lack Bering coat for 58000 grd on 31/1. It is nylon on the outside, PVC on the inside with a nylon, polyester and aluminium lining. There's a second removable lining (supposed to keep you warm at -45º), removable soft protectors for the elbows, shoulders and back, two different neck linings and is completely waterproof. I love it.
Black (carbon-fibre-looking) Bieffe Multi Pole lid for 40000 grd on 2/2. This one is my size, too.
I bought a plastic screw for the windshield for 350 grd on 12/2 and cut away 6 pieces of an old tyre to put between all six screws and their nuts, as it's notoriously easy to break the heads off by tightening them just a wee bit more.
After the 6th burnt fuse, I gave up efforts to istall my Guardian Angel alarm, but kept it, along with the Moto Fizz one which came along with the 1000, but never ever worked.
The seat strap (which wasn't on the bike) is sold with the seat itself - I didn't dare ask how much. The Fox Eyes model mirrors, which I adore and know fit my bike, are 20000 grd. Each. Although it is a very rare colour, the dealer is aware of it as it pops up on their screen as soon as they type in the frame number. Yamaha call it 'black blue'.
The rear right light didn't make decent contact. Later, suddenly all four suddenly went. The venture to repair them led me to the fuse box, which was fine. I discovered (feeling less than intelligent) that the actual bulbs were burnt, a problem which was solved with a quick visit to the workshop.
Consumption is 20 grd/km with idle roving between 1100-1500rpm. Apart from that, it works faultlessly.
April '98 (Corfu)
17/ Athens-Corfu, 502 km total with 3 ferry rides in between, multiple coffee trip. 17 grd/km, as much as my friend's CBR400, the reason being he insisted on following me all the way at 160-200 km/h. I cursed the suspension, adjusted the fork preload at 3 and then at 1.
20/ Corfu-Aidipsos, 473 km, 3 ferry rides again between some really crappy roads. 17 grd/km again, the bike felt better now. Adjusted the preload at 0, then tightened the damping of the shock completely and, regarding the package a bit 'hard', brought the preload back to 1. Now it's lousy for the city...
22/ Aidipsos-Athens, 200 km in 2h 40'. Once more 17 grd/km. The 400 was better suited to the mountain roads, but didn't do 220 km/h on the E-75. Time for a decent service...
May '98-First service (21150km)
6/ 45' to take the fairing off. The top of the engine as well as the cover of the primary sprocket are made of magnesium.
Official valve clearance spaces: IN 0.11-0.20mm, EX 0.21-0.30mm. We find 1 IN 0.17, 3 EX 0.26, the rest below 0.15, 0.25 respectively. We promptly leave them alone.
| Carburator laundry | 20000 |
| Carburator tuning + valve adjustment + general labour | 45000 |
| 3 lt Motul 15W 50 | 9000 |
| Yamaha oil filter | 3363 |
| 4 x NGK J3R9C (two-tipped) spark plugs | 10000 |
| 3 lt Spectro Year Round (blue) coolant | 5850 |
| Yamaha air filter | 6667 |
| Semi-hard Galfer rear brake pads | + 6000 |
| Rear brake fluid, tightening and greasing of chain, all well: | 80000 |
Renos (Moto Renos, Epameinonda 60 Tzitzifies, 9419581, heretofore referred to as 'the Master') suggests:
Oil change every 2500-4000 km
Oil filter every two oil changes
Spark plugs every 10000 km
Coolant change every 2 years
Valve adjustment every 20000 km
Air filter when consumption goes up
Results: We tuned it idle at 900 rpm, so the temperature doesn't rise half as fast as it used to. It pulls better and the consumption has dropped to 18 grd/km. Increase of thermodynamic output by 13%.
June '98
1/ Last night I adjusted the fork preload back to 3 again. Today, coffee at the workshop which ended up with 2 new rear light bulbs, and 2x100ml antifrictive Moto KOTE in the carter. On leaving, the 'clang' of the first gear had become a 'glack'. Yeah! 14000 grd.
