Ye Olde Fazer

Anything you like about motorbikes
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Screwdriver
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Ye Olde Fazer

Post by Screwdriver »

Had this bike since forever, 20 plus years now. Hardly seems possible given all the other bikes I have owned over that time, including the RC8 and the SuperDukeR. The Fazer just keeps being the bike I prefer to hop on for all sorts of everyday stuff.

So when a "niece" decided she was getting a bike despite her mums objections, it fell to me to train her up for surviving London roads. Shadowed on the Fazer and the gearbox which had been playing up, decided to break. No more first gear!

That's not so good for traffic...

I have had the engine out a couple of times now. Once to replace the cylinder head (I let a bike shop set the valve clearances and a camshaft came loose!) and once to refurbish the gearbox (too many wheelies and I bent the selector fork).

So I was resigned to ripping it apart to get at the problem. It was an odd problem. Most of the gears and gearchanges were ok but it just wouldn't go from 2nd to 1st. At least not consistently. Sometimes it would go, sometimes it felt like it went in but actually found neutral, sometimes the lever just went floppy.

Before ripping the engine out, I had a quick look at the selector rod which is easily got at from the side. Behind this thing:

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It pokes into the gearbox so it gave me a good excuse to change the oil which needs to be drained before removing that part of the crankcase.

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...and here is the offending item. It was with some sense of relief I found an odd bit of metal under the cover.

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Can't imagine how that chunky bracket broke off. It's only there to retain that tiny little spring. I assume therefore this was a manufacturing issue and it was cracked almost all the way through when it was being made!

Anyhow, rather than facing a £500 odd quid bill to tear down the engine and replace some other gearbox issue which would have written the bike off, I was relieved to throw £25 at eBay for what should be a simple swap repair.
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Re: Ye Olde Fazer

Post by DefTrap »

Great post, more please. :thumbup:
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Re: Ye Olde Fazer

Post by Buckaroo »

Yes, ditch the political cobblers and post more bike stuff!👍
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Re: Ye Olde Fazer

Post by Skub »

It's always cool when a job turns out to be more simple/less spendy than expected. :thumbup:
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Re: Ye Olde Fazer

Post by Screwdriver »

Skub wrote: Mon Sep 16, 2024 11:20 am It's always cool when a job turns out to be more simple/less spendy than expected. :thumbup:
Yeah I ran out of room in my various sheds long ago so I had a friendly bike shop quote me for a gearbox repair, subject to me giving them a bare engine. Minimum 200-300 quid plus whatever fault is found plus oils gaskets etc. Plus the time and effort needed just to end up back at square #1 with a very secondhand bike!

It would have been easier/better/cheaper to scrap it and part it out. But this old bus is a part of me now, even if/when I get back into bikes properly and "upgrade" to something else> I will probably still hang onto this thing. it's a part of the family now.

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Re: Ye Olde Fazer

Post by Sadlonelygit »

I couldn't bring myself to sell my old bus, mainly due to the fact she was cosmetically challenged, but mechanically sound as a pound, so she got parted out.
It was nice to have a bidding war for the suspension components!
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Re: Ye Olde Fazer

Post by Screwdriver »

Lot of hidden features on the old Fazer, including a fully adjustable Nitron race shock. Hyperpro springs at the front....
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Re: Ye Olde Fazer

Post by Bustaspoke »

It makes no sense but I get sentimental about my bikes,then again not much makes sense when it comes to bike purchases.
I'm currently XSR900 curious,but I've told myself it's not happening unless I sell one or two of my current bikes,which to all intents & purposes fulfill my motorcycling needs :wtf:
I've never rode a Fazer,but if I get UJM curious at some point I think the Fazer would be at the top of the list.
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Re: Ye Olde Fazer

Post by Sadlonelygit »

Screwdriver wrote: Mon Sep 16, 2024 1:05 pm Lot of hidden features on the old Fazer, including a fully adjustable Nitron race shock. Hyperpro springs at the front....
I went R6 shock and R1 front end, and a host of other subtle mods. Quick enough for sub 1.50 at oulton/donny
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Re: Ye Olde Fazer

Post by Mr. Dazzle »

Screwdriver wrote: Mon Sep 16, 2024 11:49 am Image
Those folded in mirrors make it look like an angry cat.
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Re: Ye Olde Fazer

Post by ChrisW »

Mr. Dazzle wrote: Tue Sep 17, 2024 12:36 pm Those folded in mirrors make it look like an angry cat.
Or Toothless from How to Train Your Dragon.
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Re: Ye Olde Fazer

Post by Screwdriver »

ChrisW wrote: Tue Sep 17, 2024 6:00 pm Or Toothless from How to Train Your Dragon.
I knew I'd seen that face before somewhere...
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Re: Ye Olde Fazer

Post by Screwdriver »

"New" part arrived last night, fitted this morning. Just about to go for a test ride.

Took an impressive 3.5 litres of ridiculously expensive oil to refill, no leaks!

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Don't think it's been this clean since the early noughties.

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No problems with assembly really but while tidying up, found one odd bit left over...

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Hiding under the pile of tools. Hey ho, soon find out if I needed it...
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