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Do you have an exhaust on it? Check to see if it'll "relearn" the fueling map if you disconnect the battery for awhile. Otherwise, Powercommander and some dyno time will get it running better.
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Jan 19, 2011 22:18
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It's completely stock other than rearset risers.
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Jan 19, 2011 22:35
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BlackMK4 posted:It's completely stock other than rearset risers. How many miles on it? I'd consider calling or dropping by the dealership and seeing if they'll help you out or know if there's a fueling reset function or something, that'll maybe help it out a bit. Otherwise you might be able to get it handled under warranty (if you're still under warranty).
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Jan 19, 2011 22:50
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It's got 5k miles on it and the warranty is still there, but there is no dealership in 150mi,  gently caress.edit: Wait, I forgot it is down 1, up 2... it shouldn't be bogging. Damnit, I don't want to go to the dealership. BlackMK4 fucked around with this message at 23:31 on Jan 19, 2011 |
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Jan 19, 2011 23:03
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Saga posted:McLarenF1, it is a pretty awful bike IMO, if you want your bike to do anything other than look like a Harley. As a machine for actual riding and an ownership proposition, the Gladius is streets ahead. And look, a goon is selling a very nice looking one!
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Jan 20, 2011 00:02
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Saga posted:As a machine for actual riding and an ownership proposition, the Gladius is streets ahead. And look, a goon is selling a very nice looking one! McLarenF1 posted:I'm going to have to make a second full hearten attempt to find a Hornet in great condition in the DC area. quote:the Gladius which I still find comfortable is 20 degrees, but the Ducati gets all the way forward to 30; that coupled with the price, probably takes it out of the running I appear to be a terrible salesman.
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Jan 20, 2011 01:01
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I'm about to buy a parts/project 89 GSXR-750 for $600. It's got a clean title'd frame, engine, forks etc. All it's missing is a seat and the plastic. Catch is, the guy said he rebuilt the engine but he put in new rings without honing the cylinder walls. Ran it for 10 minutes, dropped the bike, cracked an engine cover and hasn't riden it since. The plan is to swap engines & all the good parts into my bike, then streetfighter what's left and sell it to make up for the cost. Am I in for a world of hurt? I was thinking I could break the engine in agressively to try and seat the rings, and if it burns a lot of oil, hone/ring it again. Problem is if I re-hone it right now while the engine is out, I'm looking at over $150 just in gaskets. Is it worth the risk? Can rings set in an un-honed cylinder? MrZig fucked around with this message at 04:16 on Jan 20, 2011 |
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Jan 20, 2011 04:14
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What are my options for learning how to do serious wrenching? Like more than clutches and carbs and simple stuff... Frankly I'm sick of being overwhelmed by all the internals and I'm also sick of getting stuff wrong because I'm just trying to figure it out on my own, and service manuals are poo poo. Like the first time I changed clutches I destroyed the boss by overtightening the pressure plate. I want to be schooled so I actually know what I'm doing. OH but I don't exactly have 30 grand to spend on MMI or wyotech or whatever. I've seen automotive programs at community colleges but that's about it. I'm not sure I'd want to make a career out of it, although it's possible I guess.
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Jan 20, 2011 04:23
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Going to a school would be a waste of money right now anyways, there are plenty of out of work, experienced bike mechanics who would be happy to have an entry level position. In short, you would spend all that money and never be hired. You got a shop that you go to and know the people fairly well? Go intern for them. Part time, go in and sweep the floors and help out any way you can, and keep your eyes and ears open.
