What bike?

[weeksy]

Oooh I love a Firestorm!

[KungFooBob]

I've been researching the rep, there's a lot of stuff in various Friendface groups, they actually get quite a lot of good feedback. TBF they seem to be trying their hardest to sort this GSXR out, they could have just dumped it on me and told me thats how it's supposed to be.

[KungFooBob]

Oooh I love a Firestorm!

I'd love to build a 'Storm with proper suspension and stuff, but it's essentially throwing money away, unless it was a keeper.

[Druid]

MCT did the suspension on my Firestorm, new springs, revalved, WP rear shock. I think it was £600 back in 2004. It was much better but I still didn't really get on with it and sold it after 18 months. I don't like thinking about how much money I lost on it

[Supermofo]

I didn't get on with my Storm either. It was ok but I didn't gel with it.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

What parts are required for the GSXR?

[KungFooBob]

Rubber carb parts they say, I dunno the full details I've not spoken to the workshop only that sales guy.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

If it's diaphragms they cost a fortune and will take ages to turn up if available, head to carb rubbers you can get pattern ones from tourmax and they're good, carb to airbox rubbers can be an arse to get, not much else rubber in the carbs.

Whatever it is tell them to try Robinsons Suzuki, they have the best stock for old Suzuki's in the UK.

[KungFooBob]

They'll fix it or they won't.

If they can't fix it i'll ask for my deposit back and buy something else equally ridiculous (like a TL1000R).

I suppose I should ring them tomogga and find out what's happening.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Selling my FZR400RR if you want it, £1300 and it's yours.

[KungFooBob]

I'd love any of the Jap 400's, I had most of them when I was younger.

Now I'm 20 years older and 3 stone heavier I'm not sure I could make my 6"3' frame fit anymore.

One of the reason I decided on a GSXR1100 over the 750 was because the clipons were above the yoke.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

The reason I'm selling the FZR is because I'm too fat for it, it's tiny, about the same size as a TZ250

[Potter]

The reason I go running and swimming at 0530 every morning is because I was getting too fat and it's cheaper to lose weight than buy new bikes.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

The reason I go running and swimming at 0530 every morning is because I was getting too fat and it's cheaper to lose weight than buy new bikes.

I don't like running and swimming or getting up at 05:30, I have been out for a 16 mile cycle ride though.

If I was that bothered about my weight I'd cut out eating carbs, I'd lose weight but it makes me morose.

A bigger part of the problem with the FZR is that I've got old and I can't scrunch up on a bike like I could 20 years ago, so FZR is going, FZ becomes Classic Track Day bike and I'm looking at a modern(ish) bike for the road, as I want a bike I can just wheel out of the garage and ride, could be more details next week as I've found a bike I like, though it's 15 years old.

[Potter]

A bigger part of the problem with the FZR is that I've got old and I can't scrunch up on a bike like I could 20 years ago, so FZR is going, FZ becomes Classic Track Day bike and I'm looking at a modern(ish) bike for the road, as I want a bike I can just wheel out of the garage and ride, could be more details next week as I've found a bike I like, though it's 15 years old.

That's why I bought the RE, I couldn't even ride the CBR without crushing my balls and hurting my back, but the RE is super comfortable.
So is my LC actually and...well all the other bikes I own, I got rid of the race reps and now I have bikes that have a seating position that doesn't require you to be a yoga master or a four year old.

If I were buying something now I think it would be that blue Z900RS.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

I looked at a Z900RS, but I'm too tight to spend £9K on a bike, I'm looking at 2003-2006 Z750s, I like how they look, good riding position, quick enough, downsides are the basic suspension and brakes, had a bid on a very nice black one on eBay, but that's disappeared, see what happens, another one will show up.

[Supermofo]

I looked at a Z900RS, but I'm too tight to spend £9K on a bike, I'm looking at 2003-2006 Z750s, I like how they look, good riding position, quick enough, downsides are the basic suspension and brakes, had a bid on a very nice black one on eBay, but that's disappeared, see what happens, another one will show up.

I bought one of those without meaning to brand new in 2006. I went into Colin Collins to get a set of gloves and Jason said to me 'Are you busy? If not wanna try of one of these' and gave me a key to a gun metal Z750 outside. At the time I owned my 625 SMC and it had a 65 mile tank range and my commute had recently gone from 5 miles to 60 miles So off I went and I bloody loved it. I came back and he had a brand new black one in stock for £5500. At the time I rode 80% of my miles and it was a no brainer.

