New Firestorm Owner !

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vtwin
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New Firestorm Owner !

Post by vtwin »

Hi everyone, after wanting one for a while I have finally bought a Firestorm. Its a 2001 model with Scorpion Pipes in red. I have held a bike licence for many years but didnt ride much until last year when a midlife crisis meant I just had to get back in the saddle ! I bought a GSX600F which has been a great stepping stone but I yearned for a V Twin so just had to get a VTR.

I am truly amazed by the bike, very light, comfortable and deceivingly fast ! I have picked up a few things that I assume are normal but could do with some advice.

1. The fuel guage appears to change its reading at will unless the tank is brimmed it can be anywhere between quarter and three quarters full ?

2. The gear change is very clunky from 1st to 2nd but silky smooth in all other changes.

3. The guy who had it before had a low speed drop wich has damaged the high rise link pipe to the scorpion silencer, can this be bought seperately ?

4. The front brake judders and on inspection the right hand disc is about half a mm bent, probably caused by the last owners disc lock. Can this be straightened successfully or should I not bother trying. I am fortunate due to my work to have a trade account with EBC so can source discs if required, are they ok on the firestorm or should I look for a genuine one ?

5. Lastly the dreaded cam chain tensioner ! I have read so much about it, my bike has done 26k and has a full honda dealership service history. Would the tensioners have been replaced as a matter of course or are they not changed by a dealer unless they fail/

Sorry for so many questions !

Oh and this is a great site !!

Lastly I have been reading a lot about
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benny hedges
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Re: New Firestorm Owner !

Post by benny hedges »

welcome & congrats on the new arrival :)

i take it you have a later model - with 19L tank & wing on the tank, digital clocks etc?
the rest of us peasants just use the trip meter and olod.

do a search for 'gearchange mod' thread on here - basically it just involves realigning the lever and linkage, takes 10 mins to do.
raising the tickover helps too.

good luck getting hold of spare hi level lonk pipes! you're not the first person to ask.
maybe mail scorpion and see what they say?

ebc discs are probably better than the oem tbh - let us know what you can get them for cos i wouldnt mind a set myself!

camchain tensioners? entirely up to you, but there's been so many failures it's not worth taking a risk imo.
theres a load of options, but have a look at the TT cct thread :thumbup: and search 'stopper mod'

good luck anyway and get some pics up - if youre not sure how to, look in the computer help section :biggrin
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vtwin
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Re: New Firestorm Owner !

Post by vtwin »

Hi, and thanks for replying so quickly !

Yes mine is the later model, after reading reviews about riders struggling to get used to the engine braking and the power being ferasome I was a little apprehensive for my first ride. However I actually find the bike very easy to ride, I cant really say the engine braking is an issue and at the end of the day it only goes as fast as you turn the throttle. The only thing I am trying to get used to is the very high gearing, obviously after getting off a 4cyl 600 it is going to be high but around town you do need to be carefull you are not in too high a gear.

I have yet to ride it in anger but I can feel its going to be fun. I am a bit of a steady eddie but I am quite happy to be that way.

I will have a good read about the mods you mentioned, thanks.

I will also phone and get a price on the EBC discs and pads Monday and will post up what I can get them for, more than happy to supply anyone on here if they are interested.

I might phone the guy I bought it from and also the honda dealer to see if they can tell me if or when the tensioners have been done and take it from there.

I can see I am going to be a regular on here ! :D
tony.mon
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Re: New Firestorm Owner !

Post by tony.mon »

Hi, and welcome.

This week I have also been reading a lot about.

However I was moved on.

But at least the big Operation Storm summer meetup is next week, see the threads in Day Out section.
All very welcome, show it off before it gets dirty.
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Jazzscot
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Re: New Firestorm Owner !

Post by Jazzscot »

Welcome to the forum mate. I used to have a GSX600F as we but like you hankered after a storm. I love the bike and having experianced the front cct go on me I would defo reccomend putting in manuals as soon as you can. Rider on a storm makes and supplies them for about 40 quid delivered (see sales and wants).

