Re: Pimp my ride: Budget Byson

GBD approved!

Lets keep the bold text to a minimum. Apart from that, we'd look forward to regular updates on this one.

Re: Pimp my ride: Budget Byson

Nice intro! Will look forward for further updates.

Sent from my Xperia L.

Re: Pimp my ride: Budget Byson

Mr.Naveen Vajja ...Good to see your enthusiasm . Make sure you share all of the DIY steps in bringing back your Bison to a better state....We are keen to read and learn .
To make your posts more appealing, Share Your Experience step by step with facts and Pictures as the metamorphosis takes place. Remember a Picture is worth a thousand words, and coupled with factual information, posts will become enlightening to all
Good Luck

Re: Pimp my ride: Budget Byson

[MENTION=32286]psr[/MENTION] I will definitely have this as a step by step detailed process. I learned so many things from similar posts and hope this will help others on a strict budget.

I'm starting with the Visual upgrades first as they are very easy to do with limited tools :-)

Re: Pimp my ride: Budget Byson

So Let me begin with comfort ....

I believe above everything essential for a bike is the level of comfort it provides to the rider. Yes a bike can be used for many specialty purposes ... a tourer, a stunt bike, a track machine or just a show bike. But I can safely assume that 95% of people who buy the FZ buy it for its muscular looks, the big fat rear, comfort and the reliability of Yamaha.

I drive/rode 12 km to office daily which takes me an average of 30-45 mins depending on the traffic. The operation of the clutch and brake wore out the stock levers provided with the bike. Also they were not really to my liking as the brake lever was a tight and my right arm ached by the time i got to office.

A few posts in the forum were talking about adjustable levers. Maybe this was a solution to my issue along with adding a certain flair to the bike.

I checked the local stores and found a brand called 'MOXI' and they came in different colors and the levers were adjustable in terms of 'play'. They costed from Rs. 600 Rs. 3000 depending on the store. But they look like they cost 600 and were made like that too. So I skipped considering my inability to identify which is genuine and also I didn't like the feel of the levers.
I might have identified an original distributor for MOXI in Hyderbad. Will keep posted. I didn't want to disavow a manufacturer as all or most that I have found could have been fakes.

I looked for Brembo and Lightech made clutch & brake levers ... but with them costing around $120-$160 (8k - 10K INR) I had to let go the big brands (This is a budget build after all)

I didn't have any friends returning from abroad and I wasn't travelling anytime soon ... so I started looking online and I found these.

Gold / black Aluminium alloy CNC Foldable&Extendable Brake Clutch Levers For Yamaha FZ16 2012-2013


The following types of levers are available (prices are for the seller I chose and bought at. They can be different at different sellers)

1. Short Levers ~25 USD
2. Long levers ~25 USD
3. Extending and Folding ~36 USD
4. 3D Feel Levers ~40 USD
5. 170cm Right angled ~37 USD

You have to choose based on the year and model of the bike, the color specification and the type as above.
I chose to go with the Extending and Folding type levers as it offered the maximum customization in terms of length and play. Also they fold on event of a crash and hence might save your fingers (Not interested in testing this feature ). I liked the 3D feel levers as well...but let them go considering dust and grime.





I've decided to go for Black and Gold as that was the direction I was taking my bike for now (Midnight special edition)

*I will post pictures of the current bike and the levers shortly.

**I do not own or endorse the brands that are being shown/discussed and I don't get paid by them. The opinions shared are mine ad mine only based on my personal preference and do not have universal applicability.

Re: Pimp my ride: Budget Byson

Continuing with the revitalization as I have some spare time ..... This time it is TURN SIGNALS.

Why !!! Well during my time away ... people were using my motorcycle. Lazy buggers didn't deem worthy to put the effort to park the bike in my garage. Rather they used it and parked by the wall or on the streets. So I lost 3 turn signals

Two damaged by miscreants and one of them when the guy constructing his house beside mine decided it was OK to let debris fall into the neighbors house.

One of the first ones to be damaged was replaced by the friend who borrowed it .. and hence i knew the indicators cost ~Rs. 100.

Also when the idiot mechanics at Pearl Yamaha Madhapur replaced the new bulb they didn't bother to plug the crimp things ... instead they just cut the sheath and just twisted the wire from the old indicator with the new one .... class one ass of a job I say. (will post the pictures). With them I have a lot to rant about them, but not relevant for this thread.

