fT-z33wor

MGP Growwwwww-ler

I commend you on the decision of buying new tires for the season before riding it, that would have been the first thing I'd have done too. The oem tires have spent the last 5 years just sitting dormant with the compounds just slowly drying up. A lot of people don't realize how much of a difference a fresh pair of tires makes on the handling/feel of the bike.

These aren't cars, we only have 2 contact patches and they aren't big ones at that to begin with. A solid set rubber is such a common thing bike guys over look.

Once the release compound/film on a brand new set of tires is worn off, they do have a finite life qualitatively.

Yea the decision of buying new tires as soon as I got it was a no brainer. As soon as I got it home and took a closer look at the tires, I could see cracks in the treads so I immediately got in touch with Bayside and got new tires put on it.

Raid3n · 03-27-2014, 08:39 PM

nice bike dude. always been a gixxer fan. and the newer ones look sexy. can't wait to hear it.

vexor · 04-26-2014, 06:10 PM

A little bit of Spring cleaning

Sunfighter · 04-26-2014, 09:57 PM

Love the updates, keep them coming!

vexor · 06-23-2014, 11:54 AM

Well, it's time to tear down the front end of my bike because the front forks have started leaking. Albeit very slowly but after 6 years it's time nevertheless to change the cracked dust boots, the internal seals, and a proper fluid change.

And so it begins

Brakes come off

More pics to come

vexor · 06-23-2014, 05:28 PM

and the front forks are out, should get them back tomorrow with fresh fluid and seals.

Sunfighter · 06-23-2014, 08:55 PM

Very cool! Love the update.

vexor · 06-25-2014, 12:14 PM

and the forks are back, now to put them back in.... correctly

vexor · 06-25-2014, 09:57 PM

And she is back together in one piece

vexor · 10-27-2014, 11:55 AM

SO as some of you may know, a couple months back I had a slow speed drop with my bike. It's funny, I've ridden with it through the Cascade mountains, on top of Mt. Baker, up the sunshine coast, past Pemberton, up to Merrit, on the island, and countless times to Squambucks and yet I manage to fall (for my first time) in Richmond of all places. I went a bit too wide through a corner (on-ramp) and rode over some dirt, I felt the front slip so I quickly got it back straight and started braking but I ran out of road and as soon as I hit the soft grass/sand I lost my balance and fell over on the right side at maybe 40-50km/h. The radiator took the brunt of the fall and shifted a few mm and the fan center bolt managed to puncture it. the frame is fine but the exhaust and clutch cover is scratched. And of course the right side fairing is missing a few pieces.

So I quickly ordered a new rad and clutch cover from ebay ($160 & $100 respectability) and got the bike running. It still runs good, took it to Squamish a few days later and it felt fine. My confidence on the other hand is another issue. I'll have to work on that at the start of next season. As for the fairings, I've ordered a complete set from ebay and when they arrive I'll let you all know how good (or bad) the quality is. $600 for a complete set vs $1000+ for just the parts that I need from OEM.

I realize that probably telling you all about my little incident is not the brightest idea I've had considering I test ride and review motorcycles for my website but I was careless with my bike that day and was trying new things, something that I've never done before with someone else's bike (or car for that matter).

From the crash, most of the fairing is still there

Back home taking it apart

New radiator on the right, old on the left and you can see the puncture where the fan center bolt hit it.

Now because the weather has turned for the worse, I've decided to start tearing it down further and do the Valve clearance adjustment over the winter season. Hopefully it all goes well and I don't just end up with a giant paper weight.

vexor · 10-27-2014, 04:57 PM

A few hours later, my friend came by to help me out with the valve adjustment. Today we got as far as taking apart everything up to the camshaft holders. We measured the clearances and the intake side is a little tight but still within specs and the exhaust is also tight but it is out of spec. I don't have to adjust the intake but since i'm here I might as well do it at the same time rather than having to do it again next year.

Up to this point it's been relatively smooth sailing. Nothing broke, all bolts came out with ease and the hoses came off like they were new. Some connectors were a bit tough to unplug and we did have some difficulty taking the valve cover off so that's worrying me when it comes time to put it back on with the new gasket and making sure it stays in its intended position.

Sunfighter · 10-27-2014, 07:04 PM

Vexor, thanks for the super detailed updates. It's nice to see this thread alive again.

Anybody who says that they have never been down is lying or doesn't ride enough. It's inevitable and it's a part of the sport that we all accept. You just have to hope the damage is minor and it happens close to home.

