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I pulled my front sprocket when I removed the motor on my F4i. The front has a bit of wear, it looks similar to this, but not as worn:  Since wear is concentrated on the leading edge of the tooth, when I reinstall the motor and the sprocket, why not flip the sprocket over to get a bit more wear? There are no asymmetries in the offset, so I can't see a problem with this. thoughts?
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Sep 23, 2011 17:56
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aventari posted:I pulled my front sprocket when I removed the motor on my F4i. The front has a bit of wear, it looks similar to this, but not as worn: Greater chain wear, instead of continuing to hook the sprocket you're more likely to just snap teeth off. If it's starting to noticeably hook just replace the thing while you have everything torn apart.
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Sep 23, 2011 18:08
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Can someone recommend an outdoor cover for a Harley Night Rod Special? I can't figure out what size to get. I need it to be waterproof, UV-proof, preferably with a microfiber lining and definitely well vented so I don't get condensation/rusting while it's under the cover.
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Sep 23, 2011 18:20
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americanzero4128 posted:I picked up some Seafom and read the bottle, it says to use about 1 oz of Seafoam per gallon of gas. Since I have a 2 ish gallon tank, I put 3 oz of the stuff in there. It seems like it helped it warm up a little better, but I was expecting some smoke and poo poo to start pouring out after reading what you guys had said on here, but so far nothing. I put a fresh tank of gas in as well with it but still have the same problem of the bike sounding like it is coughing instead of purring (for lack of a better phrase). It definitely seemed to get back to normal faster this morning - do I just need to go out and burn through a tank of gas with more Seafoam for it to take effect, or is there something else I need to do with this stuff? I feel like the world's biggest dumbass for having to ask something like this, but I'm hoping to avoid taking my bike apart if I can. You might have fouled a plug, but you don't get smoke when you add it to the gas, only when you add it to the crankcase. Or your carbs could need to be cleaned.
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Sep 23, 2011 18:22
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aventari posted:I pulled my front sprocket when I removed the motor on my F4i. The front has a bit of wear, it looks similar to this, but not as worn: If you have a JT already, they're like 10 bucks for a new one. Even nicer brand front sprockets aren't too much. Might as well order one up and replace it. It's always best to replace all the sprockets and chain at the same time but you can probably get away with a new cheap front sprocket and maybe a little shorter chain life.
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Sep 23, 2011 18:35
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JP Money posted:If you have a JT already, they're like 10 bucks for a new one. Even nicer brand front sprockets aren't too much. Might as well order one up and replace it. It's always best to replace all the sprockets and chain at the same time but you can probably get away with a new cheap front sprocket and maybe a little shorter chain life. What's a JT? What I have on there is an RK 525 x-ring kit that I replaced 13k miles ago. I'd actually like to go 1 tooth bigger in the front, but new sprockets are ~$40. Not insignificant. I still dont see how flipping it could increase wear. Since all of the stress would be on the good, unworn surface of the teeth, it would be equivalent to installing a brand new sprocket correct? And a new sprocket wouldn't increase wear. The chain is starting to bind on some links so I'll get a new chain/sprocket kit in 7k miles or so anyway. Why not experiment and flip it and see what happens. aventari fucked around with this message at 20:41 on Sep 23, 2011 |
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Sep 23, 2011 20:36
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aventari posted:What's a JT? What I have on there is an RK 525 x-ring kit that I replaced 13k miles ago. I'd actually like to go 1 tooth bigger in the front, but new sprockets are ~$40. Not insignificant. First of all, chains wear to sprockets. Second of all, you can see from the picture that the teeth have started to hook over in both directions, not just one. They've been "pushed" back, so if you were to flip it, the sprocket teeth aren't going to mesh as if the sprocket were new with the chain. If links are binding, that chain is toast and needs to be replaced now. Maintain it better next time. No links should ever be binding on any chain, you can expect slightly more resistance on a masterlink clip, but all of the links should be smooth and functional, no sticking or binding. Flipping an already damaged countershaft sprocket is just a really bad idea. Doubly so when paired with a chain that's worn and probably near to failure.