All my research was done looking at online options as I do not know anyone in the city and unfortunately do not have the time to go around the city.

The options: I heard a lot about RIZOMA and LIGTECH. They were great on paper and a few members had it on their bikes. I checked online and they were about $45 on the US site and about Rs. 4500 to Rs. 5200 for a set.

So what do I do ... am on a budget after all. So I turn to the Chinese for help

I found the below options 1 2 & 3 options. I liked them very much and they cost around $20 = Rs.1300. They are also made of CNC Aluminum and I did trust those folks (all) as they have some class A NC products.

I wanted to still go lower as I'm new to this kind of buying and I'd rather get better stuff for these and save up for the 'cc' upgrade.

So I got myself these. I have ordered 3 sets for the price of one ad they look similar to the LIGHTECH ones. Yes they are plastic and not Aluminum. But to be honest this is a commuter and it will be parked in tight parking in office where people don't usually care about other's bikes.

They costed me $4.96 per set x 3 = $ 14.88 = Rs. 966. The installation will be done during this weekend. Will share the pictures then :-)

**I do not own or endorse the brands that are being shown/discussed and I don't get paid by them. The opinions shared are mine ad mine only based on my personal preference and do not have universal applicability.

Re: Pimp my ride: Budget Byson

The parts have arrived ... EXCITED !!!

My GIF not playing


But then people be like ... ohh snap !!! How did he get them so fast. That too from Ali 'G in the house' Express.

There is a lot of research that goes into this and some of the research is already done, orders already placed and delivery underway.

First you got to go through all of XBHP and other random forums to identify the cool stuff. Inspiration came in all shapes and sizes ... a huge tasklist such as @abhimanyu31's thread 'Making of Kawasaki Ninja 300 San' or small threads here and there.

Then you have to find vendors. Do you go with the big name brands and spend big buks or do you trust the local guy who might not support you on replacements, zero warranty and bargaining skills required to haggle with this guy (makes the Pawnstars look stupid).

I chose to buy online as I'm very short on time outside the office. I can take a break and search for cool, awesome stuff. Their payment security is also awesome and maybe we can trust the Chinese. Even then you can get the same product from different vendors ... so you look through this guys profile, reviews, if he is on other sites like Ebay and Amazon, how are his reviews there etc ...

You then narrow down the vendor and then have to comb through combo offers to squeeze that extra bit .... frugal is what I have to be.

Then starts the wait ... ohh boy that wait is just killing. Some you get in 20 days, some you get in 30 and some you might not :-( (Paid $1 for my plantronics earbuds 6 months ago).

Re: Pimp my ride: Budget Byson

To change the headlight !!!

At one point of my motolife (2012 to be exact) had I seen an Apache with a Devils eye projector HL. So obviously I wanted one and I set out to get one. I was pointed in the direction of Castrol One service center in Madhapur. I approached the SC and in all naivety agreed to all that he told me was needed and would be sourced.

1. The battery needs to be upgraded as the Minda is not good (Actually don't regret this decision). Got an Amaron something (Yes I was/am a noob)
2. Do I want the Chinese one or do I want a Skoda's projector lamp ... ohh boy I said yes and it was extra @2500 bucks.

So I paid this guy close to 6000 bucks (Cost included upgrade to Amaron battery) and he took 6 days to install the pile of horse manure.

Did I get a cool projector lamp ... yes. Did it work ... hell no. So I had to sit and figure out the wires and finally understood the combination. Installed a rocker switch to control the light and left the Devils eye running as DRL.

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But the damage was already done. The left handle switch gear was not working and the high/low beam switch still doesn't work. (I tried my best). It costs Rs. 750 as an SKU, but am currently not in the mood to change it.

I bought a new headlight for the Yamaha FZ16 from the local store. But the bulb retainer spring mould was broken. Had to return it back and he didn't have anymore.

I found a store online that stocks OEMs and was willing to ship to my place. www.indiaspare.in

I order the part from them and got it in 7 days :-) winnnn. From the local store, I bought Philips Crystal vision H1 bulb for Rs.399 (Rs 450 ... checked after I was asked about this) as it didn't come with the bulb.

