Bikes for 999 euros and the consequences – part 6

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Bikes for 999 euros and the consequences - part 6
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Bikes for 999 euros and the consequences – part 6

Bikes for 999 euros and the consequences – part 6
final spurt

The days of the four 999 euro bikes in the MOTORRAD fleet are numbered. They will be sold shortly. Before that, a review of the latest events.

Jorg Lohse

09/26/2007

After the endurance test in the Alps (see MOTORRAD 18/2007), the 999 euro motorcycles have returned a little. Wounds are treated, for example the broken exhaust of the FJ 1100 is welded, and maintenance work is carried out. In addition, all four machines continue to work hard in the long-term test fleet and are often taken for the trip home or a weekend trip. The respect for the “old cucumbers” has increased noticeably since the alpine tour ?? Even the last skeptics among the colleagues have meanwhile been convinced of their reliability, with the possible exception of the FJ. Admittedly, there is always a little something to screw if you want, but real breakdowns are the absolute exception. And you won’t be spared that, even with many new machines. With one difference: they are easier to fix with the oldies, as the technology is not yet completely mastered by electronics. Certainly one of the reasons why many motorcycle fans looking for a used one like to turn to more “mature” models? after all, with this genre, most problems can be solved by reasonably experienced hobbyists themselves. Apart from the fact that you save not only on the purchase price but also on the expected follow-up costs for workshop visits, it is simply fun to screw on your motorcycle and fix the small and large defects yourself. In this sense: cheers to our used vehicles! Hec

You can find out what there has been to report about the 999 euro bikes in issues of MOTORRAD 8, 9, 12, 15 and 18/2007. We present the sale and the new owners in MOTORRAD 24/2007.

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Suzuki GS 500 E.

The little Suzuki has unwound around 7,000 kilometers since it was bought in the spring. Fall and accident free. Also, no real breakdown has stopped their journey so far. It only tends to choke on long, constantly fast stretches of the motorway. This goes so far that in extreme cases even the engine dies. After switching to reserve ?? even if the tank is almost full? the spook is over. MOTORRAD has already dismantled the carburetor several times, blown out nozzles and also swapped the somewhat short fuel lines for new, longer ones. Without success. While the Suzuki runs like a one in the city and on country roads with alternating loads, it still starts to stutter occasionally after several kilometers of full load on the motorway. So be it. After all, the real destiny isn’t one GS 500 E..
In addition, the 500 recently received new spark plugs, and MOTORRAD workshop manager Gerry Wagner also checked the valve clearance. At 0.03 to 0.08 millimeters according to the manufacturer, it is quite small, which requires a meticulous check. Except for one inlet valve, which received a new shim, all values ​​were OK. On the other hand, the settings of the mixture control screws were not correct. Since they were adjusted to the value specified by Suzuki, the GS seems to be more dependent on the gas. hek

Yamaha XT 600

The alpine exit (MOTORRAD 18/2007) could not harm the XT 600. The enduro passed the almost 1100-kilometer tour with flying colors, apart from the following problem areas: the ailing oil seals on the cylinder base and on the left side cover. So far, the oil leak was hardly measurable, which is why it was not replaced. Undeterred, the XT continued to make its rounds through Stuttgart.
So everything is fine? Yes ?? at least until the day when Oliver Paletta from the MOTORRAD action team for the keys to the Yamaha asked. The XT apparently did not mean it well with the always friendly colleague: Even in the underground car park, the bracket for the side stand broke when stepping on. Annoying, because you cannot replace the mounting device on the frame with a new part, but have to weld the fragment puzzle back together. On arrival at home, Paletta also found that his jeans are ready for hazardous waste: massive oil leakage caused unsightly stains on the fabric during the journey. The puddle on the colleague’s garage floor leaves no room for doubt: the seals are completely over. A potential new owner should therefore be prepared for a few long winter evenings in the home workshop. mis

