Paul Mc

Have a look here http://fazerowners.yuku.com/forums/10 there are a couple of Fazers for sale at the moment. Fazer 600 is a good machine, Foxeye model uses the Thundercat engine. Paul

My 2003 Fazer 600 (Mark2, Foxeye version, not the underseat model) is 5RT. This might help? Paul

Have a wander over here, bound to find the answer: http://fazerowners.yuku.com/ Paul

Change the fuel, but also check the airbox (wouldn't be the first bike to be home to mice after standing a while). 2003 model with FSH and only 6K miles should start sweet (mine has 5000 miles, no problems starting (and no choke in this weather). I'd guess that the carbs are a little gummed up with residue from the petrol, running more through should clean it but you might want to think about one of those products for dissolving crud in carbs (added to the fuel) for the first tankful or two, rather than stripping the carbs apart. My bike sits for up to 3 months at a time (each winter) without running and always starts and runs fine, but then it's not sat in Spain with the higher temperatures that'd drive off more fuel I guess... Paul http://fazerowners.yuku.com/

It's no help, just info, that the '78 XL250S I had up until last year was MOT'd both without indicators (when I was playing on the green lanes), and later with them (when I was only using it on-road) - when the indicators were removed so was the switch on the LHS switchgear... Am sure that some MOT places are less 'critical' when it comes to the indicator issue, so it may be a case of where you go (but at pushing £30 for the new MOT, I'd try to make sure that they can't quibble about anything). Plan to MOT my 1980 AG100 without indicators, when I get around to it...

Belly Pan? Probably the best thing you can get is a fender extender, extra bit of curved plastic that attaches to the front mudguard to stop it flicking mud quite so far up. (That was the first thing I added to my fazer when I bought it). Paul

Hang on a second: If they are on the bike (indicators and mirrors) then they have to work - BUT wasn't there a change in the law (around '98?) stating that newer machines HAD to have indicators (and possibly mirrors) for the MOT, which is what I'm guessing DT is on about? Can't remember the detail, but there has got to be a post or two somewhere on the interweb (possibly on the DVLA website itself) to confirm this situation? Paul http://www.ukmot.com/next.asp?ID=45

I remember the time the diesel went to about double the price, as a mate had bought a diesel golf a few weeks before the prices started to shift, he wasn't impressed. Even now most cars have the diesel option as a grand more expensive. Diesel fuel takes less distillation from crude oil than petrol (I believe) so is cheaper to make too.. The smartest thing that 'they' ever did with fuel was to change the pumps from gallons to litres. I remember the good old days when there was an outcry if there was a couple of pence increase on a gallon of fuel; change it to litres and apart from the mumble when it hit 80ppl they can do what they like and we notice less... Second smartest is to keep blaming the price of a barrel of oil for the high prices, not focusing (how does the press let them away with this?) that 70% of the price goes into the government coffers as tax. To delay an increase in fuel tax 'til the autumn as a goodwill gesture to keep us happy, what a complete farce. And to call it a road fund licence - let's be clear here, it's another tax, it's road tax for the pleasure of having a vehicle in a country where the infrastructure is rubbish, poorly planned and executed. Quite agree, public transport isn't an option or particularly viable outside of the big urban areas. It's all a money spinning idea, it's tax. Tax Tax Tax.

I'd balance the carbs, see if that helped - how many miles does the bike have on the clock?

Put a Scottoiler on my Fazer as soon as I bought it (5yrs ago), and got a second hand one (£30) for the missus's GPZ500 (seemed like a fair swap! ). Have used a chaintec automatic oiler in the past, but the scottoiler is the one for me. Just need to check that it's topped up with oil every now and then.

Whilst it is human nature to assume that someone has been tinkering with your ride, it's just as possible that it's vibrated out. I'd use some threadlock. About 10yrs ago the 'toe-rag messed with my bike' was my first thought when my rear caliper came loose on my 1000RX (and there was a bloke at the time I'd have gladly blamed for it, having tampered (read: slashed the seat) with another bike previously) - but in the end it was down to vibration. Let's face it, how inept do you have to be unable to nick a clutch lever? Paul

no off = vacuum fuel tap - fuel only flows when the vacuum in the carbs (from the running engine) opens a diaphragm in the fuel tap (hence the thin rubber hose to the vacuum point on the carbs, usually onto carb #2). If the fuel tap is in good shape, no fuel will flow when you take the tank off (assuming that the tap isn't in "Prime" position... Paul

All getting warm at the same rate suggests no problem?! I'd not assume carbs, there's not enough information. Perhaps you've got carb icing? It's possible and might give your symptoms. My bike gets laid-up for a lot longer than 4 weeks between runs sometimes, no problem (but she's got less than 5K miles on the clock)...

