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М Ш Ш Ш Ш Ш W O R K S H O P

How To Repair Your Motorcycle

• Understand how your motorcycle works

• Maintain your bike and save money• Diagnose and repair problems

• Tips to keep your bike in top condition• Tune and improve your machine's performance

Charles Everitt


F irst published in 2007 by M otorbooks, an im prin t o f Quayside

P ub lish in g G rou p and M B I P ub lish in g C om pany, 40 0 F irs t

Avenue North, Su ite 300, M inneapolis, MN 55401 USA

C opyrigh t © 2007 b y Charles Everitt

A ll r ig h ts reserved. W ith th e exception o f qu otin g b rie f pas

sages fo r th e pu rposes o f review, no p a rt o f th is publica tion

m ay be reproduced w ith o u t p rio r w ritten perm ission from the

Publisher.

The in fo rm ation in th is bo ok is tru e and com p le te to th e best

o f ou r kno w led ge . A ll re co m m en da tion s are m ade w ith o u t

any gua ra n te e on th e p a rt o f th e a u th o r o r P ublisher, w ho

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o f th is da ta o r spe c ific de ta ils.

W e recogn ize , fu rther, th a t som e w ords, m odel nam es, and

designations m entioned herein are the prope rty o f th e trade

m ark holder. W e use th em fo r id e n tifica tio n pu rpo ses only.

This is no t an offic ia l publica tion .

M otorbooks titles are also available a t discounts in bulk quan

tity fo r industrial o r sales-prom otiona l use. For deta ils w rite to

Specia l Sales Manager a t MBI Publishing Company, 400 First

Avenue North, Suite 300, M inneapolis, MN 55401 USA.

To fin d o u t m ore a b o u t o u r b o o ks , jo in us o n lin e a t

w w w .m otorbooks.com .

ISBN: 978-0 -7603-3137-8

Editor: Lee Klancher

Designer: Sara H olle

P rinted in China

Library o f C ongress C ata log ing -in -P ub lica tion Data

Everitt, Charles.

How to repair yo u r m oto rcyc le / by C harles Everitt.

p. cm .

Includes index.

ISBN: 978-0 -7603-3137-8 (softbound)

1. M o to rcyc les—M aintenance and repair. I. T itle.

TL444.E94 2007

62 9 .2 8 7 7 5 —dc22

2007030874

About the author:

Charles Everitt has been

rid ing and w orking on

m otorcycles fo r nearly

fo u r decades. H is firs t

bike , a 1969 Bultaco,

provided an exce llen t

ap prenticeship in all the

th in gs th a t cou ld go

wrong on a m otorcycle .

W hile ge tting h is journalism degree, Everitt w orked as a line

m echan ic in a variety o f m oto rcyc le shops. A fte r graduating,

he spe n t 25 years, on s ta ff o r as a contribu tor, w ritin g tech

artic les, road tes ts , features, and o the r s to ries fo r virtua lly

every m ajor s tree t-b ike m agazine in the U nited States,

including C ycle G u ide, C ycle W orld, Cycle, M oto rcyc lis t,

R ider, and others.

A lthough Everitt curren tly shares a hovel in Beverly Hills,

C aliforn ia, w ith his w ife, Kathryn, he hastens to po in t ou t he

m ost de fin ite ly is no t rich.

On the front cover

M ain im a ge: Replacing you r b ike ’s orig inal rubbe r brake lines

w ith sta in less steel lines is a s im p le and h ighly effective

im provem ent. Evans B rasfie ld

S m all im age: Any cha in-drive m oto rcyc le w ill eventually

need to have th e fro n t and rear sprockets replaced.

Evans B rasfie ld

All illustrations cop yrig h t © H ecto r C adem artori, 2007

P hotography con tribu ted by Evans Brasfie ld, Je ff H ackett,

Lee Klancher, and Kenna Love

Project te x t con tribu ted by Evans B rasfie ld, K ip W oodring,

and M ark Zim m erm an


http://www.motorbooks.com

Contents

Chapter 1 8

Basics & Troubleshooting_______How to U se This BookThe Icons 8Know Your M oto rcyc le 9W hat You Need in a H om e S h op 10R ecom m ended M aintenance Schedule 13M aintenance Schedule C hart 14

ProjectsPro jec t 1: A d ju s t C o n tro ls to F it You 15Pro jec t 2: Preride C heck 17Pro jec t 3: General Lubrication 19Pro jec t 4: C hecking Vital F luids 21Pro jec t 5: R olling G ear C heckup 23P ro jec t 6: Ad just Your Chain 25Pro jec t 7: C hecking and Tensioning Your Drive Be lt 28 Pro jec t 8: A d ju s t C lutch and Throttle Free Play 29 Pro jec t 9: Replacing T hrottle Cables 31Pro jec t 10: W interize Your M oto rcyc le 33P roject 11: H ow to W ash Your H ands 36

C hapter 2 37

Fuel Syste m ___ ______

H ow It W orksC arburetors 38E lectronic Fuel In jection (EFI) 39Engine M anagem ent System 39Taking Care o f th e Fuel System 40

ProjectsP ro jec t 12: C lean/R eplace Your A ir F ilter 43

Chapter 3 45

Engine___________________________How It W orksM odern C om bustion Technology 46

ProjectsPro jec t 13: C hange Your Fuel Petcock 50

P ro jec t 14: Synchron izing C arburetors and EFI Throttle Bodies 52

P ro jec t 15: Install a Je t K it 55• Setting F loa t H eight 57

P ro jec t 16: Install a Pow er C om m ander 58P ro jec t 17: Change Your Oil and F ilter 60

• S haft D rive H ousing Oil C heck/C hange 62Pro jec t 18: C hange Transm ission and Prim ary Fluids 63 P ro jec t 19: A d just In take and Exhaust Valves 66

C hapter 4 70

Electrical SystemHow it W orksThe Batte ry 70A lte rn ator and C harging System 71S tarting System 72

ProjectsP ro jec t 20: Headligh t/Turn-S igna l R eplacem ent

and A d justm en t 75Pro jec t 21: Service Your Batte ry 78P ro jec t 22: Spark Plug C heck and R eplacem ent 80

C hapter 5 82

Cooling SystemHow It W orksCooling System M aintenance 83

ProjectsP ro jec t 23: C heck Your C oo lan t 87P ro jec t 24: Flush and Refill Your C oo ling System 88

C hapter 6 89

Drivetrain

H ow It W orksW hy a Transm ission? 89Chain F inal-D rive 90Rear C ush-D rives 91Belt F inal-Drive 92Shaft F inal-Drive 92


ProjectsP ro jec t 25: Chain and S procket R eplacem ent 94P ro jec t 26: D rive Be lt R eplacem ent 98

C hapter 7 99

SuspensionH ow It W orksSprings & D am pers 99S hock A bsorbe rs & Rear Suspensions 102Suspension Tuning 103

ProjectsPro jec t 27: M easure Sag and Ad just Preload: Front 106Project 28: M easure Sag and Ad just Preload: Rear 109P ro jec t 29: A d just D am ping Settings 111

• Suspension T roubleshooting S ym ptom s 113P ro jec t 30: A d just R ide H eight 114

• Low ering C autions 116P ro jec t 31: C hange Your Fork Oil 117P ro jec t 32: C hange Fork Springs 120P ro jec t 33: Install A fterm arket Shocks 122

C hapter 8 124

FrameH ow it W orksSteel vs. A lum inum 124Steel Tube Fram es 124Pressed Steel Fram es 126Alum inum Frames 126

ProjectsP ro jec t 34: C heck Steering Head Bearings 128Pro jec t 35: R epack o r Replace Steering Head Bearings

130P ro jec t 36: Sw ingarm P ivo t Bearing R ep lacem ent 133

C hapter 9 135

Tires and Wheels

H ow it W orksTire C onstruction 135Bias-P ly C onstruction 135Radial C onstruction 136Tire C hoices, and H ow to M ake S m art Ones 136Sidew all H ierog lyphics and H ow to D ecipher Them 137Tires: Buy ’em Local o r From th e Web? 138The G reat M ount & Balance A ct: W hat to Expect 138Tire Pressure 138Afte rm arket W heels: C arbon Fiber, M agnesium and

Alum inum ! Oh, M y! 139C aring fo r Bearings 139

ProjectsPro jec t 37: C heck Tire Pressure 141P ro jec t 38: F lat Fix 142P ro jec t 39: Rem oving W heels 145P ro jec t 40: Tire Change 148P ro jec t 41: Valve Stem Replacem ent 152

C hapter 10 153

BrakesH ow it W orksH ydrau lic Brakes 153W hy H ydraulics? 153M echanical D rum Brakes 154H ow to D etect W orn Pads 154Brake Pads: H ow to P ick Mr. R ight 155W arning S igns o f the Need to Bleed 156Choosing th e R ight B rake Fluid 156Braided Brake Lines 157A fterm arket Brakes’ Advantages 157AB S and LBS 157

ProjectsP ro jec t 42: C aliper and D isc Service 159P ro jec t 43: Brake Pad C hange 161

• Brake Pad Break-In 161Pro jec t 44: Changing H ydrau lic Fluid 163Pro jec t 45: Drum Brake M aintenance 165P ro jec t 46: Insta lling S tainless-S tee l Brake Lines 169

C hapter 11 172

ExhaustH ow it W orksO xygen Sensor 172A fterm arket Exhausts 174

ProjectsP ro jec t 47: Installing a S lip-O n Exhaust 175P ro jec t 48 : Installing a Full Exhaust System 178

C hapter 12 182

Keeping It CleanH ow it W orksB ike W ash 101 182Polish and W ax 182Polish ing Your Bike 183Beginners’ D eta iling T ips 183

ProjectsProject 49: H ow to Touch Up Paint Scratches and Chips

185P ro jec t 50: H ow to C lean Your B ike 189

Index 190


Introduction

W hen it com es to learning how to repair o r m aintain

y o u r m o to rcyc le , e ve ryb o d y ha s to s ta rt

som ew here . No on e is bo rn w ith a c o m p le te w o rk in g

■cnowledge o f a m o to rc y c le ’s se e m in g ly in fin ite

com plexities and peculiarities, no m ore than th ey ’re born

.■•rth a s im ilar know ledge o f all algorithm s, the final d ig it o f

p i, o r how cats purr.

For th e firs t quandary, H ow to R epair Your M oto rcycle

■s a g o o d p la ce to s ta rt. W hy? Large ly because it w as

(b itte n as a ground-leve l en try in to how a m o to rcyc le ’s

.a rio u s sys te m s w o rk . S e lfish ly , I a lso h o p e d th a t by

.-.'iting th is bo ok it m ig h t also fo s te r a deeper connection

be tw ee n you an d y o u r m o to rcyc le , w h e th e r i t w as an

rte lle c tu a l one because o f you r greater understanding o f

how th ings w ork, o r an em otional one because th e book

provided you w ith a m easure o f se lf-sufficiency.

You’ ll find fa r m ore te chn ica l, scho larly to m e s ava il

able, and if a fter reading H ow to R epair Your M oto rcycle

th e y p iq u e y o u r in te re s t, I h e a rtily reco m m en d th em .

They’ll fu rthe r you r understanding o f w ha t is, to m any o f

js . a life ’s w ork in progress. O f course, if there ’s s im p ly no

connection , in te llec tua l o r em o tiona l, be tw een you and

.o u r m o to rcyc le , th e n b y a ll m eans save yo u r m oney.

How ever you con ne ct w ith you r m achine, th is book w ill

be o f value to you because it o ffers a m ultitude o f w ays to

keep your scoo t in absolu te A-1 running order and con d i

tion . Perhaps, in lieu o f em otional o r inte llectual rewards,

s im p ly saving m oney w ill do.

W hatever your reasons fo r p icking up th is book, it will

fu n c tio n b e s t as a co m p a n io n to y o u r b ik e ’s se rv ice

manual. H ow to R epair Your M oto rcycle covers the gen

e ra litie s o f p ro ced ure ; th e s e rv ice m anua l cove rs th e

spec ifics . It’s no t th a t all m oto rcyc les are so te rrib ly d if

ferent. It’s jus t th a t each m anufacturer has its ow n w ay o f

d o in g th in g s (such as b u ild in g m o to rcyc le s ) and o f

w anting them done (such as m aintenance and repair).

As I m entioned earlier, m y fo ndest hope fo r th is book

is th a t it he lps m ake you r m oto rcyc le rid ing and ow ner

sh ip m ore com p le te and m ore enjoyable th rough be tte r

u n d e rs ta n d in g . I a lso ho pe it h e lps yo u see th a t you r

m oto rcyc le is an incred ib le te chno log ica l m arve l—com

pared to a fam ily sedan, you r bike is pure Space Shuttle

tech . And, lastly, I hope th is book m akes ow ning , rid ing,

and caring fo r you r b ike—essentially, th e jou rney o f really

becom ing a m oto rcyc lis t—as rich and rewarding as it has

been fo r me.


Chapter 1How to Use This BookThe IconsKnow Your Motorcycle What You Need in a Home Shop

Basics and Recommended Maintenance Schedule Maintenance Schedule Chart

Projects

Troubleshooting Project 1: Adjust Controls to Fit You Project 2: Preride Check Project 3: General Lubrication Project 4: Checking Vital Fluids Project 5: Rolling Gear Checkup Project 6: Adjust Your Chain Project 7: Checking and Tensioning Your

WARNING! KEY CONCEPT Drive BeltProject 8: Adjust Clutch and Throttle

OLD SCHOOL TECH ,'J ^ ) MAINTENANCE TIP

TOMORROW’S TECH ^ 3 ^ M0NEY-SAVING Tlp

Free Play Project 9: Replacing Throttle Cables Project 10: Winterize Your Motorcycle Project 11: How to Wash Your Hands

Mo d e rn m o to rc y c le s ’ sh e e r s o p h is tic a tio n has

given them near-te lepath ic handling, phenom enal

sp e e d , an d m in d -b e n d in g a cce le ra tio n th a t en th ra lls

riders w ith the m erest w h iff o f th rottle . Such sophistica tion

and capab ilities can intim ida te new riders w hen it com es

to the sim plest o f m aintenance procedures.

The fundam ental purpose o f th is book is to assist such

riders, as w ell as those returning to m otorcycling, to learn

how to m aintain th e ir b ikes w ith a m easure o f confidence,

rather than regard their tw o-w heeled rocket w ith the same

uncom prehending gaze o f a seagull staring at a Saturn V.

A s h igh-tech as today ’s m otorcycles are, they still have

tw o w he e ls and tires , an engine and transm iss ion , plus

suspension, brake, and steering system s. If you can invest

roughly half as m uch tim e as your nephew spends playing

on h is W ii, you ’ll learn how each o f you r b ike ’s system s

w ork, as w ell as how to d iagnose and troubleshoot prob

lem s w ith each o f th o se syste m s. No, th is b o o k w o n 't

m ake you a m aster m echanic, bu t you’ll be able to com

m unicate w ith tw o-w heel professionals and no t sound like

a rookie. P lu s—should you choose to —you ’ll be able to

m aintain, service, and repair many o f these systems.

Each chapter deals w ith a m ajor system in depth, and

the troubleshooting guides help you identify and confirm

specific problem s. If your m otorcycle s ta rts to behave d if

ferently, recogn ize th a t cou ld be the s ta rt o f som ething

b ig—as in expensive to repair. Use your eyes, ears, nose,

and ha nd s to id e n tify w h a t's h a pp en ing , w h e th e r i t ’s

potentia lly serious, w ha t m ight be the cause, how to con

firm th e diagnosis, how to fix the prob lem —and w hether

to fix it yourself o r take it to a pro.

H opefu lly th is book w ill take the question m arks ou t of

m oto rcyc le ow nership . By using th is bo ok as a dynam ic

re fe re nce , y o u 'll kn o w h o w to id e n tify w h a t m ig h t be

w rong, w ha t needs to be done to fix it, and how m uch it

w ill cost.

It m ight help to v iew th is book as you w ou ld a savings

a c c o u n t: In ve s t y o u r tim e and en erg y to w a rd

un de rs tan d in g yo u r m o to rcyc le , and th e re tu rn on th a t

in ve s tm e n t w ill n o t o n ly be s ig n ific a n t sav in gs , bu t

potentia lly fa r m ore fun.

And in to d a y ’s w orld , w e can certa in ly a ll use m ore

o f tha t.

THE ICONST h is b o o k uses s ix d iffe re n t ico n s to ca ll a tte n tio n to

im portan t parts o f th e te x t and to m ake it easier fo r you

to fin d th e in fo rm ation you need to g e t you r m oto rcycle

back on th e road.

The icons are as fo llow s:

Warning!A . Th is is to a le rt you to dangerous chem ica ls o r

p ra c tic e s th a t you need to kno w a b o u t w h ile

do ing a procedure.


A Old School TechА р 1 л Technical in fo rm a tion th a t concerns o ld e r b ikes

is flag ge d w ith th is icon. If you are a bo tto m -line person,

you can probab ly sk ip pa s t th is . If you are in te rested in

h is to ry o r have an o ld e r m oto rcyc le , th is in fo rm a tion is

fo r you.

.7^, Tom orrow’s TechThere is also in fo rm ation on em erging techn o lo

g ies. Th is probab ly w o n ’t apply to you r b ike today, bu t it

m ig ht dow n th e road.

Key Concept° B o ttom -line exp lanations o f how th in gs w ork or

h o w to f ix th in g s . If you w a n t to q u ick ly un de rs tan d a

system o r process, tu rn to these.

M aintenance Tip! / ; / \ T ip s on m a in ta in in g y o u r b ik e ’s sys te m s are

m arked w ith th is icon . B u t you probab ly already figured

th a t ou t.

' Money-Saving TipT hese tip s deal w ith sh iftin g yo u r m oney from

m oto rcyc le m aintenance to m ore w orth y causes.

The ProjectsT his bo ok con ta ins 50 pro je c ts th a t m os t m echan ica lly

m inded pe op le can d o a t hom e. Som e are very s im p le

and can be done by m os t anyone, w hile othe rs are a little

m ore com p lex. You’ll fin d s te p -b y -s te p pho tog ra ph s o f

each, a long w ith a cha rt th a t te lls you how hard th e task

is to pe rfo rm (Talent), w ha t to o ls and pa rts yo u ’ ll need,

th e benefit, and a relative cos t rating, w ith one do llar sign

rough ly equa ling $100.

N ote th a t a fe w o f th e pro je c ts are H arley-D avidson-

sp e c ific , as th e y a p p ly p a rticu la r ly w e ll to th ose

motorcycles.

The Troubleshooting ChartsThese s im ple cha rts w ill give you som e basic guidelines

to fo llo w if you have troub le w ith you r m oto rcycle . These

w ere p u t to g e th e r to g ive yo u en o u g h in fo rm a tio n to

m aybe try som e s im p le fixes a t hom e and, once you ’ve

done w ha t m ost peop le can do a t hom e, you can ta ke it

to you r m echan ic and have an idea w ha t’s go ing w rong.

KNOW YOUR MOTORCYCLEBefore you ge t to sta rt tw irling w renches around your bike,

you m ight w ant to expend a little tim e and energy to get to

know your bike—how it operates, w hat it needs in term s o f

maintenance, and how to deal w ith any problem s th a t arise.

The easiest w ay to find all th is inform ation is in the ow ner’s

manual th a t com es w ith every new bike.

i T ru th is , re a d in g th e o w n e r ’s m a n u a l is

q one o f th e m os t im p orta n t th in g s you can

b ring to th e b ike o w n ersh ip exp e rien ce . And i t ’s

one o f th e be s t w ays to th ro w a rop e around th e

expenses asso c ia te d w ith ow n ing and m ainta in ing

a m oto rcyc le .

W ha t’s m ore, th e g e ttin g -to -kn o w -yo u pro ced ure is

w o rth w h ile , w h e th e r i t ’s y o u r f irs t m o to rc y c le o r yo u r

101st. A lm o s t every m an u fa c tu re r ha s its ow n des ign

conven tion s—o r id iosyncra tic q u irk s —such as H onda ’s

ins is tence on using a d ip s tic k to che ck engine o il level

afte r o the r m akers had gone to th e arguably m ore con

ven ien t s igh t glass.

Overall, though , fo r th e m os t basic in fo rm a tion—tire

pressures; m axim um w eight capac ity ; loca tion o f im por

ta n t item s, such as flu id reservo irs, suspens ion a d ju s t

m en ts , th e to o lk it, e tc .; h o w to f ix a f la t—th e o w n e r’s

m anual p rovides you w ith a lm ost every p iece o f in fo rm a

tion you ’ll need to be a happy owner.

In add ition to all th e usefu l op era ting tip s to help you

ge t th e m os t from yo u r m o to rcyc le , th is little b ib le also

cove rs a ll th e m ain tenance requ irem en ts and inte rvals,

id e n tif ie s o th e r o w n e r-a c c e s s ib le co m p o n e n ts , and

exp la ins th e m yriad w arning ligh ts and w ha t you should

d o if they com e on w h ile you ’re rid ing.

W hat’s m ore, th e m anual can g ive you c ruc ia l de ta il

in fo rm ation in to m any o f th e procedures presented here,

I

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s u ch as th e c o rre c t a m o u n t o f s la c k yo u w a n t w hen

ad justing th e cha in. It can even provide you w ith insight

in to h o w exp e n s ive y o u r b ik e w ill be to m a in ta in and

ow n, based on th e required m aintenance schedule.

Lastly, yo u r s im p le o w n er’s m anua l used to be th e

s o u rc e o f s o m e u n e x p e c te d lin g u is tic ge m s. For

ins tance , a Span ish m o to rcyc le ’s o w n er’s m anua l from

th e la te 1960s con ta ined a w arning th a t w ent, roughly, “ If

you are a person o f unusual strength, do no t engage in a

te s t o f w ill w ith the nu ts and bo lts on th is m oto rcyc le ." In

o th e r w o rd s , d o n ’t go s tr ip p in g th e fa s te n e rs le ft and

right, you dummy.

A 19 62 H o n d a m an ua l a lle g e d ly co n ta in e d th e se

w ords o f w isdom : “ G ive b ig space to the festive dog th a t

m akes spo rt in roadw ay. Avo id en tang lem ent o f dog w ith

w hee l spo kes .” There w as also : “ G o soo th in g ly on the

grease m ud, as there lurks the sk id dem on.”

Sadly, in these m odern, PC tim es, such gem s are all

bu t im possib le to find . B u t if you d o n 't read the ow ner’s

m anual, you ’ll never know.

WHAT YOU NEED IN A HOME SHOPYou’ve probab ly already figured ou t one o f the best w ays

to save m oney servic ing you r m oto rcyc le is th e D IY—do

it you rse lf— m ethod. Dealerships and independent shops

cha rge up to $1 00 pe r ho u r o r m ore fo r se rv ice labor.

Replace th a t w ith you r ow n labor and yo u ’ll m ake a con

s iderable saving. Th is bo ok has 50 pro jects m ost people

can do a t hom e, show ing you s te p -by -s te p w ays to save

tim e and m oney on you r bike. A good po rtion o f them are

preventive m ain tenance—no t a par

tic u la rly W este rn co n c e p t, b u t one

th a t's fa r cheaper th an fix ing th in gs

afte r th e y 've fa iled . In fa c t, preven

tiv e m a in ten an ce w ill a ll b u t e lim i

nate such unexpected breakdow ns,

and w ill give you a fa r be tte r under

s ta nd in g o f ho w yo u r m o to rc y c le -

all m o to rcyc les—w ork.

To s ta rt w ith, y o u ’ll need to com e

up w ith a w orkspace o f som e sort. It

needs to be indoors, clean, and dry.

It ough t to be a t least big enough to

sw ing a cat, and have go od ligh t and

v e n tila tio n , a c o n c re te o r ta rm a c

floo r, e le c tric ity , and a w o rk bench.

It s h o u ld be s u ff ic ie n t ly secu re so

you can s to p in th e m id d le o f a ta sk

an d ta k e a b re a k , g e t s o m e m ore

pa rts o r ad v ice (bo th inevitab ilities),

o r — heaven fo rb id —re tu rn to y o u r

d a y jo b . If a t a ll p o s s ib le , m ake it in v it in g . P u t in a

sp a ce h e a te r fo r w in te r, ta c k up som e p o s te rs if you

like, t ile th e flo o r i f y o u 're pa rticu la rly bu cks -up . You’re

g o ing to sp e n d w h a t sh o u ld be en joya b le tim e there;

it ’s yo u r w orkspace, and it sho u ld n ’t resem ble a Turkish prison cell.

• jj: Then y o u ’ ll w a n t to ge t an o ffic ia l serv ice

о m anual from yo u r b ike ’s m anufacturer. Yes,

tim es have changed fo r the better. Third-party service

m anua ls a re n o t th e tw o -w h e e l equ iva len t o f The

N ecron om icon th ey once w ere. S till, yo u ’re be tte r

o f f w ith th e m an ufa ctu re r’s vers ion ; th e y b u ilt the

bike, a fte r all.

Every m oto rcyc le is s ligh tly differen t, and th e service

m anual w ill provide invaluable spec ifics , such as how to

a c tu a lly g e t to pa rts on yo u r p a rticu la r b ike th a t need

service, as well as to lerances, gaps, th icknesses, runouts,

and so on. Perhaps one o f th e m ost usefu l th in gs it w ill

have, apart from specialized service procedures, is torque

values fo r a lm ost every fastener on your m otorcycle . The

im portance o f th is inform ation w ill becom e clearer as you

ge t fu rthe r along w ith the pro jects herein.

Once you’ve go t your space and your service manual,

you’re ready fo r a great rite o f passage fo r every m otorcy

clis t; the acqu is ition o f too ls . W hile o the r prim ates have

opposing thum bs and lower-order animals have learned to

use to o ls , su re ly one o f th e h ig h e s t exp re ss io n s o f

hum anity is the hand holding a Snap-on wrench.


W hile m any consider Snap-on Tools the gold standard,

se ve ra l re p u ta b le b ra n d s o f fe r e q u a l s e rv ic e , i f n o t

equal sta tus. One o f S nap -o n ’s g re a te st c la im s to fam e

has be en th a t i ts to o ls a re g u a ra n te e d fo r life , and

rep la ced v irtu a lly w ith o u t q u e s tio n . H ow ever, several

o th e r m a n u fa c tu re rs , in c lu d in g C o rn w e ll, C ra ftsm an ,

K o b a lt, H usky, M a c , P itts b u rg h , an d N o rth e rn can

m ake th e sam e cla im .

The s in g le m o s t im p o rta n t p ie ce o f to o l-

b v ^ f' buying adv ice yo u ’ll g e t is to buy th e best

too ls you can afford. Their fit, function, and feel will

be superior, and th e y ’ ll m ake ta sks fa r easier and

enjoyable than low -ba ll too ls. This doesn’t mean you

sh o u ld even co n s id e r se llin g y o u r o ffs p r in g in to

s lave ry ju s t to b u y to o ls . B u t d e fin ite ly d o n o t

Scrooge ou t on too ls either. Purchasing a 100-piece

to o l k it from the sam e place you buy your groceries

w ill a lm ost certa inly provide you w ith a crystal-clear

alternate defin ition o f the w ord cheesy.

R e co m m e n d e d to o ls a re b ro ke n d o w n he re in to

th ree groups:

• F irst group should be considered th e absolu te bare

m in im um , a.k.a. tie r one, fo r being ab le to perform

m os t o f th e pro jects in th is bo ok. A lso included w ill

b e additiona l a lte rna te to o ls th a t w ou ld be benefi

c ia l bu t no t crucial.

• You can cons ide r th e alte rnates to be sem i-pro, o r

T ie r Two too ls . If you ’re flush o r ded ica ted , o r bo th ,

y o u ’ ll acq u ire th ese to o ls as you c o m e to rea lize

ho w m uch th e y ’ll aid you r w ork.

• Lastly are th e pro , o r tie r th ree to o ls , w h ich you ’ ll

see in sho ps o f m oto rcyc ling friends o r dealership

serv ice de pa rtm e nts . T hey’ re expensive, perhaps

o f lim ited o r overly specia lized usefu lness, b u t pure

go ld w hen it com es to saving tim e and stress.

Tier One (The Absolute Minimum)Yes, you can ge t b y w ith fe w e r to o ls th a n th ose lis ted

here. M any have. B u t do ing so m eans a lm ost every task

w ill take longer, and poss ib ly becom e exponentia lly m ore

frustra ting , m aybe even dangerous.

Com bination W renches

These have an open and a c losed end on each wrench,

and com e in on ly one s ize. For m o s t b ike s y o u 'll w an t

them in 8-m m , 10-m m , 12-m m , 14-m m , 17 -m m and 19-

mm sizes; fo r H arley-D avidsons, 1/4 -in ch th rough 13/16-

inch . S m a lle r o r la rg e r s ize s s h o u ld be a cq u ire d as

needed o r as fu nd s perm it. Do n o t—repeat, d o n o t—give

in to th e tem p ta tion to buy th e cheaper doub le-open-end

w re n ch e s w ith d iffe re n t s ize s on e a ch e n d ; i t ’s fa ls e

econom y. P roper com b in a tio n w re nch es ’ c lose d ends

are th e sam e shape as a 12 -p o in t socke t, a boon when

w o rk in g in t ig h t co n fin e s . T ie r Two w re n ch e s in c lu d e

sho rte r versions o f the sam e item s, as w e ll as ra tcheting-

end c o m b in a tio n w re n ch e s . T h e le tte r ’s c lo se d en ds

func tio n sim ilarly to a ra tchet wrench.

R atch e t H andle a n d Sockets

A ratchet handle has a gear drive w ith a positive stop; you

can tigh ten or loosen a fastener, reverse th e handle how

ever m any degrees are available, th en ro ta te it again to

tigh ten/loosen further. A 3/8-inch -d rive handle is the m ost

useful, w ith socke ts in the sam e range as the com bination

w renches, m etric- o r inch-size. Sim ilarly, sm aller- o r larger-

s ize socke ts should be acqu ired as needed o r as funds

perm it. T ier Two ratchets w ill com e in 1 /4 -inch - and 1/2-

in c h -d r iv e s , fo r m ore d e lic a te - o r h e a v ie r-d u ty w o rk

respective ly. Pros have a fu ll se lection o f bo th 12 -po in t

and 6 -p o in t socke ts (6 -po in te rs are b e tte r fo r rem oving

reca lcitrant fasteners because they pu t m ore fo rce on the ir

flan ks ra th e r than th e ir po in ts , as w ith th e 12-po in te rs).

B rea ker ba rs are sp e c ific a lly de s ig n e d to b re ak loo se

th ose sam e troub lesom e nuts and bo lts, thanks to th e ir

s im p lic ity (no ratchet mechanism) and length.

Screw drivers

To begin w ith, jus t g e t th ree fla t-b lade and th ree Phillips-

head screw drivers . T he sm all, m ed ium , large fla t-b la d e

d rive rs and th e N o. 1, No. 2, and N o. 3 P h illip s w ill f it

v irtua lly everyth ing on you r bike. A s you g e t fu rthe r in to

th e p ro je c ts , y o u ’ ll d o u b tle ss f in d a need fo r T ie r Tw o

sp e c ia lty d rivers , such as ex tra -lo n g , ex tra -sh o rt, and

right-angle versions. Likewise, fla t-b lade and Phillips-head

b its to f i t on your ratchet handle w ill also becom e useful.

Allen W renches

Again, to sta rt, a sim ple, relative ly inexpensive collection

o f Allen keys; a lm ost every to o l m anufacturer sells them in

the necessary range o f m etric and inch sizes. A s you step

up to T ier Two, you ’ll find you’ll w an t Allen bits, jus t as w ith

th e screw driver bits, o r T-handles w ith Allens on the ends.

T-handles are longe r too ls , again usefu l in certa in s itua

tions, and alw ays faster than th e ir key or b it counterparts.

Pliers

You can m ake do w ith th e c ru d e ba tte ry -s ty le p lie rs in

you r b ike ’s too lk it; yo u ’d be be tte r o ff, though, ge tting a

higher-qua lity item from a reputab le m anufacturer, p lus a

pa ir o f ne ed le -no se p lie rs fo r finer, t ig h te r w ork . P liers

BA

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com e in a d izzying variety o f shapes and types, spanning

T ie rs Tw o and Three: C ha nn e llocks, V ise -G rips, d u c k

bills, diagona l cu tte rs , w ire cu tte rs /s trippers , and so on.

Im p a ct W rench/H am m er

Som etim es, especia lly w ith o ld e r b ikes th a t use Phillips

screw s in th e eng ine cases, th e on ly w ay to g e t th ose

fa s ten e rs to b u dg e is w ith an im p a c t w re nch . A de ad -

b lo w ham m er is a good partner to th e im pact w rench, as

all o f its fo rce goes in to th e ta rg e t; th e b lo w fo rce s th e

Ph illips b it in to th e sc rew head. Believe it o r no t, there

are a c tu a lly T ie r T w o ha m m e rs : s o f t- fa c e (ru b b e r o r

plastic), and ha rd-face (m alleable brass, ball peen, etc.).

Torque Wrench

Invaluable fo r fine r w ork, especially on the engine, suspen

s ion p a rts , an d so on , a to rq u e w re nch in d ica te s th e

am ount o f fo rce used to tigh ten a fastener. The cheapest

and sim p lest is a beam -type w ith a pointer to indicate the

fo rce (in inch-pounds, foot-pounds, N ewton-m eters, etc.).

It is possible to do decent w ork w ith a beam -type to rque

wrench. Bette r still, though, are the Tier Two c lick-s top (the

w rench m akes an audible “c lick” when th e selected torque

setting is reached) and dia l-gauge wrenches. If you ’re rich

as M idas, you’ll have a t least the la tte r tw o , one in inch -

pounds, th e o the r in foo t-pounds.

O il F ilter W rench

This should be self-explanatory, and com es in e ither a uni

versal strap -type to go around the filte r body, o r a specific

sha llow sort o f socke t th a t goes on the filte r end.

Paddock S tand

O nce upon a tim e, a lm ost every m otorcycle had a center-

stand, an integral device which held the bike upright so the

cha in cou ld be lubed, w heels cleaned, and o the r sim ple

ta sks co m p le te d . T he race fo r sp o rtb ik e sup rem acy,

though, led to the centerstand's dem ise in o rder to make

th e b ike ligh ter. So, th o se p re v io u s ly s im p le ta sks are

e xce e d in g ly d iff ic u lt w ith o u t a p ro p e r p a d d o ck sta nd ,

w hich lifts th e rear o f th e b ike via the sw ingarm . For Tier

Two you can add a s im ilar stand fo r th e fron t end. Best of

b o th s itu a tio n s is th e A b b a S u pe rb ike S tan d fro m th e

U nited K ingdom , w h ich ho is ts th e b ike via a rod placed

th rough the (usually) ho llow sw ingarm p ivo t shaft, w hich

can then allow either wheel to be lifted o ff the ground.

Tire Gauge

A n o th e r to o l th a t s h o u ld be o b v io u s in its ne ed an d

its u sa g e . P ro p e r t ir e p re ssu re s are c ru c ia l to y o u r

b ik e ’s pe rfo rm an ce .

M easuring Tools

A t th e ve ry lea s t y o u ’ ll w a n t a m e te r- lon g s te e l scale ,

u se fu l fo r s e ttin g su sp e n s io n sag ; a ta p e m ea sure ,

pre ferab ly m etric scaled, can also be used. Valve ad just

m en ts req u ire th in m eta l fe e le r ga ug es, w h ile cu rre n t

fine -w ire spa rk plug e lectrodes pre fer w ire -type gauges.

T ie r Tw o d e v ice s in c lu d e a d ia l-g a u g e ve rn ie r c a lip e r

and/or a 0 -2 -ce n tim e te r m icrom eter, e ither o f w hich can

be used to m easure valve ad justm ent shim s.

Lastly, y o u 'll w a n t a w id e va rie ty o f a e roso l- spray

lu b ric a n ts , c le a n e rs , n o s tru m s , p o tio n s , an d lo tio n s :

c ha in lub e fo r o b v io u s rea son s, g re ase fo r a x le s and

susp en s ion linkage b o lts , b rake a n d /o r e le c trica l pa rts

c le a n e rs , th re a d -lo c k in g c o m p o u n d s , an d p o lis h e s .

A n d y o u ’ ll need d u c t ta p e , w h ic h can re p a ir v irtu a lly

a n y th in g o r a t lea st d isg u ise it. In a d d itio n , y o u ’ ll need

a fe w funne ls ; la tex g lo ves, o r an a lte rna tive fo r th ose

w ith an a lle rg y to la te x ; n y lo n C o rd u ra w o rk g lo ves ;

and sa fe ty g lasses. You d o n ’t w a n t to p u t yo u r eye ou t,

now, d o you?

Tier Two (Semi-Pro)A long w ith th e to o ls m en tioned in th e previous section,

th ese include:

M anom eters, a.k.a . Vacuum Gauges

Used to synchron ize carbureto rs o r th ro ttle bodies, these

ta ke th e fo rm o f d ia l gauges o r tu be s o f m ercury, usually

a pa ir o r a group o f four. They m easure vacuum , o r suc

tion , in th e in take m an ifo ld o r th ro ttle body, m aking each

cy lind e r read th e sam e resu lts in sm oo the r running and

be tte r th ro ttle response.

Elec trica l Ite m s —Drill, M ultim eter, B attery C harger

D rills com e in handy fo r certa in fa b rica tion job s, o r ju s t to

d r ill o u t a ru in e d b o lt; a m u ltim e te r w ill a s s is t yo u in

curing certa in e lectrica l m aladies; and a ba tte ry charger

is fo r th ose inevitab le occas ions w hen you r m oto rcyc le ’s

ba tte ry has gone dead.

Tire Irons, R im Protectors, F lat K it

A n othe r ine v itab ility o f m oto rcyc lin g is th e fla t tire , and

these to o ls w ill m ake th e repair process fa r less painful.

S im ila rly , y o u ’ll need to rep la ce tire s , w here in th e firs t

tw o item s com e into play.

C utting Tools, i.e. a Hacksaw, Knife, G asket S craper

These w on ’t see a great deal o f use, b u t w hen you need

them , no th ing else w ill do.


Tier Three and Beyond\ 5 s till haven’t h it th e to p end o f usefu l item s fo r your

;= ra g e —th e to o l p a r ts ca ta lo g s a re fu ll o f g o o d ie s

ranging from air com pressors and a ir-pow ered to o ls to

/.e ld e rs and li f t s ta n d s . T h is s tu f f is e xp e n s ive , b u t

extrem ely usefu l if you d o extensive service w o rk —o r if

-■erhaps yo u ’ re sta rtin g to like w ork ing on m oto rcyc le s

as m uch o r m ore th an m erely rid ing them . You w ill find

T igh-qua lity ta ps and d ies or Easy-O ut invaluable k its fo r

repa iring s tr ip p e d th re ad ed ho les, p a rts w ashers , and

the like invaluable w hen you need them . There’s no real

po in t in describ ing each one, because by the tim e you ’re

con te m p la tin g buy ing som e th in g in th is tier, you know

.vhat it ’s fo r and exactly w hy you w an t o r need it.

O f course, if you have th is entire arm ada o f to o ls both

sim p le and sop h is tica ted a t you r disposa l, you need not

fear an y pro ced ure y o u ’ll fin d in th is b o o k —or

precious fe w others, fo r th a t matter.

RECOMMENDED MAINTENANCE SCHEDULEThe m a n u fa c tu re r w h o de s ign ed , eng inee red,

an d b u ilt y o u r s o p h is tic a te d m o to rc y c le has

already provided a de ta iled schedu le o f required

m aintenance to keep you r b ike running strong

fo r q u ite s o m e tim e . I t ’s a ll o u tlin e d in yo u r

ow ner’s manual.

B u t ho w m uch o f th a t is rea lly esse ntia l to

ove rall re lia b ility and du ra b ility? H ow m uch o f

the w ork can you do versus how

m uch needs to be done by a pro

fe ss io na l? C an th e p ro fess iona l

s e rv ic e be d o n e b y an in d e

penden t shop, o r does it have to

be done by th e dealer?

Based on considerable expe

rie nce , th e fo llo w in g is a ba s ic

m a in ten an ce sch e d u le fo r th e

e sse n tia ls—th o se m ain ten an ce

services th a t really are necessary

fo r y o u r b ike to p ro v id e a fu ll

se rv ice-life . W ill it break o r fa il if

yo u d o n o t fo llo w th is sche du le

a n d /o r pe rfo rm th e se serv ices?

N ot necessarily. There are tens o f

th ou san ds o f very lu cky ow ners

w ho live in blissfu l ignorance and

continue to ride the ir m otorcycles

fa r be yo n d th e reco m m en de d

m aintenance intervals . . . a t least

un til som ething fina lly fa ils and leaves them stranded on

th e side o f the road, frus tra ted and very angry a t the bike

fo r fa iling them .

Is th e reve rse a lso tru e ? Yes, a t tim e s . Even w ith

th e m o s t m e ticu lo us m ain ten an ce p ro g ram , m o to rcy

c les fa il. Engines exp ire , ge arboxes frag , and rad ia to rs

lose th e ir c o o la n t—th a t ’s p a rt o f th e risk o f o w n in g a

m o to rize d veh ic le.

B u t th e re is a b so lu te ly no d o u b t th a t if you d o , o r

have done , th e ba s ic m ain ten an ce necessa ry fo r yo u r

m oto rcyc le ’s survival, the percentages are w ell and tru ly

on you r s ide . It w ill m ake th e difference betw een a bike

th a t d e live rs s u b s ta n tia l m ile s w ith o u t a m a jo r fa ilu re ,

and one th a t leaves you stand ing by th e curb , stranded,

w ith a m assive repair bill. Like th e o ld saying goes, pay

you r m oney and ta ke your choice.


M AINTENA NCE SCHEDULE

TASK INTERVAL SHOP COST DIY COST REASON TO DO PROJECT NO. |

Lubricate and adjust final drive chain 500 miles $25-45 $5-12 Prolong chain lifeProject 6: Adjust

your chain

Change engine oil and filter 3,000 miles $35-50 $10-60Engine longevity

Project 17: Change Your oil

and filter

Remove spark plug(s); inspect or replace with anti-seize

12,000 miles $15-150 $5-60

Monitor engine performance; improve fuel mileage and performance

Project 22: Spark plug check and replacement

Change air filter 8,000-10,000 miles $25-90 $10-40

Engine longevity; improve fuel mileage and performance

Project 12: Clean/replace your air filter

Adjust valves Follow manufacturer's recommendation

$150-500 $5-90 Engine longevity Project 19: Adjust intake and exhaust valves

Change brake pads As needed $60-100 per caliper

$25-40 per caliper

Maintain safe braking perform

ance; avoid costly damage to rotors and drums

Project 43: Brake pad change

Change engine coolant 8,000-10,000 miles $50-75 $5-15Maintain proper engine tempera

ture; avoid overheating,

corrosion

Project 23: Check your coolant

Change brake (or clutch) fluid 8,000-10,000 miles $45 (each system)

$5-10(each

system)

Maintain proper function; avoid

corrosion, frozen/rusted

parts

Project 44: Changing hydraulic

fluid

Change fork oil 8,000-10,000 miles $100-300 $10-50 Maintain proper function; improve

handlingProject 31: Change

your fork oil


Project 1

Adjust Controls to Fit You

T IM E : 1 h o u r

T O O L S : B asic m e ch a n ica l toolsand re a r stan d

T A L E N T : 1

C O S T: None*

PA R TS : ‘ P o ssib ly a fte rm a rk e trep la ce m e n ts fo r the c o n tro ls

i

T IP : W h e n y o u a lte r th e c o n tro ls , m a k e s u re th e n e w p osition doesn 't in te rfe re w ith th e o p e ra tio n o f the m o to rcy cle

B E N E F IT: A m ore c o m fo rta b le rid e r and, th e re fo re , b etter c o n tro l o f th e m o to rcy cle

Bikers com e in a variety o f bo dy types, w e igh ts , and

s izes. B u ild ing m ass-p rod uce d b ike s to su it each

- c e r is no t poss ib le . Instead, m anufactu re rs des ign fo r

an ^average” rider, w ho se he igh t, w e ig h t, a rm -, to rs o -

and leg-length m ay vary from yours.

To fin d the m os t com fo rtab le setup fo r you r b ike , pu t

т on a rea r s ta nd an d g e t in to y o u r r id in g p o s itio n . If

s i f t in g o r braking cou ld be m ade easier o r m ore com -

*: -table by ad justing any hand o r fo o t con tro l, le t’s do it

*o w . (F or d ra w in g s an d d e ta ils s p e c ific to y o u r b ike ,

acquire a repa ir m anua l fo r yo u r m ake and m odel and

re fe r to i t a s n e ce ssa ry as w e im p ro v e y o u r b ik e

th ro ug ho u t th is book.)

Put you r righ t hand on th e brake lever. If you r w ris t is

ti lte d b a ck a w kw a rd ly , y o u ’ll need to lo w e r th e lever.

Loosen th e tw o bo lts on th e m aster cy linder c lam p and

ro ta te th e leve r do w n w a rd s ligh tly . F ind th e s p o t th a t

feels be s t and snug up th e bo lts . It w ill ta ke a rid e o r tw o

to feel w he the r you have it ju s t right.

S o m e o ld e r b ik e s and le s s -e x o tic s p o rty b ike s

(G S 5 00 an d N in ja 25 0 , fo r e xa m p le ) d o n ’t have

ad justab le brake levers. If you fin d you r reach to th e lever

•Z'jr ability to brake and control the throttle simultaneously can be dramatically affected by the brake lever position. If it's too high (left), your wrist is bent

(*> an awkward position. If it’s too low, the lever could make it difficult to fully close the throttle while applying the brake. Note the difference between

tie wrist positions when the brake lever is too high versus the proper height (right).

AD

JUS

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CO

NT

RO

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TO

FI

T Y

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AD

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is longe r than yo u ’d like, an ad justable lever from a later

yea r o r a d iffe ren t m od e l m ay f i t —en th us ias t w eb s ites

and sh o p s sp e c ia liz in g in yo u r b ike m ay know a go od

sw ap. A nothe r approach is to buy a fterm arket item s from

com pan ies such as Lockhart P h illips o r Flanders.

C lu tch leve rs are a little b it eas ier to ad jus t. If you r

b ike d o esn ’t have an a d ju s ta b le c lu tc h lever, t ry loo s

en ing th e th u m b sc re w lo ckn u t w here th e cab le en te rs

th e leve r hous in g . T hen s im p ly sc re w th e a d ju s te r in,

increasing th e c lu tch lever’s free play. Be fo rew arned th a t

excessive free p lay can keep th e c lu tch pla tes from fu lly

d isengag ing and con tribu te to prem ature c lu tch w ea r—

no t to m ention c lunky gear changes.

Another w ay to a lte r ride position on m any b ikes is to

ro ta te th e ha n d le b a rs . O n o ld e r b ike s , you c a n o fte n

s im p ly loosen th e p in ch b o lts and sh ift th e bars to th e

new po s ition . W hile m o s t o f th e c lip -o n hand lebars on

cu rren t spo rtb ike s are a ffixed to bo th th e fo rk legs and

th e tr ip le c la m p s , som e c lip -o n s can have th e ir angle

adjusted by sim p ly loosening the pinch bo lts and rotating

th e ba r in to its new po s ition . If you fin d th a t th e inw ard

angle o f the c lip -ons m akes you uncom fortab le o r strains

you r w rists, you m ay w an t to try a ltering th e c lip -on orien

ta tio n o u tw a rd to a llo w s tra ig h te r a cce ss to th e grips .

(This is no t poss ib le on som e bikes.) W hen changing the

ba r loca tion o r angle , be sure to con s ide r ta nk , fa iring ,

and instrum ent c luster c learance to ensure you d o n 't lim it

m a n e u ve ra b ility o r p u t y o u r fin g e rs in a p la ce w he re

th e y ’ ll g e t p in c h e d . M ake su re you f irm ly secu re th e

ba rs—and any con tro l you ad jus t—before riding.

The b ra ke p e da l ne ed s to be lo w en ou gh th a t you

can co v e r i t c o m fo rta b ly w h ile you r id e . If y o u r an k le

fe e ls k inke d a fte r ju s t a fe w m in u tes , t ry low e ring th e

peda l. H yd rau lic b ra kes usu a lly a llo w th e peda l to be

adjusted on th e m aste r cylinder. Loosen th e lockn u t and

tu rn th e b o lt to low e r th e p e d a l—try sm a ll inc rem e n ts

ra ther than a m ajor pos ition change. If th e peda l is to o

low , you m ay fin d co n tro llin g b ra ke pressure is eas ie r

w ith the pedal raised slightly. On b ikes w ith drum brakes

pedal he igh t can be ad justed w ith a bo lt, bu t do n ’t fo rget

to reset th e peda l free play by tu rn ing th e nu t a t th e end

o f th e brake rod and drum . C heck brake ligh t opera tion

and ad just th e sw itch if necessary.

The ad jus tm e n ts lis ted here are ju s t th e be g inn ing .

You can also find ad justab le fo o t pegs, fa irings to reduce

w ind fa tigue, d iffe ren t seats o r padd ing changes to a lte r

seating height, harder o r so fte r grips, d ifferen t m irrors to

a lte r rearw ard visib ility , etc.

You should be able to shift up or down without lifting your foot off the peg.

Be careful when preparing to adjust the rod length of the shifter. Look

closely at the threads above the locknut One end of the rod is reverse

threaded. Why? Well, you'll see once both locknuts are loosened. Raising or

lowering the shifter is as easy as rotating the rod with a wrench or a pair of

pliers. The reverse threads are what make this possible. Once you’re happy

with the position, check to make sure that plenty of threads remain

engaged in the ball joints, and be sure to tighten the locknuts. Little adjust

ments make big changes, so try moving the shifter a bit at a time, testing its

position in the garage. Once you think it’s right, go for a ride and take notes

on how the changes improved the shifting. Or, better yet, toss a couple of

wrenches in your tank bag and play with the position on a longer ride.

Notice how the rider’s boot is in a comfortable position covering the

brake pedal. Now, imagine commuting for 40 minutes with the brake

covered. Would you rather have your foot in this position or bent upward?


T IM E : 2 m in u te s

Project 2

Preride Check

T O O L S : T ire p re s s u re g au ge

TA L E N T : 1

C OST: None

P A R TS : None

T IP : M a ke th is p a rt of yo u r ro u tin e , an d you'll m in im ize s u rp ris e s

B E N E F IT : A fu l ly fu n c tio n a l m o to rc y c le r e a d y fo r w h a t e v e r m o d ific a tio n s y o u ha ve in m ind

M o to rcyc les go fa s t am ong s o lid , heavy, ab rasive

ob jec ts , and th e y o ffe r little p ro tec tio n . T hey also

js fa r from hom e. Taking ju s t a m om en t to look

2 e r y o u r r id e b e fo re c lim b in g a b o a rd to fa c e ca rs ,

tu c k s , trees, rocks, and end less m iles o f pa vem ent is

: : ~ m o n sense. I t ’s b e tte r to d is c o v e r th a t dam aged

tire on y o u r ow n , in y o u r d rivew a y , th a n fo r a sh a rp -

eyed c o p o r EM T to s p o t it from th e p o in t w here you r

b ike le ft th e road.

S ta r t w ith th e s im p le s tu f f as y o u a p p ro a c h y o u r

m o to rc y c le . D o yo u see any flu id d r ip s on th e p a ve

m ent? Does th e fo rk loo k free o f any leakage? Are there

- a * * visual check of your tires every time you park or get on your bike

r i i help you spot that piece of metal in the tread before it has a chance

r roicture the carcass.

You'd be surprised how many bikes are out on the road with improper

tire pressure. Having the right amount of air in your tires will improve

your bike's handling and help you get the maximum life out of your tires.

Improper pressure can lead to excessive wear or, in the worst-case

scenario, tire failure.

PR

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PR

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C

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Without brakes, you're dead. All it takes is a couple of test squeezes

every time you mount your bike.

any gouges o r c racks in th e tires , o r an y fo re ign ob jec t

lo d g e d in th e m ? D o th e y lo o k p ro p e rly in fla te d ?

M otorcycles ridden regularly on ly need to have tire pres

sure checked tw ice a week or s o —as long as th ey ge t a

visual inspection o f the tread cond ition before every ride.

Bikes th a t s it fo r several days should have th e ir tire pres

sure ch e cked be fo re h itt in g th e s tree ts . F ina lly, che ck

yo u r tires w ith a q u ick g lance every tim e you park your

bike . N ot on ly do you ge t to see ho w fa r you cranked it

ove r on th a t canyon run, bu t you m ay also no tice th e nail

you p icked up rid ing past a construction site . Keep a tire

pressure gauge in you r jacke t pocket o r w ith you r bike.

L o o k a t y o u r ch a in . A re y o u lu b in g i t reg u larly ,

a cc o rd in g to th e m a n u fa c tu re r’s in s tru c tio n s ? T he re

should be no rust on it, and it should no t sag. C heck the

s p ro cke t te e th fo r w ear. W hen th e cha in and sp ro cke t

s ta r t to w e a r o u t, th e y w ill o fte n c lic k b r ie f ly on s lo w

acce leration from a s to p as they snug into place. If your

bike has be lt drive, w hen is the last tim e you r replaced it?

OK, now w ha t is the replacem ent interval recom m ended

by the m anufacturer?

You s h o u ld c h e c k y o u r o il o n ce a w ee k . W hy?

Because you r engine is to as t if it ge ts to o low o r to o dirty.

If you r bike’s engine has a s igh t glass, stand you r bike so

th a t it is leve l—b u t do n ’t pu t it on th e rear stand because

th is added heigh t can give an inaccurate reading.

Before starting th e engine, te s t any contro ls operated

b y c a b le s . A c a b le w ill ra re ly fa il a ll a t o n ce . Ins tea d ,

Roll the throttle on and off before starting the engine. After the second

roll-on, release the grip to see if the throttle snaps closed. If not, don’t

ride until the problem is remedied.

c a b le s u su a lly fra y p ro g re ss ive ly u n til a c o m p le te I

b re aka ge o c c u rs . B y o p e ra tin g th e c o n tro ls w ith th e I

engine o ff, you w ill no tice th e sub tle bu t te llta le g rind ing I

feel o f to rn s trands. A n o the r s ign is a m ore d iff ic u lt- to - I

o p e ra te th ro tt le o r on e th a t m u s t be c lo se d m an ua lly I

ins tead o f b y th e re tu rn spring . By s low ly ro lling on th e I

th ro ttle a coup le o f tim es and squeezing the c lu tch lever, I

you can, in a m atter o f seconds, ascertain th a t the cab les I

are in good w orking condition.

A s you th ro w y o u r leg ove r th e sea t, g ive th e fro n t I

brake lever a healthy squeeze. Is th e pressure th e sam e I

as yes te rda y? D oes th e leve r com e d o w n to th e g rip ? I

G ive th e rear brake pedal a press to see how it ’s doing.

Now you ’re ready to s ta rt th e engine. W hile it w arm s

up, check all your lights. If you do th is a fter dark, th e job

is easy. Ju s t loo k in fro n t and beh ind you as you cyc le

th rough the high beam , low beam , fron t running lights, le ft

and r ig h t tu rn s ignals, rear running ligh t, and th e brake

light. In daylight, ho ld a hand in fro n t o f the various ligh ts I

to see if they w ork. (M ake sure the bike is in neutra l w hen I

you g e t o ff and release the c lu tch — peop le have done it I

otherw ise!) C heck th e brake lever and pedal ind iv idua lly I

to see th a t bo th trigg er th e s top lamp.

T h is process ta kes a lm ost no tim e to com p le te and I

th e la tte r po rtion can be done w h ile th e b ike is w arm ing I

up . D o i t re g u la rly and y o u ’ ll save y o u rs e lf t im e an d I

headaches—such as know ing yo u ’re on reserve be fo re I

heading ou t fo r a ride.


30 m in u te s

Project 3

General Lubrication

A s s o rte d w re n c h e s , cable lub rica tio n to o l, cable lube, ch a in cleaner, m o lyb d e n u m -b a se d gre a s e , W D -4 0 , sm a ll pain tb ru sh

C O S T: $

P A R TS : N one

T IP : A p p ly a th in co a tin g ofg re a s e to ca b le s w h e re t h e y atta ch to th e c o n tro ls

B E N E F IT: S ilk y -s m o o th c on trol o p eration

Lub ing yo u r b ike th re e tim e s a sea son (the b e g in

n ing , m id d le , and end) sho u ld su ffice . If you rid e

th e w heels o f f yo u r m o to rcyc le , g ive it a q u ick lube jo b

every 7 ,50 0 m iles . B y pe rfo rm in g th is s im p le m a in te

na nce on a reg u la r ba s is , you ca n p ro lo n g th e life o f

th e b ik e ’s co m p o n e n ts , ensure th a t e ve ry th in g w o rks

th e w ay it sho u ld , and m ayb e even ca tch a p rob lem as

it sta rts.

L u b in g y o u r m o to rc y c le ’s c a b le s sh o u ld ta k e no

m ore than 15 m inutes, and it pays d iv id en ds every tim e

you operate a control. For the th ro ttle cables, unscrew the

th ro ttle housing on th e grip and ad just the cables fo r m ax

im um slack. A fter you release one o f the cables, the o the r

w ill s lip r ig h t o f f. F o r th e c lu tc h c a b le , s c re w th e

a d ju s te r a ll th e w ay in fo r m axim um s lack , b u t line up

th e s lo t in th e ad juste r w ith th e s lo t o f th e lever holder.

You shou ld be ab le to pu ll th e end o f th e cab le free o f

th e a d jus te r and release th e cab le . Som e b ikes require

th a t th e c lu tch lever be rem oved from th e m ou n t before

you can free th e c lu tch cable. ZО

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ТЪе cable luber forces the lubricant through the cable, making sure the

entire length of the cable is protected. Do not use chain lube on cables.

Apply a protective coat of grease to all exposed sections of cables. Don't

forget to lube the fittings so they will move freely within their mounts.


GE

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ICA

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Before lubing pivot points, wipe them clean of any dirt or grit. Keep the

threads clean and dry. Retorque the fasteners to the proper spec to keep

them from vibrating loose.

For q u ick w o rk on th e cab les, no th ing beats a pre s

su re ca b le lu b e r fro m a c ce sso ry co m p a n ie s su ch as

M o tio n P ro o r Lo ckha rt P h illips . Basically, you c la m p a

ru b b e r s to p p e r ove r one en d o f th e cab le , inse rt a tu be

fro m a can o f s ilico n -b a se d cab le lu b rica n t in to a little

ho le , an d g ive th e nozzle a squeeze. The c a n ’s p re s

su re fo rce s th e lu b rica n t th ro u g h th e cab le . A p p ly th e

lu b ric a n t in s h o rt b u rs ts u n til th e b o tto m en d o f th e

cab le be g in s to b u bb le o r d rip . A w e ll-p la ce d rag can

ca tch th e d rip s be fo re th ey m ake a m ess o f th e engine.