Tires from Heidenau

The Yamaha completed the big Alpine circuit on tires from the Saxon manufacturer Heidenau. The moderately rough »K 60« are an interesting and inexpensive alternative for the pilots of most travel enduros who now and then intend to go for an excursion in easy terrain, but spend most of the time on asphalt. There was little reason to complain during the fast-paced lap of the pass. Particularly positive: the precise turning behavior even in tight bends. The cornering grip is always sufficient for everyday use, the wide limit range also allows a slide from time to time. The most annoying thing is the noticeable flexing of the rear tire when accelerating from a lean angle. The K 60 front tire “Front” is available in various dimensions from 18 to 21 inches, the rear tire “Rear” in 17 and 18 inches. The rate for the XT strikes at around 157 euros (manufacturer’s recommended retail price). Info: Telephone 0180/1552888 or www.reifenwerk-heidenau.de.

Yamaha FJ 1100

Only at the penultimate moment was the FJ ready for the alpine tour, as the repair of the rotten carburetor battery was much (time) consuming than expected. The jet needles bought in the free trade apparently did not correspond 100 percent to the original parts ?? the four-cylinder ran far too lean. As a result, he jumped extremely badly and bucked like a stubborn donkey for the first four to five kilometers. Once brought up to temperature, it proceeded smoothly and, above all, economically. The nozzles are now on the fattest level, which has little damage to fuel consumption, but has helped the running smoothness and suitability for everyday use considerably.
The fact that, according to the fuel gauge, the tide in the container was always low was due to the fact that the pointer was stuck below the stop. Small cause that made it necessary to remove the paneling to remedy. On the other hand, welding the exhaust manifold was a breeze. The swing of the chassis, which was particularly annoying on the long alpine tour, could be stopped by fully preloading the shock absorber and turning the damping completely off. Now even longer Sunday afternoon trips do not pose the risk of getting seasick. The large tank offers a range of 300 kilometers and more. Brakes and spring elements of the FJ can definitely not keep up with new equipment, but are still far more good than the StVO allows. What is really annoying is the lack of lean angle, especially when driving with a pillion passenger. In this regard, a current FJR 1300 is not much better either. sgl

In the performance show-down

With the 27 HP, which the test bench run also documents, the CX 500 C is beginner-friendly, but not a high-flyer. And, according to Honda, an increase in performance can only take place “without technical concerns” if the exhaust manifold and carburetor are “properly replaced”. The parts costs alone are around 1100 euros. Anyone who goes shirt-sleeved and removes the reducers from the manifolds and changes the carburetor nozzles on their own should discuss the work with the TuV inspector beforehand so that there are no complications during the later acceptance. The CX fans on the Internet (www.cx500-online.de) have copies of vehicle registration documents that can make it easier to enter them in such cases. Ideally, you have a helpful dealer on hand who is not doing the low-budget conversion for the first time and knows exactly who the contact person at the local TuV branch is. Then the CX could also be dethrottled for around 100 euros including fees.

Heidenei, Heidenau: the tire test

For the upcoming appointment for the main inspection, new skins had to be produced. Since no tire binding is entered in the papers, we had a free choice. During the research, as with the XT 600, a pairing from Heidenau (www.reifenwerk-heidenau.de) caught our eye. Instead of the antiquated block groove profile with which the CX is fitted with original tires at the front (3.50 S 19), the Saxon rubber bakery is also offering a modern, low-profile profile in dimensions 100 / 90-19 for the front of the CX. However, the new dimension must be entered in the papers, and the effort is not small.
First of all, a clearance certificate is required, which is available from the tire manufacturer. Afterwards, the trip goes with the appropriately modified motorcycle to a TuV station, where an attachment acceptance (§ 19 Paragraph 2) takes place. Incidentally, this parts certificate may only be issued by TuV and not by Dekra or any other expert organization. Finally, on to the registration office, which includes the new dimension in the vehicle documents. Was it worth it in the case of the CX? Clearly: yes. The Heidenau tires work very well on the Honda. Steering behavior and handling liked, wet and dry grip are great. By the way: CX drivers who have a manufacturer link in the papers can have this unsubscribed. A corresponding report can be found on the Honda website (www.honda.de, the link »Motorcycles« and then »Service & More «to follow) can be downloaded.

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