Picking up my new bike - 1991 FZR 600

[D O G]

Right, after a lot of thought, and tons of mind changing, and missing out on a CX500 by $25, I won a 1991 FZR 600 on Fleabay for $1,125 - about 500 GBP. Problem was, it was 520km away, in Gladstone, on the Central Queensland coast, and I had no trailer.

Thankfully a friend did, and he leant me it for the trip. Pulled a sickie, and commenced the journey.

Google maps gave me a route, which deviated slightly from the main highway (Bruce Highway). I thought it would be fine, but after a short while, I rounded a corner, to be confronted by a sign which said "Gravel Road". The tarmac stopped. It was 80k to the next town. After a few minutes I sacked it off and turned round, and took the opportunity for a pic..

https://lh3.ggpht.com/DamofoD.O.G/SGt3pJ7LZjI/AAAAAAAAAHU/7Hi3Arz74yI/s800/P1010451.JPG

You don't get that surface in Hampshire!

Anyhoo, six hours later I got to Gladstone, had a big steak for $13, few beers I had brought with me, and bedded down for the night. Here was my room...

https://lh3.ggpht.com/DamofoD.O.G/SGt3px94b2I/AAAAAAAAAHc/as83LijIp54/s800/P1010453.JPG

Daewoos are not that comfortable for sleeping in. Trust me.

Then went to see the bloke, who was a top guy, gave it a test ride (pulled a lot smoother than my SRAD ever did), then he helped me whack it on the trailer.

Here we are all loaded up and ready to go...

https://lh6.ggpht.com/DamofoD.O.G/SGt3rKNiP4I/AAAAAAAAAHk/F_S-V_1wb8w/s800/P1010456.JPG

After about an hour driving...

https://lh5.ggpht.com/DamofoD.O.G/SGt3s3jaaDI/AAAAAAAAAH4/FxNG7vbCjuw/s800/P1010465.JPG

Just the 466km to go!

Some other veiws from the Bruce Highway....

https://lh3.ggpht.com/DamofoD.O.G/SGt3r888cGI/AAAAAAAAAHs/GGWewqAIebE/s800/P1010462.JPG
https://lh3.ggpht.com/DamofoD.O.G/SGt3tqbNfiI/AAAAAAAAAIA/1X2yHlMpvRw/s800/P1010466.JPG

Bike is now safely in the garage...

https://lh6.ggpht.com/DamofoD.O.G/SGt3vb5toDI/AAAAAAAAAIQ/YMhGH-UaoPI/s800/P1010479.JPG
https://lh4.ggpht.com/DamofoD.O.G/SGt3wZKHT-I/AAAAAAAAAIY/3js1LpMuD4E/s800/P1010480.JPG
https://lh3.ggpht.com/DamofoD.O.G/SGt3ueWmYgI/AAAAAAAAAII/3xqvuwJ-MCc/s800/P1010475.JPG
Classy.

Bike is up on stands as it is getting a suspension overhaul. I have new springs and fork emulators (to improve damping) coming from the states, and whipped the rear shock out tonight to send it off to be rebuilt and setup for my weight. Apparently the Fizzers were super soft when new, and that was a long time ago.

Here's what the shock looks like now...

https://lh4.ggpht.com/DamofoD.O.G/SGt3xXT3QzI/AAAAAAAAAIg/ylpz52Q0bGQ/s800/P1010484.JPG

Should be a damn sight nicer when it comes back.

Oh yeah, there are fairing lowers, they were just taken off to aid the tie down.

Can't wait to ride the bloody thing properly!

[----]

All that time to make a 600 mile round trip

You must drive slow

Lovely bike,and even better place to ride it
Your a lucky man
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DRZ-400sm

[Kickstart]

Hi

The FZR wasn't soft as standard. One of the stiffer bikes of its time. Just don't expect the stock shock to be brilliant whatever is done to it.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[D O G]

That is interesting to know Keith - I see you owned one in the past too.

I'm hoping that when I get it back the shock won't be so saggy, and probably as good as, if not better than the shock I had on my 99 SRAD.

Some web searching identified that the front was really soft - hence the new springs, which are rated at 0.85 kg/mm. Apparently the originals were 0.4 kg/mm and way too soft. The people (albeit Americans) on fzr archives said similar things about the rear unit?

