JEFFKISTHENAME'S Build Thread - A Timeline of Growth

[jeffkisthename]

*** Most Current Look *** - Updated on August 14, 2016.
 

 

 

 
Hello Everyone,
 
[span]    [/span]My name is Jeff.  Not only am I a new to me Yamaha FZ-07 owner, I'm also a new rider.  I've been blessed to have been basically handed down a 2015 by my younger brother who just purchased his fourth bike, a 2015 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R 636.  I've got to admit, while the California Motorcycle Safety Course was informative, and definitely helped me in learning to ride, I was not prepared for the instant torque of the FZ.  I guess that's why around the world it's known as the MT-07 (Masters of Torque, why couldn't we have gotten it badged as so?).  I have always had a desire to ride, ever since 2004 actually, but at the time, I had a gas guzzling sports car (1993 Mazda RX-7 Twin Turbo) that would have prohibited any venturing into other realms of fun transportation until 2013, when I had to sell my car due to financial circumstances.
 
My 1993 Mazda RX-7:
 

 

 
Now that I'm back on my feet, it's time to feed my desire to have a hobby, and what now is more of a way of life, that is riding (not that the Rotary Community wasn't a cult life in itself).  I couldn't believe how much I took to loving riding.  I really do, honestly enjoy riding and it has been an epiphany to me as to why I spent all those years, and all that hard earned cash on sports cars when riding is so much fun, and at such less of a financial burden.  Now, I'd rather just own a big truck and have two bikes haha. Well, enough about me, let's talk about the bike.  When my brother handed me the keys, she had just about 11.8K on the odometer.  She now has 18.1k miles(as of March 6, 2016).  I've logged a pretty good amount of miles in such a short time, but a lot of it is highway.  I have taken her to the twisties a couple of times, and it has been the most fun I've had on her, but I really want to take her to the track.  Well, here she is.
 
 


 
Helmets:
First Helmet - Scorpion EXO-R710 in Matte Black (Wrong Size - Got a LG, but need a MED. I still have this helmet)

Second Helmet - Bell Star Carbon RSD Technique with Track Strip (Returned for Warranty Claim due to air leak)

Third Helmet - 2016 Bell Star in Matte Black (Current)

Fourth Helmet - Arai RX-Q Conflict (Current)

 
Current Riding Gear:

Communication - Sena 20S

Neckwarmer - Alpinestars
Boots - Alpinestars SMX Plus Goretex Boots in Black/White

Warm Weather Gloves - Alpinestars GP Pro in Black/White
Warm Weather Jacket - Scorpion EXO Wear Clutch Leather in Black/White

Warm Weather Pants - Scorpion EXO Wear SP2 Leather in Black/White

Warm Weather Base Layers - Alpinestars Open Faced Balaclava, DR.SKIN SR041 Compression Shirt and DB04 Compression Pants

Cold Weather Jacket - Alpinestars Megaton Drystar in Black

Cold Weather Pants - Alpinestars New Land Goretex in Black

Cold Weather Gauntlet Gloves - Alpinestars Jet Road in Hi-Viz

Cold Weather Short Cuff Gloves - Alpinestars Corozal Drystar in Black

Cold Weather Base Layers - BiLT Freeze-Out Zipped Gilet, Long Johns, Glove Liners & Balaclava
 
Current Modifications List  (Will surely grow, as I'm considered a tinkerer.  I can't leave anything stock):

Controls:

Woodcraft Rear Sets

Woodcraft Clip-On 1.5" Risers in the down position

Genuine Yamaha OEM R6 Grips

Genuine Yamaha OEM R6 Throttle Tube

Engine:

Akrapovic Carbon Race Exhaust

Protection:
Woodcraft Frame Slider Base w/Standard black plastic pucks

Lighting:
Genuine Yamaha Accessory LED Blinkers made by LighTech aka "Smoked Tear Drop" (Front Only) and Stock Rear with LED Bulbs

OSRAM Night Racer H4 Headlight Bulb

Tires:
Michelin Pilot Road 4 (38K - Current)

Bridgestone Battlax T30 Evo (Put on at 29K - 38K

Michelin Pilot Road 4(Put on at 17K - 29K)

Bridgestone Battlax BT-023 (Put on from factory - 17K)

Miscellaneous:
Givi Sports Windscreen with custom DIY brackets

Ram Mount X-Grip IV Phablet holder with custom bracket, diamond base & 2" small clamp

Future Modifications List (Not in any specific order):
 
