Let me introduce myself - West Coast of Oz

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Twitchy
Posts: 172
Joined: Mon Feb 16, 2015 2:14 am
Location: Perth, Western Australia

Re: Let me introduce myself - West Coast of Oz

Post by Twitchy »

G'day Chris, welcome to another Perth rider. Are you north side or south side?
exTRX850 wrote: Sat Feb 10, 2018 4:06 pm Wicky - I'm surprised at the manufacturing dates, will wonders never cease! I've since read that anything after 05 would be a miraculous birth. Oz delivery I hope but will check (although a bit late now...) If you saw the ad never fear, I didn't pay that much.
Mine is dated 7/06 - July 2006, and was Australian delivered from what I can tell.
06 VTR1000F; bits by Jack Flash, Erik Marquez & Jamie Daugherty. SP/954 front and SP2 rear in the works.
Build thread; http://vtr1000.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=41&t=36638
exTRX850
Posts: 95
Joined: Thu Feb 08, 2018 3:10 am
Location: Perth, Western Australia

Re: Let me introduce myself - West Coast of Oz

Post by exTRX850 »

Twitchy mate,

I'm very close to Reid/Mitchell intersection - Carine. I know Noranda.

Very impressed at you diving into bike work yourself. I've made expensive boo boos before & I can't afford the time these days.

Great forum this but - the admins. have pinged me for too many blah comments and I can't PM you back yet, either don't have the IT permissions or I'm too thick to figure it out.

I take possession Saturday coming I think. Planet Honda. I may drop into Rick Gill or Pro Twin to see if they want to take the bike on for a mCCT or stopper if Planet doesn't move quickish. May even try and source a modified one from Bazza here or Krieger in the USofA, would be good to keep the cottage industry guys gainfully employed.

I gather you're new to big bikes. For my money modern-ish big bikes handle like little bikes and as long as power-to-weight isn't extreme you've got no worries. Being not 18 (like yourself) and having some road sense is the best thing.

No grit on icy roads or need for leathers over here eh.

C.
as seen on a low doorway lintel a long time ago, far, far away - "be kind to your mind"
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Wicky
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Re: Let me introduce myself - West Coast of Oz

Post by Wicky »

I'm sure there's a distributor of Krieger's MCCTs already based in Aussieland.
It may be that your whole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others.

ImageVTR Firestorm and other bikes t-shirts
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kenmoore
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Re: Let me introduce myself - West Coast of Oz

Post by kenmoore »

Hey Ex TRX,

I am in NSW and have a similar history to you.

I had an immaculate 01 TRX 850 that I sold to get the VTR.

I bought a bog standard 05 in red with 7,000k,s on it 6 years ago.

My first impression of it was that it was an asthmatic pile with a bit morego than the TRX.

I was wrong, it doesn't take much to liven these bikes up . In the 6 years that I have owned it there have been other bikes come and go, an 08 848, an 07 Tuono, And a 12 Tuono Rsv4 APRAC !

All have gone and the storm stayed, it now has 60ks on it and a lot of changes !

I have owned 43 bikes and never kept one for as long as the VTR. That must say something !

Do yourself a favour and get a set of pipes and a jet kit and then you will start to experience the allure of the VTR, one of the most underrated bikes on this planet.

Welcome and enjoy the bike and this forum. :thumbup:
South Coast
New South Wales
Australia
exTRX850
Posts: 95
Joined: Thu Feb 08, 2018 3:10 am
Location: Perth, Western Australia

Re: Let me introduce myself - West Coast of Oz

Post by exTRX850 »

Wicky wrote: Tue Feb 13, 2018 7:19 am I'm sure there's a distributor of Krieger's MCCTs already based in Aussieland.
high five Wicky.

I did like the look of Bazzas though, OEM yet not.
as seen on a low doorway lintel a long time ago, far, far away - "be kind to your mind"
exTRX850
Posts: 95
Joined: Thu Feb 08, 2018 3:10 am
Location: Perth, Western Australia

Re: Let me introduce myself - West Coast of Oz

Post by exTRX850 »

kenmoore wrote: Tue Feb 13, 2018 8:20 am Hey Ex TRX,

I am in NSW and have a similar history to you.

I had an immaculate 01 TRX 850 that I sold to get the VTR.

