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Post by rustygman on Feb 7, 2012 12:00:08 GMT
Hi everyone - i picked up a pretty tidy 1987 FZ before christmas for not a lot of money. I have got to do the usual, chain, sprocket, pads etc but the bike runs really well and is a blast to ride (yes I ride through the english winter).
I bought this bike for a summer tour - out through northern france to germany and the famous roads of the black forest and back through luxembourg and belgium. My other bike is a little enfield 350 and i didn't want to kill it trying to keep up with my mates harley and triumph (that won't be a problem anymore). I planned originally to sell the FZ on my return in June but it is so much fun I am not so sure anymore - its nice to have a bike where i don't have to avoid faster traffic but I have yet to find out if it is comfortable over 200+ miles.
I am not new to bikes or Yams (XS250, SR500 and XT600 Tenere) but I am new to sports bikes - i cannot believe how well these things go around corners. Anyway - great to find this forum.
First question - fairing bolts are a bit of a mish mash - can anyone recommend a complete fairing bolt kit (not bling). Thanks.
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Post by Graham on Feb 7, 2012 13:20:46 GMT
Hello rustygman, welcome to the forum. I would love to see any pics you have of of any of your Yam's but mostly interested in the XT600. I love them. Where you from? FZ is not renowned for comfort but compared with more modern stuff you could do a lot worse. I took samples to my local fastener supplier & had a poke around in their stock for my fairing bolts. Can't find sets on ebay but there are probably sets for other Yamahas that "might" come close to what you need. I just never took the chance.
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Post by Graham on Feb 7, 2012 13:22:13 GMT
Forgot to ask what you do regards breakdown cover when you go abroad? I can't find a company to cover me on my 1992 Fireblade because it's more than 15 years old.
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Post by rustygman on Feb 7, 2012 14:17:33 GMT
Hi Graham - regarding breakdown cover I am still looking into that. I already have insurance but if i had thought about it I would have arranged a policy that covers european breakdown (carol nash or similar). As it stands I am not sure but I will post an answer at some point. Last time I went abroad on a bike was the alps on my Tenere which must have been 23 years old and I am sure the AA covered that - they must have realised old bikes break down - mine didn't though.
Regarding the XT's - what fantastic bikes, they even tour well and mine never gave me any trouble in 5-6 years. Some rat stole it though about 5 years ago - I expect I would still have it today otherwise and I certainly can't afford the new ones.
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Post by jonnyramrod on Feb 7, 2012 18:27:28 GMT
welcome matey ;D get some pics of your fz up. You could try pro bolt for fasteners, they do colours other than the doodgy purple anodized etc...black or silver would probably be good. Other than that, as Graham said, take some of yours to a fastener place and try and match them up. Its what i tend to do.
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Post by rustygman on Mar 7, 2012 12:57:17 GMT
Just an update to my original post. The bike now has new heavy duty chain and sprockets, stripped and cleaned calipers and new pads, fork seals, front tyre and the usual service stuff. I rode 60 miles in constant heavy rain on sunday and it runs like a dream. Surprisingly the seat was comfortable. These bikes are so planted on the road it makes a good wet weather bike. Just going to get some miles under my belt now before the summer tour.
Graham - i phoned my insurance company for ideas on cover abroad and they were happy to add breakdown cover to my policy despite the bike being 25. That was aquote insurance but i think others do the same (I know carole nash do).
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Post by Graham on Mar 7, 2012 16:13:51 GMT
Okay cheers that's good to know. I just insured the Fireblade with a company called Just motorcycles (I think?) & it turns out they are a sister company to Carole Nash so sure they would do the same for me. I got cover on the Fazer but think it's only for the UK.
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Post by revolver on Mar 11, 2012 6:14:01 GMT
[/img]Regarding long journeys at safety conscious speeds those clip ons can get heavy in your hands. In a manner of speaking. The thing I have repeated a few times is installing handlebars made for RD350's which curved forward around the instruments at about halfway alongside the gauges they are cut off an handles welded on as if they are clipons which was THEN(1973-) the only way to get road legal clipons. THAT is the bar referred to locally as 'Z' bars,I believe they are more widely recognised as 'Clubman' bars but I fit them so they sweep up from the triple clamp like semi western(beach) bars fit up(ex.XS650 special) and the handle bar now on backward to intentions of manufacture is about 120 mm above the top triple clamp where you hold on. As comfortable as anything I've ever experienced for LONG journeys. BUT you'll need to fit the old handlebar clamps to the top TC. I do not know how I can post an image to assist at this moment but if poss. I'll figure it out and put it up here. Incidentally; when removing the FZ bars a second TC can be fitted on top of the other with some fabrication making a really sound clamping base. Need to mill out for the centre bolt and weld it on to the original and cut off the extra steering lock ring. But getting a bit carried away now. IN ADDITION: having no success with images in this thread. But thanks to dave clifford posting on FZ750.net, in modifications thread,under 'handlebars' a bolt on mod is displayed.Available from Buster Accessories U.K."Raask handlebar raisers" £35 Stg. worth a glimpse.
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Post by rustygman on Jun 6, 2012 11:08:16 GMT
I thought i would follow up from my original posting. I got back to england last friday after a trip to the Vosges Mountains, over the Rhine and up through the Black Forest. Over to and across Luxembourg and back through Belgium and France. 1400 miles and she never missed a beat. Seat pretty good but my shoulders struggled a bit with the position but thats just an old injury problem. Great that a 25 year old machine can handle a trip like that without any issues. Sadly i will be selling her now as I don't like having 2 bikes but what a great machine.
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Post by Graham on Jun 6, 2012 14:05:43 GMT
Always love to hear an FZ has done another owner proud. Have you got any pics from your trip? No doubt we will have another for sale thread on here soon then? Good luck.
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Post by rustygman on Jun 22, 2012 10:16:05 GMT
sorry only 1 pic with the bike in. Advertised the bike locally and it sold on the first day - a good buy for the new owner as nothing needed doing and the bike was pretty much totally standard which must be getting rare. Its back in the slow lane on my enfield for me. Attachments:
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Post by Graham on Jun 22, 2012 10:29:31 GMT
My favourite colour scheme for a 2MG. How much did you get for it if you don't mind me asking?
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Post by rustygman on Jun 22, 2012 15:15:19 GMT
i put her up for grand and that is what i took. If i didn't get that i would have kept it. Like i say, a lot of very good bike for the money. I paid 550 for it but spent another 500 on bits so got my money back and did 3000 miles of faultless biking on it. Happy days all round i reckon.
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