OT: how long should i wait for joel's FFE once ordered?

i ordered it 5 weeks back and haven't heard from him for 4 weeks!!

i know its worth the wait but my free days are getting over!

Bolt with 8-mm head and 1/4 inch length will do, but you won't get the ones with star screw driver slot in hardware shops. Try some old battery shop.

Element Assy Oil Cleaner is the oil filter and Gasket Oil Drain Plug is the drain bolt gasket. You don't need 2 of them at the same time, if it's billed twice, then time for a fight
Oil filter change is recommended every 10k km, still most users change them with every oil change, I change them every 2 oil change. Drain bolt gasket, some change it at every oil change, some change when it is damaged.

Guys today I completed 20k service for ma FZ.

Its a terrible day for me

I gave my bike to service yesterday evening to authorised SVC and gave some of the maintanence points given by shv18 along with their general service (it's only to extract money. They won't even do basic things during general service but will charge 350 bucks just for cleaning brake shoe, oil filter and lubrication) hoping that they will start the service by today morning so that I can give detailed service list directly today.

Today morning I went to SVC sharp at 9.00am with Motul Full Synthetic and I asked the service supervisor about when they would start my bike's service. He told that it depends on the waiting queue. So I waited.

To my disappointment they started my bike's service only at 4.30pm Till that I was wandering around the service workshop watching new R15 and new FZ. Really R15 is tempting me to grab it.

After they started my FZ I went with my detailed maintanence list and told the mechanic that these are the points to be checked. He heard some points and told me that he will look into them. I stood nearby and was watching the service.
The supervisor came and told me that you should not stand here, you have to wait in customer longue and bla bla.. I just told ok ok and stood there itself. Later he and other supervisor came and told me the same thing. But never heard them. Because the mechanic is missing even the basic things like cleaning rust in battery terminals, lubricating pivot joints, switches, closing the oil draining bolt before pouring new oil, checking spark plug. I told each and every point to him to do then only he is doing those. The mechanic told that he can't look into all those points since it will take a day and have no time. After watching his so called service (only literally!) I told no problem do only basic things.
So following are the things done today:
1. Rear brake shoe cleaning
2. battery top up. But he missed to remove rust from wire using sand paper
3. Replaced Cush dampers inside rear wheel
4. Cleaned air filter
5. Replaced oil filter, oil. Switched from Yamalube mineral to Motul full synthetic. Ride is very smooth when compared with mineral.
6. Replaced spark plug (stock NGK)
7. Replaced Accelerator cable, Clutch cable. In fact I also told him to change choke cable. While removing the old choke cable he is trying to unscrew the end at carb just from outside without taking out the carb. After seeing this I told him don't change it and took the new choke cable with me.
8. Filled dot 3 front disc oil (not even bleeded existing oil)
9. Lubrication of joints

Following are still pending:
1. Cleaning carb
2. Greasing swing arm bushes, wheel bearings
3. Checking clutch plates (anyway I replaced it only before 5000 km)
4. Coneset disassembly and grease
5. Checking front fork oil and seals
6. Replacement of choke cables

While replacing throttle cable I saw throttle grip was full of rust. I told him to remove the rust and apply grease. But he just applied oil and locked it. Also I'm facing the following problems:

1. Clutch release point is too away outside. I have to stretch my fingers way ahead outside to release the clutch fully. Is this correct or needs to be adjusted & how?

2. Throttle is rotating more outwards (opposite to the direction of throttling). But when I leave it at starting throttling point it stays there and if I rotate outwards it's rotating more outside. I have to again rotate in opposite direction to keep it at starting point. Definitely it needs to be corrected.
Pls help me.

The mechanic was about to spray oil to the chain. I stopped him and told him that I myself will lube it (thanks to xbhp I learnt cleaning & lubing from DIY here). Also I did 3 general services between 15k to 20k (this is 4th!) in the SVC and they never applied grease to battery terminals and never changed front disc oil. It was below min today when opened. Of course I was not a member of xBHP during those times
After joining this society I learnt a lot lot lot about machines and how to maintain them like a GF!!!

