New Member Reporting For Duty

[RR]

Hello, all. I picked up a 2002 leftover a couple of weeks ago and have been delighted with the ride, terrified by the ownership experience.

It is great fun proving again that there is more than one way to skin a canyon. I've ridden a Ninja 250 and a Triumph Speed Four over the last couple of years, and they both get the job done, if in decidedly different ways. Now comes Baggy, and I find you can also scratch a peg sitting way up high and in military posture, using only one cylinder. No more jockey crouch! No more revving to 7k to get it out of a corner. It's also a great city bike, and I've appointed it my commuter for the forseeable future.

Now the scary part...

Dealers are a long slog away, and I work when they're open, so a broke bike may stay broke for while.

A lot of the intelligence on the bikes is in German. East German! I'm feeling like a cold war spook reading some of this stuff. Is there an English-language shop manual?

Some of these fasteners you can't replace at Home Depot. What do you call those seat bolts anyway? I've just got this apprehensive feeling that parts are hard to find and slow to arrive.

That's about it. Happy to be here. I'm going to post an inquiry in the tech section next re a gusher of gas being pumped into the airbox when I press the starter. Seems to be coming from the crankcase.

Cheers,
RR[/b]

[Randew2U]

I still need to get parts for my 04 BP. I found that a local dealer can order MZ parts. They ordered me a new speedometer from MZ in florida and it was there in 4 days from order to "its in". I went and picked it up at the shop, else they could have re-shipped it to me. The initially said that MZ could cause delays, maybe they have in the past, but they are now impressed that MZ is turning around parts fast. They had anything in stock. I was very hesitant about buying a low-volume vehicle like the MZ and wouldnt have 10 years ago. Now, however, with the internet , specialty web sites like this one, and the "global market" well, the BP definately gets people looking "is that the Bat Bike?" Now if someone would only sell me their stock headlight fairing.
peace

[motardina]

Hello, all. I picked up a 2002 leftover a couple of weeks ago and have been delighted with the ride, terrified by the ownership experience.

It is great fun proving again that there is more than one way to skin a canyon. I've ridden a Ninja 250 and a Triumph Speed Four over the last couple of years, and they both get the job done, if in decidedly different ways. Now comes Baggy, and I find you can also scratch a peg sitting way up high and in military posture, using only one cylinder. No more jockey crouch! No more revving to 7k to get it out of a corner. It's also a great city bike, and I've appointed it my commuter for the forseeable future.

Now the scary part...

Dealers are a long slog away, and I work when they're open, so a broke bike may stay broke for while.

A lot of the intelligence on the bikes is in German. East German! I'm feeling like a cold war spook reading some of this stuff. Is there an English-language shop manual?

Some of these fasteners you can't replace at Home Depot. What do you call those seat bolts anyway? I've just got this apprehensive feeling that parts are hard to find and slow to arrive.

That's about it. Happy to be here. I'm going to post an inquiry in the tech section next re a gusher of gas being pumped into the airbox when I press the starter. Seems to be coming from the crankcase.

Cheers,
RR[/b]

welcome!

The seat bolts are long "Zeus" fasteners, popular on race ready bikes for securing bodywork--they come on and off in a jiffy if everything fits right. tip on the seat...helps for me to fasten the rear *first* then do the two front fasteners...i screwed (literally) around figuring this out for many minutes...

dealers *should* be able to order parts over the phone an ship them to you FWTW...

the gas in the airbox is likely coming from flooded carbs--which can happen if you are not religious about closing the petcock everytime you turn off the bike....that's all that will prevent this for sure. Gas in the oil (crankcase) is a major issue!! if you run the bike with gas in the crankcase===any gas at all (if you can smell it in the oil it's WAY too much) it will *massively* reduce the oils ability to lubricate the engine bearings (especially) causing mega wear and possible seizure--among other bad things that happen with bad oil in an engine. It isn't sugar--but it's close!! change your oil!!

[RR]

Thanks for the tips, folks.

I finally figured out that the seat bolt doesn't like to go last. Had to enlarge the bolt holes in the front slightly to get it all lined up.

Oil will be changed tonight. Let's hope it's all oil.

Cheers,
RR

[m4panther]

I had mine replaced when they backed out and two months later this happened

[Hvymtlfan]

Only I'm Still kicking the tires so to say. Over 10+ years ago had an 88 Honda NX650 purch. new in 92 and sadly sold now some 3 years ago. I'm now shopping for a more true dual-sport and keep looking hard at the "Baghira", and prefer the "Enduro" options over the Moto. I'll be stuck in Ia. for service and such being far from any such dealer, being a metro of 100,000 + our KTM dealer couldn't make it work?? Go figure...

Any BAGHIRA owners, I would REALLY like to here from ya, and those with past road/trail/dirt uses, and time owned. Looking for that just inclusive ownership detail to look alittle further into purchase.

Would (greatly appreciate) !!

Geoff T.

[phlat65]

any competent Yamaha dealer should be able to do all the maintenance for you, just not the warranty stuff.

the bike is very durable, any most hard parts (anything but bodywork and such) can be had at various dealers.
example: Hubs are Yamaha XT, so cush drive and sprocket carrier at Yamaha
controls are Domino, same as KTM dual sports
Engine is close to 660cc raptor

[ron monnig]

modern bikes with carburators have the float bowls vented to a catch tank or back to the swingarm pivot. This can cause problems with gas getting into the engine if float valve leaks, older Honda CBXs could actually bend a con rod from a cylinder filled with gas. A simple fix is to make sure vent hoses are short and drain quick. Just remove all excess vent hose and lean bike over and you should see gas coming out of vents. Shorten vent hoses to 4 or 5 inches.