Radiator Guard - Eyeing one on eBay that has a nice MT symbol right in the middle
Brake & Clutch Levers - Adjustable, but not sure which brand. Shorty maybe? Who knows
Brake Pads - EBC Sintered HH
Brake Lines - SS Lines, either Spiegler or Goodridge
Bar Ends - Woodcraft Bar End Sliders with Guard Mount and Black Pucks
Lever Guards - Woodcraft Black Guards on both side, because they look cool and can be functional (my excuse is lane splitting haha)
Axle & Fork Sliders - Woodcraft
Engine Guards - Woodcraft
Auxiliary Lights - Denali DR1 plus Denali DM Micro plus BikeVis Bullets V2 plus Photon Blasters
Headlight Modification - HID Bi-Xenon/Bi-LED Retrofit or Motodemic LED Round Headlight
Seats - Genuine Yamaha Comfort seat and maybe the Genuine Yamaha "MT-07" Rear Seat Cowl
Belly Pan - Want one, not sure which brand
Forks - Forks by Matt (Best Value IMHO) or R6 Front End Conversion
Rear Shock - Either K-Tech, Ohlins, Penske or Nitron.  Available funds might make the final decision, though I usually save for what I want.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

[jeffkisthename]

The first mod this bike received ever was the Givi Windscreen - Installed on September 27, 2015.
 

 

 

 

[jeffkisthename]

Second mod this bike received was the Woodcraft Clip-Ons with 1.5" Risers in the down position - Installed on November 21, 2015.
 
I really liked this mod, because it brought the handle bars more forward and down, for a more sportier and more comfortable, natural position for me. Might not be the best option for some, but definitely worked for me. Not as aggressive as a super sport like my brother's bike, but definitely more aggressive than the stock bar. The only gripe I had, was that the new forward position didn't allow the use of my Givi Windscreen, so I had to remove it.
 
Link to my after install thread here:
http://fz07.org/thread/4209/woodcraft-1-clip-ons-installed
 

 

 

 

[jeffkisthename]

After much thought, I figured, I'd try to make some temporary brackets to make use of my Givi Windscreen. So, I went to Walmart and bought some metal corner brackets and modify those to fit the screen, at least until I can draw one up and get it made. The brackets took about a day to be made, because of measuring, fitting and painting the end product. Custom Bracket installed on November 27, 2015.
 
Here's some photo's of how it turned out:
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Took the screen off and decided to paint the screws, nuts and exposed threads (might act like a threadlock haha)
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Got room to install a phone mount now.
 

[mike6116]

wow, quite large post here, nice mods on your bike btw i like your wind screen mod, nice idea....
 
While i keep looking at new threads on the forum i feel sad as my riding season is over, got lot of bad weather here and i dont like to be freezing out there riding so will have to wait until next year summer...
 
Greetings from Mexico
 
Mike

[so1102]

I would add another mod to your list: get yourself a decent radiator guard. You'd be surprised how easily a tiny rock can ruin your day.

[jeffkisthename]

I would add another mod to your list: get yourself a decent radiator guard. You'd be surprised how easily a tiny rock can ruin your day.

Roger that. Future mod added to the list.

[jeffkisthename]

Got the Akrapovic Carbon Race Exhaust from RevZilla on Monday. No time to install this until the weekend.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Definitely not going to use the baffle...

[jeffkisthename]

This was waiting for me when I got home tonight. These Woodcraft Rear Sets will be installed before the exhaust.
 

 

 

 

 
Hopefully I have time to install these pieces this weekend.

[hobbs]

Nice, detailed thread. Really cool, and your brother must be a swell dude to hook you up as such.

[jeffkisthename]

Put the Woodcraft rear sets together the night before and installed them onto the bike, except for the shift rod, I did that today, and finished my exhaust install.
 
Put together:

 

 

 
On the bike, with an unfinished install of the exhaust (had to wait for new header gaskets):

[jeffkisthename]

Here's both the Woodcraft rear sets and Akrapovic Carbon Race Exhaust installed:
 
Left side:
 

 
Left side close up:
 

 

 
Right side:
 

 

 
Right side close up:
 

 
Just random shots:
 

 

 

[jeffkisthename]

Installed Genuine Yamaha Accessory LED Blinkers.
 
Thread here:
 
http://fz07.org/thread/4328/genuine-yamaha-accessory-blinkers-installed
 
 

 
 

 
 

[jeffkisthename]

Daylight shots with the LED Turn Signals...
 

 
 

[jeffkisthename]

Installed Woodcraft Frame Sliders.
 
Thread here: http://fz07.org/thread/4335/woodcraft-frame-sliders-installed
 

 

 

 
 
 

[jeffkisthename]

Ram Mount IV Installed.  
 
