FZ6 bought today!! need 'General' service info

[TownsendsFJR1300]

First, make sure you put some sort of lubricant on the chain, WD40 is great for cleaning but really isn't a chain lubricant..

As for the shifter, the lever can be adjusted higher or lower. Remember that shaft you had to maneauver around to get the sprocket cover off? Well there's a nut on each end (10mm wrench) of that shaft. One end is REVERSE THREADED.

Loosen both nuts and turn the shaft. You'll see the shifter itself go up or down depending on the direction you turn the adjuster. Get it where you want it and lock the lock nuts back down.

NOTE: If the lever is adjusted TOO LOW, the shifter will potentially hit the kick stand mount so make sure the shifter, after the adjustment, DOESN'T STRIKE anything(or it won't downshift fully as it should)..

:thumbup:

 

[1Animal1]

Yup yup, I used Putoline chain lube after the Wd40 had dissipated/dried....

The shifter needs moving up more than anything... I'll give it a go using your instructions. I've also noticed the gear changes are very notchy, is that my fault or the gearbox?

Can't believe your knowledge Scott, have you had yours a while?

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Yup yup, I used Putoline chain lube after the Wd40 had dissipated/dried....

The shifter needs moving up more than anything... I'll give it a go using your instructions. I've also noticed the gear changes are very notchy, is that my fault or the gearbox?

Can't believe your knowledge Scott, have you had yours a while?

I've had my FZ6 since 2/09 but been riding/working on Yamaha's (and other bikes since I was 15 years old (54 now). Bought it wrecked, see below pic's, replaced a bunch of parts to make it new again. Some pic's of my last KLR 250 for a cam chain too.

Actually, I was getting tired of replacing the left side, main crankshaft bearing that would FAIL every 32,000 miles. The 05 (pictured below, had 28,000 miles on it at the time of the pic's). The crank bearing already had some play in it...

I bought the FZ as my daily ride as It was getting old rebuilding the 250 every 32,000 miles. My old 1989 KLR 250, that same outer, LS, main bearing "Cage" literally came apart at 32,000 miles. Another 32,000 miles, at 64,000 miles, again started making the same noises (failing again). Tore it down and replaced the bearing again! Sold that bike at 73,000 miles(my daily back and forth to work bike, rarley off road). The 2005, 250 was just starting to get loose.

And yes, the shifter will adjust up easily, don't go over board shifting, 1/4" will make a big difference in the feel. Lubricating the clutch cable, besides making it PULL smoother, will help with shifting as well. The clutch plates will separate easier with a clean clutch cable..

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Some other pic's of my old 2005 KLR 250:

 

[1Animal1]

noooo that colour FZ was no.1 on my list!!

Looks like a hell of a lot of work there matey.... lovely bike

next question... cleaning the clutch cable.... :/

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

noooo that colour FZ was no.1 on my list!!

Looks like a hell of a lot of work there matey.... lovely bike

next question... cleaning the clutch cable.... :/

Its all better now, after a small chunk of change and some wrenching.

As for the cable, I like using the below tool and cable lube:

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Tusk-Cable-Lube-Kit/dp/B0039O2OAI/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1362169582&sr=8-2&keywords=cable+lubricator]Tusk Cable Lube Kit : Amazon.com : Automotive[/ame]


You can get the double bolt tool as well but they both work about the same:

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Universal-Motorcycle-Bicycle-Lubing-Lubricator/dp/B004UGR2BU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1362169582&sr=8-1&keywords=cable+lubricator]Universal Motorcycle ATV Dirt Bike MX Bicycle Cable Luber Lubing Lubricator Tool : Amazon.com : Automotive[/ame]

There is a member here who sells a cable luber, basically a syring with oil in that you squirt down the cable (do a search).

With the aerosol, it'll generally (unless the cable is real bad) will blow out all the old crap/rust/lube etc out... It does indeed make the clutch pull a bit easier too...

 

[1Animal1]

You had to throw a picture in at the end to rub my nose in it ...haha! I'm seriously thinking of stripping mine and having it done in that colour next winter

Right I'll get on ebay/Amazon and get the cable 'luber' bought..... before i got this bike I thought I had most tools! clearly not

 

[XTremo]

I've had my FZ6 since 2/09 but been riding/working on Yamaha's (and other bikes since I was 15 years old (54 now).

You're one of the 70's survivors as well then?

They were the best times.....though a lot of guys in the UK never made it into the 80's!

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

You had to throw a picture in at the end to rub my nose in it ...haha! I'm seriously thinking of stripping mine and having it done in that colour next winter

Right I'll get on ebay/Amazon and get the cable 'luber' bought..... before i got this bike I thought I had most tools! clearly not

Naw, just showing it can brought back to life!!