I sincerely thank the whole xBHP team and all mates

Just for an info:
I went to Toyota SVC with my friend last month and got really surprised! The SVC is completely perfect and professional. You have to book an appointment in advance and if you are late even 1min after 30 min buffer they will not take your car for service. You should very sharp w.r.t time. Similarly they will deliver your car after service exactly at the time they mentioned when taking for service. The customer lounge is very superb and whole SVC looked like a manufacturing plant. Every place is very neat and clean with proper sign boards. Even alignment of parked cars was perfect.

I'm going to find an expert outside mechanic and gonna do the remaining jobs from him.

BTW guys pls help me to solve the above 2 issues. Thanks in advance

Dear you are very right. This morning I had gone for my first service. What did they do? I will tell you. Just a DIY thing. They changed the oil and filter. They washed my bike and that too with lots of dirt still visible. They cleaned and lubed my chain that is not free service, they charged me Rs. 150 and nothing else first service over.

And our Yamaha guys, they have fulfilled their duty by selling the bike and filling their pockets and all so called service slips and all, just for namesake. Actually I will tell you, most of the bikes are serviced outside. These Yamaha guys don't even have courtesy to ask about the service feedback.

Your list of things needing to be worked on will take time.
They are not simple 5min jobs.

Dear friend if yu are not satisfied with SVC then please find any expert mechanic, take all tips from xBHP mates and do the service outside so that you can save money and more importantly you ride..

Yeah I knew it will take a long time. I explicitly told him even if it is taking more time please check all these. But he told no I have to see other bikes also, no time and all.

Yes it is good practise to drain some new oil. But that guy forgot to close the drain nut and pouring new oil continuously.

My front brake pads were really good. Even though it is 4th service in the last 5k the screws of the cylinder cap were full of rust and fully stuck meaning they never opened and changed the oil during previous services. They used some special tools to open them.

Mik please help me to solve the 2 issues reg throttle cable and clutch which I mentioned in my post.

Dear I have taken 5 year warranty scheme by paying Rs. 777. It means that I need to do all the free and paid service so that I can get warranty on 100+ parts they have mentioned. So I can't give service outside. My previous bike was Fiero F2 and I had expert local mechanic who would take care of all things. I used to ride 20km from my house to get my service done from him. Need to find a mechanic for Yamaha but the problem is that I can't escape SVC guys else my warranty will be void. I will just see how it goes atleast for 2 years. Doesn't matter If they do general checkup (water wash, and so and so ) and give the bike back if any major problem arises then I can buy genuine spares and repair it from some one else but many things do ponder like the mechanic having all tools and so and so. Any it's just a beginning, there's lot to go and I don't want to think about future.

@jonahmano:1st servicing doesn't require much work, a simple oil and oil filter change. Although the mechanic should have checked the basic things like water top up and stuff.. i guess overall service is sub-standard!! do you have any other service centers in and around your place? Anyways, to get rid of the rust, use WD 40 or Zorrik 88, all of them are easily available at a local car parts dealer. The battery terminals are very rust prone i don't know why. But the screws always get eaten up very fast. Grease them or apply petroleum jelly.

@g.n.times: Do shoot a mail to Yamaha customer care giving all the details including bill details, the mechanic's name who has worked on your bike and your overall experience. Be sure to write a corporate mail and not a hate mail. I am quite appalled by the overall attitude of the service center, really sad.

Like Mad Mik said, yes it is a 1 day job if the SVC guys are slow. Always get hold of the mechanic, do some sweet talking and hand over a small bundle of tenners... work will get done. Atleast thats how things happen in India

I have to say, we guys are lucky in Mumbai to have a good SVC back up from Kamla Yamaha. Extremely professional.

Cheers,

@shiv18

this afternoon, removed the battery compartment and applied grease and fixed it again. I will be trying the product you mentioned.