10/ Dropped the bike due to utter stupidity (explicitly, letting a plastic bag with a 1.5 lt Coke hang from my right wrist without realising it would prevent the steering head from actually turning). Light abrasions on the right fairing panel, rendered virtually invisible with the help of a black marker. A metallic piece on which the fairing is screwed was dented. Surgery, straightening and correct screwing back on of the rubber under the plastic piece on the side of the cylinder head.
Impressions: Sounds well runs better, when it's not chocked. The rear light demonstrates Italian behaviour by working flawlessly at times, but being continuously lit more often. Will get to it after the exam period. Have to adjust the forks at 2...
July '98
10/ The Master fixed the brake light valve. The next day one of the light bulbs blew...
13/ Changed the light bulb. The first calculation of the month showed a record of 210 km from 3500 grd, verified since the next 1000 grd worth of gas lasted for 60 km exactly. The consumption was 16.6grd/km and the thermodynamic output has risen by 17% since the purchase.
15/ Wash up. I discovered the rear helmet lock, which I last remebered seeing on 12/7, along with its screw, was missing. Hmmm...
I completely disconnected the horn since it had turned out to be dead the previous night (I never liked horns, never used them on any of my bikes, or any other vehicle for that matter, and always regarded them a waste of time, resources and dead weight. Then, for once in my life I thought I'd use it to honk goodbye to a friendly ZZR 1100 which we played with last night and what happens? It doesn't work. Off it goes, then). The brown wire is inside the left switch board and the black near the cut of the wirebunch.
16/ The MotoParking videos showed nothing, so I had to look for a new central lock (it is common practice, it seems, for bike thieves to steal the helmet lock first, which takes 30" to unscrew. Then, using it to make a duplicate key, they follow you around and, once you stop for cigarettes and are 20 m away from the bike, they jump on it, lordly switch it on, and ride away like gentlemen...) :-(
Brought the fork preload back to 2 again. Finally, 2 is the best compromise, although it is a little abrupt. If it scares me, I will loosen it again, but I won't enjoy it.
22/ Bought new central lock for 21000 (10% discount). The Master fitted it. I had the seat and tank locks modified to work with the new key for 3000 and 5000 grd respectively.
25/ 200km to Aidipsos. Learning to ride...
29/ 200km back midnightish. Very well.
Impressions: Going, it consumed 3500 grd worth of gas for 255 km! Record consumption 13.7 grd/km. The next 3500grd (return) lasted for 236 km. Consumption 14.8 grd/km.
The shock absorber has 40 clicks for rebound damping adjustment. I believe 30/40 hard is the best position. Preload the forks at 1. (Very happy with this combination, I still keep it like this)
After the major washing operation, the headlight went on and off erratically...
August '98
3/ The Master said burnt bulb. I buy a new one from a car shop and, indeed, everything's froody. Cost 800 grd.
7/ 200 km to Aidipsos, 22.00 - 02.00 with full moon and no lights. The bike managed 258 km and the tank wasn't completely full to begin with. Ultimate record!
25/ Back to Athens 03.00-06.00, the counter indicating 24900 km. One of the brake light bulbs was burnt and the shock absorber squeaked. Jesus...
September '98
15/ (25150 km) 2.6lt Motul 3100 15W 50 for 10000 grd. Greased the chain and shock absorber which still squeaked. Light bulb next time.
25/ Rear light bulb -OK- and more grease on and around the shock which still squeaked. It must be the cineblock.
30/ It's not the cineblock - there isn't one. The swingarm swings on bearings. It's the linkage that's being noisy.
October '98
1/ Good month! The Master disassembled the suspension linkage to its component parts. We greased and oiled everything, just short of applying vaseline. 10000 grd, including coffee.
11/ Happy birthday to us both: 26000km
November '98
13/ Waterlash, didn't miss a drop.
14/ On start up it banged through the pipe occasionally. This stopped later, but it wouldn't pull, it scorched all too easily and sounded like a twin. (restrained panic)
16/ Spark plug No2 burnt. 2500 grd for a new one. It's partly the caps' fault, which will have to be changed in the long run.