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Jan 20, 2011 05:15
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Quotes trimmed to reduce space, new question at the end.infraboy posted:Sorry to hear you can't find any Fz6s around you, I guess they're more popular in California. I see plenty of bikes around here the rest of the year, but they are predominantly Harleys. The fact that you're in California pretty much explains why you see lots of nice bikes; you have nice weather even in the middle of Winter while it's below freezing here, plus there's snow, ice, and salt all over the roads. I visited a bike dealer today, and checked out the FZ6 and an ER-6n. I'd love to see a Gladius, but as they were only made for 2009 they are especially hard to find. There's one on Craigs near me (but not that close.) The Kawa was smaller and felt lighter than the Yamaha, even though they both weigh nearly the same. The FZ6 nevertheless was comfortable and has plenty of things to like about it. I was surprised how much I liked the blue color; I thought I was only interested in the black one. I was also surprised that it has both a center stand and a side stand; I knew it had the former but didn't expect both. In any case, it was a bitch trying to get it up on the center stand, even though the salesman showed me how. No big deal. He did comment that the FZ6 would be more comfortable for long distances, while the Kawa would be more rideable short-term. I will be using the bike to commute to work and also for longer rides; I'd ride all day long if I could. I will be riding whenever weather permits. Your last comment on financing *sounds* like it has some wisdom to it. The problem is, how can you define how much would I have to be able to use a bike in order to make financing make sense? 7 months out of the year? 8 months? It's all arbitrary. n8r posted:Atomizer, you've done a grand job talking yourself into buying a new motorcycle. I don't really care but there are FZ6s used available near you. I'm not committed to a new FZ6, but I'm liking the looks of it. Keep in mind I have a more limited selection of used bikes than someone who lives in a more motorcycle-friendly location. I had found the first Craigs listing, and aside from the fact that even that location is not conveniently located nearby, the listing is terrible. Is that guy paying by the word or something? No photos, no real description of its condition. Plus, I don't want "lots of after market parts," I want a stock bike that's been broken-in properly. The other 2 Craigs listings you found are nowhere near me. I appreciate the help, but I have to be able to cart a bike home since I can't ride it in this weather. I understand what you're saying about motorcycle depreciation, especially after seeing those 3 Craigs listings. I was thinking more in absolute terms than relative ones. Sure, a new bike might lose half its value after a couple years, but that may only end up being a few thousand dollars whereas the actual dollar amount on a new car's depreciation is much worse. I am taking your advice into consideration and starting to think that financing may not be the best idea, but there are plenty of things more expensive than motorcycles that warrant financing besides houses, for personal or business use. I did take your suggestion today, though. I first went to my bank and found that I can get a very reasonable loan. I went to the dealer and stuck to an OTD price. He couldn't meet it, which is fine, but of course he took my number and I expect a call with a better offer. He did try to play the payment game, but I told him monthly payments aren't an issue, I just wanted to get the OTD price within reason. Saga posted:The setup/PDI charge is definitely a bit of an artefact - the dealer is tied into the mfg's network, and as said above why would you pay for it when you wouldn't for other retail goods. Now, there is actual work involved for the dealer. The bike will arrive crated, and they will typically have to fill fluids and deal with a few other ancillaries (which varies by model bike and mfg.). Of course this is just a wheeze for passing on their overhead to you directly while trying to present it as a fixed cost of bike buying. I.e. bullshit. The salesman did explain pretty much what you already wrote. I understand that they do have those costs to cover, but I still object to them being presented as "extra" when they ultimately have to be included in the actual cost of the vehicle since they're required in order to bring it to working condition. The salesman was pretty much what I had expected: very friendly & likeable, quick-talking, and quick to emphasize the strong points of buying from him right then and there. I was aware of the approximate invoice cost and the tax, and what the fees might be, but in the end the fees pretty much broke the sale. Since I have actual numbers I'll post them here (rounded for simplicity) to ask what you think: Base price: $5600 Tax: $465 Freight: $365 Handling: $300 Doc Fees: $150 License Fees: $140 I was looking for a base price between $5000-5500 as invoice is right around there, and he is willing to negotiate a little. He did try showing me the invoice cost on the bike was closer to $6300, but I don't believe that at all. Tax is what it is. The license/registration fees were exactly what I thought they'd be if I did them myself. That leaves $800 in Freight, Handling, and Documentation. These fees are where the deal fell apart. $150 for document processing, really? The Freight & Handling were also higher than I had anticipated, however I wasn't able to get concrete numbers beforehand. So, my question at this point is, what do you think of the numbers and how much more room is there for negotiation?
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Jan 20, 2011 05:21
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Atomizer posted:In any case, it was a bitch trying to get it up on the center stand, even though the salesman showed me how. It's actually really easy once you get the technique down. I thought the same thing.
