Heya from Melbourne, Aus

[GEREN]

Hey there,

Recently got myself a 2001 GZ250 Marauder locally here in Melbourne, Australia. I like the thing but it'll be time for more power very soon. Either a VFR400 or a 600RR me thinks. I have no car and the bike is all I have to get around on - I reckon cars are for pansies! :2tup:
Anywho, while I've had it, I've gotten some low-rise handlebars for it (Eliminator brand) and removed the rear seat (looks better IMO). Also chopped up the rear license plate surround and made it fairly minimal in profile which I like (see rear view pic).
I also positioned a regular coiled bike lock under the seat so that I can attach the helmet to the left side of the bike and have it secure which I recommend for everyone - works a treat!
(Just have the 2 ends coming out the left side near the airbox and run it through the D-ring on your helmet and lock it, then just keep the key for it on your keychain and hey presto).
You can see the red cable on the right hand side of the bike in the pics below. I can post pics of the left side if people want.
I'm planning on getting some low profile mirrors for it and am undecided on the headlight for now (as Im concerned about resale potential with a lot of mods being illegal here in Australia) but we'll see!

I'm a big fan of the cafe racer style of bikes and was inspired by the mono shock conversion that I saw on here a little while back and that black one with the Harley muffler, dual beam headlights and chopped rear fender. :rawk:

Here's some piccies (excuse the dirt, was a rush photo tonight) :retard:
http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc317/gerendasi/DSC02510.jpg http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc317/gerendasi/DSC02509.jpg

http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc317/gerendasi/DSC02513.jpg


I've just written up another thread on some LED indicators I've gotten for it and have a few questions. If u can help me out with it, please follow the link
viewtopic.php?f=34&t=2785 (http://www.gz250bike.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=34&t=2785)

Love the forum BTW :lol:

[alantf]

I also positioned a regular coiled bike lock under the seat so that I can attach the helmet to the left side of the bike and have it secure which I recommend for everyone - works a treat!


Hi there, & welcome to the forum. Gotta mate out in Oz, but he's on the west coast, in Perth (Secret Harbour). He changes his bike more often than he changes his socks, but he reckons that anything with wheels is real expensive over there. :cry:

By the way - don't know if you've noticed - but there are already TWO helmet holders on the bike. If you lift the seat you'll see a sort of metal hook on each side. Slide the helmet D-ring over the hook, replace the seat, & - hey presto - safely secured helmet! :2tup:

Might just be the photo, but it looks like your rear tyre is getting squared off (i.e. it's been ridden upright, with not much leaning into the bends - little old lady style-) Might pay you to get your local bike shop to take a look. Don't forget that your tyres are the only thing holding the bike upright. :)

Just one more thing :roll: most of us have found that the Marauder likes the occasional treat of a dose of carb cleaner or fuel additive in the tank, to keep it running sweet :2tup:

[GEREN]

there are already TWO helmet holders on the bike. If you lift the seat you'll see a sort of metal hook on each side. Slide the helmet D-ring over the hook, replace the seat, & - hey presto - safely secured helmet! :2tup:
Ah awesome. I havent noticed that! The bike lock works good because it keeps the rain out of the inside of my helmet but if what you say is as good, I'll definitely be switching to that! [this is why I love forums :2tup: ]
Might just be the photo, but it looks like your rear tyre is getting squared off (i.e. it's been ridden upright, with not much leaning into the bends - little old lady style-) Might pay you to get your local bike shop to take a look. Don't forget that your tyres are the only thing holding the bike upright. :)

Not sure I know quite what you mean here. What's "squared off"? Am I not leaning into corners enough?? :??:
[just got it back from a service so a bit concerned to hear this]
EDIT - on second glance, I see the way it is looking a bit square. Reason may be that it was sitting in a shed for about 4 years before I got it hence the service. Have since put 3000km on it but still, if this is what you mean, it may be due to the fact it hasnt been used very much before I got it - ?

Cheers
Chris

[alantf]

Have since put 3000km on it but still, if this is what you mean, it may be due to the fact it hasnt been used very much before I got it - ?



Don't think it's your 3000km that's done it. Storage for 4 years is unlikely to have caused it either (it's squared all round it. Standing in one place for 4 years would cause local damage to the bit that was in contact with the ground) Seems IMHO to have been caused by the riding style of the previous owner.