B e fo re yo u reassem ble each cab le , a p p ly a da b o f

g re ase to a ll th e p la ce s th e ca b le m ig h t rub . T h e f i t

t in g s a t th e cab le ends need grease, and any exposed

s e c t io n s o f th e c a b le s h o u ld re c e iv e a p ro te c t iv e

c o a tin g , to o . A sm a ll pa in tb ru sh w ill he lp yo u grease

p a rts in t ig h t places.

D o n ’t fo rg e t th e ch o ke and s p e e d o m e te r cab les .

L u b r ic a te th e c h o k e c a b le lik e a ll th e o th e rs . M e c h a n ic a l s p e e d o m e te r c a b le s (a d y in g b re ed b u t

s till a ro un d on m any bikes) sho u ld be un ho oke d from

th e speedom eter. Pu ll o u t th e inner cab le and pa ck the

c a b le to p w ith m o lyb d e n u m gre ase . S lid e th e c a b le

b a ck in to p la ce . A n y tim e th e fro n t w hee l is rem oved,

p a ck som e m o ly grease in to th e drive m echan ism .

N ow go ove r yo u r b ike and lub rica te eve ry pa rt th a t

m oves. U nscrew th e ha nd lebar leve r p ivo ts and brush

on som e grease. A p p ly a cou p le d ro ps o f o il to th e s ide

s ta nd p ivo t. G ive th e r id e r and passenger pegs a qu ick

sq u irt o f W D -40 o r o il. D on ’t fo rg e t to sp ritz floo rbo a rd

m o u n ts . R em ove th e s h ifte r p iv o t an d c lea n a n y g r it

o u t o f th e w orks. A p p ly grease to th e p ivo t, bu t be sure

to k e e p th e p iv o t ’s th re a d s c le a n an d d ry . S o m e

m a n u fa c tu re rs reco m m en d a d ro p o f n o n p e rm a n e n t

th re a d -lo ck in g agen t, such as L o c tite , on th e th re a d s

to m a ke su re th e p iv o t b o lt d o e s n ’t b a c k o u t a f te r

All moving parts, such as peg pivots and side stands, will benefit from a

shot of WD-40 or a few drops of oil to keep them working freely. If you’re

particularly fastidious, you can disassemble the parts and grease them.

rea ssem b ly . Be su re to to rq u e it to th e p ro p e r spe c .

F o llow th e sam e p re cau tions fo r th e brake peda l.

B e fo re yo u lub e th e cha in , sp ra y a c lea n rag w ith

W D -40 and w ipe it c lean. If yo u r cha in is rea lly grungy,

M o to re x m akes a cha in c leane r th a t w ill s tr ip th e gunk

w ith o u t ha rm in g th e О -rin g s . N eve r to u c h th e cha in

w ith th e b ike ’s engine running . C lean it w ith th e engine

o ff, ro ta ting th e w heel b y hand.

O n ce y o u ’ ve c le a n e d th e c h a in , a p p ly a c o a t o f

q u a lity ch a in lu b e to th e s p a c e b e tw e e n th e lin k s

w he re th e О -rin gs reside, spray ing from th e ins id e run

o f th e ch a in to a llo w c e n tr ifu g a l fo rc e to p u s h it

th ro u g h to th e o th e r s ide . If you sp ra y on to o m uch ,

ta k e a n o th e r c le a n rag d a m p e n e d w ith W D -4 0 an d

w ip e o f f th e e x c e s s lu b e b e fo re y o u r n e x t r id e .

Lu b rica te yo u r cha in every 500 m iles o r so , o r p ro m p tly

a fte r exposu re to rain o r o the r water.

Lubricate the chain when it is warm, but then let it sit until it cools off

and the lube sets. To help keep your wheels clean, wipe off the excess

lube before your next ride.http://moto.amoti.ru/

Project 4

Checking Vital Fluids

T IM E :

TO O L S :

T A L E N T : 1

COST:

PA R TS :

T IP :

5 m inutes

Eyes, a rag

None, unless replacem ent flu id s needed

Vital flu ids, if needed

Make th is part o f your w eekly routine and you’ ll m in im ize surprises

BENEFIT: A w ell-hydra ted, fu lly functional motorcycle

W hen th ings usually w ork th e w ay they are supposed

to , w e d o n ’t w o rry so m uch a b ou t che ck ing fo r

signs o f im pending failure. Still, if you consider the potentia l

consequences o f a m ajor mechanical failure, you 'll see the

m po rta nce o f spending a few m inutes every w eek o r so to

m ake sure th a t all you r bike's precious bodily flu ids are in

satisfactory condition and available in enough quantity to

do their job.

M o to r o il can g ive you im p o rta n t in fo rm a tion ab ou t

y o u r e n g in e ’s in te rn a l co n d itio n . If you c h e c k it each

week, you are m ore like ly to n o tice sym p to m s o f little

p roblem s be fo re th ey ge t bigger.

B e fo re c h e c k in g th e o il leve l, w a rm th e e n g in e to

op era ting tem perature. Shut o ff th e engine and a llo w the

o il to dra in do w n from th e to p end fo r a few m inutes. If

yo u r b ike has a s ig h t g lass, ho ld th e b ike leve l—eith er

fro m th e sa d d le o r b e s id e th e b ik e —and lo o k a t th e

w indow on th e bo tto m o f the engine to m ake sure th e oil

evel is be tw een th e tw o m arks on th e case. For engines

w ith a d ips tick , check you r ow ner’s manual to m ake cer

ta in h o w th e s t ic k is to be in s e rte d fo r an a c c u ra te

reading. Usually, you w ill w ipe the s tic k and inse rt it in to

th e ca se u n til it m ake s c o n ta c t w ith th e f i l le r p lu g ’s

th reads. Be sure th e p lug is stra ig h t o r you m ay ge t an

inaccu ra te reading . O il darkens w ith use, b u t it shou ld

n o t be co a l b la c k an d g r itty . K e ep tra c k o f m ile ag e

b e tw e e n ch a n g e s an d sw a p o u t th e o il an d f i lte r

acco rd in g to yo u r b ik e m an u fa c tu re r’s su g g e s tio n s . If

you r b ike has sa t w itho u t running fo r m ore th an a year,

change it regardless o f m iles. You m ay no tice o the r p ro b

lem s—if th e o il is m ilky w h ite , i t ’s po llu te d w ith coo lan t

(in a w ate r-coo led bike); if it sm ells like gas, fuel is ge tting

p a s t th e rings. B o th o f th ese c o n d itio n s requ ire im m e

dia te atten tion .

C o o la n t is a lm o s t as v ita l. R un y o u r w a te r-c o o le d

engine w itho u t som e k ind o f coo lan t and you risk exten

s ive dam age. You w an t th e level in you r coo lan t overflow

ta n k to lie be tw ee n th e h igh and low m arks w he n th e

engine is co ld . The co lo r should be a love ly fluo resce nt

green. If o il o r a rust-co lo red hue appears in th e coo lan t,

you r engine o r rad ia to r needs atten tion .

S im ila rly , yo u r h yd rau lic flu id rese rvo irs need to be

checked periodically. W ith the b ike s itting level, th e flu id

should fall between the factory markings. Brake and clutch

m as te r c y lin d e rs w ith in te g ra te d rese rvo irs have s igh t

glasses allowing you to view the contents. W hile checking

th e flu id levels also note th e ir co lo r—usually clear w ith a

s ligh t ye llow ish tin t. If you see any o the r color, flush the

system before contam inants dam age th e hydrau lic inter

na ls. The w h ite p la s tic rem ote reservo irs shou ld no t be

opened to check the co lo r o f the contents—hydraulic flu id

absorbs m oisture from the air. You can ge t a good idea o f

th e brake flu id co lo r th rough th e p lastic . D on’t fo rg e t to

check the rear brake system, which usually has th e reser

vo ir tucked aw ay behind the bodywork.

Regular flu id checks w ill keep you r m oto rcyc le fu nc

tion ing prope rly and d isc lo se any p rob lem s be fo re th ey

ge t cos tly o r dangerous.

CH

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CH

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Although it is hard to read in this photo, the coolant level in the

expansion tank is right where it should be. If you check your antifreeze

frequently, you will notice when it starts to drop, signaling a leak

somewhere in the system.

22 j

The oil level on this bike is pretty obvious. Look a little closer to check

the condition of the oil. To read the sight glass correctly, the bike must be

held level on flat ground.

Reading the fluid level on the rear brake of the R6 is easy. It's hanging

out in the open on the subframe. Some bikes tuck the reservoir away

behind bodywork, requiring you to look through a slot to view

the reservoir.

The secret to getting an accurate view of the fluid level from a master

cylinder with an integrated reservoir is to turn the bar until the reservoir is

as level as possible. Don’t be concerned if the reading drops overtime. The

brake pads are wearing, which requires more hydraulic fluid in the calipers.

However, if the reading gets below the recommended height, check the

brake pads before topping off the reservoir from a fresh container.


T O O L S : F la s h lig h t an d optionalfront/ rea r sta n d s

Project 5

Rolling Gear Checkup

PA R TS : None

T IP : M a ke th is pa rt o f y o u rw e e k ly rou tin e an d y o u ’ll m in im ize s u rp ris e s

B E N E F IT : K n o w in g th e e x a c tco n d itio n o f y o u r b ra k e s an d t ir e s ca n help keep yo u fro m g e ttin g in o v e r y o u r head

Y ou r brakes, suspension , and tires keep you on the

road and deserve extra a tten tion . You should make

a 'o llin g -ge a r inspection a t least once a week.

Begin your brake check b y looking a t all the pads. To

.«ew the pads, try using a flash ligh t to sigh t along the disc.

Sem e peop le reso rt to rem oving th e ca lipers o r covers.

• с j w an t to look a t the pads on bo th s ides o f the caliper.

W hile yo u ’re dow n on you r hands and knees, g ive the

-_ober brake and c lu tch lines a qu ick flex to see if th ey ’re

D eginning to crack. You can use th is low -ang le v iew o f

>our b ike to m ake a cou p le o f o the r q u ick inspections.

uJe m anufacturers do a good jo b o f pro tecting th e de l

a t e p a rts o f th e fo rk , th e s lid e rs o c c a s io n a lly ge t

d in ge d. O ve r tim e, th e rough p a rt on th e s lide r w ill eat

aw ay a t the fo rk ’s seal, leading to fo rk oil seepage. In its

m o s t m in o r fo rm , a w ee p in g fo rk seal is n o th in g m ore

than a m essy nuisance, bu t it can qu ick ly deve lop in to a

h a za rd o u s m e s s —p a r tic u la r ly in th e tra d it io n a l fo rk

a rrangem ent, w here th e o il can co n ta m in a te th e brake

d is c su r fa c e and b ra ke p a ds . T h e s h o c k can a lso

deve lop its ow n leaks. A qu ick g lance a t th e sho ck sha ft

w ith a flash ligh t w ill reveal w he the r it ’s tim e fo r a rebuild.

The fina l s top in th e to u r o f you r bike 's rolling gear is the

tires. You can m ake a com p le te inspection b y rolling the

bike forw ard a couple o f fe e t a t a tim e. You’re looking fo r

any fo re ign ob jects th a t m ay be lodged in the tire. If you

If you're going to get a glimpse of the brake pads,

don't be afraid to get personal with your tires. You

need a minimum pad material of 2 to 3 mm. If you've

let the pads get down to 1 mm, you’re skating on

dangerously thin ice. Once they arrive at the bitter

end, brake pads have difficulty shedding heat and

may fade on you when you need them most. Have

the pads worn evenly? If not, you may have a

problem with the caliper. If you see any fluid

seepage around the calipers, one of the pistons may

need its seals replaced. Don’t forget to check the

rear brake pads, too.

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creative with your viewing angle.Give the rubber portions of the hydraulic lines a bend to see if they're still

flexible. If you notice any cracks, consider replacing them with shiny new

braided stainless-steel ones.

fin d som ething, care fu lly pu ll it ou t. C heck to see if the

ho le is leaking by rubb ing a little sa liva or soa py w ate r

over th e open ing. If it bubb les, repair o r rep lace th e tire.

If it do esn 't bubb le, che ck th e tire before each ride to see

if i t ’s lo s in g air. You m ay a ls o f in d c u ts in th e tre a d

caused by running over road debris. C lose ly inspect the

d e p th o f th e s lic e to m ake su re i t d o e s n ’t go de ep

enough to exp ose th e cords. S lices on th e sidew all are

pa rticu la rly dangerous. If you have any, have a pro fes

sional look a t th e tire .

Finally, look inside th e tread grooves, o r sipes, a t the

“ w ea r ba rs” c ross ing th ro ug h them . The trea d depth is

acceptab le on ly when th e w ear bars lie be low th e tread

surface . As soon as th e bars s ta rt to wear, th e tread is

to o sh a llo w to p ro v id e ad eq ua te tra c t io n and channel

w ate r ou t from under th e bike to avo id hydroplaning.A new, just-scuffed-in tire will look like this. Note how deep into the sipe

the wear bar lives.

While you try to find the wear bar, consider why this tire was on an F3 in

a salvage yard. The center of the tread is worn down to the bottom of the

sipes, giving the tire a square profile that could unsettle the bike when

leaned over. Even a tire with adequate tread may have diminished grip if

the tire is many years old, such that the rubber has hardened. Dry rot—

small cracks—can also weaken a tire, particularly when combined with

underinflation. If you ride two-up, be even more critical of wear and

damage and err on the side of caution. Extra weight means extra

stress—and that's two lives the tires are supporting.


TIM E : 20 m in u tes

roject 6

Adjust Your Chain

■ о fu nc tio n pro pe rly w itho u t w earing ou t q u ick ly o r

fa llin g o ff o r b reak ing , you r cha in needs to have a

aS am oun t o f s lack. As it wears, you w ill need to m ake

red ffe link roughly centered between the front and rear sprocket on

r e ewer run of the chain. Press down at this point until the chain is at

e oirsst point. Holding a tape measure in front of and perpendicular to

r e cftain (“perpendicular” isn’t quite the right term here since the chain

s straight line as you push on it), align your tape with the tops of

r e лпег and outer sides of this middle link. Now, press the chain up

*~ l it is tight and sight this measurement the same way. The difference

asween the two points on your tape is the amount of slack in your

авэп. if this figure is larger than what your manufacturer prescribes, you

re=d to move the rear wheel back with the adjusters until you hit the

«commended slack.

A s s o rte d w re n c h e s , s o ck e t fo r re a r axle, to rq u e w re n c h , tape m e a s u re , ru b b e r m allet, ra g s fo r clea n u p , rea r stan d (option al), strin g ,

C OST: M inim al

PA R TS : N e w co tte r pin

T IP : M a ke s u re th e ch a in isp ro p e rly a lign ed o r yo u can p re m a tu re ly w e a r ou t both th e ch a in and th e s p ro c k e ts

B E N E F IT: L e s s d riv e lin e la sh w h e n m od u la tin g th e th ro ttle

pe rio d ic ad justm ents (m oving th e w heel back) to m ain

ta in th is setting.

A s s u m in g y o u r c h a in an d s p ro c k e ts c h e c k o u t,

p la ce th e b ike on th e ce n te rs ta n d o r a rea r s ta n d to

m ake it leve l. W ith th e cha in co ld , m easure th e s la ck

ha lfw a y be tw ee n th e s p ro cke ts . If th e s la c k is w ith in

spe c, lube th e cha in and yo u ’re done. O therw ise, y o u ’ll

ne ed to m o ve th e re a r w h e e l b a c k s lig h tly w ith th e

ad juste rs to ta ke up any excess s lack.

F o r b ik e s w ith lo c k n u ts on th e ir ch a in a d ju s te rs ,

ho ld th e a d jus te r in p la ce w ith a w rench w h ile loosen ing

th e locknut. Loosen the axle nu t jus t enough to enable the

chain adjusters to m ove i t—otherw ise the rear wheel can

ge t ou t o f a lignm ent. For now, assum e th a t your wheel is

properly aligned, and make th e sam e adjustm ents to both

chain adjusters.

W hen th e c h a in has th e p ro p e r a m o u n t o f s la c k ,

to rq u e th e ax le nu t. N ext, tig h te n each a d ju s te r a b ou t

o n e -e ig h th tu rn a g a in s t th e ax le . H o ld th e a d ju s te r in

po s ition and se t th e locknuts.

The last s te p in any chain ad justm ent is m aking sure

th e rear w hee l is p ro pe rly a ligned. The least expensive

w ay to do th is is the “ s tring m ethod .” A simpler, b u t less

precise , m ethod fo r checking rear wheel a lignm ent is to

sp in th e rea r w h e e l a fe w tim e s an d w a tc h th a t th e

sprocket s tays aligned in th e cen te r o f the chain. If it rubs

against one s ide o r th e other, th e w heel is o u t o f a lign

m en t—tim e fo r th e s tring m ethod.

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AD

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INOnce you’ve adjusted your chain a few

times, you’ll get the feel for when it is loose,

but the only way to be certain is to use a

tape measure.

Chain adjusters come in many shapes and

sizes (above/below). Small adjustments of a

quarter-turn (or less if your chain is only

slightly loose) are the safest bet. Measure the

slack after every change. When the chain is

within factory specifications (usually around

1.2-1.5 inches), tighten the axle nut to keep it

from slipping. If you go too far and the chain

becomes too tight, loosen the chain adjusters

two full turns and use a rubber mallet or dead-

blow hammer to knock the rear wheel forward

against the adjusters and begin again.

The eccentric adjuster is found on many bikes,

particularly those with a single-sided swingarm.


Before you adjust the slack, look closely at the sprockets.

Are the sides of the teeth worn? If so, expect to find a

matching wear pattern on the inside of the chain. Do the

teeth look like cresting waves? When the sprockets show

obvious wear, it's time to replace them and the chain. Don't

replace just one or the other because looseness on either

side will create misalignment and eat up the new part.

If you can pull the chain away to expose half of the

sprocket’s tooth, it’s ready for replacement.

With an assistant's help, take a piece of string a little

more than twice the length of the bike, find the center,

and wrap it once around the forward edge of the front tire

just below the front discs. Take each end of the string

down opposite sides of the bike. Lie down on your

stomach, pulling the strings taut so that they both lightly

touch the leading edge of the rear tire. Since the rear

wheel is wider than the front, there will be a slight gap on

either side of the rear edge of the front tire where the

string on each side goes past. Your assistant should

make sure that the front wheel is straight by making that

gap equal on both sides. Now, keeping your hands steady

with the string only lightly touching the rear tire, compare

the gaps between the strings and the rear edge of the

rear tire. If they are not equal, tighten the adjuster slightly

on the side that has the smaller gap. Finally, measure the

slack one last time. Put a new cotter pin through the axle

nut if it requires one.

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TProject 7

Checking and Tensioning Your Drive Belt

T A L E N T :

C OST:

PA R TS :

T IP :

30 m in u tes

B elt ten sio n tool (o r fish s ca le ), p o s s ib ly a p a ir of n e e d le -n o s e p lie rs o r an a w l— de p e n d in g on w h e th e r o r no t th e re ’s d e b ris in th e belt

$

None

A s h o t o f A rm o r-A ll w ill q u ie t a s q u e a k y belt

B E N E F IT : L o n g e r belt life

If you r b ike suffers leakage in th e prim ary drive area, the

firs t th ing to ch e ck is be lt tension . W hat is proper ten

sion? A ssum ing you have a Harley, use fa c to ry to o l No.

H -D 35381, hook th e be lt like a fish in be tw een th e pul

leys an d c h e c k th a t 10 p o u n d s o f fo rc e re su lts in

5 /1 6 -3 /8 inch o f de flec tio n in th e be lt, as seen th rough

the little w ind ow in th e bo tto m be lt guard.

A be lt th a t’s to o t ig h t can cause problem s fa r w orse

than oil leaks, including pulley splines stripp ing out. Also,

b e lts do n ’t like be ing b e n t in to a rad iu s o f less th a n 3

inches o r having th e ir d irec tion o f rota tion reversed once

they ’ve gotten used to it. If you can keep from cu tting them

o r poking gaping holes in them w ith road debris, they will

last fo r years. But belts aren’t imm ortal. Checking the belt

regularly fo r dam age and wear is a necessary part o f get

ting th e best ou t o f them .

If you were to look at a cross-section o f th e be lt’s tooth

pattern, relative to its counterpa rt in the pulley, you’d see

tha t, w hen new, th e be lt to o th doesn ’t bottom out. When

broken in, it m ight, slightly. W hen w orn out, it w ill—exces

sively! O nce th is s ta ge is reached, th e tee th on th e be lt

begin to ge t pulled ou t by their roots, where they attach to

the cords.

Sometim es you can spo t th is early on by looking fo r a

series o f hairline cracks o r wrinkles on the tips o f the teeth

running parallel to th e run o f th e belt. Belts w ith jus t a few

wrinkles can be considered sort of, well, m iddle-aged. But

if th e w rin k le s extend from th e to p to th e bo tto m o f the

teeth clear to the outside edge o f th e belt, it’s all over. Keep

rid ing on th a t one, and you ’re gonna w ind up toothless.

Look closely now. Aside from the familiar belt damage, like punctures,

splits, cuts, and so on, there's this one, caused by a plastic lower belt

guard getting cockeyed and going unnoticed. This belt died in less than

4,000 miles. It looks 0K from the edges, but it has no teeth in the load-

bearing middle. There’s more than one way to wear out a belt!

If you don’t have the factory tool or just can’t figure out how to use a fish

scale to adjust your belt's tension, try this instead. Grasp the belt with

your thumb and two forefingers at

about 1 1/2 inches back from

where it exits the bottom of the

primary case. Now twist the belt

back and forth on its axis. You

should feel serious resistance to

this twisting at about a 45-degree

angle from flat. If you can twist

your belt more like 90 degrees

with just a thumb and two fingers,

it’s too loose. If it feels tighter than

a bowstring at only 25 to 30

degrees of twist, it’s too tight. This may not be the rocket science method,

but it’s pretty accurate, just the same.


TIME: 30 minutes

Project 8

Adjust Clutch and Throttle Free Play

TOOLS: Phillips screwdriver, open-end wrenches, and (maybe) needle-nose pliers

TALENT: 1

COST: None

PARTS: None

TIP: If you run out of adjustment range up at the lever, try adjusting the cables down by the engine

BENEFIT. Precise throttle controlgives you maximum flexibility in the on/off/on throttle scenarios you encounter when entering a corner, or riding a series of them.

One hallmark of a skilled rider is the ability to deliver the right amount of throttle at the right time. Smooth

transitions on and off the throttle play a vital role in • eeping the chassis stable in a corner. Whether you’re r> ng for a smooth launch from a stoplight or flawless эо .vnshifts with a passenger on the back, you want your nputs to be seamless.

If the free play needs adjustment, loosen the locking ^iit(s) near the throttle grip. Some bikes will only have :oe adjuster. For two-adjuster models, loosen the nuts

there is plenty of slack in the system. Next, tighten tne deceleration adjuster (the cable that pulls the grip nto the throttle-closed position) so that there is no slack *пел the throttle is held closed. Tighten the deceleration locking nut. Now, adjust the acceleration cable’s adjuster - г г the desired amount of free play is present in the grip, an d tighten its locking nut. Ensure that there are plenty of —reads (at least three) engaged in the adjuster body.

if you can’t get the proper amount of free play with ■~e adjuster(s), set the adjuster(s) to the m iddle of ts n e ir range and adjust the cables down by the carbure- tars/lhrottle bodies. Begin by removing the tank and any oodywork that will interfere with your access to cables. On syne bikes you may need to remove or disassemble the ~ r эох to reach the bell crank.

A word of warning about using less free play than the fectory specifies: If the throttle cables are too tight, they Z2T cause the throttle to stick, close very slowly, or not ro se completely, so check thoroughly by rolling the

throttle open and releasing it from a variety of settings. Finally, run the engine at idle speed and turn the handlebar to both the right and left to make sure that the engine speed does not change. If it does, check the cable routing and free play again.

Clutch Free Play

For bikes with hydraulic clutches, you can skip this section, because hydraulic systems are self-adjusting. Cable-actuated clutches should be checked regularly, though. Also, the clutch-lever free play adjustment can

T o c h e c k t h ro tt le f r e e p la y, h o ld t h e g r ip b e t w e e n y o u r f in g e r s a n d

roll it b a c k a n d fo r th u n til y o u b e g in t o fe e l t h e p ull o f t h e c a b le . P ic k a

s p o t o n th e g rip a n d w a t c h it t o m e a s u r e f r e e p la y. If y o u h a v e t ro u b le

v is u a liz in g t h e m e a s u re m e n t , h o ld a t a p e m e a s u re u p t o t h e g rip . M o s t

fa c t o r y s e r v ic e m a n u a ls s u g g e s t t h a t 2 t o 3 m m is t h e c o r r e c t a m o u n t o f

t h ro tt le f r e e play.

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acco m m o da te various rider preferences and hand sizes.

(If you have hand size problem s w ith a hydraulic clutch , try

buying an ad justable lever.) To m easure th e free play, pull

in the c lutch lever to take up th e slack in th e cable. Now

m easure the gap betw een th e c lutch lever ho lder and the

lever itself. Again, m ost m anufacturers recom m end 2 to 3

m m o f free play.

Som etim es cab le s tretch m akes it im possib le fo r you

to ge t th e proper c lutch free play. If th is happens, tu rn the

a d ju s te r on th e leve r h o ld e r so th a t 5 to 6 m m o f th e

thread is visible. Next, ad just the slack a t the low er end o f

th e cab le . S lide th e cab le d u s t co ve r o u t o f th e way, if

there is one. Loosen th e nuts as fa r as they w ill go. Now,

pull the cable tigh t by slid ing it inside the bracket. Tighten

the nuts firm ly enough so they w ill no t vibrate loose, and

return the du s t cover to its proper position. The free play

can now be adjusted by the screw at the lever. You’ve just

offic ia lly ou tsm arted your motorcycle.

Set the free play with the cable adjusters on the throttle cables. If the

bike has two adjusters, set the deceleration cable first. Locate the

adjuster nuts for the throttle cables where they attach to the throttle

body. Loosen the locknut on the deceleration cable and adjust the cable

until there is no slack with the grip in the closed position. Now, adjust the

free play of the acceleration cable to spec in the same manner. Any final

fine-tuning to get the free play to your personal preferences can be done

at the throttle grip end. Adjusting the throttle free play using this method

is time consuming, but it pays off when you need to correct the free play

in the future. When you are satisfied with the cable settings, tighten the

locknuts firmly to prevent them from vibrating loose.

Space is usually pretty tight, so take your time as you adjust the cables

on the bell crank. Food for thought: While 2 to 3 mm of free play may be

the factory spec, many riders prefer even less free play, giving them the

feeling of a seamless connection to the carburetors or injector housings.

Experiment with different free-play amounts to find the setting that suits

your riding style.Take up the slack in the clutch cable and measure the gap between the

lever holder and the lever.

Left: To adjust the free play, loosen the knurled lock screw on the

clutch-lever holder. If your bike doesn’t have one, look for an inline

adjuster like this somewhere in the middle of the cable. Now, unscrew

the adjuster for less slack or screw it in for more slack. Riders with

smaller hands will probably want to have a bit more slack than those

with larger hands. Also, depending on where the clutch engages in the

lever travel, you may want to adjust it to engage at a different point. If

you give the lever extra free play, make sure that the clutch releases

fully when the lever is pulled all the way in. If it doesn’t, your ability to

shift smoothly will be compromised, and the transmission will undergo

unnecessary stress when you downshift. If the free play is less than

the recommended amount, the clutch may not fully engage, causing

clutch slip and premature clutch wear.


Project 9

Replacing Throttle Cables

Ph illip s s c r e w d riv e rs , o p e n -e n d w re n c h e s , p ick, g re a s e , re a r stan d

C O S T: $

PA R TS : T h ro ttle ca b le s

T IP : R ep la ce th e c a b le s o n e ata t im e , so y o u d o n ’t h a ve to re m e m b e r th e e xa c t path t h e y ta k e th ro u g h th e fra m e an d o th e r h a rd w a re

B E N E F IT : S m oo th th ro tt le o p eration

A sm oo th hand and sm oo th op era tion o f th e th ro ttle

cab les them se lves are v ita l. If yo u r th ro ttle show s

a n y s ig n s o f n o tc h in e s s o r if i t b e co m e s d if f ic u lt to

tw is t, you p ro b a b ly ne ed ne w cab les . A lso , if y o u ’ve

c .vered y o u r c lip -o n s s ig n ific a n tly , yo u m ay w a n t to

n s ta ll s h o r te r c a b le s to ke e p th e m fro m ru b b in g

against o the r com ponen ts .

Begin by p lacing you r b ike securely on a rear s ta nd to

p re ve n t a c c id e n ta lly k n o c k in g it o f f th e s id e s ta n d .

R em ove th e ta n k and any b o d yw o rk th a t w ill in te rfe re

■ :h y o u r a c c e s s to c a b le s . O n som e b ike s yo u m ay

ree d to rem ove o r d isassem ble th e a ir b o x to reach the

ce ll crank. O ther com p on en ts , such as th e rad ia to r on

th is R6, m ay need to be loosened to a llo w th e ca b le s ’

ad justers to f it th rough the tig h t space.

B e fo re d isa ssem b ling th e th ro ttle , loosen a ll o f th e

ca b le s ’ ad jus te rs to ga in m axim um free play. U nscrew

th e th ro ttle ’s p la stic cove r and fo ld it back o u t o f th e way,

being careful n o t to p inch the w ires o r stress any o f the

con ne c to rs fo r th e kill sw itch and s ta rte r bu tto n . If you

don ’t have enough free play, use a p ick o r sm all screw

d river to lift th e cab le in to po s ition to a llow the fittin g to

s lide o u t o f th e th ro ttle g rip body. O nce one cab le is free,

the second one w ill be sim ple.

R esist th e urge to rem ove both cab les a t once. W hile

you m ay have a ph o tog ra ph ic m em ory, som ething m ay

Space is tight, so exercise a little patience to get the cables free of

the carburetors.

with the cable adjusters loosened all the way, you may need to use

г zr&, to help get the fitting free of the grip.

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Sometimes you can use the idle speed

adjuster (right) to move the bell crank into a

position that makes removing the fitting a

little easier.

pu ll you aw ay from th is jo b , leaving you to dec ipher the

line draw ings in the service m anual. If you do no t run the

cab les in the proper pa th , they m ay b ind when you tu rn

th e ba rs or, w o rse , th e y m ay ca u se th e b ik e to rev.

R em oving the cab les one a t a tim e w ill leave a pa th fo r

you to fo llo w w h ile inserting th e new ones.

W hen s lid in g th e f it t in g s in to th e ir p o s itio n s , lube

them as described in P roject 3. G iving th e cab les a qu ick

sq u irt o f lub rica n t w ou ldn ’t be a bad idea. Rem ove the

th ro ttle g rip and g ive th e c lip -on a w ipe and a sp ritz o f

W D -40 fo r lubricant. O nce you have th e cab les run in the

p ro pe r pa th , bo th ends secured, and th e th ro ttle bo dy

reassem b le d , se t th e a d ju s te r near th e th ro tt le to th e

m id d le o f its range . N ow , a d ju s t th e fre e p la y to yo u r

lik ing w ith the locknuts dow n by th e carburetor. Any final

fine -tun ing to ge t th e free p lay to yo u r personal pre fer

ences can be do ne a t th e th ro ttle g r ip end. U s ing th is

m ethod is tim e consum ing , bu t it pays d iv id en ds when

you need to co rrec t th e free play in th e future . W hen you

are satis fied w ith the cab le settings, tigh ten the locknuts

firm ly to p revent them from vib ra ting loose.

C heck th e cab le rou ting one las t tim e , an d tu rn the

b a rs fro m lo c k to lo c k to m ake su re n o th in g b in d s .

O n ce you have th e b ike b a ck to g e th e r, w a rm up the

eng ine an d se t th e id le speed to th e fa c to ry sp e c ifica

tion . O ne las t tim e, tu rn th e ba rs from lock to lo c k w ith

th e en g in e ru n n in g to m ake su re th a t th e id le spe ed

do e sn ’t change.

Even if you didn’t change the idle speed while

swapping cables, you’ll need to set the idle to

the operating temperature spec.


T IM E : 2 h o u rs

Project 10

Winterize Your Motorcycle

d isch a rge d s ta te th a t can d ra m a tica lly sho rten its life.

A d d a c o n s ta n t d ra in fro m an a la rm sys te m , and you r

b ike ’s ba tte ry can be s to ne dead in on ly tw o weeks.

The on ly w ay to m ainta in a m o to rcyc le ba tte ry is to

charge it periodica lly. Fortunately, “ sm art” charger te ch

no log y has advanced to th e p o in t th a t buy ing one can

pay fo r its e lf in a yea r o r tw o o f o w n ersh ip . You d o n ’t

even need to rem ove th e ba tte ry fro m yo u r b ike . Jus t

plug it in and fo rg e t abou t it. A fused cab le tu cked safely

ou t o f s igh t w ill w o rk fine . However, if you r b ike w ill be

sto red in a subfreezing environm ent, you should le t the

ba tte ry spend th e w in te r in a less stressful locale.

Gas Tank

If you ’ re go ing to pa rk yo u r b ike fo r m ore th an a week,

com p le te ly fill th e ta nk . O therw ise , as th e tem pera ture

rises and fa lls , any m oistu re in th e air w ill condense on

th e bare m etal inside the ta nk and can cause rust.

Engine

Once the engine s to ps running, com bustion by-p roducts

se ttle ou t o f th e oil and can s ink th e ir te e th in to unpro

te c te d m e ta l. H ow e ver, a q u ic k o il c h a n g e p r io r to

p a rk in g y o u r b ike fo r th e w in te r w ill re m o ve m o s t o f

th em . A fte r th e cha ng e, r id e y o u r b ike fo r a co u p le o f

m iles to d isp lace th e o ld o il w ith the fresh.

Rid in g a w e ll-m a in ta in e d m o to rcyc le is a p leasu re

enjoyed w orldw ide . But in th ose reg ions th a t know

tnter a fe w m onths each year are less than am enable to

- >o-wheeled pleasures. Putting you r b ike aw ay r ig h t w ill

g e l you back on the road sooner, save you m oney, and

extend th e life o f you r fa vorite possession. Th is p ro je c t is

:-ganized so th a t th e longe r yo u r b ike w ill be s tored, the

-_rther you should delve in to th e prepara tion fo r it.

CarburetorsIs ix ire to rs have m any sm all parts w ith tiny orifices th a t

ro g easily and resist cleaning. W hen gasoline s its a w hile

r .o u r carbs, its volatile com ponen ts evaporate, leaving

D eh ind am o ng th e se sm a ll p a rts and pa ssag ew a ys a

нэску substance called varn ish. That b lockage accounts

fa r th e m a jo rity o f c o u g h in g and s p u tte rin g y o u r b ike

e c a rn s w hen you s ta rt it in th e spring. If th is s tu ff accu-

-u ia re s m uch, you ’re looking a t a thorough disassem bly

arsd cleaning to ge t your engine running properly. To pre-

.= r l varnish buildup, dra in the floa t bow ls any tim e you let

OLг bike s it fo r m ore than a w eek or so w itho u t running it.

Battery

_=fr unused, batte ries w ill d ischarge. Both high and low

■ ^ c e ra tu re s a cce le ra te th is loss o f charge, and if it ’s

l cA 'ed to c o n tin u e , th e b a tte ry w ill rea ch a de e p ly

Front and rea r stands, intelligent b attery charger, plug w re n ch , oil filter w rench, sockets, torque w ren ch

C O S T: $ -$ $

P A R TS : Fu el sta b ilize r, fo g g in g oilfo r c y lin d e rs , c o v e rs fo r in ta k es an d e xh a u s t o p e n in g s, oil and filter, c o rro s io n pro tecta n t, bike co ve r, co o la n t, f re s h sp a rk p lu g s (fo r n e xt sea son )

T IP : W inter is a g rea t tim e toundertake a bunch of the other projects in this book, as w ell

B E N E F IT : Y o u ’ll be rid in g w h ile folk s w h o d o n ’t w in te r ize w ill be w a itin g fo r th e ir b ikes to g e t o u t o f th e sh op

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The best way to drain the float bowls is to attach a hose to the nipple

at the bottom of each float bowl. Then loosen the drain screw and let

the fuel pour into a clean container. Examine the contents for water,

rust, or any other contaminants. The second-best way to drain the car

buretors is to close the petcock with the engine running. Once the

engine has run dry, the carbs are safe against fouling from evapora

tion. Remember, though, you haven’t cleared the float bowls of other

forms of contamination, and you should drain the carbs properly at

least once a year.

A lthough m any b ike s ’ cy lind e r w a lls are now coa ted

w ith a lloys rather than lined w ith iron, yo u 'll s till w an t to

p ro tect them from m oisture conta ined in the a ir trapped in

th e cham bers. Som e peop le pre fer to rem ove th e spark

p lugs and squ irt som e 50W o il in to th e spark plug holes.

C rank the engine over a fe w tim es to c o a t th in gs before

reinstalling the plugs. Another m ethod is to spray fogging

oil into th e th ro ttle bodies w ith th e engine running, which

m ay give the cylinders a m ore thorough protective coating.

Fogging o il can be found at many auto pa rts stores.

I f y o u r w a te r-c o o le d b ik e w ill be s to re d in an

u n h e a te d g a ra g e th a t m ay see te m p e ra tu re s be lo w

Intelligent chargers constantly monitor the state of a battery, and when

the voltage drops, the charging feature kicks in. Once the voltage rises

up to the proper level, the charger enters “ float” mode, where a neutral

charge keeps the voltage from dropping. The difference between these

chargers and the trickle chargers that can be bought for less than S10 is

the float mode. Trickle chargers just keep trickling away regardless of the

battery’s condition, which can do as much damage as not charging the

battery at all.

Although a smart charger, such as a Battery Minder or Battery

Tender, or Yuasa charger, costs considerably less than a new battery,

some folks still want to use a trickle charger. If you’re that type of

person, plug it into a light timer that is set to run for about 15-20 min

utes a day. Also, any nonsealed battery should be topped off with distilled

water every month or so, if necessary.

freez ing , y o u ’ll w a n t to ch e ck to see th a t th e antifreeze

is up to snu ff. C oo lan t is ch e a p e r th an a rep la cem e nt

eng ine b lo ck . R ide rs w ho ta ke th e ir b ikes to tra ck days

sh o u ld kee p in m in d th a t; i f th e y sw ap pe d th e g lyco l

c o o la n t fo r W a te r W ette r, th e ir c o o lin g sy s te m s w ill

freeze a t 32 degrees. C om p le te ly d ra in ing th e system

w ill p reven t th is . Ju s t be sure to s tic k a b ig no te on the

tr ip le c la m p o r speedom eter, w arn in g th a t th e rad ia to r

is em pty.

Tires

B ike and tire m a n u fa c tu re rs g e n e ra lly a g ree th a t i t ’s

pre ferab le to s to re a b ike on stands, to prevent the tires

from s itting on th e sam e spo t fo r several m onths. When

s to rin g on sta nd s, red uce th e tire pressure b y 20 pe r

cent. If you leave you r b ike s itting on its tires, fill them up

to th e ir m axim um recom m ended pressure and check the

pressure every m onth.


_-s soft Roadgear cover will protect your bike from dust and will keep

те light from fading your paint. Elevating the tires off the ground keeps

te rn from developing flat spots on the tread.

Chassis and Finish

E-ake and c lu tch hydrau lic flu id rep lacem ent and chassis

imbrication is highly recom m ended. Pay pa rticu la r atten-

Son to the cab les and th e chain. They w ill benefit from a

r 'o te c t iv e laye r o f grease o r o th e r lub rica n t. S im ila rly,

cash ing and w axing you r bike prio r to sto rage w ill he lp

z 'o te c t the fin ish . A p p ly a heavy coa t o f w ax and do n ’t

r -iff it o f f un til sp rin g . Som e peop le even go as fa r as

я axing th e inside o f the bodyw ork and th e fram e. Finally,

c o v e r th e b ik e (w ith an in d o o r o r o u td o o r cove r, as

appro p ria te ) to p ro te c t it fro m d u s t and g r it—and sa lt

from cars th a t m ay share the space.

Fuel stored for long periods can stratify into its components unless a

fuel stabilizer is used. Be sure the tank is completely full, or the

moisture in the air trapped in the tank can cause it to rust. If you’re

storing your bike for the winter, you have two choices for how to

prepare the tank. Both methods of tank winterization require that you

begin by draining the tank. This is a good maintenance procedure,

anyway, since any crud or moisture that has collected during the

riding season will be carried out with the fuel. The easiest option is to

then pour a fuel stabilizer, like Sta-Bil, into the tank and then fill it

completely with fresh gas. The alternative for people who can’t or

don’t want to store their bike with a full tank is to pour a few ounces

of heavy oil—50W at a minimum—into the empty tank. Close the tank

and spend a few minutes rotating it until the oil has coated the tank

internals and washed away any fuel remnants. Pour the remainder

into your oil-recycling container. Next spring, empty out the oil that

collected in the bottom of the tank before filling it with fresh gas.

Always store your bike with the petcock turned off to prevent any

accidental leakage. Cylinder walls, like the inside of gas tanks, need to

be protected from moisture or they may rust. Spraying fogging oil into

the cylinders can prevent this.W

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Project 11

How to Wash Your Hands

Some people steer clear of auto repairs just because of the dirt and

grease. Fortunately, new auto-specific hand cleaners remove all the

grease, grime, and oil. Apply a good dollop of an auto-grade hand cleaner

in the palm of your hand.

Work it in well, not just to the front and back but in the knuckles and

fingertips, too.

A stiff fingernail brush will get that grease out so none of your office-

mates know you've been productive in the garage over the weekend.

These are the same hands after the hand cleaner. Look near the wrists

where the cleaner wasn’t applied. Hands perfectly clean and ready for

paperwork or a nice restaurant.


Chapter 2

Fuel System

OLD SCHOOL TECH

TOMORROW'S TECH

KEY CONCEPT

MAINTENANCE TIP

MONEY-SAVING TIP

H ow It W orksC arburetorsE lectronic Fuel In jection (EFI) Engine M anagem ent System Taking C are o f th e Fuel System

ProjectsP ro je c t 12: C lean/R eplace Your

A ir F ilter

Depending on w hose conversion form ula you prefer to

believe, a single gallon o f gasoline is roughly equal to

51 pounds o f TNT, a lm os t five dozen B ig M acs, o r tw o

irr /n o sa u rs , tw o triceratops, and tw o tyrannosaurs.

Adm ittedly, try ing to get any o f those into you r m otor-

r y d e ’s gas tank, le t alone get them to burn evenly (if a t all),

w ou ld be p ro b le m a tic a t best. U n like th o se fo s s il fu e l

ralents, gasoline can be atom ized, and then vaporized

and m ixed w ith air, so it can burned to produce power.

S o ho w is th e fu e l p ro cesse d so th a t i t ’s rea dy to

c u m in th e engine? T h a t’s th e d e fin itio n o f yo u r b ike ’s

b e system . P e rhaps th e s im p le s t w ay to un de rs tan d

fu e l system in yo u r m oto rcyc le is to ide n tify its th ree

in func tio ns : sto rage, transpo rta tio n , and delivery,

.’/hen you s to p by th e se lf-se rv ice gas s ta tion , s tick

‘ a u to m a tic d is p e n s in g no zz le in to th e fu e l f i l le r

opening o f you r b ike ’s gas tank, and squeeze th e handle,

|Oli are sta rting th e fuel on the last leg o f its long journey,

o il fie ld s som ew here in th e w o r ld —Saudi Arab ia,

M exico, Venezuela—it ta kes a tr ip across one o f

e tw o b ig ponds in a huge tanker, p iped underground

= -efin ing plant, trucke d to th e gas sta tion , sto red in an

iro u n d ta n k , an d f in a lly pu m pe d in to y o u r fu e l

— whew! A nd all th is fo r a p ro du c t th a t s till costs less

m os t designer bo ttled waters!

’/h en you fill you r tank, you ’re safe ly s to ring enough

to r id e yo u r m o to rcyc le som e 10 0 -2 5 0 m iles . The

ta n k its e lf is a s te e l o r p la s tic c o n ta in e r a ffixe d to th e

chassis, and is som etim es fitte d w ith inte rna l ba ffles to

p re v e n t s lo s h in g and s p illa g e . It d e liv e rs fu e l to th e

e n g in e e ith e r v ia g ra v ity , o r (m o re c o m m o n ly , th e s e

days) is p lum bed to de liver th e fu e l to th e engine v ia a

fu e l pu m p and fu e l lines. The ta n k is e ffec tive ly sealed

o n ce th e fille r cap is prope rly tigh tened, no t ju s t to p re

ve n t sp illag e b u t to p reven t fu e l vap o rs from escap ing

in to th e atm osphere.

On C a lifo rn ia -o n ly m o to rcyc le s , th e v a p o rs ge ne r

a ted by th e gasoline in th e ta n k are co lle c ted in a cha r

coa l ca n is te r secu red som e w h ere on th e m o to rcyc le ,

w h ich s to re s th em un til th e engine is s ta rted . A purge

va lv e o p e n s a n o th e r va lv e to a p p ly e n g in e m a n ifo ld

vacuum to th e ca n is te r to d ra w th e se vap o rs in to th e

ind uc tio n system and burn them as th e engine ge ts up

to o p e ra tin g te m p e ra tu re . T he ide a is to c o m p le te ly

c o n s u m e th e fu e l v a p o rs to p re v e n t th e m fro m

escap ing in to th e atm osphere.

A ll righ t, th e ta n k ’s fu ll, th e fille r ca p is secure, and

yo u ’ re ready to s ta rt th e engine. In th e decades before

fuel injection , m oto rcyc le fuel system s a lm ost universally

use d s im p le , re liab le , and a lw a ys a va ila b le g ra v ity to

m ove fuel from th e ta nk to the engine.

M any m odern m o to rcyc le s use e le c tr ic fu e l pu m ps

b u ilt in to th e gas ta n k (m ore on th o se p u m ps can be

found under th e heading Fuel Injection).


CARBURETORS

From th e ir p r im it ive , ea rlie s t da ys (when

th ey w ere little m ore th an g lo rifie d w icks)

c a rb u re to rs b e ca m e re la t iv e ly s o p h is tic a te d

ins tru m e nts th a t a lte red fu e l’s phys ica l s ta te from

a liqu id to a vapor, w h ich m ixed w ith th e incom ing

a ir d ra w n in to th e engine by th e do w nw a rd m otion

o f th e p is to ns . It is th is vaporized a ir/fu e l m ixture

th a t th e engine th en bu rns to m ake power.

C arburetors fea tu re a num ber o f d iffe ren t c ircu its to

help them com p le te th e jo b . As the fuel en te rs the carbu

retor from th e fuel line, it fills a floa t cham ber o r b o w l—a

sm all reservo ir o f fuel in the carbure to r body. The flow o f

fuel in to th is cham ber is m etered by a s im p le needle and

sea t va lve op era ted by a m echan ica l f lo a t arm . A s th e

fu e l level in th e cha m be r rises o r fa lls , i t p rogress ive ly

c loses o r opens th e valve, regulating th e level o f fuel in

th e cham ber and available to th e engine.

E a rly in c a rb u re to r ’s d e ve lo p m e n t, th e y u tilize d a

m anua lly opera ted m echanical cho ke to aid co ld starts.

T he c h o ke is n o th in g m ore th a n a ro u n d p la te th a t

ro ta te s to re s tr ic t a ir flo w th ro u g h th e ca rb bo dy, th us

increasing the percentage o f fuel th a t m ixes w ith the air

and prov id ing a richer air/fuel m ixture to help the engine

s ta r t an d w a rm up . T he n e x t s te p w a s a d e d ic a te d

en rich en er c ircu it. Less c rud e th an th e hand -ove r-th e -

m o u th a p p ro a c h o f th e ch o ke p la te , th e e n rich e n e r

c irc u it a c c o m p lis h e s th e sam e ta s k fo r m ore e a s ily

s ta rting a co ld engine, and it rem ains m anually operated.

-=-/V* The m ost rem arkable feature o f a carburetor

j is its v e n tu ri, ba sed on th e ae rod yna m ic

p r in c ip le o f th e ve n tu ri e ffe c t. W hen

atm o sph eric a ir is draw n th ro ug h an op en ing into

a c h a m b e r o f in c re a s in g v o lu m e , its p re ssu re

decreases. The th ro ttle va lve—a cy lind rica l o r fla t

s lid e , o r b u tte r f ly - ty p e —w h ic h is c o n n e c te d to

and opened /c lose d b y th e th ro ttle g rip on th e righ t

end o f th e b ike ’s hand lebar(s)—varies th e venturi

op en ing , w h ic h co n tro ls th e vo lu m e o f a ir be ing

draw n in to th e engine. A t id le th e th ro ttle is a lm ost

c lose d , re s tr ic tin g a irflo w in to th e en g ine . A t fu ll

th ro ttle , such as w hen yo u ’re try ing to sa fe ly enter

a free w ay be fo re som e sem i cu ts you o ff, a irflow

in to th e engine is m axim ized.

Rem em ber th e fuel w aiting in the floa t bow l/cham ber?

It is un de r norm al a tm o sph eric pressure. M ain je ts are

sm all tu be s, o r o rifices, th a t con ne c t th e bo tto m o f the

floa t cham ber to the venturi. As the th ro ttle is opened and

c lo se d , th e p re ssure d iffe re n tia l be tw ee n th e flo a t

cham ber and venturi m eters th e am ount o f fuel pushed

fro m th e ch a m b e r th ro ug h th e je ts in to th e a ir s tream

draw n th rough th e ven tu ri. By vary ing th e volum e o f air

and am ount o f fuel draw n into th e engine from th e carbu

retor, you regulate the pow er you r m otorcycle produces.

M a n y c a rb u re to rs a ls o fe a tu re an a c c e le ra to r

pu m p, w h ich m echan ica lly sq u irts a little e x tra fu e l in to

th e ven tu ri as you open th e th ro ttle . T h ro ttle m ovem ent

a c tiva te s th is little pu m p, w h ich he lps th e eng ine begin

acce lera ting cleanly.

For th e firs t s ix decades o f th e m oto rcycle , carbure

to rs w ere th e dev ice o f cho ice to regulate and m ix fuel

w ith th e inco m in g air. And carbure to rs d id a fine jo b in

m ost cases. They w ere relative ly easy to tu ne by varying

th e s ize o f th e m ain je ts , fo r exam ple, and w hen tuned

well, they provided good perform ance and fuel econom y.

C arbu re to r Draw backs

A s g o o d and h ig h ly d e v e lo p e d as ca rb u re to rs have

g o tte n , even th e ir m o s t a rd e n t de vo te e s have had to

adm it, to paraphrase C lin t Eastw ood, “ Every m an ’s g o t

to rea lize h is c a rb u re to r ’s l im ita tio n s .” O ne o f th o se

lim ita tio n s is th e c a rb ’s in a b ility to re co g n ize and

accom m oda te changes in a tm ospheric a ir pressure. For

exam ple , a ca rb u re to r tu ne d p ro pe rly fo r o p e ra tion at

sea level along th e coa st w o n 't perform very w ell in the

m ounta ins. The higher th e altitude, the low er th e am bient

a ir pressure, th e fe w e r m olecu les o f a ir pe r c u b ic fo o t.

B u t the carbure to r on ly know s how m any cu b ic fe e t o f air

flow s th rough it. C onsequently, the sea -level-tuned carb

d e liv e rs to o m uch fu e l fo r th e a m o u n t o f a ir p u lle d

th rough it in th e m ountains, m eaning the engine w ill run

to o rich .


C arbu re to rs have o the r d ra w b acks as well, pa rticu -

fe rV гл con tro lling em issions o f unburned hydrocarbons.

E x s m a l em issions system s w ere added to th e last gen-

s a r o n s o f carbureto rs in an a ttem p t to help them con -

Евпп to th e firs t generation o f em issions requirem ents in

■ re 1970s and early 1980s. These add-on devices were

sc rn sw h a t su cce ss fu l, b u t ove rly co m p le x , ex tre m e ly

am o y in g , and often caused rideab ility issues.

V ore ove r, ca rb s can behave e rra tica lly w hen su b -

js c is d to th e p a rticu la r de m an ds o f h ig h -pe rfo rm an ce

s rg jn e s —w hich includes virtua lly every m oto rcycle po w -

егзал? o f th e last cou p le o f decades. H igher stages o f

fc ra n g re ly in c re a s in g ly on p re ssu re w a ve s fro m th e

e rh a u s t sys te m to g e ne ra te m ore ho rsepow er. B u t a t

ce r tain rpm , a w ave can b lo w a po rtion o f th e entering

—arge back th rough th e carburetor. The next w ave pulls

f a t sam e cha rge—no w tr ip le -e n rich e d — ba ck in to th e

rvder. Loaded w ith to o m uch fu e l to burn properly, it

ssases th e to rq u e curve sag, w h ich th e rid er fe e ls as a

«sagging fla t-sp o t in the carburetion.

ELECTRONIC FUEL INJECTION (EFI)K a w asa k i b u ilt th e f ir s t m a s s -p ro d u c e d fu e l- in je c te d

e c to rc y c le , th e 1980 Z1000 Z-1 C lassic. O ther m anufac-

-_-= fs eventua lly fo llo w ed suit, bu t it w asn ’t un til w ell in to

jh e new m illennium th a t th e m ajority o f s tree t b ikes sold

ш-еге equ ip pe d w ith e le c tro n ic fu e l in je c tion (EFI). The

r a n u fa c tu re rs ’ d e s ire to im p ro ve p e rfo rm a n ce w h ile

E E etin g increasing ly tigh te r em issions regulations made

- r e sw itch to EFI inevitable.

C om pa red to a ca rb u re to r, fu e l in je c tio n p ro v id e s

^ p r o v e d pe rfo rm ance and fu e l econom y, and reduces

е г -iss io ns. W hy do es fu e l in je c tion do a b e tte r jo b ? In

■етт=р1е te rm s , m od ern EFI sys te m s d o a b e tte r jo b o f

con tro lling p re c ise ly how m uch fu e l is m etered in to the

e n g in e , and a m uch b e tte r jo b o f a to m iz in g th e fu e l,

r ^ c n g it easier to vaporize and burn.

Fuel in jection w orks by pushing fuel under s ign ificant

—-=chanical pressure in to th e a irstream dra w n in to the

E n g in e . T h is h ig h e r p re ssu re a to m iz e s th e fu e l in to

s r s i ie r d roplets, w h ich th en vaporize be tte r in the low -

-r= ssure air (vacuum) flow in g into th e engine. This helps

• re fu e l vapor m ix w ith th e air and burn m ore efficiently.

EFI system s o ffe r a num ber o f p ra ctica l advantages

r .= r carburetors. EFI is sim p ler, requires few er com p o

nents. and as such is m ore reliable and durable. But, more

■n po rtan tly , e le c tro n ic fu e l in je c tion system s are com -

z -s te ly con tro lled b y com p u te rs . T ha t m eans th e com -

r_ t= r can be program m ed, o r m apped, to provide exactly

co rre c t am o un t o f fu e l to each c y lin d e r in v irtua lly

e .s ry con ce ivab le s itua tion . T he increase in e ffic iency,

perform ance, rideability , and fuel m ileage, coup led w ith

th e reduction in em issions, m eans EFI has long ou tper

fo rm ed carbs, due to the system ’s superio r fuel delivery.

7 E le c tro n ic fu e l in je c tio n is d e c e p tiv e ly

sim ple. The fuel pum p fo r these system s is

no w m ou nte d near o r ins id e th e fu e l ta n k fo r tw o

reasons: firs t, to de liver fuel a t m uch h ig he r pres

sures, often 40 to 80 psi (it’s m echanically easier to

pu sh ra th e r th a n p u ll th e fu e l), an d se co n d , th e

tank-m ounted pum p is fa r less prone to engine heat

and subsequent possible vapor lock.

T he pum p draw s fuel th rough a fine screen, and then

pu she s th e fu e l un d e r s ig n ific a n t p re ssu re th ro u g h a

large filte r (generally) and on to the fuel rail to be d is trib

uted to each injector. In a th ro ttle -b od y injection system ,

fuel is delivered to one o r m ore fuel in jec tors m ounted in

a venturi-shaped th ro ttle body, w h ich som ew hat resem

b le s a carb ure to r. T he eng ine m an ag em en t co m p u te r

(also know n as th e e lectron ic con tro l un it o r ECU), regu

lates th e precise am ount o f tim e th e in je c tor is op en—its

pu lse w id th o r th e am oun t o f tim e it spew s h ig h -te s t—

th us accurate ly con tro lling how m uch w ell-a tom ized fuel

is s p ra y e d in to th e v e n tu ri, w h e re i t m ixe s w ith th e

incom ing a ir and is de livered v ia th e in take m an ifo ld to

each cylinder.

A ty p ic a l in je c to r is a s im p le e le c trom ag ne tic so le

no id, w h ich w hen energized b y a pu lse-w id th signal from

th e ECU, opens the in je c to r fo r a spe c ific period o f tim e

(m easured in m illiseconds) to de live r an extrem e ly pre

c ise and fine ly atom ized spray o f fuel.

One prim ary advan tage o f th ro ttle -b o d y in je c tion is

an in je c to r (o r tw o ) fo r eve ry cy lind e r, w h ich p ro v id es

ex tre m e ly a ccu ra te fu e l m e te rin g . In a d d itio n , ra c in g

experience has show n th e be ne fit o f so-ca lle d show er-

head injectors, usually anothe r com p le te se t m ounted in

th e a irbox. These com e in to p lay a t higher rpm fo r be tte r

th ro ttle response, and subsequent h ighe r peak power.

ENGINE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMM od ern m o to rcyc le s fe a tu re in c re d ib ly s o p h is tic a te d

com pute r-co n tro lle d engine m anagem ent system s w ith

fa r m ore c o m p u tin g p o w er th a n th e sys te m s on ea rly

spacecra ft. Sensors loca ted in several p laces on the bike

p ro v id e in fo rm a tion to th e c o m p u te r—such as coo lan t

te m perature, engine speed, c ranksha ft pos ition , th ro ttle

position, manifold pressure, and incoming air temperature—

so it can ca lcu la te the am ount o f fuel necessary fo r th a t

instant in tim e, then com m and th e injectors to open fo r a

spe c ific duration, o r pulse w id th , de livering precise ly the


co rre c t am o un t o f fu e l. The ECU rep ea ts th is process

hu n d re d s o f t im e s p e r se co n d . B y c o m p a ris o n ,

carburetors s ta rt to look a b it S tone Age.

O n ce th e eng in e is w a rm e d up , th e pu lse w id th is

fin e ly tu n e d b y a s ig n a l from an o xyg en se n so r (a lso

know n as a lam bda sensor) in the exhaust’s head pipes.

T his crucia l sensor com pares th e percentage o f oxygen

in th e e xh au s t gases com ing from th e eng ine w ith the

percentage o f oxygen in th e atm osphere. It then gener

a tes an electrica l vo ltage signal based on th is d ifference

to th e c o m p u te r m an y tim e s pe r se co n d , w h ich th en

ad justs the EFI system ’s a ir/fuel m ixture as close to per

fe c t—th e ideal 14.7:1 ratio , o the rw ise know n as s to ich io

m e tric—as possible.