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Sep 23, 2011 21:19
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That picture is not of my sprocket, mine is actually worn quite a bit less than that. There's no way the teeth would actually bend backwards on a steel sprocket unless it was so worn that it was dangerous. I lube the chain every 400-600 miles, I figure that's being maintained properly. The binding is some links being a little stiffer than others, all still smooth and functional. It's done that since it had a few thousand miles on it so I'm not too worried. I probably wont flip the sprocket anyway
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Sep 23, 2011 22:33
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JT is the brand of sprocket in the picture you posted. You can try to save money but it's probably going to end poorly. I had a cheap chain I bought snap on me on my old F4i and I'm lucky it didn't hurt me / crack the case. I figured I was fine and let it go. You're better off replacing poo poo you know is worn instead of putting it back on and pretending it doesn't exist. This lesson is true for pretty much anything on bikes that you can either ghetto-fix or fix properly. I've learned since then that fixing things in a better way usually doesn't cost much more over cheeping out.
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Sep 23, 2011 23:06
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When figuring out power output of a bike, it's just volts x amps correct? My 636's manual says output is 22.5v/14A at 5k rpms, which would make it 315 watts, but I don't know how to tell what is left over for accessories/recharging the battery. I'm thinking of adding a heated jacket liner to my heated gloves in the coming months and wondering if a sportbike can handle it.
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Sep 24, 2011 00:24
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I have an 02 Bandit 600S. Are the clocks that are in the fairing supposed to be softely mounted? I can grab them and move them around a bit. They aren't loose, but they move around a quite a bit if you grab them. Is this normal?
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Sep 24, 2011 01:07
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Yes. otherwise they will vibrate and you couldn't see poo poo and/or break something important.
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Sep 24, 2011 01:16
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While I'm happy that I don't have to tear apart the whole fairing to tighten something that isn't loose, I wish I could figure out what was causing my 5k buzz. Maybe I just need to get used to it.
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Sep 24, 2011 01:40
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Ziploc posted:While I'm happy that I don't have to tear apart the whole fairing to tighten something that isn't loose, I wish I could figure out what was causing my 5k buzz. The Bandit 600's engine has noticeable vibration around 5-6000rpm, anything that isn't tightly bolted down will vibrate. It may just be your keys rattling around on the top triple clamp.
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Sep 24, 2011 09:50
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I asked my girlfriend's new roommate, a motorcycle mechanic of sorts (built his own motorcycle from the ground up, worked with family on bikes growing up) to check out my Ninja 636. He rode it around for a while, and said that the bike seemed fine other than that the engine wasn't properly broken in. At a stop light he heard the engine give off a knocking noise, 7 distinct knocks. He said it was tough to explain how it wasn't broken in - the feeling of the pistons operating through the engine, along with the transition of the power to the rear wheel, isn't 100% there. The bike has 13,000 miles on it and is in pristine shape bodily-wise. So he's making me go WTF and worry about the bike. I was already planning to offload it for another bike and he agreed and said to get of it asap so I don't have to worry about any engine-related poo poo. How does one know if an engine isn't broken in properly? Does it lead to stuff like this? I can't hear any engine knocking myself (deaf) but I know about the Kawasaki tick (could be valves, cam chain tensioner, and Kawa engines being generally noisy). And this guy is someone who used to have a Ninja 750 for a long while. the walkin dude fucked around with this message at 17:21 on Sep 24, 2011 |
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Sep 24, 2011 17:17
