@ chief.

are you sure that gooey thing was not there initially??
it may have been there from before.
gixxer is right, do as he says..

by the way, didn't you remove your silencer for cleanup during your engine-remake ??


@ gixxer

is sarvajit's spark plug OKAY ???
mine is 25k kms old and still looks a bit better than the image,
i dunno much about plugs, so can't comment on it.

Thanks bro! Though I will be getting the engine head opened at the next service to replace the packaging&also check overall health of bore/piston/rings etc.
The bike has never given great mileage-always in the range of 42-45kmpl though it used to give 47-48kmpl before I got the Dunlop GeoCruiser 100/90/18" tyre.
So could you please let me know what all are missing in the tool set that came with the bike?

The tools which you seem to have,i'm guessing from the pic .You have 16 and 17mm spanner and the flat one is the 27mm axle bolt spanner.
The tools you need would be.Spanners of the sizes 8,10,12 and 13.Then the spark plug tool with a round rod,star screw driver which has the normal and star type on the other end(reversible).
Do you rip your bike a lot? if you don't then ,judging from the plug ,i think the engine's running a bit lean,because in city riding , in stop and go kind of traffic situation ,the plug should be darker.If you rip the bike then the plug would look the way your plug looks and that is ok.
Yeah my bike has the same tyre,the dunlop geocruiser 100/90/18 and this tyre is real good it just lasts and lasts.Next time though i'll go for the standard 3.00 18 one.

Yeah sarvajit's spark plug is ok.You rip your bike a lot right?Then your bike's plug should at the least be like sarvajit's .Sarvajit's plug is showing that the engine is running on a lean air fuel mixture.If the plug is any whiter than that,that too in city riding without ripping , then on the long term it wont be good for the engine.Meaning valves might get burnt,engine-knocking/pinging and eventually engine will not last longer than 20k to 25k. Ideally the plug should be dark brown or blackish in city riding and when the bike is ripped on the highway it should look like sarvajit's plug.
In all engines ,high compression or normal engines ,in city conditions the plug should be dark brown to black(not oily) ,meaning AF is slightly rich which will keep the engine running cool and will have good top-end performance and it wont ping/knock in higher revs.If top-end performance is not the concern then sarvajit's plug state is ok.But it will be starved at the top-end.

well, okay..
i get it now..

i do rip my bike a lot.
it stays constantly at 100 on the highways..
in city it stays around 40 if traffic permits.

from the time I've put up hid's, bike is pushed even harder so that it does not run out of battery juice..
i know it won't happen but still it gives such a feeling..

-----------------------------------------------------------------

@ gixxer & Nanotech,

The gooey thing was there previously (before the boring). The mech had cleaned the cylinder, but not too well (just a wash with the hose). After the boring, I have wiped the cylinder opening with a dry cloth several times, but the gooey thing appears after a few days. It could have been there deep inside the cylinder ... pushed back towards the opening now. I have tried the method gixxer mentioned ... just briefly though... and no residue and I have never seen black smoke appear. No residue... meaning it is neigher gooey nor dry on the palm ... no residue at all. But I could try it for longer again and let you know.

Good,then it indicates that your engine and head are fine.Just get the carb tuned properly.The prob with carbs and jets are that the settings will be for a particular condition and not for every condition ,so it depends on the weather conditions and altitude.Hence the variance in engine performance and refinement.

To all Fiero Lovers.

I have planned to buy a 2nd bike with my current Fiero munching kms and kms for my daily use. I need your help in suggesting a bike with similar or near similar characteristics of our trusted Fiero. I need a no nonsense bike and it should not make me feel that my Fiero is much better than this.
Also the bike would be kept for long time so reliability and everything is also considered.

Please do not suggest GS150R as I have already rode the bike for a good 6 months and faced hell lot of problems.

I will still be using my Fiero to commute & tour


Vishal

Thanks, I'll get these from the SVC next time.

I don't rip it much, but the bike does stay standing for quite a few days, then I rip it for a few days to office, since I use my R15 most of the time. Could that be the reason? Or is it because this is an Iridum plug? I don't remember when the carb was tuned/tappets adjusted last time. Only the camchain has been adjusted every 5K kms.or so for noise.

Agree wholeheartedly on this. This tyre just goes on&on with no sign of deterioration. Though I have decided that I will go for the same GeoCruiser in stock 90/90/18" size if I still have the bike with me in a year or two!

You have hit the nail on the head my friend. I recently complained of lack of top end and that there is minor leakage from the oil seal/gasket area (please view attached pics), so I am thinking of getting the head opened&changing both these seals at the next service. This will also give an indication of the engine condition, life left etc.&if everything is good, it will serve as a repackaging session!
What do you feel about decarbing the engine?
Otherwise the bike feels great to ride, upto 60 it feels torquey, then loses out a bit(I feel like it is gasping a bit like it does before coming to reserve&slight grinding sound is also felt), then again from 70-80 it pulls well upto 100. I used to cross 100 before I got the 100/90/18" Geo Cruiser tyre.
Though I am not taking it above 70 these days, since I feel I'm stressing it out a lot.
Another thing I have noticed is, the bike feels sluggish after a few kms.of high speed run, I even feel that slight grinding sound (that was what made me check the oil level) but then after a short gap, it runs like new!
I don't think this could be an issue with the clutchplates, since they are hardly 5-6K kms.old. What do you think it could be due to? Engine oil also was in good health when I checked last time. Bike does not smoke or have any residue in silencer.
Awaiting your inputs.

