FZ6 bought today!! need 'General' service info

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Actually just been looking at your pics, think the gloss black does look better long term.....so you say get some ABS glue bought, I'll have a look on the web.

Are these tail tidies worth their money? the standard one looks pretty 'massive' but i dont want to ruin the back end, its my favourite bit!

The tail tidies do clean up the rear.

IMO, I'd rather have the stocker on to help keep the dirty street water(rain water) from getting thrown on my back when in wet conditions. Besides, I have to have some place to put my Hyper Light combo running/flashing brake light (LED)(just above the tag).

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Actually just been looking at your pics, think the gloss black does look better long term.....so you say get some ABS glue bought, I'll have a look on the web.

Are these tail tidies worth their money? the standard one looks pretty 'massive' but i dont want to ruin the back end, its my favourite bit!

The glue is for PVC piping (just the basic glue) used mostly with the white PVC pipe plumbing.

The color of my FE is really not gloss black but more a satin black. It pretty much blends in with the rest of the bike. I don't have any other carbon fiber parts on the bike.

 

[1Animal1]

What's a hyperlight for?

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

What's a hyperlight for?

Its a very, very bright LED (they make different size kits) block. You can get either just a brake light (mines set to flash when the brake is applied) or a combination brake / runnng light.

I have the combination LED as the back of the FZ has only one tail light.

Should that bulb burn out, you have no tail light (really bad if its dark outside).

The flashing brake light is extremly bright and visable when applied, the running light (16 LEDs) is much brighter than the stock tail light..

Here ya go:


Hyperlites Flashing LED Motorcycle brake lights, Running Lights and Turn Signal

 

[1Animal1]

bikes turned up

 

[Ruggybuggy]

The glue is for PVC piping (just the basic glue) used mostly with the white PVC pipe plumbing.

The color of my FE is really not gloss black but more a satin black. It pretty much blends in with the rest of the bike. I don't have any other carbon fiber parts on the bike.

Hey Scott, did you remove the wheel or the fender when you glued on the extender? Your link shows them for $29.95.

 

[Ruggybuggy]

This the set up I used for my stop light. The center blinks rapidly for 5-6 times them it's on solid along with the turn signals. Very bright. To bad I can't remember where I bought it from. :banghead:

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Hey Scott, did you remove the wheel or the fender when you glued on the extender? Your link shows them for $29.95.

Dave, I removed the fender and did it up on the workbench which I padded and covered up so I wouldn't scratch anything. A friend, lots of small C clamps and lots of tape covering everything I didn't want glued helped a bunch.

$38.11 US, shipped to my door...

Let it dry overnight...

 

[1Animal1]

Ruggy that looks brilliant!! - I don't think we'd get away with that in the UK though, with the turn signals.

I was just this morning thinking about adding in an additonal LED for the brakelight, the same size as the reflector (if I can get one) - I'd then just stick a small round reflector of the number plate (we need that for our MOT's)

 

[1Animal1]

Scott, I was looking around and found some high temp silicone - that'll do the fender job won't it? with the right amount of clampage...

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Scott, I was looking around and found some high temp silicone - that'll do the fender job won't it? with the right amount of clampage...

Silicone, especially the god stuff holds very well, however, if you did a high speed run (just for a couple of minutes or two) you may very well blow your new extender off.

That ABS glue is cheap enough, scounging up several smaller C-clamps and taping off is the hard part.

Even if you get glue on the extender, you can scrape it clean, tape off the fender and repaint with a good can of rattle black (did that on my FJR as the FE got glue on it, or something, I don't remember, been about 10 years)

That glue sets up fairly quick, I literally put an ink mark on the masking tape (both the fender and extender) so I knew immediatly if it was where I wanted it when doing the final assembly. Clamp the middle and work outwards.:thumbup:

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Ruggy that looks brilliant!! - I don't think we'd get away with that in the UK though, with the turn signals.

I was just this morning thinking about adding in an additonal LED for the brakelight, the same size as the reflector (if I can get one) - I'd then just stick a small round reflector of the number plate (we need that for our MOT's)

I used a single 16 LED assembly and moved the stock rear reflector (if you have a stock tail) up just a tad to clear. I did have to grind off the protrusion on the reflector and siliconed it on.

