So I brought a bucket.

[Asher]

I actually haven't paid for or picked it up yet but it's a 2001 FXR150.
I haven't let that small detail from stopping me day dream about potential upgrades.
The bike has already been converted into a bucket and has had some engine work and is running rs125 slicks.
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=310558&d=1428316404

Most of the potential upgrades will be coming from my spare vj22 rgv250.
I was thinking of swapping in the front end; triple clamps, clip ons, forks and brakes. Looking at keeping the fxr wheel or possibly changing to a rg150 wheel.
I would like to change the rear shock to a fully adjustable unit. Was thinking of picking up a cheap modern shock out of a super sport off trade me. Not sure what would be required to make it fit, would adjustable length dog bone links make this easy?
Currently it's using a front slick off a rs125 on the rear and I have read that the rear slicks aren't a great fit although I haven't been able to find exactly what sizes the rs125 rear slicks are. I read that the stock rear tyre size is 110-90-17 which sounds like a superbike front bike will fit well (at least in my head). Otherwise I will look at what work is required for the swingarm, brake and chain to accept a rg150 rear wheel.
Currently the bike has a gn250 carb but the seller said after the engine work the carb seemed to causing a flat spot. It's probably something I can tune out of it but I have a set of 30mm mikuni vm flat side carbs out of a rgv. Has anyone tried this carb setup?
I will also look at moving the muffler under the bike so it doesn't get ruined in a crash and the bike currently has no dash and has been deloomed so I want to put a rev gauge back into it, I figure it's as simple as splicing a wire from the coil?

Hope to see you guys out at the next bucket race at ruapuna 😀

[Pumba]

Congrats on the bike, but before head off down a path I will pass the following comments about your plans

RG150 wheels? Personally I feel you are wasting your time as they are pretty much the same width as the FXR. If you want to look at wider rims really you need to look at doing the GSXR or Impulse rim conversion. RS 125 rims are 3.0 front and 3.5 on the rear I think.

A front off a 600 will fit on the rear (there are plenty of guys that do), but the RS slick on the back does make too bad a profile if I recall so I don't think there is much to gain.

VJ22 front end is not a straight swap. Steering stem on both the VJ21 & 22 are longer than the FXR, although at least the 21 and the 22 with RWU forks do run the same steering head bearings if I recall correct. Unless you are talking about VJ22 USD forks? I looked at it and they are HEAVY!!! and I wasn't convinced they were going to make any real difference.

IMHO you wold be better off spending the money on a set of emulators for the front forks and keeping the front end standard.

[speedpro]

nice looking bucket

Forget the rev counter it's just a distracting waste of time.

If the RGV carbs are anything like the ones I've looked at they have slightly complicated air bleed arrangements. You will have to reduce the air bleed to put a 2T carb on a 4T. Typically the air bleed orifice is drilled and tapped and a small keihin main jet screwed in. It may be a simple case of blocking everything off and just fitting the restrictor jet.

A shock upgrade could be useful, I'm not sure. Check out the higher spec pit bike shocks. they are designed to work on a bike with no linkages and are plenty adjustable. The one on Dave Manuell's bike is actually quite nice and it was only $300 odd.

[chrisc]

RS 125 rims are 3.0 front and 3.5 on the rear I think.

2.5" front and 3.5" rear is ideal and you should be aiming for this for those tyres.
Early RS125s have slightly skinnier wheels.

Edit: personally I think you are wasting your time swapping the front end. These bikes are heavy enough and the forks work good enough to never be a problem. A service, the right amount of properly weighted oil will do wonders to them!

In my opinion there are 2 things wrong with a FXR which are worth considering to have a competitive bike.
1 - weight. Mine weighs 106kg which is a boat compared to the sub 70kg buckets out there.
2 - power. They're very gutless out the box but offer a good platform
3- they're not a 2 stroke (kidding).

This being said, the FXR is a brilliant bucket base. Keep it reliable, don't overcomplicate things (track time is the best investment you can make), then ride the tits off it.

[Asher]

Thanks for the info, all food for thought.
The spare forks I have are the 91-95 rgv USD versions and they are heavy but as I already have them I considered it a free/cheap upgrade. I think my mate has a complete zxr250 front end that might be better?

So the fxr's shock mounts from the swing arm straight to the frame? So no linkages? I guess that means I can only replace it with a shock of similar length

[F5 Dave]

2.15" & 3.0" will work just fine, but 2.1" & 3.5" are optimum. Anything else is not ideal & you should work to locating wheels in the good sizes. I went for early RS as they are light work with the right tyres.

They aren't a 2 stroke so they will be fat and sound dreadful, but easiest bike to get on & have fun.

