The "Today I did something to my bike" thread

KTRIC · 06-10-2013 09:39AM

Yesterday i did this to my bike

Removed the high club style bars, original seat and air filter cover and installed a sprung seat , beach bars and a bobber style air filter cover. Very happy with how its turned out. Last thing to do is tidy up the cables with shorter ones and its sorted.

RosieJoe · 06-10-2013 08:35PM

KTRIC wrote: »

Yesterday i did this to my bike

Removed the high club style bars, original seat and air filter cover and installed a sprung seat , beach bars and a bobber style air filter cover. Very happy with how its turned out. Last thing to do is tidy up the cables with shorter ones and its sorted.

That looks so much nicer

Wossack · 06-10-2013 10:55PM

in middle of a valve check on zx6. A few are bad, so need to take cams out, but due to position of frame, cant see the IN /EX markings on the outside of the gears (at all!).. nice design that!

So need to pick up a white or silver perm marker tomorrow to mark the inside of chain and gears together, so it'll all line up again, and not self destruct on the starter button

cleaned the k&n filter, and have new sparks, and battery to go in before dropping oil/filter. Gonna drain and take rad off aswell, as middle of it looks SOLID with road crap - need a good water blasting

Hotblack Desiato · 06-10-2013 11:39PM

Wossack wrote: »

Gonna drain and take rad off aswell, as middle of it looks SOLID with road crap - need a good water blasting

You'll just bend the fins and could even make it leak.

Compressed air is safe enough, but I'd give it a going over by hand with warm water, detergent and a soft brush first.

Wossack · 07-10-2013 08:40AM

oh hah, poor choice of words - I dont even own a pressure washer

and I reckon if I did go at it with one, the fins would blow off easier then the dirt..! reckon its gonna need to be taken off and soaked. That or spend a few weeks poking it with a needle or something

the cats pajamas · 07-10-2013 12:11PM

This weekend i scrubbed my chain (cleaning solution and the girlfriends toothbrush) and then re lubed it.
On the way to work today it felt bumpy and after a quick Google it sounds like the chain is loose.
Would a very thorough clean be enough to make the chain loose?

Wossack · 07-10-2013 12:25PM

wouldnt have thought so

i'd say it was loose already, and the dirt was deadening the sound

how is the chain slack now?

the cats pajamas · 07-10-2013 12:33PM

It's not a noise, when i drive am going slow and am not on the throttle i feel like I'm driving on a lumpy surface.
I'll have a check on the slack before i get back on, in work atm

Hotblack Desiato · 07-10-2013 01:04PM

Sounds like there's a tight spot in the chain and there's too little, or no, slack at the tight spot.

cantdecide · 07-10-2013 01:06PM

the cats pajamas wrote: »

It's not a noise, when i drive am going slow and am not on the throttle i feel like I'm driving on a lumpy surface.
I'll have a check on the slack before i get back on, in work atm

Do you know how to check tightness and adjust it? Do you know how to check for tight spots? Do you know how to check for wear? If you don't know- that's fine, we'll surely edumacate you- I just don't want to bang on about stuff you already know. It's not very technical stuff.

One thing I'd add is that if it's a day-one chain and it's been neglected, it could be fcukered. This just means you're ability to make it nice and smooth again will be hampered.

the cats pajamas · 07-10-2013 03:42PM

I have seen vids on tightening the chain and ill give it a go tonight. (Delboy's garage on youtube)
This is my first bike and I only have it three weeks (it's a 2010 ninja) I had checked it before I cleaned it and it seemed tight but i haven't checked it after.
What is a day one chain?
If it's the one it left the factory with then i think it is a day one chain.

P.C. · 07-10-2013 08:01PM

the cats pajamas wrote: »

I have seen vids on tightening the chain and ill give it a go tonight. (Delboy's garage on youtube)
This is my first bike and I only have it three weeks (it's a 2010 ninja) I had checked it before I cleaned it and it seemed tight but i haven't checked it after.
What is a day one chain?
If it's the one it left the factory with then i think it is a day one chain.

