What did you do to your FJ-tracer-gt today?

[piotrek]

49 minutes ago, Kenny A. said:

Fitted this today. 👍

Looks great. Is the can easy to remove for work on the caliper, or do you have enough side clearance with it on?

[Kenny A.]

1 hour ago, piotrek said:

Looks great. Is the can easy to remove for work on the caliper, or do you have enough side clearance with it on?

Can is easy to remove. Remove mounting bolt,and slacken clamp at the cat. 👍

[Wintersdark]

On 7/30/2022 at 1:28 AM, 2and3cylinders said:

"figured I'd just make the Tracer new to me again"

how many miles does it have?!

24000. 

Not too many for three years, as it's been sharing road time with the Tenere 700 for the last 10 months.  They've been hard miles, though, dailying through two winters.  Still in good shape, mind you, but the clutch basket rubbers are completely gone leading to excessive gronk, the exhaust headers are trashed, and my wife broke one of the front lower fairing panels backing her Jeep into it.  Also time for a bunch of bigger maintenance items I've just not had time for this year what with working so absurdly much and moving right now. 

Not like it's some clapped out sad thing, but it'd be nice to gussy her up a bit, if you will. 

[wordsmith]

A bit of bling was added in the form of a custom gold chrome decal across the screen reading 'MT-09 Tracer GT'. 

Impossible to photograph in daylight, hence the red towel placed behind the screen to allow the decal to show.

The gold lettering chimes nicely with the 24 carat gold fork, so it's not too overdone!

 

Edited August 1, 2022 by wordsmith

[2and3cylinders]

Tried adjusting the chain.  Despite 4 attempts I could not find a happy medium between the loose 2/3s (worn out) and tight 1/3 (less worn.  Total waste of time.  Whereas it's a 520, it is a DID ZVM-X Gold but with a 15T front & 44T rear.  Hypothetically, a 15T wears the C/S sprocket faster but plenty of models come with an OE 15T. The OEM chain and sprockets amazingly went 18,898; although the chain started kinking probably 1,800 miles earlier.  I plan on reusing the existing sprockets, as there's only 12,444 miles on them.  I really don't know why the chain wore out early, as the prior EK ZVX3 520 Gold lasted 20,000 miles when kinks became pronounced, though I ran it another 1,225 miles.  I could have reused the Superlite 520 16T / 45T Superlite sprockets but went with the 15/44 "lower" gearing (higher numerically).

To have something to ride until I get a new chain in my Fastest Red red 15 FJ, this afternoon I installed spare used but 13+ volt battery in 98 VTR1000F; also the Fastest Red 98.  What a nightmare due to electrical mods done 15 years ago the old school way with redundant circuits and separate relays and inline fuses for every circuit.  Can you say spaghetti !!!  And there's linguini behind the steering head, and Angel Hair behind various fairing enclaves and several more clusters in the seat cowl.  I was too tired to verify voltage and operability, and then tuck everything back.  I need to get a Fuzeblock FZ1, Motobrain, PDM-60, Nuetrino and such devices to consolidate the +, - & relays.  The Battery is a Motobatt AGM I chose because it has 2 + & 2 - terminals but still the under saddle volume is packed!

I thought a good battery would improve the VTRs starting issue.  NSL.  It's either a tricky starter relay and/or fuse, or a dead spot on the starter motor armature, because when it's cold I have to take it of the side stand (the clutch lever side stand switch, side stand switch and that entire circuit is OK because even with a jumper bypass it still won't start), and roll it forward and sometimes it fires; otherwise the neutral light dims and nada when I hit the starter switch (which I also tested but may again).  However, when it's hot, it usually fires right up.  Which is why I thought it was battery related.

[OZVFR]

Bloody hell, you’re right about the spaghetti.

Not sure on the VTR, but on the VFR the earth block is a known issue that causes bad starting, among other things like lights in dash glowing for no reason sometimes. 

My old 1050 Sprint ST also had notoriously lazy starting, it always sounded like the battery was bad.  it was cured with a quality Lithium battery, when I sold the bike I kept the battery which is now in the Tracer. Both bikes start instantly. 

[2and3cylinders]

5 hours ago, OZVFR said:

Bloody hell, you’re right about the spaghetti.

Not sure on the VTR, but on the VFR the earth block is a known issue that causes bad starting, among other things like lights in dash glowing for no reason sometimes. 