[Askor]

Alternatively you could race it as is, decide what you don't like about it, then start fucking with it.. :innocent:

[Grumph]

While you will receive plenty of advice on gearing, I'd still put a tacho on it. On the big tracks down here it's an invaluable tuning aid.

[Asher]

While you will receive plenty of advice on gearing, I'd still put a tacho on it. On the big tracks down here it's an invaluable tuning aid.

I was just thinking of a led bar behind the screen and a shift light.


Alternatively you could race it as is, decide what you don't like about it, then start fucking with it.. :innocent:

But where is the fun in that :shifty:

[mossy1200]

Come on Asher I put a RSV mille front end on mine. Worked a treat.

[Asher]

Looks good. Whats required to get the triple clamps to fit? Can you just swap around bearing races and trim the steering stem to fit? or is there more to it then that?

[mossy1200]

Looks good. Whats required to get the triple clamps to fit? Can you just swap around bearing races and trim the steering stem to fit? or is there more to it then that?

I used some Matag commercial washing machine bearings that I had and a long bolt that I ordered. I made a crush tube like a wheel has. The bearings are a lot like taper bearings so they support what would normally be sideways movement.
Its not a bucket racer if it doesn't have some appliance parts in it.

[ducatilover]

ZXR forks are as heavy as fuck mate.
But I might run them on the bucket I just got because I have them :lol:

[Muzzab]

:niceone:

Good to see you brought it, glad to think the bike will get an airing again.
I'd give it a go before deciding what to change on it, the previous jockey used to do pretty well on it as is.

[Yow Ling]

just race it as it is, why change something when you have never even ridden it. Look at Lewis Dray on his stock framed fxr. Rg wheels are heavier , VJ22 forks are way heavier. Just put a tacho on it if you want, FXR ones are almost free.

[Autech]

Alternatively you could race it as is, decide what you don't like about it, then start fucking with it.. :innocent:

Listen to the man, he may be a boy but he is a man, I swear.


just race it as it is, why change something when you have never even ridden it. Look at Lewis Dray on his stock framed fxr. Rg wheels are heavier , VJ22 forks are way heavier. Just put a tacho on it if you want, FXR ones are almost free.

This man is a man, and not a bad man, but listen to him also. Get out there and thrash it, once you start beating Askor then look to upgrade it with trick bits. I'm building an NC30 atm, there are many things I would like to do to it suspension wise but there is nothing I will do until I get her out on track for and see where it is lacking.

[Buddha#81]

I'm no 3 to say leave as is. Throw the GN250 carb as far as you can and fit a oko 28 or 30mm. Take the rear tyre off and put it away as front slicks are becoming hard to find, a 600 or super bike tyre on the rear and that bike could run at the pointy end.

Thank me later by buying beer with the money you will save!

[Henk]

just race it as it is, why change something when you have never even ridden it. Look at Lewis Dray on his stock framed fxr. Rg wheels are heavier , VJ22 forks are way heavier. Just put a tacho on it if you want, FXR ones are almost free.

My dash fell of in a crash one day, only thing hooked up was the tach, I left it in the parts box and lost some heavy, never looked at it anyway, the limiters on FXRs are as reliable as hell and the power drops before it kicks in anyway.

[timg]

Throw the GN250 carb as far as you can and fit a oko 28 or 30mm. The Oko is definitely better, but the GN carb ain't too bad, drill out the hole in the bottom of the slide a little, like one drill bit size larger at a time to get a quicker response/lift. Can't remember what size worked best but we went too far and had to solder up the hole and redrill it back a size. As everybody else says, keep it simple and race it then figure out what you need to do to it, if anything. Cheers.

[Asher]

All reasonable and intelligent answers, not what i expected from kiwibiker :nya:
I will grab a 120-70 slick rear for it and bring it out to the next race and try both while im out there and probably will wire in a tacho simply to have a shift light and leave it like that till i can decide what needs urgent upgrades.

[timg]

I will grab a 120-70 slick rear for it Got a good one in my shed you can have for $50 if you want. Cheers.

[Asher]

If its in good nick then im interested. If you are going to the racing on the 14th i couold possibly grab it off you then?

[Asher]

http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=312606&d=1433567943

Picked up this little guy today and immediately got into it.

Changed the oil and filter and replaced the brake fluid.
As it's been sitting for awhile I pulled the carb out and check the bowl for varnishing.
I will pull the engine out tomorrow and paint the frame black (I hate the red).
I have pulled the fairings off and given them a sand and have some paint ready to give them a new look too.

Can anyone I Chch confirm there is racing next weekend?

[Asher]

What spark plugs do you guys run in your buckets? The service manual suggests CR7/8/9E so i have brought one of each but which one should i try first?

[Asher]

Managed to make myself a foam seat using a sleeping mat from the big red shed.