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the walkin dude posted:I asked my girlfriend's new roommate, a motorcycle mechanic of sorts (built his own motorcycle from the ground up, worked with family on bikes growing up) to check out my Ninja 636. He rode it around for a while, and said that the bike seemed fine other than that the engine wasn't properly broken in. At a stop light he heard the engine give off a knocking noise, 7 distinct knocks. He said it was tough to explain how it wasn't broken in - the feeling of the pistons operating through the engine, along with the transition of the power to the rear wheel, isn't 100% there. The bike has 13,000 miles on it and is in pristine shape bodily-wise. So he's making me go WTF and worry about the bike. Welcome to your first experience dealing with a "mechanic" who is functionally retarded. First of all, any knocking noises wouldn't be "7 distinct knocks" at idle because an engine does the same thing over and over. The only way you could get that is if a bearing was failing intermittently, which is highly unlikely. To illustrate a bit more, if you're at idle at 1400rpm, it is going through 700 complete firing cycles, so 11.5 firing cycles per second. And out of that he picked up 7 "distinct knocks"? Secondly, there's 2 parts to inspect before you make any judgements about "getting the power to the ground"...the clutch and the chain. If step one when things feel funny isn't to inspect, adjust, and lube the chain, he doesn't know what he's doing. Out of spec/damaged chain can rob upwards of 10hp on a dyno. The second is the clutch. A worn clutch can cause the bike to feel a bit "loose", but a clutch is a simple swap. There are really 2 options here. The guy you're working with is either the engine whisperer with hundreds of hours on a dyno and stacks of notebooks recording data on bike, sorted by VIN, where he tracks a cadre of motorcyclists who ride in exactly the prescribed break in styles and then comes back, has them dynoed, rides them himself, and has developed an exquisite, near godlike feel for engine design and performance...or he's an idiot talking out of his rear end, repeating the same bad advice and lovely mechanical practices his family has handed down since the days that you could cast a piston in a fire. I'm leaning towards the second. Btw, I rebuilt a 15k mile 636 that was in boxes that was involved in a serious accident (bad enough to crack one of the engine cases). Valves were in spec, still had the factory crosshatching on the bores, it ran great after I finished reassembling it. The original owner was a 17 year old kid who talked about ripping it up on the roads, burnouts, etc. They're also favored bikes among stunters for the stoutness of their engines and hefty midrange. I wouldn't hesitate to buy your bike if it was a good price, because chances are drat near zero there is anything at all wrong with it.
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Sep 24, 2011 17:44
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Ok, so I deleted the PAIR the other weekend on my '02 Bandit 1200. There are four metal tubes that had hoses connected to the PAIR valve. Two of those tubes broke off. Like, I found them rattling around in front of the engine, around the exhausts. I know I need blank-off plates now, but can/should I ride the thing with holes in the front of the exhausts? It's making strange noises now, sounds like valve noise, but it could just be exhaust gasses coming straight out of the front of the engine. How sturdy to blank-off plates need to be? I've got some 1/16" steel plate. Is that good enough to cut and drill? The stuff in there now is about 1/4" aluminum.
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Sep 24, 2011 18:03
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Thanks for the input Z3n. The guy is hard of hearing so I know his perception of sound is skewed. He did help me resolve the wiring issue on my 2k SV650 but I know that mechanics in general have a vast variation in their judgment.  I originally asked him to check out my Ninja because it felt a bit funny when turning. The front wheel has a bit of "resistance" when turning and trying to lean over - it's kinda hard to explain, a sort of looseness in the front wheel, something off around there. As if the front tire was low on air, but I already checked the air multiple times and it's the proper level. On my Sv650 w/ clip-ons, it's perfectly smooth while taking on a switchback turn, while it isn't the case with the Ninja. The guy said that the "resistance" I was feeling was probably from the engine affecting the handling, and that the front was completely fine. But how can that be? 
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Sep 24, 2011 18:19
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http://imgur.com/a/Ok3zS I took the DRZ400e/sm out and it helped me find some issues (pics above). I believe my two options to fix the wear are to buy a SM chain guide (might work) or off-set the rim from the hub (will probably work). Thumpertalk says that I can offset with 1/4 turn on the spokes to move the rim over a little. Any advice on which will work better? Any advice on what I can use to get the rubber off the plastic? I tried dish soap and it kind of worked. I'm planning on replacing the chain/tires in the next few weeks. Does anyone have experience with the Parts Unlimited chains that are $23?
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Sep 24, 2011 18:26
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I was cleaning/lubing the chain on the GS500 for the first time today, and saw some rust on a couple of the links. What's the best way to get this crap off? I scrubbed it down with some mineral spirits and a grunge brush, but that didn't seem to do anything to the rusted parts. I probably should have taken this picture before I sprayed it down with wax.