By now , EFI sys te m s ' inheren t e ffic ie n cy shou ld be

m a k in g ca rb u re to rs lo o k d e c id e d ly S to n e A g e . Yet,

de sp ite fuel in je c tion ’s inherent superiority, som e b ike s ’

EFI system s provide th ro ttle response a t certa in rpm th a t

w ill m ake yo u g rin d y o u r te e th in fru s tra tio n . W hy?

Because com prom ises have to be m ade to fuel de livery

in o rd e r fo r m o to rcyc le s to pa ss in c re a s in g ly to u g h e r

e m iss io n s s ta n d a rd s . W h a t a r id e r ca n en d up w ith ,

though , are d ip s in th e to rq ue curve th a t are fe lt as fla t

sp o ts in th e eng ine ’s fue ling , a n d /o r annoy ing ly ab rup t

response d irectly o ff-id le .

Fortunately, th e re ’s a fa ir ly s im p le so lu tion . Several

a fte rm arke t com pan ies sell e le c tron ic b la ck boxes th a t

can a lte r an in je c to r’s pu lse w id th , richen ing o r leaning

th e a ir /fu e l m ix tu re th ro u g h o u t th e rpm b a n d . S u ch

d e v ic e s are a v a ila b le fro m Y o s h im u ra (E le c tro n ic

M anag em en t S ys tem , o r EM S), C o b ra (FI2000R) and

T e ch lu s io n (F ue l In je c tio n M o d u le ). B u t p e rh a p s th e

b e s t kn o w n —an d th e b e s t s u p p o r te d — is D y n o je t’s

Pow er Com m ander.

Like the others, th e Pow er C om m ander s im p ly plugs

in to you r b ike ’s w iring harness. W here it differs from the

o thers, though , is in its range o f tun ing ab ilities.

Each Pow er C om m ander com es loaded w ith a base

m ap o f new values fo r you r engine’s fuel curve, w hether

th e engine is s to ck , has an a fte rm arket exhaust and/or

air filter, o r m ore extens ive tuning . O r you can dow nload

m aps from D yno jet’s W eb site; fo r H onda 's CBR600RR,

fo r instance, D yno jet offered 41 m aps as th is book was

being w ritten . Plus, you can have a custom m ap m ade a t

one o f D yno je t’s tu n in g cen te rs , fo r th e b e s t po ss ib le

fueling, power, and rideability.

TAKING CARE OF THE FUEL SYSTEM

/Щ у ) B a s ic m o d e rn m o to rc y c le fu e l-s y s te m

i m aintenance invo lves little m ore th an tw o

Fs: f ilte rs and fu e l. M o to rc y c le s e q u ip p e d w ith

g ra v ity -fe d ca rb u re to rs ra re ly cam e w ith filte r in g

any m ore e la bo ra te th an a tin y screen in th e ta n k ’s

o n /o ff sw itch , o r pe tco ck . And, in te restingly, m ost

n o n -g ra v ity -fe d c a rb u re te d m o to rc y c le en g in es

d id n ’t even have fu e l filte rs be tw een th e fu e l ta nk

and fuel pum p.

Fue l F ilte r Changes

S im ply pu t, it's c rucia l to look a fte r fu e l in jection system

f ilte rs . T yp ica lly , FI f ilte rs a re q u ite la rge in s ize and

vo lu m e and m o u n te d in s id e th e fu e l ta n k . T he y tra p

debris, c rud , and even w a te r from th e fue l, and should

be ch a n g e d ( if p o s s ib le ) a c c o rd in g to y o u r o w n e r ’s

m anual in s tru c tio n s . O nce th e f i lte r be g in s to c log , its

re s is ta n ce to fu e l f lo w in c re a se s , w h ic h w o rk s th e


s e c tr ic fuel pum p m uch harder; a $25 fuel filte r is a fa r

sampler and less expens ive serv ice than it w o u ld be to

have the fuel pum p replaced. And, o f course, a c logged

jus) filte r o r croaked fu e l pum p w ill leave you and you r

: -:e dead on the s ide o f th e road as sure ly as a dropped

v s ive . You c a n ’t m ake a fu e l- in je c te d ve h ic le w ith a

d o g g e d fu e l system lim p hom e; th e eng ine s im p ly w ill

n o t run.

> 4 O n e e x tre m e ly im p o r ta n t s e rv ic e n o te

w he n re p la c in g fu e l fi l te rs : On a c a rb u

re te d e n g in e , so m e m in o r fu e l s p illa g e m ig h t

o c c u r w h e n th e fu e l lin e is d is c o n n e c te d to

change th e filter. Rem em ber, though , fu e l-in jec te d

j e n g in e s o p e ra te a t h ig h fu e l p re ssu re s .

C onsequently, open ing o r d isco nn ec tin g any fuel

s ys te m c o m p o n e n t w ith o u t fu lly de -p re ssu riz in g

th e system is extrem e ly dangerous. W hat’s more,

m any fu e l filte rs requ ire a spec ia l to o l to d is c o n -

_e c t th e fu e l lines. T ha t’s w hy cha ng ing th e fu e l

f3 ie r on m odern EFI system s is a ta sk be s t le ft to

a p ro a t you r dealersh ip.

т -Л е г Changes

■7 It is im possib le to overestim ate the im por-

_ _ " . ta nce o f keeping your bike’s a ir filte r in top

=ra p e . The filte r is des igned to rem ove fin e pa rti-

: es. d ir t, and d e b ris from th e a ir be fo re th e y are

rc e s te d by the engine. Any typ e o f debris entering

—■a engine ac ts like sandpaper, increasing th e rate

r* w ear on p is tons, rings, and cy lind e r w a lls , and

shortening th e ir lives and th e life o f the engine. This

e afways a bad th ing, so m ake sure the air induction

systeng com ponents are w ell sealed and change the

ЗГ n ite r regularly.

—'e re 's w idespread disagreem ent on w ha t s ize con -

s are m ost like ly to cause engine dam age. But it

b le to assum e anyth ing 10 m icrons o r larger is

:ve enough. For com parison, th e average hum an

r s 70 m icrons, pa rtic les o f ta lcum po w de r m easure

i 10 m icrons, red b lo od cells are 8 m icrons, and

a are 2 m icrons.

—_e b e s t a d v ic e y o u ’ ll g e t is to kee p i t s im p le :

e th e a ir f i lte r on ce a year. If you rid e in a du sty

a it o r on d irt roads, change the a ir filte r m ore

ly, p e rh a p s e ve ry s ix m o n th s . A n y se rio u s

n o f a irflow th rough th e air filte r w ill s ign ifican tly

e the fuel m ileage from you r veh ic le. This restric-

■ te ra lly s trangle you r engine.

C hoose the P roper Fuel

{>:т The o th e r F in fu e l system m ain tenance is

о th e fu e l itse lf. For gasoline engines, you r

f irs t con ce rn is to use th e co rre c t oc ta n e fu e l fo r

y o u r m o to rc y c le , w h ic h y o u ’ ll f in d in th e . . .

o w n e r ’s m an ua l! H e re ’s th e ru le o f th u m b : U se

th e lo w e s t o c ta n e fu e l y o u r b ik e ’s e n g in e w ill

o p e ra te on s a tis fa c to rily . T he co ro lla ry : T he re is

no ad van ta ge to using fu e l w ith an octan e rating

h ig he r th a n th e eng ine re q u ire s—none. W ith th e

p r ic e o f g a s o lin e c o n tin u in g to c lim b , th a t ’s

w o rth w h ile in fo rm a tion .

The va s t m a jo rity o f m o to rcyc le s op e ra te p e rfe c tly

satisfactorily on regular unleaded, which carries an average

octane rating o f 86-88. Some higher-perform ance, higher-

power, and/or higher-priced m otorcycles require premium

octane fuels, typ ica lly in the 91 -93 octane range. Many, if

n o t m ost, o f th ese can op e ra te sa tis fa c to rily on 8 9 -9 0

octane m idgrade fuels, if no t on 87 octane regular. W hy?

Knock sensors.

A kno ck sen so r—lite ra lly a sm all m icrophone th a t’s

tu n e d to he a r th e u n iqu e s o u n d s o f en g in e k n o c k o r

p in g ca u s e d b y in a d e q u a te -o c ta n e fu e l — p ro v id e s

a n o the r in p u t to th e eng ine m anagem en t co m p u te r to

help it de te rm ine th e prec ise a ir/fu e l m ixture and spark

tim in g fo r th e engine.

In m o s t ca s e s , p in g in g s o u n d s lik e a h a n d fu l o f

s m a ll p e b b le s in a t in c a n an d is m o s t o f te n h e a rd

un de r lig h t to m odera te acce le ra tio n . If and w hen th e

kn o ck sensor hears th is , th e com p u te r richens th e m ix

tu re a n d /o r re ta rd s ig n itio n tim in g , b o th o f w h ic h w ill

low e r co m b u s tio n te m p era tu res to p re ven t k n o ck and

po tentia l engine dam age.

FUEL

S

YS

TEM


FUEL S Y S T E M T R O U B L E S H O O T IN G

PROBLEM PROBABLE CAUSES ACTION TO REPAIR

ENGINE CRANKS

BUT W ONT STARTNo fuel pressure because the bike is out of

gas; fuel pump malfunctioning

Start with Fuel Pump Hum/Sound Test

Fuel Pump Hum/Sound Test Turn on key, listen for fuel pump operation (a

whine or hum that lasts for about 2 seconds).

Fuel pump should run for 2 seconds, then stop

If you hear fuel pump hum, fuel pump

is working

Go to Check Ignition Switch

If you don’t hear hum, fuel pump might not

be working

Go to Check Ignition Switch

NO FUEL PUMP

OPERATION

Check Ignition Switch Do instrument panel warning lights illuminate

when key is turned to “On"?

Ignition switch tests bad Replace ignition switch

Ignition switch tests OK Go to Check Fuel Pump/Fuse

Check Fuel Pump/Fuse Find fuse box (see your owner’s manual); slots

should be labeled. Remove fuse from fuel

pump/ECU slot. Replace with new fuse and turn

ignition switch on and listen for fuel pump hum

Failed/open fuse Replace fuse

Fuse is OK Take to dealership

LONG CRANK

TIME BEFORE

ENGINE STARTS

Blocked fuel tank vent creating vacuum

Loss of fuel pressure preventing engine

from starting

Remove fuel filler cap, try starting engine again

Check fuel pump: Disconnect fuel line from

carburetor or injector. Place open end in an

empty container. Turn key on/push engine start

switch—fuel should gush from line. If n o t. . .

Plugged fuel filter Replace fuel filter

Still no fuel flow? Go back to Check Fuel

Pump/Fuse


ject 12

lean/replace our Air Filter

30 m in u te s o r o v e rn ig h t if a ir-d ry in g a filte r

W re n ch e s, so ck ets, ratch et, No. 2 Phillips s c re w d riv e r, rea r stand, c lean ra gs, co m p re s se d a ir

P A R TS : O E o r a fte rm a rk e t a irfilter, a ir f ilte r c leaner, air f i l te r oil

T IP : B u y in g a w a s h a b lea fte rm a rk e t f ilte r w ill p a y fo r its e lf in a cou p le o f c le a n in g s

B E N E F IT : C o n s iste n t fu e l m ixtu re , b e tte r a ir flo w

o r yo u r engine to opera te a t peak effic iencies, th e air

= te r needs to be c lean to a llo w m axim um a irflow ,

fitte r ge t d irty, and you ’ll experience pow er loss,

ga s m ile a g e , an d p o s s ib le p lu g fo u lin g ,

i—at least annual—cleaning o f yo u r b ike ’s a ir filte r

"i w ay to p rom ote go od perform ance.

access to you r a ir filte r m ay be as s im p le as

th e cove r on th e s ide o f th e engine, o r you m ay

so rem ove th e tank. C onsult you r ow ner’s o r fac tory

manual to see if th e seat o r any bo dyw o rk needs

6*s is not as crucial with aV-twin with the filter hanging off the

aV-four with a more traditional airbox, you should keep the

зе -у Bie fitter away from the throttle intakes.

to be rem oved prior to unbo lting th e tank. If you have to

rem ove the tank, be sure to tu rn the pe tco ck o ff and place

a rag be low the fuel line you’ll be disconnecting. Remove

th e bo lts securing the ta nk and m ake sure you disconnect

a ll th e h o se s and w ire s . Labe l a n y hoses th a t a re n ’t

already co lo r coded to ease reassembly. Som e bikes w ith

ta n k - to p in s tru m e n ta tio n req u ire th a t th e ho us in g be

rem oved before lifting o ff the tank, w hile others can be left

in place. C heck th a t fac tory service manual!

Rem ove th e ta nk and p lace it ou t o f harm ’s way. Give

th e to p o f th e air box a qu ick b last w ith com pressed air

to c lea r ou t any d ir t th a t m ay have accum ula ted in the

screw holes. R em ove th e Ph illips-head screw s on th e air

bo x cover, m aking sure th a t you do n ’t d ro p any in to the

d e p th s o f th e e n g in e c o m p a rtm e n t, never to be seen

again. (Som etimes a dropped pa rt can be retrieved w ith a

m agnetic p ickup to o l—if you ’re lucky.) O nce all the screws

are rem oved, rem ove th e lid and insp ec t th e air b o x to

determ ine the path o f airflow in from the outside. Carefully,

rem ove th e air filter, m aking sure you do n ’t knock any grit

in to th e clean side o f the a ir box. If th e to p o f the a ir box is

go ing to be o ff fo r m ore than a m inute o r so , cove r the

th ro ttle intakes w ith clean rags o r paper towels.

A ir fitte rs va ry by m anufacturer. Generally, you clean

foam filte rs in a solvent. P aper filte rs can be b low n ou t

w ith com pressed air from th e ba ck s ide o f the fitter. The

best idea, though, is to buy an afterm arket filte r such as

B M C o r K&N. These p le a te d co tto n filte rs are reusab le

and should last th e life o f you r m otorcycle .

CLE

AN

/REP

LAC

E YO

UR

AIR

FILT

ER


C lea n ing a reu sab le f i lte r is a fo u r -p a r t op e ra tion .

First, spray or po ur on so lve n t to c u t th e oil used to trap

th e d irt and le t it soak fo r a few m inutes. R inse ou t the oil

from th e back side (the clean side) o f th e filte r w ith cold

w ate r un til th e co tto n fibe rs are clean. Dry th e filte r in the

sun fo r a few hours o r hang it in you r garage overnight.

Do n o t use co m p re sse d a ir o r a ha ir d rye r o r you w ill

shrink the co tton and render th e filte r useless. W hen it ’s

dry, you w an t to c o a t th e co tton w ith filte r oil. (Never use

any o the r k ind o f o il bu t filte r o il.) If you are using a spray,

one pa ss p e r p le a t w ill s u ffic e . F o r squ ee ze b o ttle s ,

m ake one pass pe r p lea t in th e bo tto m o f th e pleat. D on 't

sa tura te th e filter. Let it s it fo r 20 m inutes and reoil any

w h ite spo ts on th e cotton .

Oil the filter one pleat at a time. Let it sit for 20 minutes, then reoil any

white spots in the cotton.

In s ta lling a fresh o r c lea ne d f i lte r is as easy as its

rem oval. However, you sho u ld m ake sure th a t you have

th e f i l te r fa c in g th e c o r re c t d ire c t io n . F o r exa m p le ,

pape r filte rs w ill gene ra lly have a screen to su p p o rt the

back o f th e f ilte r to keep it fro m flex in g o r tearing during

opera tion . If yo u r a ir b o x has an О -rin g to seal th e filte r

access, ascerta in th a t it is in pos ition .

A fte r you c lose th e a ir bo x , ta ke a m om en t to make

sure th a t it sea led prope rly. S crew th e cove r in p la ce in

an a lte rna ting pa tte rn (ra ther th an go ing around th e c ir

cum fe rence ) to m ake su re th a t th e p re ssure is evenly

app lied . Reinstall th e ta nk , bodyw o rk , and sea t as nec

essa ry—and b reathe easy.

Rinsing from the clean side out, use cold water to flush out the dirt, oil, and

solvent. Let the filter air dry. Don’t use compressed air or a hair dryer.

With paper filters, you should tap the filter on a

table or trash can to knock the big chunks of

crud free. Remove the rest of the dirt by

blowing from the back side of the filter.

Ihttp://moto.amoti.ru/

H ow It W orksM odern C om bustion Technology

Chapter 3

Engine

KEY CONCEPT

MAINTENANCE TIP

MONEY-SAVING TIP

ProjectsP ro je c t 13: C hange Your Fuel

Petcock P ro je c t 14: Synchronizing

C arburetors and EFI T hro ttle Bodies

P ro je c t 15: Install a Je t Kit• S e tting F loa t H eight

P ro je c t 16: Install a Pow erC om m ander

P ro je c t 17: C hange Your Oil and F ilter

• S haft D rive H ousing Oil C heck/C hange

P ro je c t 18: C hange Transm ission and Prim ary Fluids

P ro je c t 19: A d just In take and Exhaust Valves

F ire w o rks . Je rry B ru c k h e im e r m o v ie s . C o u n tle ss

Darw in aw ard w inners. S uch th in gs shou ld m ake it

se t-e v ide n t th a t guys rea lly like exp losions. And, as if by

: .;ne design, the internal com b ustio n engine is all about

scplosions, to o — lo ts o f them . It’s how th ey roll.

Your m oto rcyc le ’s po w erp lan t is an internal com bus-

aon engine, and a lm os t certa in ly a fo u r-s tro ke (virtually

- b ikes on th e road in th e U nited States these days are

^ jr-s trokes). It ’s a lso a d ire c t descendant o f the original,

r e O tto cyc le engine, c rea ted b y one N ikolaus O tto in

'5 7 6 . To understand ho w an internal com bustion engine

•o rk s , le t’s fo cu s on a s in g le -cy lin d e r fo u r-s tro ke , like

—з ones th a t p o w e r s o m e m an u fa c tu re rs ’ en try -le ve l

с kes, o r th e ir du a l-spo rt m achines.

Fuel ge ts m etered to th e eng ine th ro ug h th e carbu-

-etor, where it is atom ized (broken in to tin y little droplets),

— sn m ixe d w ith a ir, an d d ra w n th ro u g h th e in ta ke

ta-ve(s) in to th e cy lind e r. N ow , a c a m sh a ft c lose s the

r ta k e valve(s) as th e p is ton sta rts up to w a rd th e to p o f

r e cylinder. The a ir/fuel m ix tu re—ideally 14.7 pa rts air to

* Dart fu e l—gets com pressed as th e p is ton approaches

r e to p o f th e cy lind er, squeez ing th e m ix tu re in to th e

com bustion cham ber.

A t precise ly th e r ig h t instant, a se t o f ign ition con ta ct

po in ts , usua lly o p e ra ted o f f th e cam sh aft, opens. That

action causes th e collapse o f a m agne tic fie ld in th e igni-

to n coil, crea ting a h ig h-vo ltage spark; th e spark jum ps

across th e spark p lu g ’s e lectrodes, w h ich pro tru de into

th e c o m b u s tio n cha m be r. T h e sp a rk lig h ts a fire and

s ta rts th e c o m b u s tio n p ro c e s s . T h e a ir /fu e l m ix tu re

bu rns progressive ly bu t extrem e ly qu ickly, generating a

trem endous am oun t o f heat and pressure in th e cylinder.

S u b s t itu te e le c tro n ic fu e l in je c tio n an d e le c tro n ic

spa rk con tro l fo r th e carbure to r and ign ition points, and

you ’ve g o t the basics o f a m odern m oto rcyc le engine.

i f f y H ow does th e engine con vert th is burn ing

о process in to w ork? To begin w ith , w o rk is

d e fin e d a s w h e n a fo rc e m ove s a m ass (you r

m otorcycle , fo r instance) over a d is ta nce (such as a

road). In th is case , y o u r b ik e ’s e n g in e pe rfo rm s

w ork b y converting th e chem ica l energy o f fuel into

an energy applied to th e rear w heel, thereby pu tting

th e m oto rcyc le in to m otion.

A nd it’s (in ternal) com b ustio n th a t does th e in itia l job

o f c o n ve rtin g fu e l’s ch e m ica l energy, as th e resu ltan t

1 ,600-degree Fahrenheit heat and th e trem endous pres

sure o f rap id ly expanding gases ap p ly m assive pressure

to th e p is ton ’s crow n, d riv ing th e p is ton dow nw ard in the

cylinder. The p iston, jo ined to th e connecting rod , trans

m its th is fo rce to an o ffse t pin on th e crankshaft, w h ich in

tu rn translates the com b ustio n pressure in to a rotational

fo rce a t th e crankshaft.

Now, m ultiply th is process by the num ber o f cylinders

in the engine and by th e rotational speed o f the c ranksha ft


Ф ористом (2)(М1Ш1(х1 © о ш к т I ® ^ havst Im e № s /e s < m i. ш Ш T u e ® $ b w g I e x h w tw -v eM W B L MIXIUI3E CWSED. 5Wf?KFLtie " OPEf&AND

Ж и л и ] w S g f ® 2® i fS S K ™ * 6®60CHAMBER. te W C W ig g s .

and presto, yo u ’ve g o t useable pow er w ith w h ich to ride

you r m otorcycle . Is phys ics coo l o r w hat?

M o d e rn g a s o lin e m o to rc y c le e n g in e s are a lm o s t

u n iv e rs a lly fo u r -s tro k e ; th a t is , fo u r se p a ra te p is to n

m ovem ents are ne cessa ry to fu lly com p le te one pow er

cycle. T he fo u r s trokes are (again, using a s ing le-cylinder

engine as an exam ple):

• In take— in take valve(s) open(s) as th e p is ton m oves

d o w n w a rd , d ra w in g a ir /fu e l m ix in to th e co m b u s tio n

cham ber; exhaust valve(s) c losed

• C o m p res s io n — in ta ke va lve (s) c lo se (s ), as th e

p is to n m oves up w ard in th e cylinder, com press ing th e

m ixture; exhaust valve(s) close(d)

• C om bustion— a spa rk ign ites th e m ixture near the

to p o f p is to n s tro ke (to p de ad center, o r TDC), ge ne r

ating heat and pressure th a t fo rces th e piston ba ck dow n

th e cylinder; in take and exhaust valves c losed

• E x haust—exh a u s t valve(s) open(s) as th e p is to n

sta rts back up th e cylinder, fo rc ing bu rned gases o u t o f

com bustion cham ber; in take valve(s) close(d)

MODERN COMBUSTION TECHNOLOGYW ith w ell over 100 years o f developm ent, m odern gaso

line engines are rem arkab ly refined and effic ient. Lots o f

new te chn o log y has been ap p lie d to im p rove pe rfo rm

ance and efficiency, and reduce em issions. None o f it is

new in th e sense o f ju s t be ing d iscovered , bu t m odern

te c h n o lo g y , d e s ig n , e n g in e e rin g , and m a n u fa c tu rin g

have m ade these fo llow ing item s m ainstays o f m oto rcy-

c ling ’s m ainstream .

O v erh e ad cam s ha ft(s ): B y m o u n tin g th e cam , o r

cam shafts, on to p o f th e cylinder head and opera ting the

valves e ither d irec tly o r by rocke r arm s, few er parts and

lig h te r w e ig h t be ne fit th e va lve tra in ’s e ffic iency. L igh te r

w eight also allows higher rpm , and m ore horsepower as a

result.

Four valves: Instead o f a sing le

in ta k e and e xh a u s t va lve fo r each

cylinder, a pa ir o f intake and exhaust

va lve s ea ch p e r c y lin d e r a llo w s

b e tte r ga s flo w a t h ig he r va lve lifts

and h ig he r rpm . F ou r-va lve se tup s

are also generally ligh ter than equiv

a le n t tw o -va lve designs, pe rm ittin g

h ig he r rpm an d , th us , m ore p o w er

as w e ll. In fa c t, Yam aha pioneered

and p ro du ced five -va lve e n g in e s—

th re e in ta k e an d tw o e x h a u s t-

s ta rt in g w ith th e 1985 FZ750, un til

th e tu n in g -fo rk firm abandoned th e

con cep t w ith th e 2007 m odel-year.

E lec tron ic fu e l in je c tio n (EFI): EFI re vo lu tio n ize d

fuel delivery, allow ing m ore po w er and perform ance, plus

greater effic iency and low er em issions than poss ib le w ith

carburetors, along w ith incred ib le du rab ility and reliab ility o f th e EFI com ponents

E lec tro n ic ign ition : L ike EFI, e le c tro n ic ig n itio n s

have elim inated m ost o f th e m echan ica l/m oving pa rts in

ig n it io n sys te m s ; in c re a se d a c c u ra c y an d c o n tro l o f

ig n itio n tim in g ; and im p rove d pe rfo rm an ce, e ffic iency,

rideability, and durability.

D irect ignition (Dl) or C oil-on-p lug ignition (COP):

(See C hapter 4) Both Dl and COP system s elim inate spark

plug w ires entirely, and utilize m ultip le ign ition coils; COP

ign ition s genera lly have on e co il pe r cylinder, m ounted

CAMSHAFTS

TiMltfGichain


CAMSHAFT

J u s t so you unders tand, th ou gh , here’s how a tw o -

stroke engine opera tes. P o rts o r open ings in th e cylinder

w a ll are un cove red and cove red by th e p is to n ’s m ove

m ent, w h ich a llow s th e air/fuel m ixture into , and exhaust

gases ou t of, th e engine. Because th e p is ton can do th is

w ith each u p /d o w n m ovem ent, th e eng ine can fire th e

m ixture each cyc le rather than every o the r cyc le as w ith

a four-stroke.

- r= c tly on to p o f th e spa rk p lug. B o th have th e advan-

e s o f longer co il life, and o f w ork ing w e ll a t elevated

- ' 0,000 rpm o r higher).

V a ria b le v a lv e t im in g : T h is p ro v id e s e le c tro -

- d ra u lic c o n tro l o f va lv e t im in g (w h e n th e

.<e/exhaust va lves open /c lose ) b y vary ing th e tim in g

i t io n s h ip b e tw e e n th e c ra n k s h a ft, c a m s h a ft, and

ies. It im proves e ffic ie ncy b y a llow ing op tim a l valve

— irg a t any rpm . A lth ou gh it can be pa rticu la rly usefu l

-e lp in g sm a lle r e n g in es de live r g o o d p o w e r a t low

r \ th e ap p lica tion has no t ye t fo u n d w idespread use

'-o to rc y c le s large ly because o f th e increased w e ig h t

com p le x ity o f such system s.

A t , H is to rica lly , tw o -s tro k e ga so line engines

e n jo ye d th e b e n e fit o f l ig h t w e ig h t and

h igh po w er-to -w e igh t ra tios . B u t em iss ions regu-

s tio n s have s ide lin ed tw o -s tro ke s fo r s tree t-b ike

-.se fo r no w . O ff-ro a d m o to rc y c le s a re m o s tly

fo u r-s tro ke s th e se da ys, as th e fo u r-s tro k e race

: kes are in c re d ib ly po w erfu l and C a lifo rn ia law s

•^ s tr ic t th e use o f tw o -s tro k e o ff- ro a d b ike s to

d o se d race cou rses only.

D o n ’t w r ite o f f tw o -s tro k e s q u ite ye t.

S e ve ra l m a n u fa c tu re rs a re w o rk in g on

h ig h - te c h tw o -s tro k e e n g in e s th a t p ro d u c e

m in im a l e m is s io n s an d s o u n d . H o n d a ’s d ire c t

in je c tion system is ju s t one o f th ese be ing tes ted

an d de ve lo p e d . I f th e s e sys te m s are p e rfe c te d ,

w e m a y se e tw o -s tro k e s re tu rn to th e m a rk e t,

b o th on and o ff th e highway.

TURBOCHARGINGW hen an exhaust-driven air pum p is pow ered by hot, rap

id ly expanding exhaust gases, th e engine is turbocharged.

Turbos take a m om ent to spool up to 20, 000-30,000 rpm

as th e th ro ttle is open, th us creating ju s t a b it o f th ro ttle

lag. But th ey w ork very w ell w ith sm all engines, helping

them produce big po w er a t h ighe r rpm , ye t s till de livering

th e fu e l m ileage o f a sm all en g ine . M o to rcyc lin g w en t

th rough its tu rb o age in th e early 1980s, bu t, again, the

extra w e igh t and com plexity, plus tu rb o lag, m ade them

unsuitable fo r fu rthe r use.

EN

GIN

E


EN GINE T R O U B L E S H O O T IN G

PROBLEM PROBABLE CAUSES ACTION TO REPAIR RELEVANT PROJECTS

ENGINE LOCKED

UP (WON'T TURN

OVER EVEN WITH

FUNCTIONING

BATTERY AND

STARTER)

Hydraulic lock with fuel, water,

or coolant

Mechanical failure—seized

bearing/broken rod/piston/valve

Remove spark plugs, pull

fuse(s) to disable ignition/fuel

injection. Try starter/try to turn

engine with socket on end of

crank (if accessible)

Replace or rebuild engine

EXCESSIVE BLUE

SMOKE FROM

EXHAUST

Oil smoke from worn piston

rings/valve guides/seals

Replace valve seals—might

reduce oil smoke/consumption

ENGINE STOPS

ENTIRELY

ECU/ignition/fuel delivery

problem

See Electrical System

Troubleshooting

EXCESSIVE WHITE

SMOKE FROM

EXHAUST

Coolant leaking into combustion

chambers; possible cylinder

head gasket failure

Presure-test cooling system;

chemically test for hydrocar

bons in coolant. DIY—remove

spark plugs right after shutting

down engine. Look for white

vapor emitting from plug holes

BLUE SMOKE FROM

EXHAUST WHEN

ENGINE FIRST

STARTED, THEN

EXHAUST

EMISSIONS

APPEAR NORMAL

Worn valve guides/seals. Oil

leaks into combustion chamber

after engine is shut off

Replace valve seals—might

reduce smoke

LOUD BANGING,

CLANKING,

KNOCKING, RATTLE

FROM ENGINE

Mechanical noise from worn

engine bearing/broken valvetrain

component, worn/loose timing

chain

Do not operate engine until

checked by a professional.

DIY—Use mechanical

stethoscope to locate

source of noise

ENGINE SPRAYS OIL Loose oil-fill cap Tighten or replace cap

LOW OIL-PRESSURE

LIGHT ILLUMINATES

OR GAUGE SHOWS

LOW OIL PRESSURE'

Oil leak from valve

cover/cylinder head/main oil

seal

1

Identify and repair leak


E N GINE T R O U B L E S H O O T IN G


UDW OIL-PRESSURE

UGHT ILLUMINATES

№ GAUGE SHOWS

LOW OIL PRESSURE

Oil level low

Oil pump failing, worn engine

bearings

Check oil and fill to (owner's-

manual-) recommended level

Have engine/bearings/oil

pump checked

at dealership

Project 4:

Checking vital

fluids and

Project 17:

Change oil

and filter

SMOKE EMANATES

FROM ENGINE

Oil leak onto hot exhaust

Hot coolant leaking from

engine/radiator

Identify and repair oil leak

Identify and repair coolant

leak

49

EN

GIN

E


CHAN

GE

YOUR

FU

EL

PE

TCO

CK

T IM E : 1 ho ur

Project 13

Change Your Fuel Petcock

Sidecutter, s c re w d riv e r, W D -4 0 , razor, fu e l-p ro o f t h re a d sea la nt, op e n -e n d w re n c h e s / w re n c h fo r the p e tco ck , c la m p s fo r the fu e l line, a fu n n e l

T h e fuel va lve o f choice, n e w fa cto ry pinch clam ps and the special tool required or quality con ventional hose clam ps, drain container fo r th e fuel, new fuel filte r (n o w ’s th e tim e)

M a ke s u re th e g a s cap is ve n tin g p ro p e rly o r the fu e l w o n 't d ro p — a va p o r lo c k s o rt o f th in g

B E N E F IT : H a rd e r pull a t hig h rpm

Ha rle y -D a v id so n in tro d u ce d th e vacu u m -o p e ra te d

p e tc o c k (fue l va lve ) on its 1995 m od e ls . H arley

th ou gh t they w ere do ing us a favor, because m ost o f us

fo rg e t to tu rn th e m anual pe tcocks off, w hich can lead to

a pudd le o f gas leaking from your carb . The com pany fig

ured th is fo o lp ro o f, fa il-s a fe d e s ig n th a t p re ven ts fu e l

from leaking past th e carbureto r’s needle seat w hen the

b ike ’s m o to r is no t running w as safer and smarter. Then

reform ulated MTBE gasoline h it th e ta nks in th e sum m er

o f 1995. A ta nk o r tw o o f th a t s tu ff and riders w ere “ run

ning ou t o f gas” on fu ll tanks, even though th e lever on

th e vacuum pe tcock hadn’t been touched. To correct th is

prob lem , H arley in tro du ced a rev ised vacuum p e tco ck

w ith a d iffe re n t ru b b e r c o m p o u n d on th e in te rn a l

d iaphragm and a new filte r screen. It ’s identified b y the

le tter “ M” s tam ped on the r ig h t side. The new filte r screen

can be identified by its orange color.

A nothe r p rob lem th e redesign m ay o r m ay n o t have

fix e d is th e fu e l d ia ph ra gm un sna pp ing its e lf fro m th e

vacuum diaphragm inside o f th e pe tcock, which im m edi

ate ly s to ps gas flow . Am usingly, th is prob lem seem s to

happen m ostly to th e old tim ers, who w ere used to manual

fu e l va lves. T he y tu rn th e gas o f f a t th e leve r and then

fo rget to tu rn it on again before they sta rt the engine. The

trem endous initia l suction from th e engine firing w ith the

lever in the o ff position jus t rips up the diaphragm . This is

absolutely no problem if you leave the pe tcock on.

The sim p lest fix fo r th is is to convert to a manual pe t

co ck , ava ilab le from H arley-D avidson and a fte rm arke t

p e tc o c k su p p lie rs su ch as P in ge l, A cce l, EM S, andj

others. Pay atten tion to w hich direction th e ou tlet nipple

faces and th e thread size on the pe tco ck body. Harleys of

the relevant years use 22-m m threads. Pingel valves and

For decades, Harley riders have had to train themselves to turn off their

manual petcock (the one on the left). Then, in 1995, Harley decided it was

time to relieve us of that chore by fitting an automatic petcock, only to

have this nifty convenience cause more trouble than it was worth

because the rubber parts couldn’t stand up to the new reformulated

gasohols that were mandated in some cities. The problem has been

solved with stouter rubber internals on new machines and by a recall on

the older automatic petcocks.


-~ rx s e afflicted prior to the recall, the only fix was to swap petcocks.

opted to return to the good old manual version. Others, knowing that

r s socker only passes about one-third the fuel volume of some high-

E-tnnance aftermarket petcocks, opted to upgrade to a high-flow unit

Ш е ё к Pingel. Not that all problems go away with the change. You still

- = c ю remember to manually shut off the valve, and most hot rod pet-

I и л е have very little reserve capacity. The average Pingel gives you about

i_ : gRfinn (5 to 10 miles) of reserve fuel, so you’ll need to learn to run off of

S eed half of your fuel supply or never get too far from a gas station.

I e c s o the rs requ ire an ad ap te r nu t to su it you r s to ck

| в » —get it when you buy the valve. You w ill also need a

L a ca ju m -lin e ca p to p lu g th e unused n ip p le e x ten d ing

p t m th e carbure to r to th e pe tco ck . A s fo r th e d irection

h e ou tle t nipple faces, th a t depends on the fuel ta nk you

Som e tanks need to have the nipple facing the fron t

[•— —e m achine, som e the rear, and others s tra igh t down.

sure the rep lacem ent valve faces the sam e w ay as

| Г г orig inal, o r find one th a t has a rotating nipple.

| to change th e fu e l va lve , d ra in th e fue l, rem ove th e

fce fe e , unscrew the nu t ho ld ing the pe tcock to the tank,

■ 5 F n a tu be on the pe tcock nu t th reads and screw it on

h n = va lve . O nce i t ’s ha nd tig h t, snug it up a b it w ith a

Ь епся : as long as it doesn’t leak and can ’t be m oved by

you ’re good to go.

Pingel is not the only game in town for high-flow petcocks, as this Accel

valve clearly demonstrates. EMS is another company trying to carve out a

niche, with features that improve on or solve certain deficiencies in design,

like the frequent need to rebuild. Accel and EMS are both less prone to this,

and they have positive stops for lever position. It pays to shop around for

the features you want, as well as the performance you need.

This is the part of a

gas cap that needs

to be beautiful, as in

work beautifully.

The cap on the left

is the unvented one,

if you have two.

The cap on the right

must vent properly to perform well, and that says nothing about the

general need to reengineer some late-model one-way tank venting. If

need be, one can simply put a hole in the black one-way valve built

into that belly button-looking gray area, using a deft touch, a hammer,

and a punch.

A fringe benefit from sw itching pe tcocks is increased

fu e l flo w , w h ich is som e tim e s ne cessa ry fo r h ig h -p e r

form ance Harleys. Yet m ost people w ou ld do them selves

more good b y ensuring a properly vented gas cap than by

sw apping to a higher flow pe tcock. You can s lap on the

n icest h ig h-flow pe tco ck on th e p la ne t and no t do your

m o to r a b it o f go od if th e re ’s a pa rtia l vacuum fo rm ing

ins id e th e ta nk . Th is s o r t o f so -ca lle d va p o r lo ck isn ’t

really th a t uncom m on in s to ck Harleys, particularly when

y o u r ta n k is c lose r to em p ty th an fu ll. S o m e tim es you

no tice th is problem even w h ile cru is ing in th e fo rm o f a

sort o f hunting or surging a fter an hour o r so o f running at

70 -p lus on a ho t day. M otors m aking m uch m ore pow er

than s to ck can have even w orse issues.

CHAN

GE

YOUR

FU

EL

PE

TCO

CK


SYN

CH

RO

NIZ

ING

C

AR

BU

RE

TOR

S

AND

EFI

THR

OTT

LE

BO

DIE

S

Project 14

Synchronizing Carburetors and EFI Throttle Bodies

T IM E : 1 ho ur

T O O L S : W re n ch e s , s o ck e ts,ra tch et, No. 2 Phillips s c re w d riv e r, c lean rags, ca rb bala ncer, b o x fan , a u x ilia r y fu e l ta n k

T A L E N T : 2

C O S T: $

P A R TS : None

T IP : M a ke s u re all va cu u mleak s a re p lu g g e d o r you w ill g e t fa ls e rea d in g s

B E N E F IT : S m o o th e r p o w e r d e liv e ry

Mo s t (bu t no t all) m o to rcyc le engines use m u ltip le

ca rb u re to rs o r th ro ttle bodies. If th ese ind uctio n

d e v ic e s a re n o t in s yn ch an d d e liv e r in g th e sam e

am oun t o f fuel to each cylinder, you r b ike w ill run poorly

o r n o t a t a ll. The s ym p to m s can be as m ild a s rough

id lin g o r an un eve n e n g in e s o u n d a t p a r tia l th ro tt le .

Severe cases can cause surg in g w h ile a t any con s ta n t

th ro ttle setting .

Th e re w a rd fo r s p e n d in g an h o u r s y n c h in g y o u r

carbs is a sm oo the r-id ling , qu icker-revv ing engine. The

on ly to o ls required o the r than typ ica l hom e m echan ic ’s

socke ts and w renches are a vacuum gauge and an aux

ilia ry fuel ta n k (for b ikes th a t do n ’t have a fu e l pum p).

S ince you r b ike w ill be running , m ake sure yo u r w ork

are a fo r th is p ro je c t h a s g o o d v e n tila tio n . S ta r t by

rem oving th e sea t, gas tank, and anyth ing th a t ge ts in

th e w ay o f th e carbs. Be careful w hen d isconnecting the

fu e l line fro m th e p e tco ck , p a rticu la r ly if th e eng ine is

ho t. H old a rag un de r th e open line until a ll th e ga s has

d ra in ed ou t. To avo id dam age to th e p e tco ck and po s

s ib le fu e l sp illag e , p la ce th e fu e l ta n k on an o ld tire to

keep it fro m tip p in g over. Labe l th e va rio u s hoses as

you d isco nn ec t th em from the a ir box and tank.

S o m e m a n u fa c tu re rs f i t h o ses to th e ca rb s o r

th ro ttle bod ie s to a llo w fo r easy synch ron iza tion . Your

fa c to ry service m anual w ill help you fin d them .

Locate and un cove r th e p o rts in to th e in ta ke trac t.

You w ill fin d e ith e r b o lt p lu gs o r ca p p e d n ip p le s . Your

ca rb ba lan ce r sh o u ld in c lu d e th re a d e d a d ap te rs to f i t

th e p o rt. W hile m o s t p o r t th re ad s w ill be 5 m m , som e

bikes use 6-m m threads.

W hile th e en g in e w arm s up , lis ten fo r an y vacuum

leaks you m ay have fo rgo tten to seal. A fte r yo u r engine

reaches op e ra ting tem p era tu re , m ake sure you have a

fan b low ing across th e rad ia to r (or engine in a ir-coo led

configurations) to he lp keep your b ike from overheating.

If you le t it ge t to o ho t, th e ca rb synch ing m ay no t be

accurate . Finally, m ake sure th e id le speed is se t to fa c

to ry specs.

You can syn ch ro n ize m o s t b ike s b y a d ju s tin g the

linkage con ne cting th e bu tte rfly valves. H owever, som e

fu e l-in jec te d b ikes s im p ly require th a t you ad jus t an air

sc rew in each th ro ttle bo dy to ge t it to m atch th e one

body th a t doesn ’t have an a ir screw. C heck you r factory

service manual.

M u ltis , be th e y in lin e -fo u r s p o r ty b ike s o r V -fo u r

cru isers , m us t be do ne in s te p s—as m us t EFI system s

th a t use th e b u tte rfly va lves (ra ther th an a ir screw s) to

s yn ch ro n ize th e th ro tt le b o d ie s . B e g in b y fin d in g th e

ad juste r screw betw een th e nu m be r 1 and 2 cy linders .

Turn it u n til yo u have th e tw o ca rb -b a la n ce r readings

id e n tic a l. B lip th e th ro tt le s lig h tly and le t th e eng ine

re tu rn to id le . M ake an a d ju s tm e n t if necessary. Once

y o u ’re happy w ith th e results, sw itch to th e ad justm ent

o f th e n u m be r 3 and 4 cy lind e rs . A g a in , on ce th e tw o

se ts o f tw o carbure to rs are set, find th e ad juste r screw

be tw een th e nu m be r 2 and 3 cy lind e rs to ba lan ce the

tw o pairs o f bu tte rfly valves.


fciicr i Pra sells two reasonably priced versions of their carb tuner through

ssiw tors and motorcycle dealerships. Because you’ll be running your

анваэ for a while, you need a supply of gas for your carburetors. A pur-

zs-built auxiliary tank supplies fuel to your engine while keeping any

35 ta n dripping on the engine’s hot parts. Hang the auxiliary tank above

-= Biel of the carbs, but out of the way of your wrenching. If your bike

^ = fuel pump that is built into the gas tank, you will need to find a way

a его the fuel line, return line, wiring harness, and tank mounted to feed

— zns/throttle bodies—a tricky operation.

Even liquid-cooled bikes need to have air moving around them to main

tain proper operating temperature. A box fan will work nicely.

N o w th a t th e ca rb s a re in sy n c , ra ise th e rpm to

3 ,0 0 0 an d h o ld it s te a d y . T h e co lu m n s o f m e rcu ry

shou ld se ttle a t a con s is ten t he igh t. If one o r m ore o f the

co lu m n s rise s less th an th e o the rs , th e re is a vacuum

leak o r som e o the r fault. C om m on problem s are a w orn

s lide th a t is s tick ing o r som ething fa iling in th e linkage.

Finally, a d ju s t th e eng ine ’s id le spe ed ba ck to th e fa c

to ry spe cs if it changed. C arefu lly rem ove th e ca rb to o l

an d re p o s itio n a ll vacu um hoses and p lu gs . S ta rt th e

engine again to see if there are a ir lea ks—th e id le speed

shou ld s ta y th e sam e. R eplace th e ta nk, paying special

atten tion to th e fuel and vacuum lines connected to the

p e tco ck . Your b ik e ’s engine sho u ld no w id le sm oo the r

and rev cleaner.

я г 2йсе will either have a capped nipple or a threaded plug, Some manu-

з л г з з make your job easier by routing hoses out from under the throttle

—s . If you don't have those hoses and can't access the nipples on the

*3Se bodies with the airbox in place, disassemble and remove it. You’ll

= : x attach your carb balancer either to the nipple or hose.

SYN

CH

RO

NIZ

ING

C

AR

BU

RE

TOR

S

AND

EFI

THR

OTT

LE

BO

DIE

S


■ - 0 » 20

’ • Щ — 1- m

CD■

■кШ •-

• I- CDш р i 1 t

i- - _

After, and possibly while, adjusting the linkage

to improve throttle synchronization, you will

need to adjust the idle speed back to factory

spec. Either way you adjust the synchroniza

tion, the carb balancer displays the same

information. The vacuum created in the intake

tract will draw the mercury up from the reser

voir in the bottom of the carb tool. There will

always be some variance between the

columns, but most manufacturers say that a

1/2- to 1-inch difference of mercury level is

fine. However, adjusting the columns of mer

cury so that they are as close to identical as

possible is worth the minimal effort it requires.

Twins will have only one screw to adjust the

synchronization. So, you're done at this point.

li Ki

l l S

t tss

sssa 2

I

U -1I L

Once you have the adapters screwed in, attach

the hoses to the nipples. Starting at the No. 1

cylinder (the front cylinder on V-twins or the

front left on other multicylinder configura

tions), connect the first hose and move across

the front cylinders (if the bike has them) left to

right before the rear cylinder(s) making sure to

keep the hoses in order. Find a convenient

place to hang the carb balancer so that you

can see it while the engine is running. Before

you start the engine, make sure that the hoses

do not interfere with the throttle linkage. Also,

make a thorough visual check to see that all

possible vacuum leaks have been sealed.

When you start the engine, don’t blip the

throttle too energetically, or you'll suck the

mercury out of the carb stick into the engine.

You want your columns of mercury to look like

this when you’re finished with your adjust

ments. Be sure to test the synchronization at

cruising rpm to make sure that they maintain

their relative closeness.


T IM E : 2 h o urs

Project 15

Install a Jet Kit

Many bikes com e from the factory w ith extremely lean

je tting to m eet EPA requirem ents, and som etim es

something as sim p le as raising the needle w ith a shim can

rrrd u c e a night-and-day difference in your bike’s perform -

э гс е , pa rticu la rly o ff- th ro ttle to o n -th ro ttle tra n s itio n s ,

fre n you order a je t k it fo r your bike, be sure to order one

ra se d on yo u r b ike ’s cu rren t s ta te o f tu ne . D on ’t g e t a

S sg e III k it ju s t because you plan to m ake big changes

3 3 - on.

W ith the correct k it in hand, p lace th e bike in gear on its

s e e s tand o r on a b ike lift. If th e carbureto rs are tucked

. rd e r the tank, you’ll also need to rem ove the gas tank, air

a r t and any o ther obstructions. Label all hoses and wire

xcnnections. (“Carburetor” w ill also apply to m ultiple carbs

r fo llow ing discussion.)

Loosen all the clam ps securing the carburetor m outh to

r e rubber and the intake manifold. Gently w iggle the carb

and d o w n un til i t po ps free o f th e bo o t. D on ’t p u t it

□еда jus t yet. Hold the carb over a suitable conta iner and

з з п the flo a t bow l. Before you do anyth ing else, p lace

r jssn rags o r paper tow e ls in the intake m anifold to keep

э ту nasties out.

Turn the carburetor upside down. Remove the floa t bowl

~ either a Phillips screwdriver o r Allen key. (A drill w ith a

=et=w attachm ent really speeds th ings u p —particularly fo r

a s s w ith four mixers.) Clean ou t any gunk th a t m ay have

e le c te d in the bo ttom o f the floa t bow l. Also check to be

=_гз th a t th e flo a t bow l gasket is no t c racked, d ried , o r

• te e d . Replace it if you suspect it is deterio ra ting .

T O O L S : W re n ch e s, sockets,ratchet, Phillips s c r e w driver, flathead screw d river, drill w ith s c r e w attachm ent (optional), A llen keys, float height tool (if required), pliers, drill, rags

T A L E N T : 2

C O S T: $

P A R TS : J e t kit

T IP : In stalling a je t k it is m oreth a n ju s t to s s in g in a n e wm ain je t— ta k e y o u r tim e an d w o r k c a re fu lly

B E N E F IT: A b ike th a t ca rb u re ts c le a n ly t h ro u g h o u t th e e n tire r e v range

In order to access the idle jet, you need to remove the EPA-mandated

cover. Prior to exposing the carb’s innards, you might as well remove the

brass plug covering the idle screw. Most jet kits will include a drill bit and

self-tapping screw to remove the plug. If you don’t have one, use a

1/8-inch drill bit and any wood or drywall screw you have sitting around.

To keep from drilling too deeply past the plug and possibly damaging the

idle jet, wrap a piece of tape around it about 1/8-inch above the tip. Don't

drill any deeper than the tape. Insert the screw far enough to have a solid

grip on the plug with the threads. Using a pair of pliers (locking pliers if

you like), pull the plug free of the carburetor body. Before you go any

further, insert a flathead screwdriver and count the number of turns as you

screw the idle jet's needle valve into the carburetor until it touches bottom.

Do not tighten the valve against the jet, or you may damage both the

needle and the jet itself. Write down the number of turns you counted in

case you someday decide to return to stock jetting. Now, unscrew the

needle valve the number of turns specified by your jet kit.


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screwdriver, use an 8-mm socket

to remove the main jet and emulsion

tube together. You’ll still need to

remove the main jet, though. Install the

new one and snug it into place. Save

the old jet in case you decide to go

back to stock jetting.

W hen w ork ing on th e m ain je t, m ake sure you do n ’t

pu t any pressure on the floa t, o r you cou ld bend th e tab

responsib le fo r th e fuel height. W hile m ost je t k its do n ’t

have you fid d le w ith th e flo a t he igh t, som e do . See the

sidebar “ Setting F loat H eight,” fo r the low dow n on how to

check and set floa t height.

The brass m ain je t is loca ted in th e cen te r o f the carb

body. You can identify it by the fla thead screw driver s lo t

in th e base o f th e je t. M ake su re yo u r sc re w d rive r fits

snug ly in to the je t o r you m ay m angle it as you a ttem pt

to rem ove it.

Flip the carb to access the to p cover and unscrew the |

re ta in ing sc re w s /b o lts . U nder th e co ve r is th e to p o f a

d iaph ragm . C on s tan t ve lo c ity (CV) ca rb u re to rs use the

vacuum created as a ir flow s through the carb ’s th roat to lift

a slide. The slide perform s tw o duties. First, b y restricting

the size o f the th roat opening a t low er a ir speeds (usually

during low er rpm), the slide keeps the a ir speed high as it

passes over the nozzle (or em ulsion tube), thus atom izing

the fuel m ore effectively. Second, it helps keep the engine

from stum bling when you w hack the carb open, since the

slide w ill on ly rise as qu ickly as the airflow requires.

sSSome jet kits include an emulsion tube. If the emulsion tube (the brass

part into which the main jet is screwed) turns with the jet, hold it in posi

tion with an 8-mm wrench. Jet kits without a new emulsion tube simply

require that you screw in the new jet in place of the old one. If your jet kit

includes a new pilot jet, you’ll want to replace it the same way you did

the main jet. The pilot jet is near the main jet but significantly smaller.

Simply unscrew it and replace it with the new one. Before you reinstall

the float bowl, make sure the gasket surfaces are clear of any dirt or grit.

One grain of sand can cause a leak that forces you to tunnel back down

to the carbs. When screwing the float bowl back onto the carb, make

sure the screws are tight, but not overly tight.

The OE needle (top) has no adjustability, unless you want to shim it up

slightly with a washer. The Factory Pro Tuning needle (bottom) allows you

to richen or lean out the mixture as your engine setup requires. When

affixing the circlip to the appropriate slot in the needle, always count

from the top slot. If your jet kit instructions specify installing a washer,

make sure it is on the needle below the circlip to raise the needle

halfway between two circlip notches. If the jet kit requires the slide

vacuum hole to be drilled, make sure you deburr the new hole. Slip the

new needle and washer (if required) into the slide assembly. Place the

spring holder in with its prongs down toward the needle.


C arefu lly , l if t o u t th e s lid e and exa m in e th e rub be r

= ap hra gm . If you f in d any c ra c k s o r p in h o le s , th e

; aphragm m u s t be rep la ced . N o tic e h o w th e need le

-an gs ou t o f the bo ttom o f th e slide. Press up from the tip

: r the needle to rem ove it from the s lide— but be sure you

•^m em ber the order in w hich parts com e ou t o f th e slide.

You w ill find a spacer th a t ho lds th e s lide spring in place

aoove the needle. You m ay also find a sm all w asher below

~ e needle. Carefully se t these parts aside fo r use later.

S in ce c a rb u re to rs w ith fa c to ry je tt in g usu a lly have

-o n a d ju s ta b le n e ed les , m o s t je t k its in c lu d e an

ad justab le need le w ith ins tru c tion s on ho w to correctly

se t the needle height.

O nce you have replaced the je t, insta lled th e needle,

and ad justed th e id le screw, you need to reinstall th e car-

;_ re to r. A little W D -40 on th e ca rb m ou th w ill ease its

in s e r t io n in to th e boot. T igh ten th e c lam p to secure the

carb. R einstall th e th ro ttle cab les and ad jus t the th ro ttle

~ee play. W hen th e eng ine has w arm ed up , a d ju s t the

zie spe ed to fa c to ry s p e c ific a tio n s . If th e je t k it you

-s ta lle d w as designed fo r you r b ike ’s exa ct engine/p ipe

c o n fig u ra tio n , yo u sh o u ld no w g o o u t and e n joy yo u r

■new power. However, if you ’ve m ade o the r m od ifica tions

to th e engine, you m ay have som e de bu gg ing to do in

order to m ake it perfect.

Carefully check the diaphragm on top of the vacuum slide. When

reinstalling the slide, make sure that the needle fits into the top of the

emulsion tube. Carefully place the lip of the diaphragm in the groove

at the top of the carb body. Any folds or buckles will lessen the

vacuum inside the top of the carburetor and prevent proper slide

function. If the diaphragm has any cracks or pinholes, it will need to

be replaced.

SETTING FLOAT HEIGHTIf your jet kit recommends a specific float bowl height, perform the height adjustment after you’ve installed the other parts of the jet kit. With the carb standing on end (resting the end on your work bench will make it easier to steady the assembly while you’re measuring the float height), tilt it until the float shifts toward the carburetor body. The idea is to have the float move the valve pin to a closed position—and no farther. You don’t want the valve spring to compress.

While holding the carb in position, measure the float height with Factory Pro Tuning’s float-height tool. The two arms of the tool should rest on the float-bowl gasket surface while the measuring bar gets slid into position so that it just barely touches the highest point on the float (when measured from the gasket surface). You may have to perform several adjustments of the measuring bar to keep it from compressing the float spring slightly.

To change the height, you need to bend the tang over the valve's spring

loops. A little bend goes a long way, so be careful. You’ll find that it’s better to move in little steps rather than trying to make large corrections. Your goal is to get the measurements as close as possible to the desired height with a maximum of 0.5-mm difference among all the carburetors if you have more than one.

Although it may not look like much,Factory Pro's float-height tool is precision- machined to allow accurate measurement of float height. It’s worth every penny when you're tuning carburetors.

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TIM E : 1 h o u r (ins ta lla tio n), m a n y h o u rs d e ve lo p in g m aps

Propel IS

T O O L S : B asic m e ch a n ics tools, (laptop) c o m p u te r and a s so rte d c a b le s fo r P o w e r C o m m a n d er, d yn o

T A L E N T : 3

I n c t a l l si PniAfoi1C OST: $$$$■ 119 n i a r U iv c i P n m m о n Нов*

PA R TS : P o w e r C om m ander,C o b ra Fi2000, o r D yn a te k F.l. C o n tro ller

иОШШаввОСГ T IP : F o r a goo d s ta rtin g point, u s e fu e l m a p s crea ted fo r y o u r e x h a u s t sy s te m , if ava ila b le

B E N E F IT: T h e b e s t p ossib le fuel m ix tu re and p o w e r at a n y rpm

T he s w itc h fro m ca rb u re to rs to fu e l in je c tio n has

op en ed a w h o le new d o o r to c o n tro llin g m ix tu re

th ro u g h o u t th e rpm ra n g e . C o m p a n ie s s u c h as

D y n o je t an d C o b ra ha ve c re a te d e le c tro n ic c o n tro l

b o xes th a t can share en g in e m an agem en t d u tie s w ith

y o u r fa c to ry e le c tro n ic s to im p ro v e p e r fo rm a n c e

th ro u g h o u t th e rp m ra n g e . T h e m a n u fa c tu re r ca n

g u id e y o u to th e u n it a p p ro p r ia te fo r y o u r b ike .

In s ta ll in g an a fte rm a rk e t fu e l in je c tio n c o n tro lle r is

a b o u t th e ea s iest b o lt-o n im p rove m e n t you can m ake.

F or illu s tra tio n , w e ’ ll d is c u s s th e P o w e r C om m an de r

firs t, th en fo llo w w ith de ta ils on a C ob ra and D yna tek

m od e l. W ith th e ig n itio n o ff, rem ove th e s e a t to ga in

acce ss to b o th th e ba tte ry an d th e w irin g ha rness. You

m ay a lso ne ed to re m o ve th e b a tte ry cove r. U n b o lt

and rem ove th e ta n k . Lo ca te th e m ain w irin g harness

o n th e fram e. F o llow th e w ire s fro m th e in je c to r rail to

th e co n n e c to r on th e m ain ha rness. T h is is w he re you

w ill a tta ch th e P ow er C om m ander.

N ow th a t you kno w w he re th e u n it w ill go on yo u r

b ik e , c le a n th e m o u n tin g lo c a tio n w ith a lc o h o l to

rem ove a n y grease. P lace th e c o n tro lle r in a po s itio n

th a t w ill g iv e yo u a c c e s s to th e a c c e s s o ry an d USB

Different bikes will have different mounting locations for the aftermarket

controller. For example, on the Vulcan 2000 featured in the photos, it will

rest on top of the battery between the shock and the tank support.

Snugly tucked away, the Power Commander leaves plenty of room for

access to its USB port without compromising your storage.


Z z-ie the Power Commander’s wires to your bikes harness. Keep wires

m . r f the way, making sure not to place them where they can get pinched

r r damaged by the gas tank, seat, or any of the parts you removed.

so rts . If yo u r b ike req u ires th a t you s lip a p ro te c tiv e

: : »er ove r th e un it, d o so now.

