Hello - new member. Testing Read this

Iwantafirestorm · Post by **Iwantafirestorm** » Sat Sep 11, 2004 12:58 am

Hi everyone,
Please don't all slag me off and tell me to get off the board when I tell you that I ride a Suzuki GS500!! (It was brand new on 10th Jan 2004 if that's any consolation + it's the new "nicer" shape - not the horrible old shape).

I have studied loads of bike over the last 12 - 18 months (torque figures, bhp, riding positions etc) and I have definitely decided that my next bike is going to be a firestorm.

Test rode one the other day - wow! Very low revving, mega-torquey, nice to ride, excellent steering (even better than my GS - thought the 'storm would have heavier steering).

They sound as though they are not even trying when they are purring along - whereas 4-cylinder bikes REALLY sound like they are trying with their high-pitched, high-revving wail (don't get me wrong - I love 4-cylinder bikes (nearly bought a hornet last year), but I am a lover of twins and V-twins.

Rich

RAINMAKER · Post by **RAINMAKER** » Sat Sep 11, 2004 1:07 pm

Could do a lot worse............hope you get one.
probably selling mine next August, at a very low price,
Getting a tourer, R1150RT for some real long distance sh1t.

Still done 700 miles in a weekend on the VTR

Iwantafirestorm · Post by **Iwantafirestorm** » Sat Sep 11, 2004 6:45 pm

Cheers - I hope I get one as well! (Won't at the moment though - no job + no money, but studying law so if I can do that I'll be able to have a new bike every six months!!!!!!!!!)

700 miles in a weekend? They must be comfy eh? (Always been a bit worried about choosing a bike then realising I don't like the riding position once I've got into it)

Rich

RAINMAKER · Post by **RAINMAKER** » Sun Sep 12, 2004 10:07 am

comfy................NO WAY...........ok for first 150 miles but with traffic jams etc by the time i got to about 250 miles my butt was so painful that I had to stop every 50 miles...........real pain.

So not good on long trips, others might disagree. so might be just my saggy old butt.

Iwantafirestorm · Post by **Iwantafirestorm** » Sun Sep 12, 2004 11:55 am

Oh no - now I'm wondering whether it is the bike for me after all!?!?

Mind you, I'm unlikely to do more than 150 miles at a time. My current bike has only done 1200 miles from January! (My dealer laughed out load when I took it for it's 600 mile service after 6-months(!) - He said I was the record holder for their shop for the longest ever time taken to get to the 600 mile service!) I don't know whether to feel honoured or discraced!

What year is yours? I know the chape changed slightly after 2001 and the bars are "slightly" higher + angled up "very slightly" after that year as well?

(still love 'em though)

RAINMAKER · Post by **RAINMAKER** » Wed Sep 15, 2004 6:16 pm

Its a 97, good fun really, but CCT's a bummer, rectifyiers also crap at Â£150 a time.
Love the vtwin thing but looking at all the problems and worries can't honestly recomend them.

would i but one knowing what i know now..............NO probalbly not, great fun to ride though.........more fun than any other bike Ive had so there you go.........rough with the smooth.

Iwantafirestorm · Post by **Iwantafirestorm** » Wed Sep 15, 2004 7:07 pm

Sorry to sound really stupid and ignorant here but, what's a CCT!?

When you say problems and worries and "what you know now" (ie: I assume problems/bad things) what are they?

Love to know from someone that knows before I make a possible mistake(?)

Would you prefer to buy a 4-cylinder then instead?

Post by **kevg** » Wed Sep 15, 2004 9:48 pm

CCt's are the Cam Chain Tensioners, one for each cylinder, they seem to have a habit of breaking and hence mangling the engine, its a problem thats not just soley the Firestorms, the Blackbird and some other hondas also suffer from this.
It just seems to be luck wether or not it happens, there are a few guys on here that it has happened to, and there are many more that it hasn't...............although they(and me) are all shitting themselves at the prospect.
The replacement ones that Honda suply aren't any better by all accounts but there are a few alternatives, one being to fit manually adjusted ones by APE, another is to see one of the mechanical guys on here, he modifies them for you.
I think the problem is a weak spring that breaks or looses tension and causes the timing to go, letting the valves drop into the cylinder with obvious results.
Iggy is the newest member of this club i think.

Iwantafirestorm · Post by **Iwantafirestorm** » Wed Sep 15, 2004 10:08 pm

Cheers - that sounds terrible!

I have a couple more questions:

1) Does that still apply to "brand-new" 'Storms?

2) If you rode fairly "gently" (as I do - I don't ride "hard"), wouyld that possibly help the situatuion?

3) If and when they go, is it repaired by Honda free of charge (regardless of the age of the bike) if the bike has always been fully serviced correctly by the dealer?

Rich

cupasoop · Post by **cupasoop** » Wed Sep 15, 2004 10:56 pm

1. yes (i believe someones on here let go at about 30 or 40 miles)
2. no ( Honda just cant make valve gear. never have been able to. remember the vf range of the early 80's)
3. dont make us laugh (honda wont admit theres a problem)

Dont get hung up about it, read some other forums for other makes of bikes. Just about every kind of bike has some inherant problem.

Iwantafirestorm · Post by **Iwantafirestorm** » Wed Sep 15, 2004 11:22 pm

Everybike does have an inherent problem (My current bike is a brand new Suzuki (9 months old) that has never seen rain or damp and I've seen rust on the underside of the frame!!

- so it's true what they say about the Suzuki finish)

However, totalling the engine due to Honda's fault is one hell of an inherent problem!

Still think I'll go for a 'Storm though

RQ · Post by RQ » Thu Sep 16, 2004 10:28 am

Does that mean you'll have to change your name to "Ieventuallygotafirestormafterlotsofthoughtandadvice"?

Iwantafirestorm · Post by **Iwantafirestorm** » Thu Sep 16, 2004 12:55 pm

Yes RQ, or even "Imadetherightdecisionunlikelotsofotherswhowastedthousandsofpoundsonabikethatwasnogoodforthem"

RAINMAKER · Post by **RAINMAKER** » Thu Sep 16, 2004 1:39 pm

Well, my bikes done 18,000 miles and not thrown a CCT ............yet.
Forks too soft but thats easily fixed @ Â£200
Rear Shock for about Â£450
Do that and you will have one of the most fun, best handling bikes on the road.
Mines bog standard........well screen and sometimes loud ART cans.......
Sound great, cute rear end with seat cowl on......
Storms out of corners, lifts the front.

Never had so much fun on a bike, BEST THING ARE THE GUYS ON HERE, THE MEET UPS ARE A BLAST.

NO BIKES IS PERFECT, IF I HAD KNOWN ABOUT CCT BEFORE, WOULD HAVE BOUGHT SOMETHING ELSE. GLAD TO HAVE THE STORM.

Iwantafirestorm · Post by **Iwantafirestorm** » Thu Sep 16, 2004 4:46 pm

nhr22259 wrote: Sound great, cute rear end with seat cowl on......
Storms out of corners, lifts the front.

Totally agree about the rear end - always looks great with the seat cowl on (better than without it on)

Generally I think it's a great looking bike all over (front headlight's a little dit dated, but hey!). Exhausts look great how they are tucked in (better than "wide" twin exhausts) and the whole bike looks quite "thin" and low (which I like)