However!............ Now that you've mentioned that it's been standing for 4 years - two things - Please get BOTH tyres checked by the bike shop. Like I said, they're the ONLY things between riding happily along, & something VERY nasty happening. :cry: Secondly - I reckon that a dose of carb cleaner (NOW!) is definitely in order, before any shite that's worked its way to the bottom of the tank, ends up in the carb.

The only thing that's stopping the crud from flowing is that the carb's taking fuel from above the pipe that's on the petcock (in the tank) If you use "reserve" you might be in for a nasty surprise, because then it uses the fuel from the bottom of the tank. If I was you, I'd be mighty tempted to remove the petcock & drain the tank - just in case! :2tup:

By the way, how many kilometers did the previous owner put on the bike?

[GEREN]

I see what you mean with the carb cleaner. Will get onto that ASAP. Not too confident with tanking off the tank but will have a look into it.
The previous owner only put 1200km on it. Then it sat around, then I got it.
The tyres will be done with the next service.

The one thing I dislike about the bike is that there arent too many here in Melb and all the help seems to be from guys in the States (and they'll have different specs! :s)

[alantf]

there arent too many here in Melb and all the help seems to be from guys in the States (and they'll have different specs!

Well ......... I'm in Spain, so mine's European spec. (Apparently that's the same as Canadian spec, apart from the lighting regs) I don't know quite what spec yours'll be. The main difference with European versus American is that the European carb is set up richer (American carbs are set up weaker to comply with the emission laws) so treat any postings about carb mods with caution.

I'll e-mail my mate in Perth, sometime today, & see if he can shed any light on the Oz spec. He's been riding in Oz for a lot of years, & his job is selling diagnostic computers to garages, so I'd imagine he's well up on the specs :2tup:

EDIT :- I've e-mailed Bob, in Perth, but so far, no reply (there's a 9 hour time difference) In the meantime I've checked the service manual - you can download it from this site - & there's DEFINITELY an Aussie spec. Check any item for code E-24. The main difference is the carb, & hence the idle speed. I'll not go any further into this, because you'll learn a LOT more by reading the manual & finding what applies to the bike in general, & the Aussie bike in particular. :) :2tup:

[GEREN]

Got a hold of some bar end mirrors. Seen the Benelli cafe racer with the same underside bar end setup and loved it! So I had to try it on the Geezer and I'll be sticking with it! :D

http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc317/gerendasi/03102009044.jpg

http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc317/gerendasi/03102009045.jpg

http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc317/gerendasi/03102009046.jpg

http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc317/gerendasi/03102009047.jpg

Visibility isn't as bad as it looks. Its just the case of a bit of time spent looking down at the mirrors under your arm rather than above your arm.
The mirrors only just miss the tank at full lock each side so they dont knock the tank at all. Only when I'm doing sharp turns do I have to stick my knee out to allow the mirror to fold in but its an acceptable adjustment which I've gotten used to after about 20 mins riding!
All opinions welcome

[alantf]

Can you get hold of something fancy to screw into the holes where the mirrors used to be? Reckon that'd set it off bonzer. :chop:

[dannylightning]

i wish i could do something like that with my bike. but the mirrors would hit the tank when the bars were turned.

[GEREN]

I'll find some screws to put in the empty threads soon.
You can bar end mirrors that done have such a long arm though, dannylightning. I got these as they were the easiest to come across.
Cheers

[dannylightning]

I'll find some screws to put in the empty threads soon.
You can bar end mirrors that done have such a long arm though, dannylightning. I got these as they were the easiest to come across.
Cheers

i would halve to find some that came streight out, and i dont know if that would work or not, my bars are swept back a bit, when they are turned to full lock the bar sets about a inch over top of the gas tank, and due to the swept back bars i think i would need to find mirrors that came streight out and than bent backwards so i wold need something like this, dont mind me im bored the red thing is the mirrors.

http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa247/dannylightning/bikehahahahah.jpg?t=1254750272


if any one wants to hire me for my wonderfull paint art let me know hahahahahaahahahahahahah

[mrlmd1]

Don't forget if you drop the bike or lay it down, the mirrors are history and they are prone to banging things moving in and out of a narrow space like in a garage because they stick out another 6" or so to the sides. I think it's harder to see through them too without having to look under your arms or out over your arms. IMO. And I, in my personal opinion, don't think they add anything to the appearance of the bike.
I also don't want to worry about the issue of them hitting my leg if I make a tight turn. I like them up over the bars and to get better visibility in back of me, without looking at my arms, I got 2 mirror extenders for about $10-11 for the pair that fit into the mirror mounting points and extend them out about 2" more to the sides, greatly improving rearward visibility.

