Need Help Crashed fz6 2007

[Davidko]

Hey all, I crashed my fz6 two days ago on highway. I was lucky enough to survive with little to no damage, but my bike got destroyed. Today I came from the hospital and saw it for the first time. I am heartbroken. I disassembled the front since it was all destroyed, fairings, lights, mirrors.

I was hoping that the engine, frame and forks are okay. frame looks uncracked, engine has no oil leak but i didn´t start it since the radiator is destroyed, but I was told that they started it after the incident for a second to see if it works and it did....
Unfortunately, the forks are bended. I was hoping that they are only twisted so I loosen everything and tried to realign them but I wasn´t successful. Any idea what should I do? Should I try to go for the r6 swap? I don't have much money so I am still hoping I can fix it somehow.
When I was trying to realign them I loosen, brakes, axle pinch bolt, triple-clamp pinch bolts, and also the small bolt next to the front axle nut. It didn't work.
Should I take them completely apart to see if it is bended? also what would you do in my situation? Which steps would you do first? I was thinking that I could probably 3d print the fairings and if I can make it work, I would just start sending them to whoever would need them for cheap.
Feel free to ask for detailed pictures or whatever you need. Please, help me rebuild this one, it means a lot to me. Ride safe guys

 

[Gary in NJ]

Sorry to hear about your crash, but I’m glad that you’re ok.

If the forks won’t compress they have suffered some damage, likely bent fork tubes. You can confirm this by disassembling the forks and rolling the upper tubes on a flat surface.

Good luck printing fairings. If you are successful you can make some money selling your designs. The inner frame/mount for the fairing is easily bent and almost always becomes unusable after a minor crash.

 

[grahammarsden]

Definitely strip everything down and check for damage/ bending that might not be easily visible.

If the forks have been bent, it may have also damaged the triple tree or where that attaches to the frame, so check carefully for any signs of cracking or even just wrinkled paint.

 

[Davidko]

Was told today in hospital to NOT DO anything for a week to fully recover the brain, so I will rest now and will get back to you guys once I am done recovering. Usually I push myself but brain is something else. Feel free to post some pictures or any ideas that might help

 

[Davidko]

Also would you recommend buying new inner tubes? I didn't find many of them online

 

[Gary in NJ]

If one or both of the upper tubes are bent, I’d replace them with a used fork assembly. The FZ6 uses very basic damping rod forks…there’s nothing special about them.

 

[Davidko]

I found fork inner tubes for 300 euros. In case that they are bended I will buy them but, does it make sense to do so? shouldn't I check the engine somehow first? There was something spilled under the bike and I checked all the fluids and it seems like it was the coolant So I should detect the leak first and then should I start the bike? I tried the gears and they worked just fine so I hope the gearbox is okay. Will listen to all the tips and knowledge

 

[Gary in NJ]

First I would heal. After that I would assess the damage before buying parts or investing in the bike.

Take care of you first.

 

[Davidko]

Okay, I will come back to this post next week, thank you guys

 

[grahammarsden]

There was something spilled under the bike and I checked all the fluids and it seems like it was the coolant So I should detect the leak first and then should I start the bike? I tried the gears and they worked just fine so I hope the gearbox is okay. Will listen to all the tips and knowledge

You mentioned that the radiator was "destroyed", so running it for more than a very short time would *not* be advisable!

But first, take the doctor's advice and rest up.

 

[fazil]

going naked is an option.
I've done it many years ago and never looked back.

 

[Davidko]

Hey, I’m back after a while. My knee still feels the same, but I can walk a bit.

So, let’s get back into it. After the crash, there was a small puddle under the bike, as seen in the picture. I checked the oil and both brake fluid reservoirs, and everything looked fine. I thought it might be coolant because the radiator is bent, as shown in the pictures. However, when I opened it, it was full. I then drained all the coolant, and there was plenty of it. I didn’t measure the exact amount, but it drained very quickly, and there didn’t appear to be any kind of blockage.

Because of that, I’m wondering whether the leaked liquid was actually coolant. What else could it have been? Is there some kind of overflow or breather hose that could have leaked fluid?