25/ Last night it got rained on again and, before being switched off in the MotoParking, started banging again. I kept it on for about 5' more, blipping the throttle until it calmed down. For the time being it's going well.
30/ 27000 km
January '99
10/ 28000 km
February '99
8/ (28620km) 2.8lt Motul 3100 15W 50 and Vesrah oil filter for 12500 grd
23/ 29000 km
March '99
5/ I had a seat strap made for 1500 grd. (this ocassion revealed why the seat strap wasn't on the bike in the first place: it has to be taken out before the rear seat cover is put on, as both are screwed in at the same spots. So, either this or the cover had to be missing. The latter costs 42000grd...)
8/ Crash downtown. It was around 02.00, I was waiting at the traffic light alone, when I heard tyres squealing from behind. I looked in the mirrors (adrenaline already pumping heavily, as I distinctly remember I'd already realised this one was all for me) and saw a Sierra with all four wheels locked sliding towards me like a train. Shoved first and, letting the clutch go, managed 2-3 m before the BANG. In the very next scene, I'm lying on the tarmac beside the bike that's revving hysterically before it turns itself off. With the help of various useless miserable coach drivers that came out of the nearby kafeneio, I picked it up. None of them would give me his name as a witness, and it took them 5' before somebody decided to call the police, who took 30' more to show up (while the police station was literally around the corner and I could have walked there in less than 5'! Among other things, they didn't check the car driver for alcohol consumption, though you could smell he'd been at it. All the better there, insurance companies don't cover their clients while under the influence of alcohol, and I'd have to take a foreigner to court in order to get any money at all. They also removed my license plate, and fined me 20000 grd or so, as my insurance contract had expired, and I hadn't been mailed the new one yet, though I was under cover allright...)
Morning: (I didn't sleep at all, in order to start the day early and get as many of the usual chores over with as possible) Somehow managed to get through to the insurance company and arranged for the assessor to come to the workshop on Tuesday. Went to the workshop for briefing and arrangements, then to my insurance company to get the new contract, then straight to the central police station to retrieve my lisence plate. Voluntarily, I will forget about the last part. (It was this: I successfully fought off the usual misery, laziness and rudeness of Greek public services and emerged a winner after about 30', which is ridiculously fast by all standards Greek. I tried to put the license plate under the seat, which I'd seen the Master open that morning, only to manage to bend my key. Then I couldn't possibly straighten it again, couldn't start the bike or move it at all. A nearby policeman, who saw me tamper with a key and then try it on a bike repeatedly, asked me if I was going to take it away soon, because it shouldn't be parked there! I finally called my mother, had her pick up my spare key, bring it to me in her car through the Athens rush hour traffic, something I'm sure she curses me for even now, and left the sights of that building as soon as possible, before I burst into manic laughter and, possibly, picked up a crowbar and used it on the people and cars around me)
3 godlike afflictions within a day and I'm still joking...
25/ Black Würth silicon between the two separate plastic parts under the seat, where the alarm would be installed, so it wouldn't leak water inside from the rear tyre.
29/ Black Würth silicon between the two rear mudguards. The following morning I'd be taking the plastics down, so they were carted off for a paintjob.
30/ I installed the alarm on the bike after I learned that it does make a difference which indicator cable you connect the alarm sensors to. It worked fine.
31/ My REMUS Viper arrived. It came with a 2-year warranty. (REMUS is Austrian, with a wolf as a logo. There was a sticker with the name on it, too, which took me about 2 hours with a blow-drier to remove. It's an oval exhaust with 2 end pipes, carbon-fibre cover which never gets hotter than you can actually rest your palm on, and a thousand metal strings for insulation)
April '99
8/ One month after the incident, the bike had an awesome paintjob, a functional alarm, a lovely (and quiet, despite all indications to the contrary) (OK, the exhaust is officially not EU noise directives compliant, so it should be somewhat loud. However, the EXUP system of the bike doesn't let much noise out, at least at revs when I can actually assess the level personally. Theoretically, when the powervalve is fully open, it should be hell back there, but, by then, the bike's going so fast there are other things to worry about) end can, and new Galfer rear pads at 29850 km. The golden age of the 1000 commences...