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Sep 24, 2011 19:11
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Walking, I'd say its far more likely you either have worn the front tire oddly or you need to lube and tighten your steering head bearings. The guy is nuts if he thinks a misfire is going to affect steering off the throttle. I wouldn't trust a budget chain. Contact speedaddictcycles, mention you're a friend of Conan, and that you need an RK xso-ring chain of whatever pitch and length you need. Should be about 60-70 shipped. More expensive, but with proper care will go 20k plus no problem. On the pair valve, I think 1/16th is probably a touch on the thin side but ok. What you're hearing is valve noise because the valves are nearly open to air with those ports unblocked. On the DRZ, is your tire contacting the battery box? SM chain run wont do anything for that. I'd say you should switch to a proper profile, narrower tire. Pinching a wider 160 on a 4.25 inch rim causes the tire to mushroom pretty bad. Failing that, I'd probably offset the wheel a bit. Go slowly and mark the rim as you adjust. Sorry that this isn't properly quoted/etc, phone posting.
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Sep 24, 2011 19:29
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 Thanks dude. I already replaced the back tire due to the P.O.'s badly squared-off commuting effect, the front tire probably needs to be replaced too.
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Sep 24, 2011 19:46
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I think the chain is picking up bits of the tire and flinging it up on the battery box / rear fender. I guess it could be grease but it's only on the chain side and the tire appears to be a little pitted from contacting the chain. The tires are 150/60 which is the right size but they're the older ones that came with the rims when I traded. I know there's not enough contact to cause any harm, I just don't want to be cleaning it off all the time. I think I'll probably go with the offset. Apparently the SM factory rims come offset and most aftermarket stuff comes centered on the hub.
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Sep 24, 2011 20:05
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Empire Waffles posted:I think the chain is picking up bits of the tire and flinging it up on the battery box / rear fender. I guess it could be grease but it's only on the chain side and the tire appears to be a little pitted from contacting the chain. The tires are 150/60 which is the right size but they're the older ones that came with the rims when I traded. I know there's not enough contact to cause any harm, I just don't want to be cleaning it off all the time. Tire generally wont stick like the that to the fender. Plus after the chain makes some clearance it'll stop, if it is rubber. Clean it up and ride it for a bit and see if it keeps happening.
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Sep 24, 2011 21:18
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Z3n posted:Tire generally wont stick like the that to the fender. Plus after the chain makes some clearance it'll stop, if it is rubber. You were right. I bought some Simple Green to get it off and it smeared before it cleaned so it was grease. I'm going to order a new chain since it's pretty rough anyway.
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Sep 25, 2011 02:18
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Does anyone have a recommended cheap/easy manual tire tread gauge? I'm suspicious that a cheap digital one might be extra lovely, so was looking for a <$20 mechanical one, but I'm open to suggestions if digital is the smarter way to go. Even if I don't have undue tread wear on my street/commuter CB250, might I get better traction/stability by changing to a tire that's better quality or of a different type than the stock ones, or is that just undue expense for no real effect?
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Sep 25, 2011 02:26
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TapTheForwardAssist posted:Does anyone have a recommended cheap/easy manual tire tread gauge? I'm suspicious that a cheap digital one might be extra lovely, so was looking for a <$20 mechanical one, but I'm open to suggestions if digital is the smarter way to go. I have one of these, if you can get it in the states:  http://www.louis.de/_3076aa05b02709...tnr_gr=10002907 It's a little bit over your $20 budget, but it's very precise, very sturdy, very easy to use and made specifically for bikes (it's angled to be easier to use). It even comes with a certificate of accuracy signed by a German engineer EDIT: VVVV Doh  I read it as tire pressure gauge  I just use my vernier calipers to measure thread depth. KozmoNaut fucked around with this message at 09:00 on Sep 25, 2011 |
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Sep 25, 2011 08:13
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Did he mean tire pressure gauge or literally a gauge to measure tread depth? I've never heard anyone call a pressure gauge a "tire tread" gauge - is that a British / foreign term?
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Sep 25, 2011 08:16
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TapTheForwardAssist posted:Does anyone have a recommended cheap/easy manual tire tread gauge? I'm suspicious that a cheap digital one might be extra lovely, so was looking for a <$20 mechanical one, but I'm open to suggestions if digital is the smarter way to go. Nope. Cheap is fine. TapTheForwardAssist posted:Even if I don't have undue tread wear on my street/commuter CB250, might I get better traction/stability by changing to a tire that's better quality or of a different type than the stock ones, or is that just undue expense for no real effect? you'll usually see improvement when you get new and fresh rubber, since tires have a shelf life and tire manufacturers keep improving their compounds and its handling characteristics. But they are just one part of the stability pie so changing tires might or might not affect your cb250. If the tire isn't old (say 7 years? someone correct me if I'm wrong) and you have no problems, keep your money in your pocket and wait for your current rubber to wear out.
