First bike after market mod's

[Renton]

Ok so this is my first big bike, and despite the problems I had at first I'm now loving it.

I would love to add mod's such as an exhaust and change the cosmetics including paintwork, and maybe slip in an air filter.....

but realistically, for a first bike, what changes would be worth doing?

P.S. I'm not saying I wanna kit the whole bike up, but a few changes to personalise it and improve upon it
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This is my motorcycle. There are many others like it, but this one is mine.
Without me, my motorcycle is useless. Without my motorcycle, I am useless.

[Greenychris]

What bike is it?
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Bike: Honda CB 400. Car: Pug 306 HDI.
'Car is for traveling somewhere in particular because you have to, Bike is for traveling nowhere in particular because you want to.' -skluff
RGE, Ride in peace.

[Renton]

Suzuki GSXR 400R 1992....with horrible paint scheme, black with a purpley/pinky zig zag stripe up both sides
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This is my motorcycle. There are many others like it, but this one is mine.
Without me, my motorcycle is useless. Without my motorcycle, I am useless.

[Mudskipper]

[alun111]

Well for a start if it's a horrible paint scheme get it resprayed or de-sticker it and apply your own. I take it you got given it or it came up cheap? I wouldn't personally buy a bike that I didn't like the look of unless is was a steel.
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Summer: '00 Honda CB600F Hornet
Winter: '93 Suzuki GSF 400 Bandit VP Variable Valve
Past Bikes: Lifan LF100-5 Lifan LF125-A Honda C70

[SoND]

Race can is worth doing if you like it loud.

And cleaning it.
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Go back to bed - You have no rights - "Streetfighters ~ Mainstream motorcycling's crackwhore sister."

[Reevo8]

Adjust the suspension to some settings you can find online, maybe change fork oil.

The bike is 16 years old, clean the brakes, and new pads, most importantly braided hoses if you dont already. That will make the bike a lot sweeter to ride.
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05 ZX10R, (**05 WKR)

[Renton]

[v8will]

A good clean, some service items and braided hoses usually a good place to start.

Spend the surplus on some nice protective gear for yourself if you haven't already

[Renton]

[v8will]

Anything consumable and needing changed.

Oil, filter, plugs etc. Is the chain, sprockets and tyres in good nick.

If you want to learn find a friendly bike mech and pay him with beer, watch and learn etc.

Mechanically bikes still puzzle me, I'm a car guy. I usually tag along when my bike needs something and learn that way.

[Renton]

I've had the plugs changed cos they needed doin, turns out one of the connecting wires was holding on by a thread, that got fixed as well

not sure about chain an sprockets but I will have a look when I get chance. Back tyre is fine but will probly need new front one soon, are they expensive? (I know it's depends on what tyre you get, but what about standard ones)

Well I finally found a mechanic who is more than worth his pay, really decent bloke who picks up my bike an drops it off and he does talk me through a lot of things but I don't think I can tag along cos he doesn't live that close
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This is my motorcycle. There are many others like it, but this one is mine.
Without me, my motorcycle is useless. Without my motorcycle, I am useless.

[iooi]

Spend the money on stuff to keep it on the road and running. Such as tyres, chain & Sprockets and reg oil/filter changes. Braided hoses would be a good spend.
As to exhaust and such, well unless yours is in need of replacement its not worth the cash. Remember adding non std stuff needs to be reported to ins and can up the price.

Expect to pay at least £50 for a decent tyre if not more.
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Just because my bike was A DIVVY, does not mean i am......

[Renton]

Should I be worried that it's hardly using any oil, despite the fact there was a tiny tiny leak out the gasket? (leak has been fixed now though)

what filters need changing, air filters?

there is something etched into my exhaust on the side after the SUZUKI sign that I wanna ask about but will have to re-post with it later as i'm still in work (yes at 19:03) and I can't remember off hand exactly what it is
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This is my motorcycle. There are many others like it, but this one is mine.
Without me, my motorcycle is useless. Without my motorcycle, I am useless.

[Renton]

Couldn't copy an paste the photo in here, started to do me nut in so it's on attachment.

