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Newbie in Wiltshire

Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2013 10:06 pm
by gaz_vtr
Hi all, been meaning to post my intro for a while, 'bout time I pulled my finger out,so here it is.
Recently sold my old (but very tidy) CBR600FL Jellymould and decided a Firestorm was the way to go, just seemed all the ones for sale in my budget were miles away, until I changed my mind about yellow ones (didn't really want one) and I found one just a few miles up the road, picked it up 2 weeks ago and been spinning spanners ever since.
Got a W reg with 25k, pretty tidy, seemed to be looked after without the PO being overly knowledgeable, he didn't have a clue what CCT's were, never mind whether they had been changed,or where to find them. So,that's a job on the list.
It has had some mods though, goodridge braided lines, double bubble dark screen ,Scottoiler, heated grips, LED rear lamp, small iridium indicators, carbon cans, unsure whether it has a dynojet kit fitted but it has dynojet stickers on both cans. The PO didn't know. Also came with the std exhausts incase they are needed for MOT time.
So far, I have fitted a finned CBR125 R/R, given it a good clean and polish, had both cans off with the link pipes and resealed along with new stainless clamps, trimmed down the rear mudguard,fitted wheel rim decals and put an SMD LED in the front position light. Just finished fitting a carbon fender extender and also carbon wrapped the bellypan, not yet got a photo of it with this on, should do soon.
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Already spent a lot of time browsing the forum, huge amount of info and great banter too.
Hopefully meet up with some of you, be good to find some other Storm owners from these parts, I'm in Melksham for those who know the area.
Cheers for now
Gary

Re: Newbie in Wiltshire

Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2013 10:18 pm
by Rob
Tidy looking bike in the best colour :lol:

Sounds like you've done your homework so enjoy the bike and welcome to the forum.

How are you finding the V-Twin experience? :clap: :thumbup: :beer:

Re: Newbie in Wiltshire

Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2013 10:20 pm
by Kev L
Welcome to the forum mate. I'm the only sane one on here ignore the rest of them. It's like one flew over the cuckoos nest here!!!!!

Re: Newbie in Wiltshire

Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2013 10:22 pm
by AMCQ46
Welcome to the fast yellow club :thumbup:

Re: Newbie in Wiltshire

Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2013 10:24 pm
by Ckennedy
Welcome and nice looking bike. Make sure you get those CCT's done. When I found out they were much a weak spot I did not feel safe riding it until I changed them (with help I may add) :thumbup:

Hope you enjoy the firestorm. I love mine, not had it a year yet. Just fitted a lighter flywheel which gives it a nice kick :biggrin :biggrin

Re: Newbie in Wiltshire

Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2013 10:26 pm
by lloydie
Wow that's yellow. !!
Hello and welcome

Re: Newbie in Wiltshire

Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2013 11:45 pm
by agentpineapple
welcome to the forum dude............ :wave:

Re: Newbie in Wiltshire

Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2013 11:59 pm
by lumpyv
welcome in mate. :thumbup:

how comes whenever we get a new member, invariably they have bikes that need the cct,s changing out ? (mine still had autos).

we all know the buggers fail, mine did but how come the bike in question in this post has got to 13 years old for example? do people change the OEM ones as part of routine maintenance?.

anyway, enjoy the storm when we eventually get a bit of biking weather :thumbup: :thumbup:
























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Re: Newbie in Wiltshire

Posted: Sun Mar 31, 2013 12:17 am
by Rob
lumpyv wrote:welcome in mate. :thumbup:

how comes whenever we get a new member, invariably they have bikes that need the cct,s changing out ? (mine still had autos).

we all know the buggers fail, mine did but how come the bike in question in this post has got to 13 years old for example? do people change the OEM ones as part of routine maintenance?.

anyway, enjoy the storm when we eventually get a bit of biking weather :thumbup: :thumbup:
Actually I have a little theory about this, probably baldrocks but here goes...

I've had my bike since new and did the stopper mod last year after 24.5K ish miles. CCT's were fine I just decided to do it as a precaution. (bike was then 12.5 years old)

My theory is that if someone has had the bike for a while they have a more relaxed and smoother riding style. A new owner is keen to experience the new bike to the full and slams the throttle open at every opportunity to enjoy the 'Twin and get a feel for the performance. Understandable obviously. Maybe the CCT's that have had an easy life now suddenly subjected to a lot of stress after a period of less strain and fail.

Not a very scientific theory but would explain why a lot of new owners have CCT failures.

No evidence to back this up apart from when I did my stopper mod I had trouble backing off my CCT's as if they had seized in place. :?:

Re: Newbie in Wiltshire

Posted: Sun Mar 31, 2013 2:41 am
by lloydie
Mine did 60k with standard ccts it only had the front head rebuilt twice ! Once by Honda and once by a monkey !
Both time I believe it was just after it was sold .
Maybe a lay up over the winter and not stored correctly is why they went .
And a new owner wouldn't of helped any thrashing it

Re: Newbie in Wiltshire

Posted: Sun Mar 31, 2013 2:53 am
by Rob
lloydiecbr wrote:Mine did 60k with standard ccts it only had the front head rebuilt twice ! Once by Honda and once by a monkey !
Both time I believe it was just after it was sold .
Maybe a lay up over the winter and not stored correctly is why they went .
And a new owner wouldn't of helped any thrashing it
Seems to back up my theory :thumbup:

I've argued before that CCT failures aren't inevitable, but there do seem to be a lot of new members having failures (after joining, not before) hence my theory.

I'm now a fully paid up convert and will advise any VTR owner to either go for manuals or the stopper mod. The most important mod you can do for peace of mind.

Re: Newbie in Wiltshire

Posted: Sun Mar 31, 2013 8:14 am
by AMCQ46
A lay up is not going to help, but from what I read it is the being on the overrun that gets them, not hard acceleration. I read somewhere that one of the race school training methods, where they get you to ride the full circuit in 3rd gear, was one of the worst things you could do for a storm CCT, especially when you shut the throttle but not change down.

I think this is typical of a new owner who is still getting used to a big twin and the are running in too low a gear.

Re: Newbie in Wiltshire

Posted: Sun Mar 31, 2013 9:50 am
by sirch345
Welcome aboard Gary :thumbup: A nice looking bike you have there with some decent mods.

Chris.

Re: Newbie in Wiltshire

Posted: Sun Mar 31, 2013 11:36 am
by VTRDark
Welcome to the forum Gary :beer: :beer:

Interesting theory on the CCT's it's said that the overrun kills them or is it as one comes off the overrun where they are relaxed and then back on the throttle putting more tension on them so they fail :think: Also long periods of time idling on the sidestand is not good for them. Autos should be replaced at service intervals. They are a bit of a mystery and we know they are badly designed. The proof is out there that they fail from the many nightmare stories of failure.

(:-})

Re: Newbie in Wiltshire

Posted: Sun Mar 31, 2013 12:33 pm
by gaz_vtr
How are you finding the V-Twin experience? :clap: :thumbup: :beer:
Hopefully I can find out this afternoon! Bikes in one piece, suns out so I'm ready to go. :D And,got the week off work and the forecast is good so could be out lots,Happy Days :D :D