Smashed Swingarm woes...

[Buggy Nate]

So I've got a Fz/Mt-09 at work in for a smash repair, usual stuff handle bars engine covers etc, actually engine cover is a good one too, the cover bent the dowels and smashed the stator into the rotor, bending the poles on the stator and denting the rotor.. something to look for If you have a little bingle.. owner said it wasn't a hard hit just a low side.
The swingarm is where the fun started for me.
Very light graze near the pick up knobs. Noticed a crap load of play up and down, traced it to the lower shock bush bolts nut was bottoming out on the bolts collar before it was tight against the shocks lower pin. Added a washer to the bolt side and it gets done up tight now with no play. My Mt-09 Tracer is the same too so that's a job for tomorrow.
The really nasty bit is the inner thrust cones/dust seals for the swingarm pivots were shattered and have been for a while and have made a mess of the frame.
I have cleaned up the frame and might even need to pop in a couple of shims to take up the excess now.
I know it was like it for a while as the swingarm pivot bolt was very tight even with the missing centres out of the thrust washers.
So if anyone finds a loose pivot bolt it might pay to check these before the frame gets chewed out.
This is a apparently 6000k bike..
I have my doubts though.
Oh another gripe.. bloody yamaha only put three bearings in the pivot, two on the chain side and one one the disc side when there is plenty of room in the swingarm for another. Which is exactly what I will be doing with mine when the regrease comes up.

[thruster8999]

I am kind of confused on what you are talking about but I have up and down movement from the rear when the bike is on the center stand. Never thought this was good but others said that this is normal and not to worry. After trying to understand your story now I am worried. If you could, do a write up on fixing the play in the rear shock with picture please. I really like pictures.
Thanks

[Buggy Nate]

I am kind of confused on what you are talking about but I have up and down movement from the rear when the bike is on the center stand. Never thought this was good but others said that this is normal and not to worry. After trying to understand your story now I am worried. If you could, do a write up on fixing the play in the rear shock with picture please. I really like pictures. Thanks

In theory the swingarm shouldn't have any up and down movement, but seems to be a common Yamaha thing. I have seen new R1's with play, my Tenere had some and so does my Mt-09 Tracer.This Mt-09 from works rear lower shock bolt was tight but would spin in the housing as it was bottomed out on the collar.If you know how to post photos ill email you some when I get the thrust washers in, they are on backorder with all the rotor stuff... 

[panooch]

 

Oh another gripe.. bloody yamaha only put three bearings in the pivot, two on the chain side and one one the disc side when there is plenty of room in the swingarm for another. Which is exactly what I will be doing with mine when the regrease comes up. 

 
I imagine the engineers felt two on the right side wasn't needed. But still, sure seems like a corner being needlessly cut.
 

[michael]

Oh another gripe.. bloody yamaha only put three bearings in the pivot, two on the chain side and one one the disc side when there is plenty of room in the swingarm for another. Which is exactly what I will be doing with mine when the regrease comes up. 

I imagine the engineers felt two on the right side wasn't needed. But still, sure seems like a corner being needlessly cut.

Seems like the watchword of the FJ-09 Engineering Team.  I managed to buy motorcycles for 50 years without buying a Yamaha until this one.  This bike has convinced me I was right in avoiding Yamaha all these years. 

[panooch]

I imagine the engineers felt two on the right side wasn't needed. But still, sure seems like a corner being needlessly cut.

Seems like the watchword of the FJ-09 Engineering Team.  I managed to buy motorcycles for 50 years without buying a Yamaha until this one.  This bike has convinced me I was right in avoiding Yamaha all these years. 

This is my second. First was in 1973. Ran the crap out of that one.  

[peporter]

Seems like the watchword of the FJ-09 Engineering Team.  I managed to buy motorcycles for 50 years without buying a Yamaha until this one.  This bike has convinced me I was right in avoiding Yamaha all these years. 

....and that's after how many miles? 

[clint]

Seems like the watchword of the FJ-09 Engineering Team.  I managed to buy motorcycles for 50 years without buying a Yamaha until this one.  This bike has convinced me I was right in avoiding Yamaha all these years. 

I'm sorry to read of your experience.  
I've owned Honda, Kawasaki, Ducati, BMW, Triumph, Suzuki, Aprilia and Yamaha. The engineering and reliability of the Yamaha is above them all except maybe Honda. Now, Honda has lost their way, while Yamaha is rocking the industry with new and exciting rides! I currently own two Yamahas, one with over 100,000 miles and going strong.

