RiderSite.com - Motorcycle Forums

Hi everyone,

Im new to this forum business so be patient with me while i try and find my feet. Anyway I have been looking a buying a second bike something different that the usual 4cylinder machines and found a red 2001 Falco. After some haggling i struck a deal with its owner and it has now arrived in my garage.

Now its here I have some things to repair replace. firstly the side stand seems to stand the bike up too much compared with my old fireblade. Is this normal as it does not look too steady?

Secondly I have a weeping front left fork leg, how easy are the forks to get out and does anyone know if it takes special tools to pull them apart. I should say that I have some experience sorting the standard cartridge forks but these are USD ones.

Thirdly there is 38k on the bike and it seems to run fine, there is no service history with it and was wondering how many miles these engines do and what are they like to do a shim service on?

Lastly i am looking for some hints and tips on whats the best upgrades for this bike? Any ideas would be most helpful

Thanks for all your help and I look forward to sharing my falco experiences with you all.

Blackranger68 wrote:Hi everyone,

Im new to this forum business so be patient with me while i try and find my feet. Anyway I have been looking a buying a second bike something different that the usual 4cylinder machines and found a red 2001 Falco. After some haggling i struck a deal with its owner and it has now arrived in my garage.

Now its here I have some things to repair replace. firstly the side stand seems to stand the bike up too much compared with my old fireblade. Is this normal as it does not look too steady?

Secondly I have a weeping front left fork leg, how easy are the forks to get out and does anyone know if it takes special tools to pull them apart. I should say that I have some experience sorting the standard cartridge forks but these are USD ones.

Thirdly there is 38k on the bike and it seems to run fine, there is no service history with it and was wondering how many miles these engines do and what are they like to do a shim service on?

Lastly i am looking for some hints and tips on whats the best upgrades for this bike? Any ideas would be most helpful

Thanks for all your help and I look forward to sharing my falco experiences with you all.

Hi and Welcome

Yes the standard sidestand is not good (unless you are American - their bikes got better stands)
There are a number of alternatives but my advice would be to pm Willopotomas and ask him to modify a Gixer stand for you.

As for your weeping fork leg - I hope you can cheer it up a bit.
TBH I've never had the forks apart. You will have the earlier Showa forks which are easier to re-valve than the later Marzocchis - but it sounds as though you just need a seal.

Motors keep going for ages - plenty about with over 100,000 kms on them. Valve check services are every other service (approx 9,000 miles. Shims seldom need changing.

As for modifications - well, where to start .... try the forum search facility and see what you fancy - plenty of scope and we'll be happy to help you sort out what to do.

oh fresh meat for the grinder :)

welcome and please do ask questions

may i suggest you spend some time just reading - there is a lot of info here!

sidestand - yep, its crap. chat with willopotamus for a bespoke solution, or source a fireblade 2005 - 2007 stand (please doublecheck). Do NOT buy a bubseywoo at this time!

andy - d-rider will be along soon and will no doubt know the forks - you should find it ok as you should have showa forks on the 2001 falco

service wise - where abouts are you? someone may have a local contact - for peace of mind, get the clearances checked....


upgrades - sidestand first
second, get an optimate
then just look around... we have been known to do the odd modification.....

Welcome to the forum.

Upgrades, lol, where to start.................

Aladinsaneuk wrote: andy - d-rider will be along soon

Keep up dear boy ....

i was typing as you were - but i stopped to remove the piss take comments of the regulars ..... i did not want to scare him :)

Welcome on board BR.

There are no silly or stupid questions here, just ask and we'll all do our best to answer the best we can.

The most done upgrade relates to replacing the rear shock but the std one isn't completely rubbish. The chances are at 38k your bike may have already had some mods done, but with no service history to hand my personal choice would be to get the bike fully serviced so you know everything related to the engine, frame, brakes & suspension is in good order before you start modding

As Pete has already said, the best bet initially is to get yourself a large brew and just read. The info on here is in the main superb and well researched

F9

Welcome to the forum and to the wonderful world of not only the Falco, but the RiderSite too.