Reassem ble your bike. Because you bought the con-

зо в е г w ith th e base m ap a lready ins ta lled , you r b ike is

s g у to ride. If you w ant to m od ify the base map, you have

- □ choices. First (and m ost flexible), hook your new con

so le r up to your com puter and either m anually tw eak the

■naps o r do w n lo ad a m ap from th e c o n tro lle r ’s o r you r

= ra u s t pipe m anufacturer’s website.

i~ you’re no t com fo rtab le m aking changes, many bike

=-cp s th a t have dyn os a lso have com p ute rs and all the

Hccropriate cables to help you m ap your controller. As you

-^ocsfy you r b ike further, you can create new m aps to fit

cur engine’s needs. Also, if you don ’t like the changes you

т а з е to one map, w ith the push o f a button, you can revert

- ^ ju r previous one.

I-rora Fi2000 and Dynatek F.l. Controller (SB16-1)

- c c ra and D yna tek to o k a s lig h tly d iffe re n t—b u t s till

A c t i v e —ap pro ach . B o th m od u les u tilize th re e sm all

r c o s (ca lled p o ts —fo r p o te n tio m e te rs ) to a d ju s t th e

i e i m ix tu re . C onsequently , no co m p u te r o r m aps are

«squired to ad just you r cru iser’s tu n ing . Instead, the three

Detail-oriented folks will be in heaven with the Power Commander soft

ware. You can twiddle with the fuel and ignition maps to your heart’s

content. If you’re of a Mac persuasion, the application runs fine under

Virtual PC. If you’re on the road (or don't have access to a computer), you

can make mixture changes with the three buttons on top of the Power

Commander unit.

po ts con tro l d ifferen t aspects o f th e m ixture. The prim ary

d iffe ren ce be tw een th ese m od u les is th a t th e D ynatek

un it can enrich or lean th e fuel m ixture, c lipp ing on w ith

fa c to ry connecto rs, w h ile th e C obra un it uses w ire ta ps

and can on ly enrich th e m ixture.

Installation varies depend ing on you r b ike m odel. On

th e C obra un it, you essentia lly co n n e c t fo u r w ires (tw o

con tro l w ires, one power, and one ground), w hich w ill be

th e sam e co lo rs a s th o s e on th e c o rre sp o n d in g bike .

Using w ire ta ps th a t sp lice in to th e s to ck harness w ithout

a c tu a lly s e v e rin g a n y w ire s , yo u c re a te a lin k to th e

F i2000 th a t then m od ifies the fuel m ixture based on rpm.

T he D yna tek s im p ly h o o ks in to th e s to c k con ne c to rs ,

p lus positive and negative leads.

You can a d ju s t e ith e r on a d y n o o r th e s tre e t —

w itho u t a te the r to a com puter. S tart from th e m anufac

tu re r’s recom m ended b ike -sp ec ific se ttings found in the

ins truction m anuals and fo cus on th e various rpm ranges

one a t a tim e. Spending a little tim e on the dyno w ill yield

th e be s t results.

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Project 17

Change Your Oil and Filter

1 h o u r

Oil f ilte r w re n c h , oil ca tch pan, w re n c h fo r drain plug, c o n ta c t cleaner, ra g s fo r c leanu p

P A R TS : Oil filer, drain plug gasket,several quarts oil (check yo u r factory service manual)

T IP : N ev e r dum p used oil, ag ro u n d -w a te r pollutant, d o w n a drain; find yo ur local oil recyclin g ce n ter at w w w .e a rth 9 1 1 .org or s e rv ic e stations in m an y a reas take used oil

B E N E F IT: B e tte r e n g in e operation and lo n g e v ity

R e g a rd le ss o f d e b a te s yo u m ay en co u n te r, use

m o to rcyc le o il in y o u r b ike , n o t reg u la r m o to r oil.

O ils have changed m ore in th e last 10 years than they did

in the previous 50, and to da y even a ir-cooled V-tw ins are

m ach ined to to le rances m uch tigh te r than previous gen

erations o f engines. M oreover, m oto rcycle engines share

oil w ith th e transm ission and clutch . The shearing forces

a p p lie d b y th e tra n s m is s io n an d c lu tc h w ill w e a r o u t

che ap a u to m o b ile o il m uch fa s te r th a n m o to rcyc le oil.

A lso, th e new er low -fric tion o r “ energy-conserving” au to

m obile o ils use fric tion m odifiers th a t m ay have a negative

e ffec t on you r c lu tch ’s ab ility to engage properly. If yo u ’re

w illing to perform pro jects , m aintenance, and upgrades

costing fa r more, don ’t try to save a couple bucks here by

buying o il less than pe rfect fo r your ride.

W hethe r to use p e tro le um -b ase d o r syn th e tic o il isj

anothe r po in t o f debate . On th is question , you can ’t go

w ro ng w ith w ha t yo u r b ike m an ufa ctu re r recom m ends.

S yn the tics generally perform better, bu t e ith er typ e th a t

is com p atib le w ith you r engine w ill w o rk fine. M aintaining

clean o il and filte r and proper o il level is m ore im portant;

than th is decis ion , if bo th are approved fo r you r engine.

The limited space on some cruisers often

leaves little room for removing a filter by hand.


http://www.earth911

■: j can’t remove a drain plug without getting oil on your hand. Be smart

=nd wear a latex glove, which is cheap, disposable, and doesn’t leave

лиг hand filthy and raw.

M os t resources recom m end w arm ing up th e engine

oe fo re you d ra in th e o il. B e fo re d o in g th a t, m ake sure

you can loosen you r o il filte r so you do n ’t burn you r fin

gers fig h tin g w ith it once th e p ip es are ho t. If you ca n ’t

get to it, bu y an appropriate ly sized filte r w rench. N ovice

m echan ics sho u ld n ’t w orry abou t v io la ting a new b ike ’s

w arranty. Ju s t save you r rece ip ts and keep a reco rd o f

ttie da te and m ileage o f each change. Take you r tim e and

fo llo w these steps.

Park yo u r b ike on a level surface. W ear la tex g loves

du ring th e m essy pa rt o f th e o il change because used

m oto r o il is a carcinogen. It also prom otes unw anted fin

ge rprints and sta ins. Locate the dra in p lug on th e bottom

o f th e o il pan and care fu lly loosen it. I f th e plug g ives you

Lube the filter's О-ring with fresh oil to help it get a good seal with the

engine. Make sure the contact surface is clean, too.

tro u b le , b ra ce th e b ike so it d o e sn ’t ro ll o f f th e s ta nd

be fo re you give the w rench a yank o r resort to a breaker

bar. U se a socke t o r box-end w rench fo r a t ig h t b o lt so

you do n ’t s trip it.

E ither use a funnel to dra in th e o il d irec tly in to a con

ta in er fo r tran spo rt— like a gallon ju g —or fin d a dra in pan

w ith a po ur spo u t fo r th e sam e transfe r later. O nce the oil

has d ra in ed com p le te ly , m ove yo u r d ra in pan beneath

th e f i l te r an d re m o ve it. D o n ’t fo rg e t to p o u r o u t th e

rem ain ing o il fro m th e f i lte r in to th e ca tch pan. If you r

engine has an o il screen separa te from the o il filter, you

m a y ne ed to c lea n i t in so lv e n t. C h e ck y o u r fa c to ry

service m anual to m ake sure.

Using you r finger, w ip e a film o f fresh oil on th e filte r ’s

О-ring . P rio r to screw ing the filte r in to place, w ipe dow n

Oil pans are expensive and difficult to

replace or rethread. Use a torque wrench to

make the drain plug stay put without risking

stripped threads.

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the gasket’s con ta ct surface on th e engine and m ake sure

there is no g r it anyw here th a t m ig h t break th e O -rin g ’s

sea l. F o llow th e f ilte r m an u fa c tu re r’s spe c ifica tio n s fo r

tig h te n in g th e filte r. U se a new dra in p lu g washer, and

to rq ue it to the fa c to ry specification.

Fill th e engine w ith th e am oun t and typ e o f o il recom

m en de d in th e o w n e r ’s m an ua l. W ip e d o w n a ll th e

engine’s o ily surfaces so th ey do n ’t sm oke.

N ow it ’s tim e to ta ke th e b ike ba ck o u t o f ge ar and

s ta rt it up . W hen you f ir s t s ta rt y o u r engine, d o n ’t be

a larm ed if th e oil ligh t s tays on a little longe r than usual.

The filte r needs to fill w ith oil. Som e fu ssy rid ers crank

th e s ta rte r and kill the engine w hen it fires, repeating the

process un til th e o il ligh t shu ts o ff, in an e ffo rt to avoid

run n ing th e eng ine w h ile dry. O thers c ran k th e engine

w ith the kill sw itch o ff un til th e ligh t disappears. O nce the

engine reaches opera ting tem perature, shu t it dow n and

w a it a m in u te o r so be fo re ch e ck in g th e o il leve l. You

m ay need to add or sub trac t o il as necessary, s ince the

f i lte r h o ld s a fe w o u n ce s o f o il. C he ck fo r lea ks , and

you ’re done. Now, go fo r a ride.

If your bike has an oil screen, don't forget to check the screen for metal

shavings that might signal engine problems before you clean it with a

high-flash-point solvent.

SHAFT DRIVE HOUSING OIL CHECK/CHANGEUnlike chain or belt drives, which require occasional adjustment, shaft drives just need their lubricant changed as part of your bike’s long-term maintenance. For example, after the initial 600-mile fluid change, the periodic maintenance schedule fo r the Mean Streak shown here recommends the next change be at 24,000 miles. That doesn't mean you should forget the shaft drive until the next change. You should still inspect the housing for leaks and check the oil level at the bare minimum of every other engine oil change.

Checking the gear case oil level is pretty simple. Make sure your bike is straight up and down. Using a really big flathead screwdriver, remove the oil filler cap. The oil level should be at the bottom of the opening. If not, double check for leaks before topping off the hypoid-gear oil with the manufacturer’s recommended viscosity.

If you’re going to change the oil, take your bike fo r a ride to heat up the oil. Once your bike is level on a stand, remove

the fille r cap and drain plug. (You can store the used oil in the same container as your engine oil.) Clean up any oil spills that could end up on your tire to prevent bad things from happening. Install a fresh drain plug gasket and torque the plug to spec. Fill the gear case to the bottom of the filler with the manufacturer’s recommended viscosity oil. Close the filler. After your next ride, check for leaks.


TIM E : 1/2 to 1 h o u r

Project 18

Change Itansmission and Primary Fluids in Your Harley- Davidson

T O O L S : S e e th e s p e c ific item s listed b elow

T A L E N T : 1

P A R TS : P r im a ry in s p ectio n g a s k e t, drainplug w a s h e r o r О -r in g , and Teflon se a la n t (as req u ired )

T IP : Som e Big Tw in s have an exha ust piperight in the w a y of th e tra n n y drain plug; you m ay be able to w o rk around it b y m odifying the drain plug rem oval tool so that you needn’t rem ove the exhaust; ju s t loosen it a b it and s n e a k in

B E N E F IT : Added longevity fo r the prim a ry chain and the gears in the box; clean fluid actually adds to the shift quality. Changing often is the best w a y to get another 100,000 miles out o f a tran ny that already had its f irs t 100,000 w h e n you bought it

C O M P L E M E N TA R Y M O D IFIC A TIO N :

C o n v e rt to sy n th e tic oil

Mo s t fo re ig n m o to rc y c le s use on e o il fo r e ve ry

th in g —m ulti-g rade m oto rcyc le oil fo r no t on ly the

engine b u t th e tran sm iss io n , c lu tch , and an yth ing else

th ey ’ve go t s tu ffed in there. B ig Twins use th ree k inds o f

o il: (1) m o to rc y c le e n g in e o il s p e c ia lly fo rm u la te d fo r

roller-bearing engines; (2) gear o il w ith ad d itive s to bo l

s te r its film s trength; and (3) p rim ary lube, w hich has tw o

jo b s — keeping th e c lu tch m ois t and happy and th e p ri

m ary soaked and rust free. S portste rs ge t th e m oto rcycle

o il, sam e as th e B ig Twins, bu t s ince XLs are so-ca lle d

un it construction (the sam e cases hold engine and gear

bits), the trans and the c lu tch share oil.

O rig ina lly th ese th re e o ils w ere d iffe ren t in spe c as

w e ll as p u rp o s e . B u t H a rle y -D a v id so n ch a n g e d th a t

approach a fe w years ago. Now, H-D says it’s OK to run

one oil in eve ry th in g—as long as it ’s th e ir ow n, namely,

Syn 3. Believing in th e superio rity o f syn the tics is no t the

sam e as b e lie v in g in one f lu id f i ts a ll. T h e fa c to ry ’s

reversal on th is issue seem s a m atter o f m arketing m ore

th an en g inee ring . So, de c id e w he the r yo u ’ ll s tic k w ith

trad itional oils, sw itch to syn the tics fo r each purpose, o r

run th e fa c to ry ’s cure-a ll. Then begin.

Changing Transmission Oil on a Big Twin

To begin, you ’ll need th e fo llow ing :

• 1 /2 qu a rt o f transm ission lube (check you r manual)

• 3 /8 -inch A llen w rench (for rem oving th e fille r plug)

• 3 /1 6 -in c h A lle n w re n ch fo r th e d ra in p lu g on

early m odels

• No. T-40 Torx fo r dra in p lugs on late m odels

• D um p conta iner

• Rags

Since there ’s little rocke t science invo lved in th is , use

the procedures in you r shop m anual. One th ing th a t’s no t

cove red th e re is exhaust p ip e in te rfe rence. On several

m odels th e s to ck p ipe inh ib its access to the dra in plug.

A fterm arket p ipes can crea te th is problem on any m odel.

You can e ith e r loosen th e p ip e eve ry tim e you change

gearbox flu id , use a tu rkey baste r o r s im ilar suction tool

to su ck the flu id ou t th e fille r hole, o r braze the АПепЯогх

b it you need fo r rem oval on to a sm all sw ivel socke t, add

an ex ten s io n to th e ra tch e t, and try to sneak pa s t the

p ipe w ith that.

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Sportsters use the same fluid for both transmission and primary lubrication.

Changing, as per the manual, is pretty much a snap. Big Twins, all else

equal, are not as easy. Softails and pre-1993 FLTs and FXRs often have

an exhaust pipe right in front of the little drain plug at the bottom of the

tranny end cover. You can loosen and swing the pipe away, or remove it,

as shown in this photo, or make up a special tool to snake around the

pipe. A wobbler extension, with the appropriate Allen orTorx bit brazed

onto an old socket, will usually do the trick. Some folks also use a Mity-

Vac with a small-diameter hose stuck down the filler hole to suck the

gear oil out. This is not the most effective way to get the last drop, but

since most contaminants in the gearbox wind up in the bottom of the

box, this method will work once in awhile. Sooner or later, however, you'll

have to do it right.

Big Twin Prim ary Lube Change

Begin with:

• 1 -2 quarts o f prim ary chaincase lube (check your

manual)

• No. T-27 Torx to rem ove the inspection cover screws

(late models)

• 5 /3 2 -in c h A llen to rem ove th e in sp e c tio n co ve r

screw s (early models)

• Derby cover О-ring (No. 25416-84)—jus t in case

• 3/16-inch Allen w rench fo r early-m odel dra in plugs

• No. T-40 Torx wrench, fo r late-m odel dra in plugs

• In sp e c tio n g a s k e t N o. 60 5 6 7 -9 0 A (long prim ary,

ova l-shaped) o r N o. 34 90 6-8 5A (short prim ary, D-

shaped). Long prim ary m odels include Softa ils and

Dynas; short prim ary m odels are used on FLT/FXRs


Som e prim ary dra in p lugs are loca ted in the inner pri

m ary ho us in g (such as 19 84 -19 85 FLTs), b u t m o s t are

identica l to th e tran ny dra in plug in appearance and are

located in the low est part o f the outer prim ary cover. The

shop manual te lls you where yours is and how to dra in the

flu id bu t no t w ha t to do if the plug decides to strip out. If

yours w on ’t com e out, try a heat gun on the surrounding

This is the infamous No. 739A drain plug. It's used for both the tranny

drain and the primary drain on most Big Twins, and it’s been through a

couple of changes over the years. The early plug has an Allen head, and

frankly, the magnetic tip had a tendency to come loose, sometimes

falling into the motor. Second, the plug is a fine thread going into alu

minum, therefore, a prime candidate for getting stuck in its hole or strip

ping out. It's a fine plan to have at least one new one of these on hand

during fluid changes. The latest version is a Torx head, with a secure

magnet and Teflon on the threads so finger-tight and half a twist will

keep it secure and hassle-free.

Filling the transmission requires a small funnel and a little patience. Big

Twins with five-speed boxes take exactly 1 pint (16 ounces) to fill (if

completely drained). Four-speed Big Twins and Sportsters with four

gears take 1 1/2 pints (24 ounces). Five-speed XLs use a full quart (32

ounces) of gear lube, but tradition has it that you simply hold a four-

speed Sporty straight up and fill until oil runs out the check screw on the

primary. (That’s the one about a third of the way up, with a fiber washer

under a Phillips head.)

aluminum first, then an Easy-Out; lastly rem ove the whole

prim ary cover and back th e plug ou t from the inside w ith a

pair o f V ise-Grips on the m agnetic tip , o r a drill. Go easy.

O lder dra in plugs can have loose m agnets as it is, so plan

on replacing the who le plug once you’ve foug h t it out.

T he fa c to ry has changed th e ir m ind a fe w tim es over

th e years as to exa ctly ho w m uch flu id you need in the


Primary fluid is easily drained on all models. Just keep that extra No.

~39A plug handy and check for metallic fuzz on the original. Those mag

nets help prevent a lot of potential mischief in there, so the least you can

do is help out with thorough cleaning during changes. Watching drain

plug fuzz may not be an Olympic sport anytime soon, but it's the best

early warning system on the engine. A certain amount of growth is

normal, but if the plug goes from a little fuzz to long hair between routine

changes, you need to unbutton the primary case for a close inspection.

orim ary. K eep in m in d, how ever, th a t th e o b je c t o f th e

exercise is to keep the chain w et, no t to see if your derby

О-ring w ill leak. Long prim aries typ ica lly use 1 1/2 quarts,

short ones 1 quart. C heck you r manual o r ask you r dealer

i f in doubt.

Note: Early FXRs and FLTs m ay have a 7/8-inch tranny

drain plug and a 13/16-inch o il dra in plug. D ouble-check

before you d ig in to it.

Sportster Transm ission/Prim ary Fluid Change

Begin w ith:

• 1 quart o f Sport-Trans Fluid

• No. T-27 Torx to rem ove th e inspection cove r screws

on 1994 and later five-speed models

• Ph illips screw driver to rem ove th e ch e ck screw on

four-speed and early five-speed m odels

• 3/4-inch socket o r wrench to rem ove the dra in plug

• N ew О -rin g (No. 11105) fo r th e d ra in p lu g —ju s t

in case


• Rags

Until 1994, th e co rrec t level o f tran sm iss io n /p rim ary

fluid in Sportste rs w as determ ined b y filling slow ly until it

ran ou t th e level screw hole in the primary. N ice and sim ple

if the bike w as sitting straight up. W hen the Sportster finally

go t its f irs t de rby cove r in 1994, th e p ro cess sud de n ly

resem b led th a t used on B ig Tw ins. For th is se tup , you

The debate rages over exactly how much fluid goes into a Big Twin pri

mary. Even your service manual might be in error on the subject. The

factory has changed its mind a couple of times, and there are service

bulletins to prove it. From 1990-on, long primaries (Dynas and Softails)

are fine with 32 ounces (1 quart), while short primary models (FLTs and

FXRs) call for 38 to 44 ounces. The 1984 to 1989 models typically use

1 1/2 quarts, regardless of primary length. The key is to keep the primary

chain wet without drowning the clutch, and you can vary things as much

as 6 to 8 ounces without making much difference. You can check with

the dealer for any specific deviations peculiar to your bike. Clean fluid

makes as much difference as the amount, so change it regularly,

checking to ensure that the derby cover is flat and marked so it goes

back on exactly as it came off. Even a new derby О-ring won't seal a

warped cover.

need p re c ise ly a p in t and a h a lf in a fo u r-s p e e d and

exactly a qu a rt in a five-speed, no m atter w hich w ay it ’s

insta lled and checked (as long as it doesn’t leak).

FLT’s and Dyna's gear oil drains from a sump plug. The tip here is that

once the plug is loosened with a socket, unscrew it by hand while

keeping a slight upward pressure on this vertical plug. That way you

don't get hot oil all over your hands as you snatch the plug away to drain

the gear oil. Of course, you could always wear gloves.


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Project IS

Adjust Intake and Exhaust Valves

Sock ets, A llen so ck ets, ratch et, to rq u e w re n c h ( foo t-p o un ds and inch - pounds), w re n c h e s , c o n ta ct cle aner, g a s ke t sea ler rags, oil c a tch pan, feeler g a u g e, m icrom eter, m agnet, h e a vy-g a u g e w ire o r large zip -tie , paper tape

R ep la ce m e n t sh im s (if n eeded), v a lv e c o v e r g a s k e t, cam te n - s io n e r g a s k e t (if rem o ve d ), m o lyb d e n u m d isu lfide g rea se

J w a y s r e c h e c k the dlea ra n ce a fte r insta llin g n e w s h im s

B E N E F IT : P ro p e r e n g in e b rea th ing

C O M P L E M E N TA R YM O D IFIC A TIO N :

A lte r cam tim in g f o r m ore po w e r, rep la ce sp a rk plu g s, c h a n g e coolant

V alve ad justm ent is one o f the m ost tim e-consum ing

ro u tin e m a in te n a n ce ite m s . F o rtu n a te ly , cu rre n t

spo rtb ikes o ffe r long ad justm ent intervals. For exam ple,

th e va lve a d ju s tm e n t m a in ten an ce in te rva l fo r a 2000

Z X -6 R is 1 2 ,0 00 m ile s . O th e r m o to rcyc le s can g o as

lo n g as 2 6 ,0 0 0 m ile s . O ld e r b ik e s w ith s c re w -a n d -

lockn u t ad juste rs m ay need th e w o rk as o ften as every

6,000 m iles.

Fortunately, m os t b ikes now use som e kind o f sh im -

a n d -b ucke t arrangem ent, so th a t th e cam lobe can act

m ore o r less d irec tly on th e valve itse lf, rather than using

a p ivo ted fing e r th a t cou ld exe rt s ide fo rces on th e valve

and w ear it ou t. O f course, D ucati goes its ow n w ay by

us in g th e d e sm o d ro m ic sys te m , w h ic h m e ch a n ica lly

o p e n s and c lo s e s th e va lve s w ith ro cke rs . O ve r tim e

valves w ea r and need to be ad jus te d —properly. W hen

c le a ra n ce s a re to o t ig h t, th e y m ig h t n o t c lo s e c o m

p le te ly; w hen th e y ’re to o loose, th e valve m ay no t open

com p le te ly . E ither co n d itio n p roduces p o w er loss, and

excessive looseness can produce o the r dam age.

A d ju s tin g y o u r va lves w ill ta k e th e b e tte r pa rt o f

day. Begin w ith th e engine co ld . You need to gain acces

to th e to p o f th e cy lind e r head, so anyth ing th a t coulc

ge t in th e w ay needs to be rem oved. On m any bikes, yot

m ay need to rem ove th e rad ia to r. If th e co o la n t is sti

good , s to re it in a p lace w here it w on ’t p ick up any d irt

and reuse it. S in ce you m us t rem ove th e sp a rk p lugs

ch e ck them to o . Label all e le c trica l con ne c to rs or take

d ig ita l photos o f th e pa rts as th ey com e off. M easure thi

clearance o f each valve, and w rite it dow n. Then loosei

and rem ove th e valve cove r bo lts in a crisscross pattern

and rem ove th e cove r. You w ill a lso p ro b a b ly have ta

rem ove th e co ve r p ro v id in g a cce ss to th e c ran ksha ft

and po ss ib ly on e m ore to see tim in g marks.

Loosening th e cam shaft caps safe ly requires th a t you

w o rk in a c r is sc ro ss pa tte rn m ov ing from th e ou ts ide

caps to th ose in th e cen te r o f th e engine. A s an precau

tion , loosen th e ca p bo lts in stages. (Loosen them all one

tu rn and then repeat w ith one to tw o tu rn s in sequence

until the bo lts com e out.) Som e o f the cam lobes w ill


With the gearbox in neutral, use a breaker bar to

rotate the crank in the direction specified by

your service manual. Always turn the engine in

the proper direction to avoid potential internal

damage. When you reach the timing mark indi

cated (there may be more than one) by your

service manual, visually inspect the cam lobes

on the cylinder you’re measuring. Depending on

your bike, you may be measuring the clearances

for one cylinder, or multiple ones. Also, some

manufacturers give you multiple timing marks

to use for valve adjustment, while others will

give you one and expect you to calculate crank

shaft rotation for the remainder of the cylinders.

pressing against th e valves, so the cam w ill tend to pop up

as th e caps are loosened. If you let one s ide g e t higher

than another, you risk tw eaking a cam o r cap. To prevent

having a cap b o lt o r reta ining pin fa ll in to th e cam chain

tunnel, s tu ff a clean rag in to the tunnel. W hen you lift the

caps free, the dow el pins m ay stay in either the head or the

cap. Remove all the pins and se t them aside w ith the bolts.

Lay the caps on a clean rag in the sam e orientation as they

w ere on th e head fo r ease in reassem bly . T em porarily

rem ove th e rag and lif t th e cam s free . A fte r you se t the

cam s aside, secure the chain w ith a piece o f w ire to keep it

from falling inside the engine. Replace the rag so you don ’t

accidentally drop a valve shim into the bottom end.

O nce yo u ’ve w ritten dow n all th e ad justm ents , take

you r sheet to you r loca l shop to buy shim s. Those who

are pa rticu la rly anal m ay w an t to ta ke a m ic ro m e te r to

th e s h o p to v e r ify sh im s izes b e fo re ta k in g th e p a rts

ho m e. E ith e r w ay, d o n ’t b e lie ve th e nu m b e rs on th e

sh im s. A lw ays do u b le -ch e ck th e sizes be fo re insta lling

them in th e engine.

When you’re measuring the valve clearance,

you’ll want to do it on the compression stroke

when the intake and exhaust cam lobes on the

cylinder you're checking are pointing away

from each other. However, some engines will

have you measure more than one cylinder at a

time for a given cam position. When checking

clearance with a thickness gauge, you want to

be able to feel the gauge contact both the

bucket and cam at the same time. If you can’t,

try the next larger size until you do. What you

want to feel is the metal of the feeler sliding

between the parts as if you were sliding it in

and out of a heavy book. If you feel more fric

tion than that, or can’t get the feeler in the

space, try a smaller size until you do. Record

the measurement even if it is within toler

ances. Drawing a grid pattern that represents

the valve and cylinder locations will make tracking which valve shims you need to change easier. Also, if you keep the chart, you’ll have a record for the

next time you adjust your valves. Once you've measured all of the clearances, you know whether you need to proceed. If even one valve measures out

of spec, you’ve got some work ahead of you.

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To ease reassembly of the top end, mark the ci

before you remove anything.

i sprockets and chain

W hen a ll th e ne w sh im s ha ve be en in s ta lle d , you

need to reinsta ll th e cam s. Using m oly grease, lub rica te

a ll c a m sh a ft be a ring s , jo u rn a ls , an d lobes. V e rify th a t

th e c ranksha ft is s till a ligned w ith its tim ing m ark. Install

th e exhaust cam firs t b y pulling th e tim in g cha in on the

exh au st s ide tig h t. S lip th e exh au st cam sp ro cke t in to

th e cha in so th a t th e tim in g m ark on th e spro cke t aligns

w ith th e ed ge o f th e cy lin d e r head . W h ile h o ld in g the

c h a in ta u t fro m th e e x h a u s t cam to th e in ta k e s id e ,

in s ta ll th e in ta k e ca m w ith th e t im in g m a rk p ro p e rly

a lig n e d . T e m p o ra rily p la c e a rag in th e tim in g -c h a in

tu n n e l. In se rt a ll o f th e do w e l p in s in th e head. W hen

m ounting th e cam sh a ft cap s, m ake sure th a t you have

th em in th e p ro p e r po s itio n and in co rre c t orien ta tion .

On bikes that use a shim-under-bucket arrangement, like most sport-

bikes, you need to remove the cams to gain access to the shims. Just

work slowly and methodically with your factory service manual out

lining any specific tricks for your model bike. Generally, the manual

w ill tell you to line up a timing mark to ease reinstalling the cams. If

you’re planning to replace or change the timing of the camshaft

sprockets, you’ll want to loosen their bolts prior to taking them out of

the engine— it’s a lot easier that way, because cams can be slippery

and you can’t put them in a vise. Otherwise, don’t worry about those

sprocket bolts. (If you have timed your cams and you loosen these

bolts, you’ll have to retime them. So, beware!) Next, remove the cam

chain tensioner. Make sure the gasket comes off, because you’ll be

installing a new one—unless it uses an

О-ring. Some engines require that one or more chain guides be

removed. If you can't access the gap between the cam and the bucket

without bending a straight feeler, you may not be able to get an accu

rate reading. Try using an angled feeler.

To get a reading, slide the feeler gauge

between the cam and the bucket. You want to

feel about the amount of friction you would

experience sliding the gauge in and out of a

heavy book. Note how this feeler had to be

trimmed to fit in the small space.


Renaming the cams to access the buckets and shims requires close atten-

eb to detail. Working with one valve at a time, remove the bucket for each

-_i-of-tolerance valve. Getting the shim out of its home may require a

nscnet Next, measure the shim with a caliper. Now, return the parts to

esSon to avoid mixing them up with other valves pieces. If the valve

raraice is too tight, subtract the measured clearance from recom-

•saided clearance. Take this number and subtract it from the shim meas-

.Tnent to discover what shim size will be required to bring the clearance

■inn tolerances. (For the too-loose scenario, reverse the first equation,

-=r add the result to the shim measurement.) Write down this result in the

zcnoriate box on the chart. If you're afraid of math or if you simply want

г your calculations, most factory service manuals have a chart that

^■■s you to determine what shim you need.

They w ill be labeled in a m anner described in th e service

manual. D on’t fo rget to install any chain guides you had to

remove. Install the tim ing chain tensioner per the m anufac

tu re r’s ins tru ction s. Again, tigh te n th e cam cap bo lts in

steps, w orking from the center o f the engine outward in a

crisscross pattern. Finish by to rquing the bo lts dow n in the

sam e pattern.

R ota te th e c ran ksha ft un til its tim in g m arks line up.

N ow verify th a t th e m arks on th e cam sp ro cke ts are in

a lignm ent w ith the edge o f the head. If they do n ’t line up

exactly, try skipp ing a to o th on the tensioner side. If th a t

doesn’t w ork, rem ove and reinstall th e cam . Once you ’ve

ch e cke d th e tim in g , you need to rem easure th e va lve

clearance on th e valves th a t have new shim s. The clear

ance should be pe rfect. If no t, disassem ble the to p end

again and remeasure the shim s to be certa in you have the

r ig h t size. W hen you have the clearances right, you can

b u tto n up th e engine, rem ount a ll th e pa rts you had to

rem ove, and go rid e w ith confidence.

Don't trust the numbers printed on top of the

shim. Always verify thickness by measuring it

with a caliper. Kawasaki ZX-7 shims range from

2.50 to 3.50 mm in increments of 0.05 mm

(approximately 0.002 inch). Yamaha’s R6 shim

sizes range from 1.20 to 2.40 mm in 0.05-mm

increments. So, it is likely that no single shim will

result in the optimum clearance. In those situa

tions, choose the shim that will net the next-

closest clearance. When installing the new shim

in the bucket, put the side with the printed num

bers on it facing up against the bucket. Lube the

shim with molybdenum grease before inserting it.

Coat the outside of the bucket with oil prior to

reinstalling it in the head. The bucket should turn

smoothly by hand once inserted. If not, remove it

and add more lubricant.

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Chapter 4

Electrical System

H ow it W orksThe BatteryA lte rn ator and Charging System S tarting System

ProjectsP ro je c t 2 0 : H ead ligh tTurn -S igna l

R ep lacem ent and Ad justm ent

P ro je c t 2 1 : Service Your Batte ry P ro je c t 2 2 : Spark P lug C heck and

Replacem ent

KEY CONCEPT

OLD SCHOOL TECH /)& Q MAINTENANCE TIP

TOMORROW'S TECH MONEY-SAVING TIP

A w ag once said, “ E lectricity is m agic, and ‘carburetor’

is a French w ord fo r ‘ D on’t mess w ith it!” ’ We dealt

w ith th e carburetor portion o f th a t qu ip in C hapter 2. Now,

le t’s see if w e can m ake a m otorcycle ’s e lectrica l system

seem a b it less like part o f David C opperfie ld’s routine.

THE BATTERYAttem pting to eschew all possible current puns, le t’s sim ply

say th a t although m otorcycle batteries are rated a t a nom

ina l 12 vo lts , in tru th th e vo lta ge a t th e p o s ts o f a fu lly

charged ba tte ry should be 12.66 vo lts a t room tem pera

ture, the sum o f six individual cells each rated a t 2.11 volts.

This vo lta ge is crea ted chem ica lly inside th e ba tte ry

w hen th e liqu id e le c tro ly te —su lfu r ic ac id and (d istilled)

w a te r—w ashes over th e lead pla tes in each cell. W hen it

is ne w an d fu lly c h a rg e d , a b a tte ry can p ro d u c e fu ll

v o lta g e an d m a x im u m a m p e ra g e —th e cu rre n t, o r

volum e, o f e le c tric ity th e ba tte ry can de liver on dem and.

As th e ba tte ry ages o r is d isch a rge d , its fu lly cha rged

vo ltage can fa ll, and its am perage ou tp u t w ill d ro p un til it

w ill no longe r s ta rt you r m otorcycle .

B a tte ry M aintenance

A . Tak ing ca re o f y o u r b a tte ry is n ’t p a r tic u -

Л 2 5 & la r ly d if f ic u lt , b u t th e re is so m e danger.

R em em ber, b a tte rie s are fille d w ith (d ilu te d ) s u l

fu ric a c id —no t som eth ing you ever w an t to com e

in to p h y s ic a l c o n ta c t w ith . S o , re m e m b e r th e

sa fe ty precau tions o f w earing g loves and eye pro

te c tio n , every tim e.

C heck, clean, an d re tigh ten ba tte ry cab les

a n d c o n n e c tio n s tw ic e a yea r. W ip e o r

b ru s h o f f a n y d ir t , g re a se , o r c o r ro s io n from

a ro u n d th e te rm in a ls , m a k in g su re n o n e o f th e

w h ite c ru d en ds up on som e th in g th a t can rust.

A n d here’s a qu a lity tip : Rem ove th e batte ry, then

po u r a sm all am o un t o f sugar-free d ie t s o ft d rink

on each te rm ina l. The ca rb on a tio n and a c id ity o f

d ie t po p do es a pre tty go od jo b o f w ash ing aw ay th e b u ildu p o f corros ion .

Physically check th e tigh tness o f th e ba tte ry connec

tio n s w ith y o u r g lo v e d ha nd . If th e y ’ re a t a ll loo se ,

rem ove, clean, and reconnect securely. You m ig ht w ant

to add a ba tte ry corros ion preventive to each te rm ina l to

prevent o r s low any fu ture corrosion.

If the ba tte ry has rem ovable cell covers, p ry them up

o r unscrew them and v isua lly insp ec t th e leve l o f each

c e ll ’s e le c tro ly te . G lo ve s and eye p ro te c t io n are

a b so lu te ly m an da to ry fo r th is , as yo u ’ re exp os in g the

e le c tro ly te /su lfu ric ac id . The b a tte ry sho u ld be as fu lly

charged as poss ib le w hen you m ake th is inspection; o th

e rw ise th e e lectro lyte level can be low due to the s ta te of


: s r ia rg e . F illing th e ce lls w h ile th e ba tte ry is s ig n ifi-

Z2 .-3у discharged can fo rce excess e lectro lyte ou t o f the

e n t tu be as th e ba tte ry is recharged.

ff th e to p o f th e pla tes are exposed in any o f th e cells,

xz з d is tilled w a te r w ith a sm all tu rke y -b a s te r to o l, jus t

a r ju g h to co v e r th e to p s o f th e p la te s . R e p la ce th e

: : ,e rs, an d d o n ’t fo rg e t to w ip e th e b a tte ry c lea n to

= n o v e any ac id th a t m ig h t have splashed o r accu m u-

a :=d on th e to p o f th e ba tte ry . U se pa p e r to w e ls and

t t 3w them directly in to th e trash afterw ard.

T he se co n d im p o rta n t a s p e c t o f ba tte ry

m a in te n a n c e is to m ake su re th e a lte r

nator, vo lta ge regulator, and cha rg ing system are

in go od order. M o to rcyc le ba tte rie s are de s ign ed

to spend m os t o f th e ir life fu lly charged, and d o n ’t

like to be less th an rou gh ly 90 pe rcen t charged fo r

any s ig n ific a n t len g th o f tim e . P rop e r fu n c tio n o f

th e c h a rg in g s ys te m en su re s th a t. It ke e p s th e

b a tte ry to p p e d up an d re a d y to d e liv e r fu ll

am perage th e ne x t tim e you s ta rt th e engine.

If you are go ing to s to re th e b ike fo r a sig

n ifica n t am o un t o f tim e , o r are one o f the

lucky m oto rcyc lis ts w ith m ore m ach inery than you

can ride, here’s a ho t tip . Buy a ba tte ry tender and

h o o k it up to y o u r in e rt m o to rc y c le s . T h is lit t le

device w ill regularly charge th e ba tte ry and keep it

fresh. If you sto re a m oto rcycle fo r m onths at a tim e

and don ’t do th is , you w ill be rep lacing ba tte ries on

a re g u la r ba s is . You ca n f in d b a tte ry te n d e rs a t

yo u r loca l m o to rcyc le dealer.

ALTERNATOR AND CHARGING SYSTEMS o , h o w d o e s th a t b a tte ry s ta y c h a rg e d ? H eck , th e

ba tte ry n a tu ra lly d isch a rge s (1 /10 0 v o lt p e r day), and

w arm w e a th e r s im p ly w o rse n s th a t t r a it (the b a tte ry

d is c h a rg e s tw ic e a s fa s t fo r e v e ry 18 d e g re e

F a h re n h e it r is e in te m p e ra tu re ) . L e ft u n to u c h e d in

w arm w eather, yo u r ba tte ry w ou ld becom e 100 pe rcen t

d ischarged in s h o rt order. T he re needs to be som e w ay

to re ch a rge th e b a tte ry w ith th e e n g in e run n ing . And

th e re is —th e a lte rna tor.

A lte rn a to rs are genera lly sm all, lig h t, and q u ite e ffi

c ie n t. H ow ever, th e y p ro d u ce a lte rn a tin g cu rren t (AC)

ra th e r th a n d ire c t c u r re n t (D C )—a n d D C is w h a t

po w ers yo u r b ike ’s e le c trica l system .

N o p ro b le m . D io d e s and re c tif ie rs a llo w o n ly DC

c u rre n t fro m th e un it, and th e v o lta g e reg u la to r tu rn s

th e cu rren t on and o ff fa s t enough to keep th e charging

v o lta ge in th e p ro pe r 12 - to 15 -vo lt range fo r a 12 -vo lt

s ystem . In o rd e r to ac tua lly recharge th e b a tte ry (tha t is,

che m ica lly reverse th e d isch a rge process), th e charging

system m ust p roduce vo lta ge ab ou t 2 vo lts h ighe r than

th e ba tte ry ’s rou gh ly 12.5 vo lts . S uch h ig he r vo lta ge (or

pressure) fo rce s am perage ba ck in to th e batte ry, so to

speak, reve rs ing th e che m ica l rea c tion and recharging

th e battery.

T h e v o lta g e re g u la to r d o e s e x a c tly w h a t its nam e

d e scrib es . A v o lta g e reg u la to r fa ilu re can e ith e r a llo w

th e ba tte ry to p ro gress ive ly d isch arge as th e veh ic le is

opera ted , o r ac tua lly ove rcha rge and kill th e ba tte ry by

s up p ly in g an ove rly h igh , unregu la ted vo ltage , du e to a

c om p on en t fa ilu re in th e regulator.

Easy Test fo r Your C ha rg ing System

Is th e re a q u ic k D IY ch a rg in g sys te m te s t? You be t.

Y o u r h a n d y d ig ita l v o ltm e te r can

c h e c k th e b a tte ry v o lta g e b e fo re

th e e n g in e is eve n s ta rte d , as

d e s c r ib e d e a rlie r. T he n g e t th e

engine s ta rted if you ca n —rep lace

m en t ba tte ry , recharged ba tte ry, o r

ju m p s ta rt—and recheck vo lta ge a t

th e batte ry. Your m ete r shou ld read

be tw ee n a b o u t 13 .5 an d 15 v o lts ,

ind ica tin g th a t th e cha rg ing system

is try in g to recharge th e batte ry. If it

s ta ys in th a t 12 -v o lt range and does

no t m ove as th e engine s ta rts , well,

y o u b e tte r h e a d fo r y o u r lo c a l

deale r w h ile th e y ’re s till open.

I6MT10Jlew m ou


STARTING SYSTEMYour b ik e ’s s ta rt in g sys te m is pe r

haps its s im p les t e le c trica l system ,

bu t th e m ost im portant, o f course. It

c o n s is ts o f s w itc h e s , w ir in g , and

connections th a t opera te a pow erfu l

s ta rte r m o to r th a t e n ga ge s and

spins th e engine a t 200 to 300 rpm

to ge t it sta rted .

: fjj7 W hen th e key is turned

to the ON position, and

you press th e starter bu tton, an

electrica l signal gets sent to the

s ta rte r relay, a n d /o r so le no id ,

w h ich e le c tr ica lly sw itch e s on

th e s ta rte r m o to r and m echani

ca lly engages th e s ta rte r drive

gear. T he s ta rte r relay, o r so le

noid, is basically a large e lectrom agnetic sw itch that

connects the battery to the starter motor. If the ba t

te ry is strong, if the connections are clean and solid,

if the engine is in tune, if the phases o f the moon are

aligned, then hopefu lly your engine w ill fire righ t up.

L e t There B e Spark

A s tro n g ba tte ry an d so lid s ta rte r m o to r can sp in th e

en g in e o v e r a ll d a y (w e ll, n o t a ll d a y b u t p le n ty lon g

enough), if th e ign ition system is supp ly in g and d is tr ib

u tin g th e p ro pe r spa rk to each cy linder a t prec ise ly the

r ig h t tim e.

The s im p lest ba tte ry-pow ered ign itions feature a ba t

te ry to supp ly the basic curren t, con ta c t po in ts (and con

denser, to bu ffe r the vo ltage so the po in ts don ’t m elt) to

en e rg ize an e le c tr ica l c o il th a t p ro d u ce s a ve ry h ig h -

vo lta g e sp a rk , in d iv id u a l sp a rk p lu g w ire s , and spa rk

p lugs to de liver th a t spark in to the com bustion cham ber

to ign ite th e air/fuel m ixture.

The Ig n ition C o il

Th e ig n it io n c o il is an e le g a n tly s im p le

d e v ic e . B a tte ry v o lta g e is su p p lie d to a

t ig h tly w ou nd c o il o f w ire th a t su rrou nd s an iron

core . T h is m agne tizes th e core . W hen th e curren t

running th ro ug h th e co il is s to pp ed suddenly, th e

m a g n e tic f ie ld a ro un d th e co re c o lla p se s and a

surge o f e le c trica l energy is d irec ted th ro u g h the

p lug w ire to th e spa rk p lug. Th is e le c trica l energy

ju m p s across an a ir ga p betw een tw o e lectrodes

a t th e t ip o f th e s p a rk p lu g to p ro d u c e a b r ig h t

blue arc, o r spark, w h ich ligh ts th e fire in the com

bustion cham ber. It’s th e sam e basic princ ip le as in

d ire c t ign ition (Dl) o r co il-o n -p lu g (COP) ign itions,

w here there are separa te co ils fo r each spark plug.

For th e engine to actua lly run, th e co il m ust do its

jo b h u n d re d s o f t im e s a se co n d —s o m e th in g

uniquely suited to bo th Dl and COP system s.

C an yo u se e w h y a tu n e -u p w a s so

essentia l fo r so m any years? E ither a fresh

se t o f po in ts /condense r, o r a t least an ad justm ent

o f th e a ir ga p on th e p o in ts to ensure th e co rrec t

rise tim e —th e am o un t o f tim e cu rren t flow e d into

th e co il to bu ild th e m ag ne tic f ie ld —fo r th e co il,

h e lp e d m a ke c e rta in th e e n g in e ran sm o o th ly ,

c lea n ly and effic iently.

E le ctro n ic C on tro l M odules

In th e 1980s m o to rcyc le m anufactu re rs a lm os t univer

sally rep laced po in ts-and -condenser ign itions w ith elec

tron ic com ponen ts , such as m agne tic p icku p co ils and

e lectron ic ign ition m odules. Ignition tim in g and contro l is

n o w la rg e ly d o n e b y c o m p u te r, an d ju s t a s p re c ise ly

m apped as is fuel injection . These system s still use coils

to generate th e spark, bu t now th e y ’re m u ltip le co ils . In

som e cases, th e re ’s an ign ition co il fo r each cy linder,

o ften m ounted righ t on to p o f th e spark plug (COP).

The firs t m ajor advantage o f such system s should be

o b v io u s : no m o v in g p a rts . No p o in ts , no conde nse r,

n o th in g to w e a r o u t, bu rn aw ay, o r b re a k — no t

m ech an ica lly , anyw ay. A n d se co n d ly , be cau se o f th e


ELECTRIC AL S Y S T E M T R O U B L E S H O O T IN G


3 G N E WON'T Dead battery

Poor electrical connections

Mechanical problem of hydraulic lock

Recharge/replace battery

Clean and tighten battery connections, look for

loose wires

See Engine Troubleshooting Chart

=?*GJNE CRANKS,

3 L ft WON'T

Out o f gas Add fuel

ЗЛ Я Т Fuel pump fuse is bad Check/replace fuse

Fuel pump has failed Check fuel pressure. Pull fuel line from fuel rail;

turn key on/off and/or depress starter button.

You should see strong jet of fuel from the fuel

line. If not, and there’s merely a dribble of fuel,

there is no fuel pressure

WARNING: Keep all open flames away

from the area you do this test in as fuel

will be released into the air

Bad ignition switch, electronic control Check ignition, electronic control module, and

module, or fuse fuses. Replace any failed fuses

No spark Check for spark at spark plug while cranking

engine. If you see healthy blue spark on spark

plug, your engine is most likely not getting fuel.

See Fuel System Troubleshooting Chart

If no spark, check different spark plugs to ensure

problem is not with one isolated spark plug. If

only one plug lacks spark, check continuity of

plug wires from coil(s)

If several plugs are without spark, check all

fuses (see your owner’s manual). If fuses test

OK, take to dealership for diagnosis

3NE OR BOTH Headlight bulb burned out Check headlight bulbs and replace bulb(s) that-EADLIGHTS OUT have broken filament(s)

ЗОТН HEADLIGHTS

OUT

Headlight bulbs burned out, fuse failed Replace failed bulbs and/or fuses


ELECTRIC AL S Y S T E M T R O U B L E S H O O T IN G


NO HIGH/LOW

BEAMS

Loose connection in wiring harness Check high/low beam switch (if bike is so

equipped) and connector/harness

NO BRAKE LIGHT Faulty/misadjusted brake light switch Check brake light switch connections

Use jumper to connect wires together for test;

brake light should illuminate

Adjust brake light switch (at brake pedal). In

most cases, push switch up toward pedal

linkage, then step firmly on brake pedal

Bad connection in harness Check harness/connection to brake light

NO TURN SIGNALS

OR EMERGENCY

FLASHERS

Bad flasher unit Check flasher unit; try replacement

m ic ro p ro c e s s o r c o n tro l o f th e ig n it io n , e le c tro n ic

ign ition system s de liver m uch m ore precise and accurate

s p a rk tim in g fo r ea ch c y lin d e r u n d e r a ll o p e ra tin g

co n d itio n s . T oday ’s ig n itio n sys te m s no t o n ly pe rfo rm

lig h t-ye a rs b e tte r th a n th e ir p re de cesso rs , b u t are fa r

m ore d u ra b le and re lia b le , and req u ire m uch less

m a in te n a n ce . In deed , a ccu ra te sp a rk tim in g an d fu e l

contro l mean spark p lugs live m uch longer, and 20,000 to

50,000 m iles betw een replacem ents is no t uncom m on.

A lth o u g h so m e o f to d a y 's ig n it io n c o m p o n e n ts

have co m p le x nam es o r du ties , th e y are rea lly s im p le

d e v ice s th a t reco gn ize and id e n tify th e s p e c ific ro ta

tio n a l po s itio n o f th e eng ine in o rd e r to p ro v id e spa rk

t im in g in fo rm a tio n to th e ig n itio n m o d u le —th e lit t le

m ic ro p roce sso r th a t de c ide s e xa c tly w hen to sup p ly a

spa rk to each cylinder.


Project 20

Headlight/ Turn-Signal Replacement and Adjustment

TIM E : 30 m in u tes

TO O L S : S c re w d riv e r s , p o s sib ly s o ck e ts, c o n tin u ity tester, ta p e m e a su re , d ie lectric g re a s e , a w illin g a s sista n t

TA L E N T : 1

C O S T: $

PA R TS : H ea d ligh t o r tu rn -s ig n a l bulb(s)

T IP : A d ju stin g y o u r hea d ligh t fo r t h e load y o u ’ re c a r ry in g w ill ena ble y o u to a c tu a lly s e e w h e re yo u're g oin g a fte r dark

B E N EF IT: Yo u w ill m a k e y o u rs e lf m o re v is ib le to o th e r road u s e rs

A m oto rcyc le ’s head ligh t no t on ly allows you to see,

i t he lps o the rs to see y o u —even in da y ligh t. The

' 'o to rcyc le S a fe ty F oundation recom m ends th a t riders

_se th e high beam du ring day ligh t rid ing.

If you d isco ve r th a t you r he ad ligh t isn ’t w ork ing on

~gh o r low beam , check th a t th e bulb is properly seated in

15 plug. On som e b ikes you m ay have to rem ove body

work to ge t in there. W ith others you only need to peel o ff

r e de tachable rubbe r du s t seal. To check the bu lb, you

Don’t have to rem ove it com p le te ly un less you are con

d u c tin g a v isua l insp ec tio n . A bu lb th a t ap pe ars to be

normal m ay have an internal prob lem —w hich a continu ity

te s ter w ill reveal.

R em ove the plug to expose th e prongs on the back o f

th e bu lb . U sing a con tinu ity tester, p ress one e lectrode

on to tw o o f th e prongs ex ten d ing fro m th e ba ck o f the

bulb. Now, to uch th e other probe to one o f the remaining

prongs. Repeat w ith th e tw o o the r possib le pairings. If you

do n ’t ge t continu ity on a t least tw o pairs o f th e prongs, the

bu lb is bad. If you g e t con tinu ity on bo th filam en ts, you

Inspect the bulb’s connectors for signs of

moisture or corrosion. The tabs sticking out of

the side of this headlight bulb key it into the

proper position in the housing.H

EA

DLI

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T/TU

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AND

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TNote how the tester's probe is being held

against the side of this turn-signal bulb. This is

where it makes the negative contact with the

socket. The buttons on the bottom are the pos

itive contacts for the filaments. If the bulb is

OK, clean the contacts before reinstalling it.

m ay have a blown headlight fuse o r a sho rt som ewhere in

the electrical system. A lso check the plug fo r corrosion.

If you ne ed a ne w h e a d lig h t, be su re to re p la ce a

b low n bu lb w ith a s im ila r type . The bu lbs are keyed so

th a t th ey w ill on ly f i t in th e housing in the proper orien ta

tion . Avoid to uch in g the bu lb itse lf w ith you r bare fingers.

C he ck to m ake sure th e lig h t w o rks be fo re com p le te ly

assem bling th e housing. M ake sure th e rubber cove r is

snugly in p lace over the head ligh t housing.

The process o f check ing a dua l-filam en t bu lb, like a

fron t-tu rn -s ign a l o r b rake-ligh t bu lb, is a lm ost identica l to

th e h e a d lig h t. R em ove th e b u lb fro m th e tu rn -s ig n a l

sta lk. If you have troub le rem oving the bu lb, use a rag or

g loves to ge t a safer g rip on the glass. B u lbs th a t have

Turn-signal bulbs either pop out easily or they

take some elbow grease. If you find yourself j

exerting more than minimal effort, use a rag or

a pair of gloves to protect yourself from acci

dental bulb breakage. If the socket is corroded, .

a dab of dielectric grease will prevent the

parts from sticking in the future.

co rrod ed in to po s ition m ay break be fo re y o u ’re ab le to

rem ove them . If th is happens, a little W D -40 and needle-

nose plie rs w ill he lp. Then clean up the corrosion to get

good con ta c ts before fittin g th e new bulb.

Hold one probe o f the con tinu ity te s te r on th e outside

m eta l ed ge o f th e bu lb . N ow , c h e ck th e co n tin u ity on

each o f th e tw o little bu ttons on th e bo tto m o f the bulb.

Again, do n ’t tru s t a visual inspection unless it show s an

ob v iou s ly b lo w n filam en t. B e fo re you sc re w th e cove r

back on, che ck to be sure th e new bu lb works.

M any rid e rs never co n s id e r th e load a b ike carries

and its e ffe c t on th e he a d lig h t a im . Yes, th e he ad ligh t

an g le is se t a t th e fa c tory , b u t it is se t based on som e

a v e ra g e — th e a g e -o ld c o m p ro m is e . W h a t i f y o u ’ re


Make small adjustments to the headlight.

Sometimes the results are subtle, other times

they’re not.

-eav ie r than average o r yo u ’ve changed you r b ike ’s ride

-e g h t? W hat ab ou t th e fa c t th a t yo u ’ve ju s t strapped 65

i : jn d s o f gear to you r b ike fo r the annual p ilg rim age to

D aytona? You ow e it to you rse lf and th o se trave lin g in

—e o p p o s ite d ire c tio n to m ake su re y o u r h e a d lig h t is

г -op e rly ad jus te d . Your o w n er’s m anua l w ill sho w you

•n e re th e ad juste rs a re and ho w to ta ke th e m easure-

-e n ts . To accurate ly gauge you r head ligh t’s ad justm ent,

^ a k e sure you r b ike has the sam e load and suspension

settings under w h ich it w ill be opera ting .

M o to rcyc le s in th e U n ite d S ta tes sho u ld have th e ir

-ea d ligh t he igh t m easured a t a d is tance o f 25 fee t. W hile

sh in in g th e h e a d lig h t on a w a ll, ha ve y o u r a s s is ta n t

m easure fro m th e cen te r o f th e he ad ligh t beam to th e

gro un d w h ile th e b ike is loa de d. T he b r ig h te s t s p o t o f

th e high beam on the w all should be 2 inches be low the

m ea sured h e ig h t o f th e h e a d lig h t ce n te r. O f co u rse ,

seeing th is w ill be easier a t du sk o r a fte r da rk . U sing a

sc rew driver o r th e head ligh t’s ad juste r knobs, cen te r the

beam on th e a p p ro p ria te spo t. A d just th e second bu lb

on b ike s w ith tw o he ad ligh ts to m a tch th e firs t. If you

n o tic e th a t e ith e r be am a im s to on e s id e in s te a d o f

stra ig h t ahead, ad just th is to o . S ingle head ligh ts should

also po in t s tra ight ahead.

2 5 F e e t

You should adjust the headlight based on the standard of a 2-inch drop in 25 feet. Remember: Load affects the headlight alignment, so set the height

based on what you plan to carry.

7 7

HE

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T


SERV

ICE

YOUR

B

ATT

ERY

TIM E : 1/2 to 1 h o u r

Project 21

Service Your Battery

Here are th ree reasons to care about th is project: M ost

fa ilu res th a t leave you s tranded are e lectrica l, m ost

electrical failures are traceable to the battery, and m ost of

these ba ttery failures are preventable.

One o f th e keys to long ba tte ry life is p ro p e r in itia l

service. A brand new w e t-ce ll ba tte ry needs to be filled

w ith electrolyte (battery acid) to the proper level in each cell

be fore i t ’s pu t in to service. O nce the ba tte ry ’s filled w ith

flu id , it m us t be cha rged pro pe rly to ensure a long and

happy life. For low-m aintenance batteries, you should use

a variable- o r tapered-rate ba ttery charger, rated a t 4, 6, 8,

or 10 am ps. These tapered-rate chargers m ight s tu ff any

where between 2 and 8 am ps into a new battery when you

ho ok it up, b u t a fte r an hour o r so , th e m ete r m ay read

close to zero. A t th is po int, th e ba tte ry m ay m ake its fu ll

voltage, bu t you should charge a m inimum o f 12 hours to

“ se t” th e p la tes . A tr ic k le cha rge r o f 1 am p o r less o f

charging current may take 24 hours, a t least.

F o llo w -u p is ju s t as im p o rta n t as th e in itia l charge.

Batteries, like plants and humans, need watering. Use only

distilled w ate r to to p up you r ba tte ry—never use ba ttery

ac id o r plain ta p water. The firs t tim e you look in to a cell

and its leve l is lo w enough to exp ose th e p la tes, s ta rt

budgeting fo r a new battery.

The hardest th ing on a m otorcycle ba ttery is ju s t letting

the m otorcycle sit. Inactivity o f the battery causes sulfation,

1 0 -m m w re n c h , m ultim eter, sm a ll h y d rom eter, d ie le ctric g re a s e , distilled w a te r, n e e d le -n o se pliers

PA R TS : Optional sea le d batteryupgrade stuff, if applicabi

T IP : Don't a s s u m e th a t a batt e r y c a n ’t be th e pro blem ju s t b e c a u s e it's n e w o r yo u re c e n tly c h e c k e d it

B E N E F IT : Reliable s ta rtin g

C O M P L E M E N TA R YM O D IFIC A TIO N :

Sealed b a tte r ie s and g e lcell a fte rm a rk e t batteries v o ltm e te r o r a m m e te r

w hich can create a discharge o f 1/2 to 1 percent per da

(more in warm weather). Charge your ba ttery a t least ono

a m onth w hen you’re no t using it. Better yet, buy a Battery

Tender (a sophisticated sm art charger) and keep it hooked

up w henever th e bike is parked.

Batteries are a tight fit and awkward to get at on some bikes. This

alone is responsible for a great many failures. People are just too lazy j

to wrestle with a battery once a week like the book says you should.

The best alternative to regular servicing of the battery is to have a

gauge (volts or amps) mounted permanently on the motorcycle. It also 1

helps to rig the battery to make service a little less difficult. "Soaping”

or lubing the sides makes it easier to slide the battery in or out. You

can also run a small strap of polypropylene (acid-proof) rope or web

bing under the battery case to sling it out with if your fingers are too

fat to get a grip on the little devil.


