Tweaking my Versys

[TonyBKK]

jimbobs;299184 wrote: This type of storey always worries me as I have to leave my bikes for long periods when I am working away
Any advice guys?

Honestly mate, I'd build a proper garage or have a ramp built so that you can keep your bikes in the house. I'm guessing from all the spider and mud wasp nests I found in your KLX that you just leave it outside uncovered? That will age a bike terribly in this climate. Seals and gaskets dry up, become brittle and shrink, batteries wear out faster in tropical heat and humidity, as does brake fluid and the rubber in your tires. Bugs and small animals will move in and can create a real mess. Always a good idea to disconnect batteries and put them on trickle charges if the bike won't be ridden for a while. Also, top off your fuel tanks with quality gasoline (no gasohol!). Gasohol phase separates over time and can create a real mess! Finally, plug your exhausts to keep the critter and humidity out and put your bikes on stands to keep the tires off the ground. I also like to give all metal surfaces a generous coat of WD40 before putting a bike in storage for an extended period of time.

 

[Tom Forde]

Hi papa dave, take tony's advice, my old Dakar, has mice eat the wiring, wasps nesting in the exhaust and stale fuel clog up the fuel injection, over the last 10 years the old girl is still running with over 100,000km up on her. I have vigilantly serviced her every 5000km. But i have the tools and a garage. The bike you are riding is a throwaway, after 100,000km forget it. It is not a Honda or a BMW. So everything you spend on it make sure they can fit on your next bike!
just a wee advice from an old mate, you only get what you pay for, the Versys falls into this catagory.
Tom

 

[jimbobs]

The garage is getting built as we speak Tony, where do you buy bike stands in Thailand thanks for the heads up
Tom is the Kawasaki a bad bike? I have the ZX6r, a KLX and the Versys I was not aware Kawasaki where a throw away bike
i was hoping to keep all 3 for a number of years , I have seen loads of old kwakas in the UK in good working order, I will take your advice about keeping the critters out the bikes
I only ever use 91 out of the large garages , is that gasoline? , I try to buy the most expensive
:thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

 

[TonyBKK]

^ No more 91 gasoline in Thailand, only 95, which is always the most expensive and goes for close to 50baht/liter at most stations. (http://www.eppo.go.th/retail_prices.html)

I think Tom is taking the piss a bit with his comment about the Kwackas being throwaway bikes. The 650 twins have been around a LONG time and are proven tough and reliable. If you take good care of your bike and keep up with all scheduled maintenance it's a piece of cake to get 100,000 km or more out of them. Check this thread for examples: http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=746712&page=2

FWIW BMW and Honda have had their fair share of duds over the years too. I can't think of any brand that hasn't...

 

[TonyBKK]

^^ As for bike stands- if you want them shipped to your house I reckon Dirtshop (http://www.dirtshopthailand.com/) or 320SP (https://www.facebook.com/pages/320-SP/198202680224575?hc_location=timeline) would be good choices as they offer shipping. Red Baron has quality stands for your road bikes and might ship too? (http://www.redbaronbkk.com/)

 

[DavidFL]

One of the problems with the Versys I found is the clunky gearbox when it gets hot.
6 weeks ago I swapped over to Mobil 20-50 motorcycle oil & I can say that there is a huge change - for the better.

Give it a go - the way to go in the heat here.

 

[DavidFL]

Davidfl;287686 wrote:

I've had two rubbish Thai DID chains on the bike

one was on there when I got the bike, wore out, & then I tried a 2nd Thai DID (because that's all I could get on the day) which only lasted 6,000 kms = 2 months.

But of importance was how quickly the chains literally seized up & "fell apart."
Both times I was in Nan coming back to Chiang Mai. I checked the chain in the morning in Nan & it looked ok - plenty of play & the Scott Oiler working.
The first time when I got back to Cnx the chain was as tight as a piano wire. Links seized & O-rings missing - all in a few hundred kms; & I just thought it was a hooked sprocket, never bothering to look at the chain as I never ever imagine a chain could shit itself so quickly!
Two months later, the same, leaving Nan in the morning I thought oops this chain too looks as if it could on the way out. Better take it easy on the way home. 100 kms down the road in Phrae I stopped for an inspection & sure enough some links had already seized up & some O-rings were missing. Unbelievable I thought. Shocked - twice now! Fortunately in Phrae I was able to source a 2,000 baht EK chain get it put on & carry on home to Cnx. The EK seemed to be quite ok, but I ordered in an RK chain from Japan to be safe & not get caught out again.