Thread here: http://fz07.org/thread/4352/ram-mount-grip-iv-installed
 
 

 

[jeffkisthename]

I went to OSH and picked up some new hardware to replace the screws, washers and nuts I used to install my custom DIY brackets and Ram Mount base. I now have Allen head screws with locking nuts and locking washers on the Ram Mount base. Looks better than before, because there's no more excess screw sticking out at the bottom. I have also decided to not paint the nuts black, as they are stainless and I think it adds to the look. Check it out.
 

 

 

 

 

 

[cfzd]

Looks really good man. That is a nice bracket you came up with. The silver and black is sharp.

[jeffkisthename]

My tires were done for. After 17k miles, they were extremely due for some new shoes.
 

 

 

 

[jeffkisthename]

About a month ago, I parked my bike at the beach off of the Pacific Coast Highway and Mother Nature bullied her to the ground with some torrential winds causing some minor scrapes to some of her pieces and a bent clip on. Well I replaced the clip on and also the beat up Akrapovic exhaust sticker to an even bigger sticker haha.
 

 

 

 

[jeffkisthename]

Got a great deal on a new DID 525VX X-Ring chain and JT Sprockets to replace my over 18k miles stockers. Gotta love this forum.
 

[gregjet]

If you want bling and lightness, get online and buy some carbonfibre tube to replace the Woodcraft bend bars with. I would go 1.5mm thick if you can get it. Get enough to make a few sets and you have spares. A side benefit it carbonfibre ones actually damp vibration a bit

[jeffkisthename]

So I washed my bike last Tuesday and noticed my turn signals were a little loose. Instead of doing the right thing (taking off panels and using the right tools) I was lazy and adjusted them by hand by twisting them. That was a horrible mistake as I basically twisted them to death, literally.
 
I didn't know that I killed my turn signals and the next morning I was on my way to work and noticed my signals didn't work at all. Not one of them. Add to that, the lights on my gauge cluster didn't even turn on when I activated the signals and the emergency buttons.
 
I tried to troubleshoot the issue Thursday and only came up with a blown fuse on the "Park" light fuse. I replaced the fuse to only have it blow again and still, no lights on the cluster. Something was shorting out the system. I pulled my signals and found that when I twisted the signals, I basically broke the separation of power and ground.
 
Here is the bottom of the stud base that connects to the lights.
 

 
Well, after my misfortune, I found a pair of new unused Kellermann Micro Rhombus Dark LEDS in amber on Craigslist. The guy couldn't use them on his Triumph 675R, so lucky me. Got them for $80 and he threw in some Rizoma wires for free (a value of $20 he said).
 

 
Now, I'm going to have to either buy another set of Kellermann for the rears (expensive) or just buy an integrated tail light like the Motodynamics. Great, more money to spend. The cool thing is, the Kellermann signals were actually one of the signals I was eyeing before I bought the Yamaha Accessories LEDS for a killer deal from @pgelds. Well, I will post a photo of the install later.

[sorkyah]

So I washed my bike last Tuesday and noticed my turn signals were a little loose. Instead of doing the right thing (taking off panels and using the right tools) I was lazy and adjusted them by hand by twisting them. That was a horrible mistake as I basically twisted them to death, literally.  
I didn't know that I killed my turn signals and the next morning I was on my way to work and noticed my signals didn't work at all. Not one of them. Add to that, the lights on my gauge cluster didn't even turn on when I activated the signals and the emergency buttons.
 
I tried to troubleshoot the issue Thursday and only came up with a blown fuse on the "Park" light fuse. I replaced the fuse to only have it blow again and still, no lights on the cluster. Something was shorting out the system. I pulled my signals and found that when I twisted the signals, I basically broke the separation of power and ground.
 
Here is the bottom of the stud base that connects to the lights.
 

 
Well, after my misfortune, I found a pair of new unused Kellermann Micro Rhombus Dark LEDS in amber on Craigslist. The guy couldn't use them on his Triumph 675R, so lucky me. Got them for $80 and he threw in some Rizoma wires for free (a value of $20 he said).
 

 
Now, I'm going to have to either buy another set of Kellermann for the rears (expensive) or just buy an integrated tail light like the Motodynamics. Great, more money to spend. The cool thing is, the Kellermann signals were actually one of the signals I was eyeing before I bought the Yamaha Accessories LEDS for a killer deal from @pgelds. Well, I will post a photo of the install later.

Maybe a set of integrated signals in the rear are on your next to-do list
the wickedtwister style signals i mean
 

[jeffkisthename]

Maybe a set of integrated signals in the rear are on your next to-do list the wickedtwister style signals i mean

Hmmm...that is an option and I would be able to keep the stock tails. Thanks for reminding me @sorkyah.