Yes, a 'day one chain' would (more than likely) mean the chain that was on the bike when it was new.

How many kms has the bike done?

A chain on a 250cc bike should last a while - anything from 20 000 kms to 50 000 kms depending on how well it has been maintained. Could even last longer, or less.

You need to clean a chain, then check to see if it needs to be adjusted - adjust as needed, then lube.

Also - what did you use to clean the chain?

minidazzler · 07-10-2013 08:09PM

What lube did you use? I find a lot of them fly off too quick to be effective?

P.C. · 07-10-2013 08:18PM

minidazzler wrote: »

What lube did you use? I find a lot of them fly off too quick to be effective?

I know this might sound wrong, but I always found that if I went for a short spin after cleaning the chain, and then lubed it, the lube did not fly off.
By that I mean a spin just long enough to warm up the chain, but not long enough to do any damage.

minidazzler · 08-10-2013 12:01AM

P.C. wrote: »

I know this might sound wrong, but I always found that if I went for a short spin after cleaning the chain, and then lubed it, the lube did not fly off.
By that I mean a spin just long enough to warm up the chain, but not long enough to do any damage.

Sounds reasonable. But I'm gonna blame the first Lube I was using.... the muc off one. It's just terrible. Now I use Castrol Race something or other, it's excellent

the cats pajamas · 08-10-2013 08:21AM

P.C. wrote: »

Yes, a 'day one chain' would (more than likely) mean the chain that was on the bike when it was new.

How many kms has the bike done?

A chain on a 250cc bike should last a while - anything from 20 000 kms to 50 000 kms depending on how well it has been maintained. Could even last longer, or less.

You need to clean a chain, then check to see if it needs to be adjusted - adjust as needed, then lube.

Also - what did you use to clean the chain?

I used a wd40 chain cleaning spray, and then lubed it with a wd40 chain lube. The bike has 10,000 km on it.

I took my back break break off last night to change pads and one cylinder was completely seized and the pads were pure metal (no trace of any pad), so i think that could be what was causing it.
I have the back caliper off now and need to find somewhere to "un-seize" it.
Any suggestions on where to go?

cantdecide · 08-10-2013 09:30AM

P.C. wrote: »

By that I mean a spin just long enough to warm up the chain, but not long enough to do any damage.

I've always lubed the chain after spin a ditto for cleaning. Currently, I use that Wurth chain oil. It definitely doesn't go flying off but I go through cans of the stuff and even though I've never felt the chain is suffering, I'm never confident that the chain's moist enough so I might try something else.

Having said that, when I got the Mille, the entire area around the chain and undertray were destroyed and caked in some kind of nasty tarry crapola. It took me hours to get it cleaned down.

nerrad1983 · 08-10-2013 03:05PM

minidazzler wrote: »

What lube did you use? I find a lot of them fly off too quick to be effective?

Try some Muc Off dry chain lube

Iv been using it a while now and find it great

No fling off at all with it

Spray on to a hot chain and leave for a few mins till it drys

minidazzler · 08-10-2013 03:23PM

cantdecide wrote: »

Having said that, when I got the Mille, the entire area around the chain and undertray were destroyed and caked in some kind of nasty tarry crapola. It took me hours to get it cleaned down.

I had the same on both my Varadero and my Fazer, glad to say they're now both spotless (though I sold the varadero, the bollix who bought it better keep it clean :pac: ) Serious amount of buildup from whoever had it not cleaning up by the front sprocket.

nerrad1983 wrote: »

Try some Muc Off dry chain lube

Dead happy by now with the Castrol, I don't think I'll ever trust Muc Off again. It's cheap, not inexpensive I think.

BlackWizard · 08-10-2013 03:34PM

My Fazer collects it in the front sprocket cover too. I'm positive that the reason a chain I once put on only lasted a 2000km is because of a ton of tar like sand and grit in that cover. After 2000km I was adjusting it every week.

minidazzler · 08-10-2013 03:48PM

BlackWizard wrote: »

My Fazer collects it in the front sprocket cover too. I'm positive that the reason a chain I once put on only lasted a 2000km is because of a ton of tar like sand and grit in that cover. After 2000km I was adjusting it every week.