I can't wait to see how your bike comes together over the winter! I wouldn't care for a second about reviewing bikes/cars and having had a fall. The difference between you and most other people if you have the humility to explain honestly what happens. You gain credibility, you don't lose any.

Grim · 10-29-2014, 10:26 PM

i should really learn how to check and adjust the valve clearance..
could save a lot of money....

was it easy?

P0NYB0Y · 10-29-2014, 11:08 PM

Glad to hear you're alright. something similar happened to me this season, slipped on one of them tar snakes + dew on the road. Funny how you mentioned your riding confidence took a plunge as i thought it was just me that felt like that after going down.

subscribed to see what you have in store for next season.

Can you tell me which aftermarket fairings dealer you went with? perhaps provide a username if you used eBay?

vexor · 10-30-2014, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grim

i should really learn how to check and adjust the valve clearance..
could save a lot of money....

was it easy?

Not done yet, it'll probably be a few more weeks until it's all back together. We're only working on it during the weekends and we have yet to take the cams off.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gq2xtc

Glad to hear you're alright. something similar happened to me this season, slipped on one of them tar snakes + dew on the road. Funny how you mentioned your riding confidence took a plunge as i thought it was just me that felt like that after going down.

subscribed to see what you have in store for next season.

Can you tell me which aftermarket fairings dealer you went with? perhaps provide a username if you used eBay?

The ebay member that I ordered from is "Auctmarts"

Grim · 10-30-2014, 05:42 PM

confession thread + vexor's journal time?

i went down few weeks before the season ended...
ever since then im afraid to ride at night.. not confident with my bike at all... as well as my riding skills.. but everytime i ride I doubt my bike and myself...

hopefully its just a phase.

PS: Vexor, you need yourself some woodcraft frame sliders

vexor · 11-04-2014, 05:57 PM

Christmas came early for me today.... Actually it should have come about a month ago but w/e. After TWO months of waiting for the new bodywork that I ordered off eBay, it finally arrived today.

1. I paid ~$600 for an entire set and it included a lot more parts than I was expecting.

2. Paint quality is very good but it is NOT Suzuki OEM colour. As you can see in the second pic, the new piece is a bit more glossy and more "warm" in tone. The colour is very similar to that of the Triumph Daytona 675R white.

3. The stickers could have been placed a bit more carefully, The Suzuki "S" logo on the tank cover is off by 90 degrees on one side but I guess you have to have an eye for it otherwise you'd probably not notice it.

4. No scratches on the visible body parts but a few minor scratches on the pieces that are hidden from view that hold up the main pieces. it's not directly noticeable, only under certain lighting conditions.

5. As for fitment, I don't know yet. I'm taking my sweet time doing the valve adjustment so I probably won't get around to fitting all of the pieces to the bike until maybe the end of this year or later. Although I will start on the tail section so I'm assuming that if that fits well, then the rest should fit as well. And I did ask for silver bolts and got black ones instead so i'll have to reuse some of my current fairing bolts.

All in all, I'm pretty happy with the quality. The ebay store had good communication throughout but like I said, the delivery time took way too long and even the ebay store acknowledged that.

Sunfighter · 11-04-2014, 10:03 PM

Oh wow ... so you went with a completely new fairing kit! No more blue accents... red.

I guess it was probably cheaper to go with a complete set rather than replacing individual components via Suzuki directly.

It's going to look great and I can't wait to see some shots posted here.

vexor · 11-04-2014, 11:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sunfighter

I guess it was probably cheaper to go with a complete set rather than replacing individual components via Suzuki directly.

Yea, it would have cost me $1000+ for the 4 parts that I needed had I gone OEM

Grim · 11-05-2014, 12:03 AM

they dont look too shabby!

ps: how are you gonna paint match the gas tank?

vexor · 11-05-2014, 12:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grim

they dont look too shabby!

ps: how are you gonna paint match the gas tank?

That, I don't know. For one, I won't put the new tank cover on it and leave the old silver one so it doesn't attract as much attention. But i'll see how it looks when it's all together at the end of winter.

320icar · 11-06-2014, 12:03 AM

I've heard of a lot of people who buy aftermarket fairings right out if the gate for their bikes. Not only for the off chance they lay it down, but then you have mint oem plastics if you ever sell the bike. Or if it gets written off u can sell the plastics afterwards for profit