August 2013 I fitted an Ek Chain sourced from
Sangchai Panich
100/9 Kaew Nawarat Rd
the Honda Dealer opposite Prince Royal College

The cost 2,100 baht.

11 months & 25,000 kms later it has been replaced.
Now that's value for money guys.
Stay away from the Thai made DID chains, although the Thai DID box still says Made in Japan, thieving cheats!

The new chain is an RK RX Ring Gold chain.
Plus a Supersprox Rear Sprocket
Hopefully I'm good for at least another 18 months with this set.

 

[DavidFL]

A new handlebar pouch..

Rough and Road again, great products out of Japan.

The advantage of this one a clear cover on the front, plus a rain cover. Lacking in the previous one.
A nice item for carrying a phone, small camera, passport with ready access.

US$47 with postage + 646 baht customs duty.
Check em out, great handy products
PRODUCT INFORMATION: BAG 早見表 Quick Index

 

[DavidFL]

Davidfl;292736 wrote:

Well first trip away on the Versys with the new shock & what a ride it was.

The Nitron shock has transformed the bike. It now rides like it is on rails, firmly planted to the road, no wallowing or bouncing around.

Bumps & ripples it now just swallows up effortlessly, giving a plush ride.

R118 Chiang Mai - Chiang Rai is a road that's pretty ratty at the southern Doi Saket end, that has lots of patchy asphalt. With the Nitron shock on the Versys you hardly feel any of these.

The bike sticks to the road, just eating up any of those annoying bumps. I never thought I'd say what a good ride R118 is - but it is with decent suspension.

Even that nasty dip in the road on that big left hander, on the uphill, heading south of Mae Kachan - the Nitron shock just ate it up. Not even any wallowing.

Loaded up with cargo on the super sitting on 160 kph the bike again ran like it was on rails - absolute rock steady, giving a plush ride.

Yes sir the Nitron shock is an absolute winner.

Should anyone be considering a new rear shock for their Versys look no further than a Nitron from the guys at Nitron Malaysia.

Nitron is a UK company, specializing in suspension. The parts are engineered in the UK.
They have a plant in Malaysia where they assemble shocks for the Asian market. There's also another plant in Japan for assembling shocks for Japan.
The shocks come with a 2 year warranty.

By buying a "local" shock you only need to send the shock next door to Malaysia for a service / rebuild. I've had warranty shocks before that needed rebuild & had to go to Europe for free service - but sometimes took 3 months before I could get the shock back & I had to pay the shipping both ways. This won't be a problem if you are using Nitron Malaysia.

I ordered & paid for my shock from Malaysia, then got a Malaysian rider to pick it up, carry it to Hatyai & post it from there.

Another plus using Nitron Malaysia is that you will get a shock built to your specification. You won't be buying an off the shelf shock that "fits all."

Nitron Malaysia ask for your body weight & riding kit.

MY ORDER
Customer Order:
Kawasaki Versys 650 2012
NTBKK 26T
Type: Hose Remote Reservoir Type
Price: MYR 2,660

CONTACT
Thiam Loong, Ser
Motorsport Design Engineer

Nitron Systems Asia Sdn. Bhd.
27 Jalan U1/35, Hicom Glenmarie,
40150 Shah Alam, Selangor D.E.,
Malaysia.

Email: [email protected]

Nitron Website
Facebook Nitron Asia

3 cheers Nitron Malaysia.
Thanks to Nolan for picking the shock up for me.

32,000 kms up on the Nitron rear shock & its time for a rebuild, so off with Air Asia - 6500 baht return - to KL for a few days.

