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Con Te Partiro...

2K views 15 replies 6 participants last post by  thegutterpoet 
#1 ·
I adored my Fazer. 09 model, bought from a IT chap who had begrudgingly parked the thing in the garage when domestic affairs took precedence. Moving up from my time on R6s and Cbr600s, the FZ1 felt berserk in its power delivery. I then embarked on many modifications...it became a monster. Licence lost, cops with guns pulled, me in my egyptian trousers which the gun slingers referred to as circus clothes, I was caught winding the damn thing up down the twisties, and the highway patrol...I hadnt seen them, was moving too fast, in between the sunday sloth metal tanks...and then, after my ban, my domestic situation had changed, woman and little man of another man, no time for play out in the sticks and no wallet for the fines. SO...I turned to peeking at other bikes, tried a SV650 and it was too much on the shoulders and the power felt so lame.

A perfectly presented 919 05' model appeared. SO I went along, and spoke to the owner, a viking chap, huge and Thor outline. He had seen a hornet when a nipper on some island in Europe and wanted one since, his boat work (true viking heritage showing) ended in PErth, no more work...so he made his way to Melbourne and found the 919 selling, a teacher, rather taciturn, yet every oil change, every filter, every brake pad, service history immense...when I met the viking and 919. It had 55k on the clock, yet the torque when i test rode, even in driving rain, felt good. SO I said why not eh!

Having the two bikes was unfair, and it took me a while to find love for the 919. It had nowhere near the power of the manically modified FZ1 (gearing, ECU flash, PC V) but slowly, surely it became the finest urban brawler I have ever ridden. Especially once the FZ had been sold.

Its turning, nimble flickability on what feels more a 600 frame, and the torque, brakes, fuelling with a PC III and great maps...all became amazingly comfortable. I could throw that thing into corners in a lean with zero hesitation, i could open the throttle from the lights and keep up with or outpace most far more modern bikes. In short, it was a superb urban scrapper...

The relationship, a throwback to my amorous romeo fanatic routine of my 20s...ended in a similar yet financially brutal fashion earlier this year. And I have found my dreams of her and her little man steady , and close to now exhausted all avenues of the by now rather long in the fang routine of the battleground of love and passion...im mortally wounded, the enemy is leaving the scene, bodies everywhere, bleeding into the earth, and yet I find the strength, to raise my maimed frame on a shoulder, see through blurred vision, the enemy I still love, for fanatics, when they love, its love or death, no matter the cost...and I gurgle, blood in my throat and pipsqueak 'WAIT...COME BACK AND KILL ME AGAIN...'...etct etc...She has gone. And I can do little about my dreams, 12th house is berserk in my chart so why wail on that score, its like a fish wailing at the tides...

Throughout my life, when I have lost a woman, I have bought a new bike...this reminded to me, from reading some of my earlier scribbles, on a whim two weeks back I peeked on bikesales and found a speed triple I instantly felt drawn to. Met the bike, bought the bike, now have the bike. The hornet was sold to the first interested party.

I wont bang on about the Speedy machine, suffice to say, its different to the 919. And an englishman should have an english devil steed at some stage of his passage...Instead I want to offer a virtual bow and show of gratitude to the community here, especially IslandBoy and mcromo44...who have been incredibly helpful and very much made me appreciate this niche hugely and always. By far the finest collection of bikers I have come across on my virtual or otherwise travels. Advice when needed. Barely any morons. And even the haughty rarities have something of value to offer behind the virtual front!

In short, I am sad to leave this community. I will miss the crowd and feeling of being connected to others who love their bikes as a lifestyle not as merely a machine.

Many thanks indeed for the support and kinship. I wish one and all the best of all possible worlds...

Cheers,
Daniel
 
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#3 ·
No need to leave.

I only had my 919 for a few months, last July to October. It was a “mid-life” crisis of sorts I suppose. I owned a 79 Suzuki GS1000 for a few years in college.

During my time with the bike, I of course happened across this forum due to all of the great information that popped up when googling things about the bike.

I did the following to it in my few shorts months with it:
-Chain and sprockets 15/43.
-PCIII and tune.
-K&N air filter
-Tires
-Wheel bearings
-Oil change
-Spark Plugs
-Givi top case

After replacing the 919 with a KTM Super Duke GT, I joined an active KTM forum.
However, I enjoyed my time here so much that I still frequent the forum and comment from time to time.

Heck, I recently wrecked the KTM (nothing to do with the power, was at about 35 mph) and currently don’t have a bike.
But I still frequent this forum along with the KTM and an S1000rr forum.
I guess once it gets in the blood, it’s there to stay.
 
#5 ·
Sage advice, PC1978...I can keep peeking in and offering further squeals for advice on basic undoing of bolts and screw, and see how the solid souls are faring!

As for the hornet, seems I might need to replace the danmotos...Ill make a post elsewhere! Squeeze you fiends for all I can.