Under the cover is part of my regular cleaning cycle now. Which makes me realise she is due a proper clean really soon.

I'd imagine the tar would cause tight spots on the chain if left a few days unused. I can't see why anyone wouldn't just clean it regularly enough though. Whenever I look at bikes in future I'll be checking the front sprocket and it being dirty will stop me buying the bike, I can't honestly believe someone takes care of their bike if there is a huge buildup of muck there.

Soundman · 09-10-2013 01:15AM

Just shoved in a new battery as the old one was seemingly bogey after 2 and 1/2 years. Straight away it seems like a world of difference. Goodbye weird problems I was having with neutral light, side stand switch and starter acting strangely. Indicators seem to be behaving too now. Will let her sit over night and see if she is still good as gold tomorrow.

Did a quick check with a multi-meter first to make sure that she appeared to be charging and going on the little I know, it all seems good. Metered the battery at idle and then revving and the voltage increased as the revs did.

blade1 · 10-10-2013 03:39PM

Fitted this bagster tank cover today.
Tomorrow I have another mod planned.
It's a custom made seat so hopefully it will arrive tomorrow.

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8CF0AEBF-4405-48C4-8D43-D3AE4E74B73A-3983-000005C66B51C209_zpsa78b62aa.jpg

blade1 · 11-10-2013 05:30PM

Seat arrived today.

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cantdecide · 13-10-2013 11:27PM

Replaced the chain and sprocket on my Mille today. My first time ever doing this. Very happy with the buttery feeling I get driving at the moment! I also stripped and rebuilt the calipers. Feelin' pretty manly at the moment :cool:

cantdecide · 21-11-2013 09:42PM

Recent work to the Mille includes the extension of the battery cable to up under the seat hump so it can be a) put on a trickle charge and b) be easily jump started if required. I have a set of bike jump-leads in permanent residence under the hump now. Having said that, the bike seems 100% at the moment but there's a new battery coming at some stage followed by a new reg/ rec when funds allow.

I upgraded the starter solenoid.

I found replacements for the missing quick release fairing fasteners and reinstated them all with new nylon washers and touched them up with black paint.

I replaced all the lower fairing bolts with SS dome heads.

It's all the little things.

I'm waiting for a new oil pressure switch

the old one stopped working and started leaking. I'm steadily working my way through the 'old faithfuls'.

In other news, it got 46.5mpg on a long trip last weekend!!

corkgsxr · 21-11-2013 10:54PM

Ah now that you've done everything to make jumping easy you could leave it for two years and it'll start perfect. It only happens when its a awkward **** of a job

Hotblack Desiato · 22-11-2013 12:10AM

Last Friday put a new battery in, after 6.5 years (had no idea it was that long until I found an old email from when I was having trouble the last time.) Big difference in how fast the engine turns over.

It let me down on the way home last week without warning, I stopped for petrol and it just wouldn't restart

of course with twin headlights and no light switch on the bike, by the time you realise you are having trouble starting it, it's already too late to try to get it going by pulling the light fuses :rolleyes:

minidazzler · 07-12-2013 06:24PM

So, to resurrect this thread....

Didn't do it myself, but got myself some new tyres... BT023's difference noticed already in handling. Previous tyres were FAR too worn. Cost a fair bundle though

290 fitted.... then got told I need new Chain and Sprox badly and steering head bearings

That'll be another 300+ Most likely given I'm not gonna tackle the steering head myself.

corkgsxr · 07-12-2013 06:33PM

Im just collecting parts for what I do a proper strip down over Xmas, stuff to fit

New suzuki master (recall)
Exhaust hanger to remove rear pegs
Renthal -1,+1 sprockets
Smart tre
2010 rear shock
Bmc race filter.
Headstock bearings

Nd have to get tires too.

The "Today I did something to my bike" thread

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