As you've noticed, the standard (non-US) side stand is crap to say the least. For a nominal fee I can modify a GSX-R600K2 (tubular) stand to fit. What I ask is for a donor stand to start with.. If you're unsure, I'll post you a link to a suitable item on eBay. All in, with powder coating, you're looking at around £50 - £60, depending on the cost of the donor stand. My charges are £20 for the modification and £15 for powder coating if you want it finished. I can supply the stand 'as is' for you to finish how you wish.

Modifications eh.. Well after the side stand, most change the rear shock from the blue Sachs item that came as standard. There are few around that will do the job, but it's down to how you ride and budget. I'm one of the fortunate one's who hasn't experienced the blue Sachs shock, so can't make a personal recommendation.. (but from what I've heard from others, they're not very good )

As for the rest? All I can say is, I hope you've got a good credit rating. Cuz this lot will spend your money for you quicker than you can generate it..

Got my howdy in on another thread then spotted this one, so Hi again.

I've only done my Ohlins fork seals, but would expect the showas you have to be the same or similar. USD forks are easier to take apart than the other way up ones. Have a troll around here and on AF1 and you'll likely find the info you need and are unlikely to need any special tools. I don't know anyone who's actually owns let alone used a fork seal driver.

Find the links to the electronic manuals and download them and read lots as has been said.

AF1 chaps tend to be a bt more ready to attack if it appears you've been lazy, here we may mention searching, but mostly just love to try to one up each other on advice, how to's and mods.

PS open a line of credit with dodgy Ron down the pub.

Falcopops wrote: I don't know anyone who's actually owns let alone used a fork seal driver.

Use mine a fair bit.. Got a few of them for different sized forks. Made them myself and makes light work of getting the seals in square n' snug.

We need to know.... what's your credit rating? How far do you want to take things with modifications?

Once the stand's sorted out and it's had a once over, assuming it's not been done already, 15t front sprocket, .60 oil jet, decent rear shock, de-restriction (rare that it's not been done), K&N or similar air filter, full exhaust system or just cans and chip/PCIII map of your choice.

That should cover the basic stuff

Then you have brake upgrades: Braided lines, billet levers and 4-pad calipers.

Wheels, forged ally OZ or similar or BST carbon fibre if you can stretch to them

A cornucopia of bodywork, bellypans, huggers, mudguards in carbon fibre or GRP.

An assortment of mirrors, bars/clip-ons and rear sets

I could go on

Willopotomas wrote:

Falcopops wrote: I don't know anyone who's actually owns let alone used a fork seal driver.

Use mine a fair bit.. Got a few of them for different sized forks. Made them myself and makes light work of getting the seals in square n' snug.

My point exactly, although I didn't make it too well. "Made them myself..." is the key. I made mine too, ranged from cut plastic pipe, to bent and taped ally with the old seals top and bottom. No need to buy the manufactured item

Nooj wrote: .60 oil jet,

The .60, (as fitted to the later Falcos) would be better than the 75 in his 2001 model but it would make more sense to go to the .40 as fitted to the newer-shape Milles (as most of us that have done the oil jet mod have done).

Blackranger - if you are wondering why, selecting neutral can be a bit of a PITA particularly if trying to do so at rest. Aprilia found that a smaller clutch oil jet helped and introduced this .... then they found an even smaller one helped more and introduced the .40.

Got them the wrong way round. What he said .40 is the one to get.

Thought the hole got bigger to introduce a little more slip? 40th of an inch rather than 60th??

Falcopops wrote:

Willopotomas wrote:

Falcopops wrote: I don't know anyone who's actually owns let alone used a fork seal driver.

Use mine a fair bit.. Got a few of them for different sized forks. Made them myself and makes light work of getting the seals in square n' snug.

My point exactly, although I didn't make it too well. "Made them myself..." is the key. I made mine too, ranged from cut plastic pipe, to bent and taped ally with the old seals top and bottom. No need to buy the manufactured item

Turned mine up on the lathe.. Nice lump of steel to make sure it gets a good solid thwack!