2006 Yamaha R1 Maintenance / Mods

[Mudpuppy]

Well after 3 long weeks of no riding I finally fired up the R1 last night for a midnight ride. Left the house literally at the stroke of the witches hour and took a 20 mile shakedown run. New tires felt good but breaking them in a bit before I do anything stupid. They are balanced good. After much debate with the Yamaha gurus settled on 1.5" chain slack on the chain. Still have to check the front sprocket to see if the previous owner changed that because he changed the rear to a 46t. I assume not so not a big deal but can affect chain slack. Yamaha recommends 0.79"-0.98" which is way too tight imo and might be due to the larger sprocket in the rear. So I completed:

1. New tires - Bridgestone S20 (the new Bridgestone supersport tire - good for street and track)
2. Cleaned up and lubed up both axles, checked wheel bearings and lubed
3. Fixed license plate bracket - was way forward with no light and plate bent over screaming please give me a ticket - bought a $23 bracket with light and wired that into the running lights - gtg
4. Cleaned, adjusted and lubed the chain
5. Changed antifreeze out to engine ice (track requirement) - runs about 5-7 degrees cooler
6. Flushed out back brake fluid and put in Motul racing fluid
7. Put a tank pad on the tank to protect from zippers, etc.
8. Fixed the front fairing from a crack caused by the front stand
9. Checked all the bolts
10. Cleaned up under the fenders while the tires were off with engine degreaser

Still have to wire it for the track but I can ride it in between that work and I have until July 27 to get that done. Hopefully I can get a predrilled oil drain plug before then to make it easier otherwise it is off to the drill press which I have to drill the other bolts anyways and because I am removing the drain plug it will be oil change time and I changed it about 1,200 miles ago so I want to put a few more miles on and change it just before the track day so I have fresh oil. July 15th going to set up the suspension sag as Redline is having a suspension set up day (just in time for the track). And I haven't decided bar ends or frame sliders or both? Along with stomp grip because the tank has zero grip unlike my R6 which I never needed the stomp grip on.

Winter projects will be fork fluid, fixing the front stand (figured out what I need to do - small piece of tubing and some welding), cable lube, xenon bulbs for the front headlights, brake pads front and rear, speed bleeders for all the calipers. After that shouldn't have to touch the bike, except for normal washing, tire pressure and chain maintenance for a long time. Sucks I had to do it now but the money was in the slush fund so had to make use before the fun governor re allocated it to something fucking stupid.

Took a bunch of pictures - will follow up with them when I get them sorted out.

[sprink]

New to you bike?

[Gas Man]

Yeah he bought it used...

Sounds like some good TLC. I would love to help with the rest of the winter list. Glad you fixed the plate/lighting, no reason to cause more trouble for yourself and that's an easy way. I love engine ice, glad to see you go that route vs royal purple junk.

I'd go with frame and bar end sliders (unless you already have big heavy metal bar ends). The stomp grips are nice for knee grip in lean, I'm surprised you didn't already have one.

[Mudpuppy]

Well I put engine ice in my R6 about 2 years after I got it and it ran perfect for 7 years so I am kind of sold on engine ice vs all the other garbage out there. And I really don't feel like changing it twice a year to be track legal. You get something that works you stick with it. Like seafoam for winter storage - can't beat it. And Motul brake fluid. They say change once a year - nope. Change rarely if ever if you put the good stuff in.

Never needed stomp grips on the R6. Never a grip issue. But the R1 I can definitely feel a grip issue and I haven't really pushed it yet. Different tank design.

And yes the bike is somewhat new to me. Bought it used April 2010 and rode it for an entire season just changing the oil and maintaining the chain. Didn't do much to it at all.

[Gas Man]

I agree Mud... stick with what works...

[sprink]

OK, thought that with the stuff you were doing and mentioning the previous owner that it was new to you this year. I remember you bought it, special edition I think.

[Mudpuppy]

Yeah it's the anniversary colored plastics - other than that it is same as standard production. There is a limited edition version from 2006 but it is about twice as much as I paid for this bike and has special marchesimo wheels, ohlins shocks and slipper clutch. Well I don't have the $5,000 wheels or the slipper clutch but the previous owner put ohlins shocks on the bike along with about $5,000-$7,000 in other mods.

[sprink]

Nice!

[Mudpuppy]

Tuesday I went to an exclusive Ducati "dealership / garage" - never even heard of it before it's invite only but there were older knowledgeable dudes there - former racers - all Ducati buffs for the most part. But really guys that know their shit. And a couple of them looked at it and asked what I bought it for and both commented yep that was definitely a good deal considering all the mods done to it, etc. The dealer I got it from really didn't know what they had.

[Gas Man]

It's a sweet bike mud. I understand the love.