I bought a bog standard 05 in red with 7,000k,s on it 6 years ago.

My first impression of it was that it was an asthmatic pile with a bit morego than the TRX.

I was wrong, it doesn't take much to liven these bikes up . In the 6 years that I have owned it there have been other bikes come and go, an 08 848, an 07 Tuono, And a 12 Tuono Rsv4 APRAC !

All have gone and the storm stayed, it now has 60ks on it and a lot of changes !

I have owned 43 bikes and never kept one for as long as the VTR. That must say something !

Do yourself a favour and get a set of pipes and a jet kit and then you will start to experience the allure of the VTR, one of the most underrated bikes on this planet.

Welcome and enjoy the bike and this forum. :thumbup:
Very reassuring to hear Ken. The asthma makes for a poor comparison ATMoment.

43 bikes, reminds me of someones signature here saying "catching up on more bikes than years", funny.

The wettest I've ever been on a bike was outside Tweed Heads, the heaviest & most plentiful warmish droplets felt. I've been rained on in the tropics but they were more spread out drops, Tweed was soaking.

Once I know the bike better (seems pretty genuine but Wicky put the frighteners on me re exJap import and snipping a speedo wire...) I'll get stuck into these:

stopper/mCCT
Ohms check of the TPS (@macdee)...
see if there is something local with the architecture of the VTR Anniversary Remus cans and jets for a reasonable outlay

Wish list is:

rear cowl
LEDs
white tacho re-face. I can live happily with noir but the blancs look faster

Front susp.

One member here mentioned that factory front suspension is fine for those who ride to and anticipate road conditions. I like his thinking and Paul Johnsons (Man & Motor) review backed this up a bit too. I did however appreciate my TRX linear springs... I ride city from standstill to 100kph and back for 30mins most work days.

Thoughts from anyone on this?

Stay upright.


Chris
as seen on a low doorway lintel a long time ago, far, far away - "be kind to your mind"
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kenmoore
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Re: Let me introduce myself - West Coast of Oz

Post by kenmoore »

Hey,

There is a company in Poland that do white tach and speedo faces.

Can't remember their name but they are / were on eBay.

There is a good tutorial on here about how to fit new faces. :thumbup:
South Coast
New South Wales
Australia
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sirch345
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Location: The West Country.

Re: Let me introduce myself - West Coast of Oz

Post by sirch345 »

exTRX850 wrote: Tue Feb 13, 2018 9:38 am

Front susp.

One member here mentioned that factory front suspension is fine for those who ride to and anticipate road conditions. I like his thinking and Paul Johnsons (Man & Motor) review backed this up a bit too. I did however appreciate my TRX linear springs... I ride city from standstill to 100kph and back for 30mins most work days.

Thoughts from anyone on this?

Stay upright.


Chris
Put it this way, if you rode a Firestorm that has uprated suspension (linear springs to suit your body weight) back to back with a bike that has standard you'll notice a huge difference, you'll think it's a different bike. In standard form the front end is on the soft side and the rear end is on the hard side.

Chris.
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Wicky
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Re: Let me introduce myself - West Coast of Oz

Post by Wicky »

It may be that your whole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others.

ImageVTR Firestorm and other bikes t-shirts
exTRX850
Posts: 95
Joined: Thu Feb 08, 2018 3:10 am
Location: Perth, Western Australia

Re: Let me introduce myself - West Coast of Oz

Post by exTRX850 »

sirch345 wrote: Tue Feb 13, 2018 4:36 pm
exTRX850 wrote: Tue Feb 13, 2018 9:38 am

Front susp.

One member here mentioned that factory front suspension is fine for those who ride to and anticipate road conditions. I like his thinking and Paul Johnsons (Man & Motor) review backed this up a bit too. I did however appreciate my TRX linear springs... I ride city from standstill to 100kph and back for 30mins most work days.

Thoughts from anyone on this?

Stay upright.


Chris
Put it this way, if you rode a Firestorm that has uprated suspension (linear springs to suit your body weight) back to back with a bike that has standard you'll notice a huge difference, you'll think it's a different bike. In standard form the front end is on the soft side and the rear end is on the hard side.

