Big Bob

Superb pic's, great scenery, looks like great fun. Unfortunately I keep forgetting to take loads of photos. My weekend started with the first decent run on my FJ1200. Set out Sat morning from Northwich on my own, sun shining, quite warm for the time of year. Head for Nantwich, Whitchurch then across towards Wrexham, cut off to Ruabon then Llangollen (no petrol stations both closed down ) up the Horseshoe to the Ponderosa WHAT A ROAD . Back down into the town, cross the river (found fuel about 5 miles out of town), head to Bala, straight through to Dolgellau (toilet stop). Barmouth for a burger & a coffee, by now it's cold & windy, up the coast,watch the speed limits, plod pulled boy racer in his Nova by Ffestiniog absolutely pi$$ing down, stop to put on new waterproofs (XL my @rse, or perhaps I'm a XXXL ) decided to give Betwsy a miss, chase back to Cheshire through the rain. Not a bad run. Sunday started a bit grey, Mick came up on his Speed Triple, over to Warrington to meet Gaz With his Blade. M6 north, Windermere, Ambleside for lunch. Ambleside to Keswick another good road it would be a great road with a better surface, too patchy. Across to Whitehaven, rain again, down the coast road. RAIN I've never been out in weather like it since I was a lad back across to the M6 & head south through 3 lanes of standing cars & wagons. Over 600 miles in 2 days, freezing cold, soaking wet, tired, aching all over, was it worth it, YOU BET IT WAS brilliant weekend.

That pic looks a bit better than the last weather report you gave us, can you get the temp up to 30's by June please

If its carbs rather than injection, could be float valve(s) sticking & flooding.

Bl**dy youngsters, getting all excited over birthdays Wait til' you get to my age, won't be so excited then I'll tell you. In July I'll be 50 & have to put on a party for all the family & I don't even drink. Grumble, moan, whinge. Have a good time Just don't do it on your bike, those doners make an awful mess in your bike jacket pocket Big Bob

We used to cover the tap with grease when cutting the new thread so that no metal cuttings fell into the bore' then blow out with an air line just incase any got past. You would have to be certain no bits stayed in the cylinder. Big Bob

Don't know about FZR's, but used to get same problem years ago on Fiat cars. They had a tool to cut a bigger thread in the head then fitted an insert to take it back to original size. Similar idea to a helicoil but more robust. Had it done on my old Bonneville. Only took 1/2 hour to do the job. I'm sure you can still get the kits somewhere. Hope this helps Big Bob

I got a set of R6 calipers off ebay £33.20, fitted them & a big improvement over the standard ones. Next question, has anyone tried Armstrong pads, seen them on ebay, any good? Thanks again Big Bob

Have you trapped a fuel line or kinked it? Recheck the simple things, enough fuel to reach over reserve (Diversion struggles to pull fuel when low because of high carbs & poor vacuum pump), all electrics OK (FJ1200 has electric reserve), filter blocked (in line & tap).

Hi all, from what I've read so far it sounds like I'm an old timer (50 this year), had bikes most of the time since I was seventeen. Had a short break when kids came along and took all my money. Took a lot of hard work & a very understanding wife to get back on 2 wheels after that. Years ago had a Bonneville, went out from work at lunch time for a drink at a pub in the Cheshire country side, late going back to work, chasing through the lanes, old guy on a tractor waving for me to slow down, gives him 'V', flat out round next blind bend, combine harvester right across the road, oooopppss. Don't know how I stayed on but I did! Been off a couple of times since though, hurts doesn't it As I'm a boring old git I'll list bikes I've had or used:- mates Puch VZ50(got me started), Honda CB250, BSA 250 Starfire, Triumph Tiger Cub, Yam DT250, Triumph Bonny, kids, Kwak Z200, Honda CB250RS, Suzi GS550, Kwak GT750, 600 Divi, just got a FJ1200 so I can do a bit of long distance before I'm too old for it. As posted elsewhere I'm going to Spain in June with my son, he has a FZR600 at the moment. Can't wait

Please tell me it'll be drier in June

You might want to check your dates! what happenned to the 12th? Me & my boy are riding down through France, renting a villa near Alicante 10-17 June, good to know other Brit bikers will be in the area. Might even see you around. Good luck

going back to more sensible things, I read somewhere that Johnsons baby shampoo was best for washing out helmet linings, never tried it myself, I always wear a balaclava to keep mine clean, even in summer. I must be mad

Thanks, Beezkneez, I'm off to ebay for a look. See you out there sometime. Big Bob

Hi folks A question for you that I've asked elsewhere, I want to fit R1 blue spot front brake calipers to my FJ1200, a fairly standard mod. The question is, are Fazer/R6 front calipers the same as R1, I know they look the same but do they give the same improvement in efficiency? Seen a set on ebay cheaper than R1. Thanks, Big Bob