-erhaps the handiest electrical tool is the multitalented multimeter. You

can use it on batteries to check basic voltage (with the engine off) and

basic charging (with the engine on and revved up a little). The 14.4-volt

•eading you see here indicates that the charging system is fine on this

bike. What some folks aren’t ready for is that a fresh, hot battery will

-sad 12.66 volts on its own (2.11 volts per cell times six cells). If you

Леек regularly and one fine day find the battery has mysteriously

topped to 10 volts, you probably have a bad cell.

BATTERY FAULT-FINDING GUIDE

+ Chocolate

-Grey

White sulfation on plates

Plates buckled

wide difference between cells

affected bi

baking soc solution

S o m e tip s to he lp you keep y o u r ba tte ry in tip - to p

condition:

• Install a voltm eter, am m eter, ind ica to r k it (H-D No.

66009-87 fo r Harley-Davidsons), o r som e com bina

t io n o f th e se so you can m o n ito r y o u r cha rg ing

system . It ’s am azing how fe w riders use a s im p le

gauge to m on itor the electrical system, yet th row oil

pressure gauges on a lubrication system th a t virtually

never fails.

• Use s ta r w ashers to m ou nt cab le en ds to ba tte ry

te rm ina ls .

• Keep term inals clean and dry.

• A p p ly a little soa py w a te r to th e ba tte ry case i f it

w ill he lp you s lip th e th in g in o r ou t o f th e rubber

ba tte ry tray.

• D on’t drop a battery. Even a ligh t bounce can crack

the case and m ake fo r an acid leak.

• Baking soda neutra lizes ba tte ry ac id in the event o f

a spill.

• A lw ays ho ok up th e po s itive cab le f irs t—afte r you

m ake sure the vent p ipe is clear.

• W e t-ce ll ba tte rie s can o n ly be (s low ly) recharged

from fla t a sm all num ber o f tim es, perhaps 8 to 10.

SPECIFICGRAVITYREQUIRED

SERV

ICE

YOUR

B

ATT

ERY


SPAR

K PL

UG

CHEC

K AN

D R

EP

LAC

EM

EN

TTIM E : 1 h o u r

Project 22

Spark Plug Check and Replacement

S o c k ets, s c r e w d riv e rs , plug w re n c h , w ire gap g a u g e, ra g s, a n ti-s e ize co m p o u n d , c o m p re s se d air, b ra s s b ru sh , m a g n e t to r e trie v e plug

C O S T: $

PA R TS : S p a rk p lugs

T IP : B lo w o ff th e top o f thee n g in e w ith c o m p re s se d a ir to k e e p a b ra s iv e s out of th e c ylin d e rs

B E N E F IT : S m o o th er-ru n n in g e n gine

If you look a t you r ow ner’s manual, you’ll find th a t spark

p lu gs should be se rv iced ab ou t every 4,000 to 7,500

m iles. Fortunately, th e p lugs do n ’t o ften need replacing,

jus t a qu ick brush off and back in to the cham ber o f horrors

they go.

Your bike’s engine should be cold when you check the

plugs. P lace you r b ike on its s ide s tand and rem ove the

seat, tank, air box, o r anything else, like bodyw ork, to gain

access to the plugs. Som e bikes (particularly those V-fours)

m ay require a fe w tr ic ks , so che ck you r fa c to ry serv ice

m anual firs t. W hile th e air box is off, th e carbureto rs are

vulnerable to d irt, so cover them w ith clean rags or paper

towels. Once you have access to the plugs, b low the to p of

the head o ff w ith com pressed a ir to rem ove debris w aiting

to fa ll dow n th e hole in to your cylinder. Now, rem ove the

p lug w ire from one plug a t a tim e, labeling w ith m asking

tape w hich cylinder it goes to —you don’t w an t to fire the

engine w ith the w ires in the wrong places.

D on ’t ju s t ju m p in an d rem ove th e p lu g on ce i t ’s

exposed. Even though a cap has been covering the spark j

plug well, you should give it a quick blast w ith compressed

air, too. You’d be surprised how frequently sand or pebbles

po p ou t, and you sure do n ’t w an t them in you r engine.

O nce yo u ’ve g iven it a s h o t o f c lean air, you can safely

rem ove th e p lug. The tig h t quarte rs around th e engine’s

head m ay require som e pa tience to rem ove th e plug. If I

you’ve unscrewed the plug com plete ly and can 't ge t a grip

on it to pull it ou t, try using a magnet. Otherwise, a spark

plug socke t w ith a foam liner w ill grip it so you can lift it out.

Look closely at the electrode and insulator. It should be

a ligh t tan o r gray color. (Check the sidebar “ Reading Your

Plugs” fo r tip s on w hat o ther colo rs mean.) Using a brass

brush, clean th e plug o f any deposits. Next, m easure the

gap w ith a w ire th ickness gauge. The fla t spade gauges I

don ’t give accurate readings unless held perfectly square I

to the gap. If th e gap is to o narrow o r to o w ide, use the J

Despite the manufacturer’s best efforts, sand and pebbles work their way If you must remove two or more plug wires at once, wrap them with tape

into remarkable places. Blow off the cylinder head before removing the and number them, unless the factory was kind enough to do it for you.

plug caps, and blow out the plug wells, too.


Use a brass brush to clean the

electrode and insulator. Be

sure to clean the plug again

with compressed air before

you reinstall it. Note: Some

fine-tipped plugs cannot with

stand this treatment.

~r best way to check a plug's gap is with a wire gauge. This eliminates

re requirement that the tool be held perpendicular to the electrode.

Scark plugs can sometime be ornery when you try to remove them

refuse of cold welding between the aluminum of the head and the steel

-J ie plug. Anti-seize helps to remedy the problem.

gapping to o l usually a ttached to a se t o f w ire gauges to

rarefu lly bend th e s ide e lectrode o u tw a rd —a little e ffo rt

io s s a long way.

When th e gap is correct, spray th e plug w ith con tact

:eaner; le t dry, then apply a little anti-seize com pound to

r ~ m . Carefully, insert the plug in to the plug hole. If you can

get you r fingers dow n into th e plug w ell, ro ta te the plug

ro u n te rc lo ckw ise un til you fe e l th e th re a d s d ro p in to

synch. Then, using only your fingers, rotate it clockw ise to

f--gage th e th re ad s. S crew in th e p lug fin g e r-tig h t, and

READING YOUR PLUGSSo, you’ve taken a plug out of its cubby hole, and you’re wondering what to do with it. Impress your friends and neighbors by emulating famous race tuners: Closely examine the plug to see what it tells you about the state of your engine. Of course, you'll need some sort of comparison. The photos below will provide examples of what to look for. Remember, these are, for the most part, extreme examples meant to illustrate various plug conditions. Your plugs will probably have subtler symptoms.

You want all your plugs to look as pretty as this one.

Note the nice, even gray or tan on the insulator. The

electrode exhibits only slight erosion,

Carbon fouling shows up as dry, soft, black soot on

the insulator and electrode. Although usually caused

by a too-rich fuel mixture, other potential problems

are shorting ignition leads and too-cold plug tem

perature. A badly carbon-fouled plug can lead to dif

ficult starting, misfiring, and uneven acceleration.

This plug has been subjected to severe overheating,

as illustrated by the extremely white insulator and

small black specks. If you look closely, you will see

more electrode erosion than on a normal plug. When

a plug overheats, the engine experiences a loss of

power under heavy loads, such as at high-speed, high-rpm running. An

overly advanced ignition, too-hot plug temperature, or poor engine cooling

could be the culprits. Improperly torqued plugs can also overheat.

Oil fouling is characterized by black, gooey deposits

on the insulator and electrode. Have you noticed

that your bike was difficult to start and that the

engine missed frequently at speed? The oil came

from somewhere, and the likely culprits are worn

piston rings or valve guides.

***Sidebar photos courtesy o f Denso Sales California Inc.

then snug it dow n w ith a to rque wrench. This step is vitally

im portan t, s ince som e plug fa ilu res are assoc ia ted w ith

incorrectly to rqued plugs.

Before reassem bling your entire bike, s ta rt the engine

to m ake sure all th e cy linders are fir in g correctly . (Fuel-

injected bikes m ay need the gas tank installed to maintain

p roper fuel pressure.) If anyth ing sounds amiss, check afl _

plug connections and also m ake sure all the w ires are con

nected to th e correct cylinders. W hen everything sounds

right, button up your bike and go ride another 4,000 m ie s.


Chapter 5

Cooling System

fOLD SCHOOLTECH

TOMORROW’S TECH

KEY CONCEPT

MAINTENANCE TIP

MONEY-SAVING TIP

H ow It W orksC ooling System M aintenance

P ro je c tsP ro je c t 2 3 : C heck Your C oo lan t P ro je c t 2 4 : F lush and R e fill Y o u r .

C oo ling System

Mod ern fo u r-s tro ke m o to rcyc le en g in es are h ig h -

tech m arvels. L iter-size m otorcycles pu t ou t m ore

than 165 ho rsepow er a t th e rear w heel. W ith incred ib le

ou tp u t like th is, it’s shocking to realize how w re tched they

are a t c o n v e rtin g g a s o lin e ’s ch e m ica l en e rg y in to

m ech an ica l pow er. Even w ith gene ra tio ns o f d e ve lo p

m ent, th ey convert on ly a b ou t 20 percent o f th e energy

generated by th e burning fuel in to horsepower. The other

80 p e rce n t is s im p ly co n ve rte d in to he a t. B u t th e re 's

noth ing sim ple abou t th a t heat. Le ft unchecked, th e heat

o f com bustion w ou ld m elt p is tons like cheap candle wax.

C onsequently, there ’s a clear and present need fo r som e

typ e o f coo ling system to contro l opera ting tem peratures

and prevent you r engine from going supernova.

Three typ e s o f c o o lin g sys te m s have been u tilize d

ove r th e de cad es : air, a ir/o il, an d liqu id . L iq u id -co o led

system s are e rroneous ly ab bre v ia te d as w ate r-co o le d ;

v irtua lly every such system utilizes a m ixture o f a coolant,

such as th e n o w -co m m o n e thy len e g lyco l, and w ater.

U ltim ately, though, all o f the excess heat an engine pro

duces m ust be d issipated into th e atm osphere.

A lm ost all earlie r m oto rcyc le engines were

air-coo led , ge tting rid o f th e ir heat ju s t via

a irflow ove r th e ir finn ed surfaces. In 1985, Suzuki

in troduced its g round-breaking a ir/o il-coo led GSX-

R750; th e cy lind e rs and head w ere fin n e d like an

a ir-coo led engine, bu t th e b ike also had a s izeable

oil coo le r as well. Som e BM W s and Buells, am ong

others, s till use th e system . But fo r all the s im p lic ity

(com pared to liqu id -coo led counterparts, anyway),

lig h t w e ig h t and re lia b ility o f a ir- o r a ir/o il-co o le d

en g in es , th e y n o n e th e le ss te n d to s u ffe r from

hig he r op era ting te m p era tures and th e acco m pa

nying losses in perform ance and fuel economy.

These days, th e va s t m ajo rity o f m o to rcyc le s use

c losed liqu id -co o ling system . A pum p circu lates coolar

th ro u g h p a ssa g e s in th e c y lin d e r b lo c k and cy lind e

head(s), absorb ing and carry ing aw ay excess com bus

tio n heat, and th en to a rad ia tor, w h ich exchanges th

heat in to th e a tm ospheric a ir m oving past its coo ling fins

and cores.

To m ake th e system m ore effic ien t, it is pressurized

and th e rm osta tica lly con tro lled . By opera ting the system

a t h ig h e r th a n a tm o s p h e ric p re ssu re —ty p ic a lly 7 -1 5

p s i—th e bo iling po in t o f th e w ater-based coo lan t rises to

som e 250 degrees Fahrenheit o r higher. As a result, the

coo lan t w on ’t bo il and loose effic iency a t norm al engine

o p e ra tin g te m p e ra tu re s o f 180 to 23 0 degrees

F ahrenheit. The pressure is co n tro lle d b y th e pressure

cap on th e rad ia to r o r recovery tank.

B ecause inte rna l com b ustio n engines do n ’t operate

e ffic ien tly o r cleanly (in te rm s o f em issions) un til th ey are

up to fu ll o p e ra tin g te m p e ra tu re , a th e rm o s ta t in the

system restric ts flo w o f coo lan t un til coo lan t temperature


: T ibs in to th e no rm a l range. From th a t p o in t on , the

-e rm o s ta t w ill on ly res tric t coo lan t flo w if tem pera ture

r^g in s to fa ll be low th e th re sh o ld o f no rm a l, ty p ica lly

2n u n d 190 degrees Fahrenheit.

POOLING SYSTEM MAINTENANCE

Щ л You c a n n o t go w ro n g hav ing y o u r b ik e ’s

— 1 co o lin g sys te m flu s h e d an d re fille d w ith

fresh coo lan t every tw o years, as m any m anufac

tu rers recom m end—it ’s cheap insurance. W ith the

co s t o f rep la c ing fa ile d cy lin d e r head g a ske ts in

the $600 to $1 ,200 range, rou tine m aintenance o f

yo u r b ik e 's c o o lin g sys te m m ake s se n se , and

cen ts—lo ts o f them .

Zcfrosion

t fiowever, you choose to take th e che apskate 's w ay ou t

3>ti no t p u t any e ffo rt in to m aintaining you r m oto rcyc le ’s

sasfcig system , you r m ain concern a lm ost certa in ly w ill

ЭЕ corrosion.

.'/n y d o e s c o rro s io n fo rm in th e c o o lin g sys te m ?

5 r n le : T he coo ling system is a chem ica l ba tte ry. The

I '^ j la t io n o f w a te r ac ro ss th e s u rfa ce s o f d is s im ila r

-a a Js creates an e lectrica l po tentia l, w h ich is th e de fin i-

*an o f a ba tte ry. M odern eng ines fea tu re com p on en ts

ra o e from steel, a lum inum , cas t iron, copper, and other

all w ashed b y th e flow o f coo lan t. O ver tim e, the

=z c t / o f th e coo lan t increases, crea ting corros ion and

is y is th a t can c log and res tric t flow , cause th e engine

в : . erheat, and de stroy expensive parts.

A n o te on o ld c o o la n t: R ecyc le ! M o s t d e a le rs and

~ ;ecenden t shops w ill recycle o ld an tifreeze b y cleaning

=~c A lte ring it, a d d in g a ne w a n tico rro s io n and w a te r

p lu b ric a n t p a cka g e , an d re u s in g th e c o o la n t in

«чгстег vehicle. Keeps prices lower, prevents w aste , and

-=53s th e environm ent c leane r—all good th ings. C heck

■ — j our local c ity hall fo r th e nearest coo lan t recycler in

o r area.

, R em em ber th a t coo lan t is extrem e ly to x ic

to hum ans and anim als. U nfo rtunate ly, its

sem isw ee t ta s te m akes it som e w h a t a ttra c tive to

r r t te r s , so m ake a b s o lu te ly su re any s p illa g e is

; -eaned up r ig h t away. N eve r a llo w a n tifree ze to

^й11 into th e s tree t o r s to rm sewer.

C a s to r an d H ose Care

coo lan t every cou p le o f years is s im p le and inex-

e b s .e , b u t it d o esn ’t com p le te ly ta ke care o f th in gs,

- is e s , th e the rm o s ta t, and th e rad ia to r ca p a lso need

period ic atten tion . R ep lacing these com ponen ts a t every

coo ling system service is also go od practice . C an these

com ponen ts last longer? Yes, bu t once again, look a t the

cos t o f rep lacing them as an insurance policy. W hat does

getting s tranded on th e s ide o f th e highw ay w ith a fa iled

c o o lin g sy s te m , p lu s an o ve rh e a te d an d p o s s ib ly

destroyed engine cost?

C he ck c o o lin g sys te m hoses w ith th e

- engine coo l o r even s ligh tly w arm , bu t no t

fu lly co ld if possible. You w ant to check them a t tem

peratures above am b ie nt so th e y ’re c lose r to th e ir

w o rk in g te m p e ra tu re . W ear y o u r g lo ve s and fe e l

each hose. It should be firm , no t squishy, and should

no t bulge dram atically anywhere, particularly at each

end where it fits over a coo lan t outlet. Any hardening

o r cracks w arrant rep lacem ent—now.

Troubleshooting

Le t’s fa ce it, th e prim ary sym ptom o f any coo ling system

problem is overheating. H ow d o you know the engine is

g e ttin g to o hot? Tha t b ig red w arn ing ligh t on th e dash

m ight be a h int, o r the needle on th e tem pera ture gauge

pe g g e d in to th e red . O r e n g in e ro u g h n e ss o r lo ss o f

po w er. O r—he ave n fo rb id —ste am c o m in g o u t from

betw een you r knees.

A . T he firs t ru le o f th um b w hen dealing w ith

o v e rh e a tin g is d e a l w ith it no w . If y o u r

e n g in e b e g in s to o v e rh e a t, p u ll s a fe ly o f f th e

roadw ay, s to p , and s h u t th e engine o f f— im m edi

a te ly . D o n ’t c o n tin u e u n le s s i t ’s an a b s o lu te

ne cess ity fo r yo u r im m edia te safety. C on tinu ing to

o p e ra te th e en g in e w ill d r ive te m p e ra tu re s even

h ig he r and u ltim ate ly seve rely dam age th e engine.

Rem em ber, th e engine is ove rheating because it is

UPPER HoSe .CDOZMl̂ AtJ

'" Ш КТНКЦЙТАТ


p ro d u c in g m o re w a s te h e a t th a n th e c o o lin g

sys te m can d is s ip a te . So i t ’s g e ttin g h o t te r . . .

and p ro d u c in g even m ore w a s te he a t . . . w h ich

can ’t be d iss ip a te d . It ’s a dom ino effec t, so engine

te m p era tu res w ill con tinu e to sky rocke t un til you

sto p and s h u t it off.

Do no t open th e rad ia to r cap ! Remember,

the coo ling system is under sign ificant pres

sure. Releasing th a t pressure by opening the cap w ill

ca u se th e ove rh e a te d co o la n t to b o il ins ta n tly ,

po tentia lly causing serious inju ry to you. Leave the

cap and system alone and let it cool thoroughly.

N eed s o m e th in g to d o in th e m e a n tim e ? C a ll fo r

a s s is ta n c e w ith y o u r c e ll p h o n e . O n ce th e c o o lin g

sys te m has co o le d to a m b ie n t te m p e ra tu re , i t ’s p o s

s ib le to insp ect fo r th e cause o f th e ove rheating . If it ’s a

s im p le fix , m ake repairs, refill it w ith coo lan t, and be on

yo u r way.

Dealing with Leaks

I f c o o la n t is d is a p p e a rin g fro m th e

re c o v e ry ta n k —o r u lt im a te ly th e ra d i

a to r —lo o k fo r p h y s ic a l e v id e n c e o f th e lea k .

W etn ess a t th e b o tto m o f th e rad ia to r, d r ip p in g

from th e low er hose, o r running dow n th e s ide s or

ba ck o f th e engine ind ica te a s ig n ifica n t leak . . .

from som eth ing !

The m ost com m on leaks are:

• Pum p seal: C oo lan t lea k ing d o w n th e o u ts id e o f

th e engine

• R adiator: B ottom o f rad ia to r w et, bu t upper pa rt o f

lower hose dry

• R ad ia to r hose: H ose w e t/d a m p w ith coo lan t near

leak, puddle nearby?

• C ylinder head g as ke t: Loss o f co o la n t in to th e

recovery tank due to overpressure o f system w ith com bus

tion pressure; loss o f coo lan t, overheating, coo lan t in oil,

w h ite sm oke from exh au st—all po tentia l sym ptom s o f a

blown cylinder head gasket

/ . One final com ponent in the cooling system is

c th e co o la n t itse lf. B e lieve it o r no t, if pure

coo ling e ffic ie ncy is th e on ly crite rion , w a te r is the

be s t cho ice . Its ab ility to ab so rb and tran s fe r heat

qu ickly and efficiently, along w ith its abundance and

low cost, m akes it th e pe rfec t coo lan t— w ith a few

exce p tio n s . W ate r free zes a t te m p era tu res o f 32

degrees Fahrenheit o r lower, it tends to prom ote cor

rosion, and it doesn’t lubricate the w ater pum p and its

seals as well as m ore specialized coolants.

To address such issues, m ost m odern coo lan ts are a

m ix o f ethylene glyco l, w h ich is the antifreeze com ponent

in the coo lan t, and water. A 50 /50 m ix w ill p ro tec t cooling

sys te m s fro m fre e z in g d o w n to a b o u t 34 degrees

Fahrenheit be low 0. Is m ore be tte r? N ot really. Ethylene

g lyco l w orks very w ell as antifreeze, b u t it ’s no t qu ite as

e ff ic ie n t a s w a te r in tra n s fe rr in g heat. S o th e re ’s no

advantage o r benefit from op era ting th e coo ling system

w ith a m ixture m ore than about 60 pe rcent antifreeze and

40 percent w ate r fo r th e co ldest climates.

To p re v e n t c o r ro s io n in th e c o o lin g s y s te m , an

a d d it iv e p a c k a g e is b le n d e d in to th e c o o la n t,

in c lu d in g ru s t in h ib ito rs and a w a te r pu m p lu b r ic a n t. '

H is to rica lly , th e ru s t in h ib ito rs have been phospha tes,

bo ra te s, and s ilica te s .

There’s a lso a w ho le o the r c lass o f coo lan ts , a lm ost

en tire ly used o n ly fo r rac ing , and th e n s p e c ific a lly fo r

roadracing. W hy? Because ethylene g lyco l is as slippery

as th e legendary s inus dra inage on a do or-op en ing fix

tu re. A coo lan t leak during practice o r a race cou ld have

d isastrous consequences. The sam e is true fo r lubricating

oil, o f course, bu t no one has been able to find a substi

tu te fo r th a t—yet.

H ow ever, co o la n t su b s titu te s are m o s tly p ropylene

glyco ls, o r s im ilar so lu tions, and th e ir use is required by

v irtu a lly a ll roa d ra ce s a n c tio n in g b o d ie s . P ropy lene

g lyco l coo lan ts are c la im ed to be b io de grad ab le , non

to x ic and corrosion-resistan t, and have antifreeze capa

b ilit ie s a lm o s t e q ua l to th a t o f th e ir e th y le n e g lyco l

counterparts. Such so lu tions include M axim a C ool-A ide.

C yc le L o g ic E ngine Ice , M a rtin i S u p e rK o o l, S ilko le ne

CCA, and Evans NPG C oolant.http://moto.amoti.ru/

C O O L IN G S Y S T E M T R O U B L E S H O O T IN G

PROBABLE CAUSES ACTION TO REPAIR RELEVANT PROJECTS

COOLANT PUDDLES

UNDERNEATH BIKE

Leak in coolant system Determine what part o f the

coolant system is directly above

the wet spot on the pavement.

Inspect that immediate area

fo r leaks

If leak is from hose connection,

tighten hose clamp

Check fo r leakage/wetness

directly below water pump

If water pump is leaking, replace

water pump

Monitor rate of leak, as above

COOLANT

"EMPERATURE

WARNING LIGHT

JJJMINATED

Pull safely off road and stop engine

as soon as possible.

д WARNING: Continuing to

ride w ith an overheated

engine can lead to serious

engine damage

Let engine cool 30 minutes or

more; restart. If temperature light

goes out, ride to dealership.

If not, have bike transported

ENGINE

DVERHEATING,

EMITTING STEAM

TEMPERATURE

GAUGE READS

ABOVE NORMAL

-_ND CLIMBING

Coolant leak, low coolant, blocked

or failing radiator

Coolant leak, low coolant

(NOTE: Once the gauge hits the

maximum reading or red zone, you

are heading fo r an overheat with

steam coming from the engine. If

that happens, see Engine

T Overheating section above

Let engine cool 30 minutes or

more. Check coolant level in over

flow tank, add coolant/distilled

water if necessary. Look for signs

of leakage (puddles of bilious green

fluid or wet hoses or connections).

If you identify source of leak as

hose or connection, replace hose

or tighten connection. Test-ride

bike to see if steam returns. If not,

carefully monitor coolant level over

next few weeks. If steam returns,

let engine cool, refill with antifreeze

or distilled water, and take to

mechanic/dealership for repair

When your temperature gauge

reads above normal, pull off the

road to a safe location, shift into

neutral, and run engine at a fast

idle to increase coolant circulation

Project 23: Check

your coolant

CO

OL

ING

S

YS

TE

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C O O L IN G S Y S T E M T R O U B L E S H O O T IN G

PROBABLE CAUSES ACTION TO REPAIR

Radiator fan not functioning

Water pump failing

Leaking coolant from hose connection

Check/listen for fan operation

Replace water pump

When engine is safely cooled

down, identify leak area and

tighten hose clamp(s)

Coolant hose ruptured Remove, shorten, reinstall hose;

replace hose

Punctured radiator If radiator is punctured, add

stop-leak product as short-term

solution. Take bike to dealership

to get radiator repaired or

replaced

Pressure-test the system. NOTE:

Do not loosen/remove radiator

cap until engine is fully cool

Refill cooling system with 50-50

mix of antifreeze and distilled

water, or distilled water

Replace radiator


TIM E : 15 m in u te s

Project 23TO O L S :

TA L E N T :

A n tifre e ze tes te r

1

Check Your C OST:

PA R TS :

$

N one

Coolant T IP : W h e n a d d in g w a t e r to the coo lin g s y s te m , o n ly use d istilled w a te r

BEN EF IT: Keep y o u r b ik e ’s e ngine a liv e an d w ell

Yo u r en g in e ’s a lum inum in te rna ls are prone to o x i

diz ing. C oo lan t an d o the r p roducts , such as W ater

.Vetter, fo rm a p ro te c t iv e c o a tin g o v e r th e ba re a lu

m in um , in h ib it in g o x id a tio n an d th e re b y p ro te c t in g

a g a in s t re d u ce d e ff ic ie n c y fro m c lo g g e d pa ssag es .

C oo lan t a lso lu b rica te s th e w a te r pu m p and pre ven ts

foam ing. O f cou rse its m ost obvious func tio n is to carry

ie a t from you r engine to the radiator, w here a irflow d is

perses it and a llo w s co o l liqu id to return to th e engine

and kee p it w ith in o p e ra tin g te m p e ra tu re s . It is a lso

b lended to res is t freez ing and resu ltan t expans ion and

engine dam age.

Every fa ll, be fore ou ts ide tem peratures begin to drop,

you should te s t you r an tifreeze to m ake sure it w ill handle

n e co ld . A lth o u g h th e o ve rflo w ta n k is th e e a s ies t to

access fo r you r annual coo lan t te s t, w hy no t spend the

extra tim e to expose th e coo ling system fille r cap so you

can te s t w ha t’s actua lly inside th e engine? So, w ith your

engine co ld (never open a ho t coo ling system , w h ich w ill

spray sca ld ing coo lan t a t you), rem ove th e fille r cap. For

:ne a c tu a l te s tin g , y o u have a co u p le o f c h o ice s .

P reston e m akes c le ve r th ro w a w a y te s t s tr ip s th a t you

d ip in to th e coo lan t, read th e colo r, th e n to ss in to th e

trash . You ca n a lso use a te s tin g to o l th a t m easures

th e s p e c if ic g ra v ity o f th e s o lu tio n an d d is p la y s th e

resu lts w ith flo a tin g ba lls o r a need le. W hile y o u ’re a t it,

c h e c k th e c o lo r. If it 's g re e n lik e M o u n ta in D ew , i t ’s

p ro ba b ly OK. O th e r co lo rs m ay s igna l eng ine prob lem s

s uch as ru s t res idu e (red-brow n) o r o il res idue (black).

If you r b ike has been regularly used and m aintained,

th e coo lan t is p ro ba b ly g o o d —clea r and o f prope r con

ce n tra tio n . If th e c o n ce n tra tio n is o ff, o r i t ’s been tw o

years since you changed it, proceed to P roject 24 (Flush

and Refill Your C oo ling System).

3ieck your antifreeze every fall, particularly if your bike is stored in an

jiheated garage. These test strips don't take up any room in your toolbox.

Coolant usually pours out of the drain plug with a good deal of force, so

be prepared. Make sure you have a container that will hold all your bike’s

old coolant, or you’ll find out how hard it is to clean up antifreeze.

Immediately transfer the poisonous liquid to a sealed container.

CH

EC

K

YO

UR

C

OO

LA

NT


FLU

SH

AN

D R

EF

ILL

Y

OU

R

CO

OL

ING

S

YS

TE

M

Project 24

Flush and Refill Your Cooling System

C hanging th e coo lan t every tw o years is a lso a good

idea. Begin w ith you r b ike in gear on its s ide stand.

Lo ca te th e d ra in p lu g ( it ’s u su a lly on th e w a te r pu m p

cove r). P lace a co n ta in e r la rge en ou gh to ho ld a ll th e

coo lan t unde r th e p lug. If you w an t to keep th e antifreeze

o ff you r skin, w ear la tex g loves. Open th e fille r cap a t the

to p o f th e sys te m . U sing a w rench , un sc rew th e p lu g .

Before the plug is com p le te ly ou t, th e coo lan t w ill s ta rt to

leak past the th reads, so be prepared. Pull th e plug free

and le t the system drain. As soon as the system is com

p le te ly e m p ty , re in s ta ll th e p lu g an d a fre sh c o p p e r

w asher and to rq ue to specs. N ext, em p ty the expansion

ta n k in to th e ca tch pan and ge t all th e used antifreeze

in to a sealed con ta iner fo r tran spo rt to a recycling center

o r a u to p a rts s to re . D o n ’t lea ve it in th e pan on th e

garage flo o r because it ’s fa ta l to hum ans and anim als if

TIM E :

TO O L S :

15 m in u te s to 1 h o u r

S o c k ets, ratch et, w re n c h e s , s c r e w d riv e rs , f u n n e l, ra g s, a n tifre eze tester, d ra in pan

T A L E N T : 1

C O S T: $

PA R TS : C oola nt, n e w co p p erd ra in -p lu g w a s h e r, W a ter W e tte r (optional)

T IP : W h e n a d d in g w a t e r to thecoo lin g s y s te m , o n ly use distilled w a te r

B E N EF IT: W ith W a te r W etter, y o u r e n g in e sh ou ld run c o o ler

i t ’s

If you use a 50 /5 0 m ix o f coo lan t and d is tilled water,

m ix th e so lu tio n p r io r to po u rin g it in to th e filler. Tha t

w ay y o u ’re ce rta in a b o u t th e m ix tu re , no m a tte r ho w

m uch liq u id th e sys te m re q u ire s . A lso , y o u ’ ll have a

co n ta in e r o f th e p ro p e r m ix tu re if you need to to p off

th e e xp a n s io n ta n k in th e fu tu re . If y o u w a n t you r!

coo ling system to be m ore e ffic ie n t, bo rro w a tr ic k from j

th e road race guys and bu y a b o ttle o f Red Line Water)

W e tte r (o r s im ila r p ro du c t). You sho u ld n o tice a s ligh tj

dro p in op era ting te m perature.

Once you 've filled the coo ling system to th e brim , you

need to run th e en g in e w ith th e f i l le r c a p o ff. A s the

engine w arm s up, yo u ’ll see bubb les w ork ing th e ir way

o u t o f th e system . In fa c t, as th e eng ine c ircu la te s th e1

coo lan t, you m ay see the level d ro p qu ite a w ays. Keep

to p p in g o f f th e sys te m as th e le ve l d ro p s . W hen the

engine sta rts to warm up, th e coo lan t w ill s ta rt to expand

o u t o f th e filler. S top th e engine and rep lace the radiator

c a p . F ill th e exp an s ion ta n k u n til th e leve l is m idw ay

betw een th e tw o lines. Now, ta ke yo u r b ike fo r a short!

ride to ge t it com p le te ly up to tem perature, then park the

b ike and a llo w it to coo l o ff com ple te ly. Once the engine

is coo l again, to p o ff th e coo ling system and bu tto n up

y o u r b o d yw o rk . You sh o u ld no w be go od to go fo r a t

least another year.


ier 6

Drivetrain

OLD SCHOOL TECH

TOMORROW’S TECH

; £ ? KEY CONCEPT

MAINTENANCE TIP

H ow It W orksW hy a Transm ission?Chain F inal-D rive Rear C ush-D rives Be lt F inal-Drive S haft F inal-D rive Projects

P ro je c t 2 5 : Chain and S procket R eplacem ent

P ro je c t 26 : Drive Belt Replacement

T he s im p le fa c t is you c a n have an en g in e w ith

enough ho rsepow er to spin th e Earth at 15,000 rpm,

zu t w ithout a drivetra in— a transm ission and fina l d rive—

.ou and the rest o f the m oto rcycle are as good as parked.

- th a t po w er has to ge t to th e rear wheel som ehow.

T h a t’s th e d riv e tra in ’s jo b : T h e d rive tra in tra n s fe rs

Dower from the engine to th e drive wheel. A num ber o f

c o m p o n e n ts are in v o lv e d in d o in g th is jo b . T he

ra n s m is s io n (or g e a rb ox , as i t ’s a lso know n) fe a tu res

seve ral g e a r ra tio s — th e d iffe re n c e b e tw e e n e n g in e

soeed and th e speed th e veh ic le is tra v e lin g —to keep

r e e n g in e in its e f fic ie n t p o w e r ba nd ove r th e b ik e ’s

en tire ra n g e o f u se a b le ro a d sp e e d s . F rom th e

ran sm iss ion , po w er is transfe rred to th e drive wheel by

rna in , be lt, o r a driveshaft (like a car).

In te rm s o f m aintenance, ju s t keep it sim ple. W ith few

e x c e p tio n s (H a rle y -D a v id so n b e in g ju s t one), th e

m a jo rity o f m o to rc y c le s sha re th e ir en g in e o il w ith a

. - it iz e d tra n sm iss io n . A p a rt fro m a m o to rc y c le ’s h igh

specific o u tp u t, th is is ju s t on e m ore reason to change

.o u r o il an d f i l te r p e rh a p s a b it e a r lie r th a n th e

m anufacturer’s recom m endation ; o ve rtim e , transm ission

gear te e th lite ra lly s h e a r th e lo n g -c h a in a n tiw e a r

p o lym e rs in m o s t o ils ’ a d d it iv e p a cka g e s . F o r

’•n o to rcyc le s th a t ha ve a s e p a ra te o il s u p p ly fo r th e

ra n sm iss io n (Harley and som e European m otorcycles),

t ie m anufacturer’s recom m endation should d o n ice ly fo r

-splacem ent intervals.

/ j& j L u b r ic a te th e ch a in re lig io u s ly p e r th e

4 m a n u fa c tu re r 's in s tru c tio n s in y o u r

o w n e r ’s m a n u a l, an d y o u ’ ll ra re ly s e e a s in g le

p roblem . B e lts require v irtua lly zero m aintenance,

as do m o s t car-s ty le gear-case fina l drives. G iven

a t lea st a m od icum o f de cen t care, yo u r d rive tra in

sho u ld have a long, ha pp y life. You’ll have to R&R

(rem ove and rep lace, to tran s la te from m echan ics ’

ja rgon) cha in and sp ro cke ts w hen th e y w ea r ou t,

b u t regu lar lub rica tion w ill keep th a t to th e longest

in te rva l possib le .

WHY A TRANSMISSION?W hy d o w e need a tra n sm iss io n in th e f ir s t p la ce? A

transm ission varies th e ra tio be tw een engine speed and

rea r w h e e l sp e e d . In f ir s t gear, y o u r en g in e is m ore

c lo s e ly m a tch e d to th e sp e e d o f th e rea r w he e l. Th is

means th a t w hen you are tak ing o ff from a dead sto p , the

engine w ill sp in qu ick ly th rough th e rpm range and acce l

era te the b ike m ore quickly.

O f co u rse , o n c e th e e n g in e s p in s up to re d lin e —

w h ic h can va ry fro m 8 ,50 0 to 16 ,5 00 rpm on m odern

m oto rcyc le engines—the m oto rcyc le can ’t go any faster.

So sh ift in to seco nd gear, and th e sam e engine speed

w ill g ive a m uch higher rear-wheel speed.

N ote th a t th e broader th e eng ine ’s spread o f power,

m ean ing th e ran ge o f rpm in w h ic h th e m o to r m akes


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usable pow er, th e fe w e r gears th a t are required to ride

th e b ike . M o s t m od ern m o to rcyc le s have f iv e - o r s ix -

speed gearboxes.

A fe w o f th e la rge -d isp la cem en t cru ise rs have on ly

fo u r-sp e e d tra n sm iss io n s , in p a r t b e cau se la rg e -d is

p la c e m e n t e n g in e s te n d to ha ve a b ro a d s p re a d o f

pow er. The fo u r-s p e e d tra n s m is s io n s on th e se b ike s

a lso m ake r id in g a b it m ore re la xe d , as yo u have to

s h ift less. In sho rt, th e tran sm iss io n g ive s y o u r b ike 's

eng ine th e fle x ib ility to be used ove r you r b ike ’s en tire

ra n g e o f road sp e e d s . A se lf-d r iv e n law n m ow er, by

com p arison , usua lly w o rks b e s t a t a sp e c ific rpm , no r

m a lly n e a r i ts to rq u e p e a k , an d s o i t c a n co u p le

d ire c tly to th e d rive w heels.

M o to rc y c le tra n s m is s io n s are a lm o s t u n iv e rs a lly

m a n u a lly o p e ra te d , v ia th e r id e r 's

le ft fo o t. T he re have been a cou p le

o f a tte m p ts to bu ild (and sell) b ikes

w ith a u to m a tic tra n s m is s io n s , b u t

th e y w e re n ’t tru e s e lf-s h if te rs like

a u to m o b ile a u to m a tic s , and are no

lo n g e r a v a ila b le . S o , w ith m an ua l

transm iss io ns com p le te ly dom inan t,

th a t’s w h a t w e ’ll fo cus on here.

A ll m odern m o to rcyc le tran sm is

sions are constant-m esh. That is, each

pa ir o f gears, o r gear set, fo r each ratio

o r spe ed (as in a five -sp e e d o r s ix -

speed gearbox), is a lw ays engaged.

H alf o f each gear se t is on th e m ain-

s h a ft, w h ic h re c e iv e s p o w e r fro m

th e eng ine v ia th e c lu tch ; th e o the r

ha lf is on th e countersha ft, o r layshaft. The coun

te rsh a ft transm its engine po w er u ltim ate ly to the

rear wheel.

S h ifting

The transm ission varies the ratio o f engine speed to

roa d spe ed th ro u g h ge ar se ts . Each ge a r se t

provides a spe c ific ra tio o f engine to road speed,

sta rting w ith the (numerically) highest ratio fo r first

gear, and ending up w ith th e (numerically) low est

ratio fo r high gear o r overdrive. W hen you sh ift into

any gear—firs t, second, th ird , o r so o n —th e lever

m oves a sh ift m echan ism th a t s im p ly lo cks the

chosen gears to th e ir respective shafts, providing

th a t ratio o f drive. Unlike autom obile transmissions, |

though, w hich can access neutral from any gear o r j

speed, m oto rcyc le transm iss ions are sequentia l. ;

T ha t is, w he the r up sh iftin g o r do w nsh ifting , you I

m u s t se le c t each ra tio in order, w ith neutraJ

available only between firs t and second gears.

O f cou rse, th e re ’s a lso a c lu tch be tw een the engine

and tra n sm iss io n th a t th e r id e r op e ra te s w ith h is le ft

hand. W hen th e c lu tch lever is pu lled ba ck to th e han

dlebar, th e tran sm iss io n is d isengaged from th e engine,

w h ich in te rru p ts th e flo w o f p o w er b rie fly so sh ifts can

be m ade sm oo thly. W h a t’s m ore, th e c lu tch a lso allows

th e b ike to rem ain s ta tion a ry w h ile th e engine con tinues

to run.

CHAIN FINAL-DRIVEO nce th e en g in e ’s m ech an ica l en e rg y m akes its w ay

to th e co u n te rsha ft, v ia w h ich eve r ra tio o r ge a r set, it

th e n h a s to ju m p th e g a p b a c k to th e re a r w h e e l.

T h re e d iffe re n t f in a l-d r iv e s y s te m s ca n a c c o m p lis h


— at rem a rka b le fe a t: ch a in , b e lt, o r sh a ft. Each one

-a s its p lu ses and m in use s, as w e ll a s its ow n cad re

: f devotees an d d e trac to rs .

C ha in fin a l-d r iv e is p e rh a p s m o to rc y c lin g ’s m os t

com m on system o f th e th ree curren tly used fo r transfe r-

-n g m echan ica l energy to th e rear w heel. It is a lso the

; d e s t o f th e tr io fo r its use, com ing as it d id from the first

successful sa fe ty b icycle , th e 1885 Rover.

;i j f Pow er is tran sm itted from th e engine v ia a

> ro lle r cha in and a pa ir o f to o th e d w heels,

o r sp ro cke ts , one ea ch on th e co u n te rsh a ft and

on th e rea r w hee l. A s th e cha in is d ra w n around

th e cou n te rsha ft sp ro cke t b y th a t sp ro cke t’s ro ta

t io n , th e g e a r te e th m esh w ith ea ch lin k ; th a t

ac tion pu lls th e cha in , w h ich ro ta te s th e sp ro cke t

on th e rear w heel in th e sam e fash ion . Tha t is, th e

ch a in m esh e s w ith th e re a r w h e e l s p ro c k e t ’s

te e th , tu rn in g i t — an d th e e n tire rea r w h e e l —

around. E t vo ila , m otion!

These days, th e re are tw o typ es o f ro lle r cha ins fo r

—otorcyc les: О-ring and non O -ring. О-rin g chain can be

a b it o f a m isnom er. R ather than О-rings, m anufacturers

a-e us in g X - o r Z -s h a p e rin gs th a t he lp keep spe c ia l,

-s ta lle d -a t- th e -fa c to ry lu b rica n t ins id e th e cha in , and

*a ter, d irt, and o th e r nasties ou t. N ote th a t m os t h igh-

: ja lity cha ins used on m o to rcyc les are О-rin g (or X - or

Z-ring) chains.

Zhains b y the N um bers

Even if you knew all o f th a t, you m ig ht still be w ondering

■ there 's any s ign ificance to th e num erical t it le g iven to

aach ch a in — 420, 52 5 , 630, and so on . O rig ina lly , the

~ .umbers referred to a spec ific d im ension o f th e chain in

a.ghths o f an inch. T he firs t num ber is th e cha in ’s pitch ,

zr its cen te r-to -center d is tance betw een the p ins a t each

and. S o a 5-se rie s cha in has th a t p itc h a t 5 /8 inch , or,

expressed to d a y as 15 .875 m m . T he seco nd an d th ird

■ jm b e rs in d ica te th e ch a in ’s w id th be tw ee n th e inner

surfaces o f th e inner s ide pla tes. As w ith th e f irs t d ig it,

- gher num bers ind ica te greater strength.

C hain G a ng : V irtu e s + V ices

There are seve ral g o o d rea son s w hy y o u ’d w a n t yo u r

—otorcyc le to be a m em ber o f th is pa rticu la r chain gang.

—о begin w ith , chain fina l-d rive system s are ligh te r than

—s ir o the r tw o cou nterpa rts—s ign ifican tly so com pared

to sha ft fina l-d rives. They’re m ore effic ient, to o , than big,

-eavy, p o w er-sap p ing sh a ft fin a l-d rive s , and na rro w er

:han b e lt fin a l-d rive s . W h a t’s m ore, cha in drives a llo w

ow ners to a lte r th e ir ove rall ge aring w ith re la tive ease.

T ha t’s no sm all conside ra tion , either, given th a t so m any

m anufacturers overgear th e ir m oto rcyc les (so th ey run at

lo w e r rpm ) in o rd e r to pass e ve r-tig h te n in g no ise and

em iss ions law s. In fa c t, cha in fina l-d r ive s are th e m ost

easily tu na b le o f th is tr io in th a t respect.

/гЯл O f cou rse, no th ing com e s fo r fre e —chain

i/2 l \ d r iv e h a s its d is a d v a n ta g e s , to o . It

req u ires th e m o s t m ain ten an ce o f th e th re e by a

long sho t, w ha t w ith pe rio d ic c leaning, lub rica tion

and ad jus tm e n t, as w e ll as rep lacem ent. Indeed,

w hen a cha in a n d /o r sp ro cke ts are w orn ou t, you

n e e d to re p la c e a ll th re e — c h a in , c o u n te rs h a ft

sp ro cke t, and rea r w heel sp ro cke t. If you do no t,

th e rem ain ing part(s) w ill w ea r ou t th e new one(s)

as ton ish ing ly quickly.

Even today, peop le w ho should know be tte r describe

chain w ear as “stre tch ,” as if th e chain w ere as elastic as

th e w a is tb an d in th e ir sh o rts . E longate w o u ld be a fa r

be tte r te rm . W hat happens is th e p ins w ear; th is creates

th e c lea rance ins id e th e bush ing th a t m akes th e cha in

phys ica lly longer. Inappropria te ly sized cha in, excessive

abuse w ith th e th ro ttle , lack o f lubrica tion and/or ad just

m en t, and n o t rep la c ing th e cha in w hen i t ’s ob v iou s ly

w orn can a ll co n tr ib u te to th is ap pa ren t and seem ing ly

excessive “ stre tch .”

REAR CUSH-DRIVESS h aft-d rive veh ic les—cars and m o to rcyc les a like—usu

a lly have a sp ring - o r rubbe r-type da m pe r bu ilt in to the

drive line , o ften tim es into th e sha ft itse lf. Such dam pers

ta ke th e b ru n t o f th e sho ck loads th e drive line is sub ject

to , ra ther than le t them ham m er aw ay a t th e po ten tia lly

frag ile c lu tch , transm ission, and fina l-d rive gearcase.

Such dev ices ’ s ize and w e igh t m ake them unsuitable

fo r inco rp o ra tin g in to a m o to rcyc le ’s en g in e . So, w ha t

can be done fo r cha in- and be lt-d rive bikes?

; [}'■ ' P lenty, actua lly. F o r such m oto rcyc le s, the

5 d a m p e r—o r rea r cu sh -d rive , a s i t is a lso

kno w n—has long been integra ted in to th e rear hub,

d ir e c t ly b e h in d th e s p ro c k e t. M o s t o f te n , th e

hu b has cav itie s ca s t in to th e d rive s ide . R ubber

b locks f it in to th ose cavities, bu t no t to o tigh tly . The

sprocket bo lts to a carrier th a t has long, th in vanes

th a t f i t in to th e h u b , a g a in s t ea ch o f th e ru b b e r

b locks. C onsequently, th e rear sprocket and carrier

can m ove sligh tly, in th e sam e d irectio n th e wheel

rotates. One o the r solu tion is fo r th e sprocket carrier

■

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to have fin g e rs th a t s lip in to ru b b e r bu sh in g s in

th e hub. B lo cks o r bush ings, e ith er on e provides

s o m e d a m p in g fo r th e to -b e -e x p e c te d d rive lin e

sh o ck loads.

- j } f O v e rtim e , th e d rive tra in ’s re len tless rain

о o f s h o c k lo a d s s im p ly w e a rs o u t th ese

ru b b e r da m p e rs so th a t th e y m u s t be rep la ced .

You’ ll be ab le to te ll w hen you de te c t a far-larger-

th an -u sua l w ind up in th e drive line w hen you open

th e th ro tt le ; th e d r iv e lin e w ill fe e l n o tic e a b ly

s lop py . If you can ro ta te th e rea r sp ro c k e t m ore

th an a b o u t 5 to 10 degrees, th e ru b b e r dam pers

have like ly tu rn ed to dust. A t least th e y ’re easy to

rep lace, u s u a lly . . .

BELT FINAL-DRIVE

B e lt f in a l-d r iv e s w e re a ls o p o p u la r in

А р г л m o to rc y c lin g ’s in fa n c y . T h e y w e re

le a th e r b e lts , th o u g h , an d w h e n i t ra in e d th e y

s lip p e d ho rrib ly , w h ich d id little to e n de ar th em to

m o to rcyc lis ts . In th e 1980s, how ever, te chn o log y

m a d e b e lt f in a l-d r iv e a v ia b le s o lu t io n o n c e

a g a in , w ith th e a d v e n t o f to o th e d ru b b e r-a n d -

K e v lar b e lts , so th a t th e y fu n c tio n e d s im ila r ly to

cha ins an d sp ro cke ts .

■SWltJSARH 7§)jis/t||g| _<-\27

! * 0 a / \ LJ o i n t

trium v ira te o f w ays to tra n s fe r th e eng ine ’s m echan ica l

energy. T h e y are in s ta n t ly id e n tifia b le , w ith a ho llc

o u tp u t sha ft (basica lly a p iece o f tub ing ) extending back

fro m th e e n g in e to th e re a r w h e e l, te rm in a tin g in —

ag a in—a very au tom otive p iece o f hardware: a differen

t ia l, o r ge a rca se . T h e p ie ce s in s id e th e g e a rca se a

v irtua lly identica l to th e ir four-w hee l counterpa rts ; a t the

end o f th e sha ft itse lf is a p in ion gear, w h ich m eshes with

a r in g g e a r th a t c o m p le te s th e p o w e r tra n s fe r to the

w heel. Yes, it ’s bu lky and heavy, bu t it ’s a lso pre tty rr

bu lle tp ro o f, so m e th in g c ru c ia l to th e to u r in g r id e rs to

w hom sha ft fina l-d rives are a lm ost invariably m arketed.

You W ant a B e lt? : Virtues + Vices

In to ta ling up th e ir p luses an d m inuses, be lt fina l-d rives

seem to s p lit th e d iffe ren ce ne a tly be tw een cha in and

sh a ft d rives. In pa rticu lar, b e lts requ ire p ra c tica lly zero

m aintenance, m uch like shaft-d rive system s; adjustm ents

are virtua lly unheard of, no lube is necessary (wh ich also

he lps m ake be lts fa r less m essy than chains as well), and

be lts do n ’t rus t. Be lts are also com parab le in w e ig h t to

cha ins, and in efficiency. T hey’re quieter, to o , and w hen a

be lt fina lly does need to be rep laced, it ’s no t necessary

to rep lace both cogw heels.

/Щ у W hen y o u d o have to rep la ce a b e lt, i t ’s

1 an e p ic jo b , re q u ir in g re m o va l o f th e

s w in g a rm (you c a n ’t s p lit a b e lt lik e yo u can a

cha in ). W h a t’s m ore , i t ’s v ir tu a lly im p o s s ib le to

cha ng e ove ra ll ge a ring w ith a b e lt, a n d — a d m it

te d ly a m in o r p o in t b y c o m p a riso n — b e lt d r ive s

are inva riably w ide r th an cha in drives.

SHAFT FINAL-DRIVEA u to m o tive -s ty le sh a ft f in a l-d r ive s are th e th ird in our

i j f j ’ Ju s t loo k ing a t a sh a ft fin a l-d r iv e shou ld

о p ro v id e y o u w ith s o m e c lu e s a s to its

a d v a n ta g e s . T h e m a ss ive s iz e h in ts a t a lo n g

te rm , h ig h -m ile a g e re lia b ility th a t m ake s cha ins

an d b e lts seem a lm o s t fr ivo lo u s b y com p arison .

P lu s , w h e re ch a in s an d b e lts p u t th e ir w o rk in g

pa rts on disp lay, a sha ft d rive h ides a lm os t every

w ork ing pa rt. Tha t cha rac te ris tic suggests a rider

m ig h t n o t ha ve m u ch in th e w a y o f re g u la r ly

sc h e d u le d m a in te n a n ce to p e rfo rm —an d th a t's

p re c is e ly th e ca se . In d e e d , s h a ft fin a l-d r iv e s

require th e least am oun t o f upkeep, com pared to

be lts and chains.

A nd, o f course, ju s t as w ith its com patrio ts , trade-offs

are inevitab le. There’s a (literally) heavy price to be paic

fo r such s to u tn e ss , as s h a ft d r ive s p o sse ss fa r more

avo irdupois than th e o the r tw o fina l-d rive sty les. N or car

a rider change gearing w ith a sha ft drive in any w ay that

m ig h t be c h a ra c te riz e d as ea sy o r c o n v e n ie n t. And,

las tly , s h a ft d r ive s can have an un w a n te d e ffe c t on a

m oto rcyc le ’s handling. It ’s ca lled chass is-jack ing , and й


DRIVETRAIN T R O U B L E S H O O T IN G


CLUTCH SLIPPAGE/

SHUDDER

Dry clutch: overheating

Wet clutch: fiber/friction plates could be dried out due to lack of use, prolonged storage

Allow to cool off; normal service should then resume. If not, take the bike to the dealership for diagnosis

Remove clutch plates: soak fiber/friction plates in clean motor oil; reassemble

•«O/INCOMPLETE

CLUTCH

T'SENGAGEMENT

Wet or dry clutch: worn-out clutch plates

Air trapped in hydraulic clutch slave/master cylinder

Inspect clutch plates (and check wear on clutch basket) and replace as necessary

Check fluid level in clutch master cylinder reservoir

Bleed clutch/replace clutch slave and master cylinder

40ISY, GRINDING,

ЭЙ STIFF

Poorly adjusted clutch (cable-actuated system)

Adjust clutch properly

3EARSHIFTS Incomplete clutch disengagement Take to dealership for diagnosis

= NAL-DRIVE CHAIN

40ISYPoorly lubricated and/or misadjusted chain

Adjust and lubricate drive chain Project 6: Adjust your chain

Chain and sprockets worn out Replace chain and sprockets Project 25: Chain and sprocket replacement

r \AL-DRIVE CHAIN

SKIPS OVER SPROCKET TEETH

1

Excess slack in final-drive chain and/or excessive wear to countershaft and rear wheel sprockets

Adjust final-drive chain, and/or replace final-drive chain and sprockets

Project 25: Chain and sprocket replacement

occurs w hen th e r id e r op en s th e th ro ttle , w h ich m akes

m e rin g ge ar in th e fina l d rive try to “ c lim b ” th e p in ion

rear, and causes th e rear o f th e b ike to rise.

S till som e riders w ill gleefu lly pu t up w ith such sho rt-

;o m in gs ju s t to have th e conven ience and u tte r re liab ility

o f a sha ft drive.


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Project 25

Chain and Sprocket Replacement

2 ho urs

Sockets, big half-inch so cket to f it cou ntersh aft nut, big socket fo r axle nut, ratchet, a ir-p o w ered im pact d river o r breaker bar, torque w re n c h (Ib-ft), w ren ch es , locking pliers, flathead s crew d rivers, punch, chain cleaner o r W D-40, cont a ct cleaner, blue Loctite, rags rota ry tool and cutting w heel, chain brea ker (or hacksaw), chain riv et tool, section o f pipe o r 2x4 lumber, assistant to w o rk th e brake pedal

$-SS

C o u n te rsh a ft an d rea r s p ro c k e ts , О -r in g ch a in w ith r iv e t m a s te r link, c o u n tersh ; n u t lo c k w a s h e r

Lo o se n th e co u n ters h a ft s p ro c k e t be fo re rem o vin g old cha in

B E N EF IT: T h e ab ility to tune y o u r p o w e r I d e liv e ry based on y o u r p re fe re n ce s o r a p a rticu la r t ra c k j

Th e ea s iest w a y to de te rm ine th a t you need a new

chain is from w ear on the sprockets. If your sprocket’s

te e th are w o rn to sha rp p o in ts , ho oke d , o r un eve n ly

shaped, it’s tim e to replace the chain and sprockets.

A n othe r sym pto m is a c lick in g sou nd as you acce l

era te from a s top . This is th e sound o f th e drive system

ta k in g up th e s la c k . S o m e tim e s th is p ro b le m ca n be

fixed b y ad justing th e chain tens ion (see Project 6). If the

cha in can be ad justed ba ck to fa c to ry s lack, th e sound

disappears, and any to o th w ear is m inim al, you can ge t

m ore m ile s o u t o f th e cha in . O th e rw ise sw a p o u t th e

cha in and s p ro c k e ts —to g e th e r, b e ca u se th e y w ea r

together.

Th e f ir s t s te p in th is p ro ce ss is n o t re m o v in g th e

c h a in . You need to fre e up th e c o u n te rsh a ft sp ro c k e t

w h ile you still have a w ay to lock it down.

O nce th e c o u n te rs h a ft s p ro c k e t is loo se , you can

rem ove th e cha in. C iip -s ty le m aste r links are easy—to o

easy—to rem ove. S lip th e c lip free w ith a flathead screw

driver. N ex t, w a lk th e rem ova b le p la te o ff th e p in s by

p ry in g th e en ds a lte rn a te ly w ith y o u r sc re w d rive r.

Eventually, th e pla te w ill pop free. W ith endless cha ins or

riveted m aster links, if you do n ’t have a chain breaker, a

hacksaw w ill do th e trick . If you have a chain breaker, you

m ay o r m ay n o t (depending on the strength o f th e breaker

and th e size o f the chain) need to grind o ff the head o f the

roller pin.

Before you install the new chain, you ’ll need to replace

the sprockets. To rem ove the rear w heel, firs t loosen the

chain adjusters th ree fu ll tu rns and snug up the locknuts

to hold them in place. R em ove the axle nut and axle. Layj

the wheel dow n sprocket up. Using a socket, rem ove the

nuts from th e s tu ds securing the sprocket in a crisscross

pattern. S lide the o ld sprocket free. If the stud th reads are

greasy, c lean them w ith co n ta c t cleaner. (Now is also a

good tim e to clean you r wheel.) Sw ap in the new s p ro cke

and to rque the nu ts to spec.

S in ce y o u ’ve a lre a d y lo o se n e d th e c o u n te rs h a ft

sprocket, you should be able to spin th e nu t free. While

you have th e spro cke t o ff th e countershaft, ta ke a quick

look a t th e seal w ith th e engine case. You shou ldn ’t see

any leakage. Clean all th e encrusted chain goop from the

surrou nd ing area. C lean th e co u n te rsha ft w ith con ta c t

cleaner, paying pa rticu la r a tten tion to th e th reads fo r the


Countershaft sprockets are usually secured one

of three ways: a pair of bolts securing a plate to

the sprocket, a big clip that slips into a groove

in the countershaft itself, or a really big nut. For

the pair of bolts, simply put the engine in gear,

press on the brake pedal, and unbolt them.

Follow the first two steps for the clip, but slip it

off with a flathead screwdriver instead. The

really big nut provides the biggest challenge.

Using a punch or big flathead screwdriver, bend

the tabs on the lockwasher that have been

folded against the flats of the nut.

Since the nut was torqued to at least 65 Ib-ft

and may have thread lock on it, you'll need to

secure the rear wheel before you attempt to

break the nut free. Slip a piece of pipe or 2x4

through the rear wheel just above the

swingarm. Now, when you muscle the nut

free, the wood will keep the wheel, chain,

and sprocket from moving. Be prepared to

sweat a little. Of course, you could resort

to the lazy man’s method of pulling the

trigger on a (pneumatic) impact driver—no

sweating involved.

- j i . O nce th e co n ta c t c leaner is dry, s lide th e sp ro cke t

:n to th e sha ft. D on’t w o rry a b o u t th e nut(s) ye t. You ’ll

rc rq ue it d o w n o n ce th e cha in is in s ta lle d . C lip -ty p e

sp ro ckets can have th e c lip pu she d in to p la ce w ith a

; g screw driver.