Did you like yours when you had it? Please be gentle if you have bad news!

[Kickstart]

Hi

On the road I wouldn't want it much stiffer to be honest (I am a bit under 11 stone), as I would just be bounced out of the saddle. Would certainly expect double the strength springs to be nasty.

I still have the FZR. To be honest I do quite like it, although it was bought and used as a commuter.

Biggest problem is the difficulty with tyres. Only fully legit tyre in the right size still made for it is the Bridgestone BT014, which isn't cheap. There are a few others in the right size but wrong speed rating (H rated for the VFR400, etc, so only rated for 130mph).

Brakes seize up in winter. Not likely to be a problem for you.

Mine eats clutch cables. Work on the basis of a new one each year.

Exhausts rot where there is a bracing piece. Although not sure the ones on yours are standard.

Airbox can pop off if not attached carefully.

Getting the petrol tank out is far more difficult than it should be.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[D O G]

[Kickstart]

Hi

Would suspect that the figure you have found for the original fork springs is for some which are truly knackered before they were tested.

Avon do a correct size front (loads of them around) but the rear they do is a 150/70 18, which is about 15mm higher than the correct 150/60. Also check the size rear rim you have. Earlier ones had narrower rims.

Rear caliper should be pretty common 2nd hand. Think that caliper is shared with loads of Yamahas, and parts should be easy to get. Yamaha seem to be very good with spare parts these days.

What seems to happen is that the clutch just gets heavy and the lever returns sluggishly. I suspect the problem is that the cable has a fairly tight curve in it and after a fair amount of use it just wears through the lining around the inner cable.

Only a very few had EXUP. From memory only Californian models.

Have done the fork seals. Nothing stands out as being difficult or unusual in them. One issue is that Yamaha only list one bush as being a replacement spare part although I think both are available aftermarket. I would suggest new bushes while the forks are apart.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[Whosthedaddy]

Whats the bike market like down there?

A quick look on eBay and its almost slim pickings compared to the barrage of bikes advertised over here.

With working notice and waiting for the next part of my visa to come through we should be in Adeliade autumn/winter time.

I will certainly be looking at a bike to commute on and a run around for the missus and kids, but apart from buying new on HP not really sure whats the story and choice for 2nd hand bikes.
____________________
Current : MSX 125 Past : CBR 900RR Monkeybike : c50 LAC : ZXR750 H2 : FZR600 : ZX7R P3 : YW100 : TRX850: Trophy 900 T309 : GSXR 600 L0: Monkeybike : XJ6S Whosthedaddy

[Kickstart]

Hi

When we were there for a short while we bougth a GPX750 to get round. This was in Melbourne.

At the time (~11 years ago), new stuff was cheaper than here. Quite noticebly cheaper. Petrol was a hell of a lot cheaper. Insurance was a hell of a lot cheaper. Their equivalent of road tax was hideously expensive.

Bikes kept their value far better than here. The GPX in Aus was about 50% more expensive than it would be in the UK (same for cars, there were 25 year old Alfas in daily use there).

If you are intending to keep the vehicle for a while then, compared to the UK, it definatly seemed well worth buying new.

All the best

Keith
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Traxpics, track day and racing photographs - Bimota Forum - Bike performance / thrust graphs for choosing gearing

[D O G]

The market is severly state restricted. Unless you're in Melbourne or Sydney, you really can only buy from your state due to distance. Melbourne & Syd are 'only' 900km apart, with a good road link, so you can kinda buy between them. Interstate shipping is c.$400.

Keith is right (unsurprisingly ) that the bikes (and cars) hold their value much better than the UK. I was llucky to get my bike so cheap because it was so far away from anywhere else.

A new bike would be nice, but then the interest rates are much higher here. You will be looking at the fat end of 8% for a secured loan for a bike. You can, however, take a secured loan on a 2nd hand bike, and they must give you a decent warranty.

If you have the disposable income, take a new, or nearly new bike, pay it off over two to three years, and you'll be laughing, since it will be still worth about 70% of what you paid for it.

Anyway, good luck with the visa, and stick it out once you get here. It was shit at first, but it slowly improves!