[martyl]

I've had my Yamaha XS650C for forty years. Wonderful bike. Simple to do maintenance. Always a blast to ride. I hope my FJ09 gives me the same pleasure. So far it has... :-)

[michael]

I'm sorry to read of your experience.  
I've owned Honda, Kawasaki, Ducati, BMW, Triumph, Suzuki, Aprilia and Yamaha. The engineering and reliability of the Yamaha is above them all except maybe Honda. Now, Honda has lost their way, while Yamaha is rocking the industry with new and exciting rides! I currently own two Yamahas, one with over 100,000 miles and going strong.

I am honestly glad you're happy with it, Clint.  If I knew before I bought it what I know now, I would not have bought it.  I was impulsive and failed to do my due diligence that I usually do.  My fault.   
Now I have spent another $4K+ on it above the purchase price, making it not all that great a deal.  I sincerely hope that the Traxxion Dynamics fork work and Penske shock change it to my liking.  
 
I also received an APE cam chain tensioner today to hopefully get rid of the ridiculous shrieking noises it makes until it gets warmed up.  If those are solved and I can come up with some fix to the random non-starting stuff, I may end up happy with the bike after all.
 
But at this point I wish I had gone ahead and spent more on the KTM 1290 SuperDuke R I really wanted but thought was too expensive. 

[ULEWZ]

I am honestly glad you're happy with it, Clint.  If I knew before I bought it what I know now, I would not have bought it.  I was impulsive and failed to do my due diligence that I usually do.  My fault.   
Now I have spent another $4K+ on it above the purchase price, making it not all that great a deal.  I sincerely hope that the Traxxion Dynamics fork work and Penske shock change it to my liking.  
 
I also received an APE cam chain tensioner today to hopefully get rid of the ridiculous shrieking noises it makes until it gets warmed up.  If those are solved and I can come up with some fix to the random non-starting stuff, I may end up happy with the bike after all.
 
But at this point I wish I had gone ahead and spent more on the KTM 1290 SuperDuke R I really wanted but thought was too expensive. 

You need to man up and sell the F-Jay and get the bike you want. Your repeated complaints of the F-Jay tells me you need to sell it and take your lumps. You will never be happy with it no matter what you do. Yes there is a pea under the mattress that you repeatedly find.  Rant off.  

[Buggy Nate]

I'd rather a Yamaha any day of the week compared to a ATM... I don't believe their twin motors are anything to rave about, great to ride if you don't own them.. I've seen many failed Ktm camchain tensioners, porous cases faulty fuel pumps chewed out cases from chunks of gearbox going through the oil pumps.. Split air boxes dusting motors..
And gee aren't their parts cheap!!!

[sp1ros]

I'd rather a Yamaha any day of the week compared to a ATM... I don't believe their twin motors are anything to rave about, great to ride if you don't own them.. I've seen many failed Ktm camchain tensioners, porous cases faulty fuel pumps chewed out cases from chunks of gearbox going through the oil pumps.. Split air boxes dusting motors.. And gee aren't their parts cheap!!!

Yep - great off road bikes but not road bikes. Add to the above the build quality (e.g. rust) and, what got me the most, circlips falling off (in mine the circlip holding the auto-decompression pin in place came off and it is a good thing it did not drop in any place where serious damage could happen)!!

[wessie]

As Lewis says, go buy the KTM. Then you will learn about what a Mickey Mouse company KTM is in terms of R&D in the retail customer's home, hopeless supply chain for spares and a dismal dealer network. Great bikes in theory but they do spend a lot of days in bits waiting for parts or software upgrades. They have taken the mantle from Ducati as the most hopeless maker of motorcycles.
 

[michael]

I am honestly glad you're happy with it, Clint.  If I knew before I bought it what I know now, I would not have bought it.  I was impulsive and failed to do my due diligence that I usually do.  My fault.   
Now I have spent another $4K+ on it above the purchase price, making it not all that great a deal.  I sincerely hope that the Traxxion Dynamics fork work and Penske shock change it to my liking.  
 
I also received an APE cam chain tensioner today to hopefully get rid of the ridiculous shrieking noises it makes until it gets warmed up.  If those are solved and I can come up with some fix to the random non-starting stuff, I may end up happy with the bike after all.
 
But at this point I wish I had gone ahead and spent more on the KTM 1290 SuperDuke R I really wanted but thought was too expensive. 

You need to man up and sell the F-Jay and get the bike you want. Your repeated complaints of the F-Jay tells me you need to sell it and take your lumps. You will never be happy with it no matter what you do. Yes there is a pea under the mattress that you repeatedly find.  Rant off.

Oh my goodneth! I had not realized my masculinity was in question. Yes, based on your sage advice I will sell it and go back to knitting doilies.  Thanks so much for your helpful comments.