The etching on my exhaust says "X33COX" after the SUZUKI, does it mean anything?
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This is my motorcycle. There are many others like it, but this one is mine.
Without me, my motorcycle is useless. Without my motorcycle, I am useless.

[Keir]

the bikes retro so keep the colour scheme. personally if it were me that ownerd the bike i would do the following:

change:
plugs
oil
oil filter
air filter
fuel filter (if it has one)
fork oil + seals
suspension linkages
wheel bearings
chain and sprockets
both tyres to BT090 or something similar
brake lines for braided ones
brake fliud

check (or have checked):
valve clearances
carb balancing + float levels
head bearings

lube:
all linkages
chain
footpegs

give it a full strip down clean and polish. treat all metal with ACF50.

that should keep you busy for a while and tighten the bike up a bit.
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Current : '08 Yamaha FZ1s
Previous: '99 Honda CBR 600FX, 03 ZX636 B1H, 99 Fazer 600 (red), 02 GSX-R 600 K2, 00 SV650s (red), 2008 ZX10R, 97 Bandit 1200N, 04 ZX6RR K1H, 04 GSX-R 1000, 98 Fazer 600 (gold), 05 Madness 110 Pit bike, 04 CR125R, 00 SV650s (black), 06 KTM 625 SMC, 99 SRAD 600 track bike, 03 SV650, 98 Bandit 1200N, Bandit 600SY, 03 GSX-R 600 K3, 01 GSX-R 600, 01 Fazer 600 (black), VFR 400 NC30 x3, 78 Honda Dream, 00 Speedfight 50

[Renton]

retro sounds about right lol quite a few of me mates rip me for it but on the other hand it more often than not gets looks

I'll keep a note of that list cos there is definately stuff on there that i'd like to do, but it's just a shame Haynes don't do a manual for my bike cos i'm a complete novice when it comes to the mechanics. Have requested a manual in the Service Manual thread in the workshop but had no replies yet
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This is my motorcycle. There are many others like it, but this one is mine.
Without me, my motorcycle is useless. Without my motorcycle, I am useless.

[Charlie]

Keir gave some sound advice there, I'd listen to what he has suggested. All of them will show the next owner that you where serious about looking after the bike and not just abusing it.
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Past: Honda x8rs, Honda City fly, Honda Hornet 250, Honda VFR750, Yamaha xt600e.
Current: Honda CBR929RR & Yamaha XT660Z Tenere

[Mudskipper]

[Renton]

[Kickstart]

Hi

While a manual for your bike is best, plenty of the items will be fairly common to other Suzukis. And the officially imported 400 Bandit used a GSXR400 engine, so a manual for one of those in English should be possible to find and should help.

All the best

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

[Renton]

Cheers Keith, had heard that mentioned before but wasn't too sure so I didn't look it up.

Would the manual tell me/show me how to do basic stuff like Kier had mentioned, because i've only had 2 things done on the Change list and that wasn't even by myself

One thing I think I really need to know is the tyre pressure.....there is a label on the plastic chain guard but I can't read Japanese lol there are measurements, but there are in kg/cm2 which I need to convert to PSI.......does anyone have any ideas how?
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This is my motorcycle. There are many others like it, but this one is mine.
Without me, my motorcycle is useless. Without my motorcycle, I am useless.

[Keir]

[Renton]

[carlnicholson...]

Get a basic tool kit, screwdrivers, spanners and sockets, in metric, (millimeters), get a couple of days off work, buy the bits, or whatever you can afford and just set to.

You'll be surprised just how simple the whole thing is. The oil drain plug will be obvious, it'll be bigger and protude more than all others on the engine underside. The oil filter will stand out a mile away. The spark plugs are easily found at the top of the engine, each with a thick lead, called a HT lead, going to each.

It will be quite simple if you just have a little self belief and have a try. Worst case, do you not have any local biker friends to call should you be really unsure who can come round and give you the odd pointer?
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"THOSE WHO RISK NOTHING, DO NOTHING, ACHIEVE NOTHING, BECOME NOTHING."