W rap th e ne w cha in aro un d b o th sp ro cke ts . If th e

r t ia in h a s n o t be en c u t to le n g th , tu rn th e cha in

a d ju s te rs in e q u a l a m o u n ts u n til th e m id d le o f th e

ad justm ent range is in d ica te d on th e sw ing a rm . Snug

-Э th e ax le nu t to keep th e ax le fro m m oving. Pull the

rnain ta u t and fo ld th e chain over where it m eets the other

and. Y our g o a l is to m ark th e r iv e t th a t ne ed s to be

-am oved so you can s lip th e m aste r link in to po s ition .

=em ove th e rivet as described earlier.

If y o u r cha in cam e w ith a c lip - ty p e lin k , rep la ce it

w ith a r ive t m aste r link, w h ich w ill n o t com e free.

If yo u r cha in inc ludes a tu b e o f grease, a p p ly a he fty

am o un t to th e p ins, О-rin g s , an d p la tes. Insta ll th e 0 -

r in g s inc lu de d w ith th e m a s te r lin k on th e p ins. Push

th e p in s o f th e m as te r link th ro u g h th e cha in fro m th e

ba ck. W hen y o u ’re ha pp y w ith its po s ition , ch e ck and

ins ta ll th e О -rin g s on th e fro n t o f th e cha in and press

th e ou te r p la te on w ith yo u r fingers . U se yo u r cha in to o l

to fin ish ins ta lling th e link. Then use it to fla re th e ends

o f th e ro lle r p ins so yo u r new link s tays pu t.

To secure th e cou n te rsha ft sp ro cke t nu t, add a fe w

d ro ps o f b lue L o c tite to th e th re ad s and to rq ue to spec.

Be sure to d o u b le -ch e ck th e cha in s la c k a fte r 100

m iles o r so . A s th e cha in breaks in, it w ill lengthen. And

breaking in th e cha in is th e m os t fun part.

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TTo make it easier to press out the roller pin, grind

off the top of the rivet with a rotary tool and cutting j

wheel. If you are removing a riveted master link so

that you can reuse the chain in the future (common

when gearing change at a track requires a longer

chain), you'll want to grind off both pins. Usually,

the midpoint between the two sprockets will be the

most unobstructed place to break the chain.

Motion Pro’s Chain Cutter & Riveting Tool is about

the best one around. Install the correct-size

breaking tip in the tool, making sure that the tip is

withdrawn at least 2 mm inside the alignment bolt

Center the pin in the tool and tighten down the

alignment bolt with a 14-mm wrench to hold the

tool in position. Using the 14-mm wrench, crank the

extraction bolt so that it pushes the breaker tip and

the roller pin out of the bottom of the tool. When the

pin falls free, back out the extraction bolt until the

tip is back inside the alignment bolt. Loosen the

alignment bolt until the chain falls free. Repeat if

necessary for a master link.

If you’re using the same-size sprockets, lay the old

chain down beside the new one to mark the length.

Now, pop the pin out of the new chain to cut it to

the correct number of links. For different sprocket

sizes, you’ll measure the chain to length once the

sprockets are mounted. If you’re changing to dif

ferent sprocket sizes from your previous setup,

measure the proper chain length by wrapping it

around both sprockets. Mark the pin where

you have to bend the chain as it meets the other

end—that’s the pin you will remove to set the

chain length.


Place the new sprocket on the studs. If you're

unsure of the orientation, the number of teeth

on the sprocket is usually stamped on the side

facing out. Screw the nuts down finger tight.

Set your torque wrench to half of the value

specified in your factory service manual and

tighten the nuts in a crisscrossing pattern.

Once all nuts are torqued halfway, set the full

torque value on your wrench and tighten the

nuts again. If you tighten the nuts down to their

full-torque setting in one step, you run the risk

of stripping the threads. Remount the wheel

and loosely fasten the axle nut.

Tighten the rivet tool until it distorts the roller

pin. The goal is to make it impossible for the

outer plate to be able to back away from the ---------

inner plate.

ю<NI

Even though you used Loctite compound on

the threads, a new locking washer is required

to assure that the countershaft nut doesn't

spin free. Make sure the washer is bent so that

it is firmly against the entire side (not just one

point) of the nut. Note the rivet on the

master link, too.

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Project 26

Replace the Drive Delt

TIM E : A full d a y

C om m on hand tools, plus t ools req u ire d to rem o ve J an d insta ll th e p rim a ry driv e

C O S T: $$$$

PA R TS :

T IP : N o w is th e t im e to c o n s id e r a n y d riv elin e repairs! or u p g ra d e s

B E N EF IT: T h is is g e n e ra lly a m a in i^ ] n a n ce iss ue. O bviou sly, a w o rn o r d a m a ged belt is J b oth u n sa fe an d unreliabt

R ep lac ing a w orn o r dam aged d rive b e lt is anothe r

one o f th ose d irty d ishes chores. There is no w ay to

sugarcoat it. On H arley-D avidsons you ’ ll need to rem ove

th e prim ary drive, as w ell as several o f th e fram e pa rts on

th e le ft s ide o f th e m oto rcyc le before you can rem ove the

o ld b e lt. T h e m an ua l g o e s in to g re a t d e ta il as fa r as

rep lacing th e be lt; th erefore, I’ ll on ly d iscu ss in general

the be lt rep lacem ent process.

O b v io u s ly , th e n u m b e r-o n e rea son y o u ’ ll be

rep lacing th e be lt is because it ’s e ither w orn ou t o r dam

aged. If so , ta ke a ve ry go od loo k a t the spro ckets . It’s

eve n m on ey th a t i f th e b e lt is w o rn o u t so are th e

spro ckets . By th e sam e token , a s to ne o r o th e r fo re ign

ob jec t th a t m ay dam age the be lt can tear up th e pulleys

ju s t as easily. G iven th e m agn itude o f th e job , you m ay

w an t to b ite the bu llet and replace the pulleys and be lt as

a un it, rather than do th e jo b tw ice.

serious da ng er o f w earing th ro ug h . W hen th e be lts ssd

new, the th in po lyethylene coating is very obvious; how

ever, it can q u ick ly w ea r o f f as it is bu rn ishe d in to ths]

belt. T his is a norm al s itua tion and alone does no t indi

cate be lt wear.

Lastly check the be lt teeth fo r dam age, particularly fori

cracks a t the base o f teeth . The H -D service manual incor-j

porates a very good cha rt th a t deta ils be lt problem s a ra j

th e ir so lu tion s , as w e ll as com m on sp ro cke t p ro b le

Use it as a gu ide before rushing ou t to buy a new belt.

B e lt In sp e c tio n

Start by checking th e edge o f the be lt fo r cuts, tears, o r

odd w ear patte rns. Pay atten tion to th e ou te r edge o f the

be lt; typ ica lly yo u ’ ll fin d som e beveling there. In and o f

itself, th is isn’t a serious problem , although it does ind i

ca te som e spro cke t m isa lignm ent. Inspect th e ou ts ide of

th e b e lt fo r s to ne p u nc tu res . T hese can be d iff ic u lt to

spo t, so look carefully. Take a good look a t th e inside o f

th e belt. W hen th e be lt is new, a layer o f nylon fac ing and

po lyethylene cove rs th e tensile o r s tructura l cords. Once

th e fa c in g w ea rs away, th e o n ly th in g h o ld in g th e b e lt

to ge the r is th e tens ile cords. If the tensile cords are v is

ible, th e be lt is w orn out, and chances are exce llen t th a t

th e pu lleys a lso are kap u t. A t th is po in t, th e b e lt is in A picture is worth a thousand words, and in a word this belt is shot.


1 № Г

Suspension

OLD SCHOOL TECH

KEY CONCEPT

MAINTENANCE TIP

H ow I t W orksSprings & Dam pers S hock Absorbe rs &

Rear Suspensions S uspension Tuning

P ro je c tsP ro je c t 2 7 : M easure Sag and

A d jus t Preload: Front P ro je c t 2 8 : M easure Sag and

A d just Preload: Rear P ro je c t 2 9 : A d just Dam ping

Settings• Suspension T roubleshooting

S ym ptom sP ro je c t 3 0 : A d just R ide H eight

• Low ering C autions P ro je c t 3 1 : C hange Your Fork Oil P ro je c t 3 2 : C hange Fork Springs P ro je c t 3 3 : Install A fterm arket

Shocks


Som e riders w an t to learn abou t th e ir b ike ’s suspen

s ion in th e w ors t w ay possib le . U nfortunate ly, th a t

often tu rn s o u t to be p re c ise ly th e case, as th e y try to

wrestle th e ir fron ta l lobes around another rid er’s sugges-

ro n to add 40 c licks m ore prebound to the rear shock, or

a road te s t ’s grave p ro n o u n ce m e n t th a t th e ir m o u n t’s

Ton t fo rk is in d ire need o f reduced h igh-speed spring

-epression, as any fo o l cou ld pla in ly see.

But, w ait! A s w e ’ll soon discover, you r b ike ’s suspen

sion rea lly isn ’t th a t d iff ic u lt to crack . Yes, suspens ion

tuning invariably rew ards the slow , m ethod ical, th ink ing

app ro ach ra th e r th a n th e im p a tie n t on e th a t w a n ts to

make six to e ig h t changes a t once to speed th in gs up a

little . N o, it d o e s n ’t ta k e a p a r tic u la r ly d e e p u n d e r

s tand ing o f p h ys ics—o r even m a th —to figu re th is s tu ff

out. And, yes, if you find you rse lf hopelessly in th e w eeds

m e ta p h o rica lly sp e a k in g , o f cou rse), yo u can a lw a ys

re tu rn to hom e; th a t is , th e reco m m en de d se ttin g s in

your ow n er’s manual.

SPRINGS & DAMPERSSprings (alm ost alw ays co il- typ e fo r m oto rcyc le suspen

s ion s ) a re a n a lo g o u s to b a tte r ie s : T h e y b o th s to re

energy. F o rk an d s h o c k sp r in g s a b s o rb th e im p a c t

energy as a w he e l/tire h its a bum p or po tho le . In do ing

so, the spring com presses as th e wheel is driven upw ard

o y th e im p ac t, and th e n re leases th a t energy, push ing

the w he e l do w n w a rd so it m a in ta ins c o n ta c t w ith th e

pavem ent. W ithou t th e spring, th e w heel/tire w ou ld liter

a lly b o u n ce o f f th e roa d , up an d do w n , u n til it fin a lly

expended all th e energy from th e initia l bum p o r po thole.

To con tro l th e bounc ing (com pressing and

: V re b o u n d in g ) o f th e w h e e l/t ire on th e

springs, there needs to be som ething to dam p (not

dam pen: th a t w ou ld m ean m aking it dam p, or wet)

th e uncon tro lled bo un c ing . T h a t dev ice w ou ld be

c a lle d a d a m p e r, o th e rw is e kn o w n a s a s h o c k

a b so rb e r; th e fro n t fo rk fu n c tio n s e sse n tia lly th e

sam e w ay. T h e d a m p e r g e ts r id o f th e s p r in g ’s

e x c e s s en e rg y th ro u g h h y d ra u lic f r ic t io n . The

da m pe r is a flu id -d am p ed p is to n ins ide th e shock

th a t w o rk s in lin e w ith th e s p r in g . T h is p is to n

m o ve s in th e sam e d ire c t io n an d a t th e sam e

speed as th e spring . The p is to n has an open ing, o r

o rifice , fa c in g a reservo ir o f hyd rau lic flu id , in th is

case oil. As th e p is ton m oves ba ck and fo rth , the

o il ge ts rude ly shoved ba ck and fo rth th rough the

p is to n ’s o r ifice . F lu ids, be ing inca pa b le o f be ing

com pressed , resist flow in g easily th rough th e o ri

fic e , c a u s in g h y d ra u lic fr ic t io n . T h a t, in tu rn , is

w ha t causes th e dam ping effect.

A p a rt fro m m aking w hee l m ove m e n t po ss ib le ove r

paving im perfections, th e spring s ’ o ther jo b is to support

th e w eight o f the m otorcycle and rider, plus (if applicable) a


passenger and luggage. Given the w ide range o f types o f

m otorcycles and their weights (also true o f their riders and

passengers), it shouldn’t com e as a surprise th a t springs

c o m e in d iffe re n t ra te s, o r w e ig h ts . S p rin g s are ra te d

acco rd ing to the am oun t o f w e ig h t it ta kes to com press

one a specific d istance, such as pounds-inch or kilograms-

meter. So, a 100 Ib-in spring requires 100 pounds to com

press it 1 inch, 200 pounds to com press it 2 inches, and so

on. A shorthand w ay o f referring to springs is sim ply by the

w e ight, so th a t ou r 100 Ib -in spring com es to be called

sim p ly a 100-pound spring.

C om pre ss in g th e s p rin g s lig h tly w h ile a t re s t (or

installed in a fo rk , o r m ounted to a shock) is know n as pre

load. P reload ensures th e b ike do e sn ’t sag ove r m uch

u n d e r th e r id e r 's w e ig h t. S im ila rly , a d d itio n a l p re load

accom plishes th e sam e end should you add a passenger

a n d /o r luggage . In sho rt, spring p re load m ain ta ins th e

p ro pe r chass is a ttitu d e and prevents bo tto m in g -o u t o f

th e su sp e n s io n . A d d in g p re lo a d , ho w eve r, d o e s n o t

m ake th e spring s tiffen N oth ing can do th a t. A dd itiona l

pre load s im p ly m eans it w ill require m ore w e ig h t ju s t to

ge t the spring to move.

. f ) f P re load is used to s e t th e sag, m ean ing

> ho w fa r th e suspens ion com presses w hen

loa de d w ith ju s t th e b ike (un laden sag) and w ith

th e rid e r aboa rd (laden sag). S e tting th e sag is the

s ing le m os t im p orta n t ad jus tm e n t you can do w ith

you r suspension .

F ro n t F ork

T he s im p le s t k ind o f com m on ly used fro n t suspension

th ese days is th e conven tional te le scop ic fo rk , w ith the

sam e kind o f s in g le -o rifice dam p ing system de scrib ed

ea rlie r; it ’s ca lle d a da m pe r-rod fo rk . In tru th , th is fo rk

actua lly has one hole each fo r com pression and rebound

da m p ing , bu t be cau se th e y ’ re d iffe re n t c irc u its (com

pre ss io n to a ss is t th e sp rin g ove r bum ps, reb ou nd to

dam p th e sp ring ’s energy as it ex tends a fter a bum p) it ’s

s till, te c h n ic a lly , a s in g le -o r if ic e d a m p in g sys te m .

D am per-rod fo rks have been used fo r generations, and

th ey ’re s till in use today, usually on cruisers and cheaper

a n d /o r sm alle r-d isp lacem en t b ike s—generally, m oto rcy

cles th a t don ’t pu t a prem ium on ride qu a lity o r handling.

W hy? Because such system s are fa r to o progressive.

T h a t is , th e c h a n g e in th e ir d a m p in g q u a litie s is to o

extrem e. They p ro v id e ove rly s o ft dam ping ove r sm all,

gentle road im perfections, bu t tu rn w ay harsh over larger,

m ore square-edged ones. It ’s no t qu ite th e w ors t o f both

w orlds, bu t it is close.

Оя и р й В ю м

a ® »B o o r

: Tha t ’s th e m ain reason th e con ven tion a l

r> da m p e r-ro d fo rk ’s p la ce ha s been ta ken

by th e cartridg e fo rk , w h ich has becom e standard

issue fo r any m o to rcyc le w hose audience values a

m ea sure o f s o p h is tic a tio n in th e w ay th e ir fro n t

suspension w orks. It’s because o f th e w ay a car

tr id g e fo rk can (generally) be ca lib ra ted to provide

ju s t th e r ig h t c o m b in a t io n o f co m p re s s io n and

re b o u n d d a m p in g fo r th e b ik e i t ’s b o lte d to ,

w h e th e r th a t ’s a h a rd co re s p o r t b ik e o r a m ile -

m unch ing to u rin g rig .

S u ch tu n in g is p o ss ib le be cau se a ca rtr id g e fo rk ’s

in te rna ls are basically th e sam e as th a t o f a rear shock.

T he cartridg e itse lf con s is ts o f a tube , largely filled with

oil, th a t has a p is ton th a t travels up and do w n the tu b e ’s

length. A dam ping valve, norm ally fo r rebound, is added

o r inco rp ora ted in to th e p is to n . A t th e base o f th e car

tr idg e is th e com pression valve.

For the m ost part, bo th fo rk legs conta in one o f these

cartridges. However, on som e bikes, on ly one leg has a

cartridge. On o thers, each o f th e tw o legs con ta ins a car

tr idg e unit, bu t w ith on ly a s ing le valve, so th a t one side

h a nd les so le ly c o m p re ss io n -d a m p in g d u tie s , and the

o the r sole ly rebound.

[ ) O ne o th e r ph ys ica l change accom pan ied

о th e s w itc h to c a r tr id g e fo rk s fo r m o s t

m oto rcyc les, th a t be ing th e larger d iam e te r o f the

fo rk tu be s m oving from th e bo tto m o f the fo rk to


the to p , w here th ey ’re bo lted into th e tr ip le clam ps

rather than holding the fron t w heel as before. These

cam e to be know n as m ale-slider fo rks, o r upside-

dow n fo rks, fo r w ha t should be obv ious reasons. It

was a logical change, as the bending forces imposed

on th e up pe r fo rk leg are enorm ous. It ju s t m akes

sense to pu t th e la rge r-d iam ete r tu b e in th e tr ip le

c lam ps, because as a tu be ’s diam eter increases, its

stiffness jum ps dramatically; sim p le physics.

Still, it ’s th e cartridge fo rk ’s valving th a t m akes it such

= huge leap fo rw ard over th e previous dam per-rod fork.

- o lace o f a cru d e , s ing le fix e d -o r ific e each fo r co m -

Dression and rebound, th e cartridge fo rk ’s com pression

and rebound va lve s are m ade up o f a s ta ck o f flex ib le

■•.ashers called shim s. A s th e fo rk m oves up and dow n,

: gets fo rce d th rough holes in th e valves. On th e oppo-

s te s ide o f th e valves are th e shim s tacks. The o il then

-orces th e sh im s to de flec t, o r bend sligh tly, to p rovide

r>e dam ping effect.

A ll w ell and good , you m ig ht say, bu t so w ha t? Well,

- the firs t place, th e shim stack, by bend ing, provides an

rrfin itely variab le orifice, w h ich in tu rn guarantees much

e s s -p ro g re s s iv e d a m p in g th a n is th e ca se w ith a

ca m p e r-ro d fo rk . In th e se c o n d p la ce , ch a n g in g th e

- jm b e r, th ic kn e ss , a n d /o r d ia m e te r o f th e sh im s p ro -

. des th e cartridge fo rk ’s a ll-crucia l tuneab ility , so th a t it

can respond properly to paving im perfections bo th sm all

and gradual, o r large and sha rp—and to ju s t abou t any-

n in g in between.

One o the r advantage th a t tagged a long w ith th e car-

r id g e fo rk —one seen firs t on rear shocks because their

c o n s tru c t io n is s im ila r to th a t o f c a r tr id g e fo rk s — is

ad ju s ta b le d a m p in g . Yes, s h im s ta c k s ca n a llo w

cam p ing a d ju s tm e n ts as w e ll, b u t i t ’s n o t necessa rily

cossib le w ith all OEM fo rks. Besides, tun ing suspension

.:a th e sh im s requires fa r m ore kno w led ge and exp e ri

ence than m ost ow ners are w illing to ta ke on.

In s te a d , th e a d ju s tm e n ts c o m e fro m s o -c a lle d

'c lic k e rs ” —essentia lly need le valves, w ith de te n ts , th a t

n re a d in to th e to p o f th e fo rk (fo r a d ju s tin g reb ou nd ,

-sua lly ) o r th e bo tto m (for ad justin g com p re ss ion , like

wise). Each d e te n t p ro v id e s a ta c tile an d som e tim e s

audib le c lick , large ly to m ake it easier to ad jus t th e sus-

cension m ore prec ise ly th an w ou ld be po ss ib le by jus t

counting tu rn s o f th e need le va lve . T h e need le valves

-estrict o r open th e f lo w o f o il fo r each dam p ing c ircu it.

S p rin g p re lo a d is a ls o a c o m m o n fo rk a d ju s tm e n t,

a cco m p lish e d v ia a th re a d e d c o lla r in th e fo rk cap s.

Turning th e c o lla r c lo ckw ise increases pre lo ad ; cou n

te rc lo c k w is e d e cre a se s it. S o m e fo rk s o ffe r a ll th re e

a d ju s tm e n ts (s p r in g p re lo a d , c o m p re s s io n , and

rebound dam ping), w h ile o the rs a d ju s t on ly fo r pre load,

and som e have no a d ju s tm e n t c a p a b ility w ha tsoever.

C o s t is n o rm a lly th e lim it in g fa c to r ; m ore exp e n s ive

m oto rcyc le s te n d to o ffe r m ore ad justab ility , especia lly

if th e y ’re s p o rt bikes.

A lte rn a tive F ron t Suspensions

W hateve r its fo rm —da m pe r-rod o r ca rtridg e -typ e , righ t

s id e up o r up s ide d o w n —th e te le sco p ic fo rk has long

re igned as m o to rcyc lin g ’s f irs t cho ice fo r fro n t susp en

s io n . T h e re a re a n u m b e r o f re a so n s fo r th is . F o r

in s ta n c e , th e te le s c o p ic fo rk is re la tiv e ly s im p le , it 's

been d e v e lo p e d fo r g e n e ra tio n s , an d i t ’s fa m ilia r to

r id e rs , b o th in i ts a p p e a ra n c e an d in h o w i t m ake s

m oto rcyc le s handle.

However, if you loo k a t it log ically, th e te le fo rk verges

on b e in g d is a s tro u s . S u sp e n s io n an d b ra k in g loa ds

a ffe c t th e s teering , fo r exam ple , an d its vast, re lative ly

un supported length can m ake it very flexib le.

. A , And th ose are th e very reasons th a t m any

b r ig h t th in k e rs h a ve c o m e up w ith

a lte rna tive so lu tion s to th e te le fo rk , n o ta b ly hu b-

c e n te r-s te e r in g ve rs io n s su ch as B im o ta ’s Tesi

an d Y a m a ha ’s s h o r t- l iv e d G T S 1 00 0 , and

varia tions o f a doub le -w ish bo ne fro n t end such as

th o se c rea ted by N orm an H ossack and a ho s t o f

o the rs . T he on ly a lt fro n t ends th a t have had any

rea l s u c c e s s (d e fin e d he re a s b e in g u se d on


m ass-p rod uce d m oto rcyc le s fo r m ore than ju s t a

fe w m odel-years) have been BM W s Tele lever and

D uo leve r. T h e tw o a re v a r ia t io n s on H o s s a c k ’s

design , and are generally w e ll regarded (especially

th e D u o le ve r) fo r th e ir a b il it y to s e p a ra te th e

e ffe c ts o f b ra k in g and susp en s ion from a c tu a lly

s te e r in g th e m o to rc y c le . H ow e ver, m o s t r id e rs

w ho have g ro w n up rid in g b ike s w ith te le sco p ic

fo rk s fin d th e s te e r in g on th e s e B M W s la c k s a

ce rta in fe e l—one th a t ’s d iff ic u lt to d e fin e b u t is

p a r tic u la r ly co n fid e n c e - in s p ir in g d u rin g s p ir ite d

c o rn e r in g . In s h o rt, th e y ’ re n o t fo r e v e ry o n e —

y e t—and th e te le s c o p ic fo rk ’s re ign is re la tive ly

sa fe—fo r now.

SHOCK ABSORBERS& REAR SUSPENSIONSW ell, if y o u ’ve been ab le to grasp h o w ca rtr id g e fo rks

w o rk —and, hopefu lly, you have—th en you sho u ld also

have a pre tty go od idea o f how sho ck absorbers w ork,

as th e princ ip les are th e same, even if th e physical sizes

o f the tw o are not.

- - f i ' f O f c o u rs e , th e re a re s o m e d iffe re n c e s

fo b e tw e e n th e tw o . F o r e x a m p le , h ig h -

q u a lity re a r d a m p e rs a re a lm o s t u n iv e rs a lly

p re ssu rize d De C a rb o n -ty p e s , w he re c a r tr id g e

fo rk s a lm o s t a lw a y s w o rk a t a tm o s p h e r ic

pressure. A De C arbon sho ck /d am pe r is a s ing le

tu b e u n it ( re gu la r/con ven tion a l hyd ra u lic sho cks

su ch as K o n is ha ve d o u b le - tu b e c o n s tru c t io n )

w ith a s lid in g p is to n th a t sep ara tes th e dam ping

o il from a h igh-pressure (360 to 430 psi) ine rt gas,

u s u a lly n itro g e n . W h y use su ch a d e s ig n ?

B ecause, ch a ra c te ris tica lly , De C arbon da m pe rs

c o n s is te n tly re s p o n d im m e d ia te ly to p a v in g

im p e r fe c tio n s , u n lik e c o n v e n tio n a l h y d ra u lic !

sho cks w hose con s tru c tio n can p ro voke aeration

o r ca v ita tio n o f th e da m p ing flu id , w h ich reveals

i ts e lf as in c o n s is te n t o r n o n e x is te n t d a m p in g .

The y a lso s ta y coo ler, th a n ks to th e ir s ing le -tub e

(also know n as m ono-tube) design .

T h o se are re la tiv e ly m in o r d iffe re n c e s , th o u g h ,

com pared to th e m assive changes m o to rcyc lin g ’s rear

su sp e n s io n has g o n e th ro u g h in th e la s t seve ra l

decades. Here are som e o f th e variations th a t have m ade

it in to m ass production :

T w in S h o c k s

B a c k in th e da y , a ll m o to rc y c le s ’ re a r su s p e n s io n s

w e re c o n fig u re d lik e th is , w ith a c o n v e n tio n a l,

unbraced sw ingarm shaped like a U, w ith one dam per

o n each s id e o f th e rea r w he e l, p o s itio n e d re la tive ly

u p r ig h t and w ith th e b o tto m m o u n t on th e sw ing arm

rough ly in line w ith the rear whee l’s axle. In th a t pos ition ,

T ftlC A Lo i - w r a

SHocfca b s o r b e r

s p a u sC b L S

A lp

C H A M B E R

c o m p r e s s io n


s w i» le A R M(З Л в & Я BE

CHASSIS

—e ra tio o f sh o ck trave l to rear w heel trave l w as abou t

• . Tha t is, if th e da m pe r m oves 10 m m over a bum p,

—e rear w hee l does likew ise.

This se tup w orks pe rfectly adequate ly fo r th e m ajority

r riders. But w hen th ey s ta rt pushing harder on bum py

ra ck roads, th e sw ingarm sta rts to flex and th e previous

:e->eration (or older) dam pers s ta rt to show th e ir lim ita -

:n s . It is p o s s ib le to g e t m uch b e tte r resu lts w ith a

-o d e rn a fterm arket pa ir o f sho ck absorbers.

5 ~gle S hock/N o L ink

r ea de rs m ig h t re ca ll Y a m a ha ’s m id -1 9 7 0 s YZ

V?onoshock m o tocrossers as be ing th e f irs t m ass-p ro -

ruced m otorcycles w ith a s ing le rear shock. They d id n ’t

-ave a link; it w as m ounted d irec tly to the fram e and the

sw ingarm a t a rough ly 2:1 ratio . That is, if the rear wheel

-o v e s 1 inch, th e da m pe r/sh ock stroke m oves 0 .5 inch.

In tru th , V incent’s Series A m o to rcyc les from th e early

'5 3 0 s had an a lm ost identica l se tup , so it w asn’t exactly

= new idea.

Regardless o f w ho cam e up w ith it firs t, the

advantages rem ain s tead fastly th e sam e: it

e lim in ates any po te n tia l d iffe ren ces be tw een tw o

shocks in a conven tional tw in -sh o ck rear suspen

s io n ; it h e lp s m ake th e s w in g a rm s t iffe r ; an d it

m oves th e d a m pe r and sp rin g fo rw a rd fo r b e tte r

m ass cen tra liza tio n . It a lso reduces th e da m pe r’s

trave l in re lation to w hee l trave l. T h a t’s s ign ifican t

b e ca u se i t in h e re n tly re d u ce s th e a e ra tio n

(foaming) o f th e hyd rau lic flu id .

Still, w ith no link, th e m oto rcyc le is s tu ck w ith w ha t

ever d a m pe r/ w heel ra tio th a t w as des igned in to it. For

m any years, fe w m anufacturers w en t dow n

th is p a th o f us in g a s in g le s h o ck w ith no

link . O n o ff-ro a d b ike s , a lin k le ss system

w ith a s h o c k m o u n te d lo w e r in th e rea r

fram e has proved to be effec tive and m ain-

tenance-free. KTM , in particular, has m ade

th is system w ork very well.

But back to th e early 1980s. O ther m an

ufacturers w ere busily w orking on link-type

s y s te m s th a t c o u ld be ta ilo re d fo r

b ro a d e r— an d s u p p o s e d ly m ore d e s ir

a b le —resu lts . H on da ’s H aw k GT 650 w as

one a d he ren t to th e s in g le -s h o c k /n o - lin k

schoo l o f thou gh t, b u t on ly p roduced fo r a

few years. Currently, o f m oto rcyc les sold in

th is country, K aw asaki’s N inja 650R is one

o f th e fe w roa d -go ing m o to rcyc le s to use

such a system .

S ingle S hock w ith L ink

T his is w ha t m odern rear suspension looks like. They’re

so w idespread th a t riders have com e to expect them on

curren t m otorcycles.Single-shock link-type rear suspensions have all o f the

advantages lis ted ab ove— plus one im p orta n t extra : th e

ability to ta ilor, w ith the link, a suspension th a t’s e ither pro

gressive (becom es stiffe r o r softer) o r linear in its action.

T he general th in k in g be h in d lin k s —fo r s tree t b ikes,

anyw ay—is th a t it ’s best to have one th a t provides a pro

g re ss ive ly s tiffe r rea r susp en s ion . T h a t is , as a sh o ck

nears th e end o f its travel, th e link’s leverage decreases,

so th a t its resp on se b e com e s s tiffe r. C on seq ue ntly , a

rid e r can ta ke on a passenger a n d /o r luggage, and no t

have to w orry abou t the rear suspension bo ttom ing. For

rac ing o r h ig h -p e rfo rm a n ce rid in g , a line a r-ra te link is

m ost o ften th e best solution.

SUSPENSION TUNING

i> B e fo re w e even g e t s ta rte d , you need to

a kno w and unders tand one be d ro ck tru th :

T h e re is no on e u n iv e rs a lly p e r fe c t s u sp e n s io n

se tting fo r all r id ers o f one pa rticu la r m oto rcyc le .

There’s no los t cho rd , th e re ’s no A tla n tis , no Santa

C laus, no Easter Bunny, and no on e pe rfec t setup.

S o rry to be th e one to break th is to you.

Unfortunately, if you w an t th e best suspension setup

fo r y o u r m o to rc y c le th a t s u its y o u r w e ig h t and rid in g

sty le, you ’re go ing to have to roo t it ou t th rough tria l and

error. T ha t m eans w ritin g d o w n th e se ttin g s and yo u r


re su ltin g rid in g im press ion s in a no te b o o k . T h is in fo r

m a tio n w ill be in va lu a b le w he n y o u in v a ria b ly m ake

to o m any a d jus tm e n ts a t on ce, and y o u ’re com p le te ly

lo s t. If th a t happ en s , th o u g h , you can re tu rn th e s e t

tin g s to som e th in g you like d prev ious ly , o r a t lea st to

th e s to c k se tting s.

You shou ld a lso know i t ’s n o t th a t scary o r d ifficu lt.

H o n e s t. It ju s t ta k e s t im e an d re q u ire s y o u to pa y

care fu l a tten tion to how yo u r m o to rcyc le is w ork ing .

F irs t th in g s firs t: You need to ge t you r sag

m easurem en ts co rre c t, fro n t an d rear. All

th is d o e s is d e te rm in e ho w m uch p re lo a d y o u r

fro n t and rear spring s require to keep th e fo rk and

shock(s) in th e ir m os t usefu l range o f trave l. If you

have to o m uch o r to o little sag /p re load, ad justing

th e d a m p in g w o n ’t ha ve a n y w h e re n e a r th e

de s ire d e ffec t. In fa c t, y o u ’ re m ore liab le to s ink

in to a m orass o f con flic ting da m pe r se ttings, and

yo u r b ike w ill hand le like a spav ined cow.

In g e n e ra l, m o s t e x p e r ts s u g g e s t s e t t in g y o u r

b ik e ’s sag a t a b o u t o n e - fo u r th to o n e - th ird o f y o u r

b ik e ’s to ta l tra v e l, f ro n t an d rear. T ha t u su a lly w o rks

o u t to rou gh ly 2 5 -3 0 m m fo r b o th en ds. C o n su lt you r

o w n e r’s m anua l fo r th e recom m ended sag. A lso , y o u ’ ll

f in d se ttin g sag m uch ea s ie r if you re c ru it tw o bu dd ies

to he lp you w ith th is .

Fo r th e fro n t, ge t th e fro n t w heel com p le te ly o ff th e

g ro u n d s o th e s u s p e n s io n is fu lly e x te n d e d . U se a

m e tric sca le ta p e m easure to ge t th e d is ta nce from the

d u s t sea l/w ipe r to th e bo tto m o f th e tr ip le c lam ps (con

ven tiona l fo rk) o r to th e to p o f th e castin g th a t ho lds the

ax le and b ra ke ca lip er(s) (up s id e -d o w n fo rk ); ca ll th is

F1. A t th e back, m easure from th e rear axle to a po in t

d ire c tly above th e rear axle, w ith th e suspens ion com

p le te ly exten de d; call th is R1.

T h e n g e t th e sam e m e a su re m e n ts , f i r s t w ith th e

m o to rc y c le re s tin g on th e g ro u n d (u n la de n sag) and

th e n w ith yo u rs e lf in th e sad d le , fu lly d re ssed in you r

rid ing gear (laden sag). You’ ll need a t lea st one person

to s te ad y th e bike , and anothe r w ou ld be he lpfu l to get

th e m easurem en t, using th e sam e pro ced ure . If F1-F2

o r R1-R2 is less th an 25 m m , y o u ’ ll w an t to reduce pre

load; if F1-F2 o r R1-R2 is m ore th an 30 m m , y o u ’ ll w an t

to in c re a s e p re lo a d (see P ro je c ts 27 an d 2 8 fo r a

s lig h tly m ore prec ise m ethod o f m easurem ent).

A d ju s tin g D am ping

Now, on to dam ping . F irst, a cou p le o f caveats.

f M ake o n ly sm a ll cha ng es ; no m ore than

tw o c lic k s a t a t im e . P lu s , th e s e are

sug ge s te d gu ide lin es, an d sho u ld be con s ide red

a s s u c h . I f a n y o f th is is b e y o n d y o u r

u n d e rs ta n d in g , o r e ve n a f te r fo llo w in g th e s e

sug ge s tion s yo u r b ike s till do e sn ’t fe e l r ig h t, then

yo u sh o u ld e ith e r se riou s ly co n s id e r un lim b ering

y o u r c re d it ca rd an d s im p ly b u y in g u p g ra d e d

s u s p e n s io n c o m p o n e n ts , o r — a t a m in im u m —

re tu rn y o u r b ik e ’s s u sp e n s io n s e ttin g s to th ose

re co m m e n d e d in y o u r o w n e r ’s m an ua l. A n d , if

a f te r th a t y o u s t i l l fe e l th e re ’s a p ro b le m ,

d e fin ite ly ta k e y o u r m o to rc y c le to a d e a le r so

th e y can f in d o u t w ha t th e p ro b lem is.

: / The f irs t da m p ing a d jus tm e n t to m ake is

reb ou nd , as it has th e g re a te s t e ffe c t on

you r b ike 's handling. Try to d ia l in on ly as m uch as

is ne cessa ry to keep th e b ike fe e ling p lanted and

s ta b le . A t e ith e r end, if r id e qu a lity is exce llen t at

lo w e r sp e e d s , b u t as yo u g o fa s te r, th e fro n t

a n d /o r re a r s ta r t to fe e l lo o se o r u n s ta b le an d

w ob b le o r w eave se ts in, you need m ore rebound

d a m p in g . H ow e ver, i f th e r id e is ha rsh , an d a t

h igher speeds th e fro n t sta rts to w ob b le a n d /o r the

b ike te nd s to run w ide exiting corners, you should

reduce rebound.

For com pression dam ping, try to use as little as pos

sible. Sym ptom s o f to o little com pression dam ping include

excessive fron t-end dive under hard braking, a m ushy fee:

to th e fro n t o r rear, and any bo tto m in g ove r b ig paving

im perfections at speed. Too m uch com pression dam ping

is characterized by a harsh ride (although no t qu ite as bad

as having to o m uch rebound), and w hen paving imperfec

tions are fe lt im m ediately and d irectly through the chassis.

S om e race -rep lica -quality spo rt b ikes these days are

com ing w ith adjusters fo r both high- and low -speed com

pre ss io n d a m p in g a d ju s te rs . W h a t’s im p o rta n t to

rem em ber here is th a t the speed referred to is how fast the

suspension has to react—no t your road speed. In general,

lo w -sp e e d com p re ss ion d a m p in g a ffe c ts rid e qua lity ,

especia lly in fast corners, and overall s tability; high-speec

com pression dam ping a ffec ts th e b ike ’s ride height, and

rid e quality over sm all ripp les. A d just acco rding ly a fter a

series o f te s t rides.

It’s w orth repeating here th a t there is no one universe

setting th a t w ill m ake your m otorcycle a veritable handling

dem on. The procedures outlined in th is chapter are merely

general suggestions to ge t you started on th e righ t path.


S U S P E N S I O N T R O U B L E S H O O T IN G


: I 3R RIDE QUALITY Improperly inflated fires Check tire pressure and inflate

to motorcycle manufacturer's

recommended psi

Project 37: Check

tire pressure

Improper sag Set sag Project 27 & 28:

Measure sag and

adjust preload

front/rear

Г “ ERIORATING

- IE QUALITY/

--NDLING

Worn-out oil in shock(s) or fork Drain and replace fork oil. Have

shock(s) rebuilt at dealership, if

possible

Project 31: Change

your fork oil

£ ;ESSIVE PLAY IN

; EAR SWINGARM

Linkage bearings in rear

suspension worn out

Rebuild and/or replace

bearings

: j 'II need to dec ide fo r yourself if th e resulting settings

i r correct fo r your w eight and rid ing style, o r if you need

" go fu rther one w ay or th e other.

Also bear in m ind your settings w ill w ork well on a par-

: Ja r stretch o f pavement. In an ideal w orld, you’d change

the settings fo r different types o f surfaces and rid ing condi

tions. Racers do th is—you probably w on ’t!

S tick w ith it, use the sam e stretch o f pavem ent o r race

track to m ake your evaluations, and d o n 't fo rge t to keep

cop ious am ounts o f notes. Best o f luck.

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Prefect 27

Measure Sag and Adjust Preload: Front

T IM E : 30 m in u te s -1 h o u r

T O O L S : T w o a s sista n ts, riding gear, m e tr ic tape m e a s u re , op e n -e n d e d w re n c h o r s o ck e t, s h o c k prelo ad a d ju stin g tool o r long s c r e w d riv e r and ha m m er, h a c k s a w o r pipe/tubin g cu tte r (fo r PV C sp a ce rs ), ja c k

C O S T: $

PA R TS : PV C pipe to c u t sp a ce rs

T IP : A d ju s t th e pre lo ad to suitt h e load t h e b ike w ill c a r ry — rider, passenger, gear, etc.

B E N E F IT : W ith prelo ad ad ju sted forp ro p e r sa g, y o u r s u s p e n s io n w ill b e able to d o its job b etter

T he load on yo u r suspens ion w hen you rid e so lo is

d iffe ren t from th e load w ith tw o riders and luggage.

If y o u r b ike is to have a d e q u a te s u sp e n s io n tra ve l to

a b so rb pa vem e n t irre gu la ritie s , you w ill need d iffe ren t

susp en s ion s e ttin g s fo r th e tw o scen arios . T h is is th e

w orld o f sag and pre load. Sag is th e am o un t yo u r b ike

s e ttles under its ow n w e ig h t (free sag), and loaded fo r

th e r id in g y o u p la n to d o (s ta t ic sag ). P re lo ad is th e

am oun t o f tens ion d ia led in to th e spring : pre load regu

lates sag.

Too little sag and yo u r b ike w ill be prone to to pp in g

o u t th e susp en s ion as it ex ten ds to its lim it; to o m uch

sag and th e suspension can bo tto m out, g iv ing you and

yo u r passenger a harsh jo lt. O nce you r sag is se t, you

can de te rm ine w he the r yo u r suspenders ’ spring ra te is

correct fo r you r w e ig ht and size.

W hile m easuring sag is a com parab le procedure fron t

and rear, se tting pre load is as d iffe ren t as th e tw o sus

pe ns io n sys te m s . In th is p ro je c t, w e w ill ad d re ss th e

fro n t o f the bike. Then, in P roject 28, w e ’ll bring th e back

up to speed.

M e a su rin g Sag

In o rd e r to m ea su re s ta tic sag , y o u ’ ll need tw o

a ss is ta n ts . A m e tr ic ta p e m easure w ill a lso m ake th e

ca lcu la tio ns easier th an an SAE one. Before you m ount

th e bike, you need to m easure th e suspension w hen it ’s

ini

i a*

c o m p le te ly to p p e d o u t. L ift on th e g rip s un til th e fror

w h e e l be g in s to c o m e o f f th e g ro u n d . On tra d it io n a l

fo rks, m easure from th e stanch ion w ipe r to the bo ttom of

th e tr ip le c lam p. (If you r b ike has fo rk covers, you ’ ll need

to m easure from th e to p o f th e fender to the bo tto m of

th e tr ip le c lam p. Also , m ake sure you m easure from the

sam e lo ca tio n eve ry tim e .) M easure fro m th e w ip e r to

th e to p o f th e ax le c la m p on inve rted fo rks (like those

fo u n d on th e Y am aha W a rrio r an d K a w asa k i Mean

Streak). N am e th is num ber L1 and w rite it dow n.

Now have one o f you r assistants hold the bike from the

rear w hile you ge t in to your rid ing position. (If you ’re set

ting sag fo r rid ing tw o -u p o r w ith a fu ll load o f luggage, be

sure to have these on th e bike fo r th is m easurement.) Tbs

o th e r ass is tan t should push dow n on th e fo rk and let

slow ly rise up until it s tops. The distance it m oves w ill te

called L2. The fron t end should now be lifted and allowed

to settle s low ly dow n until it stops, a range o f m ovement

fo rm ing m easurem ent L3. Exactly in the m iddle o f meas

urem ents L2 and L3 is the po in t where th e fo rk w ou ld w a rt

to live in a fr ic tion less system . So, the average between

the m easurem ents wou ld be (L2+L3)/2.

To determ ine s ta tic sag fo r th e fron t o f th e bike, sub

tra c t th e average m easurem en t ca lcu la te d ab ove from |

L1 . In m a th em atica l te rm s , s ta tic sag = L1-(L2+L3)/2.j

Suspension gurus generally agree th a t betw een 25 to 30

m m (1 to 1 .2 inch es) is o p tim u m s ta tic sag —even


ins tructions on ho w to do th is , if you ’re lucky enough to

have pre load ad justers.

~ts inverted fork makes measuring sag easy. If your bike has fork

:: .ers that prevent access to the stanchion, measure the sag from the

ггкЗег to the bottom of the triple clamp.

ro u ’re b ig g e r o r sm a lle r th a n th e ave rage rider. If you

-a ve to o m uch sag, y o u ’ ll need to inc rea se th e fo rk ’s

;<3load. C onversely, if you have to o little , back o ff on the

r 'e lo a d a b it. See y o u r fa c to ry s e rv ic e m an ua l fo r

C ha n g in g P re lo ad

S om e o f th e b igger, to u rin g -o rie n te d c ru ise rs have a ir

p ressure ad juste rs to se t fro n t p re load . Even fo rks th a t

d o n ’t have e x te rn a l a d ju s te rs can have th e ir p re lo a d

a ltered. It ju s t ta kes a little m ore tim e.

If yo u w a n t to a d ju s t th e p re lo a d on a fo rk th a t

doesn ’t have fa c to ry ad justers (and m os t cruisers do n ’t),

you can crea te custom spacers by c u ttin g th em o u t o f

th e largest PVC p ipe th a t w ill f it inside th e fo rk . A lthough

yo u d o n ’t ha ve to ta k e th e fro n t en d o f f th e g ro u n d ,

rem ov in g th e p re ssu re fro m th e fro n t su sp en s ion w ill

m ake rea sse m b ly eas ie r. W hen ch a n g in g sp a ce rs

w ith o u t ja ck in g th e fro n t en d up , o n ly rem ove th e cap

from one side o f th e fo rk a t a tim e, o r th e b ike w ill crash

dow n to th e bo tto m o f th e fo rk travel.

B egin w ith yo u r b ike on a ja c k o r a lift. If you d o n ’t

su p p o rt th e fro n t end, th e b ike w ill d ro p on th e fo rk as

yo u re m o ve th e c a p o f ea ch tu b e , lea v ing y o u no

recourse b u t to lift th e fro n t end w hen you w an t to pu t

th e c a p ba ck on.

N ext, rem ove an y pa rts th a t m ay inte rfere w ith your

access to th e to p o f th e fo rk legs, such as w indsh ie lds

and hand lebars (lay them on a pad on th e ta nk w itho u t

rem oving th e cab les o r hoses). Loosen th e b o lt on one

s ide o f th e to p tr ip le c la m p to re lieve pressure on th e

c a p ’s th re a d s . R em ove th e fo rk c a p e ith e r b y

unscrew ing it w ith a w rench o r by pressing dow n on th e

cap and rem oving th e c irc lip . The cap is unde r pressure

fro m th e s p r in g , s o be p re p a re d fo r i t to p o p o u t.

R em ove th e s to ck spa ce r and m easure its length . S ince

th e a m o u n t o f sag you need to g a in /lo s e is a lm o s t a

With the rider in position, extend the suspen

sion and let it settle slowly back into its sag.

Next, press down to let it rise up into place.

The average of those two measurements will

give the true reading.

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If your bike has air adjustable preload (front or rear), all you need to

change the preload is this nifty pump from Progressive Suspension.Once you remove the fork cap, you'll see the top of the spacer. Any length

you add to your new spacer will make it that much harder to reseat the

fork cap.

on e-to -o ne ra tio to th e am ount you need to rem ove/add

to th e spa ce r, yo u ca n e a s ily a p p ro x im a te th e r ig h t

length w ith s im p le arithm e tic . W hile yo u ’ve g o t th e saw

o u t, c u t a co u p le se ts o f PVC spa ce rs in q u a rte r-inch

increm ents on e ither s ide o f you r calcu lated length. File

d o w n any rou gh e d g e s on th e PVC an d c lea n th e

spa ce rs o f an y g rit. Label th e spa ce rs w ith a S harpie .

S lip th e new spacer in to p lace w ith any w ashers you may

ha ve a lso rem ove d w ith th e s to c k sp a ce r. If y o u ’ ve

increa sed th e pre lo ad , e xp e c t to w o rk a b it to g e t th e

fo rk ca p in p lace. D on ’t fo rg e t to to rq u e th e sc rew -on I

caps and th e trip le c lam p ’s p inch bo lts back to spec.

A fin a l n o te a b o u t p re lo ad : If y o u ta k e th e tim e to I

measure th e pre load required fo r so lo rid ing and tw o-u p.

w rite dow n th e se ttings. W hen you need to change the

pre load fo r d iffe ren t rid ing s itua tions, all y o u ’ll have to do

is ta ke ou t th e w renches and m ake th e changes to the

sh o c k . (S ince m o s t c ru is e rs d o n ’t have fo rk p re lo ad

ad juste rs , se t th e p re load fo r th e k ind o f rid ing you do

m ost and leave it.)

Make sure your cuts on the PVC spacers are

square. A miter box or pipe cutter will help

with this. Also, cut, clean up, and label three or

four spacers to ease the swapping process as

you dial in the front end.


T w o a s sista n ts, rid ing gear, m e tr ic ta p e m e a su re

Measure Sag and Adjust Preload: Rear

TA L E N T : 1

C OST: None

PA R TS : N one

T IP : S et th e sa g w e a rin g theg e a r y o u u s u a lly w ea r, w h ile in y o u r no rm a l rid ing position

B E N E F IT : W ith prelo ad adju sted fo r p ro p e r sa g, y o u r su s p e n s io n w ill be able to its its jo b better.

T his p ro ject con tinues th e w ork w e s ta rted in Project

27 . M o v in g to th e re a r o f th e b ike , i t ’s t im e to

-•easure sag and ad just pre load if necessary.

M easuring pre lo ad a t th e ba ck o f th e b ike uses the

same procedures, and th e sam e m ath , you a p p lie d up

^-ont. The key to go od num bers is to p ick a good m eas-

.'■ng p o in t, su ch as th e re a r ax le . You can m ea sure

s tra ig h t up from th is to , say, th e b o tto m o f y o u r rear

;e~der. Jus t use th e sam e tw o po ints, and go s tra ig h t up

and do w n , w ith each m easurem en t. W e’re loo k ing fo r

= 3 tic sag o f 2 5 -3 0 m m . A s w ith th e fron t, if you have to o

~ u ch rea r sag, you need to increase pre load; to o little

and you ’ll need to reduce pre load a bit.

C ha n g in g rea r s h o c k p re lo a d is fa ir ly e a sy on all

: <es. M o s t s to c k s h o c k s w ill have e ith e r a s te p p e d

adjuster o r threaded, lock ing-ring adjusters. The stepped

ad justers usua lly ram p th e pre load ove r five o r s ix se t-

:n g s . U s in g th e to o l su p p lie d in th e fa c to ry to o lk it,

sim p ly lever th e colla r on to th e prope r s tep . The process

should ta ke less tim e th an it to o k to ge t th e to o l ou t from

.n d e r th e seat. Then m easure th e sag again to see if you

-eached you r goa l. L o ck ing -ring ad jus te rs can a lso be

altered w ith a too l. M otion Pro m akes a claw ed ad juster

tf ia t m o u n ts to a 3 /8 - in c h ra tch e t. M any a fte rm a rk e t

sho cks a lso sh ip w ith an ad juste r. If you d o n ’t have a

tool, a long screw driver and ham m er w ill w o rk in a pinch.

Begin b y loosening th e locking ring (the one fa rthest

away from th e spring). Using a Sharpie o r a scribe, m ark

the ad justin g ring so th a t you can co u n t th e num ber o f

The process of measuring suspension is the same for the rear suspen

sion, except that you need to measure to a spot directly above the axle.

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Notice how the locking ring has been loosened

from the adjusting ring. The black mark will

make it easy to keep track of how far the ring

has been turned.

tu rn s you in c rea sed /d ecrea sed th e p re lo ad . T he fin e -

pitched th reads m ove th e ad justing ring approxim ate ly 1

m m per revolution. W hen you ’re roughing in the preload,

m ake ad justm ents in fu ll-tu rn increm ents. Fine-tuning the

pre load w ill be done w ith m uch sm aller increm ents. Once

the pre load is set, tigh ten th e lock ring dow n to keep the

ad justing ring from backing ou t. D on’t jam th e lock ring

dow n m ore than a quarte r-tu rn , o r you m ay have trouble

loosening it next tim e you ad just th e preload.

Now th a t th e s ta tic sag is set, you can m easure the

fre e sag to m ake su re y o u r b ik e has th e c o rre c t ra te

sp rin g s . M easure th e a m o u n t th e b ike sag s un d e r its

ow n w eight. The free sag should be betw een 0 and 5 m m

Sim ply lifting th e w e igh t o f you r b ike to see if it m oves up

s ligh tly be fo re to pp in g ou t th e suspension w ill g ive you

an idea o f how m uch free sag it has. W hile th is m ay not

seem to m ake sense, if you r suspension has no free sag I

yo u r spring ra te is to o so ft. T he s o ft ra te fo rce d you to ]

use to o m uch pre load to g e t th e desired sag. If you havs*

a bunch o f free sag, you r spring is to o stiff. C hanging the!

rea r sp rin g w ill req u ire a t r ip to you r loca l suspensiooJ

guru o r a fterm arket com pany.

While changing the preload doesn't get any I

easier than using a stepped adjuster, you cant

fine-tune the preload the same way you can I

with a threaded collar.

110


Adjust Damping Settings

W hen you in itia lly se t up yo u r b ike ’s da m ping , s ta rt

w ith th e sag pro pe rly set. If you do n ’t, you w on ’t

ge t a g o o d ba se lin e . A lso , c o n s id e r th e c o n d it io n o f

yo u r susp en s ion com p on en ts . If i t ’s been a co u p le o f

.ears s in ce th e fo rk o il w as freshened o r y o u ’ve go t a

couple o f hard seasons on yo u r shock, do th a t m ain te

nance firs t. S im ila rly , if y o u ’ve sq u a re d o f f y o u r tire s

w ith th e d a ily c o m m u te o r y o u r la s t th re e -d a y s p o rt

tour, spoon som e new rubber o n to th e rim s.

B eg in b y s e ttin g y o u r b ik e ’s da m p ing a d ju s te rs to

th e fa c to ry -s p e c if ie d p o s it io n s . D a m p in g a d ju s te rs

T ieasure th e ir se tting s one o f tw o w ays: c licks o r tu rn s.

:f yo u r b ike uses c licks , tu rn th e ad jus te r all th e w ay in

(c lo c k w is e ) an d u n s c re w th e a d ju s te r th e c o r re c t

n u m b e r o f c lic k s . F o r tu rn s , d o th e sa m e th in g b u t

cou nt th e tu rn s ins tead o f c lic ks . From here, y o u ’ll se t

you r su sp e n s io n ’s re b o u n d b e fo re yo u r id e and th en

T IM E : M in u te s to h o u rs to d a y s to w e e k s to ye a r s o f tw id d lin g

T O O L S : S c re w d riv e r , bra in, pen, paper

T A L E N T : 3

C OST: None

PA R TS : None

T IP : W rite d o w n th e settin g an d s y m p to m s re lig io u sly

B E N EF IT: A b ike th a t m a k e s y o u feel like a hero

m o d ify th e co m p re ss io n and reb ou nd ba sed on y o u r

rid ing im pressions.

To te st you r fo rk ’s rebound dam ping, stand your bike

stra ig h t up. Press firm ly dow n on the cen te r o f th e trip le

c la m p —no t th e handlebar. Be sure no t to hold the brake.

The suspension should rebound back to its sta rting po int

and no t beyond. If it bounces back beyond th e original

po s ition , you need to increase dam ping by screw ing in

the rebound ad juste r on to p o f th e fo rk . Generally, make

adjustm ents in single c licks or ha lf tu rns. If the fo rk rises

ba ck d ire c tly to its o rig ina l po s ition , p ress on th e tr ip le

c lam p and tim e how long it takes to rise back. You w ant

the rebound to ta ke about a second. A d just the rebound

dam ping until you feel the tim ing is right. Follow the sam e

procedure in th e rear, pressing on th e center o f the seat.

The shock ’s rebound ad juster is usually on th e bo ttom o f

th e shock body.

You’ll find the compression-damping

adjuster on the bottom of the fork, generally.A

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The be s t w ay to te s t you r suspens ion se tting s is to I

repeated ly rid e th e sam e section o f road. Dial in the fron t I

and rear suspension separately. First, rid e you r te s t road

w ith th e com pression se t to th e fa c to ry specs to fo rm a

baseline. Next, go a coup le o f c licks firmer. D id th e han- I

d lin g im p ro ve o r g e t w o rse ? N ow tr y a co u p le c lic k s I

s o fte r th a n s to c k . W h ich o f th e th re e se ttin g s d o you I

p re fer? K eep exp e rim en ting . Take no tes. W hen yo u ’re I

satisfied w ith th e fro n t suspension , con tinue the process I

w ith th e rear.

If you ’re having troub le figu ring ou t w ha t signals your I

b ike is g iv in g y o u , c o n s u lt th e “ S u sp e n s io n I

T roubleshooting Sym ptom s” sidebar.

As yo u r r id ing -a nd susp ens ion -tun ing sk ills im prove I

w ith tim e , d o n ’t be su rp rise d to fin d th a t yo u r se tting s I

need to change, to o . You m ay fin d you rse lf developing I

bu m py an d sm o o th roa d se ttin g s o r canyon and co m - I

m uting settings. Have fun, and give yourself a pa t on the I

back fo r know ing your bike and your rid ing so well.

Riders are more familiar with the fork rebound adjusters than any others.

Perhaps it’s because they're in plain sight every time you ride.

Contrary to the fork adjusters, the shock rebound adjuster is on the

bottom of the shock.You'll find the shock compression adjuster either on the top of the shock

or on the reservoir.

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SUSPENSION TROUBLESHOOTING SYSTEMS-5-e are some basic symptoms of suspension damping problems. Remember, these are extreme examples; your symptoms may be -o re subtle. You may also have to find an acceptable compromise on either end of the adjustment spectrum. It all depends on how the r ke's handling “feels” to you.

Lack of Rebound Damping (Fork)• The fork offers a supremely plush ride,

especially when riding straight up. When the pace picks up, however, the feeling of control is lost. The fork feels mushy, and traction “feel" is poor.

• After hitting bumps at speed, the front tire tends to chatter or bounce.

• When flicking the bike into a corner at speed, the front tire begins to chatter and lose traction. This translates into an unstable feel at the clip-ons.

• As speed increases and steering inputs become more aggressive, a ack of control begins to appear.

Chassis attitude and pitch become a real problem, w ith the front end refusing to stabilize after the bike is countersteered hard into a turn.

~oo Much Rebound Damping (Fork)• The ride is quite harsh—just the

opposite of the plush feel of too little rebound. Rough pavement makes the fork feel as if it’s locking up with stic- tion and harshness.

• Under hard acceleration exiting bumpy corners, the front end feels as if it wants to “wiggle” or “tankslap.” The tire feels as if it isn’t staying in contact w ith the pavement when

• The harsh, unforgiving ride makes the bike hard to control when riding through dips and rolling bumps at speed. The suspension’s reluctance to maintain tire traction through these sections erodes rider confidence.

и с к of Compression Damping (Fork)• Front-end dive while on the brakes

becomes excessive.• The rear end of the motorcycle wants

to "come around" when using the front brakes aggressively.

• The fron t suspension bottoms out with a solid hit under heavy braking and after hitting bumps.

• The front end has a mushy and semi- vague feeling —sim ilar to lack of rebound damping.

Too Much Compression Damping (Fork)• The ride is overly harsh, especially at

the point when bumps and ripples are contacted by the front wheel.

• Bumps and ripples are fe lt directly; the initial h it is routed through the chassis instantly, w ith big bumps bouncing the tire off the pavement.

