MZ/MuZ Riders

Howdy folks-

A few months ago I traded a nice old FJ1200 that I didn't need anymore (already had an aprilia RST1000) for something a little more "fun," and that the girlfriend could commute on, and wound up with a 2001 660 black panther /w about 13,000km's

I absolutely love the thing to death. The hoonability of this little machine is just incredible, and it's got some nice mods (came with two custom exhaust setups, I currently have a setup with two cans on either side of the brakelight under the tail, also has an aero bar, knuckle guards, heated grips, a set of awesome expandable corbin saddlebags, and the turn signal stalks have been converted into fog lights)

I have a few questions/concerns, however

It starts and runs great, but it feels a little asthmatic in the upper range of the revband. Is it supposed to be this way, or is it running too lean and needs a rejetting? If so, what jets should I grab (yamaha ones? what would be the standard upgrade?)

It also shifts like a tractor. No false neutrals, grinding or popping out, it's just REALLY clunky. is it a dry or wet clutch, and are there any ways to make the shifting feel nicer? The one thing I miss from that FJ was it had the smoothest transmission on this planet.

Are there any options for wind protection? I've been thinking about making a small windscreen, but I'm not sure where I would mount it. Anyone have any inspiration? Ideally, I'd like to be able to let the girlfriend take it for longer trips than to school and back, and some sort of buffeting protection seems necessary.

I also have noticed (this is my first supermoto, so it could just be me) but anything above 70-80mph, and the force of the wind against me pulling on the bars creates a somewhat alarming amount of wobble as my arms get buffeted. The steering head bearings are fine, and I'm assuming it's made a little worse with the aero bars probably being a little wider. But is this just a trait of the bike? Has anyone fitted a steering damper, and if so, what options would I have? I do quality work, but I am always on a budget.

How about off roading? I would like to take it into the mountains from time to time (I have a TS185, but that's for the girlfriend to ride) but am concerned about the small wheels. Are there any sources for the bigger, dirt wheels? and are there any special considerations that need to be made for using them? I don't plan on serious off roading, but old jeep trails would certainly be a part of it

Is the engine different from the skorpion? I'm curious because I'd really, REALLY love a tachometer. No tach is my biggest gripe about the bike, really.

I also need a new pair of mirrors. Girlfriend let it fall over once and the KTM mirror it had snapped off. What options are cheapish, with good visibility? Appearance is less important than visibility. I can't go bar-ends, because of the knuckle guards.

And lastly, the front master cylinder is starting to seep. I can see fluid around the bolt that the lever is mounted to. it doesn't really drip, but that sort of thing warrants a rebuild/replace. Where can I get the parts for it, and about how expensive is the grimeca stuff?

Here are a couple pics. Even with all my little gripes, I adore how this bike handles/rides. It's really like a first generation miata. You can have so much fun without needing to speed, like you would on my RST1000 or my FZ1

Currently using the twin-pipe setup. it's made from a couple of ducati monster mufflers, and is just a teeny bit louder than stock, but just right to indicate what kind of revs you're doing without annoying anyone in the neighborhood.

Hey Dude,
Nice Machine, I can answer a few for ya, I have an 03 Baggy. The wobble? yes. Sitting high up your gona get a lot. I've gotten use to it. Skorpin motor? Yes, as a matter of fact I had my Blown up motor replaced with a skorp engine, You'd never know. Everyone else here will help ya with the other things. Enjoy the twistys, Man I do in NH!!!

Matt

just dragged these from my gallery photos,,

the gearing from a xt600 fit perfect and any mechanical tacho with a 4 to 1 ratio will work ,( best if it tops out at 8000 revs ) the cable was the hardest , i combined the xt600 gear side outer cable and any old one for the tacho side and joined them in the middle, used a universal inner cable with a bash on grommet for length,

saw this on ebay right now , in canada though
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/YAMAHA-XT-600 ... 3ef47948e0

and i used a tacho like this ,, only mine was £10 used
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Motorcycl ... 1e727764e8

Awesome, so I can just use an XT600 elbow, any old (square drive?) mechanical input tach, and what type of cable?

do you have bigger pictures, den?

Honeybadger wrote:Awesome, so I can just use an XT600 elbow, any old (square drive?) mechanical input tach, and what type of cable?

do you have bigger pictures, den?

Look in the photo gallery for bigger pictures,
This is how i made the cable
first i bought an xt 600 cable, took the inner cable out and saved it , . attached it to the bike and its too short//.leave it attached and fit another odd cable (standard fit) to the rev counter,remove inner cable,,trail it down alongside the xt cable. now because you have to cut the cables its best to select an section that runs straight because to rejoin them i used a 2" piece of metal tubing and some heat shrink tubing to hold and seal.Now you have the right length and right fixing ends i purchased a universal speedo cable from ebay,it comes in a 1.3 mtr length and has a selection of end shaped drives that just crimp on when you have measured the correct size,http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Speedo-Cable-repair-kit-Top-quality-by-Motion-Pro-/190812987698?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts&hash=item2c6d572132,

Honeybadger wrote:Awesome, so I can just use an XT600 elbow, any old (square drive?) mechanical input tach, and what type of cable?

do you have bigger pictures, den?

ANY OLD TACH AS LONG AS THE RATIO IS 1-TO-4

Honeybadger wrote:I have a few questions/concerns, however

It starts and runs great, but it feels a little asthmatic in the upper range of the revband. Is it supposed to be this way, or is it running too lean and needs a rejetting? If so, what jets should I grab (yamaha ones? what would be the standard upgrade?)