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Sep 25, 2011 11:40
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My friend just picked up a '78 Honda CB400TII ("Hawk II"), and while most of the bike is actually in pretty good nick (aside from a split carb bowl overflow tube causing a gas leak in one of the carbs - fixed quite easily), except that we think it's missing the air filter element. Under the seat and air filter cover, there's a top, open wire cage, some air space, and then a honeycomb wire cage packed with wire mesh. The bottom mesh is pretty thin, but we don't know if it's the actual filter. Is there another filter element (paper, foam, etc?) that goes between the two wire plates? If so, where can I find such a thing, because bike bandit has no info about such a thing.
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Sep 25, 2011 21:45
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Why does my bike get poo poo gas mileage? Thirty years ago, when it rolled off the showroom floor, it's said it could get 60MPG. I'm averaging about 35. Since I've bought it this summer, I've balanced and cleaned the two carbs, changed the oil, tightened the chain and have been riding it gently as it's my first bike. I'm 6ft 220lbs and it's a naked bike (1982 KZ440 LTD). I also can't seem to get it up to great speed on the highway, even fully tucked. Typically all I can manage is 120km/h or a few more. The gas mileage is the big concern though. I would like to know I can drive for more than an hour and a half without needing to gas up the 12 liter tank. What's left to do? Valve work? Is it just too much to expect from the original engine? Bike purs like a walrus, otherwise.
DadWilly fucked around with this message at 00:01 on Sep 26, 2011 |
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Sep 25, 2011 23:57
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House Party 4 posted:Why does my bike get poo poo gas mileage? Which gallons are being quoted? British Gallons are bigger.
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Sep 26, 2011 13:53
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Sorry, US MPG stated.
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Sep 26, 2011 16:22
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House Party 4 posted:Why does my bike get poo poo gas mileage? Stupid question but have you checked/changed the air filter? A clogged filter will make any engine run like poo poo.
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Sep 26, 2011 16:50
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House Party 4 posted:Why does my bike get poo poo gas mileage? Have you done a basic compression test?
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Sep 26, 2011 16:51
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So yesterday my town had a bit of a flash flood while I was out on a ride to a local state park. Conveniently I had to go through the worst of the floods to get back home. Turns out water looks a lot more shallow from 10 feet away than it actually is , I ended up riding through water about 2-3 feet deep (how I managed to not drop the bike is still beyond me). My current steed is an 07 VFR 800 and I was wondering what all needs to be checked out before any future extended rides. Could my engine have sucked in water? Does my suspension need to be looked at? Is my seat going to smell like a sewer forever? I'm a relative noob to bike maintenance more complex than oil changes and chain lubrication/adjustment. Please help me, CA 
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Sep 26, 2011 17:52
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Zombie Exterminator posted:So yesterday my town had a bit of a flash flood while I was out on a ride to a local state park. Conveniently I had to go through the worst of the floods to get back home. Turns out water looks a lot more shallow from 10 feet away than it actually is Clean everything and lube your chain and you're fine. If you really wanted to go all paranoid about it, you could pull and make sure that your axles have some grease on them to fight off corrosion, as well as checking the wheel bearings, but they're sealed and probably didn't even really get that wet.
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Sep 26, 2011 17:55
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Thanks!
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Sep 26, 2011 18:05
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NitroSpazzz posted:Stupid question but have you checked/changed the air filter? A clogged filter will make any engine run like poo poo. I removed it and cleaned it about 3 weeks ago. It's not in the best of shape, that's for sure, but it's clean(er). Will fashioning a new one out of another style of airbox screw up the carbs? CV carbs, that is. Two ports in the airbox - I guess to make differential vacuum pressure? Saga posted:Have you done a basic compression test? I've had my friend who's a small engine guru and long time motorcycle owner tell me that compression was good after he had it for an evening to look it over. To be honest, I think he just put his hands at each exhaust tip and tried to guesstimate the pressure. DadWilly fucked around with this message at 20:42 on Sep 26, 2011 |
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Sep 26, 2011 20:38
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Do you know if the carbs are balanced properly? If they're way off you get way less power and gas mileage.
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Sep 26, 2011 21:15
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