• The bike’s ride height is affected negatively—the front end winds up riding too high in the corners.

• Brake dive is reduced drastically, though the chassis is upset significantly by bumps encountered during braking.

Lack of Rebound Damping (Rear Shock)• The ride is plush at cruising speeds,

but as the pace increases, the chassis begins to wallow and weave through bumpy corners.

• This causes poor traction over bumps under hard acceleration; the rear tire starts to chatter due to a lack of wheel control.

• There is excessive chassis pitch through large bumps and dips at speed, and the rear end rebounds too quickly, upsetting the chassis with a pogo stick action.

Too Much Rebound Damping (Rear Shock)• This creates an uneven ride. The rear

suspension compliance is poor and the feel is vague.

• Traction is poor over bumps during hard acceleration (due to lack of suspension compliance).

• The bike wants to run wide in corners since the rear end is “packing down” ; this forces a nose-high chassis attitude, which slows down steering.

• The rear end wants to hop and skip when the throttle is chopped during aggressive corner entries.

Lack of Compression Damping (Rear Shock)

• There is too much rear-end “squat” under acceleration; the bike wants to steer wide exiting corners (since the chassis is riding rear low/nose high).

• Hitting bumps at speed causes the rear to bottom out, which upsets the chassis.

• The chassis attitude is affected too much by large dips and G-outs.

• Steering and control become difficult due to excessive suspension movement.

Too Much Compression Damping (Rear Shock)

• The ride is harsh, though not quite as bad as too much rebound; the faster you go, the worse it gets, however.

• Harshness hurts rear tire traction over bumps, especially during deceleration. There’s little rear-end “squat” under acceleration.

• Medium to large bumps are felt directly through the chassis; when hit at speed, the rear end kicks up.

Reprinted courtesy o f S p o rt R ider

M agazine—www.sportrider.com.

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http://www.sportrider.com

Project 30

Adjust Ride Height

1 h o u r

T a p e m e a su re , r u le r o r caliper, w re n c h e s , so ck e ts , to rq u e w re n c h , s c r e w d riv e rs , A llen keys ja c k o r lift, a s sista n t

C O S T: N one.

PA R TS : None

T IP : L o w e rin g a bike ca n dram a tica lly a ffe c t gro un d c le a ra n ce , so be careful w h a t y o u w is h fo r

B E N E F IT : A bike th a t s te e rs th e w a j I y o u w a n t it to

A d justing th e rid e he igh t can be an im p orta n t s tep

to w a rd g e ttin g y o u r b ike to behave th e w ay you

w a n t i t to . C h a n g in g th e r id e h e ig h t can h e lp w ith

s p e e d in g up o r s lo w in g d o w n s te e rin g , a lte r in g rea r

w hee l tra c tio n , kee p in g th e cha ss is a ttitu d e th e sam e

a fte r cha ng ing to a d iffe re n t tire pro file , o r s im p ly low

ering the b ike fo r a sho rte r rider.

As w ith any suspension change, little a lte rations can

have big e ffects on you r bike. Take careful notes, begin

n ing w ith the baseline m easurem ents. A fte r th a t, m ake

sure you record every change you make.

To fin d you r baseline rear ride he igh t, m easure from

th e c e n te r o f th e rea r a x le to a s p o t on th e fra m e or

b o d yw o rk d ire c tly ab ove th e ax le w ith yo u r b ike ’s rear

suspens ion to p p e d ou t. W rite dow n bo th th e m easure

m e n t and th e p o in t m ea su red to , so y o u ca n ensure

repea tab ility . For th e fo rk , m easuring a change in ride

he igh t is easy. S ince th e fo rk tu be s extend th rough th e

tr ip le c la m p on m o s t s p o rtb ike s , you s im p ly m easure

how fa r th ey pro trude above th e tr ip le c lam p.

Be c lea r on w h a t yo u are see k ing w ith cha ng es to

ride height. The fa c to ry se ttings are designed as a com

p ro m ise to h a n d le m o s t s itu a tio n s a r id e r is lik e ly to

e n co u n te r. F or exa m p le , if yo u d ro p th e fro n t end to

s teepen th e rake angle and speed up th e s teering , you

m ay ge t a b ike th a t tu rn s in qu ick ly bu t is unstable in a

s tra ig h t line and w an ts to shake its head over every little

road im p e rfe c tio n . You can a lso exp e rien ce th e sam e

b e h a v io r i f yo u ra ise th e rea r o f th e b ike to inc rea se

g ro u n d c le a ra n ce . The ge n e ra l ru les o f th u m b со

cern ing rid e he igh t can be sum m arized as:

B ike is nose high (front to o high or rear to o low):

• C hatte r o r po o r g rip on fro n t tire exiting corners

• D ifficu lt to s teer o r change direction

• M oto rcyc le runs w ide exiting corners

Bike is nose low (front to o low o r rear to o high):

• M oto rcyc le unstable a t high speeds

• U nstable, tries to sw ap ends under hard braking

• Lack o f g rip from rear tire

See “ S u sp e n s io n T ro u b le s h o o tin g S y m p to m s ”

P ro ject 29 to de te rm ine w he the r yo u r problem involve

ride heigh t o r dam ping. Because sym ptom s can be sira

ilar, you m ay w an t to ta lk to a b ike suspension expert fa

a second op inion.

T yp ica lly , y o u c h a n g e th e f r o n t ’s r id e h e ig h t a

s lid ing th e tr ip le c lam p up o r dow n on th e fo rk legs. Us

a rea r s ta n d to s ta b iliz e th e b ike . P la ce a ja c k o r li

unde r th e fro n t o f th e b ike and crank it up un til th e fen

is fu lly extended. Th is ta kes the pressure o ff th e fo rk ai

m akes it eas ie r to s lide th e legs up and dow n inside in

tr ip le c lam p.

A lte rin g a b ike ’s rea r rid e he igh t can be a b it m e

com p lica ted th an th e fron t. If yo u ’ve already insta lled

s p iffy a f te rm a rk e t s h o c k w ith an in te g ra l r id e -h e ic i

ad jus te r, s im p ly lo o se n th e lo c k n u t and c ra n k ih l

ad juste r up o r dow n until th e desired he igh t is reachec


This ZX-6R has a factory spacer already installed. The two washers

(right) will allow the shock to be lengthened or shortened in 2-mm

increments, which should be more than adequate.

-.though you can measure the height of a fork leg above the triple clamp

«■in a ruler, a caliper will lock into position and allow you to accurately

rampare the height of both fork legs. Working on one leg at a time,

ccsen all of the triple clamp pinch bolts except one. Prepare for the front

r drop when you loosen the final bolt. You can assist a fork tube in slip-

: -3 through the triple clamp by twisting it slightly. If the triple clamp will

xst slide down on the fork leg, a retaining clip may be hidden under the

up triple clamp. You'll need to raise the clamp and remove the clip before

*x i can lower the triple clamp. When the front has been lowered or

3 sed the proper amount, tighten one bolt and carefully measure the fork

•eight If you are raising the triple clamp on the fork, lifting the bike

: ightly on the jack may help. Don’t raise the triple clamp on the fork so

ugh that the fork cap is below the clamp's top surface. If you get to this

zoiit, move to the back of the bike and lower the rear. Some bikes with

-.■erted forks have registration marks on the top of the tube to assist in

xtting the height, but you should still double-check the height with a

\ er or caliper. When you’re certain of the height, retorque all of the

rmch bolts and move on to the second fork leg.

This Penske shock has an integral ride-height adjuster. Just loosen the

lower locknut (as shown) and turn the adjuster to lengthen or shorten the

shock length. Don’t forget to tighten the locknut.

-D w e ver, m ake su re th a t yo u d o n ’t a lte r th e h e ig h t

zeyond th e sho ck m anufactu re r’s recom m ended range,

•эи do n ’t w an t th e sho ck ’s p is ton rod to fa il, do you?

T ho se o f you w ith no na d ju s tab le sh o cks have tw o

i^o ice s fo r a ltering th e rear ride height. You can change

“ 9 length o f th e sho ck , o r change th e susp en s ion tie

-cds (or do g bones). Both o f these op tion s o ffe r com pro-

_ :ses. F irst, chang ing th e length o f th e do g bones w ill

m ange the progression rate o f th e entire rear suspension.

If you lengthen th e do g bones to dro p th e b ike , th e pro

gression rate w ill increase, g iv ing a s tiffe r ride. W hile you

can a lte r th e rea r r id e he ig h t b y cha ng ing th e s h o c k ’s

sag, you w ill com prom ise its ab ility do its job .

To keep th e progression rate th e sam e on a lowered

o r ra ised b ike , a lte r in g th e le n g th o f th e s h o ck o r th e

s h o ck m ou n t is th e p re fe rred w ay to go . S o m e b ikes,

such as th e ZX-6R sho w n in th e ph o tos , have th e to p

sh o ck m ou n t b o lte d to th e fram e w ith a spacer. You ’ll

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LOWERING CAUTIONSAnyone with a shorter inseam looking to get better footing while straddling his or her bike needs to be aware of the compromises involved in lowering a bike. First and most importantly, you will decrease your cornering clearance. To put it in plain English, you can no longer lean your bike over as far as its designers intended. If you even occasionally scraped your footpegs or any other part of your bike while riding, you should avoid lowering your bike. Try reshaping your seat or buying a lower aftermarket seat. Also, consider simply getting more comfortable with only one foot on the ground at a stop. Look at the grid of any AMA National, and you’ll see lots of jockey-sized riders in perfect control of their machines with only one foot down.

The maximum you should ever consider raising the fork tubes in the triple clamp is 15 mm. The increasingly compact sporting packages built today won’t allow much more than that. Even then, you should test to make sure tha t fu ll fork travel doesn’t allow the fender or tire to contact the triple clamp or other components, such as the radiator. Since you’ll be lowering the fron t and rear the same amount to maintain chassis attitude, you’ll most likely be pretty safe lowering the rear 15 mm, but you should check to make sure that your rear wheel doesn't hit the rear fender when fully compressed.

Lowering your bike any more than the 15 mm will require installation of lowering blocks in the fork. You’ll also need to shorten the fork springs to deliver the appropriate rate over their new, shorter

travel. Lengthening the tie rods also mate the rear linkage significantly more progre sive (i.e., stiffer) and lim its your shocicr effectiveness. If your shock doesn't ha* ride-height adjusters, you should considt buying a shorter shock or having a suspei sion company shorten your shock's shs Otherwise you risk significantly compromising the suspension's function.

Other lowering considerations inclua shortening the side stand. You need ii make sure the stand allows the bike to lea over far enough to remain stable and na fail over. Finally, if you do lower your bite carefully build up to your new m axim a lean. Flicking your bike into a corner befogs you know where the hard parts w ill drae could have you touching down ha’s enough to lever a wheel off the ground— and then you’ll really touch down.

Although dragging bodywork is relatively benign, beware: Hard parts usu

ally aren’t tar away. To increase the ride height without altering the chassis

attitude, the front and rear of this bike needed to be raised an equal

amount to eke out some more clearance on a tight and bumpy track.

A bike lift eases the process of adjusting the front ride height by taking

the bike’s weight off the front suspension. You can also use the lift to

assist in raising or lowering the triple clamp on the fork tubes.

ne ed to re m o ve th e s h o c k to g a in a cc e s s to th e

m ounting bracket. N ext, ta ke th e bra cket (or th e spacer)

to you r loca l hardw are s to re to find w ashers th a t f it the

m ou n t. By c o m b in in g w ash ers o f va ry ing th ic k n e s s e s

w ith th e s to ck spacer, you w ill be ab le to raise o r lower

th e rea r rid e he igh t. K eep th e cha ng es sm all. C urrena

rear suspension linkages have a leverage ra tio o f aboud

2 :1. So, a 2-m m spacer w ill raise the rear abou t 4 m m . I

A f te r e a c h c h a n g e — e ith e r f r o n t o r re a r—I

re a s s e m b le y o u r b ik e an d r id e it to m a ke su re y o a l

haven ’t c rea ted hand ling p ro b lem s. If you have, re s s j

y o u r su sp e n s io n to its p re v io us s e ttin g s . If you havsJ

low ered th e b ike , rem em be r th a t you have d e c re a se d

y o u r co rn e ring c lea rance .


TIM E : 1 - 2 ho urs

Project 31

Change Your Fork Oil

TO O L S : W re n c h e s , so ck e ts , to rq u ew re n c h , s c r e w d riv e rs , A lle n k e y s , m e tr ic tape m e a su re , ja c k , c irclip p lie rs o r je w e le r's s c r e w d riv e r s ( fo r n o n -s c r e w -o n ca p s), p re s s (fo r n o n s c r e w - o n ca p s), c a lip e r o r ruler, R atio R ite o r a n o th e r g ra d u a te d con tain er, sp rin g co m p re s s io n tool ( fo r in v erte d fo rks )

T A L E N T : 1 to 3

C O S T: $

PA R TS : F o rk Oil

T IP : O ve rfill th e fo r k s l ig h t ly ifyo u a re u s ing a s u c tio n - typ e tool to s e t oil he ig h t

B E N EF IT: C o n s iste n t d am p ing fro m y e a r to y e a r

Fo rk o il, like m o to r o il, lose s v is c o s ity ove r tim e . If

ignored, th e fo rk w ill cease to perform properly and

nte rna l co m p o n e n ts such as th e s lid e r bu sh in g s w ill

Degin to w ear. If y o u ’ re no t p la nn ing to up g ra d e yo u r

Vont suspension, rep lace you r fo rk 's s lippery s tu ff every

-.•jo years o r 15,000 m iles, o r a t th e interval you r fac tory

service m anual recom m ends.

To rep la ce th e fo rk o il on ne w er b ikes, rem ove th e

;o rk from th e chassis. F irs t rem ove th e fro n t w heel. Then

-emove th e fro n t fe nd er by unbo lting it from th e fo rk legs.

B ikes w ith fo rk covers require th a t th e fo rk covers be

'am oved, to o . R em ove th e to p tr ip le c lam p (w ith th e bar

still a ttached) by unscrew ing the bo lt o r nu t securing the

top c lam p to th e s teering s tem . W igg le th e ba r fro n t to

oack as you w alk th e tr ip le c lam p free. O nce it s lips off,

ay the bar on a th ic k p iece o f padd ing on th e tank. Now

jn s c re w an y th in g secu ring th e fo rk co ve r to th e low er

trip le c lam p and fo llo w th e above d irections to extrica te

the fo rk legs from the low er tr ip le c lam p.

S c re w c a p s s h o u ld be rem ove d w ith a s o c k e t o r

.rench. H old ing a rag securely over th e fo rk cap is good

a d v ice—even fo r th o s e w ith sc re w -ty p e cap s. A s you

-each th e last th read, the cap w ill te nd to f ly off. If you ’re

to t ho ld ing on to it, you o r th e cap cou ld suffer.

Dam ping rod fo rks are slightly easier to prepare fo r an

oil change. W ith th e cap off, pull o u t the spacer and any

washers and lift ou t the spring. Turning th e spring counter

clockw ise as you lift it o u t helps to free it o f excess oil, but

you ’ll still w an t to w ipe it o ff and p lace it on a clean rag.

C a rtr id g e fo rk s ( in c lu d in g inve rted fo rks ) req u ire a

d iffe re n t a p p ro a ch : d is c o n n e c t th e fo rk c a p fro m th e

cartridge p is ton rod by loosening th e locknut securing it

to th e cap w ith a w rench on th e nu t and so cke t on the

cap. N ext, rem ove th e nu t from th e p iston rod to free up

th e spacer, sp rin g , and w ash ers . (N o te th e ir o rd e r fo r

reassembly.)

If you can ’t see th e nu t a t th e base o f th e fo rk cap,

y o u r b ike re q u ire s a c a r tr id g e fo rk co m p re ss io n to o l

(available as a fa c to ry service pa rt from your b ike ’s m an

ufacturer, o r from an a fte rm arket com pany such as Race

Tech) to com press th e fo rk spring to reveal th e locknut

se c u r in g th e c a r tr id g e to th e c a p . O n ce th e p re lo a d

spa ce r is com p re ssed enough to reveal th e nu t, use a

pa ir o f w renches, loosen th e lockn u t, and sp in th e cap

o ff th e cartridge p is ton rod.

E m pty th e o il in to a suitable con ta iner fo r tran spo rt to

a recycling center. In o rd er to m ake sure th a t all th e old,

d ir ty o il is expelled from th e fo rk , yo u ’ll need to pum p the

s lid e r up and d o w n a m in im um o f 10 tim e s . C a rtridg e

fo rks (bo th s tandard and inverted) require th a t th e piston

rod be p u m p e d to e xp e l th e o il. If yo u c a n ’t g r ip th e

lockn u t on th e end o f the rod w h ile pum ping it, you can

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After you remove the front wheel, unbolt the

fender. You may need to squeeze the sides

slightly to remove it. Beware, the paint

scratches very easily.

b u y th e sc rew -on fa c to ry pa rt in tended fo r th is jo b , o r

ca ll Race Tech.

M easure o u t the am ount o f o il recom m ended by your

fa c to ry service m anual be fore adding it to th e fo rk . If you

plan on using a fo rk o il level to o l, add be tw een ha lf an

ounce and an ounce o f extra oil. If you ’re using the d ip

s tic k m ethod , fo llo w th e m an ufa ctu re r’s recom m ended

am ount. Pour th e o il in to th e fo rk and fill th e system by

pum ping th e fo rk and p is ton rod a m in im um o f 10 tim es.

K eep pum ping until you no longe r hear a ir escaping.

Measure fo rk oil he ight w ith the fo rk fu lly com pressed

and no spring insta lled . You can use a c o a t hanger o r a

more sophisticated fo rk oil level tool sold in the aftermarket.

D on ’t w o rry a b o u t to rq u in g fo rk cap s in to th e fo rk

tubes until th e un it is reinsta lled in th e tr ip le c lam p w ith

th e lo w e r c la m p b o lts to rq u e d to sp e c . B e fo re you

tigh ten the tr ip le c lam p pinch, m ake sure th a t th e to p o f

th e fo rk tu b e (no t th e cap th a t s its on to p o f it) is flush

w ith th e to p o f th e tr ip le c lam p (tha t is, unless you r fa c

to ry service m anual specifies otherw ise). Folks w ith fo rk

cove rs can save th is s te p un til a fte r th e seco nd leg is

m ounted. Jus t do n ’t fo rg e t to do th is fina l tw eaking once

th e to p tr ip le c la m p is in p la ce and to rq u e d to th e

steering s tem . N ow m ove on to th e o the r leg. Before you

rid e , re tu rn th e a ir p re load (if you have it) to yo u r p re

ferred settings.

Whenever you do any work that requires removing the calipers, don’t

leave them hanging by the brake lines.


On bikes with air-adjustable preload, release all

the pressure by pressing the pin in the center of

the valve. If the handlebars will prevent you

lifting the spring straight out of the fork leg,

remove the bar from its clamps and lay it on

some padding placed on the tank. Loosen the

bolt(s) securing the top triple clamp to the fork

leg. Bikes with screw-on caps only need to

have the caps unscrewed with a wrench or

deep socket. Caps secured with a circlip or

retaining ring must be pressed in to take the

pressure off the circlip. Two tools can make this

much easier. Some automotive part pullers will

hook over the triple clamp and press in the cap

via a thumbscrew. A woodworker’s corner

clamp can achieve the same result for much

less money (usually around $5). Press down on

r e cap just enough to take the strain off the circlip. Using a jeweler’s screwdriver or pick, remove the circlip, and slowly ease the cap out with the press,

ftu will want to hold a rag over the cap, as it may jump out from the force of the spring. Cruisers without fork covers only require that you loosen the

Doits on the upper and lower triple clamp and slide the fork free.

For damping-rod forks, once you remove the cap, pull out the spacer and

any washers and lift out the spring. Turning the spring counterclockwise

as you lift it out helps to free it of excess oil, but you’ll still want to wipe it

off and place it on a clean rag. Folks with cartridge forks need to go

through one or more additional steps to free the spring and spacers: You

will need to disconnect the fork cap from the piston rod by loosening the

locknut securing it to the cap with a wrench on the nut and socket on the

preload adjuster. Then simply unscrew the cap from the rod and remove

the spacer, spring, and washers. (Note their order for reassembly.)

119

CHAN

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OIL


CHAN

GE

FORK

SP

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cm .. ...............................CO

S o, you se t you r sag on ly to find th a t you r spring rate

w as w rong. O r perhaps your s to ck springs are tired

from a couple years o f rid ing. E ither way, you ’re looking

a t insta lling a new se t o f fo rk springs. Sw app ing springs

in tra d itio n a l fo rks , be th e y d a m p in g -ro d o r c a rtr id g e

un its , is easy. Inverted fo rks m ay requ ire spe c ia l to o ls

and techn iques, b u t th e process is s till pre tty easy.

R e fe r to th e p re v io u s p ro je c t, w h ic h d e ta ils th e

process fo r rem oving th e fo rk from you r bike. W hen you

d isassem ble a cartridge fo rk on a cruiser, you m ay notice

som e th in g fu n n y a b o u t th e fo rk ’s in te rna ls . Yep, o ften

on ly one o f th e legs w ill have a cartridge. The o the r one

w ill on ly have o il and a sp ring . W hen you c o n su lt you r

fa c to ry serv ice m anua l, you m ay a lso d isco ve r th a t the

fa c to ry ha s d iffe re n t re q u irem en ts fo r o il vo lu m e and

he igh t fo r each leg.

A lth o u g h yo u m ay be te m p te d to d ro p y o u r new

sp ring s in to p lace, d o n ’t —unless you w a n t to w ip e up

th e fo rk o il th a t sp lashes ou t. If you are using progres-

s ive-ra te springs th a t are w ound m ore tig h tly a t one end

th a n th e other, som e m anua ls w ill recom m end plac ing

th e sp r in g w ith th e t ig h t ly w o u n d en d d o w n . W hy?

A cco rd in g to th e fo lk s a t P rogressive S u spe ns io n , th e

d irection o f th e spring w ind m akes no m echanical d iffe r

ence, th o u g h som e tim e s o rie n tin g th e sp rin g th is w ay

w ill lessen the spring noise. Racers, on th e o th e r hand,

reco m m en d kee p in g th e t ig h t ly w o u n d s e c t io n up to

Project 32

ChangeSprings

Fork

1 h o u r

W re n ch e s/ so ck e ts, torqu e w re n c h , c irc lip p lie rs or je w e le r's s c r e w d riv e rs ( fo r n o n -s c r e w -o n caps), p re s s (fo r n o n -s c r e w -o n ca p s), c la w -ty p e p ick-u p tool to g ra b ca rtr id ge pisto n rod (optional), s a w w ith m ite r b o x or Ipipe cutter, ra g s, ja c k or f r o n t stan d

S$$

F o rk s p rin g s , PV C tubing

If y o u r fo r k is m o re than fo u r ye a r s old, t h is is a g re a t w a y to fr e s h e n up y o u r ride

To keep your bike clean, slowly pull the spring out of the fork leg. Turning

it counterclockwise can also help leave the oil in the fork.


Progressively wound springs can be identified by how the wind is tighter

at one end. This helps the spring to function at one rate fully extended

and a stiffer one as it compresses.

~ iake it p a r t o f th e b ik e ’s sp ru n g w e ig h t (the p a rt o f

the b ike su p p o rte d b y th e susp en s ion ) ins te ad o f the

u n sp ru ng w e ig h t on th e w h e e l th a t m u s t tra c k ove r

n a v e m e n t ir re g u la r it ie s . E ith e r w ay , th e s p r in g w ill

A o rk th e sam e—you de c ide .

If you need to m ake yo u r ow n p re load spa ce r to f i t

th is spring , use th e largest PVC th a t w ill f i t inside th e fo rk

eg . You w ill need to cu t th e spacer pe rpend icu lar to the

tubing . A m ite r bo x o r p ipe cu tte r w ill he lp, bu t isn ’t nec

essary. T hose w ith nonadjustab le fo rks w ill w an t to m ake

s variety o f spacers in quarte r-inch increm ents on e ither

side o f th e spring m anufacturer’s recom m endation to aid

an s e ttin g sag . U se a kn ife an d a b it o f s a n d p a p e r to

reb u rr the spacers. W ipe bo th th e in te rio r and th e exte

nor o f th e spa ce rs c lea n be fo re in s ta llin g th em . D on ’t

^orget to w rite th e ir len g th on th em w ith a S harpie , so

you don ’t have to m easure them each tim e you change

r s m . M ake sure th a t th e p re lo ad spa ce r is th e length

spec ified by th e sp ring m an u fa c tu re r be fo re p la c ing it,

and a n y n e ce ssa ry w a sh e rs , in to th e fo rk leg .

= 5assem ble th e freshened fo rk in th e reverse o f th e w ay

you disassem bled it.

The rare cru iser fo rk w ith rebound ad justers requires

spec ia l asse m b ly te ch n iq u e s , so co n s u lt y o u r fa c to ry

service m anual fo r th e recom m ended m ethod . To fin ish

_3 you r fo rk , m ake sure you to rq u e th e fo rk cap s, and

;o n ’t fo rg e t th e p in ch b o lts on th e tr ip le c la m p . O nce

y o u ’ve re se t y o u r s a g , yo u sh o u ld fe e l a n o tic e a b le

m provem ent in you r suspension.

Although you can remove a circlip fork cap by pressing down on the cap

with a screwdriver while simultaneously removing the circlip, this cheap

woodworking clamp makes the job much easier.

These precut and labeled spacers will speed the setting of your bike's

preload if you don't have adjustable forks. CHAN

GE

FORK

SP

RIN

GS


INST

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Project 33

Install Aftermarket Shocks

TIM E : 1 h o u r

TO O L S : W re n ch e s , so ck e ts , torqu e w re n c h , s o ck e t e xten d e rs and/or un ive rs a l join t, bike ja c k o r lift, z ip t ie , an option al a s sista n t

TA L E N T : 1 to 3 (d ep end ing on s h o c k location)

C OST: $$$ to $$$$

PA R TS : A ft e rm a rk e t sh o c k s

T IP : M o un ting a s in gle s h o c k inside th e c h a ssis re q u ire s m o re f in e ss e than dual sh o c k s

B E N EF IT: Better control o f yo u r b ike’s rea r su spensio n, b etter g rip , b etter handling

S to c k cru iser shocks haven’t kep t up w ith the m arch

o f suspension te chn o log y. For th e w ay th a t m any

cru isers are ridden, th is hasn’t really m ade a difference.

S till, m any riders pre fer the s ty ling o f a fte rm arke t units.

O ther riders, thanks to th e ir rid ing ability, can sense the

lim ita tio n s o f th e OE u n its . W ha teve r y o u r reason fo r

sw ap p in g sho cks , yo u ’ ll generally ge t a sexier-looking ,

be tte r-perfo rm ing b ike w ith an a fterm arket suspender or

tw o . Even if yo u ’re no t adding an afterm arket p iece, th is

p ro je c t w ill be helpfu l to those w ho need to rem ove their

s h o ck to send it o f f fo r reva lv in g , a s im p le re b u ild , o r

insta lla tion o f a d ifferen t rate spring.

Begin by pu tting you r bike on a jack or b ike lift. Next,

yo u ’ll w an t to secure th e fron t end so th a t it doesn ’t roll

aw ay w h ile you ’re e lbow deep in th e bow els o f you r bike.

W hile som e peop le p e rfo rm th is m o d if ica tio n w ith th e

fro n t w heel snugged up ag a in s t a w all, I’ve fo un d th a t

a z ip tie around th e fron t brake lever w orks ju s t fine fo r a

s im p le sh o ck swap.

If you r b ike w ill be s ittin g w ith o u t a sh o ck w h ile it ’s

ou t fo r freshening, you should cons ide r find ing a w ay to

secure you r bike. Regardless o f how long you exp ec t the

p ro ject to take, do n ’t lie under you r b ike until y o u ’re cer

ta in th a t i t is sa fe ly sup p o rte d . R em ove any pa rts (like

th e se a t, sa d d le b a g s , s id e c o ve rs , o r th e e xh a u s t

system ) th a t b lo ck unfe tte red access to th e area around

th e linkage. D uring th is p ro je ct, yo u ’ ll be ad jus tin g the

he igh t o f th e b ike on the ja ck o r lift to a llow th e eyelets

on th e sho ck to line up w ith th e ir m ates on th e bike.

C ru ise rs w ith th e s h o c k a tta c h e d to som e s o r t o f

linkage require th a t you pa rtia lly d isassem ble th e linkage

to ge t to th e sho ck . Begin w ith th e base o f th e shock. |

Look c lo se ly a t th e bo lts secu ring th e t ie rod s (or dog

bones). On m any bikes, you w ill have d ifficu lty removing

th e b o lts fo r e ith e r th e to p o r bo tto m end o f th e rods, j

D eterm ine w h ich b o lt is easiest to rem ove and low er th e {

linkage ou t o f th e way. Rem ove th e bo lt secu ring th e top

o f th e s h o ck to its m o u n t an d ca re fu lly lo w e r th e old

sho ck ou t pa s t the sw ingarm .

C a re fu lly p la ce th e ne w s h o c k in p o s it io n . Som e

s h o c k s a re e a s ie r to s lip in to p la ce fro m a b o ve the

s w in g a rm ra th e r th a n fro m b e lo w . P la ce th e to p

Lift your bike so that the shock fully extends, but the rear tire doesn't

leave the floor.


Space is really tight, but with the rear wheel

supported, the shock should slip right into

position. You may have to adjust the bike lift up

or down slightly to get the eyelets on the shock

to line up with the chassis.

-o u n tin g b o lt th rough th e sho ck ’s eye let and le t it hang

г place. If yo u r new sho ck has a rem ote reservoir, you

_ee d to fin d a p la ce to m ou nt it. If th e sh o ck ’s ins tru c-

son s d o n ’t have a recom m ended po s ition , fin d a p lace

-теге you can secu re ly m ou n t th e rese rvo ir so th a t it

zees no t in te rfere w ith th e rear w heel trave l o r w ith the

- te r ’s leg o r fo o t. Using th e supplied rubber spacers and

- :s e c lam ps, loosely m ou nt th e reservo ir and check th a t

—■e sh o ck ’s b ra id ed sta in less-s te e l line do e sn ’t abrade

—e fra m e o r a n y o th e r p a rt o f th e b ike . You ca n bu y

rove rs th a t w ra p aro un d th e line like a sp rin g a t yo u r

o ra l bike shop. Once you are certa in abou t the reservoir

rcs it io n , tigh ten th e hose clam ps.

R eassem ble th e susp en s ion linka ge in th e reve rse

ord e r o f you r d isassem bly. A ligh t coa t o f grease on the

b o lts ' sha fts (while keeping th e th re ad s clean) w ill he lp

them s lip in to p lace and prevent corrosion. You m ay find

th a t you have to ro ta te th e sh o ck sha ft s lig h tly to help

th e c levis s lide ove r th e linkage. If you have troub le lining

up th e bo lt holes, ad just th e length o f th e b o ttle jack sup

porting th e rear o f th e bike. P roper to rqu ing o f th e bo lts

is essentia l fo r keeping everything w here it belongs.

Be fo re you can g e t b a ck on th e road, you need to

se t th e sag an d dam p ing to th e sh o ck m an u fa c tu re r’s

recom m enda tions.

Hany aftermarket shocks will have rebound damping adjusters that Dual shocks are almost too easy to replace. Simply unbolt one and install

Blew you to modify the shock's behavior as it extends after absorbing the other. You still need to support your bike with a jack, though,

ziiump.

INST

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H ow i t W orksSteel vs. A lum inum Steel Tube Frames Pressed Steel Fram es A lum inum Frames

FrameP ro je c ts

P ro je c t 34 : C heck Steering Head Bearings

P ro je c t 35 : Repack or ReplaceSteering Head Bearings

P ro je c t 3 6 : S w ingarm PivotBearing R eplacement

WARNING! KEY CONCEPT

OLD SCHOOL TECH MAINTENANCE TIP


Just as th e hum an spine serves as th e m ain support

s tru c tu re fo r y o u r bo dy, y o u r m o to rc y c le ’s fram e

serves as the m ain sup po rt fo r th e rest o f th e bike . Unlike

y o u r sp ine , how ever, you r b ike ’s fram e can ta ke m any

fo rm s—steel o r a lum inum , pressed o r tre llis , cas t and/or

w elded, and so on.

STEEL VS. ALUMINUMP a p e r o r p la s tic ? R e g u la r o r d e c a f? C h o c o la te o r

pe an u t bu tte r?

L ife pre sen ts us w ith a va rie ty o f cho ices daily, bu t

fe w o f th em are as w e ll de fine d as th e cho ice betw een

s tee l o r a lum inum as a fram e m ate ria l. Each one pre s

ents its ow n un ique b lend o f advantages.

For instance, steel is qu ite s tiff and strong com pared

to alum inum , bu t m uch heavier. G iven identica l lengths,

ove ra ll d iam e te rs , and w a ll th ic kn e ss , a p ie ce o f steel

tu b in g is ro u g h ly th re e tim e s as s tif f , th re e tim e s as

strong, bu t th ree tim es as heavy as a p iece o f a lum inum

tu b ing . S tee l is easy to w e ld (at least un til you g e t in to

m ore exo tic m olybdenum -a lloy steels), and fa irly easy to

fa b rica te —th a t is, m ake tubes from it, castings, sheets,

e x tru s ion s (th in k o f to o th p a s te be ing squeezed from a

tube ), and a ho s t o f o the r fo rm ing m ethods. A n d w h ile

a lu m in um req u ires m ore sk ill to w e ld , its s o ft, p la s tic

(ductile) nature m akes it a natura l fo r fabrication.

W hat’s c ruc ia l, th ough , is th a t strength and stiffness

are a lso p rim arily fu n c tio n s o f d ia m e te r and w a ll th ic k

ness. Consequently, by using m ore m ateria l (th icker tubes

o r larger spars), a designer can create an a lum inum frame

th a t ’s as s tron g and s t if f as its s te e l eq u iva len t. W hat

firm ly tips the balance in th e favor o f th e m ateria l used for

s o d a p o p can s , ho w ever, is th a t th e s te e l eq u iva le n t

w ou ld a lm os t ce rta in ly have pa per-th in tu be s o r spars,

w hich cou ld be easily dam aged and extrem ely d ifficu lt to

w e ld if a repair is needed. A rid e r m ig h t no t have m uch

co n fid e n c e in a fra m e th a t he c o u ld p o ke h is fin g e r

th ro ug h as if it w ere a p iece o f r ice paper. A ll o f th a t is

w h y a lu m in um has be com e th e m a te ria l o f ch o ic e fo r

fram es des igned and m ade fo r m os t h ig h-pe rform ance

m o to rcyc le s . R ecent ad van ces in te chn o log y , such as

e x tre m e ly a ccu ra te and th in -w a ll vacu um d ie -ca s tin g

techn iques, have m ade alum inum fram es so prevalent.

STEEL TUBE FRAMES

In th e beg inn ing (when d in osa urs roam ed

th e earth, etc.), p ro pe r m o to rcyc le fram es

w ere w e ld e d up from c o lle c tio n s o f s te e l tu b ing .

T he earliest versions w ere little m ore than glo rified

b icyc le fram es, w ith a s ing le backbone tu b e and a

s in g le -c ra d le tu b e th a t ex te n d e d d o w n fro m the

s te e rin g head , th e n u n de rne a th th e e n g in e . The

n e x t va ria tio n s im p ly d o u b le d th e d o w n tu b e in to

w ha t’s called a doub le-crad le fram e, w ith th e fron t

o f th e engine bo lted so lid ly betw een th e tw o dow n-

tubes fo r added rig idity.


*U № ls n ¥ S

O n e o th e r s te e l tu b e ite ra tio n is th e sp in e or

backbone fram e, w h ich utilizes a large-diam eter tu be or

;2brica tion running from th e s teering head, over th e to p

th e engine, w ith no do w n tu b e s w ha tsoever. S u ch a

design can be one o f th e s im p lest and least expensive to

m a n u fa c tu re . Yet d e s p ite th e ir se e m in g la c k o f

s o p h is tic a tio n , b a c k b o n e fra m e s can be ex tre m e ly

e ffective . Perhaps th e m os t recent exam ple is H onda ’s

599, in tro du ced in th e U nited S ta tes as a 2004 m odel,

and a fe w yea rs e a rlie r in E u ro pe a s th e H orne t 600.

W hatever you call it, th e b ike ’s ba ckbo ne fram e w orks

veil, and th e b ike im m ediate ly ga ined a reputa tion fo r its

excellent, con fidence -insp iring handling.

For th e m ost part, th e do ub le-crad le design w en t on

:o b e co m e a ne a r in d u s try s ta n d a rd . A n d th e m o s t

fa m o u s o f a ll su ch s te e l tu b e fra m e s is th e N orto n

= e a th e rb e d . A c c o rd in g to le g e n d , th e M cC a n d le ss

brothers from N orthern Ireland w ere w izards w ith tubes

and to rc h e s , e s p e c ia lly b ro th e r R ex. S u p p o se d ly , in

1 949 , R ex s im p ly ga ve N o rto n h is la te s t

d o u b le -c ra d le fra m e d e s ign , co m p le te w ith

sw ingarm and du a l-sh o ck rea r susp en s ion—

q u ite a b re a k th ro u g h th e n . N o rto n ra ce r

Harold Daniell is c red ited w ith g iv ing th e fram e

its i llu s tr io u s na m e. A fte r s a m p lin g a

M c C a n d le s s - fra m e N o rto n M an x , D an ie ll

likened th e experience to “ rid in g on a fe a th

erbed.” A t th e tim e th e N orton ’s hand ling w as

ind ee d head and sh o u ld e rs a b o ve th e rest,

and the Featherbed w en t on to insp ire dozens

o f c o p ie s , m o s t co m in g fro m th e n a sce n t

Japanese m oto rcyc le industry.

A fte r th e Featherbed, how ever, s tee l tu be

fra m e d e s ig n on p ro d u c tio n b ike s v irtu a lly

stagnated fo r m o s t o f a gene ra tion . It w a sn ’t

un til 1983 w ith th e advent o f H onda’s V45 Interceptor that

m an u fa c tu re rs seem ed in te res te d in try in g som e th in g

new o r d iffe ren t. Even th en , th e m o s t in te res tin g th in g

a bou t the In tercepto r’s fram e w as its use o f silver-painted

square and rectangular steel tu b ing in an a ttem p t to m ake

a visual connection w ith H onda’s NS500 tw o -s troke V-3

G rand P rix road racer. Yet w h ile th e tw o fram es looked

som e w h at s im ila r a t a d is ta nce , th e N S500’s w as co n

s tructed o f a lum inum tubing .

W hy th e near-total absence o f changes to steel tu be

fra m e d e s ig n in su ch a lon g p e rio d o f t im e ? S im p ly

because i t ’s a m atu re te chn o log y ; th e fla w s have long

ago been identified and subsequently rectified. It’s a new

version o f th e o ld saying, “ If it a in ’t broke . . . ” S teel tu be

TRIPLE

CO

FRA

ME


fram es con tinue to be used extensive ly on the m ajority of

m o to rcyc les be low prem ium price -p o in ts , and fo r good

reason. W ell-des igned ones can p rov ide exce llen t han

d lin g fo r all bu t th e m os t dem anding o f riders, and they

can be reasonab ly che ap to m ake. In sh o rt, th e re w ill

alw ays be a p lace fo r such fram es in m otorcycling.

Having jus t disparaged steel tu be fram es from use at

th e very to p of, say, th e spo rt bike fo od chain, it ’s w orth

m entioning one boutique brand in particular th a t em ploys

the seem ingly da ted design th ro ug ho ut its entire lineup,

even fo r its m o s t exp en s ive an d h ig h e s t-p e rfo rm a n ce

spo rting ta c k le —nam ely, D ucati. T he Ita lian brand long

ag o rea lize d th e im p o rta n c e an d rom an ce o f its ow n

history, and th a t m uch o f th ose qualities are w rapped up in

its s ignatu re tre llis fram e. C on tinued deve lopm en t year

a fte r year has evo lved D uca ti’s steel tu be s truc tu re in to

som ething th a t’s easily th e equal o f m ore-soph is tica ted

aluminum fram es. In fac t, Ducati uses steel fram es on its

M otoG P race bikes.

PRESSED-STEEL FRAMESA p a r t fro m th e s iz a b le in itia l c o s ts o f m a k in g th e

s ta m p in g d ies, m an u fa c tu ring pre ssed -s te e l fram es is

p e rh a p s th e m o s t e c o n o m ic a l w a y to m ass p ro d u ce

such item s.

S im ply pu t, sheets o f re lative ly th in -g a u g e s tee l are

s tam ped (pressed) in to shape, and cu t o r punched from

th e dies. Then th e y ’re usually secured into po s ition in a

jig o f som e s o rt and s p o t w e ld ed . P resse d -s te e l co n

s tru c t io n is q u ic k , to o , be cau se th e p ro ced ure eas ily

lends itse lf to rob o t w eld ing.

However, w itho u t th e benefit o f a con tinuous w eld (at

a m inim um ), such fram es can te nd to su ffe r from flexing

and broken w e lds w hen used harshly.

For all o f these reasons, pressed-steel fram es are m ost

o ften em p lo yed on sm a ll-d isp lace m e n t m o to rcyc le s or

scooters, vehicles th a t w on ’t stress the fram es overmuch.

A s a p o in t o f h is to ry , H onda began using

th e pre ssed -s te e l m an u fa c tu ring process

fo r its 19 49 D ream D, p a r tia lly fo r th e p ro c e s s ’

speed and conven ience o f m anufacturing , b u t also

because it w as d ifficu lt to ge t steel tub ing o f su ffi

c ien t quality. Moreover, pressed-steel construction

has been in use since the 1920s.

ALUMINUM FRAMESA lu m in um ’s cu rren t n e a r-to ta l d o m in an ce as th e m os t

p o p u la r m a te ria l fo r s p o rt b ik e fram es can be tra ce d

d irec tly to its m eteoric ascendance in th e sam e ro le in

G rand P rix road ra c in g . In th e ea rly 1980s, a lum inum

fram es to o k up pe rm a ne n t res ide nce in GP p a d d o cks

nearly ove rn igh t. W hy th e change en m asse? Precisely

because o f th e phenom enon described in the “ Steel Vs.

A lu m in u m ” s e c t io n a t th e s ta r t o f th is c h a p te r : th a t

strength and s tiffn ess are m ore p ro fou nd ly a ffec ted by

m ate ria l d ia m e te r and w a ll th ic kn e ss th an th e y are by

th e m ate ria l its e lf (stee l o r a lum inum , g iven o the rw ise

ide ntica l pieces).

M oreover, b y th e e a rly 198 0s, fra m e s tiffn e s s had

be com e a H o ly G rail to GP b ike des ign e rs . A lum inum

a llo w e d th e m to c re a te s t if fe r fra m e s —a n d , so they

th o u g h t, b e tte r-h a n d lin g on es — b u t w ith o u t a huge

w e ig h t pena lty. In te re sting ly , it is p o ss ib le to cre a te a

fram e th a t is to o stiff, and fram e design has sh ifted a b it

to incorpora te a b it o f flex.

In m otorcycling, racing success tends to drive devel

o p m e n t o f m a ss-p ro d u ce d p ro d u c ts . So it w as on ly a

m atte r o f tim e before such fram es m ade th e ir w ay onto

s tree t b ikes. T he firs t m ass-p rod uce d a lum inum -fram e

p roduction b ike w as Suzuki’s 1983 RG 250 Gam m a, and

othe rs soon fo llo w ed . If th is firs t w ave had any identifi

ab le shortcom ing, it w as on ly th a t th e b ike ’s engineers—

ju s t lik e th e on es fo r th e 50 0 GP b ike s —b a s ic a lly

d u p lica ted th e prev ious ge ne ra tio n ’s steel tu b e fram es

w ith alum inum tubes, and ha dn 't ye t gone fa r enough to

realize th e m ateria l’s advantages.

j l In s h o rt order, th o u g h , race b ike s began

о sprouting m assive, deep -section tw in-spa r

fram es, w ith th e spa rs fa b rica te d from she et alu

m inum and extending from the steering head back

to th e sw ingarm p ivo t in as d irect a line as possible.

Such a design created th e straightest possib le load

path w ith a structure best su ited to w ithstand those

loads. And, o f course, th a t th inking qu ickly m ade its

w ay to m ass-produced street bikes.

The n e x t b ig ju m p in fram e th e o ry and de s ign was

con tro lled flex . Several m anufacturers had already built

w ha t w ere considered to be to ta lly rig id fram e structures.

As it tu rn ed ou t, such fram es m ade a m oto rcycle almosz

u n rid e a b le ; i t c h a tte re d an d s k ip p e d o v e r m id co rn e r

bum ps like a fla t s tone th row n across a s till pond.

W hat en g in ee rs d isco ve red is th a t, w hen a m o to r

cyc le is leaned over, such as th rough a tu rn , bum p fo rces

com e a t angles th e suspens ion s im p ly can ’t cop e w ith;

re s u lt—cha tte r. So, th e y dedu ced , th e cha ss is (fram e,

fo rk , wheels, and tires) has to flex a little , and in a con

tro lled w ay in such situa tions.


FRAME T R O U B L E S H O O T IN G

ЭКЕ DOESN'T WANT

TO RESPOND

SMOOTHLY, EVENLY

TO SMALL STEERING

NPUTS AT SLOW

SPEEDS

FRONT END/

STEERING FEELS

-OOSEAND

'.'PRECISE; KLUNK

CAN BE HEARD AND

=ELT THROUGH

-ANDLEBAR OVER

BUMPS AND WHEN

COMING TO AN

ABRUPT STOP

ZAN FEEL A

DEFINITE DETENT

THROUGH THE

HANDLEBAR(S)

iVITH THE FRONT

.'.HEEL POINTED

STRAIGHTAHEAD

DISTURBINGLY

MPRECISE

STEERING; AT

HIGHER SPEEDS

BIKE WALLOWS AT A

=OINT THAT SEEMS

DIRECTLY BELOW

THE RIDER

P ROBABLE CAUSES

Steering head bearings too tight

Steering head bearings too loose

Flat spots in bearings/rollers and/or races of steering head bearings

Loose swingarm pivot bolt

AC TION TO REPAIR

Check and adjust steering head bearings

Check and adjust steering head bearings

Replace steering head bearings

Torque according to shop

manual figure(s). If unsuc

cessful, have a dealership diag

nose the problem

RELEVANT P R O J E C T S

Project 34: Check

steering head bearings,

Project 35: How to

repack or replace

steering head bearings

В

A ssisting them in their design process w as

in c re a s in g ly s o p h is tic a te d te c h n o lo g y

a sso c ia te d e s p e c ia lly w ith h ig h -p re ssu re /h ig h -

vacuum d ie -casting and spa rk erosion techn iques,

fo r exa m p le . B o th p ro cesse s p e rm it c re a tio n o f

rem arkab ly a c cu ra te , p re c ise , an d th in -w a ll

a lu m in um p a rts , w h ic h , w hen w e ld e d to ge the r,

pe rm it fine -tun ing o f th e desirable portion o f fram e

flex, w itho u t also getting th e disastrous kinds o f flex

th a t destroy handling. Honda was the firs t to trum pet

th e arriva l o f such th in k in g and te ch n o lo g y on its

s tre e t b ike s , and th e o th e r m a n u fa c tu re rs have

qu ickly fo llow ed suit.

And fo r th e cyn ics w ho believe the on ly peop le w ho

be ne fit fro m such advances are s p o rt b ike p ilo ts , th ey

m ig ht feel heartened to know th ose selfsam e influences

spread th ro ug h each m an ufa ctu re r’s lineup m ore com

p le te ly each year. The co n ne c tion be tw een rac ing and

road b ikes has never been shorter, o r m ore d irect.

FR

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Check Steering Bearings

Head

TIM E : 2 -p lu s h o u rs, d ep end ingon w h a t m a in te n a n ce is req u ired

TO O L S : W re n c h e s an d s o ck e ts,re a r stan d, b ike ja c k

C O S T: $

PA R TS : R ep la ce m e n t b earings

T IP : All pa rts th a t cou ld e xe rta n y fo r c e on th e f ro n t end (b ra k e lin e s and cables) sh ou ld be rem o ve d before c h e c k in g t h e ste e rin g hea d b e a rin g s

B E N EF IT: S e a m le ss res p o n s e toste e rin g input; lo n g er s e rv ic e

E very tim e you tu rn , th e steering stem m oves inside

th e steering head. As tim e passes, p o rtion s o f the

be aring race s can be co m e d e n ted from th e b e a rin g s ’

b a lls o r ro lle rs tra n s fe rr in g loa ds from th e fo rk to th e

fram e. The re su lt is s te e ring th a t w a n ts to s e lf-ce n te r

th e bearings to th ose fa m ilia r dents. Can you rid e a bike

w ith th is con d ition? Sure. A s w ith any neglected system ,

you r b ike can push on fo r a w h ile de livering substandard

feel and perform ance. B u t w hy se ttle fo r tha t?

Bikes have com e a long w ay in te rm s o f perform ance

and responsiveness. R iding one th a t is in to p tu ne when

you ’ve le t yours ge t ragged is a lo t like hopp ing on a new

b ik e w hen y o u ’ve o n ly rid d e n c la s s ic s . T he p a y o ff is

crispness, sm oothness, responsiveness—a m ore exciting

and rewarding ride. If you love to ride, w hy no t m ake th a t

experience th e be s t it can be? Talk to h ig h-ca libe r race

team s and you ’ll find th a t they p lace such a high priority

on how th e bike steers th a t they w ill check and ad just the

steering head bearings before every race w eekend.

W hile stree t riders m ay sco ff a t th a t typ e o f m a in te

nance schedu le, th e y shou ld be fo rew arned th a t if they

d o n ’t m ake a p o in t o f c h e c k in g th e ir s te e r in g head

bearings every 10 ,000 m iles, o r a t least once a season,

th e y m ay s u ffe r from a co u p le o f h a nd ling m alad ies.

F irst, th e y m ay n o tice th a t th e ir b ike w ill shake its head

under norm al decelera tion under hard braking, o r if the ir

hands are rem oved from th e grips. A lso , as th e steering

head b inds and requires increasing e ffo rt to overcom e the

inte rna l fr ic tio n , riders m ay find them se lves w eaving a t

low speeds as th e y oversteer. (This sym pto m is sim ilar

to having a s teering da m pe r se t to o tigh t.) Acco rd ing to

C huck Graves, race team owner, g ifted tuner, and long

tim e fa st guy a t W illow Springs, ove rtigh t head bearings

w ill a ls o a f fe c t tu rn - in on th e b ra ke s a t c o rn e r

en tran ces—and give th e b ike th e tendency to run w ide.

One las t s ign o f bad bearings is th a t riders m ay actually

feel a c lun k in th e grips as th e s teering stem sh ifts in the

steering head.

1. For an accu ra te ch e ck o f th e s teering head beam

ings, th e b ike needs to be on a rea r s ta nd w ith the

fro n t w hee l o ff th e ground. To ch e ck fo r loose or

d a m a g e d b e a rin g s , g ra sp th e ba se o f th e for*,

leg s an d m o ve i t f ro n t to b a c k . I f yo u fe e l an,,

m ovem ent o r th e te llta le c lu n k and you r steering

s te m is p ro p e rly to rq u e d , y o u r b ike ne ed s m

b e a rin g s . F o r th e s u b tle r b u t e q u a lly im p o rta n t

te s ts , rem ove all com p on en ts th a t cou ld im part

fo rce on th e fo rk —th e brake lines, th ro ttle cables,

and c lu tch cab les.

2. W ith th e fo rk s tr ip p e d o f all b u t th e c lip -o n s and

w he e l, be g in te s tin g th e bea ring s b y tu rn in g the |

ba r fu ll- lo c k to one side . W hen th e bar is tu rned

a p p ro x im a te ly 15 d e g re e s to w a rd c e n te r and

re lea sed , th e fo rk sh o u ld fa ll b a ck to th e s to p ,

ba re ly bo un ce, and se ttle do w n . If th e bearing is


to o tig h t, it w o n ’t reach th e s to p . A loose bearing

resu lts in a coup le o f bounces on th e s top . Th is is

ca lled th e fa llback test.

3. T h e n e x t te s t is to l ig h tly h o ld th e fro n t w he e l

be tw een yo u r fin g e rs and m ove it ba ck and fo rth

across th e cen te r o f th e trave l. You should feel no

n o tc h in e s s o r re s tr ic t io n o f m o ve m e n t, w h ic h

w o u ld s ig n a l w o rn s p o ts on th e b e a rin g race s.

F ina lly, tu rn th e fo rk ju s t a co u p le o f degrees o ff

cen te r and release it. The fo rk should no t m ove. If it

tr ies to self-center, th e bearings are w orn.

4. N ow th a t y o u ’ re a rm ed w ith in fo rm a tio n a b o u t

th e bea ring s ’ c o n d itio n , you kno w w h a t you need

to do . If th e be a ring s are fine , an d you are on a

reg u la r m ain ten an ce in te rva l (as in ch e ck in g th e

be a ring s be fo re a race w ee ken d), b o lt th e fro n t

e n d b a c k to g e th e r , a n d y o u ’ re g o o d to go . If

y o u ’ re d o in g y o u r 1 0 ,0 0 0 -m ile o r an n u a l

m a in ten an ce , an d if th e be a ring s p a ssed eve ry

te s t, d is a s s e m b le th e t r ip le c la m p , lu b e th e

b e a r in g s , an d re to rq u e y o u r f ro n t e n d . If y o u r

b ike fa ile d any o f th e te s ts , i t ’s tim e to rep la ce

th e be arings. (See P ro je ct 35.)


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Project 35

Repack or Replace Steering Head Bearings

2 -p lu s ho u rs, depending on w h a t m a in te n a n ce is req u ired

W re n c h e s a n d so ck e ts , la rg e s o c k e t, s t e e r in g n w r e n c h , t o rq u e w re n c h , re a r s ta n d , b ike ja c k , t o rc h , r u b b e r m a lle t or d e a d -b lo w h a m m e r, d r if t b lo w t o rc h , b e a rin g g re a s e , b e a rin g race puller, s a fe ty g la s s e s

C O S T: $

PA R TS : R ep la ce m e n t b earings

T IP : Heating the steeringstem m ak es rem oving

and installing the races much easier

B E N E F IT : R en e w e d ste e rin g p e rfo rm a n ce

L ike any bearings, th ose in th e steering head need to

be lub rica ted pe rio d ica lly to m ainta in sm oo th per

fo rm a n ce . If th e ch e c k s you p e rfo rm e d in P ro je c t 34

show ed excess p lay o r b inding, you w ill need to ad just

th e bearings fo r prope r bearing tension . E ither cond ition

m ay likew ise herald th e need to replace th e bearings and

races. Even i f eve ry th in g che cked o u t fin e and y o u ’ve

trave led 10,000 m iles s ince you last serv iced them , i t ’s

tim e to repack the steering head bearings to keep them

in to p condition.

R ep ack in g th e be a ring s w ill invo lve d isa ssem b ling

th e head, rem oving th e bearings, and cleaning all th e old

g re ase fro m th e m an d th e be a rin g ra c e s —th e cu

pressed into th e head tu be on w h ich th e bearings move

W ith a ll th e grease rem oved, you can insp ec t b o th tl

bearings and th e races fo r wear. If reusing you r o ld Ьег

ings, repack them w ith grease and reassem ble. Set t*

tens ion acco rding to th e fa llb ack test.

If rep la c ing th e bearings and races, you can knot

o u t th e races you rse lf w ith a ham m er and d rift, o r fc

them to a m ach ine shop if you don ’t tru s t you rse lf no ts

d e n t y o u r b ik e o r y o u rs e lf. P a ck fu ll o f greas*

reassem ble until you ge t a passing fa llb ack test, then g

o u t and en joy you r pe rfectly steering bike.


Removing the races from the steering head will appeal to your destructive

side. Reach through the steering head with a metal drift and locate the back

of the lower bearing race. With a ball-peen hammer, walk the race out of the

frame by hammering on alternating sides of the race. (Some mechanics like

to heat the steering head with a blow torch, but it only seems to make a

noticeable difference on race installation, not removal.) To remove the top

bearing race, repeat the process with the drift reaching from the bottom of

the neck. Be cautious, though, You’re hammering up and don’t want to dis

lodge the bike from its supports. Here the mechanic demonstrates how to

knock the lower race out of the steering head. If you’re not comfortable with

your hammer technique, have a machine shop remove the races for you.

When installing new bearings, you can use a bearing-driver set or a socket

that has the same outer diameter as the outer edge of the race. If you’re

unable to find a suitable socket, you can always flip the old race upside

down and use it as the driver. To ease locating the races in the steering

head, utilize temperature to expand and contract solid objects. Place the

new races in the freezer for a couple of hours. Before you remove each

from its bed amongst the frozen peas, heat the steering stem until it is hot,

but not so hot that it discolors. Quickly place the race in the neck and drive

it into position. With the difference in temperature, you should only need a

couple of whacks to bottom the race.

To pack the bearings—whether ball or tapered rollers—you want to push

grease into them until it oozes out the other side of the cage. When the

bearings lift out of the races, as with steering head ball bearings, the job

is easy. Just put a healthy dollop of grease in the palm of your hand and

press the bearing into it, forcing the grease into the gaps between the

cage and the balls. You'll do the same for the removable tapered roller

bearing often used at the top of the steering stem. For tapered roller

bearings affixed to the stem, press the grease into the rollers until you see

it start to ooze out of the top of the roller cage. Here note how he presses

the grease from the inside of the bearing so that he can see when it

begins to ooze out of the spaces between the balls and the cage.R

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inCO

Before torquing the steering stem, you must have the fork legs and wheel properly reinstalled and torqued. Also, the front wheel should be raised off

the ground. Remount the steering stem to the frame and finger-tighten the stem nut. Mount the fork legs and make sure they are aligned so that the

axle will slide easily from one leg into the other. Torque the triple clamp pinch bolts. Mount the front wheel and torque the axle down. You’re now ready

to perform the stem bearing adjustment. If your steering head uses ball bearings, the job is pretty simple. Using a steering nut wrench or one of the

cool steering nut sockets sold by Komoto Draggin Racing, torque the steering nut down to the factory-specified initial tightening specification to settte

bearings in the races. This number will be quite a bit higher than the final torque setting. (For example, the R6 factory service manual specifies 38 Ib-fS

Once you set the seating torque, turn the fork back and forth a few times to distribute the grease.

Install the top triple clamp, torque it down, and recheck with the fallback test to make sure that you haven’t affected the steering. Tapered roller

bearings are much more finicky, and you’ll have to adjust them by hand. Tighten the stem nut down to set the bearings, then loosen them back up. No*

begin tightening the nut. After each adjustment, give the fork the fallback test you used at the beginning of this project. Once the fork passes the test

carefully lock down the stem nut with the locknut. Different bikes use different locking methods, so consult your factory manual. (For example, some

bikes use a locknut clamping down directly on the stem nut, while others, such as Yamaha, have a rubber spacer between the nut and the locknut.) This

steering nut tool sold by Komoto Draggin Racing (above) takes some of the guesswork out of torquing the stem nut. You simply place it over the nut arc

torque it down like any other fastener. It's worth every penny to those who practice regular steering maintenance.