I want to ask another important question. This afternoon when I self started, just to check the battery contact, the bike started and got off. Maybe because of cold weather, second attempt when I gave few accelerations around 4-5 rpm for few seconds and it went ok and then when I pulled the choke the engine stalled. This happened for several attempts. I'm just assuming if there is any problem with the choke cable, if it is working or not. I told the service guy to look into this start problem. Because I had a previous bike Fiero F2 didn't have this kinda start problem, so I thought it was with tuning but the service guys says that he won't touch the carburetor until ODO reaches 5000 kms.

I just want to ask you if there is any Do It Yourself thing. I mean about the idle speed, can I touch the idle speed lever: What should be the idle speed: My idle speed in 1000k, is it right? just want to ask why the engine gets stalled when I pull the choke instead of getting raised. Just gave few more accelerations and again pulled the choke cable to see if it is really working. And it worked for few seconds and again the engine stalled. This happened for three to four times.

Just if I can do anything DIY thing so that I can have the right engine idle speed and start the vehicle in just one single push without raising the acceleration.

I can't go to SVC guy because he said he won't touch the carburettor till 5k.

Thank You

When your engine completely heats up as in after riding for 10-15 kms, see what is the idling speed. It should be around 1500 rpm half mark between. 1k - 2k mark. It is very easy to adjust the idling speed. Look on the left hand side of the carb. The point where the throttle cable connects to the carburetor. There will be a screw vertically mounted on the carb. If you rotate it clock wise/ counter clock wise, the idling speed will increase or decrease. If the engine idling speed after the engine fully heating up is lower then that figure then use the screw to increase the speed. You should not have any problem after that. No need to touch the carburetor. The gears will become even smoother after the 2nd service I.e 3000 kms. I have kept mine around 1700-1800 rpm. Never had starting issues.

Cheers,

@shiv18

Just did as you said. Kept the idle RPM @1500K but I can feel there is more noise from the engine than earlier. Is it ok with it? Will there be any decrease in the mileage.

You haven't clarified one more thing which I asked you earlier about the choke. In the manual, it says During cold starts you need to pull the choke and start the vehicle without accelerating but my bike won't start like that. I need to accelerate for some time and when I try to pull the choke then it stalls. Hope everything goes fine tomorrow. Tell me how I should start the bike according to the manual by using choke or start without the choke and raise acceleration for some time so that engine gets warmed up and then ride during early morning cold starts

Thank You

Hi,

It is normal. Engine idling has increased so now the noise will increase a tad bit as well. If you have applied a bit of throttle and the engine has already cranked and running then there is no need to apply choke. It will result to engine stalling i.e. what you are experiencing. I have never applied choke till date . Enjoy your ride. No need to worry so much. She just needs her regular dose of periodic maintenance thats all. No need to worry.

Cheers,

Please mail him... he may be busy with racing.


Cheers,

Having some serious doubts now about fitting FFE,because kolkata cops are now catching bikes for the least of reasons and also just for seeing documents.Firstly the FFE's booming sound,then no front number plate (is stickering registration number on bumper illegal?),projectors,HID...will I be a cop-magnet or every corrupt cop's lucky ticket? Coz nowadays the cops hide in small by-lanes too.Is the DB Killer enough to lower the sound? But,what's the fun with DB Killer? Is there any rule/law which prohibits using of FFE? Below 3000RPM is safe to pass through cops? Can't I just camouflage the FFE with the stock exhaust's outer part? (Joel has made no such provisions,am sure!) Or excuse it as a Daytona kit? Or tell the cops I got a broken exhaust/silencer here? I really like the FFE,but can't decide.
To all FFE owners,do you get stopped by cops usually?

I'm running my carbon Yoshi TRC without a DB killer and I've ridden past cops. Sometimes I just pull the clutch in and roll past them but theres always traffic on the road to cover the sound, then just drop a couple gears, release the clutch and roll on the happy sounds

This is in Vietnam of course, Police here are probably the most corrupt in SE Asia.
I have been stopped previously but because I'm a expat, I give them a intimidating posture (I'm 6ft, 100kg) and my attitude to them is "Who do u think u are stopping me, How dare u" I've gotten away with it.

I believe JJ's FFE rusts. I'd rather get a Yoshi or Leo Vince Cobra (damn sexy!!!) FFE. Stainless doesn't rust and you know its of the highest quality.