I'd been in touch with the Nitron guys for a few months about a rebuild, but didn't quite find the right time to slip down to KL to get it done, despite their generous offer to pick up the shock from whatever hotel in KL I was at, rebuild it & bring it back in a few hours.
So what happened...
I caught a taxi out to their operation in Shah Alam, just a 1 kms away from the defunct Shah Alam race track; & what a waste the race track was - now a housing development site. All gone!

Now the resaon I caught a taxi out was because I wanted to check out Nitron & watch the rebuild, plus take a few photos if possible. And their reply was yeah sure no problem. Come on out.

The Nitron shop is a a couple of shophouses in an industrial estate.

My introduction was to check out the workshop at the back & a couple of cars fitted with Nitron suspension...







Pretty hot cars eh?
It turns out that Nitron Asia is owned by a somewhat wealthy Malaysian who owns a shipping company & who likes to race cars.
He has quite a collection so the story goes, Lamborghini, Ferrari, Aston Martin, Porsche ++ ..GT500

Their racing team is Nexus Racing

http://www.nexusracing.asia/index.html

Check em out. They're a bunch of really cool guys from what I saw.

More to come...

 

[DavidFL]

Continued...rebuilding my Nitron shock at Nitron Asia in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

The shock ready for the treatment



First up then is to check it on the computer & see how it is performing.



The shock is connected up & way it goes getting a full work over



The graphs showing how it is under-performing





The shock is then disassembled, basically into 3 sections






Re-gassed & oiled + in my case new shims + seals.
The comment from Wei the engineer was that he had never seen a shock with such bad oil - your bike has done a lot of heavy work.

The shock is reassembled, then re-tested back on the computer to see if the performance is correct & up to spec.
First class service & every Nitron shock rebuilt in KL is tested before & after to make sure it is perfect!

Yoong the engineer who rebuilt my shock, has graduated from a Coventry Motosport University in the UK & genuinely knows his stuff as an engineer. Whilst in the UK studying he also worked part time with Nitron UK.
Thiam Long who was my original Nitron contact in KL is now back at the same Coventry Motorsport University & working part time with Nitron UK; & he too will eventually come back to Nitron Malaysia.

A couple of other guys from GTR have been in touch with Nitron Asia (Malaysia) for shocks.
I cannot fault their service & product.
Tay Long Wey is the director in KL & will look after all your enquiries.



Another Nitron shock for bikes.

 

[TonyBKK]

Interesting write up David! I had no idea a shock would need to be serviced after such relatively short mileage but if the computer shows it's not performing correctly and the oil was filthy I guess that's proof service was needed! Wonder if I should have my Ohlins looked at on the K1200LT. I service the forks on my bikes every year or two but never gave any thought to the shocks... 104000 miles on the Land Yacht and she still handles great, but I suppose it wouldn't be a bad idea to have the shocks inspected and rebuilt if necessary.

 

[DavidFL]

The guy to contact at Nitron Malaysia



Tony the problem in North Thailand is the roads. We have a brilliant road network; but the road surface is nearly always uneven, bumpy. Even the concrete "super highways" have little bumps, ripples in them at the start end of each section. Your shocks have to work all the time. We generally don't ride on smooth billiard table surfaces like you usually get in the west. Then chuck in riding fast in the endless twisties in the mountains & your shock really does get a hard work out all the time. I used to get about 18 months out of a shock on the Africa Twin - YSS, Technoflex, Wilbers - I had them all in 320,000 kms. The Technoflex & Wilbers used to have to go to Europe for a rebuild & the YSS ended up going to Australia. That is one of the reasons I chose Nitron - you can get a rebuild at the factory in KL 2 1/5 hrs away by plane from Cnx. And so far I've found their service excellent - absolutely no complaints. Send in your specs - riding weight - & you get a shock built for you; not an off the shelf shock that fits all.

 

[Ian Bungy]

I thought the Same as Tony! Seems awfully Low Mileage for the Shock to be Knackered? I have done 48.000 kms on My Tiger. I can't remember how many I had done when I installed the Ohlins but still going like New? But of course David would carry a lot more Luggage and Weight than Me? I would still recommend Ohlins before any other Brand though!

