New Member - Southern California - First Mods

[captainbeard714]

What's up guys!? Name is Brandon from Southern California/ Orange County.  Just came here to get whatever info I could find and maybe meet up with some other local riders.  Had the bike for about two months now.  Pretty much in a love affair with it and rode the crap out of last time I was home.  Already got some things done to it as well as a bunch of new parts ordered, and future plans for it.  Anything I own with an engine always gets modded a crap ton lol. 
 
Also, I work on tugboats in Alaska and in August I'll be riding the FZ-07 up to work.  3,600 miles.  So stay tuned for pics from that trip.    Currently in alaska without my bike
 
Im gone working for a month at a time and then home a month.  Got a bunch of parts on order that should be waiting for me when I get home.  Ill list them below.  Also, after all these next parts are installed Im going to a shop by my house that is going to dyno tune it and do a custom MAP on the Power Commander 5. 
 
PARTS ALREADY INSTALLED
- CRG RC2 shorty levers
- Yoshimura Fender eliminator kit
- Power Commander 5
- Full Titanium Akrapovic Exhaust - no baffle 
 
PARTS ORDERED
- Cyclops H4 Led headlight kit 
- DNA Air filter and stage 2 intake
- DNA cleaner and oil
- Radiator guard
- Symtec heated grip system 
- D-axis driven racing grips
- Gilles Tooling black racing pegs
 
Future Mods
- Upgraded front and rear suspension
- maybe CRG bar end mirrors
- maybe blinkers
- Giant Loop saddlebag for long trips
- GPS mount
 
 
AND.... heres my bike as it sits at home now.  

 
A quick exhaust video.  Right after installing the new exhaust.  Bike was two weeks old.  

 
And for kicks and gigs.  Two of my other rides, excluding watercraft 
 

 

 
 
 

[norcal616]

Nice bikes and good choice on color

[ryan4130]

Welcome! Looks like you have quite the garage. What watercraft do you have? I grew up boating with my family, havasu was a favorite spot. Ever been?
 
I second the good choice on color

[tino206]

Welcome and nice toys you got there

[so1102]

Welcome!

[Beemer]

Welcome and nice stuff. Your titanium sounds almost exactly like my carbon but the titanium, IMO, looks better, good choice! We should have a "Boy With the Most Toys" contest. I would lose but it would be interesting to see the collections.

[hippiebikerchick]

Welcome captainbeard714! Thanks for joining! I'm interested in hearing about your upcoming ride to Alaska - what preparations you do, how many days you're riding, etc.

[captainbeard714]

Thanks guys! And yes Ryan4130 I've definitely been to Havasu. Quite a few times. Grew up more on Lake Mohave though. I have a heavily modded Kawasaki 650 stand up and a 21' center console fishing boat. And me and the fam have two Yamaha FX Crusier HO waverunners. I work on tugboats and when Im off and home for a month I play hard lol. Always need more toys.
 
As for my Alaska ride. I'm riding up with a work buddy who is pretty much a legend and has a bunch of motorcycles. He's ridden his Ducati Multistrada all over North America. So this trip is nothing for him. He'll be taking his KTM 690 enduro on this trip with me though. Ill be shooting up from southern cali through his house in Idaho and then up through Canada into Valdez, Alaska. About 3,600 miles for me. Pretty excited. Going to put on a new and fresh set of good tires right at the start of the trip. And do a thorough service and check of everything and then I'm just gonna ride lol. Getting heated grips which should be nice. And I've got really good rain gear already, may also get some heated gear. And I've bought a tire pump and repair kit as well as two spare MSR fuel bottles. And to carry all my gear I'm getting one of those giant loop saddle bags that pretty much just straps on the back, waterproof, and carries a bunch of crap. And Ill have a small backpack. Don't need that much stuff. I know this bike isn't exactly made for long trips like this, but I'm a pretty smart/ young guy and the dude I'm going with is somewhat of a legend with motorcycles and says I wont have any problem at all. BTW, Im also pretty new to street bikes lol. But I've got to start somewhere. I've ridden hundreds of miles across the desert on a dirt bike before. We're going to stretch the ride out to 5 or 6 days. And after a month of work we're not sure about riding back due to weather. We may ship the bikes back on Alaskan air. Which will cost me about 400 bucks. Not bad IMO.

[hippiebikerchick]

That sounds like it'll be a great adventure and nice that an experienced buddy will be with you some of the way. Hey, @admin lives in Idaho, maybe you'll see him.

[Cruizin]

Thanks guys! And yes Ryan4130 I've definitely been to Havasu. Quite a few times. Grew up more on Lake Mohave though. I have a heavily modded Kawasaki 650 stand up and a 21' center console fishing boat. And me and the fam have two Yamaha FX Crusier HO waverunners. I work on tugboats and when Im off and home for a month I play hard lol. Always need more toys. 
As for my Alaska ride. I'm riding up with a work buddy who is pretty much a legend and has a bunch of motorcycles. He's ridden his Ducati Multistrada all over North America. So this trip is nothing for him. He'll be taking his KTM 690 enduro on this trip with me though. Ill be shooting up from southern cali through his house in Idaho and then up through Canada into Valdez, Alaska. About 3,600 miles for me. Pretty excited. Going to put on a new and fresh set of good tires right at the start of the trip. And do a thorough service and check of everything and then I'm just gonna ride lol. Getting heated grips which should be nice. And I've got really good rain gear already, may also get some heated gear. And I've bought a tire pump and repair kit as well as two spare MSR fuel bottles. And to carry all my gear I'm getting one of those giant loop saddle bags that pretty much just straps on the back, waterproof, and carries a bunch of crap. And Ill have a small backpack. Don't need that much stuff. I know this bike isn't exactly made for long trips like this, but I'm a pretty smart/ young guy and the dude I'm going with is somewhat of a legend with motorcycles and says I wont have any problem at all. BTW, Im also pretty new to street bikes lol. But I've got to start somewhere. I've ridden hundreds of miles across the desert on a dirt bike before. We're going to stretch the ride out to 5 or 6 days. And after a month of work we're not sure about riding back due to weather. We may ship the bikes back on Alaskan air. Which will cost me about 400 bucks. Not bad IMO.