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Jan 20, 2011 05:57
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We have a couple 2004 FZ6s and the descriptions are pretty apt I'd say. It's comfortable and super easy to ride but nothing amazing. Haven't had any problems so far. You'll be popping up and moving it around on the stands in no time. We store 3 bikes in a tiny area and I have no trouble popping the one in the middle on it's center stand with barely enough room to get a leg between them.
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Jan 20, 2011 06:09
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Synonamess Botch posted:What are my options for learning how to do serious wrenching? Like more than clutches and carbs and simple stuff... Frankly I'm sick of being overwhelmed by all the internals and I'm also sick of getting stuff wrong because I'm just trying to figure it out on my own, and service manuals are poo poo. Like the first time I changed clutches I destroyed the boss by overtightening the pressure plate. I want to be schooled so I actually know what I'm doing. Buy a cheap, older bike. Ideally, buy one that comes with a parts bike too. Then start a thread and rebuild it. Don't make it "better", just make it stock. Maybe modify the suspension with springs for your weight, or do some cosmetic stuff, but try and keep things generally stock. Buy the right tools and use them. Ask questions here when you're wondering, even about stupid stuff. There's some stuff that's essential in manuals, looking at the torque values would have prevented your clutch issue. It's more about having the right tools and using them correctly than anything else...when it comes down to it, bikes are pretty drat simple. Some things, like overtorquing bolts, or breaking poo poo, you just have to either religiously use a torque wrench on or just realize that it's going to take some time until you build up the experience to know how much to tighten what before you're going to strip it. I'd also try putting up an ad on craigslist or local forums looking for people who'd do a maintenance day in your area. Atomizer posted:Your last comment on financing *sounds* like it has some wisdom to it. The problem is, how can you define how much would I have to be able to use a bike in order to make financing make sense? 7 months out of the year? 8 months? It's all arbitrary. It's not. If it makes you money or offers some personal security (ie, a place to live), then it can be worth financing. I've never owned a car and relied on a motorcycle as my only means of transportation and still never financed one, it's just not a good idea because you can write off a motorcycle in a heartbeat from a low speed drop. The risk makes it not worth it. Not to mention you might find something you just totally hate about the FZ6 when you're actually riding it, rather than just sitting on it in a showroom. If you've locked in financing, you just spent 2000-3000$ to discover you don't like a bike. quote:I'm not committed to a new FZ6, but I'm liking the looks of it. Keep in mind I have a more limited selection of used bikes than someone who lives in a more motorcycle-friendly location. I had found the first Craigs listing, and aside from the fact that even that location is not conveniently located nearby, the listing is terrible. Is that guy paying by the word or something? No photos, no real description of its condition. Plus, I don't want "lots of after market parts," I want a stock bike that's been broken-in properly. The other 2 Craigs listings you found are nowhere near me. I appreciate the help, but I have to be able to cart a bike home since I can't ride it in this weather. You need to get over this. Some of the best bikes I've ever gotten have been written by people who sounded totally illiterate. We love our grammar and punctuation and detailed posts here on SA but that's not the majority of the world. If he's changed the oil twice in those 5k miles the bike will be fine. There is no such thing about "proper break in", so just forget about it. quote:I understand what you're saying about motorcycle depreciation, especially after seeing those 3 Craigs listings. I was thinking more in absolute terms than relative ones. Sure, a new bike might lose half its value after a couple years, but that may only end up being a few thousand dollars whereas the actual dollar amount on a new car's depreciation is much worse. Who cares? You're still burning money for no really good reason. For the price of a new bike, you could buy a used one and a spare used one in case the first one breaks. quote:So, my question at this point is, what do you think of the numbers and how much more room is there for negotiation? The numbers are pretty standard. The problem is that they have you in a vice. They don't need to really sell bikes, they're making the majority of their money on services and parts/gear/etc. It doesn't cost them much to keep them on the floor. You probably don't have a lot of other places where you can go get FZ6es, so they've pretty much got a captive audience and they know it. You want the bike, so you'll eventually go back in and buy it. Either just buy new and accept that bargaining over 200-500$ is stupid when you're going to see 3-5 times that in depreciation the second you turn the key, or look for a good deal used and realize that the money that you saved is what insulates you against a bad deal. As to getting it home, rent a uhaul for a day. It won't be more than 50$.
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Jan 20, 2011 06:18
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Shutup guys, somebody has to pay the new bike depreciation expenses for me.