As for mounting the LED itself, I used some thin aluminum, trimmed it and drilled it to bolt BETWEEN the license plate and fender mount. It has a tab that sticks up and bends over so the LED (with the included 2 sided sticky tape) sits just above the tag. Bend the tab so the LED aims at vehicles from behind. Its all one piece, no welding, just cutting, two holes and some bending in a vise.

I can easily remove it with the tag should I want it on another bike. Easy and neat install IMO...

 

[1Animal1]

Thanks Scott.... Can't wait to get all this done so I can enjoy the bike

 

[DeepBlueRider]

So my general approach on buying used bike is to replace all fluids and run full circle maintenance on my own after getting it.

Most important for me are:
- replacing brake fluid rear&front (it's better to replace than flush as you don't know what former owner did). If brake is spongy after that, rebuilding master cylinder + replacing brake lines.
- brakepads & rotors. If in doubt i just replace them.
- changing oil and oil filter
- changing air filter
- changing coolant
- changing fork oil

Do you have all maintenance records on your FZ6 from previous owner ?

 

[1Animal1]

Hi, thats a very comprehensive list... I'm probably confident on doing half of that myself and would be happy yto learn the other. The chap couldn't find the service book, though he assures me it had an oil and filter change @ 3k. The bike is now on 6k.... basic things i had on my list were oil and filter, and the chain maintainence. I had thought air filter too but the manual states this to be changed at 20K?? sounds a bit long to me....

 

[DeepBlueRider]

And this is probably only quarter of my real list

I would replace air filter as i (personally) don't believe in 24k miles lifetime of it. I'm changing mine once a year.

I wouldn't look at mileage in this case. Low miles for me are only indicator there is no excessive wear of engine mechanical parts (camshafts, transmission, valves etc). However I'm concerned by age. If you don't have access to reliable service records I would assume no maintenance have been performed ever.

BTW: I've get a look on list and I've forgot to mention two things. First is important - steering head bearings. You want to make sure they are in top condition and properly lubricated. Other are spark plugs - they are cheap and pretty easy to replace (although you might find problem accessing them).

 

[1Animal1]

For the air filter, OEM?

I've just been out and fitted my new number plate (got rid of the crappy bike shop one) and removed trim ready for the duel headlight mod, tapping into the loom.

I have checked the head bearings for play, how do i lubricate them?.... sorry for all the Q's but you've raised a few points i hadn't considered, like the fork oil change?.... I was going to change the sparks to iridiums, but to be fair my list needs reducing, so that will probably happen in the next 2-3 weeks.

Coolant I imagine is like a car, drain and refill with the right quantities, then leave the header cap off while it circulates?

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

For the air filter, OEM?

I've just been out and fitted my new number plate (got rid of the crappy bike shop one) and removed trim ready for the duel headlight mod, tapping into the loom.

I have checked the head bearings for play, how do i lubricate them?.... sorry for all the Q's but you've raised a few points i hadn't considered, like the fork oil change?.... I was going to change the sparks to iridiums, but to be fair my list needs reducing, so that will probably happen in the next 2-3 weeks.

Coolant I imagine is like a car, drain and refill with the right quantities, then leave the header cap off while it circulates?

All the answers are in your Yamaha FZ shop manual with pictures.

Its a bit easier draining the forks while you clean and re-grease the steering bearings. Should they (the head bearings) be worn, 'ALL BALLS" makes a tappered bearing kit that's superior to the Yamaha stock, roller bearings...

Lots of guys go to the K&N filter, when I replace mine (starting to get dirty at 15,000 miles), I'm going with the OEM...

Re the coolant, the drain plug is atop a copper washer on the water pump. Keep the radiator cap on loosely when draining or it'll spew all over the place. Re-fill and warm up. I ride mine, get it to temp and let it cool down. Re-check and top off the radiator and coolant tank.

Two bolts will remove you coolant overflow tank which should be dumped, cleaned and new fluid installed...

 

[Gelvatron]

If i were you I'd but the color hard copy of the Haynes manual for the fz6 on amazon it's 26 $ and surely pays for. Itself with one of those tasks

 

[Ruggybuggy]

Ruggy that looks brilliant!! - I don't think we'd get away with that in the UK though, with the turn signals.

I was just this morning thinking about adding in an additonal LED for the brakelight, the same size as the reflector (if I can get one) - I'd then just stick a small round reflector of the number plate (we need that for our MOT's)

I can't see why not. I'm in Canada and the provincal police are very strict. I've never had a problem. The police are so strict in our town they were actually fining people for jay walking.