The "Today I did something to my bike" thread

blade1 · 13-09-2018 06:57PM

Kenzie Yummy Slogan wrote: »

Really :eek:

She’s a 2011

I suppose it's 7 years old all the same.
And they don't paint them like they used to.

blade1 · 13-09-2018 07:03PM

Kenzie Yummy Slogan wrote: »

Can that part be removed or what is it covering?

It can yeah.
It's the flywheel cover.
If you do take it off,watch your fingers or any loose wires when you are putting it back on.
The magnetic force off the flywheel may be fairly strong.

listermint · 13-09-2018 07:06PM

Kenzie Yummy Slogan wrote: »

Laptop caught a virus when I tried to upload on tinypic so I have to resort to the mobile to upload the photos of the crash bars, they look well.

Same colour as mine . LO model too.

Yeah the paint on the Japanese stuff is shiiiiiite.

Tbh I'd just buy plastic covers for the engine the paint will go bad again. There is lovely covers available to cover the stator cover there. And the water pump other side too

ayux4rj6zql2ph · 13-09-2018 07:11PM

blade1 wrote: »

It can yeah.
It's the flywheel cover.
If you do take it off,watch your fingers or any loose wires when you are putting it back on.
The magnetic force off the flywheel may be fairly strong.

Here’s a photo I took of it close up just now.

The bike is a UK import, it was bought by a Meath based Dublin business man in June 2016, the dealer I bought it from bought it from that guy 2 weeks before I got it. That probably explains the paint work.

I intend on keeping the bike indefinitely, I like it that much.

ayux4rj6zql2ph · 13-09-2018 07:12PM

listermint wrote: »

Same colour as mine . LO model too.

Yeah the paint on the Japanese stuff is shiiiiiite.

Tbh I'd just buy plastic covers for the engine the paint will go bad again. There is lovely covers available to cover the stator cover there. And the water pump other side too

Covers to go over those parts? It looks poor (the paint) I admit.

ayux4rj6zql2ph · 13-09-2018 08:16PM

In relation to my scooter, that did end up in the repair shop, the reason for it cutting out was the engine was getting too much air.

Hotblack Desiato · 13-09-2018 08:52PM

Those oil cooler pipe unions don't look great. I had one let go on me last year (Triumph) due to corrosion but luckily it was only a pinhole and happened very close to home. Still covered the back tyre in oil though.

ayux4rj6zql2ph · 13-09-2018 08:56PM

Hotblack Desiato wrote: »

Those oil cooler pipe unions don't look great. I had one let go on me last year (Triumph) due to corrosion but luckily it was only a pinhole and happened very close to home. Still covered the back tyre in oil though.

I genuinely haven’t a clue on what looks average or ok, should I change the pipes as well as the flywheel cover?

As always advice is sincerely appreciated.

I’m having no trouble from the bike, just some cosmetic stuff needs improving of course.

Hotblack Desiato · 14-09-2018 12:12AM

A bit of surface rust on the flat areas is only cosmetic but have a good look at creases / folds / welds on those pipes like the arrowed part, this is where you might eventually have trouble.

You have to hold the hex head area with a spanner when loosening/tightening the banjo bolt, otherwise you could distort or crack the oil cooler as they're not that strong. That and use new copper washers. Apart from that it's an easy job when doing an oil change.

listermint · 14-09-2018 09:26AM

Kenzie Yummy Slogan wrote: »

Covers to go over those parts? It looks poor (the paint) I admit.

Yeah paint isn't ideal

https://www.rg-racing.com/browsebike/Suzuki/DL650_V-Strom/2004_to_2012/KEC0043BK/

These

Hotblack Desiato · 14-09-2018 10:03AM

Dunno why the picture disappeared in my previous post, fixed it now.

arybvtcw0eolkf · 14-09-2018 01:08PM

blade1 wrote: »

Paint flaking a lot for what seems a fairly new bike.

Very common on the Vstroms for some reason.

Although mine was spotless just about every other were similar or worse than the pix here.

BMW boxer engines are the same.

I found the paint on the frame welds on the Vstrom pretty thin too.

ayux4rj6zql2ph · 14-09-2018 09:22PM

listermint wrote: »

Yeah paint isn't ideal

https://www.rg-racing.com/browsebike/Suzuki/DL650_V-Strom/2004_to_2012/KEC0043BK/

These

Might well invest in that, looks good. Would someone like myself be able to fit it or does the old cover have to come off?

ayux4rj6zql2ph · 14-09-2018 09:23PM

Hotblack Desiato wrote: »

A bit of surface rust on the flat areas is only cosmetic but have a good look at creases / folds / welds on those pipes like the arrowed part, this is where you might eventually have trouble.

