wordsmith

Thanks, whistler. Now the garage doesn't seem half-empty!

Really, really like that, betoney!

I seem to have difficulty getting digital pix to be added to my posts (some, not all). Camera is a Panasonic DMC-SZ1. Even if I heavily crop a pic it is often knocked back. I seem to recall - though maybe wrongly, for I am in a cuppla other Forums - that previously we could 'shrink' a pic that was to be posted. It's probably me, but can someone help with this problem? As it is said - no pic means it didn't happen! Thanks...

Today I rode my new 06/ 2015 Lava Red home from the transport depot to which it had been shipped from its dealership, 1800km away. I bought this bike sight-unseen, something I'd vowed a hundred times that I'd never do, but it was impractical for me to travel that distance to see it, and equally impractical to ride it home from there across that distance of sparsely-populated outback roads with little or no help at hand should things go awry. So, with pounding heart in dry mouth and apprehension a-plenty, we (wife and I) drove the 40-odd km across town on this steamy, hot (39 deg C = 102 deg F) morning, in heavy pre-Christmas traffic to a little-known part of town. The bike was already off the truck when we got there, standing in the forecourt amidst piles of other goods of all shapes and sizes, burly grizzled interstate truckies working hard in the blazing sun to complete their work before the Christmas break. Unfortunately, the truck bringing the bike down had obviously caught the edge of Tropical Cyclone Owen, for rain had caused the typical outback-red dust to adhere thickly to the bike all over - panniers and all - and it looked a mess. It wasn't possible to look under the dust, but the key was in the ignition, the bike started straight away, and I could see that it was full of fuel, so I had no choice but to ride home and live to check another day. My wife drove on after me, with firm instructions not to try to follow, or to stop if I disappeared. I must say it was a pleasant relief to find that I was immediately at-home on the Tracer, feeling as if I'd been riding it the day before, whereas it must be about nine months since I last sat astride one. Everything was familiar, once I'd adjusted the mirrors: the engine seemed very smooth: gear-changes fine: even the usual chain-whine was absent as I'd had the foresight to ask the dealer to adjust the chain slack to the recommended ~30mm of free-play. But I hadn't had the foresight to get the seat adjusted to the lower position, and although the difference is only about half-an-inch I found myself tip-toeing in an unpleasant and unsteady manner when stopping at the numerous traffic lights on the way home. Tomorrow, I'll thoroughly clean the bike and check it out: adjust the gear-level and foot-brake positions to suit: make a tiny adjustment to the fork preload (it's nearly there): and start to plan adding the farkles. Happy days!

Quite correct, mellow, thank you. The new pegs arrived today (along with the new bike!) and the new, shorter feelers have an appreciably thinner thread. Later edit: unfortunately the package omitted to have the circlips (spring washers) that secure the pivot pin to the body of the peg. Are these readily found in auto shops? I don't want to have to screw around with the vendor and waste valuable time...

writetome - just a generic type of self-stick 0.5mm thick sheet of clear PVC - I cannot recall where I bought it, or even why, but applied in several layers on the fork, and also on any vulnerable forward-facing parts like the tank, I feel it's stout enough to at least keep smaller stones from marking/ chipping those surfaces.

Smart solution - I didn't know you could rotate the fork legs! And FWIW - when setting off on a long-ish multi-day road trip interstate I always put several layers of some clear PVC film on the front and sides of the fork legs to minimise stone damage.

As an alternative, you can buy metallic gold pinstripe tape from many sources, and maybe a short piece of this could be used to cover the chip. And put an identical matching piece on the other fork-leg in the same location to visually balance things up.

Thanks, bb. That's all I want them for. I've had AMHP protectors (an Australian brand, very well respected) but they are now > 3 x the cost of these.

Thanks, mellow. I'll take good look at mine when I get the new bike home in a cuppla days time and when the new pegs arrive! I guess different manufacturers may have different approaches...

Accepting that you have only just installed the headlight protectors, bb, how are they? I have a pair on order, being attracted by their keen price of only AUD$25.21.

Not on the ones I've owned - on the OE and on aftermarket rubber-top pegs... identical diameter and threads.

These replacement pegs are quite a bit longer than the OE pegs by at least one inch, maybe a little more (see pic), and the shorter 'feelers' compensate for that somewhat, therefore they touch down at around the same degree of lean as the OE longer ones. That's my understanding and belief.

Yeah, thanks, jd. Bin there, done that - but still cannot understand why a split-pin secures it on one side and the 'rivet' or fixed pin that needs grinding or drilling out (I drill) on the other! Though it's no big chore.

Thanks again, duhs. I have just ordered a pair that appear to be compatible at AUD$16.34. Fingers crossed! I note, amid all this farkle-buying, that we Aussies are now being slugged the same GST (VAT, Sales Tax) as we'd pay here at home - previously such imports if valued at <$1000 were GST-free. Bummer!

Thank you, jdavis. Referring back to my original post I see that I had forgotten to include the pic of my earlier pegs - I've now added it here, above! As I said above, the EBay ad for these pegs has a list of compatible bikes, but our machines - FJ-09 and MT-09 - are not listed. Trying others such as FZ, which I thought might suit, it states they too are not compatible. They certainly look identical, both in the EBay ad and in your pic above, but are priced appreciably higher (at ~USD$54 = AUD$75) than I paid for the earlier items, which was only a handful of dollars - in fact I recall saying here at one point - "how do they do it for the money?". Thanks for the advice - I'll keep looking through the EBay ads, and if worst comes to worst I'll try yours. Any other guidance is still very welcome!

Thanks, duhs. The FJR part is NOT compatible: the yamabit part is too expensive! I have in mind I paid only <AUD$20 or so for earlier models - I'll keep looking! Appreciated anyway...

Would some kind farkler please identify these aftermarket rider footpegs for me. A link would be very useful indeed. The pic is of a pair I fitted to my last two Tracers, but looking online I cannot seem to find the exact same parts for my 2015 new bike. There are plenty of lookalikes that MAY fit, but so far I'm stumped for the correct bike model designation.. Thank you..

Careful, betoney, or you'll have ninjaef on your case for filing in the wrong sub-Forum (or sub- sub-Forum), for yours does not appear to be a GT...

Excellent write-up, words, and pix. Thank you...

I just noticed that coolant tank cover... I’m curious where you got that? As an aside, I found it hard to see the coolant level, so I added a few drops of blue food-colour, nicked from my wife's pantry. I figured if it was OK in the human body it had to be safe to use in the bike!

I see a price tag on that Niken - $17,299. How does that compare with an RRP for the Tracer GT I wonder?

Easily fixed: replace after flushing all fluids: and fit new tyres (Michelin PRs are highly recommended here) But adjust the price paid to accommodate these costs...

Looking for a link to the source of these, please!