Snakebite68

I was going to suggest getting someone experienced to try a bit of clutch-less shifting to see how it took it... If you like 'tinkering', before you replace the casing, you might consider trying to bore it out and sleeve it! Kind of a more permanent version of the tin can shimming you've done so far. Even if it ultimately doesn't work and you replace the casing, it will be a good learning exercise...

Have you considered a trike conversion?

Hmmm, well I had considered the insulation problems (not melting the seat/fairings/rider), and even the weight distribution problems. But I didn't think about the performance problem... Yeah, I've seen a few bikes with cans on the bottom of the bike, venting out either side of the rear wheel! BMW are doing that, if they hid it behind the bottom fairing a bit more, that would REALLY clean up the lines!

Another piece of Thread Necromancy, sorry... But I would really like an answer to this question, IS there any hard luggage out there for Thunderaces?

I'm relatively sure this is the place to post this, but I'm sure someone can move it if it isn't..! This is probably a very 'n00b' question, but: I've always wondered, under tail exhausts just (to me) look so cool! Neater, less visible, streamlining and hopefully cool... So... Why aren't more bikes built with them??? There's obviously at least one major downside to them, or I couldn't see why more bikes aren't built with them. So what is it? What makes them un popular to manufacturers?

Did you get this issue sorted? The exup was for low rev power, it shouldn't cause this.

Now that's cool, I'd love to do that! I was a little worried when you said YZF though, my first thought was an R1! lol

In the same vein as your tank issue, I just recently I had a bit of tentative exploration under my Thunderaces tank. Sorted everything out that I wanted to do and put it all back together, started it up, everything runs fine... Our lass comes out and says 'Is it working now? Let's go to Squires...'. So, off we pop. Need some fuel so head there first. Been on the road now for like 5mins and I can feel... Something... Like the engine is missing or something... Just occasionally. By now, we're down two steep hills and nearly into town, and I'm riding with my head to one side listening. This is before I got my valves gapped, so it wasn't running perfectly anyway, so I thought, maybe I'd just heard that slightly rough running... We're now through town and turning off past a commercial area to go get fuel and the bike definitely coughs a few times pulling away from the lights! Hmmm... Not good! By the time we're on the road leading to Sainsburys petrol station, it's missing a LOT! And I give up and pull over. Only for the engine to instantly die!!! %)£*(%"!!! Restart it, it fires right up... Then dies! And again... And.. Nope, that's it, nothing... In a mild panic, I come across the only explanation I can think of, I've kinked the fuel line when I put the tank back on, but, there's no way to get to it, unless... In the commercial area, there's a Halfords, I'm on pretty good terms with them, I wonder if they'll loan me some tools? Worth a try..! So I'm waiting for the guy to grab me the couple of tools I require to get the tank off when it hits me!!! I have a tap on the bottom of the tank... I... Didn't... Turn... It... Back... ON!!! Anyway, 3mins later the bike is fired up and I'm sheepishly explaining what I'd done to the guy that loaned me the tools!!! You feel SUCH an ass sometimes! lol

Yeah... Don't buy plugs off Amazon... If they look like a great deal, be suspicious..! I'd be looking at what the actual difference is between those two plugs. It may be that you just bought dodgy fake plugs, but it may be that the other plug is higher rated, which leads you to the question: WHY did someone put uprated plugs in the bike? Better spark? To solve a problem? What I'm saying is: Just because the issue appears to be 'fixed', don't stop looking for the problem!

Yeah, I used to drink Snakebites too, however the nickname is because of the half dozen faded scars on my left hand from a 14' Burmese Python...

So I'm curious... How many people in here have (or had) a Thunderace? How was it? What problems did you find? What issues do they have? What did you do to upgrade it? What would you have liked to do to upgrade it? And so on... I've uprated my drive chain and sprockets (I was eating my standard ones for some reason (I'm not a speed freak, honest!)). I've been wondering about getting some uprated spark coils. Whilst not in terrible condition, my fairings are looking their age. I've been looking at the Chinese aftermarket fairing kits. Anyone ever got one? Any good? Our lass keeps sliding down her seat when I'm braking, and attempting to break my nuts! I bought one of those triboseat covers (I call it her 'stickybum'), it helps, but not enough to save my nuts all the time. I've been entertaining the idea of making myself some custom seats. But, I'm having trouble finding seat material I like. The original Thunderace covers are just plain smooth vinyl and are pretty slippy but modern seat materials are (I don't know how to describe it), more material like... Any ideas where to get it from? Basically, this thread is a 'talk about Thunderaces' thread! Let's go!!!

Something I found out recently about wheel bearings... Stick the bike on the stands and spin and wiggle the wheel around to check the bearings, all sounds and feels good! I think that's the end of it... Well, you're not supposed to get to your destination and turn the engine off while you're still moving apparently, but I do it anyway at work because it's down hill from the security gate to where I park my bike, and... What's that grumbling??? Yup, the bearings that sounded ok on inspection don't sound nearly as good with my fat ass on the bike! They sound SO much better now they've been replaced while I'm gliding into my parking space behind the air-con units!

Hey guys, Just saying hello... Name: Paul, but I go by Snakebite. Bike: YZF1000R Thunderace. Biker Status: Returning biker (2 years on the 5th of January) (now fully legal!) Mechanical Status: Competent Amateur. Skill Level: Still Alive and haven't dropped it yet... I never know what to write in these things. I want to do more of my own mechanicals, but without a garage, the Ace being my primary mode of transport and my 'drive' being composed of tailings, it's not easy. Our lass and me are looking for a house to buy at the moment, so I'm hopeful for a decent garage soon! Theoretically, I'm capable of doing a complete strip down of my bike (not including the actual engine) but I'm afraid to get too deep into it in case I can't get it back together in time for me needing it for work! lol I have no biker friends anymore, they've all grown up and got cars..! So it's been hard for me to get back into riding, I have no rider friends to bounce ideas off and regulate my riding techniques... If anyone has any questions, I'm happy to answer... I will no doubt post some pictures of the Ace at some point! P.S. So far, I ride all year round (thought that sounded important to mention... lol).