[Pumba]

I run CR8E in mine. Never had any problems so have never had a need to try anything else

[Henk]

Pretty sure. 8 is standard

[Asher]

The paint scheme turned out pretty good.
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=312662&d=1433750890

There ended up being quite a bit of rust in the fuel tank so spent a while cleaning it out and since it never had a filter on the reserve side of the peacock I have added a filter into the fuel hose.

[Henk]

The paint scheme turned out pretty good.
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=312662&d=1433750890

There ended up being quite a bit of rust in the fuel tank so spent a while cleaning it out and since it never had a filter on the reserve side of the peacock I have added a filter into the fuel hose.

Nice number.

[Asher]

Nice number.
:niceone:

Hopefully no one else in Canterbury runs this number.

[Henk]

:niceone:

Hopefully no one else in Canterbury runs this number.

If I ever get down there or you get to one of the North Island rounds I'll fight you for it on the day, or play paper rock scissors or something.

[Asher]

How do you guys go about changing to GP shift (1up- 5down) with stock rear sets?

[ducatilover]

Flip teh lever on the box and make a longer bent rod around the frame?

[F5 Dave]

And limit travel or suffer fxr gear lockup.

But as I always say. Kevin Schwantz used road shift pattern. When I get better than him I'll change over.

[Henk]

And ditch the stock rear sets, they are made of cheddar and will only last one or two crashes.

[Asher]

And limit travel or suffer fxr gear lockup.

But as I always say. Kevin Schwantz used road shift pattern. When I get better than him I'll change over.

What do you mean by limit the travel?
All of my bikes are gp shift, i find it better in everyway.

So i have to bend my shift rod? I tried to shim my footpeg out with washers which is what i did for my 636 but that didnt work on the fxr.
I guess i will try that and possibly bend out the part where the shift rod connects to the shift lever.

[Askor]

What do you mean by limit the travel?
All of my bikes are gp shift, i find it better in everyway.

So i have to bend my shift rod? I tried to shim my footpeg out with washers which is what i did for my 636 but that didnt work on the fxr.
I guess i will try that and possibly bend out the part where the shift rod connects to the shift lever.

I made some adapter plates out of part of a road sign I stole whilst drunk, works well for moving the stock pegs/hangers up and back until I make some proper rearsets out of ally plate. You're welcome to help yourself to this roadsign if you want a quick & dirty fix




I don't really drink much these days lol

[F5 Dave]

I'll let Scotty explain but they seem to get stuck in gear like they push past the next hump on the shift star and can't get back. I don't got no fxr but seen plenty afflicted in the pits.

[Henk]

I'll let Scotty explain but they seem to get stuck in gear like they push past the next hump on the shift star and can't get back. I don't got no fxr but seen plenty afflicted in the pits.

It's usually bought on by either crash or over exuberant (read rough) gear changes, the selector goes past the end plate and ends up jammed on top of the pins on the selector drum and stuck in either second or third.

Two minute fix, pop off the side cover and flick the plate back on, of course by this stage you are in the pits and everybody else is still going round in circles

[Bert]

It's usually bought on by either crash or over exuberant (read rough) gear changes, the selector goes past the end plate and ends up jammed on top of the pins on the selector drum and stuck in either second or third.

Two minute fix, pop off the side cover and flick the plate back on, of course by this stage you are in the pits and everybody else is still going round in circles

That's an interesting statement...

Something that I noted at the GP with our supersub. The selector kept stepping out (solution was found): but it never once did it too me or to anyone one else on my bike (but I'd admit I'm now where near the pointy end of the class). Only physical setup difference was the change to road to race shift....

Maybe, the forces applied when in race shift causes the issues - sensitivity on the up shift....
Easy enough to resolve.

[Henk]

It can happen with both race and road patterns, only time it has ever happened on my bucket was with three laps of the two hour to go, and Rick riding.
Some people have the issue all the time and other seldom if ever, I'm trying to remember if up shifts or downshifts are more common but I think both are possible.
One thing to keep in mind when trying to sort this out is to make sure the bike isn't resting on the shifter after it was unceremoniously dumped on it's side in the scramble to fix things, damned hard to get it back where it should be with the weight of the bike on the selector shaft.

[Asher]

Gp shift is sorted and 1hr of head scratching later I discovered the gallery in the carb for the float valve clogged with rust, but now she is all ready for the Bears racing tomorrow.

[Asher]

Had a good out at Ruapuna today.
Didnt take too long to get used to the bike and i managed to win both races.
Im struggling to learn the revs and gears on the bike but that will come with time and the brakes and suspension are pretty rubbish that i will have to deal with sometime.

https://youtu.be/vibnO9CP6fM


https://youtu.be/RpFhEsd_9EY

[koba]

Well done! :scooter:

[Muzzab]

:niceone: good job you gotta be happy with that.