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Jan 20, 2011 06:34
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I agree with all that stuff. I don't get the appeal of financing vehicles in general, and especially not motorcycles, where you can get pretty much any type of bike you want for a great price if you look hard enough and are handy enough to do basic work on it. I've never purchased a new motorcycle and don't plan on it unless I have plenty of cash to just buy it outright and not really care that I'm spending more than I have to. I could almost see financing a car if you are always strapped for money and will never pull enough together for something decent with buying it outright, but bikes are so cheap! My view is further cemented with the literal fuckton of used bikes on Craigslist that are three years old with 1,000-4,000 miles on them. Things barely get used and the owners get scared, bored, or whatever. FuzzyWuzzyBear fucked around with this message at 06:41 on Jan 20, 2011 |
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Jan 20, 2011 06:39
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Atomizer posted:Quotes trimmed to reduce space, new question at the end. Well it just sounds like the motorcycle wont be a primary means of transportation year round, if it was going to be, then sure, financing it for 3 years and riding the bike for 3 years or more would make a lot of sense. I hate to say it but 3 years is a long time to own just one motorcycle. Maybe you'll decide you want to try something else in a year or 2 and you're stuck making payments on an FZ6 that you still owe a lot on and can't sell for the loan difference. If you don't have a lot of other debts then it's not a crazy idea. Not to knock on dealers either, I bought my Kawasaki from a small dealer, the tag on the bike at the final price on it, which only included the DMV taxes (which I would have to pay anyways if i'd bought it privately) but I paid it all in cash, and it was slightly used. Whats usually kind of nice about buying it from some places is that they'll usually replace the tires, change the oil, and do the brake/fluid or whatever. Basically I don't want you ending up like this guy: http://sfbay.craigslist.org/sby/mcy/2170042036.html Heh 9000$ for a 2 year old motorcycle. People are selling the 2008+ CBR1000s for less than this guy is selling his 600 for. ^^^ common things i've seen are "i'm getting married, having a kid, or paying off other bills" I dunno if I were getting married or having a kid, I wouldn't give up my bike for those things. Look at z3n! infraboy fucked around with this message at 10:23 on Jan 20, 2011 |
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Jan 20, 2011 10:21
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McLarenF1 posted:I'm going to have to make a second full hearten attempt to find a Hornet in great condition in the DC area. As per the Ducati 696, that is one beautiful bike, but according to cycle-ergo.com, It'll make me lean forward a lot more than I want to. One of the reason's I was attracted to standards, is because of the more upright seating position. My bike now has me leaning forward less than 10 degrees, the Gladius which I still find comfortable is 20 degrees, but the Ducati gets all the way forward to 30; that coupled with the price, probably takes it out of the running, but I will check it out and have a seat next time I go to a dealership because I certainly like the looks (and name) better than the Gladius. You can probably bring the figures on the Monster closer to where you want to be with a different set of bars, or an aftermarket set of risers. I just suggest that because it's a pretty spectacular (and tiny) little bike. The 599/Hornet definitely has a relaxed riding position as standard. Again with the bars, putting a set of Renthals on with a different bend is very common on these bikes. I haven't bothered with mine yet. There's always the SV option. Usually plentiful and as it's used both as a "learner" bike/1st big bike and as a track bike, you can opt for something completely stock or complete blinged out. Given that you started on a Rebel and that you like standards, there's also the option of any of the BMW naked boxers - R1100R,1150R, 1200R depending on your budget. They actually have a very relaxed position yet can be ridden deceptively quickly. Until the head covers deck out, but that's kind of cool as long as you do it gently. Also IIRC BMW did adjustable and/or lowered-seat options for them.
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Jan 20, 2011 17:07
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So, uh. Water wetter freezes. I don't really have any tools up here, how much normal antifreeze do I need to get into my bike to prevent this?