Installation is very simple ... plug 'n' play actually as it is an OEM. Not going to bother with that. Below are the videos showing how the light behaves.








*Please suggest on how I can make this post better. Also kindly do point out any mistakes I might have made ... after all a noob here

**I do not own or endorse the brands that are being shown/discussed and I don't get paid by them. The opinions shared are mine ad mine only based on my personal preference and do not have universal applicability.

Re: Pimp my ride: Budget Byson

To change the tank covers !!!!

So in 2011, I had bought a black FZ16. I didn't connect to the other colors that much. I like how muscular it looked in black.

One day when I went to Yamaha Riders, Pune to get my bike serviced, I saw the limited edition vehicle. In Black and Gold it was opulent. I was mesmerized by the 'bling'.

It instantly appealed to the Snoop Dogg in me.... D O double G style
(Apologize in advance if it offends anyone)


so when my vehicle was parked for my time in US, the neighbor starting building and someone moved the bike to the open. Falling Debris and paint have taken its toll.

I tried all the dealers around my place and even went to the Yamaha parts shop and they didn't have tank cover of any color. Almost a year, i rode the bike with wire band aids holding the tank together. it was a cool look and I had a great story for it. Time passed ....

So I look to to http://www.indiaspares.in for support again. The voice on the other side of the phone gave me the part numbers to order with and I placed an order online.

It did take longer than earlier, but finally after 3 weeks the parts came. With them being the midnight edition ones, they were harder to find for the guy. But they pulled through and got me those.

Can everything go all right for me ahh heck no. They sent me the right cover of an FZ and the left cover of an FZ-S. *face palm* I call them up and they tell me that they had to move heaven and earth to find those and that was it. Should it really matter ... I mean no one can see both sides at the same time right !!!

The installation of the tank is a 15 min job that can be done with one allen key. Its not complicated at all. Just remember to carefully save the plastic washers below the screws. They are easy to lose but are very critical.

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*Please suggest on how I can make this post better. Also kindly do point out any mistakes I might have made ... after all a noob here

**I do not own or endorse the brands that are being shown/discussed and I don't get paid by them. The opinions shared are mine ad mine only based on my personal preference and do not have universal applicability.

Re: Pimp my ride: Budget Byson

Ohh ... BTW I solved the FZ, FZS problem by using a felt to market and carefully/artistically blacking out the 'S'. You might not have noticed from the pictures and needs a fine EUR to really catch it

Re: Pimp my ride: Budget Byson

General Maintenance. (Some pictures are pending. I will update once i get my SD card back :-()

As I've mentioned earlier, the bike was not loved as much in the recent past. So I wanted to do a few things to keep it 'tip-top'.

The below sections will be rewarded individual posts depending on the length they garner :-)
1.Chain cleaning
2.Engine oil
3.Clutch/Throttle Cables
4.Tire change
5.Seat change

1.Chain cleaning

When riding at low speeds, there is this God awful rattle from the chain ... like I'm dragging cats. I used to joke ... we just got married ;-P

PUN aside the chain needed to be cleaned. But I didn't want to just use spit and shine ... no Lithium grease or used engine oil or other witch doctor crap.

I removed the front sprocket cover and the chain guard. I took a brush and started removing the gunk from the sprockets. I used the brush that is used to clean clothes.

I bought Motul Chain Clean and Chain Lube. Costed me Rs.960 for the set. Bought them from Nakoda Automobiles, 4th phase KPHB, Hyderabad.
I like this store as he has a lot of FZ originals including minor stuff like screws.

Ride your bike to ensure that the chain is warm. Needs a little temperature. I had to move to an open area as I was working with aerosol sprays and the garage is closed space.

Spray the chain clean on top of the lower side while slowly rotating the wheel by hand. I know people suggest to put the bike in 1st gear. But i didn't think the danger was worth the effort. I took my time with this as the chain was very dirty. I used the spray on the sprocket as well to get the gunk out. When you spray you will see the black grease dripping on the ground. So make sure its a place you can clean.

After the entire cleaning process. I let the Bike stand for 30 mins and then wiped with a rag.

Now take the Chain lube and spray on the chain at the rear sprocket. spray inside out ensuring it doesn't end up on the wheel. Opposite of the picture actually. The bike runs very smooth now and there is literally no noise at all.