My old 1050 Sprint ST also had notoriously lazy starting, it always sounded like the battery was bad.  it was cured with a quality Lithium battery, when I sold the bike I kept the battery which is now in the Tracer. Both bikes start instantly. 

Thanks but what is an "Earth Block" and what years VFR?  As this VTR is a 98 (I have 2 + 2 more spare engines and another frame & swing arm, and literally a storage room full of spares not LOL), so it's pretty low tech with carbs and only  rudimentary electronic ignition. Maybe I should pull all the fuses and see if the starting issue disappears, then reinsert fuses 1 x 1 until it reappears.  A tedious process hard on the battery and starting and charging systems.  I did mods like direct wire the headlight and convert all lighting to LED a d a lot more if you can stand to read the schedule.

With all the electronic additions I feel a AGM has the capacity needed.  No starting issues with his also fastest red brother though its mosfet vrr may have purged itself of this world.   Unusual for a mosfet (not oem) but not unheard of.

[OZVFR]

The earth block problem was on the 98 to 01 VFR's.

Hidden inside the wiring harness of the VFR, there is a block junction to all the earths which are joined to a cable that goes to the frame. This gets corrosion over the years and causes problems.

No idea if the VTR has the same.

Anyway, PM me if you want so we're not filling this post with irrelevant information.

[OZVFR]

I finally installed driving lights and got new tyres. 
 

[2and3cylinders]

1 hour ago, OZVFR said:

I finally installed driving lights and got new tyres. 
 

Those are huge bug eyes!

How'd you like em and I hope the mounts hold up.

Whose doughnuts? 

[dazzler24]

2 hours ago, 2and3cylinders said:

Whose doughnuts? 

They look like they're Metzelers if I'm not mistaken.

[OZVFR]

1 hour ago, dazzler24 said:

They look like they're Metzelers if I'm not mistaken.

Yep, Metzelers 01 SE's.

I changed the rear around 3000km's ago, now front.

I was a die hard Rosso III fan, used them on my VFR, Sprint ST since they came out and, a set on the Tracer, but 7000Km form the rear and 9000km from the front, and destroyed 2 of them on rough dirt roads, one of them with a stick the size of my thumb that went right through the middle of the rear tyre at 900km from new (they're too soft a carcass for that) means they no longer meet my riding type.

So far so good, had a really good ride a week ago when I got caught out with a massive down pour half way.

I think I managed to ride in the wet nearly as fast as the dry. And I don't pussy foot around.

[OZVFR]

Here's a better picture. 
the mount I got from Italy, super strong and very well designed. Lights don’t move at all. 
 

Edited August 2, 2022 by OZVFR

[2and3cylinders]

2 hours ago, OZVFR said:

Yep, Metzelers 01 SE's.

I changed the rear around 3000km's ago, now front.

I was a die hard Rosso III fan, used them on my VFR, Sprint ST since they came out and, a set on the Tracer, but 7000Km form the rear and 9000km from the front, and destroyed 2 of them on rough dirt roads, one of them with a stick the size of my thumb that went right through the middle of the rear tyre at 900km from new (they're too soft a carcass for that) means they no longer meet my riding type.

So far so good, had a really good ride a week ago when I got caught out with a massive down pour half way.

I think I managed to ride in the wet nearly as fast as the dry. And I don't pussy foot around.

Oh yeh, I ran a set of the first 01 on my FJ and while OK it didn't last as long or provide the nirvana as they hyped.  Maybe the SE are better.  I've run the Dunlop RS2 and 3, and a couple sets of Bridgy T31/32 with another pair of 2nd gen RS2 waiting in my stock room.

I also ride at night though my left cataract is getting worse.  My right got a new lens several years ago but is not as good as the real thing.  And the procedure was 25 minutes of torture cuz the anesthesiologist screwed up.

The wildlife you have at night really must keep you on your toes!  Here deer are the big thing but I did brake for a little badger like thing recently, which I've never seen before.  Big birds of prey seem to hate me or the FJ, and try to take my head off.  A mature Sandhill Crane sadly died after a luckily glancing blow to my Givi screen and left mirror doing 60 mph.

You guys Down Under seem to be a hardy diehard lot.  Love to get down there and NZ but too much of the US still awaits me; hopefully. 

[bowlin01]

6 hours ago, OZVFR said:

....used them on my VFR, Sprint ST since they came out and, a set on the Tracer....

@OZVFR What a coincidence, another Gentleman of Exquisite Taste, the same 'bike path' as me VFR, Sprint ST, Tracer...👍