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

You're one of the 70's survivors as well then?

They were the best times.....though a lot of guys in the UK never made it into the 80's!

Yepper, first actual motorcycle was an 1969 or 70 yamaha AT1 125 enduro. beat to snot, stripped kick starter gear and kick idler gear, not counting one of four cylinder/thru head block bolts stripped out.

First street bike, a 1975 RD 350, wrecked that bad, just about died at 19 years old, the old make left turn in front of a motorcyle doing 35-40 mph.

Raced motocross for a couple years, YZ 125, 1976, (1977 was the first year for the single rear shock), and two YZ 250's (all 2 strokes) in the 70's.

Next street bike was an 1980 yamaha XS 650 twin (triumph wanna be). And on and on into the next several decades!

 

[XTremo]

First street bike, a 1975 RD 350, wrecked that bad, just about died at 19 years old, the old make left turn in front of a motorcyle doing 35-40 mph.

The RD350 was a great bike.....had a 74 model....first Jap bike that ever handled!

Part exed the RD for a H1 Kwak 500 in 75......and you don't need me to tell you what that handled like. Just point it in a straight line was the order of the day!

Great times....great people too. Sure, the bikes are so much better now, but we lost something along the way!

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

The RD350 was a great bike.....had a 74 model....first Jap bike that ever handled!

Part exed the RD for a H1 Kwak 500 in 75......and you don't need me to tell you what that handled like. Just point it in a straight line was the order of the day!

Great times....great people too. Sure, the bikes are so much better now, but we lost something along the way!

I really liked the RD. I believe 1975 was the first year for reed valves...

That Kawasaki 2 stroke (triple as I re-call) was also a screamer!!

Like cars, they've become alot more complicated, computers, sensors, etc. When they run good, great. When something breaks, its a PIA to fix.

The old bikes, shine up the points, re-set them, maybe clean a carb and your done...

 

[1Animal1]

Did you ever look at older generations in the 70's and think...I'd love to be that knowledgeable?

My oldest is a TY80 around 95 I'm afraid , does that even classify as a motorbike?

 

[1Animal1]

Going through the service book.... what do you guys get the bike running at on warmed up idle, book states 1250-1350 but mines more 1k - should i adjust? Is this normal to have to adjust this at this mileage?


Edit : Googled and adjusted accordingly

 

[XTremo]

Did you ever look at older generations in the 70's and think...I'd love to be that knowledgeable?

Well going back 40 years the previous UK generation were old Rockers from the Mods/Rockers era.....and all of them rode the likes of Commandos, Bonnies, Tridents etc. Anything Jap was a "sewing machine" and was treated with contempt.

Those guys still had short greasebacked hair, whereas we had long hair. So being the "new breed" with different bikes we were a seperate group really.
Then the CB750 came round, followed by the Z1, and that changed everything.
Over the next few years, the oldies either moved into "sewing machine" territory or faded away.

 

[1Animal1]

ahhh so what your saying is, that was a period of massive change in evolution.... today it's much less segregated?

 

[XTremo]

ahhh so what your saying is, that was a period of massive change in evolution.... today it's much less segregated?

It's much more segregated today.....sportsbike guys, cruiser guys, dirtbike guys, adventure touring guys, touring guys, the musclebike guys etc.
That's been created by the manufacturers to open up specific market sectors within motorcycling.....where people own multiple bikes to fulfill various niche roles.

Back then, a bike was just a bike. And the generation and cultural gap was created by social change and the influx of Japanese machines.The mid-late 60's changed everything!
Like the previous generation would listen to Eddie Cochran and Gene Vincent, while we'd listen to Led Zeppelin and Deep Purple. And we still do in fact!

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

Going through the service book.... what do you guys get the bike running at on warmed up idle, book states 1250-1350 but mines more 1k - should i adjust? Is this normal to have to adjust this at this mileage?


Edit : Googled and adjusted accordingly

I have mine set below the recommended 1,300 at 1,000 on purpose. The bike idles a little smoother, engine braking slightly increased too.

Down side is, the engine is either not charging or your running on the battery. At 1,300 RPM's, the engine is slightly charging at idle.

These figures are from my bike, with the dual headlight mod on..

If you do a lot of sitting in traffic, definitly keep the idle higher.

 

[1Animal1]

ThanksScott.....

I've just got back.. been out for several hours haha I LOVE THIS BIKE! DD

 

[1Animal1]

well...the weekends over, 150 miles covered, and ONLY in the last couple of miles discovered the mid range power bands - it's like a NEW new bike, can't believe the difference in power when you let it rev