*I will post picture of the Chain clean process soon. They stole my SD card ... damn those idiots :-(


3.Clutch/Throttle Cables

4.Tire change

The tires were pretty bad. They had run for almost 25K kms. There were visible hairline cracks on the tires. The rear tire has 4 nails in it. One of them was even bent into the rubber.

I had multiple options and I wished for a Pirelli Diablo Rosso II as they come in 140/60. But I was not really sure if we can get them in India and I didn't have time as I didn't want to ride the bike like this.

I didn't want a different tire size and I like how the stock came ... and there is issue of geometry and trigonometry when you change the sizes. So I stuck to standard.

I found the rear MRF REVZ 140/60 R17 tire and I'm still waiting to procure the front stock.

The rear costed me Rs. 2900 and I bought it from Nakoda Automobiles in 4th phase KPHB near JNTU Hyderabad.
The guy charged me Rs. 100 to change the tire and he wanted to keep the old tire.

The new rear tire .. they are called the REVZ - Y !!!!

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Not sure how it looks with out the chain/mud gaurd. But with rain around, I don't want to an ass to other just to make my bike look better.

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The sorry state of the fron tire :-(




5. Seat Change

Re: Pimp my ride: Budget Byson

2.Engine oil - This needed its own post as this is important and is stand alone

I checked the engine oil and it looked like tar ... like real bad. I really wanted to the treatment with Shell Rimula 4 like @psr had suggested in an earlier FZ post. I have to try and find where I can source them in Hyderabad. But the engine oil was really bad and hence I swapped out the oil and the oil filter. i used Motul full synth oil.

What I'm doing here is based on my understanding only. It could be dangerous and might sound stupid. This approach has its issues.

In a Motorcycle, the Engine oil is used for different purposes by the engine internally. Crappy engine oil implies that all those parts are also not performing to the maximum potential.

What i did is to ride the bike till it was slightly warm/hot. Now with the Engine switched off and the motorcycle on main stand, I turned the Vacuum cleaner into blower and then put it on the oil cover.





And this is the reason I hate them Pearl Yamaha guys with a zeal .... never tighten bolts too tight. There are torque numbers for each bolt and they should know better.



Wear thick rubber gloves to protect against the temperature and open the drain value. There might be some blow out of hot oil so please be careful. This helps get most of the oil out. Remove the old oil filter carefully as even this is bound to be hot.






*This Motul is only a week old. There were suspension deposits in the engine oil :-(
There is no use of changing engine oil if you do not change the oil filter as well. The oil filter costs Rs.40 for the FZ and it is thicker than ones made by other Motorcycle companies.

@psr had suggested in another similar thread that Shell Rimula help in cleaning the Engine. I did my research and found multiple forums where people have used Diesel Engine oils in Bikes. There is an actual Email sent by a Shell Executive that pointed out the pros and cons. Will post when i find it.

I have used Shell Rimula 4. It costed me ~Rs. 350. Shell has closed their pumps in Hyderabad and I couldn't find stockists online. While driving around, I found a store near Kukatpally Y Junction. I bought the 1ltr Bottle for trail purpose.

Pre-soak the oil filter by applying clean oil. I use a paint brush that's clean. If the bike has rubber gaskets and mounts ... advisable to apply clean oil there as well . Make sure there is no oil around the screw holes. Install the new oil filter and drop 100ml of the new engine oil when the oil drain valve is still open. then close that valve and pour the rest of oil. It takes around 900ml of oil. Pre-soaking the oil filter takes about 100 ml or so. But get two bottles to be safe.






Do not overtighten the screws. People are over enthusiastic about tightening bolts. You will do more damage then good. I understand not everyone has a torque wrench. So remember the number of turns that it took to get it out :-)

*Please suggest on how I can make this post better. Also kindly do point out any mistakes I might have made ... after all a noob here

**I do not own or endorse the brands that are being shown/discussed and I don't get paid by them. The opinions shared are mine ad mine only based on my personal preference and do not have universal applicability.

Re: Pimp my ride: Budget Byson

Ohhh new post .... what is this about !!! Probably the most important of all my posts till date.

All my posts so far have been about getting it better which added comfort to the ride and some about getting it back to factory.