 

[DavidFL]

Ian Bungy;302116 wrote: I thought the Same as Tony! Seems awfully Low Mileage for the Shock to be Knackered? I have done 48.000 kms on My Tiger. I can't remember how many I had done when I installed the Ohlins but still going like New? But of course David would carry a lot more Luggage and Weight than Me? I would still recommend Ohlins before any other Brand though!

Ian
No offence, but I'm sure there is a big difference on where & what roads we ride our bikes on.

Re your Tiger, you would seem to be very careful on what roads you take it & I note that you try to avoid the crap bumpy slower speed roads as much as possible. R1095 Mae Malai - Pai, or most roads in Laos; instead preferring the smooth higher speed highways plus generally not loaded up like I am in Laos sometimes for a few weeks on the road. And that is a massive difference.

You also have multiple bikes & are very fussy about mothering your bikes & keeping them in showroom condition. Having this option you can pick & choose what's good for each ride, so as to look after them as much as possible & ride them on a road they are best suited to.

Me, I have only one bike & that's what I ride, day in day out on whatever / wherever I have to go. My bike works all the time, often loaded up.

The engineer at Nitron was testing my shock at 50 Celsius & he said I can see you shock has been that hot working hard.

So perhaps your Ohlins shock on the Tiger shock has not really been tested like my Nitron on the Versys.

Whatever, I'm happy with what I've got & more than pleased about being able to get such an easy rebuild when needed.

But yeah I would like to try an Ohlins shock sometime, but only when I'm sure there are no rebuild delays, getting it overseas & back again, without customs duty problems. I once had trouble with a Wilbers shock coming back from Europe, where Thai customs in Cnx wanted me to pay full import duty for a shock. I refused, had it sent to Singapore & then carried back into Thailand by a friend.

If your Ohlins ever needs a rebuild what are the options you've got?

Perhaps we should start a separate suspension thread & see what everyone says?

 

[TonyBKK]

FWIW Dirtshop in Bangkok is an authorized Ohlins dealer and offers rebuilds though I don't know of anyone who has had their Ohlins rebuilt there so I can not comment on service quality. Certainly they do not have the high tech testing tools shown in David's pictures, but for a basic service and rebuild I would guess such measurements might not be so important? Red Baron also stocks and sells Ohlins but no idea about after sales service.

 

[Ian Bungy]

Ohlins have a Factory in Bangkok which Produce, Service and Develop Suspension. I was Talking to Asawin from Triumph the other day and they had spend time recently with the Ohlins Tech Department at the Bira Track and other Locations Testing and Developing Suspension for the Classic Range of Triumph. Rear Shocks and Avalible very soon Full Cartridge Ohlins Inserts for the Front end Forks. I have the Same Style Fully Adjustable Front End in My Harley. The Forks look Standard apart from the End Caps which has all the Adjustability on it! Very Trick and Oh what an Improvement! For Your information a set of Rear Shocks for the Classic Range is as little as 20.000 Baht so not Expensive for Top Quality Shocks! So I am pretty sure they are avalible for most Makes and Models.

 

[DavidFL]

Ian Bungy;302167 wrote: Ohlins have a Factory in Bangkok which Produce, Service and Develop Suspension. I was Talking to Asawin from Triumph the other day and they had spend time recently with the Ohlins Tech Department at the Bira Track and other Locations Testing and Developing Suspension for the Classic Range of Triumph. Rear Shocks and Avalible very soon Full Cartridge Ohlins Inserts for the Front end Forks. I have the Same Style Fully Adjustable Front End in My Harley. The Forks look Standard apart from the End Caps which has all the Adjustability on it! Very Trick and Oh what an Improvement! For Your information a set of Rear Shocks for the Classic Range is as little as 20.000 Baht so not Expensive for Top Quality Shocks! So I am pretty sure they are avalible for most Makes and Models.

