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Let me introduce myself - West Coast of Oz

Posted: Fri Feb 09, 2018 3:52 am
by exTRX850
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.

Re: Let me introduce myself - West Coast of Oz

Posted: Fri Feb 09, 2018 4:44 am
by macdee
Hello and welcome to the club

Re: Let me introduce myself - West Coast of Oz

Posted: Fri Feb 09, 2018 9:22 am
by Kev L
Welcome to the club mate
:thumbup:

Re: Let me introduce myself - West Coast of Oz

Posted: Fri Feb 09, 2018 10:38 am
by AMCQ46
welcome to the group, looking forward to your 50k review ;)

Re: Let me introduce myself - West Coast of Oz

Posted: Fri Feb 09, 2018 11:01 am
by alanfjones1411
Hello and welcome to the forum Chris :thumbup: :wave:

Re: Let me introduce myself - West Coast of Oz

Posted: Fri Feb 09, 2018 12:48 pm
by Wicky
Greetings

Have a word with your Neighbours about getting a Firestorm for Steph ;-)

Image

Re: Let me introduce myself - West Coast of Oz

Posted: Fri Feb 09, 2018 3:16 pm
by exTRX850
I see the props dept. couldn't manage a wire wheel Katana, cheap.

TRX for sale...

Re: Let me introduce myself - West Coast of Oz

Posted: Fri Feb 09, 2018 3:48 pm
by popkat
I'll have the Katana if you sort her out a Firestorm, In fact ask her to deliver it to me, that'd be nice :biggrin . Wire wheeled version were few and far between, only made so they could use them in the Castrol/Bathurst 6 hour races. The NZ wire wheel was supposed to have some special bits, different cams, carbs and bigger bore exhausts, I think all that are still around are known so unlikely to get one of those.
I raced a wire wheel (SXZ) model in the UK, probably the only one to come over here..

Thread hijack.
Wicky this is your fault you shouldn't mention Katana when I'm in the room :lol:


.

Re: Let me introduce myself - West Coast of Oz

Posted: Fri Feb 09, 2018 4:40 pm
by exTRX850
Happy to be hijacked popkat although the TRX sale bait seems not to have been taken, it would round out your garage...

Funny thing, autocorrect really wants me to get poppet instead of popkat, maybe the admins. should look into that before anyone's offended.

I am at the VTR sellers dealership in 8 hours - off to bed for now.

Chris.

Re: Let me introduce myself - West Coast of Oz

Posted: Fri Feb 09, 2018 10:58 pm
by sirch345
Nice introduction. Welcome aboard Chris :thumbup:
Good luck with your intended purchase,

Chris.

Re: Let me introduce myself - West Coast of Oz

Posted: Sat Feb 10, 2018 6:16 am
by exTRX850
no longer a lurker, once the cheque clears during the business days next week I'll be an owner of:

https://bikesales.pxcrush.net/bikesales ... ethod=Crop

and be on it next weekend.

It has a finned RR & a CCT that could let go at any moment.

Must says it seems very anaemic with factory cans but I can imagine how that can be attended to.

Stay upright.


Chris

:beer: :P

Re: Let me introduce myself - West Coast of Oz

Posted: Sat Feb 10, 2018 9:31 am
by Wicky
Image

Looks like a later model - it says 2007 in the ad but it'll have been manufactured between 2001 & 2005. Is it an official Aussie bike or a Jap import (restricted?) ?

Re: Let me introduce myself - West Coast of Oz

Posted: Sat Feb 10, 2018 10:52 am
by MacV2
Best colour !

Welcome in, as an F2 it will have a finned reg/Rec anyway which is better than the early ones.

If worried look for a BMW S1000R Mosfet reg/rec. Not a straight swap as the conectors are different but with a bit of patience, a small scredriver & some dexterity, you can unpick the crimps from the std block conector & plug then straight on.

The cheaper mod is to splice a cable into the green wire, the earth, that goes into the block & run it direct to the battery - terminal.

As for the fact its not yellow...you have done yourself a favour the late ones are a strange milky yellow...Uprate the headlight bulb or fit an Eastern Beaver relay kit if doing a lot of traffic running.

Have fun.

Re: Let me introduce myself - West Coast of Oz

Posted: Sat Feb 10, 2018 11:00 am
by tony.mon
Looks good and clean, are you getting the colour matched seat cowl with it? They came as std.

Re: Let me introduce myself - West Coast of Oz

Posted: Sat Feb 10, 2018 4:06 pm
by exTRX850
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.

MacV2 - Mosfer advice I will store away & continue with the OEM, thanks.

Tony.mon - I had a wish list with the dealer, the rear cowl was near the top, sad face, no cowl. I'll try again if I can get the POwners details and see what is said.

Unmolested forks and cans. I'll ride it as Nippon intended for a while methinkst, although a hugger would be nice, the rear tyre/view looks so - naked...