It also shifts like a tractor. No false neutrals, grinding or popping out, it's just REALLY clunky. is it a dry or wet clutch, and are there any ways to make the shifting feel nicer? The one thing I miss from that FJ was it had the smoothest transmission on this planet.

Are there any options for wind protection? I've been thinking about making a small windscreen, but I'm not sure where I would mount it. Anyone have any inspiration? Ideally, I'd like to be able to let the girlfriend take it for longer trips than to school and back, and some sort of buffeting protection seems necessary.

I also have noticed (this is my first supermoto, so it could just be me) but anything above 70-80mph, and the force of the wind against me pulling on the bars creates a somewhat alarming amount of wobble as my arms get buffeted. The steering head bearings are fine, and I'm assuming it's made a little worse with the aero bars probably being a little wider. But is this just a trait of the bike? Has anyone fitted a steering damper, and if so, what options would I have? I do quality work, but I am always on a budget.

How about off roading? I would like to take it into the mountains from time to time (I have a TS185, but that's for the girlfriend to ride) but am concerned about the small wheels. Are there any sources for the bigger, dirt wheels? and are there any special considerations that need to be made for using them? I don't plan on serious off roading, but old jeep trails would certainly be a part of it

Is the engine different from the skorpion? I'm curious because I'd really, REALLY love a tachometer. No tach is my biggest gripe about the bike, really.

I also need a new pair of mirrors. Girlfriend let it fall over once and the KTM mirror it had snapped off. What options are cheapish, with good visibility? Appearance is less important than visibility. I can't go bar-ends, because of the knuckle guards.

And lastly, the front master cylinder is starting to seep. I can see fluid around the bolt that the lever is mounted to. it doesn't really drip, but that sort of thing warrants a rebuild/replace. Where can I get the parts for it, and about how expensive is the grimeca stuff?

I don't get a weave, not since ditching the stock Pirelli tires. I've run a number of Distanzia sets like you have on there now, never had an issue. You'll be surprised how decent the bike is off-road with Distanzia supermoto tires on it. Maybe your front tire is just cupping and worn, causing the weave. The Baghira also came in Enduro fashion, and you can get the 18/21 wheels now and again when somebody sells them, not super easy to find. I bought a whole Baggi SM that came with the whole factory swapover kit to Enduro (chain, sprockets, wheels, kickstand, speedo drive, and brake caliper bracket) just to get the kit, sold the bike to a buddy. Try the Double Take dual sport "folding" mirrors (they use RAM mounts). You can probably find the Grimeca parts, if you can identify some other Italian bike model that used those brakes, might be easiest to just "upgrade" off ebay to any decent take off of your favorite brand. Not sure what to tell you about the tranny, mine shifts like velvet, with a very short lever travel, always has, now at 42K km.

No weave on mine either, Michelin Siracs for me. Tyres make all the difference, you could experiment a little with the tyre pressures, but I think that the upright position pushes the wind into you, and at higher speeds this pressure forces the back of the bike to squat a bit. Check your sag settings, but you may still have to firm up the rear a bit.

You can get the enduro wheels, which is what I have 21" front and 18". I'd consider a swap, as mine never goes off road, but USA to UK will cost a fortune.

I'll try adding a little air to the tires (cupping could definitely cause the high speed weave) and the rear shock preload was set at 5 of 7, I moved it up to 6. Should I fiddle with the fork settings at all if this doesn't work?

I'm not an overly big guy, but I am 6'3 and 190lbs previous owner was 5'11 and about 165

Possibly, but write down the current settings, then start from factory recommended settings, and change one thing at a time, or you wont know what has worked and what hasn't. If nothing helps, or your current set up turns out to be the best, you can allways revert back.

It'll probably be a case of 2 or 3 things making a slight improvement, each of which adds up to a bigger overall improvement.

Change one thing, see how it goes, then do the opposite of the change, to see how that goes. That should help you to decide if it's better or not, you may not feel an improvement, but you may feel a change the wrong way if it makes it worse! If you really don't feel an improvement, keep it at standard.

It could take ages to do, I'd suggest that you test the bike properly after each change, as you may remove the weave, but make it chatter like buggery on the brakes, or something unless change #1 hits the nail on the head! Be patient, you'll get there.

Awesome, I'll get started on the suspension this week (thankfully there's a road that I can use for excellent testing)

What about the jetting? Are our engines just asthmatic up past about the middle of the revband, or should I look into a richer jetting? If so, what jets should I replace, and where should I get 'em?

This is the link to the EX North American MZ importer's carb mod's.

I ONLY cut the spring down on my Skorpion, It rev's straight round to 7200 RPM it's not asthmatic like a couple of bikes I've ridden.

http://web.archive.org/web/200212050740 ... RBMODS.HTM

Skorpion wrote:This is the link to the EX North American MZ importer's carb mod's.

I ONLY cut the spring down on my Skorpion, It rev's straight round to 7200 RPM it's not asthmatic like a couple of bikes I've ridden.

http://web.archive.org/web/200212050740 ... RBMODS.HTM

Just what i been looking for , gold info mate,,now just cos someone said it though dont make it true..Has any one done this mod with sucsess,where would i get jets from ik uk

Tire pressure did the trick - I didn't notice my back was almost 10PSI down! no more twitchy freeway.

I still need to address the leaking front brake master cylinder - any idea where I can get parts for that grimeca?

Also need to change the oil - what weight/type do you guys suggest for summer/winter riding, and can I just use a standard yamaha raptor filter?