Enjoy mate Jazz
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benny hedges
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Re: New Firestorm Owner !

Post by benny hedges »

vtwin wrote:riders struggling to get used to the engine braking
have a look at 'intech vacuum control' thread - i fitted some vac relief valves on mine and the engine braking is almost un-noticeable, even dropping it 3 gears coming up to a roundabout it just coasts, more like a IL4.
it's still there but very manageable, knocking the throttle off it used to brake fiercely whereas now it just rolls and burbles.

for the meantime if it bothers you, set your idle about 1500 or higher and it wont be as bad.
it can catch you out going round corners slow, especially in 1st.
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Anotherbikerbabe
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Re: New Firestorm Owner !

Post by Anotherbikerbabe »

Hello & welcome :wave:

I still have my GSX600F which I'm selling when its all done up again as hated riding it and I agree, the Storm is much easier to ride than the Soozy..and more comfy too...I may be interested in the EBC discs too,so be good to know,once you have a price etc.I'm sure you'll have loads of fun on here as great bunch of guys. The stopper mod for the CCT will work as good as anything and I doubt the CCT's will have been changed though, so you may want to do that pronto. I bought my Storm last Aug BH and it had 26K on the clock, not to scare you mind, my CCT went 1 month after buyign my bike. Some can go forever with no probs on the CCt, but I think that is more good luck than good management..
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vtwin
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Re: New Firestorm Owner !

Post by vtwin »

I mentioned in my first post I could get EBC parts trade. I phoned today to get a price on my discs. I am quite happy to supply anyone on here who is interested.

I dont know how good these prices are in comparison to what you can get them elsewhere, but done a quick search online and I think they are pretty good

FA187 standard front pads £13.80 per side
FA187 HH £18.02 per side
Front Discs ( universal fit either side ) £112.90
FA174 standard rear pads £12.78
FA174 HH £16.08

All prices include vat and the are genuine EBC products. As I said they do appear competitive but if you know otherwise please let me know.
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cheekykev
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Re: New Firestorm Owner !

Post by cheekykev »

Hi vtwin
I'm a new member and just been reading your section about you finding it hard to ride due to the high gearing, well i had the same problem when i first got a Firestorm 11 years ago, if i was turning round a slow sharp bend/ small roundabout, 1st gear would rip your arms out and take off like a kangaroo or 2nd gear would nearly stall and try to shake all the nuts and bolts out, what i did was to fit a front sprocket with one tooth down from standard, this made the bike a lot eaier to ride.
Just as a matter of interest to you and anyone else out there it may help, i sold this bike 6 years ago, yes you guessed i bought another which i still own to this day, with this bike i went 1 tooth down on the front sprocket and 2 up on the rear (with the advise from the guy behind the counter at QUILL EXHAUST a company in Aintree) when i asked hm for the parts he thought i'd left leave of my senses or was trying to economise on front tyre wear but i found this to be the best combination. my Firestom is just so much fun now, it's like being on your favourite fair ground ride, it smoothed things out at the low end but without losing the grunt and characteristics of the bike, which is why we love VTWINS in the first place, :Bike:
If you do go for this mod just take easy for a while, it does alter the bike quite a lot, but in my opinion for the better.
It will lift the front up easier, :Shock: it will go like a bat out of hell when you turn the tap on, :Jaw Drop: it will catapult you out off the apex of a bend, :Shock1:
you will lose some of the top end speed, :bobby2:
I'm not sure what effect this has on tech side i'e speedo etc you'd have to ask the tech guys but it sure as hell worked for me. :D
if they give any possible problems then please give me feed back.
well i hope this as been some help to anyone out there.
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seb421
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Re: New Firestorm Owner !

Post by seb421 »

wombles sake im gonna miss the operation storm ride because it wont have the wheels in time, piss
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sirch345
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Re: New Firestorm Owner !

Post by sirch345 »

Welcome aboard vtwin :thumbup:

Chris.
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