FS: Fazer 600

Yes, I know, I know... I said the other day I was going to keep it, but I've
seen something else at the right money which really appeals.

1998 Yamaha Fazer FZS600 in black.

Just under 23k miles from new with a reasonable amount of history to suggest
this is correct.

Meta remote alarm with two pads.

MOT and tax til June 2009.

Renthal bars and rack.

Stainless Micron downpipes.

This week I've been rather benevolent towards it, and have bought and fitted
the following to it:

Battery
Clutch cable
Rear brake disc
Rear wheel bearings
Front sprocket (1)
Bridgestone BT021 rear tyre

I've also changed the oil and filter and having roadtested it for the first
time today, the clutch has developed a slight slip... which is why on the
recommendation of the local Yammie dealer, I'm changing the Halfords part
synth oil I stupidly put in it for the official Yamaha mineral stuff
tomorrow.

I've also modded the headlight wiring today (2) so both sides are lit up
rather than the more usual one, on dipped beam.

And finally, I've given the swingarm a damn good degrease etc, and it all
looks rather spiffy now.

New plugs a couple of weeks ago or so, and new fork seals a few months back
apparently - in other words, given the front tyre is good, it needs nothing.

Pretty tidy for the year overall - no pitting to the forks etc, as tends to
happen to the more abused Fazers out there, a couple of marks on the tank /
side panels, but not out of the ordinary for a bike approaching 11 years
old.

Dirt cheap to run even if you tend to like riding 'enthusiastically', and
the insurance is peanuts considering the performance on offer - not sure I'm
doing the right thing selling this to get another behemoth but whatever, I
need to finally own one of what it is I'm planning to replace it with or
I'll always be wondering 'what if'.

1295 of your finest Engrish pounds, located in Kent, pics available on
request.

(1) Yes I know, you should always change these as a set, but the last owner
was obviously a bit limp wristed and couldn't get the sprocket retainer nut
off, so changed the rear sprocket and chain and left this as it was, as I
discovered when I removed the sprocket housing to change the clutch cable.

(2) Known, well documented mod, this.

 

Bloody bargain. Fantastic bikes, those old Fazers. The later model (I
mean, still using the T'Cat engine, before the shite one they make
nowadays) had a bigger fuel tank, slightly better fairing and better
lights) but the old Mark One was still a good bike.

I remember blitzing one on a French Run. Whose was it? Sean H's? I
forget. I do remember we stopped at a petrol station to slacken off the
chain, which a dealer had tightened like a bloody bowstring at a recent
service).

Really, really good fun. Comfy, economical, decent range, and a
wonderful engine. (I'm not on commission, btw)

 

Ta.

The bits I've done to it this week add up to... <thinks> just under £270.

That's in parts, not labour.

I do like them... bar the headlight, but hopefully the mod I've done today
has addressed some of the issue with that.

I still disagree with the common belief they're powered by a Thundercat lump
though.

Yes, they're of the same era and share some internals, but the barrels
aren't even offset to the block at the same angle.

Surprisingly so - the first Fazer I had, had been dynojetted and was shite
on fuel compared to this one.

Ragging it equates to 41mpg, and I'm not shy of the throttle.

That, and the insurance on this is peanuts compared even to stuff like the
CBR600 and it's only once you're at silly speeds that one of those will
leave one of these in its wake

And even then it won't be streaking off into the distance.

Very torquey for a 600, yet still likes to rev right up to the redline (and
beyond if you're not feeling particularly sympathetic).

<hides brown envelope stuffed full of tenners>

Yes, I'm not sure if I'm doing the right thing but I've seen a Chunderace
that really appeals and I've now accepted I need to own one or I'll forever
be asking myself whether or not I should get one.

Having said that, I'd not be too upset if this didn't sell and I ended up
keeping it.

 

says...>

<waves>

Was my first after the '75 RD250 (which was first bike after becoming a
born again, returning after 20 years) - so my first "big bike".