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Jan 20, 2011 18:47
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Atomizer posted:I visited a bike dealer today, and checked out the FZ6 and an ER-6n. I'd love to see a Gladius, but as they were only made for 2009 they are especially hard to find. There's one on Craigs near me (but not that close.) The Kawa was smaller and felt lighter than the Yamaha, even though they both weigh nearly the same. The FZ6 nevertheless was comfortable and has plenty of things to like about it. As someone who was in a very similar situation only a couple of months ago, my advice would be to take your time. Don't feel pressured into buying, use the time to look around and as a bargaining tool. Most people selling their bike want to get rid of it quickly. If you lowball people and they don't go for it, you can afford to walk away and wait for the next one to come along. Spend a lot of time looking around, try forums or magazine websites. Post wanted ads on craigslist etc there are plenty of avenues to explore. You might not find the exact bike you were looking for to begin with, but you might find the perfect one for you.
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Jan 20, 2011 18:51
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BlackMK4 posted:So, uh. Water wetter freezes. I don't really have any tools up here, how much normal antifreeze do I need to get into my bike to prevent this? Dump the radiator using one of the hoses on the bottom, refill with non-diluted antifreeze, run the bike for awhile. It'll take more than 32 degrees to get the bike to freeze though. Are you just running distilled water and water wetter?
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Jan 20, 2011 18:56
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It's like... 10* here at night. loving Kawi made it so the whole front fairing and side fairings have to come off to get to the radiator cap. Any chance of filling through the overflow? Yes, distilled + water wetter. I walked out to ride to class today and coolant had pushed itself past a few hose clamps.
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Jan 20, 2011 18:56
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No, the overflow isn't going to suck in a significant amount of antifreeze. Can you pull it in your house?
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Jan 20, 2011 19:06
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Yeah, I guess I can pull it into my kitchen, grab tools from my parent's house this weekend, and change it up here. My wife is going to kill me. 
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Jan 20, 2011 19:23
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I'm an idiot. I lost the ONLY key to my 96 Yamaha XJ600 Seca II. Does anyone know if a locksmith can make a new key without taking the ignition out? I have the front end locked and apparently I would have to remove both fork tubes to get it out.
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Jan 20, 2011 20:37
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Almost certainly. I had a single key for my 93 yamaha, and my father in law, who retired and picked up locksmithing as a hobby, managed to make me two brand new keys while being 3000 miles away with nothing more than the vin.
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Jan 20, 2011 20:44
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ari.gato posted:I'm an idiot. I lost the ONLY key to my 96 Yamaha XJ600 Seca II. Does anyone know if a locksmith can make a new key without taking the ignition out? I have the front end locked and apparently I would have to remove both fork tubes to get it out. Yeah no problem. Expensive though.
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Jan 20, 2011 20:58
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Saga posted:You can probably bring the figures on the Monster closer to where you want to be with a different set of bars, or an aftermarket set of risers. I just suggest that because it's a pretty spectacular (and tiny) little bike.
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Jan 20, 2011 21:47
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McLarenF1 posted:I'd love to get a Ducati, but how complicated is a handle bar replacement? I don't have much experience with bike mechanics, but I have replaced brake pads, done oil changes and even replaced a started once on my cars. If you can literally turn a wrench you can replace a set of bars.
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Jan 20, 2011 21:59
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MrZig posted:I'm about to buy a parts/project 89 GSXR-750 for $600. It's got a clean title'd frame, engine, forks etc. All it's missing is a seat and the plastic. Catch is, the guy said he rebuilt the engine but he put in new rings without honing the cylinder walls. Ran it for 10 minutes, dropped the bike, cracked an engine cover and hasn't riden it since. No one had replied to this, not sure if it got burried or if no one knows. Just thought I'd ask again.
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Jan 21, 2011 03:22
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MrZig posted:No one had replied to this, not sure if it got burried or if no one knows. Just thought I'd ask again. Why not do it the other way around, swap everything from your bike to the new one? It'd save you dropping engines. I'd also probably just be lazy as gently caress and check that the cam timing is ok and then run it. If it burns oil after running it hard for awhile, then I'd tear it down and rehone. Otherwise just call it good. Then sell your existing one for a grand or so and you're good to go.
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Jan 21, 2011 03:27
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Z3n posted:Why not do it the other way around, swap everything from your bike to the new one? It'd save you dropping engines. I'd also probably just be lazy as gently caress and check that the cam timing is ok and then run it. If it burns oil after running it hard for awhile, then I'd tear it down and rehone. Otherwise just call it good. Then sell your existing one for a grand or so and you're good to go. See, I would do it that way, but the frame has been repainted black and it has a lot of stripped paint. I may just repaint it and do it that way, though. A black frame, black plastics, black engine, tinted windshield.. I would have the stealthiest slingshot on earth. Hmm, you got me thinking now. I like your idea on being lazy as gently caress, I think I'll apply it to the bike.