I was thinking about reinstalling the radiator with distilled water, refilling the cooling system, letting the engine warm up to around 60°C, and revving it slightly to build pressure in the system and help identify the leak. Do you think I could reuse the bent radiator for now, until I get the bike rideable and can invest in a new one, provided that it is not leaking?

The second issue is that I cannot straighten the front wheel, so I think the forks may be bent. Do you know of any way to check this other than completely disassembling the forks and rolling the fork tubes on the ground?

The third problem is the front wheel. The motorcycle was loaded after the incident without any problems, but when I arrived to pick it up, the front wheel was stuck. It then somehow became unstuck on its own.

I figured out that the brake lever was causing the problem, so I loosened it completely. The wheel can now spin, but there is still a lot of resistance, so I will have to investigate it further.

The brakes look untouched, although the brake lever took a strong hit.

The frame and fork clamps do not appear to be damaged, apart from some scratches.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

First, looking at the pic of the bike layed over, I'd suspect that spill to be from the fuel tank
over flow / vent hose. The hose comes out on the right side of the bike, near the foot peg

That radiator still holds water???

If no visible damage to the engine cases and the oil is still full, I'd top
off the coolant (re-install radiator and top off), you should be safe to fire it up.

Not likely but if the engine doesn't spin over quickly, right away, you could have passed
some engine oil into the cylinders-which would cause a hydro lock situation..
*To absolutely rule this out, pull the spark plugs and hit the starter-That would clear
out any excess fluid in the cylinder (s).

As for the forks, if their still crooked, their likely bent. They are likely bent up near the
lower triple clamp. Simply pulling the fork from the triple clamps, you'll likely see damage

As noted earlier, inspect the head stock of the frame for ANY anomalies,
cracked paint, cracks, etc

Can you see anything (tire?) that actually touched / bent up the radiator itself?
That would tell alot about what flexed / bent, etc..

Lastly, I seriously doubt the engine itself is hurt. The Tip Over switch would have
turned off the bike immediately.


.

 

[grahammarsden]

When I got side-swiped on a roundabout (thankfully at very low speed), there was fluid under my bike that turned out to be from the cap popping off the coolant reservoir.

Fortunately that was the only issue and I actually rode it another 70 or so miles without problems.

If that radiator will still hold coolant, you would probably be OK to run it for a short while, but keep a close eye on the temperature gauge, because you do not want it to overheat.

I agree that the best way to check the forks is to take them out of the clamps and visually inspect them. If they look wonky, you're going to need to replace them, presuming the triple-trees aren't damaged at all.

Regarding the front wheel, look at the calipers, are they twisted? Are the pads misaligned? Could the axle be bent?

Personally, I would strip the entire front end down and check *every* part, it's too safety-critical to take a chance.

 

[Davidko]

Hey, a little update with pictures and videos. As recommended before, I took out the spark plugs to be sure there was no oil in the cylinders. Just some small particles came out, but I think it was mostly from me taking the plugs out. After that, it started smoothly.

The radiator wasn’t leaking anything, so I am happy about that now. I will buy a new one later; now, I just want to make it work. In the upcoming days, I want to strip down the whole front end and check every single part. Any recommendations on how I should start, or any inside tips? If not, then I am just gonna get into it.

Plugs out start:

Start:

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Just start at the front and work you way back..

IE, spin the ft wheel, make sure it's true and not bent. Remove the axle, roll and make it's not bent.
Then pull each fork. If bent, it'll most likely be at the lower triple clamp(just below it).

With both tubes removed, rotate the entire triple assembly, feeling / looking for any binding etc.

The engine sounds fine, as I would expect. I would replace those plugs with Iridium's while your there.

Just inspect closely any / all bolts that you remove.

.

 

[Davidko]

Hey, so I am back with some pictures and videos.
1. The forks are out. One of them is a little bit bent, but do you think it is going to be a problem? I know that it is beyond Yamaha’s recommended tolerance, but I just want to hear your opinion. I didn’t take them completely apart yet, but I will do that later this week.
2.The lower triple clamp is completely bent. I didn’t expect this. I thought that the forks would be bent the most, but that is not the case here. I’m sending some pictures where the bend can be seen.
I do have a question about how to take it out. I don’t want to remove everything from the handlebars, but I might have to. I will see how it goes.
How do I loosen the lower triple clamp and steering stem??? Do I need a special tool for that? I’m sending some pictures.
3. This may not be related to the crash, but I checked whether the wheel works as it should, and I can see that the front brake disc is moving up and down when viewed from the front. I will send a video.