 

Me and Satto followed a guy riding one towards Matlock one day. When we
stopped both of us commented on how bloody well he was riding. When we
got back we found out it was one of the guys at the B/EOSM who'd only
been riding for about 5 or 6 months

--
Lozzo
New bike (arrives Friday)
Fireblade 929 (For sale)
ZX-7R P4 (for sale)
CBR600F-W trackbike
SR250 SpazzTrakka,
RD400F, somewhere
I see a bright new future, where chickens can cross the road with no
fear of having their motives questioned

 

Obviously he hadn't been riding long enough to know how difficult it is.

 

They have pukka brakes, if not such pukka suspension, although it does the
job and it's probably better if a novice doesn't have too much scope in that
respect.

And the power delivery is pretty progressive, although if you snatch a
handful in first it will rise up whether you're expecting it or not... and
that's with loads of ballast, as in a pie fancier of my magnitude, on board.

I really do like them... as I say, it's just a continuing nag I've had for
at least a couple of years now that my life may be just that little bit more
complete if it had a Chunderace in it, driving the desire to change.

 

It is the same engine, but as you say, the block is more upright.

 

That's not quite the adjective I'd use.

 

Heh. Just noticed this. Poor thing must have looked like a Star of
David.

<Pats new rattle gun>

 

Really? Why not, out of interest? I think it was one of those parts
bin specials that just came together properly, and was so much more
than the sum of its parts. A bit like the old Yamaha FZ600 and the
original Suzuki 600 Bandit (and it was way better than either of those
bikes).

 

Anything that isn't "tedious, underpowered, squidgy pile of shite".

 

I've never managed to get a sprocket nut off with my rattle gun (Aldi
issue, from 2 or 3 years ago).

I usually resort to a couple of special tools: a short length of
scaffold through the rear wheel, and a longer length on the breaker bar.

Oh, and then a new sprocket nut because the original one's been chewed
up by the rattler.

 

TOG@Toil wrote:

I prefered the Bandit to the Fazer

--
Lozzo
New bike (arrives Friday)
Fireblade 929 (For sale)
ZX-7R P4 (for sale)
CBR600F-W trackbike
SR250 SpazzTrakka,
RD400F, somewhere
I see a bright new future, where chickens can cross the road with no
fear of having their motives questioned

 

I agree about the engine. I rode one back to back with the Bindit 6
and the Yamaha engine is much more crisp and snappy (in terms of 4 pot
600's) compared to Suzuki's finest.

Paul.

 

Hm. Never rode a late model Bindit, but definitely preferred the Fazer
the the Mark One. Smoother, faster and handled better. I never really
liked the 600 Bandit's handling, and it was unpleasantly buzzy IMHO.

 

Me too, but the Yamaha's engine is better.

Paul.

 

I think you must have ridden a bad one then, if that's your take on them.

 

If the B6 is anything like the early B12 I rode a while back, they're pretty
dire by comparison.

Nowhere near as much fun to ride either.

 

Not sure if there's anything official out there, but I would assume someone
like Hagon would be able to supply a short shock for it, and a reasonable
upholsterer would be able to remodel the seat to make it a bit lower, (might
be worth asking Lozzo on this one).

So long as she doesn't crack the throttle open hard in first, (and by that I
mean, snap it open hard) she'll be fine with one of these as they're quite
forgiving really - the power is nice and progressive and I've yet to get the
back wheel to spin up unexpectedly on cacky back roads (the positive side to
a riding position which encourages the front to come up a bit easier than
stuff with a more sporty riding position, as in more weight over the front).

I'm in Canterbury.

If you're not too far away, you're more than welcome to pop down and have a
look at the weekend, and you can take it out for a ride if you want so long
as you have CIHAGM cover and agree you've bought it if you bin it.

I've changed the oil again today and the clutch is still slipping a bit.

I've therefore ordered a set of EBC heavy duty friction plates and springs
today, so it'll have a new clutch as well by the weekend, meaning it's now
soaked up nearly £350s worth of parts over the last week or so... bless it.
;-)

*muttergrumblegrumblemutter* ;-)