9/ Trip to Aidipsos - bliss. 30000 km
30/ 31000 km
May '99
7/ (by now I know I'm leaving for Ireland, so this month is spent preparing the bike for the journey) Change of front and rear brake and clutch fluid with Spectro DOT4. The brake fluid was all OK, the clutch fluid looked more like mud. I put the alarm led on the rear light panel.
14/ Change of the front Ferodo pads with sintered Vesrah, 14000 grd. A can of Coke, neatly cut was placed between the old and new exhaust pipes. I tightened the chain.
21/ 4 NGK spark plug caps for 12000 grd. Check of the carbs, which were all right. Bagster leather tank cover for 30000 grd (which I'd ordered two weeks previously).
24/ Bagster leather tank bag for 34000 grd. Bike cover size 4 for 15900 grd.
26/ New spark plug No2, as the old one blew yesterday. NGK J3R9C (two-tipped) 2500 grd.
28/ (31946 km) 2.7lt Motul 3100 15W 50. A patent with the base of the old-stolen helmet lock enabled us to screw a new base for my Cryptonite on it. All, including the spark plug, 15000 grd.
29/ 32000 km
30/5/99 - 1/7/99: June '99 section
The Galway years
7/7/99: Following a spin down Salthill, I realised the lights were out. Burnt 20A fuse. I inserted the spare one, fired the lights and ping it went too. I inserted the 30A one and the lights worked at half strength. The left front light cover emitted heat big time: one of the wires under it had been pressed really tightly between the light cap and its locking wire, its plastic cover had been scratched so much it actually leaked. I insulated it with plastic sticky tape, put it back in its proper place, bought two new fuses and voila!
Ah, it's moments like these I live for...
9/7/99: 37000km
11/7/99: Brushed the spark plugs, greased and tightened the chain, 2.7 Sikolene 10W 40 Comp4, wash. I got 2550-2600 ml oil back, unbelievably low consumption. Congratulations! (the last oil change had taken place in Athens, 5000 km before. According to the owner's manual, it could justifiably have burnt 850 ml oil. Instead it only burnt 100-150. I'm still very happy about this fact)
20/7/99: I got my bike back after 5 days at Bike Tech, where I laid £ 160. The alarm had gone bing and caused a short circuit which had burnt out the relay box as well as the stand switch. They installed a second-hand relay box (£ 35), but only bypassed the switch. I ripped off the alarm, the bike WILL go in gear with the sidestand down, but I have to pull the clutch for the ignition to fire. Uh-oh...
They promised to look for a used stand switch and, meanwhile, would I like a set of Hi Sports for £ 200? That's something, I guess...
26/8/99: OK, so: yesterday it burnt the No2 spark plug following the usual procedure. At least, I thought so. Today, first thing in the morning I prepared to go and get another one. In order not to stand outside the shop too long (as it was more likely than not going to be pissing down), I took out the cap, put the socket on the spark plug and unscrewed it half a turn. On starting the bike, the engine sounded so sick I feared I wouldn't make it to the shop at all. Switched it off, took out the socket, tightened the spark plug with my hand, put the cap on and restarted the bike. My, oh my, the bike worked as smoothly as ever.
The same night: I brushed all four and tightened them by hand. I took a spin to the airport so that it would open up a bit. It went well but I decided it needed a new air filter, the old one had already done 15000 km. I found some oil residue on spark plugs 3 and 4, but on the outside. From then on, monthly brush.
24/11/99: Dearly beloved Michelin Hi Sports (120/70, 180/55) from Bike Tech at 37650 km for £ 250. I found a brand new scratch on the back wheel and they had forgotten to tighten the screws that hold the metal thingies that hold the brake hoses close to the forks. Also, the rear brake squeaked once per revolution and the bike wouldn't roll as easily as it used to. I put it down to the rear axis having been overtightened and hope it would be restored with time. 28 and 32 is the proper front/back pressure under the Irish metric system.