The frame looks untouched. However, I am a bit worried that if the lower triple clamp is bent that much, there must have been a lot of force that could potentially have damaged the inside of the steering head, where the steering stem passes through the frame.

Thank you for all the help and advices

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Hey, so I am back with some pictures and videos.
1. The forks are out. One of them is a little bit bent, but do you think it is going to be a problem? I would replace them, it is a safety hazard, IE potental un-wanted wobblle know that it is beyond Yamaha’s recommended tolerance, but I just want to hear your opinion. I didn’t take them completely apart yet, but I will do that later this week.
2.The lower triple clamp is completely bent. I didn’t expect this. I thought that the forks would be bent the most, but that is not the case here. I’m sending some pictures where the bend can be seen. Does the upper triple seem straight, while assembled, moving back and forth? I'd suspect it's ok but if replacing with used, you may get the upper with the lower.. It seems the fork leg (again by the lower triple and the leg(s) itself took most if not all of the impact. The top of the frame, at least in your pic's appear to be ok. It takes alot, on the FZ, to break the upper head stock.
I do have a question about how to take it out. I don’t want to remove everything from the handlebars, but I might have to. If you have something attached to the ceiling, you can hang the bars, etc from the above. I will see how it goes.
How do I loosen the lower triple clamp and steering stem??? Do I need a special tool for that? I’m sending some pictures. You can remove the upper triple pretty much W/O special tools but there is is two large nuts that can be moved with a screw driver and hammer. I think the tool to adjust your rear spring pre-load may work on it:

https://www.partzilla.com/catalog/yamaha/motorcycle/2007/fz6-fzs6w/steering.

Do you have a factory shop manual as you'll need one for assembly torques, etc.
Also use the parts diagram to see what goes where, etc:

https://www.partzilla.com/catalog/yamaha/motorcycle/2007/fz6-fzs6w

3. This may not be related to the crash, but I checked whether the wheel works as it should, and I can see that the front brake disc is moving up and down when viewed from the front. I will send a video. That shouldn't go up and down, I'd suspect the wheel, where the disc mounts, got impacted (replace it)..

The frame looks untouched. However, I am a bit worried that if the lower triple clamp is bent that much, there must have been a lot of force that could potentially have damaged the inside of the steering head, where the steering stem passes through the frame. Again, tear into it looking for anything abnormal... I suspect you won't see anything however, until there's a good complete triple AND forks installed, you may not see the head tweeked to one side or the other.

Thank you for all the help and advices

If you need the shop manual, PM me as I have it as a PDF...

,

 

[Gary in NJ]

For your safety, a bent fork gets replaced. Be sure to review the other fork tube while disassembled on a flat surface.

The runout in the brake rotor is the result of a bent rim or bearing carrier.

The steering head assembly is removed from the top…it’s not complicated and is well documented in the FSM.

 

[grahammarsden]

Hey, so I am back with some pictures and videos.
1. The forks are out. One of them is a little bit bent, but do you think it is going to be a problem?

A fork being a "little bit bent" is like "a little bit pregnant"!

There's no way I would ride that without replacement.

2.The lower triple clamp is completely bent. I didn’t expect this. I thought that the forks would be bent the most, but that is not the case here. I’m sending some pictures where the bend can be seen.
I do have a question about how to take it out.

Get a copy of the Haynes or Yamaha service manuals, it's not difficult if you follow the procedure.

3. This may not be related to the crash, but I checked whether the wheel works as it should, and I can see that the front brake disc is moving up and down when viewed from the front. I will send a video.

Check the bearings and axle, I'd suspect either they or the wheel have been misaligned by the impact and would need replacing.

The frame looks untouched. However, I am a bit worried that if the lower triple clamp is bent that much, there must have been a lot of force that could potentially have damaged the inside of the steering head, where the steering stem passes through the frame.

Honestly, I would try to find a bike that's been rear-ended and take the whole front end from that, rather than trying to skimp on parts that "might be ok".