Mine was new and it was a long time ago but yes the suspension is very budget and bouncy, although in some respects that contributed to the fun. I was looking at suspension upgrades though. The brakes were ok but nothing special, but mine was new I imagine after 20 years they'll probably need a bit of attention. My brother bought a fared version last year and he's had to sort seized pistons, seals, MC seals etc. After just over a year and 11k miles mine was showing signs of corrosion so they do have a budget finish. I rode in all weathers till the salt went down.

My overriding memory of the Z was a good one. It was fairly heavy and bouncy but huge amounts of fun on my commute with a reasonable dollop of midrange compared to the 600 nakeds. It'd pull 140+ top end too. It did make me ride like an utter twit though, I found it one of those bikes that just encouraged you to have fun and be a bit aggressive. That might have just been me but my brother's mate had one and he said the same.

After buying a new bike every 18 months for a long time I decided the Z was staying as I really liked it and it was cheap. It had a bit of supermoto naughtiness but was practical enough for daily life and I used it commute in even filthy weather over taking the car. I did about 11k miles in just over a year when it got written off when a car I was overtaking decided to also overtake without checking that I was already there and that was the end of that I considered another Z when I got my payout and was no longer broken but always vowed to never get the same bike twice and so bought a Firestorm which was a mistake as the Z was way better for me.

I've looked on ebay recently as well for them and if the right one came up at the right money I'd consider another.

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Thanks Supermofo, that's a really good write up, the ones I'm looking at have done about 30K miles and are under £2K, what I'm after is a practical supermoto, I'm expecting to put a rear shock on it and give the forks and brakes an overhaul.

The black one that was on eBay looked very nice and I suspect he got offered what he was after to cancel the auction and sell it directly (I can't complain about this as I've bought bikes this way) There's a rough looking faired one on eBay at the moment, but I'd rather have an unfaired one with the standard can, as I'm in no hurry I can wait for the right bike.

[Rockburner]

A bigger part of the problem with the FZR is that I've got old and I can't scrunch up on a bike like I could 20 years ago, so FZR is going, FZ becomes Classic Track Day bike and I'm looking at a modern(ish) bike for the road, as I want a bike I can just wheel out of the garage and ride, could be more details next week as I've found a bike I like, though it's 15 years old.

That's why I bought the RE, I couldn't even ride the CBR without crushing my balls and hurting my back, but the RE is super comfortable.
So is my LC actually and...well all the other bikes I own, I got rid of the race reps and now I have bikes that have a seating position that doesn't require you to be a yoga master or a four year old.

If I were buying something now I think it would be that blue Z900RS.

I didn't realise how much I'd got used to the Rockster riding position (sit up, wide bars) until I had a go on the JAPton last week, I nearly had to stop because my balls were so scrunched up, eventually found an 'acceptable' position though, thankfully!

[Supermofo]

Thanks Supermofo, that's a really good write up, the ones I'm looking at have done about 30K miles and are under £2K, what I'm after is a practical supermoto, I'm expecting to put a rear shock on it and give the forks and brakes an overhaul.

The black one that was on eBay looked very nice and I suspect he got offered what he was after to cancel the auction and sell it directly (I can't complain about this as I've bought bikes this way) There's a rough looking faired one on eBay at the moment, but I'd rather have an unfaired one with the standard can, as I'm in no hurry I can wait for the right bike.

Suspension and brake upgrade/overhaul would make a decent difference. The handling was good in general and they are great fun. I think they were the top selling bike in France for ages due to the 100bhp limits they had. The 2nd gen looked fatter and a bit horrible but the 1st gen got good write ups.

If you can find a good one with an aftermarket can, then you are welcome to the OE can I have in my garage. I took mine off at about 3 months old to fit an underseat Ixil set of cans (bastard loud). And the OE pipe has been in my garage since in a bin bag. I've not looked but I'd hope it was still in decent nick and your welcome to it for free The OE can also sounded fairly fruity and looked decent too with a sort of brushed metal look.

My looked and sounded like this (but a 750). Not sure if I like it in hindsight, but it fitted my Yoot outlook on things and used to spit flames out the back on the overrun at night. (Hang on will post vid from phone as youtube blocked at home.