Cheers,.DDDDDD
 

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#9 ·
Well, chaps...Its already time to get rid of the Speedy. We haven't meshed well at all, and ongoing niggles led me to test ride a 15' MT09 on the weekend, and allowing myself only momentarily to ponder the $$$ I am throwing to the Hunt, I couldn't stop myself putting a deposit down. The transformer machine just fit me like a damn Transformer seeking my pilot, or perhaps even just my audience value...for the little beast seemed to be smiling at me and whispering 'lets get up on one wheel and MOVE MOVE MOVE'...the torque we delirious, so much that I found myself laughing as I rode...to add to my woes with the Speedy, I was the next day at the beach, dip in the chilly air but quite warm (for an englishman) water...and with a lady in mind, as always, I forgot that I had the disc lock on when I launched to scarper, and down I went, slow motion (ish). Slight scrapes on the clutch, LHS mirror, indicator smashed but also this bother>>>

Any of you formerly exposed to my 'mechanical nous' wont be surprised to learn that I picked up the first advice I could find online and headed to Bunning to grab a metal file...then started filing away! Though something is wrong, so checked more guides for the job, none of which suggested metal file, all sand paper! Still, I have found a paint WURTH satin gloss which apparently is very close indeed to the normal colour, and will get sanding tonight with 200, then 400, then wet 800 grit. And hope for the best. If it looks hideous or obviously mauled, I will get a stator case/cover for $180 from the motherland.

Other niggles I have had with the Speedy...
front fork seal leak (likely due to it sitting for ages before I got it) - fixed with sealmate.
oil cooler slight leak - again maybe due to rubber stiffening over time
3 broken indicators - cant blame the bike, more my removing the cover and reversing between the gate posts
steering lock broken - no idea how, as parked in front of many cameras at work and chained to my house next to my room at night.
Also the aftermarket can - GPR Furore - was appalling with the stock tune, so got a tune cable and the nearest tune was better but nowhere near as good as the stock high end cans and stock tune.

Too much trouble in little china for Snake Pllisekn to deal with.

The Speedy it too big, too powerful, no fun in the traffic, and only amazing when open highway and able to soar. I also am not impressed on the build quality - could just be this bike, but more has gone wrong with a bike with 11k on the clock than with all my jap bikes combined.

As for the MT09...more on that later. Suffice to say, it feels more what i was after as in a much higher octane, berserk version of the 919. Nimble frame, quick steering, yet spastic torque.

Ill try not to break anything else on the Speedy before the weekend, then can get it out back and wait for the parts to come to start repairing the damage I have done.

Hope you fiends are in fine fettle!
Cheers, DDDDDD
 

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#11 ·
I grabbed 180, 400 and 800 paper (all fine wet or dry). My plan was to start with the 180, then move to the 400, and soak the 800 before using that last. Make sense? Guide me!

And once the paint is applied, sand again in between coats? I assume just with the wet 800 or even higher grit?

Appreciate the advice as always, comrade. And hope all is well in your realm over the water.
 
#12 ·
You might not need the 180. Maybe try the 400 first. Then 800.
Do all the sanding wet. Put a container of water under job and frequently dip your paper into it.
If you have some scratches left give it a very light first coat. Let it dry for at least a day then using 800 give it a light wet sand. This might fill the scratches.
Then paint proper.
 
#13 · (Edited)
Smoothed the main scratches down with wet, 180, mainly with 400. no roughness remains when I run my finger over. Will get on with the 800 tomorrow. Paint should arrive by Wednesday. Seen a chap on youtube use this mega paint and he did quick sideways movement, just once or twice over all the stator case which was exposed after using an old tshirt, the bump through the neck!

Its now very smooth. Do I do a coat, then sand again with 800 the next day and another coat?

Primer? Apparently others have put this stuff straight on, 2 coats.
 

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#16 ·
Will report back when it arrives, mate!
So you sold the 919 for a Speed Triple and didn't like it? What was wrong with the Speed Triple? I've heard nothing bad about them, but I haven't really researched them.

How did the Speed compare to the 919 and now you have a MT09, how's that compare?

I've only had two bikes, so I really don't know how the others ride, but I thought the Speed was a sought after bike.
The Speedy is very bulky, harder to squeeze into my alley in the garden next to the house and the weight increase is noticeable. Even with the risers I put on, my shoulders and neck ache for the night after riding for more than an hour. Its not that comfy in engine or feel for close quarters combat in the city. Incredibly thirsty and the few niggles above have added to my annoyance. Some my fault of course.

Its a superb engine when opened up, just too much of a high speed missile in the city traffic where most my riding is done. And the weight is painful on long rides on my old frame. I prefer my earlier FZ1 2009 model - though that was heavily modified (ivans flash, PC V, Satan adaptor with R1 rear spring, -1 front sprocket, GYTR slipon). That was the most beastly and exciting bike I have ever owned, and absolutely perfect for carving through the countryside and still fine in the city (maybe my back was less mangled then!). Had more character than the Speedy.

Only rode the MT09 for 15-20 minutes. Riding position is even more upright than the 919! Which was perfect for me. Torque immense, even in standard mode, and in A mode, its a berserker. Much smaller than the speedy, looks it, feels it. Nowhere near the top end I assume, but I never use it so why worry. The bite down low was like a mega goblin on crack...

Getting tyres sorted with the owner - he wanted to put on BT23s and I am leaning away. When we agreed on tryes it was part of a discussion that we both like Michelins and Pirellis. Depends how keen I am to get the MT09, would rather wait another week and get some tyres with it I like.

Will report back in more detail on the ride when I have it. Hope you are well, KJ!
 
#15 ·
So you sold the 919 for a Speed Triple and didn't like it? What was wrong with the Speed Triple? I've heard nothing bad about them, but I haven't really researched them.

How did the Speed compare to the 919 and now you have a MT09, how's that compare?

I've only had two bikes, so I really don't know how the others ride, but I thought the Speed was a sought after bike.
 
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