 
 
Where in Idaho? I'm in the Boise area.

[captainbeard714]

@admin He lives on the border backed up to the Grand Tetons.

[jetgirl]

Nice pictures captainbeard714. I'm looking forward to pics of your Alaskan trip! Sounds like fun.

[ch3rryghost]

I think I want to drive your truck.

[motomeek]

Welcome! I'm in the OC often. What part are you from?!
 
And +1 for white!!
 
Have you considered any upgrade to the seat? Especially for your long travel, something with a bit more cushion than stock might help the booty.

[Beemer]

captainbeard714
 
Like Motomeek said and it's a good thing you're young, that helps with endurance but on a trip like that I'm afraid you ain't gonna like it. Most people, me included, have said the seats are only good for about an hour before the ol' bum starts aching. I'm sure you don't want it to be a hated trip all because of the seat. Just a heads up, have a fun trip!

[Cruizin]

Man, that's a long ways on an FZ-07. I would address seat AND suspension as well, maybe even a big ugly honkin windscreen.

[captainbeard714]

Hmmm. Yah maybe a new seat is something to think about. But Ive ridden this thing ALL day long a few times already with no issues really. Seat seems pretty darn comfortable to me. Ill check out options though. Recommendations welcome. Me and the guy Im going with are having a blast listening to all the average people flip out saying how long of a trip this will be and how hard it will be and on and on with the negatives lol. This is a laid back chill trip for him lol, hes doing it on his ktm enduro bike lol. Of course we're going to make the proper preparations, but I don't think its as big of a deal as some people think. Were just gonna ride, take our time, be safe, enjoy it, and staying at a hotel each night. No big deal. Ive ridden all day long across hundreds of miles of desert. So riding on pavement all day just seems like nothing to me, and a whole lot of fun. We'll see though. Maybe Im a dumbass lol. But Id like to find out for myself, not sit around and think of all the negatives and what ifs. Only a very small group of my truly bad ass friends are saying "go for it!" "That's going to be an awesome ride!" And one of them has ridden motorcycles all over the states, one was in the special forces, and one is a tugboat captain lol.

[sorkyah]

Man, that's a long ways on an FZ-07. I would address seat AND suspension as well, maybe even a big ugly honkin windscreen.

Ive gotta agree with cruizin here, seat is a big must. Even if just adding foam to the stock and restretching the fabric.
Im not sure of your body type/weight @captainbeard714 but im 285 with gear and just the ride from los angeles to phoenix was a killer on my butt and back with the stock seat(ive had issues with my back for a while though). I cant imagine 3600+ miles on it.
My puig touring windscreen made the riverside/whitewater area a cakewalk, and kept 90% of the bugs off of me.
 

[captainbeard714]

Good to know. What's the furthest you guys have ridden?  I just don't think a windscreen is my style   A buddy of mine says he doesn't like them cause it just directs all the wind at your helmet face when youre sitting up.  Ill look into them further though.  Im 180 without gear, 5' 11".  Ive worked on the deck of tugboats in 15 foot seas, 80+ mph winds, and negative temps.  Whats a little sore butt haha!  Just messing with you guys.  Love to hear all the input. 

[norcal616]

Im the same build as you but after 3.5 hrs in the seat non stop starts to give me hot spots on the ole butt dyno...so I'm hoping the yamaha comfort seat will allow me to ride 7-8 hrs or more at a time...I have an ermax windscreen to help keep the air from beating me down at highway speeds over long distances...I love taking long dsy long wandering rides but at 3-4 hrs with the stock seat is not gonna cut it for me...

[sorkyah]

@norcal616 Had a chance to ride an used 07 with the comfort seat at my dealership, there seems to be a little bit more grip from the fabric, but nothing else as far as extra or more dense padding compared to stock

[captainbeard714]

Well I ended up giving in and ordering a windscreen just to try it out for long trips. Didn't like the look of any of them really. But I ended up going with the Fabbri Gen-X touring screen in satin black. Felt like it was the best mixture of functional, but still kind of bad ass looking to compliment the naked look.

[ncmx52]

Are you running a custom tune on the pcv or one of the files from their website?

[sorkyah]

Are you running a custom tune on the pcv or one of the files from their website?

Captainbeard has sold his fz in favor of a ducati...
that bastard... er... lucky fella

[ncmx52]

Are you running a custom tune on the pcv or one of the files from their website?

Captainbeard has sold his fz in favor of a ducati... that bastard... er... lucky fella

 
 
Do you know anyone who has custom power commander files that would be willing to send? or possibly a thread where people are talking about fueling and ignition? Super easy to find files for the 09 but no one is posting about the 07.