Thanks for that Ian.
I googled Ohlins Thailand & came up with these

Ohlins Asia
http://www.ohlinsasia.com/index.php

Ohlins Thailand Facebook
Öhlins Asia shock absorber, ohlins, ohlins for honda, ohlins msx, ohlins forza, ohlins crf, ohlins zoomerx, ohlins scoopyi, ohlins click, ohlins cbr150, ohlins cbr250, ohlins cbr300, ohlins pcx, ohlins cb500, ohlins cbr650, ohlins for yamaha, ohlins spark, ohlins fino, ohlins ttx, ohlins mio, ohlins nouvo, ohlins for kawasaki, ohlins d tracker, ohlins ninja250, ohlins ninja300, ohlins ksr, ohlins er6, ohlins versys, ohlins klx150, ohlins klx250, ohlins for ktm, ohlins ktm, ohlins duke, ohlins front fork, front fork ohlins, front fork msx, front fork zoomerx, โช๊คโอริน, โช๊คอัพ, โช๊คอัพโอริน

The start up of Ohlins Thailand
This is Öhlins - Öhlins Racing
& how did "we" miss this piece of news?

Ohlins Company History
http://www.ohlins.com/About-the-company/Our-HIstory/

So now maybe it's time for a suspension thread on GTR??

The thread is now here: Suspension - what are you using / where to buy.

 

[DavidFL]

A new set of tyres. No Avon Distanzias, so on with a set of Pirelli MT60s




Total kms up on the Versys now = 90,000 kms. Only a few more months & "round the clock" she goes.

 

[Lakota]

I'd be interested to see how you get on with the MT60's David. I've got 20K on the Pirelli Scorpions and they do seem an excellent tire but I've still not decided wether to try the MT60's or not :huh:

 

[DavidFL]

Lakota;303634 wrote: I'd be interested to see how you get on with the MT60's David. I've got 20K on the Pirelli Scorpions and they do seem an excellent tire but I've still not decided wether to try the MT60's or not :huh:

4900 kms up on the MT60s & not enough left for a trip to Laos.

The rear


maybe 1500 kms left If you're lucky, but I never recommend starting a Lao trip on worn tyre, as it won't be long before you start picking up nails & flat tyres.

The front


still a bit left & maybe ok for another 2000 kms maximum.
My first set of MT60s - they don't last long, maybe a bit less than Avon Distanzia, which are my favourite tyres, but oh such low kilometres out of a pair.They are costing me almost 5-6,000 baht a month for tyres. = Ouch.

So on with some Scorpion Trails



11,500 baht from Cockpit

And my Versys now has 94,500 kms up.

A blown high beam head light bulb hampered my riding in Soppong at night for Lisu New Year.
Off to a car shop for a new set of H7 Bulbs


550 baht for two.

Its all good again so Lao here we come for a few days.

 

[Lakota]

5k out of a Tire !? .... Ouch ! ...... I'll pass on the MT60's RS Corsa ;-)

The New Scorpion Trail II was released in January , hopefully it'll be available in Thailand soon. better wear and better side grip apparently

 

[DavidFL]

Davidfl;292420 wrote:

The Trail Tech Striker gauge is also fitted, but appears to be faulty

I will buy & fit another one. I like the temperature gauge & voltmeter to monitor what is going on.

Just a big plug for the Trail Tech Striker gauge.
10 days ago riding in traffic downtown, the fan came on & I watched the temp gauge continue to rise....trouble.... alarmed I stopped & pulled over for a look.
The radiator had just boiled unknown to me chugging along in the traffic.
Now if I did not have that temp gauge I would have just kept going thinking that hell it was hot stuck in the traffic.
The Trail Tech gauge saved the day!

And the solution to the overheating -fit a new radiator cap & seals.

 

[DavidFL]

Closing in on one lap round the clock

 

[DavidFL]

99,994 kms replaced the stator...so on the way home finally done it, clocked the Versys

AND now the bike is for sale.
Sensible offers only for anyone who is serious & wants a bike to go.
Set up for touring.
Driving Lights. Nitron shock for a 100kg rider + 15 kgs of riding gear & luggage. Givi E21 luggage boxes. Sensational 5 tone electric horns. Scott oiler.
Asking 130,000 baht.

 

[Goran Phuket]

Really curious what is your next bike :mrgreen:
F800GS is just perfect for you.