Bl**dy Newbies...

blindmaninchains · Post by **blindmaninchains** » Fri May 11, 2007 7:24 pm

First off - Hi everyone, I'm new here, my name is Andy.

I've just bought a red '97 Firestorm and so far I love it. That engine! Gruntier than a bean-fed pig as someone else once said about something else. It is a French parallel import, it was brought over from brand new in November 97 and it's got 20000km on it.

So far so good. I've just put 3000km on it in 3 days and it performed faultlessly, giving 115-120 miles before the fuel light on the motorway at 80mph. However, about half-way into the trip I noticed a noise. Tick-tick-tick... Reading the Buyer's Guide in Bike, it says that ticking Firestorms = CCT trouble. It sounds like a bike running out of petrol when you leave it warming up and you've forgot to turn the petrol on. Know what I mean? Anyway, it's booked into the Honda dealer (Armstrong's, Middlesbrough) on Monday, so I shall update you all on what it is. Speaking to them on the phone they said that the VTR is "a noisy engine anyway" and that if it was the CCT it would sound a lot more severe. I guess we'll find out soon!

Anyway, see you all around.

Post by **sirch345** » Fri May 11, 2007 7:33 pm

Welcome aboard Andy

Probably nothing to worry about, but I think you've done the right thing by getting it checked out

Chris.

Tempest · Post by **Tempest** » Fri May 11, 2007 9:20 pm

Welcome to the Petrol Drinkers Club

LotusSevenMan · Post by **LotusSevenMan** » Fri May 11, 2007 10:54 pm

Err, glad you have it booked in 'cos I had the rear one go tick tick when it got hot. Fine when cold; not when warm. A change of CCT solved it so ???????

I figure I caught it in time!!!!!

Kitch · Post by **Kitch** » Fri May 11, 2007 11:50 pm

Armstrongs?

I used to live round the corner from them - very good they've always been.

And yeah, a CCT gone noise is LOUD

blindmaninchains · Post by **blindmaninchains** » Sat May 12, 2007 9:28 am

Thanks for the welcome guys!

Kitch wrote: And yeah, a CCT gone noise is LOUD

LotusSevenMan wrote: Err, glad you have it booked in 'cos I had the rear one go tick tick when it got hot. Fine when cold; not when warm.

Pondering whether to have a run to Helmsley today, but with that tick-tick-tick, I'm worried it's a pre-cursor to imminent doom.

blindmaninchains · Post by **blindmaninchains** » Sat May 12, 2007 11:37 pm

I'm a Marton lad currently exiled in New Marske. There is an SP-1 in the village too.

Yeah, I'd love to tag along - just let me know when

The weather was OK after tea-time down here VTR1000KAZ - hoping it's the same tomorrow morning! Anyone going to Helmsley tomorrow morning, I'm the guy in the Alpinestars Haga Jacket slurping the hot chocolate

blindmaninchains · Post by **blindmaninchains** » Sun May 13, 2007 4:38 pm

No, but I've seen a KTM flying through our village on occasion.

I normally get my Hot Chocolate at The Police Station Cafe, but funny you should mention that little cafe near the toilets - I saw it today and thought "yummy", but I'd already re-fuelled

Hardly any bikes at Helmsley this morning.

blindmaninchains · Post by **blindmaninchains** » Mon May 14, 2007 3:43 pm

Well, the Honda mechanic reckons my engine sounds normal

So I'm gonna spend the money on some Bridgestone BT-021s instead and get rid of the crappy Avon Azaros it came with. The mechanic thinks that the slight headshake at 55mph could be down to this as my head bearings were fine.

Stratman · Post by **Stratman** » Mon May 14, 2007 7:12 pm

Avon Azaros

Don't knock 'em! Used them for 35,000 miles and nothing shakes at all - its head bearings or balance that'll cause that.

blindmaninchains · Post by **blindmaninchains** » Mon May 14, 2007 9:00 pm

Stratman wrote:
Don't knock 'em! Used them for 35,000 miles and nothing shakes at all - its head bearings or balance that'll cause that.

That's what I thought, but his reasoning was some bikes don't like particular tyres. I've heard somwhere that Storms don't like tyres with soft sidewalls, no idea if this includes Azaros.

I'll let you know what I think of the BT-021s and how they compare with the Azaros. Have you tried any other tyres? How did they compare to the Azaros?

Post by **sirch345** » Mon May 14, 2007 9:31 pm

blindmaninchains wrote:Well, the Honda mechanic reckons my engine sounds normal

So I'm gonna spend the money on some Bridgestone BT-021s instead and get rid of the crappy Avon Azaros it came with. The mechanic thinks that the slight headshake at 55mph could be down to this as my head bearings were fine.

OK as it turn's out your head bearings are fine, but what about the wheel balancing, did you check that

I run Avon Azaros also and would not think it the tyres as Stratman has said

Chris.

PS. Good news about the engine

blindmaninchains · Post by **blindmaninchains** » Mon May 14, 2007 9:41 pm

No, but the front tyre was down to 2.5mm so wasn't far off replacing, so he'll put the new tyre on, balance the wheel and hopefully the shake will be gone.
The rear tyre still had 5mm on it - but I didn't want to put a Bridgestone front on with an Avon rear. I can hear you all saying "...so why not just put a new Avon on the front?!?"

And the answer is - I'm a Bridgestone whore.

Nah, I wanted to try a different tyre - the bike moves around quite a lot when I brake late into bends and while I understand this is down to the suspension more than anything, I wanted to see what effect a different tyre would have...

Pete.L · Post by **Pete.L** » Tue May 15, 2007 8:28 am

I've ran both sets, Avons and Bridgestones on mine.
I've even had a Bridgestone front and an Azaro rear. (Too cheep to change them as a pair) and it was fine. Both tyres work well on the Storm but the Bridgestone front was always better than the Azaro when pushing really hard. I cant fault either rear so I don't think you'll be upset with your choice. Hope it cures your shake.

Pete.l

Post by **sirch345** » Tue May 15, 2007 10:51 am

blindmaninchains wrote:
And the answer is - I'm a Bridgestone whore.

There's not a lot I can add to that really

On second thoughts, when the front wheel is out get the tyre fitters to check the balance before fitting the new tyre

at least that way you'll know if it was out of balance or not

Chris.