I changed to oil to full synth Motul and along with it a new OEM filter. It made the bike run a little better ... and it was not getting that hot either after getting the right AFR.

But Engine braking was rough high. I agree I ride hard. I like to stay upwards of the 5K rpm range (fyi ... I ride with a proper lane sense). The engine braking was still so high that the bike dove. There were vibrations after 65-70 kmph (4th gear) and they didn't die even in 5th. The top end was about 97 kmph on a plain level road.

As I've mentioned earlier, I do not know any mechanic and I don;t trust people easy. So I planned to do something about it myself. As I have mentioned earlier, I changed th oil to Shell Rimula 4.

Now this is a Diesel engine oil....and the FZ has a petrol engine (duh!!!) So should i use it or not. Now I won't without doing some research eh!!!

So I read online and [MENTION=32286]psr[/MENTION] had some interesting insights into it. This is what I found online.

This post was by a guy who wrote to Shell asking if he can use a Diesel Engine oil in his Mocycle. The reply should satisfy (or raise more questions) for the literate.

But I don't understand things on paper that well. I'm a touch, feel & squeeze kinda guy. So I go out on a ride..... a really long one.

My bike was never this smooth ... never ever. There are literally no vibrations at all...well except when I'm not in the right gear and stuff !!!!

The bike is very smooth to ride and the noise it makes ... well music. It sounds smooth. The only time I'm having any vibes were when I'm above 90 kmph.

The bike feels a little lazy at low revs/speed combination. But it could just be because i like to ride stupid. I have a friend with a 2nd gen R15 and even he commented about how smooth and buttery the engine felt.

Based on what I have read ... please consider that the below information is also relevant. But again I'm not a Chem ... so please don't bite my head off if what I understand is different from yours.

The motorcycles use the little qty of engine oil the have and push it to the limits.
ZDDP in Rimula 4 will make the metal-on-metal run better and has great oxidation. But oxidation is ... well burning better.
Since they are basically made for Diesel engines which run on higher load they have a higher Timken OK load and hence will reduce scoring. (Maybe really good for run-in's)

So these oils have a higher JASO rating than what is approved for Petrol Engines. So basically this implies is how the Ash content of these oils is measured.

You can also check this on the secondary oil filter which will be an ideal place for finer pieces like this.

Ash Content

1. Detergency depends on the properties of the base oil as well as on the additive. Some combinations of base oil and additive are much more effective than others.
2. Detergents vary considerably in their potency, and some leave more ash than others. Organic detergents have been developed, in fact, that leave no ash at all.
3. Some of the ash may be contributed by additives other than detergents.
4. There appears to be a limit to the effective concentration of detergent. Nothing is gained by exceeding this limit, and a superabundance of detergent may actually reduce cleanliness.

Also what is going to happen to the CATCON is that it is going to become useless.

Negative: You are going to pollute the environment
Positive: Maybe useful as an excuse to try the Yoshi exhaust if I have money left.

But again yes all this are real and applicable. But this will not change how i felt riding the bike. It was surreal. Will I keep using this. I might give it a shot.

Or maybe wait for this !!! Not sure if y'all already know about this. Will check with my new friend (Shell oil stockist) about this.

This is my $0.02. Take it with a pinch of salt and decide.


*Please suggest on how I can make this post better. Also kindly do point out any mistakes I might have made ... after all a noob here

**I do not own or endorse the brands that are being shown/discussed and I don't get paid by them. The opinions shared are mine ad mine only based on my personal preference and do not have universal applicability.

Re: Pimp my ride: Budget Byson

@ Mr.Naveen Vajja ,
I am happy to see that you had done a lot of study on engine oil, esp., on the Shell HDEO. The reference you had given was to a discussion on Rotella T which is not being sold in India. . Shell Rimula R series is not an Exact replica for Rotella. The main difference being the Ash content. Earlier the Rimula series was shown to have 1.45% Ash content and now with CI-4 rating is 1.2%...meeting JASO MA rating. Since the R4 is a Mineral oil you may have to change it at 1,500 to 2,000 Kms .
If you want to try FS oil then give Shell Advance ULTRA 10w40 oil a try...it is one of the emerging ,most used oil in the Motorcycle market.