VTR1000.ORG

Hi all, Got my first Firestorm 2 weeks ago, my previous bike was a Fazer 600. my first impressions of the storm are that it's not stupidly fast but has enough power that I don't have to change gear midway between junctions love it when it power wheelies though this is not always intentional. In fact when I try to purposely pull a wheelie for a laugh I can't get the front up, it's normally when giving it too much of a handful on a straight. And with so much torque I do need to watch it in the wet the back end slides a little too easy if not treated with respect. I have had the back end slide (wobble) a few times now, a little scary. Thank god it's not the front, the back wheeel I can control.

Been reading the forum for a couple of weeks on a daily basis and learning about the bike. One of the first thing's I need to do is give her a serious tune up. The bike has got Microns on and a K & N filter which I'm not impressed with as they sound a bit tinny, not a deep enough tone for my liking, and the bike drinks too much fuel. I suspect there is no Dynojet kit fitted so this is something I need to consider doing. As far as other mods the bike has none at the moment. I do want to do something about the front end as when I hit any pot holes the forks just bottom out. they are shite! Maybe a bit of playing around with the standard set up will help a bit, but in the future I shall consider doing a blade front end swap.

shall post pics of my bike soon and will be on the forum for lots of help and advice and to help others where I can. I normally do my own work and servicing on bikes where I can as I am pretty confident when it comes to mechanical things. Done a City & Guilds in Motor Vehicle Craft Studies years ago for cars! My week point is electrics. Need to get some paddock stands for this bike as there is no main stand Doh!!! any advice on which type is best and as cheap as poss would be great. It would be nice to just be able to remove the wheels for a good clean up if nothing else.

OK folks that will do for my first post and I shall see you around her shortly. Shall make the most out of the nice weather and get out, clean and polish the bike ready for pics.

Cheers (:-})

Welcome aboard cybercarl

Chris.

welcome to the club
great bunch on here

Hi, welcome.

Front forks can be improved to a point where you can live with them, change oil to 7.5 weight, and fit Hyper Pro springs or similar.

Or an early Blade front end (both RWU and USD) can be made to fit.

Cans make a better sound, attract more attention but usually the Old Bill leave you alone, just change up early and they don't sound too loud, just deep.

Make sure you have decent tyres, lots of choices, anything decent will do, but personally I rate SportMax's.

These bikes are sensitive to pressures, though, keep checking them.

Any stands will do, but a front one with the under- yoke section is a good idea for front fork work.
Abba ones are very good but expensive.
You can make one, though, if you can weld.

A jet kit and dyno setup is a good idea when putting cans on, just to get the best out of the engine. You can expect 106, maybe 107 bHP, 10 up on standard.

Check CCT's- if not converted they're a time bomb.

Welcome to the club, Tony has covered your questions well, forks need stiffer springs and thicker oil, then they will work quite well

I would just add that 100miles to a tank is normal........it is a very small tank!

welcome fella

Welcome aboard buddy

Where in the country are you?

Welcome in mate.

Welcome to the forum mate.

Welcome

Welcome to the club mate

Thanks for all your comments everyone.

Tony I like the idea of upgrading the springs and oil in the forks as a cheaper, quicker easier fix, shall get round to it somtime. As far as tyres go, at the moment they are just cheapo crapo Maxi's that came with the bike. I shall wait till they wear down and then put some really nice ones on for next winter. Had some Bridgestone BTO23's fitted on my Fazer which improved things massively, great tyre's that give increased grip and confidence in the wet.

I like loud cans and the plod don't bother me at all too much. I also wear an ex old bill flurecent gortex jacket and have a white Arai RX7 GP lid. They see that (as long as I'm not doing anything stupid) and if it's traffic plod they tend to turn a blind eye. After all, all they care about is road safty and loud pipes saves lives as vtrkidda puts it. I saw your post (I think it was you) about the plod in the plain 5 series on the Tonbridge bypass. That is one of my favourite stretches, you can really let it rip along there especially on the side going towards Hastings. Got to be careful though that roundabout aproches fast and one could easily get it wrong braking to late into it.

As far as stands go the front will defo be one that attaches to the headstock that I will need. I would like to find one that is universal for fitting to other bikes. No I can not weld, I wish I could. That's somthing I would like to try one day.

I have read all the scary stories about the CCT's. My storm has done just over 8000miles so not in too much of a hurry to get that sorted, but it's in the back of my mind for now and I shall do them approx before the16,000 mark.

Flatline I am in London nowhere near Leeds. Shall update my profile as soon as....

OK that's it for now as it's time for or coffee in my case.

(:-})

Welcome to the forum.

Welcome to the club mate ......if theres a place to be owning a storm it this site ....plenty of help and good advice.

welcome to the forum carl. good to see another london lad on here, my mate bought a headstock stand from germany £40 i think recambi weis or something like that, its on german ebay, it works very well and he's well pleased with it.......