27/1/00: As I was preparing to go to Bike Tech to have them look into the sound I detected from the primary sprocket yesterday, I glanced at the rear axis: its right side was two lines (1 cm, I think) further back than the left one... Within 5' I'd restored its balance, the sprocket emitted no sound anymore, the rear brake stopped squeaking and the bike rolled as easily as ever. I went down those lovely roundabouts to have my triumph run, as well as the first official tryout of the new tyres, and, 5 days later, was still smiling.
14/2/00: 38000 km. Galway-Sligo-Belfast for the Ulster Motorcycle Show with Paddy. Nice trip, although the rear wheel bearings were busted (at least that's what I thought then). 700km
25/3/00: 39000 km. Spin down to the Cliffs of Moher with Paddy, 200 km inclusive. The problem persisted, but it couldn't be the wheel bearings.
28/4/00: The lads at Harry's Superbikes (Whitegate, Ballybane Ind. Estate, 091-752255) established rather quickly that the front sprocket was chipped. Given that the rear sprocket and chain were still stock, I'd change the whole set. They charged me £ 20 and ordered them.
5/5/00: The chain and sprockets were changed within 2 hours. The new chain is an X-ring and the whole transmission problem had been restored. The set cost £ 169 plus £ 20 for labour.
6/5/00 - 15/5/00: May '00 section
23/8/00: I left the university at around 02.00 to find the bike on its right side. Sigh! I actually lifted it up myself (and I'd only filled it up that morning - grrrrr), something I never knew I could do, and checked the damage on the spot: the end can had swung on the connection point axis to hit the swingarm, something which I fixed by hand right away. There were a few scratches on the right panel, the indicator lens and bulb had shattered and its base had bent in. Also, the right handlebar had bent towards the inside. Hmmmm, now that would be tricky. I rode the bike home and straightened the indicator base in the garage.
2/9/00: Extremely long and laborious washing session, inside and out, oil (3x Motul 3100 10W 40 for Ir£ 4.95 each), oil filter, spark plug brushing and chain greasing. I also fitted the new indicator lens and bulb I got in Harry's while I was waiting for the handlebar to be straightened, which was done quickly and competently, and which I doubt I was charged for.
3/9/00: We took a spin to Connemara with Paddy, when I realised that the tacho didn't work anymore. At home, I established that I'd broken the cable during the previous day's proceedings. So, no more mileage for this bike...
26/3/01: Paddy has made an excellent website, online-paddy, where he talks about his Blackbird, bikes in general, and slags off some people who well deserve it.
9/5/01: As of today, the bike records mileage again! I went berserk last night and fixed the bike inside the garage, working from 22.10 until 02.00. I changed the rear brake pad (sintered SBS, £ 22), washed the whole caliper while I was at it, brushed the spark plugs, substituted one of the rear light bulbs with a good one and installed the speedo cable (£ 10). The latter didn't require the mask to be taken off. I just had to dispense of the grey side panels in order to gain access to the back of the instument panel, and unscrew that.
21/5/01: I changed the air filter (£ 25) today at 42480 km. I tried to tune the carbs as well, bu the 5mm and 6mm adapters that come with Carbtune II don't seem to fit my bike. I'll try to find out what size they should be, but am not very optimistic about it. Fortunately, this is not urgent. The bike sounds very very nice now.
10/6/01: 43000 km. Went over to Dublin yesterday and returned today. The bike sounds awfully good and consumption has dropped considerably. On the way to Dublin I hadn't switched to reserve after 220 km, although I'd sped a considerable portion of the journey. On the way back, this happened at exactly 220 km, and while I was doing 200 km/h. Funny!
28/7/01: I changed oil (2.7 lt Sikolene 10W 40 Comp4)on the bike today, with 43545 km on it, and looked around it generally, failing to find anything to fix. I'm undertaking a rather big trip on Monday and am confident nothing will go wrong. I'm not even worried about the fact that the old oil drained was much more, appr. 2.9 lt...
