'98 Suzuki FX 650 Freewind.

[Toocs]

Hello neighbors.

I'm in Northern NSW, Australialand and bought an XF a couple of months ago. Best thing about it is that is just laughs at the stupidly big pot-holes we get around here. Hardly feel the ferkers! Then again, maybe I'm just an old bustard and my senses have gone to crup.

Pulled the front end off a week ago and fitted new steering bearings and fork seals. The thing had been ridden on straight roads in WA (Western Australialand) all its life and was not at all happy with falling into corners. It is now :-)
Trickiest part was getting the lower race off the spindle. Just kept at it with all manner of 'persuasive' devices (mainy various types of levering) and got it after a couple of hours.
Driving the new race on squarely (bearings like to be treated straight) was also a tad tricky but not too bad. Wound up getting some water pipe which was about one mil too small to go over the spindle. Made a longwise cut right along it with a narrow angle grinder blade so the pipe could expand and then smacked the crup out of it with a very big hammer to get it down the spindle. Worked well and wasn't even too hard to get the pipe off the spindle when done.

Next is to soften the rear shock a bit. Thanks for all the tips, Bonez.

Cheers

[Toocs]

Bit curious as to to why this thread title was/is? saying FX 650 when the bike is actually an XF in most parts of the world.

Was/is that a New Zealandia thing?

[Bonez]

Premo run this afternoon on back country roads outside city limits up hill down dale. Around just under half unsealed carriageway. Cracker weather. seem to have been a combonation of issues-carbs gummed up with lacguer, one more than the other and duff spark plug. Neither plug was tightened up a bit more than finger tight and hotter than recommended. This were replace at a local Suzuki dealership, no dought to sort out the so called "running rich" issue they had on the repair docket I got from the previous owner. They certainly did nothing with the cards due to the amount of lacquer I removed. It now has the standard NGK plugs fitted which are perfedtly fine for the type of riding I do. Tightened up to the typical thread strip and backed off half a turn All good.

[Bonez]

Bit curious as to to why this thread title was/is? saying FX 650 when the bike is actually an XF in most parts of the world.

Was/is that a New Zealandia thing?

It's just to confuse the numpties in the KB Knitting circle, that's all.

[Toocs]

That unsealed stuff can be a lot of fun - but depends what type it is. A few years ago I grabbed an unsealed beer I had on the far corner of the bench and took a big swig. #$@%& I had forgotten what I deposited in it while caught short on an long-distance phone call with a mate.

Got into some 'regular' unsealed road (carriageway?) the other day too. A couple of hundred K's of decomposed granite with a lot of quartz in it. Spectacular scenery through old gold country, but the track i like riding on marbles! the FXXF XFFX did well and only dropped it once. Last time I was up there I dropped it a couple of times and had to limp home with blinkers taped on and chain guard strapped to the seat

Scored a low K 2010 TDM on the weekend. Understeers like buggery so ordered correct tyress for it last night. lolol Had been planning to update the old Falcon, but that'll have to wait a while.

The XFXFXFXFX thing will still be used for the tough stuff though!

[george formby]

That unsealed stuff can be a lot of fun - but depends what type it is. A few years ago I grabbed an unsealed beer I had on the far corner of the bench and took a big swig. #$@%& I had forgotten what I deposited in it while caught short on an long-distance phone call with a mate.

Got into some 'regular' unsealed road (carriageway?) the other day too. A couple of hundred K's of decomposed granite with a lot of quartz in it. Spectacular scenery through old gold country, but the track i like riding on marbles! the FXXF XFFX did well and only dropped it once. Last time I was up there I dropped it a couple of times and had to limp home with blinkers taped on and chain guard strapped to the seat

Scored a low K 2010 TDM on the weekend. Understeers like buggery so ordered correct tyress for it last night. lolol Had been planning to update the old Falcon, but that'll have to wait a while.

The XFXFXFXFX thing will still be used for the tough stuff though!

T'is that you asking about tyres on ADV?

You may find the 900 a bit of a pig on gravel. Yamaha managed to improve the engine over the 850 but lost the sweet handling. The 850 rides more like an old 750 Super Tenere on gravel, the 900 more like a BMW ( more front bias)'

Anyhoo, looking forward to reading your thoughts on the bike.

[Toocs]

T'is that you asking about tyres on ADV?

You may find the 900 a bit of a pig on gravel. Yamaha managed to improve the engine over the 850 but lost the sweet handling. The 850 rides more like an old 750 Super Tenere on gravel, the 900 more like a BMW ( more front bias)'

Anyhoo, looking forward to reading your thoughts on the bike.

G'day George.

Yeah, that was me on ADV. Had to settle for just a rear Michelin Pilot thing for the back (main offender) 'cos the mob I'm buying from didn't have an appropriate front in Michelin that wasn't going to cost me some silly amount. But the rear was, I reckon, the primary offender.

I don't plan to get it out in the dirt very much - mainly for doing distance. I have the xfxfxfx for the dirty work.

I really am blown away by the torque though! Pulls like a steam train! Well looked after for it's 20,000K's and very good-looking in black.

As I may have mentioned on the other site, the Delkevics it came with sounded excellent, but the law wouldn't have agreed so I swapped the cans back to the standard ones which came with the bike and packed the Delkevics away until I work out better baffling for 'em. No hurry but I will get around to it soon because they are significantly lighter and neater.

Was going to do a regular service on her for my second job of the day, but the first job - bottling 60litres of beer - showed up some problems with gear that needed to be fixed. So I spent a good part of the day getting better drums and fittings and then giving the XFXFXFX a good wash.

Won't have the new tyre for the TDM on for a few days as I have to wait for it to arrive from Melbourne and then fit it. BUT I will get to pull some of her clothes off and make better friends with her tomorrow when I give her a service

Cheers mate

[george formby]

Dunno if you have looked at Carpe.TDM yet, if not it is an excellent forum with a huge knowledge base. Very helpful.

[Toocs]

Yeah, I've been there a few times now. Last time was today, reading about disconnecting the intake flapper. Someone had already done it.
Also checked the air filter and, while at it, found the airbox-to-throttle ducts were not properly tightened. Probably the work (unwork?, malwork?, beerwork?) of whoever did the flapper mod. That reminded me I need a new set of ball-end hex keys. The filter didn't look too bad and it's only done 20,000 (recco change of air filter is 40,000!!!) so I'll leave that for the time being.
Nicked down to the local Yam shop on the Suzi FXFXFXF'er and got some fresh compression nuts for the screen etc. too.

Ticks over and runs nicely but I suspect it could do with a slight balance tweak on the throttles. No hurry on that.

Beer o'clock here. Cheers

[george formby]

Yeah, I've been there a few times now. Last time was today, reading about disconnecting the intake flapper. Someone had already done it.
Also checked the air filter and, while at it, found the airbox-to-throttle ducts were not properly tightened. Probably the work (unwork?, malwork?, beerwork?) of whoever did the flapper mod. That reminded me I need a new set of ball-end hex keys. The filter didn't look too bad and it's only done 20,000 (recco change of air filter is 40,000!!!) so I'll leave that for the time being.
Nicked down to the local Yam shop on the Suzi FXFXFXF'er and got some fresh compression nuts for the screen etc. too.

Ticks over and runs nicely but I suspect it could do with a slight balance tweak on the throttles. No hurry on that.

Beer o'clock here. Cheers

That's dedication that is. "Beer o'clock here", unplugs internet!

My 23 year old air filter looks like new. Cheers for the heads up, the inside may be turning into meringue.