Chris.
Got it Chris, thank you

Image
as seen on a low doorway lintel a long time ago, far, far away - "be kind to your mind"
exTRX850
Posts: 95
Joined: Thu Feb 08, 2018 3:10 am
Location: Perth, Western Australia

Re: Let me introduce myself - West Coast of Oz

Post by exTRX850 »

Killing it Wicky, nice 12 & 6 o'clock tabs.

I drive an 1970 car so the MPH conversions are fine in my noggin.

'Nurse - scalpel'
as seen on a low doorway lintel a long time ago, far, far away - "be kind to your mind"
3stars
Posts: 4
Joined: Tue Aug 25, 2015 10:28 am

Re: Let me introduce myself - West Coast of Oz

Post by 3stars »

hi mate i don't have enough posts to send a pm simon(at) guthleben.com.au
send an email i have the cable it's on loan in QLD at the moment i'll get him to send it to you then send it to me when finished
melbourne
Victoria
Australia
Swampy
Posts: 80
Joined: Fri Jan 04, 2019 1:03 am
Location: NZ

Re: Let me introduce myself - West Coast of Oz

Post by Swampy »

Hey from the eastern islands
VTRsquid
Posts: 151
Joined: Wed Feb 27, 2019 9:07 am
Location: Melbourne Australia

Re: Let me introduce myself - West Coast of Oz

Post by VTRsquid »

exTRX850 wrote: Fri Feb 09, 2018 3:52 am Hello and thanks to the admins for adding me in.

To make this (somewhat) interesting... and because work is dead slow...

I'm a road rider since 21yrs of age, which was way back in the 20th century. I have enjoyed one long bike ride that took 4 years to complete and otherwise have commuted on city streets and enjoyed easy parking. Motorbikes and bicycles do it for me parking wise.

Learned to ride on my uncles farm on his 100cc chook chaser (sorry about the gate), first bike bought was a cousins GSX250, I liked it, bike reviewers didn't. Second bike was a Kwaka GT550 from 30k. Put another 100k on it. Shaft drives ! - do VTRs come in shaft drive? Why not!

A recent request to service my 85k km Yamaha TRX850 was answered with "why don't you buy another bike instead", so... Not having much imagination or access to well priced low K TRXs I'm pretty excited about a visit to a dealer with a VTR - red, '07, 13k, original-pipe - bike tomorrow, at 8.30am. Bit sad about the 2 black dial faces and that it is not 'hey-you're-texting-please-don't-kill-me' VTR yellow.

Will be checking RRect. and CCTensioner (ask me about the Kwakas replacement manual CCT falling out 200ks after being fitted and way out in nowheresville sometime...) but given the Ks and the 'want-to-actually-sell-a-bike-today' and 'cash-flow' discussion I had with the sales bloke I think I may buy it after a ride and without chasing a lot of other bikes around. As long as the negotiated price sticks with the wriggly buggers. I'm not a suspicious type and am hoping this is a good if not 'deal-of-the-century' buy. Will give it a good once-over. All this will save me visiting bikes that are cheaper, have more Ks and are much further away. First purchase from a dealership ever !

In deciding on a VTR I have discounted aforementioned TRX, TL1000 (rare N rubbish I hear)/SV1000 (not as good as a VTR yes!), MT-01 (as I actually like some revs.), Ducatis et al (I ride more than I service bikes) and anything that depreciates or doesn't sound soulful. I did see a silver R1200RS that looked the goods but Rs feel a bit, ahem, flat, & I doubt it would fit in the traffic gaps I seem to find myself navigating these days. F800 seems to be missing a few kW and life's too short to go backwards right?

Have appreciated all the advice here and heard it loud and clear, which makes mine an anticipated purchase and not regretful at the very enjoyable (270 degree crank) TRXs demise. After 50ks on a VTR I'll post a comparison of these 2 rising-sun rattlers from the 1990s.

Stay upright

Rgds,


Chris.
Great intro. Not gonna lie, I was attracted to your username (no homo) Why did have to get rid of the TRX? 80k it was still a baby! Did you end up doing the comparo?
Im in a similar boat, got my TRX totalled by an idiot driver (100,000k still a virgin) and since there are none for sale lately i've been sniffing around and ended up putting a deposit on a 2006 VTR. Doesnt quite have the romance or the ferocious noise on overrun of the quirky TRX but all the numbers on paper say its a better bike! Will i be happy with it you reckon?
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