Day 53 - 19-10-14 - Changed the massive bearing in sprocket carrier for a new one. Test rode and seems better, but a while since I rode it so not sure. Still a whine, however think that is the transmission. Had another look at making adapter plates for my Suzuki rear sets. After much head scratching came up with a design. So will have a go at making them.

Day 54 - 22-10-14 - This was my idea for a different mounting bracket for the rear sets. I was trying to hide the mounting point on the frame to make it look like part of the frame. The bolts attach from the back side of the frame, screw into the frame and then into the bracket. This is not an ideal solution as the head of the bolt doesn't pull the bracket towards the frame. Rather that job is being done by the thread. Anyway even though it's just a very rough mock up I didn't like the look of it. Next!

Day 55 - 2-11-14 - Another idea came to me. Make my own brackets and attach the Suzuki foot pegs and levers to them. So I designed this.

I've also dismissed that idea as I don't have a milling machine (thinking about getting one though!) and I doubt I could get the kind of perfect finish I like. I thought back to my original brief to have the bike suitable for racing. Ground clearance is important so the ability to change the position of the foot pegs for road or track appeals. As the OE Suzuki foot rests are almost in the right position I thought some aftermarket rear sets would do the job.

I used to race a 2005 Suzuki GSX-R1000 and that was fitted with ProMach rear sets. They were very strong and I liked the design, so I set about trying to find some on that well known internet based auction site. Not much on there, however I found a full set in very good condition and the furthest forward position was right where I needed the foot rest to be, with option of moving them up and back. Perfect. Not so perfect was the price. Suffice to say I paid a bit over the odds. Preferable to relying on some unknown quality, cheap versions from China though. Plus after checking with ProMach direct I can still get spares.

Day 56 - 9-11-14 - As I mentioned previously when riding the bike there is a loud whine coming from the back end. I slipped off the chain and got the rear wheel spinning at a fast speed with the aid of a drill fitted with a big sanding wheel working on the tyre. Without the chain there is no whine, so pretty happy the rear wheel bearings are not the problem. That leaves the chain and transmission. Seems quite loud to be just the chain, so I'm going to try and work out how to spin the drive sprocket with the chain removed to see if the transmission is the culprit. I don't feel it can be the chain as it's brand new with all it's original wax lube all over it.

I used to have a 2002 Yamaha R1 and that had a pretty noisy gearbox, so maybe it's a Yamaha thing. Any Fazer owners have noisy/whinny transmissions? Also thinking back to when I bought it, it had been involved in a crash which holed the right engine case allowing engine oil to escape. It's possible there is some damage, although I was told be the previous owner it didn't run for long on it's side. Or maybe it's normal and "they all do that sir".

I decided at the outset to do this build in stages to try and avoid getting too far in and finding things wouldn't work how I wanted. Stage one was to get the front and rear ends fitted. I've done that now, so stage two is to fit Venom (by Motad) header pipes, new silencer and individual pod filters on the carbs and get it running properly, or certainly in the ball park before proper setting up on a dyno. Stage three is when the angle grinder comes out and the transformation proper starts.

So the carbs had to come out so I could fit different jetting and to check what size jets to order. There's always one nut, bolt or screw that causes an issue isn't there? It was the last of the Jubilee type clips on the carb rubbers (engine side) to throw a spanner in the works. The screw holding the rubber tight to the carb would not budge and in the end I rounded off the screw head trying. Doh! All these intake rubbers were perished so I was going to replace them anyway and had already picked up some second hand ones. Nothing for it but to resort to brute force and ignorance. Where's my hack saw? I just cut through the rubber and after much jiggling got the carbs free.

Now to remove the airbox. Pretty sure I've read on the Fazer forum that you have to remove the engine to get the air box out. The engine will be out at some point, but not yet thanks very much. It did indeed look like a non starter. However I noticed the front of the air box could be removed. So I did that and pulled the air box forward. My that is tight. Tried various angles of air box, but it looked like it was staying put. One last try. I pushed the air box upwards and forward as much as possible and was able to get the rear right side to go in front of the frame rail. It was very tight and would probably scratch the frame (it'll be powder coated eventually), but I managed to yank it out. So it can be done. Result.

Day 57 - 10-11-14 - Another screw put up a fight. One of the small screws that attaches the float bowl to the carb body. Only one out of the 16 however I managed got knock it off with a hammer and a screwdriver. Not pretty and I've ordered a couple of new screws.

Tried to get at the slide needle as I'll need to change the height of it, however I wasn't sure how to remove this white plastic bit that sits at the top of the needle. Anybody any ideas please? I didn't want to get tough on it in case I broke it.

The main jets are Mikuni number N102221 size, with 115 size fitted in all the carbs. I haven't got any experience with carbs, but I managed to get some information on new jetting from someone on the Fazer forum who had got pod filters fitted. He had taken his bike to a dyno for set up and they fitted 125 mains in the outer carbs and 127.5 in the middle carbs, with all four needles moved to fourth groove down.

My ProMach rear sets arrived so I quickly mounted them. I didn't have time to check properly, but it looks like they are going to work. Happy with that.

The credit card got hammered today as I ordered parts to progress with the build. The exhaust is ordered from Motad. They are making another batch of 25 which should be done by 20 November 2014, so I should get it the following week. Four pod filters with chrome covers (K&N part number RC-1824), the bigger mains jets, float bowl screws and intake jubilee clip are on the way.

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