[Water Warrior 2]

Don't forget if you drop the bike or lay it down, the mirrors are history and they are prone to banging things moving in and out of a narrow space like in a garage because they stick out another 6" or so to the sides. I think it's harder to see through them too without having to look under your arms or out over your arms. IMO. And I, in my personal opinion, don't think they add anything to the appearance of the bike.
I also don't want to worry about the issue of them hitting my leg if I make a tight turn. I like them up over the bars and to get better visibility in back of me, without looking at my arms, I got 2 mirror extenders for about $10-11 for the pair that fit into the mirror mounting points and extend them out about 2" more to the sides, greatly improving rearward visibility.

Makes sense to me. And you still retain the OEM mirrors which are of decent quality IMO.

[mrlmd1]

For those of you who don't know what they look like, the mirror risers/extenders are pictured below. They come in polished aluminum or powder coated black. screw right into the mirror sockets on the handlebars, then the mirrors screw into them. They raise the mirrors up about and inch and out 2" and made a world of difference to me letting me see behind me without my arms blocking the view, Find them on ebay.
http://www.postimage.org/Ts2bnFl9.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/)

[Sarris]

I just replaced the rod on the stock mirrors with one 2" longer, threaded the ends, and voila! extended mirrors for $3

:cool:

[Water Warrior 2]

For those of you who don't know what they look like, the mirror risers/extenders are pictured below. They come in polished aluminum or powder coated black. screw right into the mirror sockets on the handlebars, then the mirrors screw into them. They raise the mirrors up about and inch and out 2" and made a world of difference to me letting me see behind me without my arms blocking the view, Find them on ebay.
http://www.postimage.org/Ts2bnFl9.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/)


Very nice pieces. The price is certainly right.

[dannylightning]

For those of you who don't know what they look like, the mirror risers/extenders are pictured below. They come in polished aluminum or powder coated black. screw right into the mirror sockets on the handlebars, then the mirrors screw into them. They raise the mirrors up about and inch and out 2" and made a world of difference to me letting me see behind me without my arms blocking the view, Find them on ebay.
http://www.postimage.org/Ts2bnFl9.jpg (http://www.postimage.org/)


im sure there are drawbacks to the bar end mirrors, they dont add any thing, they take away from the front end. i don't know i like the stripped down look. i plan on keeping pretty much every thing else on my bike stock tho. if its not already a project that i have started but as soon as that is done than i think i will be done with any kind of mods.

those extenders probably help out a lot hun??

[mrlmd1]

They work great for me - I'm not looking at my shoulders and arms anymore and don't have to wiggle around or turn the bars now to see perfectly behind me,
They fit in perfectly with the appearance of the bike, blend in well, and you really don't even notice them when they're on the bike.
The biggest advantage besides the better rearward vision, is that you don't move your eyes much to look out the mirrors, it's just a quick glance without having to find them, so you don't get distracted taking your eyes off the road. Sounds like an advertisement, but I think they're well worth it. I couldn't find longer arms for the mirrors like Sarris did without having to buy new rods and then get them threaded for a 10mm screw, and I didn't want to but a new pair of plastic mirrors which was the only thing I found with longer arms.
Last I looked on ebay, I think they're now $17-18, but worth it to me.

[alantf]

I'm not looking at my shoulders and arms anymore and don't have to wiggle around or turn the bars now to see perfectly behind me,


I've never had to wriggle or turn the bars to see o.k. Mine are adjusted fine. I'm just normal size, so are you particularly wide or anything? That's the only reason I can think of, for you not being able to see through the stock mirrors. (just trying to fing the reason :) )

[mrlmd1]

It's just the way my bike ( the S50) is set up with the mirrors on it when I got it. The stock mirrors on my GZ worked fine, the arms are longer and stick out farther.

[GEREN]

This bike is now a write-off

D:

[burkbuilds]

Why? What happened? Are you okay?

[GEREN]

A postal van ran a red light and hit me head on.
The front forks were totally mangled as well as the headlight, pedals etc.

It was a sad day :c

[bonehead]

Could have been much worse. Hope you have a speedy recovery.