What about R15?

Yeah, the look of the plug says that engine is running lean.So what you can do the next time you take the bike for a service is.

1. Check the ignition timing and make sure its not advanced.
2. Make sure tappet clearance is right and not too much.
3. When the above points are taken care of,make sure the carb is tuned and main jet is clean and also that the jet holder is tight.
4. Carb slide is ok.
5. Intake manifold doesn't have any leaks.

When the above points are taken care ,then the engine should be refined at the top-end and cooler too.
If the engine is running lean then there will be vibes and harshness at the top-end and the engine will perform better after a break till it gets heated again.
It seems like engine mountings are loose too ,as there's oil leak.Once they are tightened there will be less vibes.
Looking at the plug and generally unless and until there's any compression loss there's no need to get the engine de-carbonized .Since the engine will be taken apart ,you can get the head de-carbonized.There's no harm in it.

My suggestion would be to go for the RTR,either the 160 or the 180.The advantage would be ,as you already have a fiero ,You know the bike's engine inside out and the engine and gearbox are nothing short of bullet/bomb proof!!! . Reliability,performance and ruggedness are proven factors!! .Then you can interchange the parts and play around.
Then the other best option would be to go for either HONDA or YAMAHA.Dazzler seems like a fantastic bike , since its a honda and a unicorn derivative .Reliability and performance for years and years of usage is a given.
Personally i'd go for the RTR160,because it has the shortest stroke of any bike made in india(barring cbz classic)!!.Meaning long life and shear performance(for performance,reliability and looks) or Dazzler(refinement) and if budget isn't an issue then it has to be the R15.
Yeah,i tend to agree with your opinion of the gs150r .I mean just going through their thread it seems like the engine is falling apart after just 3 or 4k kms!!! The bike is ungainly,and it looks like suzuki has goofed up big time with the engine.
I would like a very detailed view from you about the gs150 ,because a friend of mine is adamant on buying it,in spite of me suggesting otherwise.
Thought about YAMAHA SZ?

PS:SHORT STROKE=LONG engine LIFE and performance(screamer)

Woah! Thanks for the answer, looks like you really got the idea-the performance issue is just as you said, though I really donno how to check the carb slide/intake manifold!
Also, how do I make out if there is compression loss?

@ vishal..

when my fiero was in bad shape 5k kms ago , even i thought of buying a new bike..
but the love for fiero kept me stay with the same machine, hence i saved money by not buying a new machine..
used some for not only keeping F2 alive, but for full dc and dual hid's too....
now i want to spend the last bit for making it 180...

coming back, I've tried and tested almost every bike worth buying today..
my dad was ready to buy me a ZMR but at the very last moment i decided to keep fiero..

If you would have had an RPM METER, you would have known how different our trusty old fiero really is...

let me tell you in brief about the list of bikes in direct comparison to fiero in relative terms...

and by the way, as you are KEEPING your current fiero, then it would be good to get something different..

• Yamaha

we have 3 bikes here, let me compare them for you..

1. Yamaha R15

the bike is an absolute performer.
the engine feels lighter, and its easy to pull the bike, its easier to steer as the bike is lighter..
the breaks are good, its FULL DC and the worst thing about the bike is...
that it needs to be PUSHED HARD..

i hate this bike because at lower revs it performs even worse than a fiero.
at 4.5k rpm constantly, if you ride a fiero and r15 side by side, i bet fiero can beat it uphill...


2. Yamaha FZ/Fazer

the bike DOES NOT NEED TO BE PUSHED.
gives great power at lower revs, and performs okay okay.
i didn't like the way the bike steers and tyres are too rough, doesn't hold the road well even after being soo beefy.
brakes are good.
bike is comfortable unlike r15, but misses the oomph factor.
i would still prefer F2 over this bike, as F2 has even a better mid-range over this bike..
(i have won many times in drag on a f2 against this bike, as my good friend has fz, my bike still has better top end, maybe because i weigh only 47kgs..)

• Honda

STAY AWAY FROM DAZZLER....
its the worst bike from honda's stable so far.
even i thought it will be very reliable and so and so, but the day i went to test ride it, everything was shattered.
the quality of plastic on the panels, switches is BULL$HIT.
bike feels loose.
the engine feels as if its gonna fall apart.
the connection with the throttle and the rear wheel is LATE.
i would prefer a stunner, or even a twister over dazzler any day..
and i rode it 2 times at 2 different showrooms to have such a judgement as even i was shocked and wanted to find out better.

• TVS

we have 2 options left here..