You have to hold the hex head area with a spanner when loosening/tightening the banjo bolt, otherwise you could distort or crack the oil cooler as they're not that strong. That and use new copper washers. Apart from that it's an easy job when doing an oil change.

New bolt and pipe basically to improve the look?

ayux4rj6zql2ph · 14-09-2018 09:25PM

Cayden Defeated Thunderstorm wrote: »

Very common on the Vstroms for some reason.

Although mine was spotless just about every other were similar or worse than the pix here.

BMW boxer engines are the same.

I found the paint on the frame welds on the Vstrom pretty thin too.

Did you have to clean yours up to make it spotless of did it just come that way? There's 33,000 miles on mine. Only done 300 miles since I bought it but still plan on adding a few more bits to it. I only get out for around 6-8 hours a week on it, it was parked up for about 4 weeks when I first got it due to work etc, so you could really say 300 miles in one month.

arybvtcw0eolkf · 14-09-2018 09:51PM

Kenzie Yummy Slogan wrote: »

Did you have to clean yours up to make it spotless of did it just come that way? There's 33,000 miles on mine. Only done 300 miles since I bought it but still plan on adding a few more bits to it. I only get out for around 6-8 hours a week on it, it was parked up for about 4 weeks when I first got it due to work etc, so you could really say 300 miles in one month.

Luckily enough mine was spotless when I bought it, but I've serviced a few for friends and they all had that corrosion on the engine.

Mine had a few small rust spots on the frame at the rider foot pegs and the pillion foot peg hangers, and most other's I've seen had the same.

That aside they're a fantastic bike. Like I said I loved mine and there's not a day I that goes by when I'm reminded how good it was, and how I regret getting rid of it.

I love my BMW R1200GS and have said I'll be replacing it with another, but I'd never rule out another Vstrom ~ in fact I looked at one in Bikeworld only recently, they've a DL1000 over there but I'm still in the honeymoon phase with my BMW.

Enjoy your bike.

listermint · 15-09-2018 07:05AM

Kenzie Yummy Slogan wrote: »

Might well invest in that, looks good. Would someone like myself be able to fit it or does the old cover have to come off?

I'm not entirely sure on fitment if original bolts come out and hold them on. But anyone with a socket set could do it. These are covers so they cover the old one not replace

ayux4rj6zql2ph · 26-09-2018 02:23PM

I finally bit the bullet and handed the scooter in to get the decals fitted, will have it back after the weekend.

UrbanFret · 03-10-2018 03:39PM

Bought this from ALiExpress for €31.25. Plugs into the diagnostics port. Works really well (couple of seconds delay) . Good value!

Hotblack Desiato · 03-10-2018 05:36PM

Cheap way of getting two extra speeds in the gearbox

UrbanFret · 03-10-2018 05:49PM

Hotblack Desiato wrote: »

Cheap way of getting two extra speeds in the gearbox

Yeah that 8th gear's really suited to motorway riding.;)

In Fairness the phone camera doesn't do it justice.

frozenfrozen · 03-10-2018 06:08PM

If I had an extra gear for every time I looked for 7th gear, I'd probably have enough gears to stop looking to change up in top...

zubair · 03-10-2018 09:29PM

frozenfrozen wrote: »

If I had an extra gear for every time I looked for 7th gear, I'd probably have enough gears to stop looking to change up in top...

How many false neutrals would that give you though?

ayux4rj6zql2ph · 05-10-2018 09:00PM

Bought a set of V35 cases today for the bike,saved myself a few hundred quid. Thanks to Blade1 for pointing me in their direction.

cantdecide · 09-10-2018 10:56PM

No idea why my pics are uploading sidewards...

Anyhoo, The fins are getting crusty after 17 years which ain't too shabby. I didn't want to go to town on this so a little high-temp black on the top fin to stave off the years a bit. I'm fairly pleased with the result.

Hotblack Desiato · 10-10-2018 09:39AM

Interesting choice of reading material

zubair · 10-10-2018 11:24AM

Hotblack Desiato wrote: »

Interesting choice of reading material

Put to good use!

CJhaughey · 10-10-2018 03:51PM

Cut thin strips of blue masking tape and lay them across the edges of the fins and give it another blast.

batman_oh · 10-10-2018 10:39PM

Fit the Termi Evolution slip on and Sprint P08 filter. This bike can be a right pain to work on. Some difference with the exhaust though - biggest gains I’ve experienced on anything!

Richard tea · 19-10-2018 11:43AM

My NC750X is about to hit 60k. Not one days trouble in all that.
I checked the valve clearance and gave it a service with oil and filter. Ill remove the brake pads and give them a good clean before the winter really kicks in.

The "Today I did something to my bike" thread

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