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Posted: Wed Feb 20, 2013 11:54 pm
by HowardQ
Welcome to the site. :smt006

Sounds like a nice collection there.
(it's always nice to have more than one bike.)
I might be a little biased, but tell us more about the Falco, what colour, year etc..
Any mods already done, any planned, as we would love to help you spend money on it.
Have you managed to get out on it much yet, what do you think of it so far?

Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2013 7:55 am
by blinkey501
welcome to the jungle :smt006

Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2013 9:48 am
by ROCKOZ
52' plate, pretty standard as far as I'm aware. It has 'diablo' silencers which I've never heard of...
It is the supposed dreaded yellow :O ;)

I've managed to do about 200 miles on it in under a week. Took it over to fox's diner (H-cafe) near Oxford on Sunday messing arounf pulling the front up at 50 ish in 2nd on the power loving it. Then half way home as you pulled back on the throttle the power seemed to cut...minutes later 'DIAG 1' appeared on the right hand display...great. Not really had a chance to fix it yet. Read that you can simply unplug the diagnostic wire to rid the diag 1 code but what actually is the fault?

I plan on semi-fightering it so to speak. In all honesty I wanted a tuono to start with. Well actually I didn't want an Aprillia I wanted the V990 Rotax engine and this seemed the cheapest rarest option!
I have just bought that Cnc yoke kit on ebay with the glassfibre cut down fairing. Not sure if I'll like the fairing the way he's already cut it but we'll see. Can always sell it on and look into different fronts although wanted to retain the 'falco'ness of the bike or there's no point owning one.

I plan on ripping the datatool alarm off this weekend, along with looking into de-restriction as I don't think it's been done... I'll then think of maybe a 'Gabro' chip after reading about it/him.....
I also plan on doing this 'wire mod' to improving the charging as had to buy a new battery already.....


Any ideas re. comfort? Improving the ride. Making it taller. And painting the new 'white' fairing as in reality I can't really afford to have it done properly........

Cheers

Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2013 10:58 am
by D-Rider
Diag 1 is not a problem (though why the diagnostic connector is connected together ???)

Basically the Diag -1, 0, 1 displays are used for setting the throttle position sensor.
When setting it up you aim to get a Diag 0 but that is with everything adjusted to the positions you set things while adjusting/checking the TPS. With things set back to normal positions, it will probably not show 0 any longer - so don't worry about it - just pull the plug apart.

Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2013 11:16 am
by ROCKOZ
Would it be worth downloading a manual a setting the TPS's back to 0 somehow or just as you say not worry and pull the plug? TBH I'm only assuming it's plugged in as not physically checked yet. Tonight I shall fiddle!

Thanks a lot

Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2013 1:03 pm
by HowardQ
Thought I'd let Andy come back on that one, he is the resident "Know it All".
In a nice way that is!
We sometimes take the piss, but he is an undending source of knowledge on all things Falco and always come in with a quick reply.

If you fit an RSV shock, (with the correct linkages), they have ride height adjustment at the bottom, so just screw out the bottom mounting point as required to increase ride height. They are also better built and have compression and rebound adjustment.

I am biased, but having done this, I would try the Falco as standard first off.
You can lift the standard clip ons over the top of the yokes for more comfort if you want without changing the fairing.
If not what you want, "fighter" it later.
Falcos do take a bit of time to re-aclimatise to, but seriously grow on you from then onwards.
Had mine nine years this summer and still love it to bits every time I ride it.
Good luck.

Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2013 6:13 pm
by ROCKOZ
Fiddled with it this afternoon.
Ripped the bloody alarm off to start. Absolutely butchered it. Couldn't silence it so pulled the speaker out!
All soldered back up nice and neat.
I've also now seen that the 'wire' has already been cut! Damn, no more power...
Also I noticed the two bullet like connectors which I assume is the diagnostics wires which we're unplugged? Bit confused now...
I also checked the air filter which again has been derestricted! :/

Also I half fitted some R and G crash bungs which came with it.......

Tomorrow/Saturday to complete the charging mod, finish fitting the crash bungs and await the yoke conversion. I really want it as high as it can be!

Posted: Thu Feb 21, 2013 11:42 pm
by D-Rider
Don't do the charging mod unless it really needs it - it's not something you should do unless things are particularly bad.
If your charging voltages are low, then first start by making sure all your contacts are clean.

Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2013 10:55 am
by ROCKOZ
Any imporvement is good though right?
I've got a new battery to go on tomorrow so seemed necessary to complete the mod....?

Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2013 11:08 am
by Aladinsaneuk
if you have a futura - DO IT

for falco's and milles - consensus for UK folk is no - not necessary UNLESS indicated - neither andy or myself have done it for example.... that probably gives an idication of our views

an optimate is a very good idea though


the folk over in USA swear by doing the wiring mod.....

Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2013 12:15 pm
by D-Rider
ROCKOZ wrote:Any imporvement is good though right?
I've got a new battery to go on tomorrow so seemed necessary to complete the mod....?
Thing is doing it when not necessary is not an improvement - may give other problems.
Clean the contacts by all means

Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2013 12:22 pm
by HowardQ
Just to add to this, mine has not been modded either and is fine.

Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2013 3:20 pm
by ROCKOZ
Hmmm, maybe I'll try the new battery with no wire mod for a week. I don't think optimates are a good idea. I don't think bikes need alarms and without an alarm what else should be draining the battery? Nothing.......?

Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2013 3:23 pm
by Tonyunn
I'm doing the following tomorrow:

New plugs
clean starter moter terminals
Replace starter relay with 150Amp

This is because mine has a new battery but still sems to dip like a pig when starting, even fresh off the optimate.

I will let you know the results when I have finished.

Posted: Fri Feb 22, 2013 3:47 pm
by Aladinsaneuk
Well, I don't have an alarm on my bike either.... But both the falcos I have are on optimates ....

In real terms our batteries are physically small and turning over two large cylinders takes a lot to turn over....

I would also tactfully point out the cost of an optimate as opposed to the cost of a sprag...