1. apache rtr 160

its the smaller bro of our bike, so expect it to be similar in built quality.
it performs great, and needs to be PUSHED HARD...
the bike is small like the r15 and too responsive..
its unstable at high speeds,
the bike has the most amazing brakes, and the most confident lean angles..
I've scraped the footpegs with this bike in ghats towards gorai beach from godhbunder and this bike can make you touch the knees on the ground better than the r15..

but smaller bike, and instability at braking hard, i.e fishtailing was a common thing which makes me feel bad about buying it..

fiero is still better in mid-range..


2. 180..

turns even better, insanely powerful and insanely unstable too..

@ EVERYBODY
i never say that rtr is a bad bike, but its tooooo responsive, and i don't like such engines.
i don't find it has a smooth power delivery, bike seems rough, otherwise its a very good bike
rtr comes alive only after 5.5-6k rpm, below that i would still prefer fiero as more powerful..

• Hero Honda (dhak dhak go!!)

there are only 2 bikes worth buying..

1. Karizma R...

well.
this was the bike that i really really loved a lot ever since the beginning..
i would love to TRADE MY FIERO with this bike for these reasons..

the torque even at 2000 rpm is AMAZING..
at 3000 rpm in 5th gear one can ride arr 55-60 effortlessly..
this bike is long and heavy and hence very very stable.
it has the SMOOTHEST power delivery of any bike I've ever ridden.
push it from 2000 rpm to 5000 rpm in 5th gear, and it will behave like a rocket, unlike rtr/r15 which turns into a rocket only after 7.5 to 8k rpm..

however fiero is still better in these departments..

being heavier karizma is not very easily flick-able..
not friendlier as the presence of quarter faring takes a long time getting used to. (i always used to think the handlebar is very far).
brakes are not very good compared to other bikes in the market..
parts are EXPENSIVE..


2. ZMR.

same power delivery of the karizma R, smoother and better..
brakes are better now, thanks to the rear disk
bike is even more stable, thanks to the iGRS suspension and added weight of the fairing.
a very very upmarket feel.
the best part of this bike is wind protection..
believe it or not, ride at 90 and your chest won't even feel a breeze, thanks to the longer windshield.

after riding this bike everything else (2 wheelers) in INDIA feels YUCK.
and the best part is the presence of FI, which makes this bike absolutely knock free.
at 5th gear even if you don't touch the throttle, the bike will pull.
too much of torque (feel it to believe).
and as gixxer says from day one
THERE'S NO REPLACEMENT OF DISPLACEMENT.

• Bajaj.

220F/S

well.
this bike is good, its powerful, has amazing headlamps,
it is stable, but difficult to turn, parts are also cheaper.
but...
though it also needs to be revved hard, midrange is also great.
feels uncontrollable at times.
amazing for performing stunts, nothing can beat it in wheelies, I've popped the most stable and long wheelies on this one.
feels low in quality.
getting your hands on a pulsy after a fiero will be a mistake in my opinion, as the most important factor RELIABILITY is not even close.
I've seen a lot of pulsars with BCU related isues, ask me i know a lot about bike electricals.


CONCLUSION:-

i don't want to dishearten anybody by saying this is bad or that is good, all this is my own opinion, gained up from my own experiences with bikes.
I've judges these machines considering the stuff that i like.
the moral is.

if you want a power upgrade go for p220 or ZMA,
if you want power with great mileage and a 2010 technology in 2010 itself.
KARIZMA ZMR eyes closed.

would be amazing combo of a FI bike with so many sensors with a trusty old carb fiero.

JUST MY OPINION....

Will send you a PM regarding this,because its a long story.If I put it here Mods will ban me .
Also thanks for the options, but I personally dont like Honda, had a bad time with their A.S.S when I had an Eterno, had to sell of the scooter in some 6 months time. Also I dont like the Unicorn & Dazzler(My personal choice).R15 is out of question.
I have zeroed down to ZMA R(Silver) or RTR180(White).

OK. So how do you calculate this??

I knew you were gonna blast me with all these thing because we already had a chat the previous day, but wanted to share it here (I hope u dont mind). I LOVE MY FIERO VERY MUCH & its very difficult to part with it(feels like crying). Dont know how to express my feelings about this & I am sure no one would like to hear that . I much inclined to ZMA R but the spares cost is taking my steps back and diverting me to RTR180 because of TVS reliability and also good raport with the parts dealer(I almost get all my Fiero parts on trial basis that is to check if that specific part has blown or no & no worry on the payment also, as I can pay him later also).

Bajaj is a strict NO NO

Man I am confused and brains are not functioning to decide as to which bike to buy.

God please help

Vishal

No prob man!.Ask the mech to check the intake manifold and the carb slide,he'll know better.If there's a leak in the intake manifold ,you would have heard it by now.So don't worry about it.
Seeing your spark plug ,it indicates there's no oil entering the combustion chamber,which means engine is fine,that is compression is also fine.The other thing to rule out would be carbon under the valve seats,this can be felt when you kick the bike .There will be less resistance than normal.Then take the bike to about 40kph and put it in 4th gear and suddenly open up the throttle wide.If the bike responds immediately then compression is not leaking.