Misfire implies that she's sparking some of the time on that cylinder (does that downpipe get warm at all?) which is an intermittant problem often due to duff lead (or plug cap). First thing I'd do now is swap the plugs around (affected cylinder and any other) to see if the problem moves. Also check the colour/condition (black/oily/sooty) of the plug on the affected cylinder - and if it smells of fuel. Is it a misfire, or a backfire? Important question - is it only one cylinder that isn't firing, or two? If two, which two? Can check by (carefully) touching the downpipes after the bike has just started.

Misfire often due to poor HT lead condition/connection. Paul

Fair enough Squire. Much as I like ikkle puddy tats, I think I'd end up as roadkill if it ran in front of me (brake by all means, but at the last moment lay off the brakes, get upright and hope it gets the hell out of the way). Trouble with the wee bikes is a lack of noise and 'presence' on the road - but it is good training for when you get something bigger (and perhaps better at 'non-verbal communication with the idiots who plague the roads). Hows about easing off the cables - it may be that the brakes are set 'too good' or when you grab a handfull it immediately stops the wheel? Just a thought. You've probably been taught to ride defensively, and look for escape routes and expect the idiots to do daft things (you wanna try London, cabbies who don't know what indicators are for and who can 360° on the narrowest of roads). You'll get more alert as you get more experience (sorry, am assuming that you've only been riding a short while) and things like yer man changing lane will register earlier and be less of a surprise after a while. By then you'll probably be into Hursts for a bigger bike, or perhaps Ballymena (there's a couple of fair sized bike shops there too now (or there were a couple of years back...)) Paul

Obvious question, I suppose, but have you tried MCN, or somewhere like http://www.bikedecals.co.uk/ (I guess you've probably been there and found single ones?). George White should be able to sort you out, I'd have thought? I've got a couple of old stickers kicking about off a copy of Ride or similar - probably too small for your needs (and not even doubles so couldn't put them on either side of the belly pan...) but if you want them, (Shoei/Ohlins/Bridgestone...) Paul

Mark, the bike probably won't have wider tyres available. As for skidding, wider tyres won't make a difference. This might be a little offensive to you (sorry ), but 2 emergency stops in 2 weeks would suggest to me that you either need to slow down a little or gain more experience on the bike (perhaps a little extra training?) rather than dump the bike and damage it and yourself. Paul

I'd take that to mean that the spark plug is working fine - but an assessment of the colour etc of the plug may show us where the problem is coming from.

Fuses first (cardinal rule) - do you have a wiring diagram or do you need one (as I have one I can email - PM me if you want it). Need to check the fuel pump relay too. With the pump in position, need to confirm the power to it (and from it to earth) - do you have a multimeter? Paul

A good clean - all of 10 minutes work - with a rag and some grease and WD-40. Unit should come apart easily, although watch out as some contain a spring inside which can fly across the room. Rag and WD-40 can wipe off the crud that is causing a bad connection, a little bit of grease can help the metal rod at the bottom slide a lot more freely and Bob's your mothers' brother.

Tamz, Please clarify what you mean by 'spark plug was fine' - colour of plug (digital photo?) and if it was wet/sooty/sticking of fuel/grey/dry as a bone when the problem occurs...? Paul If it's not fuel supply then it's spark or compression...

You're on an SR125 - you're already drawing attention...

Sounds like carburation - either a lack of fuel or flooding, depends on the colour of your spark plug... Take out the plug and let us know how it looks...? P

i managed to keep the reg number on a stolen recovered bike (engine and (original) frame number matched) but the true frame number was mullered so had to stamp a new number on the bike myself, destroy the fake number and get the local dvla to confirm the new number etc...policeman with a box of chemicals managed to get down to the original number...