Author Topic: What have you done with your V-Strom today? (Read 1395321 times)

wurzel · « **Reply #8300 on:** May 26, 2018, 22:34:44 »

That has made that front end, lovely job!

TLPower · « **Reply #8301 on:** May 27, 2018, 06:00:45 »

I HATE black wheels on motorcycles.

There, I've said it. Lazy, cheap and lack of imagination manufacturers have been churning out these abominations for years.

Good on you SimStrom and have a "like" for doing what needs to be done.

Stonec0ld · « **Reply #8302 on:** May 27, 2018, 13:38:38 »

I used to have white wheels on the gsxr and they were a pig to keep clean. Silver looks good though

infidel · « **Reply #8303 on:** May 27, 2018, 14:20:56 »

Cleaned the lovely black wheels on my banana.

Then spent the morning sweating over the SV, bloody thing is cutting out when hot.

pichulec · « **Reply #8304 on:** May 27, 2018, 22:31:46 »

Installed cymarc footpeg lowering kit

UK_Vstrom650 · « **Reply #8305 on:** May 27, 2018, 22:40:54 »

Started to tackle a popped dust seal on the front left caliper. I should have used the brake fluid to push the piston out further than I did as the bugger wouldn't move even with compressed air. Fortunately my efforts with my piston rotation tool moved enough of the dust seal out so I could push the piston fully in and carefully extract the dust seal with pliers. The piston came out no problem after that. Having said that, I've never seen a piston caked in so much salt before - wow!

Made a good start on cleaning the caliper and the pistons, which have come up remarkably well. I suppose I ought to change all the seals in the caliper, not just the knackered one. Question is, should I refresh the seals on the other caliper whilst I'm at it??

wurzel · « **Reply #8306 on:** May 27, 2018, 22:44:33 »

In a word....yes!
It's job done then, if you don't it all gets a bit muddled in the future, you know it makes sense!

SimStrom · « **Reply #8307 on:** May 28, 2018, 19:02:11 »

Got the back wheel cleaned up and painted silver to match the front

Next job? I'm thinking of colour matching the belly to the tank as it's a plastic jobby and only really serves as a decorative item

When I saved the pic Google images saved me an arty farty black n white pic which I thought looked quite good

Joe Rocket · « **Reply #8308 on:** May 28, 2018, 19:33:32 »

Looks good SimStrom.

Whilst I agree with TLP about black wheels there is the penalty of noticing how dirty the rear wheel becomes and the light surface needs to be REALLY CLEAN............ like in your photos.

The chain shines too!

TLPower · « **Reply #8309 on:** May 29, 2018, 05:54:31 »

A couple of minutes with https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/products/294530429 enables one to be freed from the misery of black wheels.

I will go one step further and include black front mudguards on "modern" 'bikes as being another lazy abomination by skinflint manufacturers.

Excellent work SimStrom, have another "like".

infidel · « **Reply #8310 on:** May 29, 2018, 16:13:52 »

I always keep a few bottles of this hanging about for wheel cleaning.

https://pgpro.co.uk/pg_product/deepio-professional-degreaser-spray-750ml/

great stuff.

SimonF · « **Reply #8311 on:** May 29, 2018, 18:29:27 »

How hard can waiting until v day be? Answer is very hard... But only two days to go!

Been shopping today in preparation. Some stone guard and yellow reflective vinyl. We've got a cutter so the plan is to make tank protectors out of the stone guard.

Did a test on the trade in and pleased with the results. Should be even better on a more forgiving colour - yellow.

Now back to counting down!

Top photo is with flash.

Cheers

Simon

UK_Vstrom650 · « **Reply #8312 on:** May 29, 2018, 22:53:25 »

Finished my brake rebuild. Both calipers done.

Quick test ride around the block & the stop the bike

though they do feel a bit squishy, so I've cable tied the lever overnight to see if that improves it.

Only issue now is there's some pitting on the discs - wonder if it'll pass the MOT next month... I'll post a picture tomorrow for any opinions

I ought to clean the back brake too I suppose

pichulec · « **Reply #8313 on:** May 30, 2018, 14:31:29 »

Bleed it again. I had same issue when I did mine this winter. After second bleeding it is perfect ;)

UK_Vstrom650 · « **Reply #8314 on:** May 31, 2018, 07:30:14 »

I did a 300 mile round trip to Bedford yesterday. The brakes seem good & my mpg appears to have gone up quite a bit (around 8-10). I did get caught in a deluge and forgot that water leaking down your neck isn't a pleasant experience, nor is trying to put soggy gloves back on. The rain may have also killed my scala rider unit - it has a hole in the rubber covering the buttons - so I may be looking for a new unit soon.

I'll give the brakes a second bleed today

& am planning on rebuilding the rear when the seal kit turns up as it hasn't been done in 6 years

infidel · « **Reply #8315 on:** June 01, 2018, 10:57:28 »

V-banana chain adjusted - Just a touch to spec as it measured exactly 30mm at midpoint. Now 25mm.

Not sure if it was the dealer at the service or zuki when they built it but some idiot torqued the rear axle nut to well over 100Nm. Must have been 120+ and it wasn't stuck, just over tightened. The original chain alignment wasn't perfect either - now corrected accurately with vernier calipers.

Beginning to think the Saturday apprentice did my 600 mile service.

Mystrom · « **Reply #8316 on:** June 01, 2018, 18:29:59 »

Old top box fitted to the new bike. Thanks to NativeViking on EBay for the carrier plate. Lioks like I’ll be able to take some clothes when I go to Tarrenz, Austria.
Waiting for racks to arrive for the panniers. Thanks Motohaus.
But I’ve given up hope of getting tankcover for tankbag. Motea fails miserably to deliver.
MyStrom

porter · « **Reply #8317 on:** June 01, 2018, 18:46:53 »

Nice topbox. But I see another MZ mystrom, a red one. How many have you got?

Mystrom · « **Reply #8318 on:** June 01, 2018, 19:53:19 »

Just the three!

porter · « **Reply #8319 on:** June 02, 2018, 08:36:30 »

What models? I just sold my etz250 last week. The engine went 20 years ago and its sat in my garage ever since. Meant to restore it but life got in the way.