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Jan 21, 2011 03:56
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It's already stripped, just carefully mask everything and spray bomb it. Honestly for 600$ you really can't go wrong. Of course, it's logic like that that has led me to having 3 bikes in pieces in my garage. Anyone want to buy a ZX9R engine? 
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Jan 21, 2011 04:09
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Z3n posted:It's already stripped, just carefully mask everything and spray bomb it. Honestly for 600$ you really can't go wrong. Exactly what I was thinking. I'm excited now. Btw I bought my slingshot for $700 last year and have more than $2500 into it
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Jan 21, 2011 04:11
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BlackMK4 posted:Yeah, I guess I can pull it into my kitchen, grab tools from my parent's house this weekend, and change it up here. If you leave your bike out in freezing weather with just water wetter you're risking doing serious damage to your engine if it freezes. My final thought on the finance thing is that even though the depreciation isn't that large on a $6000 bike and the cost to finance isn't huge, it's just a mindset thing as much as anything. A bike is definitely a toy unless it's your only mode of transportation. That being said it is absolutely a depreciating asset. You really shouldn't go through life financing toys that you don't really need and depreciate.
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Jan 21, 2011 07:31
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Can anyone tell me what they think of this bike. It's a 2005 DRZ400SM with 5300 miles and a FMF titanium 4 exhaust(not sure if its a slip on or full). The pictures look good to me and the buyer says its in good condition. He's asking $2800 but I'm not sure exactly what I should be paying for a decent condition DRZ. It's close to a 3 hour drive and I'm considering going to look at it in the morning. This is the closest thing to what I want that I've seen near me. Anything specific I should looking for on a used DRZ?
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Jan 21, 2011 23:50
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That's a good price. Check the normal things you'd check on a used bike. There's not really any particular warning signs of anything to look for on a DRZ.
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Jan 22, 2011 00:05
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Make sure it's been crashed and has some mud caked in the far reaches of the engine. Check for signs that it's been up to its seat in water. If it doesn't have any of these things it hasn't been properly broken in and I'd be wary that the owner may have neglected it with calm, respectful riding.
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Jan 22, 2011 00:08
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Spiffness posted:Make sure it's been crashed and has some mud caked in the far reaches of the engine. Check for signs that it's been up to its seat in water. I sold my DR650 that I lowsided at 80 KPH and the only sign it had was a scratched mirror
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Jan 22, 2011 00:50
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So maybe some of you guys can help me with this one. I've decided its time to upgrade from my beater scooter to a beater motorcycle. Anyways my options are more or less limited to Chinese brands as I'm in Taiwan. Though there are a few Japanese models as well. Which of these brands would be the most "reliable" brand to focus on: Kymco/KTR Hartford SYM Husky Yamaha (rare) Honda (really rare + $$$) Anyone have any thoughts? The Japanese brands are pretty tough to find so thoughts on the Chinese models would be best. Thanks for any help you guys can provide in advance.
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Jan 22, 2011 15:32
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I assume this is the appropriate place to ask. I'm currently semi-employed but have a couple good opportunities to come up to start looking for a bike. I've never ridden before so I plan on getting a used/cheap bike. One of the biggest appeals to me is learning how to be a bike mechanic. I've never been a greasehead or anything and can't tell you anything about cars, but I think part of the reason I want a bike is that I feel like it's really about "owning" it in a real way as opposed to using it (like a car). Anyway I'm rambling so I'll move on. I've been looking at different books and as I'm absolutely clueless about bikes in the first place, I'm not entirely sure what to look for. One book that cause my ride is Let's Ride by Sonny Barger (linked via SA's referral code, so buy/click away). It seems interesting for obvious reasons but it's not a novel so much as a manual and I was interested to know what the general opinion around here was about it or if anyone had even read it. Beyond that, are there other books out there that are generally recommended for learning about riding (from more of a manual standpoint) and about learning bikes for building/fixing?
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Jan 23, 2011 07:35
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