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Why Suzuki Why

4K views 11 replies 7 participants last post by  Thumper07 
#1 · (Edited)
I have recently removed the fairings on my F model and have noticed that all the fasteners bolt right down on the paint leaving marks that show up if the screws are not tightened down to the same place every time. So I am at my local delaer today looking at Kawasakis and notice every screw on a painted surface has a nice plastic washer protecting the paint like it should. WHY Suzuki would not do this is beyond me. Especially on parts removed for frequent service. It just seems like anither way Suzuki cheaps out and falls below the other Japanese big three. Suzuki needs to wake up and smell the details. Rant off. Thanks for reading and opinions and comments welcome.
 
#3 ·
It's all about the money. One washer costs 2 pence for example and if each bike has 10 that's 20 pence per bike multiply that by 5 thousand bikes per year then multiply over 5 years and you have a saving of 5000 pounds! so yeah it's bloody tight and the use of cheap and even cheaper fastener coatings is getting ridiculous.
Even the fork clamp paint is unprotected and when you torque it back up the head tears and pulls the paint a little bit.
 
#4 ·
You can buy them on ebay, and add them. Of course, that might not help if the damage is done.

Overall, if they find 30 spots to save a part, in ends up being a big deal to the bottom line, and saves weight. OK, thats a stretch on the weight savings part. 30 plastic washers cant save more than 20 -30 lbs, right? Thats how suzuki made the bike lighter than the ninja 1000. Not using those washers. Lets ignore my answer and use ackack's!
 
#12 ·
For a cyclists, the 7 grams of added weight from the 30 washers is HUGE!!!! :D
 
#5 ·
I remember as a 15 year old apprentice engineer a cartoon poster on the wall.
A masculine bolt is chasing a female nut, she is looking fearfully backward saying "no, no dear not without a washer".
That was almost 60 years ago it's stuck in my mind ever since.
 
#8 ·
I dont believe a store called "The Keyhole" was just a Utah thing. As I understand it, every new mall that was built in 1970 has this store as well. They sold junk, but it was cool. Magic supplies, candy cigarettes, all the cool stuff a kid wanted and needed.

Thats where I saw the stick figure bolt, and stick filter nut saying, "Not without the washer" I was 7 when the store opened. I figured this "screwing' people talked about had to be real if someone made a desktop art fixture saying this.
 
#9 · (Edited)
So here is my next Suzuki "Why". I removed my chain guard to get the exhaust valve servo out and the rear most bolt came out very hard. I noticed that Suzuki has a shouldered bolt going right up against the curved rear swing arm. This causes the aluminum swing arm threads to get mashed and pinch the bolt threads. Better yet, when tightening the bolt it feels like it is about to strip as it mushes out more aluminum. Would a milled flat spot been so hard on the swing arm Suzuki? I can see a Heli-Coil some day in my future.......
 
#10 ·
I think the answer is.....The 2001 gsxr 1000 had a retail price of 10,399.

15 years later, they make basically the same bike with better brakes, advanced electronics, abs, emissions, and the most expensive model retails for 10, 999.00.

I believe they had to look at anything and everything to meet that price point. Should they have might be another question...
 
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