132


TIM E : 2 ho urs

Projeot 36

Swingarm Pivot Bearing Replacement

W re n ch e s , so ck e ts , torqu e w re n c h , s c r e w d riv e rs , p liers, c irc lip p liers , bike lift o r ja c k , ha m m er, drift, b e a rin g d riv er, pro pan e t o rc h , red Lo ctite , v ise

C O S T: $$

P A R TS : R ep la ce m e n t b e a rin g s

T IP : H e a tin g th e b earing s le e vem a k e s d riv in g th e b e a rin g s o u t m u ch e a s ie r

B E N E F IT : L e s s s tiction in s w in g a rm m o ve m e n t, b etter s u sp e n sio n p e rfo rm a n c e

Perhaps th e m os t overlooked item on m oto rcyc les is

th e lo w ly sw ing a rm p iv o t. W ell, if y o u ’ve spe n t

-noney and tim e upgrading and dia ling in your suspension,

don’t you th in k it ’s a g o o d ide a to ta ke as m uch o f the

flu id -m o v e m e n t-s a p p in g s tic t io n o u t o f th e sw ing a rm

travel? Bikes th a t have been ridden in w et weather or near

tne ocean are particularly susceptib le to having corrosion

ia m a g e in any bearing—not jus t th e sw ingarm bearings.

H ow do you know w hen th e sw ingarm bearings need

-eplacing? W ell, if you lub rica te you r bearings on a reg

ular basis, check them be fo re you regrease them . W hat

to look fo r a t th ose tim es are w ear m arks o r rust on the

: iv o t sha ft. If you see an y d ivo ts on th e sha ft, you can

se t th e bearings aren’t happy abou t it either.

Y o u 'll need to s tr ip o f f yo u r b ik e ’s low e rs if y o u ’ re

c ann in g on u s in g a ja c k u n d e r th e e n g in e . A ls o , be

ca re fu l w h e re y o u p la c e th e ja c k —d o n ’t c ru sh y o u r

e xh au s t p ip e . F o llo w th e d ire c t io n s in y o u r fa c to ry

Tianual fo r rem oving th e sw ingarm .

O nce you have th e sw ingarm free , p la ce it in a so ft-

^ace vise to ho ld it s te ad y w h ile you w o rk on it. Rem ove

T ie co lla rs , p ivo t, and d u s t seals w ith a sc rew driver and

-eplace any rip pe d o r to rn sea ls. If a c irc lip is present,

'e m o ve it. H ea t th e sw ing a rm o u ts id e o f th e bearing ,

ou t no t so h o t as to cause it to d isco lor. U sing a d rift,

-each th ro ug h from th e o p p o s ite s ide o f th e sw ingarm

and p la ce th e e d g e on th e seam b e tw e e n th e c rush

tu be and th e be aring . If you c a n ’t ca tch th e lip o f the

-n e r race because o f th e inte rna l spacer, you m ay find

Heating the outside of the swingarm around the bearing will ease

its removal.

th a t a f la th e a d s c re w d r iv e r w ill he lp g e t th e be a rin g

s ta rted . W ith th e d rift on the inner race, give th e bearing

a w ha ck o r tw o until it m oves slightly. N ow sw itch to the

o the r s ide o f th e bearing and repeat. Essentially, you are

w a lk ing th e be aring ou t o f th e hub. W hen th e bearing

p o p s o u t, s e t th e c ru sh tu b e a s id e fo r la te r. F lip th e

sw ingarm in th e v ise and ta p ou t th e rem ain ing bearing.

Remember, a fte r yo u ’ve rapped a bearing w ith a d rift jus t

once, the bearing is junk.

O p in io n s va ry on ho w b e s t to d r ive a b e a ring in to

p lace. Som e peop le freeze th e bearing fo r several hours

a n d th e n h e a t th e p a rt on w h ic h i t w ill be in s ta lle d .

O th e rs lu b ric a te th e o u ts id e ed ge o f th e be a ring w ith

II!


SW

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Tap on alternating sides of the bearing to walk it out of the swingarm.

assem bly lube. T he m echan ic from Trac D ynam ics fea

tu red in the ph o tos here uses red Loctite . He feels th a t

th e Lo ctite he lps lub rica te th e tw o m etal surfaces when

w e t and m akes th e bearing s tay in position be tte r w hen it

dries. You choose you r preferred m ethod.

If you have a be aring d rive r set, use it to ins ta ll th e

be arings. O th e rw ise , f in d a so c k e t th a t has th e e xa c t

sam e ou te r d iam eter as the ou ts ide edge o f th e bearing.

If you ’ re unable to find a su itable socke t, you can always

use th e o ld bearing. The key is never to ham m er d irectly

on th e ne w be a rin g its e lf. Tap th e be a rin g u n til i t is

seated in the p ivo t flush w ith th e ou te r edge (or the edge

be low th e c irc lip housing). S lip th e crush tu b e in to the

p ivo t and insta ll th e o the r bearing . D on 't fo rg e t to rein

s ta ll any c irc lips you rem oved.

W hen rep lacing bearings, con su lt you r fa c to ry service

m anua l fo r p ro pe r bearing o rien ta tion . S om e bearings

need to be p laced in certa in w ays. For exam ple, on a ZX-

6R th e ball bearings need to be orien ted w ith th e m anu

fa c tu re r’s m ark ing s p o in tin g o u t, b u t ne ed le bea ring s

require th a t the m arkings face in. G etting orien ted before

you ta p th e bearings in w ill save you tim e and money.

O nce th e bearings are insta lled , y o u ’ll need to pack

them w ith grease. This serves tw o purposes. It helps the

m eta l p a rts m ove ag a in st each other, and it keeps o u t

corrosive m oisture. Using healthy do llop s on you r finger,

m ash th e grease in to th e sp a ce s o f th e ro lle rs . Keep

This mechanic prefers to use red Loctite as the lubricant between the

bearing and the swingarm.

do ing th is as you w ork you r w ay around th e bearing, un9

it is com p le te ly filled . W ipe a th in layer o f grease on the

p iv o t s lee ve an d s lid e i t in to th e p iv o t. A p p ly a b it c*

g re a se to th e gre ase se a ls an d p re ss th e m o n to th e

sw ingarm . F inally, p la ce th e co lla rs in to th e sea ls. The

sw ingarm is now ready to be m ounted back in the fram e, j

Packing needle bearings completely full of grease takes patience, but ft

will keep corrosion away.


Ж !

Tires and Wheels

OLD SCHOOL TECH

TOMORROW’S TECH

KEY CONCEPT

/)< M MAINTENANCE TIP

MONEY-SAVING TIP

How it W orksTire C onstruction B ias-P ly C onstruction Radial C onstruction T ire C h o ice s , and H ow to M ake

Sm art Ones S id e w a ll H ie ro g ly p h ic s and H ow

to D ecipher Them T ire s : B u y ’ em L o ca l o r F rom th e

Web?The G reat M ount & Balance Act:

W hat to Expect T ire PressureAfte rm arke t W heels: C arbon Fiber,

M agnesium and Alum inum !Oh, My!

Caring fo r Bearings

ProjectsP ro je c t 37 : C heck T ire Pressure P ro je c t 3 8 : F lat Fix P ro je c t 3 9 : Rem oving W heels P ro je c t 4 0 : T ire C hange P ro je c t 4 1 : Valve Stem

R eplacem ent

T o som e riders, tires are m erely round and b lack, and

no th in g m ore. If th e y g ive th e ir tires a th ou gh t, i t ’s

:-nly because th e y ’re da ngerously c lose to be ing fla t o r

caid, and can no longe r be ignored. Truth is, n o th in g on

.•our m o to rcyc le is as c ru c ia l to y o u r sa fe ty an d yo u r

i <e’s overall handling as you r tw o round, b la ck friends.

Because, th rough tw o con ta c t pa tches rough ly th e area

:? a c re d it ca rd ea ch, th e y tra n s m it in fo rm a tion a b ou t

acceleration, brak ing , and tu rn ing . T ha t’s p recise ly w hy

• cu need to p ro v id e th e m w ith —at th e le a s t—s lig h tly

—•ore a tten tion than you w ou ld a pe t goldfish.

As w ith m o s t th in g s , in th e u n ive rse o f tire s som e

ta n s change and o the rs stay th e sam e. Jus t like th e ear-

le s t pn eu m atic tire s , m od ern on es are s till m ade from

-_3ber (synthetic rubber, anyway), s to u t te x tile (or steel)

^ords, and th e y pu m p up w ith g o o d o ld -fa sh io n e d air.

-ow eve r, to d a y ’s tire s a lso fea tu re extre m e ly so p h is ti

cated te chno logy and space-age m ateria ls, w h ich allow

~ e m to de ve lo p m uch h ig he r leve ls o f pe rform ance. In

"act, cu rren t supe rs ticky D .O .T.-approved race tires are

-e ite r than ded ica ted race rubber o f a little m ore than 10

•ears ago. Even to d a y ’s fa r- le s s -s p e c ia liz e d tire s are

•ss tly sup e rio r to th e be s t s tree t-le ga l rub be r o f ju s t a

years ago.

TIRE CONSTRUCTIONlo n ’t m ake any ba r bets on th is assertion, bu t fo r ou r pur

poses there are essentia lly jus t tw o kinds o f construction

fo r m o to rcyc le tire s : b ia s -p ly an d ra d ia l. Yes, each o f

th ose has a varian t th a t bo rrow s heavily from th e o the r

typ e o f construction , bu t fo r c la rity ’s sake, w e ’ll lim it the

d iscussion o f construction to tw o.

BIAS-PLY CONSTRUCTION

B ia s -p ly t ir e s a m o u n t to o ld sc h o o l

th in k in g , rea lly . T h e y ’ve b e e n a ro un d

a lm ost as long as th e pneum atic tire itse lf, w h ich is

cred ited to being invented by J. B. D unlop. J. B ., a

S c o tt is h v e te r in a ria n liv in g in B e lfa s t, Ire la n d ,

cam e up w ith h is inve n tio n , it is sa id , to g ive his

g ra n d s o n ’s t r ic y c le a s m o o th e r r id e . (A c tu a lly ,

anothe r S co t, R obert Thom son, invented th e firs t

vu lcan ized pn eu m atic tire in 1845, b u t appa ren tly

no on e ca re d , as i t w a s D u n lo p 's th a t en de d up

crea ting th e tire industry.)

A ll p n e u m a tic t ir e s ha ve an u n d e r ly in g s tru c tu re

ca lled a carcass. A b ia s -p ly tire ’s carcass is m ade up o f

laye rs (p lies) o f s tro n g te x ti le co rd s , each p ly 's co rd s

em b ed de d in a m a tr ix o f rubber. A ll th e co rd s in a ply

are paralle l: th e p lies are p laced a t angles be tw een 30

and 45 degrees from th e tire ’s center, and each succe s

s iv e p ly a lte rn a te s d ire c t io n . T h a t is , i f th e f i r s t p ly

ang les to th e rig h t, th e n e x t w ill an g le to th e le ft, then

righ t, le ft, and so on.


As a resu lt o f its construction , a b ias-p ly tire is m ade

up o f qu ite a num ber o f elem ents, all o f w h ich fle x as the

t ire ro lls dow n th e road. S uch fle x ine v itab ly generates

h e a t—and h e a t is a t ir e ’s en em y n u m be r one. W h a t’s

m ore, be ing m ade up o f so m any p lies and p ieces also

m ea ns a b ia s -p ly w ill be heavy, w h ic h can a lso c o n

tribu te to heat bu ildup.

W ith so m any seem ingly inherent shortcom ings, one

m ig h t w on de r w hy b ia s -p ly tires con tinue to ex is t. Well,

radia l m oto rcyc le tires are a relative ly recent technology.

C onsequently, th e re are a lo t o f m oto rcyc le s s till o u t in

th e w orld (and som e s till be ing built) th a t cam e w ith bias-

p lie s as o rig in a l e q u ip m e n t. A n d be cau se m o to rcyc le

an d tire m a n u fa c tu re rs a like ra re ly reco m m en d re tro

f ittin g a rad ia l to such bikes, th e re ’s a huge m arke t fo r

b ia s -p ly tires. S im ple econom ics, in o the r w ords.

RADIAL CONSTRUCTIONIta lian tire m aker P ire lli w as th e f irs t com p an y to b ring

o u t a rad ia l m o to rcyc le tire , in 1983. It w as ca lle d th e

M P 7, an d H on da used it to e q u ip its b ig , heavy, and

p o w e rfu l VF1000R . S in ce th e n , v irtu a lly eve ry m o to r

cyc le tire com pany has com e o u t w ith its ow n lineup o f

ra d ia ls fo r tw o -w h e e le rs o f a lm o s t eve ry e n g in e d is p lacem en t extan t.

Several th ings d istingu ish a radia l tire ’s con struction.

To s ta rt w ith, a rad ia l’s carcass usually cons is ts o f ju s t a

sing le p ly (again, parallel te x tile cords in a rubber matrix)

w ith th e cords running from bead to bead, 90 degrees to

th e d ire c tio n o f tra ve l. R ad ia ls a lso ty p ic a lly e m p lo y a

te x tile o r s te e l b e lt (o r be lts) run n ing c ircu m fe re n tia lly

u n d e rn e a th th e tre a d . F or a t ir e to ha ve tru e rad ia l

con structio n , th e belt(s) m ust be p laced a t 0 degrees—

parallel to the tire s ’ d irec tion o f rota tion , and 90 degrees

to th e carcass’ ply.

N o t all radials, th o u g h —fo r cars o r m oto rcyc le s—uti

lize such so -ca lle d tru e radia l con s truc tio n . D epending

on a t ir e ’s a p p lic a tio n , it m ig h t ha ve a p a ir o f b e lts

arranged b ia s -p ly -s ty le . These be lts , a long w ith exten

sive ch o ice s o f m ate ria ls , m ake th e s ide w a lls m ore or

less s tiff, and a llow fine -tun ing a tire ’s g rip , feel, stability,

agility, service life, and so on.

W hether tru e radial construction o r be lted hybrid , one

o f th e b iggest c la im s to fam e a radia l has over a b ias-p ly

is th a t it ru n s co o le r, a h a p p y c o n s e q u e n c e o f b o th

requiring few er p ieces and (as a result) being lighter. By

its ve ry na tu re , a rad ia l tire is a lso e x tre m e ly fle x ib le .

Engineers e xp lo it th is tra it w ith som e c leve r fine -tun ing

to y ie ld satis fy ing jum ps in g rip and tread wear. In short,

w here th e b ia s -p ly tire o ffers shortcom ings, th e radia l tire

o ffers solutions.

TIRE CHOICES, AND HOW TO MAKE SMART ONESToday’s m o to rcyc lis ts are all b u t spo iled fo r cho ice, and

th a t phen om e no n is e s p e c ia lly e v id e n t in th e cu rren t

s e le c tio n o f s tre e t tire s . W hat w o u ld you like , cousin?

Radial o r b ias-be lted? D.O.T. race tires o r spo rt tires? Or

sp o rt-to u rin g ? S in g le -co m p ou nd ? O r d o ub le o r trip le?

W hich is m ost im portan t to you : R ide quality? Long tire

life? O r pure, leech-like grip? Regular o r decaf? W ith s

m any cho ices, acco m pa n ied by th e re len tless, yelpinc

d in o f m arketin g hype, th e un in itia te d m ig h t be bew il

dered a t best.

Basically, th e re are on ly fo u r typ e s o f tire s a stre«

rid e r needs to con s ide r: ra c in g /tra ck day, sp o rty road

spo rt-tou rin g , and du al-spo rt.

R a c in g /tra c k d a y t ire s lie a t th e ra d ica l high-

p e rfo rm a n c e en d o f th e s tre e t-b ik e t ire co n tin u u m

A lth o u g h th e y s ti l l have tre a d , w ith w a te r-sh e d d ira

grooves, th e y have pre c io us little , and a lm os t none on

th e fa rthe st pa rt o f the shoulders, fo r exceptiona l grip a

extrem e lean angles. Such tires often have rather point]

pro files fo r qu ick steering-response, and to pu t a bigga

fo o tp r in t on th e road a t th ose sam e lean angles. The.’

te nd to have s tiffe r carcasses as w ell, to b e tte r deal w

h ighe r cornering loads. And th e ir p rim ary calling card g

sheer, unalloyed g rip , espec ia lly on sm oo th , d ry roacfc

pa rticu larly a fte r th ey ’ve been brought up to th e ir prop:

op era ting tem peratures

'J_ M an y s tre e t r id e rs (a n d yo u k n o w w ho

'V yo u are) a re u tte r ly co n v in ce d th e y need

ra c in g tire s , e ith e r becau se th e y ju s t kno w th ey

r id e fa s t e n o u g h to w a r ra n t th e m , o r b e ca u se

th e y ’ re eq ua lly ce rta in a ra c in g /tra ck d a y tire will

a llo w th em to ride th a t qu ickly. T hey cou ld hardly

be m ore w rong.


W hy? B ecause w ith so little tread, ra c in g /tra ck day

tires have a real sho rtage o f g rip on w e t pavem ent; the

pointed pro file can m ake a bike feel nervous and tw itchy

on the street, w here a rider rarely finds th e op portun ity to

ju s t f l ic k th e b ike o v e r on its s id e ; th e s t if fe r ca rca ss

s h o rtcha ng es r id e q u a lity ; and th e s tre e t en v iro nm e nt

m akes it ex trem e ly un like ly such tires w ou ld be ab le to

sustain th e te m peratures necessary to m ake them w ork

properly, le t a lone ge t them up to th a t tem perature in the

f irs t p la ce . A n d, even i f a rid e r co u ld g e t p a s t all th a t,

racing /track day tires are designed to w ork fo r a relatively

sm all num ber o f heat cycles (one heat cyc le is ge tting the

tire up in to its operating range, and then coo ling off).

M ake no m istake: rac ing /track day tires are superb in

th e ir ch o se n e n v iro n m e n t—th e ra c e tra c k . If y o u can

a fford a tra c k da y an d a pa ir o f such spe c ia lized tires ,

you w on ’t be lieve th e level o f g r ip th e y provide. It ’s no t

fa r rem oved from th a t o f pure rac ing s licks from barely a

decade ago.

S p o rty road tire s , on th e o th e r hand , are fa r m ore

suitable fo r everyday s tree t use, a lthough som e o f them

a lso fo rc e s im ila r co m p ro m is e s on th e r id e r as do

-ac ing /track day rubber. Tha t’s fa irly easily d iscerned, as

several m anufacturers spe c ify if a pa rticu la r tire is fo r 70

oe rcen t t ra c k /3 0 p e rce n t s tre e t use , d o w n to 30 pe r

cent/70 pe rcen t track/s tree t.

Generally, fo r th e m ore s tree t-o rien ted tires, im agine

clipp ing 30 to 35 pe rcent o ff the track perform ance char

acteristics, and 40 to 45 pe rcen t o f th e w ors t attribu tes

o f such t ir e s ’ s tre e t p e r fo rm a n c e c h a ra c te ris tic s o f

'a c ing /track da y tires, and you ’ll ge t a rough idea o f w hat

you m ig h t be ab le to exp ec t from spo rty road tires. For

the m o s t p a rt, th e y ’ re fa r m ore fo rg iv in g on th e s tree t

ttian such tires ’ harder-core brethren, and they do n ’t lose

tn a t m uch in pure pe rform ance; th e y ’re s till su ita b le fo r

the odd tra ck da y if you so desire.

A s fo r spo rt-tou rin g tires . . . w ell, un fortunate ly, too

many m o to rcyc lis ts , w hen th ey hear th e w ord “to uring ,”

nvariably th in k o f som eone th e age o f th e ir grandfather

o r o lder) w h o r id e s a H on d a G o ld W in g , ve ry s low ly .

T h ing is , to d a y ’s s p o r t- to u r in g ru b b e r is n ’t th a t fa r

'em oved from spo rty road tires. One crucial difference is

th a t y o u ’ re a lm o s t gu a ra n te e d s p o rt-to u rin g tire s w ill

nave a n ice , u n ifo rm ly ro u n d e d p ro file th a t m akes

cornering m ore pred ic tab le and, thus, m ore con fidence-

nsp irin g th an th e sudden dro p -in o f a b ike w earing the

m ore trian gu la r p ro file o f m os t race /track da y tires and

som e spo rty road tires. P lus, spo rt-tou rin g tires w ill w ear

m uch longer than th e o the r tw o —m uch longer.

Sadly, th o u g h , fa sh ion and pe e r pressure are bo th

oowerful incentives, and pow erfu lly d iff icu lt to resist. So,

if you fin d you rse lf in such a pos ition , w here you r rid ing

bu dd ies are g iv ing you s tic k fo r be ing so uncoo l as to

rid e a b ike w ith s p o rt-to u rin g tires , ju s t ask th em how

co o l it is to save m o n e y —e s p e c ia lly as th e y ’ ll be

re p la c in g th e ir p r ic e y ra c e /tra c k d a y tire s in 1 ,00 0 to

2,000 miles.

Lastly am ong ou r tire cho ices are those fo r du a l-spo rt

m o to rcyc le s . And i t ’s m ore th an like ly th a t i f yo u have

such a b ike , you pro ba b ly kno w exa c tly w h a t you w an t

from you r tires. W hich is fo rtunate , as a du a l-spo rt’s typ

ica l w hee l s ize s—19 - o r 2 1 -in ch -d ia m e te r fro n t w ith a

17 -in ch rea r—do esn 't leave you w ith qu ite th e tire cho ice

o f riders on pure s tree t b ikes o r pure d irt bikes. W hat you

do ge t is th e cho ice be tw een a fa irly aggressive-looking

o ff-ro a d -typ e tire w ith ra ther ta ll, w ide ly spaced knobs,

and som ething th a t fa r m ore resem bles a stree t tire , w ith

larger, b u t m uch sha llow er tread b locks. U ltim ately, they

all m us t be stree t-lega l, and it ’s up to you to p ick the tire

th a t best su its th e typ e o f rid ing you do.

SIDEWALL HIEROGLYPHICS AND HOW TO DECIPHER THEMF or th o se w ho u n de rs tan d them , th e sym bo ls , le tte rs ,

and num bers on a tire ’s s idew all are as c lea r and easily

dec ipherab le as th e ir ow n native language. To th e rest o f

us, though, th ey loo k like som ething you ’d have to d rink

a case o f O va ltine for, so you cou ld ge t th e r ig h t m ag ic

de cod er ring.

In tru th , a tire s id e w a ll’s m ark ing s aren’t rea lly th a t

hard to figu re ou t. Le t's ta ke a look a t one:

18 0—nom inal section w id th , o r c ross-section, in m il

lim eters; th e actua l w id th o f th e tire from inner s idew all

bu lge to ou te r s idew all bulge

6 0 —aspect ratio ; th e ra tio o f th e tire ’s sidew all height

to its nom inal section w id th ; 60 defines a tire w ith a s ide

w all he igh t 60 pe rcen t o f its section w id th

R—radia l construction ; th e tire is bu ilt w ith its s truc

tu ra l cords o r be lts laid across the sho rtest d is tance from

bead to bead, pe rpend icu lar to th e ro lling axis o f th e tire;

rad ia l tires pe rfo rm fa r b e tte r an d are in th e process o f

rep lacing b ia s -p ly tires

- ind icates b ias construction ; В ind icates bias be lted

construction

17 —nom inal rim d iam ete r in inches

7 7 —tire ’s load index; de fines th e m axim um load, in

p o u n d s , th e t ire ca n v e r tic a lly s u p p o r t sa fe ly w hen

infla ted to a spec ific pressure

T L —tube less; no inner tu b e should be used

T T —tu b e type; use an inner tube

Z —speed rating o f tire ; de fines th e m axim um speed

fo r w hich th e tire is rated; a Z rating ind icates a m axim um

TIR

ES

AN

D W

HE

EL

S


spe ed o f 149 m ile s pe r ho u r and h ig he r (o th e r spe ed

ra tings: S, 112 m iles per hour; H, 130 m iles pe r hour; V,

149 m iles pe r hour

Rear (or fron t)— indicates fitm ent to rear (or front) wheel

d ire c t io n a l a rro w — in d ic a te s d ire c t io n o f ro ta tio n

w hen tire is m ounted correctly

TIRES: BOY 'EM LOCAL OR FROM THE WEB?It do esn ’t ta ke a rocke t sc ien tis t—o r a butcher, a baker,

o r even a c a n d le s tic k m a k e r—to fig u re o u t th a t tire

prices a t you r loca l dealer are a lm ost alw ays go ing to be

h ig h e r th a n th o se a t m a il-o rd e r o r W eb s ites . For th e

m ost part, it ’s s tra ig h t-up business econom ics: The mail

o rd e r o r W eb s ites sell greater volum es than you r dealer.

C onsequently , th e y d o n ’t need to m ake as b ig a p ro fit

pe r un it; w ha t’s m ore, because th e y sell so m any tires,

th ey have to buy vast num bers o f them from th e m anu

fa c tu re rs , w h ic h u su a lly w a rra n ts a d is c o u n t o f som e

kind, and ethical com pan ies often pass th ose savings on

to th e custom er.

I t ’s a ve ry d iffe re n t s itu a tio n fo r d e a le rsh ips . T hey

s im p ly can ’t buy in to th a t econom y o f scale. A nd they do

ha ve to m ake a re a so n a b le p ro fit, b e ca u se a lo t o f

p e o p le a t th e d e a le rs h ip —th e p a rts d e p a rtm e n t, th e

service departm ent, and so o n —are depend ing on it, so

they can earn a living.

In ad d itio n , th e dea le rsh ip ’s serv ice d e pa rtm e n t w ill

a lm os t ce rta in ly have an area se t aside de voted ju s t to

tire m ou n tin g and ba lan c ing , w ith th e p ro p e r to o ls to

ensure you r rim s do n ’t ge t end up loo k ing as if th e y ’d

been g n aw e d b y a n g ry be ave rs , and a d yn a m ic b a l

a n ce r to ensure yo u r w he e l/tire is p re c is io n -ba lan ced .

On to p o f th a t, if you pu rchase a se t o f tires from you r

de a le rsh ip , o ften th e y w ill d is c o u n t th e m ou n tin g and

ba la n c in g co s ts , a n o th e r w ay fo r a cu s to m e r to save

m on ey ra th e r th a n th ro u g h b u y in g t ire s fro m a m a il

o rd e r house o r In te rn et site . Sheer band w id th and ease

o f o rd ering yo u r tires is gene rally a p o o r s u b s titu te fo r

genu ine service.

U ltim ately, o f course, i t ’s up to you. If you

h a ve th e th re e T s—tim e , to o ls , and

ta le n t—to m ount and ba lance you r ow n tires, then

m a yb e it d o e s m ake se n se to g e t y o u r ru b b e r

ro lling s to ck a t th e cheapest po ss ib le price.

B u t, i f yo u d e p e n d on y o u r d e a le r fo r th a t s o r t o f

w ork, you m ig ht w an t to th in k real hard before you p ick

up th e phone o r c lic k on th a t m ouse to g e t you r next set

o f tires from som eplace else.

THE GREAT MOUNT & BALANCE ACT: WHAT TO EXPECTS o y o u to o k th e p lu n g e : b o u g h t a p a ir o f th e fin e s t

exa m ples o f th e tire m an u fa c tu re r’s s ta te o f th e black

a rt, ju s t r ig h t fo r y o u r b ike an d r id in g s ty le , th e n h&z

th e m p ro fe s s io n a lly m o u n te d and b a la n c e d b y you r

loca l dea le rsh ip . C ongra tu la tions.

N ow y o u ’ ve re tu rn e d ho m e to a s s e m b le a ll tb s

p ie ces in, as th e y used to say in o ld se rv ice m anua ls

w ith o u t a h in t o f m ir th , re ve rse o rd e r. Presum abJv

yo u ’ve g o t yo u r b ike w e ll s u p p o rte d on a pa ir o f pa c-

d o ck s tands, o r one o f th e A b b a S u perb ike Stands, as

m en tioned in th e f irs t chapter.

S u pp ose d ly , a fe w w o rd s to th e w ise are su ffic ie n t

so : I t w ill be a d va n ta g e o u s to y o u la te r if y o u p u ts

th in c o a t o f lig h t grease on each o f th e ax les, fro n t and

rear. T he n , w he n yo u g e t y o u r n e x t s e t o f t ire s , you

w o n ’t n e e d to h a m m e r th e a x le s o u t b e c a u s e th ey

seized to th e ax le sp a ce r ins id e th e hu b . S im ila rly, al

th e fa s te n e rs , a x le n u t(s ), a n d p in c h b o lts w ill live

to g e th e r in fa r gre a te r ha rm o ny if yo u to rq u e th em to

th e spe cs in you r se rv ice m anual.

B e fo re se ttin g o u t on yo u r f irs t te s t ride,

th e re ’s one m ore t ip to fo llo w : D on ’t even

leave th e d rivew a y w ith o u t g iv in g th e fro n t brake

leve r a cou p le o f squeezes, and depress th e rear

b ra k e p e d a l as w e ll. To in s ta ll y o u r w h e e ls i t ’s

q u ite like ly you needed to (gently) p ry th e brake

pads ap a rt so th e brake ro to rs w ou ld s lip betw een

th em . D iscove ring you have no brakes a t you r firs t

s to p — an d th e n p o s s ib ly fa r m o re th a n you

w a n te d a fte r fra n tic a lly p a w in g a t th e leve r and

sto m p in g on th e p e d a l—can ta ke th e g lo ss righ t

o ff you r day.

S peak ing o f g loss, you m ig h t have n o ticed a slig te

sheen on the tread surface o f you r new tires. This shout*

te ll you th e tires aren’t go ing to have anyw here near the

grip th ey should un til th ey ’ve been run-in . T ha t m eans re-

a p p lic a tio n s o f fu ll p o w e r o r m ax im um b ra k in g fo*

(depending on th e m anufacturer) som e 50 to 200 m iles

You a lso sho u ld gra d u a lly increase you r lean an g le on

bo th s ide s un til th a t sm oo th surface has been abraded

away. Then? Let ’e r rip.

TIRE PRESSUREIn fla tion pressure is a n o the r key fa c to r in tire pe rfo rrrb

ance. C heck th e sw ingarm , un de r th e saddle , o r in th=

ow ner’s manual fo r the m anufacturer’s recommendations

fo r the correct tire infla tion pressures fo r your motorcycte.


Note th a t each tire w ill a lso carry

= m axim um pressure fo r m axim um

oad rating (usually on th e tire ’s side-

ла11), b u t th e co rre c t tire pressures

- : r y o u r b ik e are th o s e re co m -

—ended by its maker.

M o s t t ir e s ’ s p e cs c a ll fo r

re tw e e n a b o u t 32 to 42 p s i. For

n o s e w ho requ ire such adv ice , th e

sim plest approach is to never le t tire

pressures dro p be low approxim ately

12 psi w hile cold . A t 32 psi o r above,

—e tire s ide w a ll w ill be s u ffic ie n tly

s ta b le and re s p o n s iv e to q u ic k

s te e ring in p u ts , th e tre a d su rfa ce

tx jgh t to m ainta in near-optim a l con

ta c t w ith th e pa vem e n t, o p e ra tin g

tem pera tures sho u ld rem ain s ta b le

and sa fe , an d th e t ire w ill d e liv e r

_ear-m axim um tractio n and m ileage.

—nis is an acce ptab le ru le -o f-thu m b

•ou can fo llo w ; bu t again, che ck th e exact pressure rec-

cm m endations from th e b ike ’s maker.

M a in ta in c o r re c t t ir e p re s s u re s by

c h e ck in g th e m a t le a s t on ce p e r m on th .

T ires have a funny ha b it o f losing pressure slow ly.

A ir can esca pe th ro u g h th e m ic ro sco p ic po ros ity

o f th e t ir e i t s e lf—o r a n o t-s o -m ic ro s c o p ic na il

ho le. A ir can a lso lea k fro m th e rim /b e a d a re a—

w h e re th e t ire m ee ts an d sea ts to th e r im —and

th ro u g h th e p o ro s ity o f th e rim itse lf, pa rticu la rly

w ith a lu m in u m a n d a llo y w h e e ls . L a s tly , tire

p re ssu re w ill d ro p s im p ly du e to ch a n g e s in a ir

te m p era ture . In fa ll and w inte r, tire pressures w ill

d ro p rou gh ly 1 pound pe r 10 -degree red uc tio n in

a ir tem pera ture . T ha t m eans a tire w ith s lig h tly low

air pressure, pe rhaps 25 psi in A ugust, m ig h t have

less th an 20 ps i in January—a prim e can d id a te fo r

a fla t tire a t a m os t inco nve n ie n t tim e and place,

a fte r w o rk in a da rk , freez ing pa rk ing lo t.

AFTERMARKET WHEELS: CARBON e!BER, MAGNESIUM AND ALUMINUM! OH, MY!t m ight n o t seem in tu itive a t firs t, bu t ligh ter afterm arket

.neels can be one o f the m ost com p le te bo lt-on m od ifi

cations you can m ake to you r m oto rcycle . By com ple te ,

..э m ean a m od ifica tion th a t has th e m os t (beneficia l, o f

to u rse ) fa r-re a ch in g e ffe c ts on th e m o to rcyc le , in flu

encing perform ance in as m any w ays as possible.

L ig h te r a fte rm a rke t w he e ls d e fin ite ly q u a lify in th a t

respect. A lm ost to a man, riders com m ent on how such

hoops im prove th e ir b ike s ’ acceleration; p rovide qu icker

s teering and ligh ter handling; and help suspensions track

be tte r ove r rough pavem ent. Such bene fits aren’t all th a t

s u rp ris in g , g ive n th e w e ig h t sa v in g s —u p to s o m e 4

pounds fo r th e fro n t w heel and up to around 7 pounds

fo r th e rear w heel, d e pe nd ing on th e a p p lic a tio n —and

th e ir loca tion as unsprung w eight.

Yes, such baubles can be expensive. For now, carbon-

f ib e r w h e e ls d e fin e th e m a rke t’s up p e r en d , a t up to

$4,500 fo r a pair. S till, have you priced engine w ork lately?

Carbon fibe r also establishes (currently) th e upper end

fo r w e ig h t sav in gs , to o . In d e sce n d in g order, th e

processes/m ateria ls run: carbon fiber, fo rged magnesium,

cast m agnesium , fo rged aluminum , and cast alum inum .

A nd, if you can afford it, th e best suggestion appears

to be fo rged m agnesium , w ith w e ight reductions w ith in a

p o u n d o r tw o (no m in a lly ) o f ca rb o n fibe r, and p ric in g

th a t ’s p o te n tia lly d o u b le th a t o f s to c k w he e ls , b u t

approxim ately $1,000 less than carbon fiber.

You’d be ha rd-pressed to g e t a s im ila r pe rform ance

b o o s t—especia lly such a com prehensive , w e ll-rounded

on e —from any o the r relative ly priced sing le a fterm arket

com ponent.

CARING FOR BEARINGSIf e ither th e fro n t o r rear o f you r bike develops a weave,

o r fe e ls like a tire is low on a ir pressure, and none o f the

co rre c tive m easures you ta ke cures th e sym pto m s, o r

TIR

ES

AN

D W

HE

EL

S


even relieves them , th en it ’s p re tty like ly th e c u lp rit is a

fa ile d — or fa ilin g —w heel bearing.

A n d it ju s t so h a p p e n s th a t re m o v in g y o u r b ik e ’s

w he e ls in p re pa ra tion fo r som e fresh tires p ro v id es an

exce llen t op p o rtu n ity to check up on th ose bearings. If

y o u ’ve y e t to p u ll o f f th e w h e e ls , g ra b th e fo rk o r

sw ing a rm w ith on e o f y o u r ha nd s and th e w hee l w ith

you r other. Forcefully try to m ove the w heel from s ide to

side. If you no tice any p lay th a t shou ldn ’t be th e re—say

2 to 3 m m o r m o re —th e n i t ’s a re a son ab le b e t th o se

w heel bearings are history.

If you had an y d o u b t as to th e be a ring s ’

c o n d it io n , yo u ca n f in d o u t fo r ce rta in

once you g e t the wheel o ff. Jus t s tic k a fing e r in to

th e ax le ho le o f th e be a ring (the re are ge nera lly

bearings on bo th s ides o f the fro n t hub; th e sam e

a t th e rear, bu t o ften th e re ’s a th ird bearing in the

sp ro c k e t carrie r). If any o f th e bea ring s m akes a

d is tin c t c runching sound and feel as you ro ta te i t—

and i t ’s a m uch w o rse sou nd th an s te pp in g on a

June bug, o r breaking a to o th —th en th a t bearing is

de fin ite ly toast.

A fina l no te : Even if on ly one bearing has fa iled, o r s

on its w ay there, m os t m echan ics feel it best to replace

a ll th e be a ring s in a hu b . A lso , c h e c k a lo ca l bearing

supp ly house before paying fu ll-p o p price a t you r deale :

O ften as n o t, th e be a rin g s u p p ly h o use w ill have the

prope r rep lacem ent fo r a frac tio n o f the OE part.


TIM E : M in utes

Project 37

Check Tire Pressure

TO O L S : T i r e ga u g e, notepad

TA L E N T : 1

C O S T: None

PA R TS : N one

T IP : T ru s t t h e t ire (and bike)m a n u fa c tu re rs to k n o w w h a t p re s s u re w o r k s best

B E N E F IT : B e tte r g rip and lo n ger trea d life

T ire pressure p lays an im portan t ro le on yo u r m oto r

cycle. F irst, th e tire is an im p orta n t pa rt o f th e sus

pe ns io n . A ir p re ssu re ca n s tiffe n o r so fte n th e r id e

re a litie s in undesirable w ays. Perhaps th e m os t im por

tant e ffec t tire pressure has fo r spo rt riders is contro lling

r e s ize o f th e con ta c t pa tch and, by extension, th e life o f

■ле tire.

As a tire rolls dow n th e road, it goes from being alm ost

perfectly round to fla t w here it engages the tarm ac. This

-a t oval o f rubber constitu tes th e con ta ct patch . To form

rs s fla t s p o t th a t m oves around th e tire w ith each revolu-

ro n , th e ca rca ss a c tu a lly be nd s in tw o d ire c t io n s . It

zeg ins by b o w ing ou t s lig h tly be fo re it bends b a ck on

Sse lf un d e r th e fo rc e o f th e roa d . T h is b o w in g and

rend ing back and fo rth creates heat inside th e tire . Tire

-an u fa c tu re rs use th is heat bu ildup to th e ir advantage by

resign ing rubber com pounds th a t reach th e ir peak e ffec-

- eness a t a pa rticu la r tem pera ture . A ir p ressure helps

r e tire develop and m aintain th a t tem perature.

A side benefit o f using the prope r pressure is th a t the

TDnt tire w ill fee l m ore precise and tu rn in quicker. If you

-_n you r tire pressures to o low, you can easily overheat

:u r tire s s im p ly r id in g in a s tra ig h t line . R em em ber,

: ,ver p re ssures y ie ld a la rge r co n ta c t p a tch , w h ich is

Just because one tire gauge is more expensive than the other doesn’t

mean that it is more accurate. The budget Roadgear digital gauge on the

left has been spot-on since its package was opened. The dial gauge on

the right has been consistently reading 2 pounds low since it was new.

Compare your gauge to one of the tire vendors’ at your local track to see

how yours stacks up.

crea ted b y th e carcass flex . The sam e process happens

w hen you ’re no t cornering , to o . Take you r b ike ou t on an

ex ten de d in te rs ta te r id e w ith to o lit t le air, and a ll th a t

flex in g o f th e tire can coo k th e life righ t ou t o f it.

CH

EC

K

TIR

E

PR

ES

SU

RE


FLAT

FI

XTIME: 1 ho ur

Project 38

Flat Fix

TO O L S : T i r e p re s s u re g a u g e, t ir ere p a ir kit

TA L E N T : 1

C OST: $

P ro g re s s iv e S us p ensio n t ire re p a ir kit, e x tra C O 2 ca rtr id ge s

C h e c k y o u r k it e v e ry cou p le o f m o n th s— v u lca n izin g g lu e has a habit o f h a rd e n in g all b y itself

U nfortu na te ly , f la t tire s seem to o ccu r a t th e m os t

inconvenient p lace and tim e, like on a rem ote sec

tion o f road, 150 m iles from hom e, w ith no cell service to

ca ll a fr ie n d . S ince b ike s d o n ’t ca rry spare tires , w e ’ re

usually a t th e m ercy o f lu ck—or our planning. C arrying a

tire repa ir k it w ith CO2 ca rtr id g e s can he lp tu rn ge tting

back to civ iliza tion in to a m ere inconvenience rather than

a day-long event.

W hen you suspect you have a leaking tire, before you

a tte m p t to assess th e dam age, m ake su re yo u ’ re w ell

aw ay from th e s ide o f th e road. N ow begin by checking

B E N E F IT : Fin ish t h e ride yo u started 1

-yo u r tire fo r v is ib le dam age. If you find a nail, d o n ’t pu

it ou t r ig h t away. Instead, rub som e s p it on it w here a

en te rs th e tread to see if it bubb les. If it d o esn ’t, leave

it fo r now. You m ay have a leak som ewhere else. (If yog

find a leak som ew here else, go back and pu ll the nail a rc

che ck th a t you do n ’t have tw o leaks.) Keep look ing fo r

you r leak. A generous ap p lica tion o f sa liva to any hoi®

you suspect in th e rubber w ill reveal the cu lp rit.

O nce y o u ’ve fo u n d th e ho le , fre e it o f any debris .

Open you r fla t-f ix k it and assem ble the pieces, bu t don 't

puncture th e CO2 yet. C oat th e metal portion o f the plug

The most effective means of finding a leak

out on the road is to look for impressions or |

debris in the tire and administer a liberal

application of saliva.


Rotating the plug tool inside the tire performs

two services: It reams the puncture to a uniform

shape and coats the surface with cement.

Don’t skimp when applying vulcanizing cement

to the plug. You want to be sure that the entire

surface is covered.

т с I w ith v u lca n iz in g cem e n t. In se rt th e to o l in to th e

* : =. (You m ay have to push fa ir ly ha rd .) N ow ro ta te

r e to o l ba ck and fo rth in o rd e r to c lean ou t th e hole,

: r a i it w ith cem ent, and give it a uniform shape.

R em ove th e p lu g fro m its p ro te c t iv e c a s in g an d

ra c e it snugly on th e t ip o f the to o l. W hen you unw rap

r e film p ro te c tin g th e sea ling po rtio n o f th e p lu g , be

s-гэ n o t to hand le th e s tic ky section , as do ing so m ay

••saken th e p lu g ’s seal. C oa t th e p lug w ith th e vu lcan

i c cem ent. Push th e p lug firm ly in to th e puncture. You

«a n t th e s tic k y r in g a ro un d th e p lu g to be s o lid ly

r-essed in to th e tire ’s carcass, w ith th e p lug’s adhesive

in th e center. R em ove th e to o l. S om e o f th e p lug

ETould rem ain on th e ou ts ide o f th e tread. Jus t p rio r to

in fla tin g th e tire , c u t th e exce ss rub b e r fro m th e p lug,

leaving abou t 1 /8 inch pro trud ing from th e tire.

A lth o u g h th e vu lc a n iz in g c e m e n t w ill d ry fa ir ly

qu ick ly , you shou ld w a it a t least 15 m in utes (longer in

tem pera tures be low 60 degrees) be fo re you pressurize

th e tire w ith th e CO2. S top a t th e firs t gas s ta tion you find

to che ck fo r fu rthe r leaking and se t you r tire to the co r

rec t pressure.

A plug is a tem porary fix un til you can ge t to a shop

an d have y o u r tire rep la ced . P rog ress ive S uspe ns io n

reco m m en ds n o t exce ed ing 45 m ile s pe r ho u r w ith a

p lu g in y o u r tire . If you d e c id e to ign o re th a t ad v ice ,

do n ’t ride any fa ster than you ’re w illing to tum b le dow n

th e pavem ent.

FLAT

FI

X


FLAT

FI

X

144


TIM E : 15 m in u te s -1 ho ur

Removing Wheels

V a rio u s so ck e ts , va rio u s A llen so ck e ts , o p e n -e n d w re n c h e s , to rq u e w re n c h , b re a k e r bar, f ro n t an d rea r s ta n d s, ta p e m e asu re, g re a s e , ra g s

PA R TS : C o tte r pin

TIP : Plan ahead fo r w h e n youneed to rem o ve th e front w h e e l b y b uying o r building th e co rre c t-s ize h e x ke y

B E N E F IT : S a v e $$ $ w h e n yo ucha nge t ire s b y rem o ving th e w h e e ls at ho m e rath er than h a vin g y o u r sh op do it

M any repairs o r m aintenance procedures require you

to rem ove one o r bo th w heels. W hile th e process

seem s com p lica ted th e f irs t tim e you do it, w ith a little

rra e tice you ’ ll be ab le to cu t dow n th e tim e it takes dra-

Tatica lly, and you ’ll th ink nothing o f pulling the rear wheel

— swap ou t the sprocket w ith less than a ha lf-hour before

те next track session.

= ront W heel

Eegin w ith the bike on the rear stand only. Loosen the axle

-\_t w ith a breaker bar w hile the fron t tire still rests on the

gro un d . To prepa re to loosen th e axle , loosen th e ax le

c lam p bo lts a t th e bo tto m o f th e fo rk leg. The tr ic k is to

loosen on ly th e bo lts th a t pinch th e nu t and no t th e axle.

W hile the correct pinch bo lts are usually on the right side,

glance a t your service manual to confirm .

If you’re lucky, your bike w ill have an axle w ith a sepa

ra te nu t. H ow ever, in rece n t years, m anufactu re rs have

been installing axles w ith increasingly large hex heads.

Installing the fron t wheel is the reverse o f rem oval—with

a co u p le o f a d d itio n a l s te p s . W ip e th e ax le c lea n and

apply a th in coa t o f h igh-tem perature grease to it. Before

Loosen the axle pinch bolts before you attempt

to remove the axle.RE

MO

VING

W

HE

ELS


TIRE

C

HA

NG

E

Project 40

Tire Change TA L E N T :

C OST:

PA R TS :

T IP :

2 h o u rs

F ro n t and rea r stan d s, b ead brea ker, r im p ro te c to rs , t ire iro ns , v a lv e stem tool, m ilk c ra te o r oil dru m , s p r a y c o n ta in e r w ith s o a p y w ater, t ir e p re s s u re g au ge, c o m p re s se d air, g lo ves (o r B an d -A id s)

3

$ -$ $ $

F ro n t an d re a r t ire s

Use a d edica ted bead b re a k e r

B E N E F IT : S u p e rio r t raction,p a rtic u la rly in w e t o r d u s ty co n d it io n s

Chang ing tires is relative ly easy—once you have the

rig h t to o ls . R ider W earhouse (w w w .ae ro stich .co m )

offers a com ple te tire changing se t conta in ing everything

you need, o r you can piece your ow n k it together, filling the

gaps in your current tool selection. Still, the firs t tim e you

a ttem pt it, you m ay sw ear up and dow n th a t you ’ll never do

it again.

Begin w ith yo u r b ike on fro n t and rear s tands. Once

yo u ’ve rem oved a w heel, unscrew th e valve core w ith a

valve stem tool. A fte r the tire has finished its lengthy sigh,

place your wheel on you r m ilk crate o r oil drum . (Although

m ilk crates are easier to com e by, oil drum s pu t your whee' |

a t a m ore com fortab le w orking height.) W hatever support

you use, you w ant to make sure th e wheel is not resting сr |

a brake d isc w hile you ’re working on the bead. Discs be rc

all to o easily and are qu ite expensive.

S lip the bead breaker through the center o f the wheel. I

you’re w orried about scratching the wheel, w rap the sup

port beam o f the bead breaker w ith a rag. Working carefuly

w ill also help avoid scratches. Expect to exert som e e ffo r

to break th e “ inte rference fit" be tw een th e bead and the

rim . You’ll know the bead has le t go when it stops resisting.

Remove the valve core from the valve stem

and let the tire deflate.


http://www.aerostich.com

The rim center has a depressk>- to a& nv th e rest o f th e

oead to loosen. Using th e section o f tire bead already in

—e wheel center, w o rk th e bead loose b y pressing your

.•.ay around the tire w ith your hands. O nce the entire bead

s in the depression, flip the wheel and break the bead on

tire o the r side.

Your next chore w ill be lifting the bead over the lip o f

m e rim . Lu brica tio n m akes th is jo b in fin ite ly easier, bu t

don’t use anything th a t you can’t w ipe aw ay o r air-dry. So,

save th e W D -40 and s ilico ne lub ricants on th e she lf. A

spray b o ttle o f d ilu te d d ish d e te rg e n t w o rks ju s t fine .

Spray the ou ter edge o f th e bead and th e rim w ith enough

*u id to cover the surface. Next, w edge a tire iron between

. our shiny rim and the rubber.

If you’re w orried about m arring your rim ’s finish, using

•im pro tectors o r w rapping d u c t ta pe around th e tire iron

:an help—but noth ing can prevent rim dam age if you pull

=n Incredib le H ulk rou tine w hile opera ting the irons. S lip

r e edge o f the tire iron under the bead, and using the rim

as the fu lcrum , carefully lever th e bead over th e lip. W ith

.o u r se co n d —and po ss ib ly th ird —hand, m ake sure the

3S t o f the bead (on bo th sides o f the wheel) is still in the

ren ter rim depression.

Taking you r second tire iron, lift the bead over the rim a

roup le o f inches from the firs t iron. M oving an inch o r tw o

at a tim e , w o rk you r w ay around th e rim un til th e bead

ro p s o ff the w heel. D on’t ge t im patient w hile levering the

:-=ad, though; you can easily scratch the pa int o ff the rim.

"u rn the wheel over, and you should be able to push the

second bead o ff the rim b y hand. If you have trouble, give

r e bead an assist w ith one o f the tire irons.

W ip e o ff th e e xce ss lub e fro m th e w he e l be fo re

cou n tin g the new tire. Spray the firs t bead you’ll slip onto

r e rim and line up the painted spo t (the ligh test po in t on

r e tire) w ith the valve stem , obeying the arrow on the tire

showing direction o f rotation.

Although you should be able to ge t the firs t bead over

r e rim m ost o f the w ay b y hand, the tire iron w ill w ork in a

Be sure to set your bead breaker so that it will not scrape the rim as you

press the bead toward the center of the wheel.

pinch. Now, lube the o the r bead, and, w hile keeping the

firs t bead in th e rim ’s center depression, w ork the second

bead over the lip. Finish o ff w ith the tire irons, keeping the

beads opposite th e iron in the wheel’s center depression.

Screw th e valve stem valve core back in to place. You

should hear each bead pop into p lace as you infla te the

tire . C heck to ensure it seated evenly. If no t, de fla te and

reseat. Don’t fo rget to balance your w heels before riding.

A nd remember, new tires—though they feel s ticky to the

to uch—are extrem ely slippery fo r the firs t fe w miles, so no

funny business, OK?

TIRE

C

HA

NG

E


TIRE

C

HA

NG

E


Before you attempt to lift the bead over the

rim, spray down the bead with a diluted dish

detergent solution.

Make sure the rotational direction of the tire is

correct. Otherwise, bad things could happen.

When mounting the new tire, you should be

able to press most of the bead over the lip by

hand. On the second bead, keeping the first

one in the rim’s center depression will help.TI

RE

CH

AN

GE


VALV

E ST

EM

RE

PLA

CE

ME

NT

TIM E : 30 m in u te s

Project 41

Valve Stem Replacement

V a lve ste m tool, o p e n - end w re n c h e s , pliers, co n ta c t c le a n e r o r

o rg a n ic c leaner, n o n h a rd e n in g silic o n e se a le r

C O S T: $

P A R TS : M etal v a lv e stem s

T IP : A n g le d v a lv e s te m s canease t ire inflation w ith s o m e bikes

B E N E F IT : T ire s th a t d o n ’t lose p re s s u re a t high sp e e d s

Once you’re satisfied with the location, remove the stem and apply non- |

hardening silicone to the inner surface of the stem where it will contact I

the inside of the wheel. Similarly, apply a small amount to the gasket

that will be held in place by the exterior washer and nut. Insert the sterr

and rotate it into position. Snug the nut down finger tight. Use an open-

end wrench to finish the tightening, but not so tight as to distort the def-

cate threads on the stem. Wipe off the excess sealant, and you’re

to mount your tires. Once the tires are inflated, spread a soapy water

solution around the base of the valve stem to make sure that the seal is ]

airtight. Now, you can break the sound barrier without worrying about

your valve stems letting you down.

sea l th e va lve c lo se d , th u s p re ven ting h ig h -spe ed a r

loss. Even th ou gh th is scenario is un like ly—and a p p r-

c a b le o n ly to tra c k -s p e e d r id in g —sw a p p in g o u t yo i

ru b b e r s te m s fo r m eta l ones a lso ensures th a t d ry n

never s tr ike s them , and a llo w s you to f i t be n t s te m s ^

th a t w o u ld m ake access, an d regu lar in fla tio n m ainte j

nance, easier.

With the tires off your wheels, begin by simply pulling the rubber valve

stem out of the wheel. Clean the mounting surface with contact cleaner

or your favorite nontoxic cleaner. After drying the wheel’s orifice, check

for proper fit of the new valve stem, particularly angled ones.

An angled valve stem can

make the job of checking

air pressure easier.

Co n s id e r h o w th e va lve a c tu a lly w o rks in s id e th e

s tem . The a ir chu ck presses the valve dow n tow ard

th e tire to a llo w a ir to flow . Le t yo u r m ind w ander a b it

fu rth e r to w ha t happens to yo u r w heel as you trave l a t

th e h y p e rs o n ic v e lo c it ie s o f w h ic h y o u r s p o r tb ik e is

capab le. The cen trifug a l fo rce s w a n t to flin g th e wheel

com ponen ts tow ard th e ou ts ide o f th e w heel. The forces

o f h igh-speed rid ing cou ld , conceivably, fo rce th e valve

in to re lea s ing p ressure . M eta l va lve s te m asse m b lies

usua lly s p o rt a m eta l cap w ith a rub be r О-rin g to he lp


Brakes

KEY CONCEPT

OLD SCHOOL TECH / } & ) MAINTENANCE TIP

TOMORROW’S TECH I " Й MONEY-SAVING TIP

H o w i t W orksH ydrau lic Brakes W hy H ydraulics?M echanical Drum Brakes H ow to D etect W orn Pads Brake Pads: H ow to P ick Mr. R ight W arning S igns o f th e Need to Bleed C hoosing the R ight Brake Fluid Braided Brake Lines A fterm arket Brakes’ Advantages ABS and LBS

P ro je c ts P ro je c t 4 2 : S e rv ic e C a lip e r and

D iscP ro je c t 4 3 : Brake Pad Change

• Brake Pad Break-In P ro je c t 4 4 : C ha n g in g H y d ra u lic

F luidP ro je c t 4 5 : Drum Brake

M aintenance P ro je c t 4 6 : S ta in le ss-S tee l Brake

Line Installation

W hen i t co m e s to b ra ke s , it see m s to o m any

m o to rcyc lis ts te n d to re fle c t th e v iew o f fam ous

carm aker E ttore B uga tti, w ho responded to c ritic ism o f

his ca rs ’ lack o f b raking ab ility w ith the line, “ I bu ild m y

cars to go, no t s top .”

C ons ide red ra tiona lly , th ou gh , th e brake system on

your m otorcycle has to w ork properly and s to p you quickly

and safely every single tim e you need it to , o r you w ill be in

a w orld o f hu rt. H ow do th e y w ork? T h ink o f th e brake

assem bly on each wheel as a sm all engine, bu t in reverse.

Y our b ike 's p o w e rp la n t c o n ve rts fu e l’s en erg y in to

heat b y c o m b u s tio n , and th en c o n ve rts th a t he a t in to

m echan ica l w o rk to p ro pe l th e b ike , r ig h t? W ell, each

brake assem bly is an engine th a t ju s t happens to w ork

b a ckw a rd —so to s p e a k —th ro u g h fr ic tio n . The brakes

con ve rt th e en e rg y o f m o tio n in to heat, and d iss ip a te

th a t heat in to th e atm osphere.

Fo r k

O tt'fiE R

ъ т £ -?AC5

fisrobis

HYDRAULIC BRAKESH onda ’s revo lu tionary C B750 w as th e firs t

A j I K m a s s -p ro d u c e d m o to rc y c le to h a ve a

h y d ra u lic d is c b ra ke , a s in g le - ro to r u n it on th e

fro n t w hee l. S u ch a system rem ains th e fo u n d a

tio n o f brake te chn o log y on to d a y ’s m oto rcyc les.

E ven w ith th e a p p lic a tio n o f a n t i- lo c k b ra ke s

(A B S ), a n d /o r lin k e d b ra ke s , th e fu n d a m e n ta l

b a s ic s o f h y d ra u lic b ra k e s y s te m s h a ve n o t

changed ove r th e decades.

WHY HYDRAULICS?Physics says a fundam en ta l pro pe rty o f liqu id s— in th is

case hydrau lic flu id o r o il— is th a t th ey are n o t com press

ib le . W hen yo u a p p ly p re ssu re to th e b ra ke le ve r o r

p e da l, a m e ch a n ica l lin k a g e m ove s a p u sh ro d in th e

m aste r cy lin d e r (which is filled w ith hyd rau lic flu id ) th a t

fo rc e s a p is to n d o w n th e bo re o f th a t cy lin d e r. T he

p is to n ’s m ovem ent generates hyd rau lic pressure, which

is tran sm itted th rough an inte rconnected series o f brake

lines to th e ind iv idua l brake assem bly a t each w heel. The


pre ssu re re a ch in g ea ch w h e e l’s b ra ke a s s e m b ly —a

c a lip e r in a d is c b ra ke sys te m —pu sh e s th e p is to n s

to w a rd th e rotor, o r d isc. The p is tons act on brake pads,

squeezing them against th e rotor, w h ich crea tes fric tion

th a t ge ne ra tes heat, d iss ip a te s energy, and s lo w s th e

m otorcycle .

The ha rde r you pu ll th e leve r o r push the

9 ̂ peda l, th e m ore hyd rau lic p ressure is gen

era ted , th e m ore fo rce push ing th e p a ds ' fr ic tio n

m ate ria l ag a in st th e ro to rs , th e fa s te r th e energy

o f m o tio n is c o n v e rte d in to h e a t . . . an d th e

q u icke r yo u r b ike s tops.

The beau ty o f a h yd rau lic b rake system is its basic

sim p lic ity. It has very fe w m oving parts, is relative ly self-

co n ta in e d an d se a le d , is re m a rka b ly c o n s is te n t in

opera tion , and is am azingly reliable.

MECHANICAL DRUM BRAKES

A s s im p le as h y d ra u lic b ra k e s are ,

m echan ica l brakes are even sim p ler. And

several sm a lle r-d isp lacem en t m oto rcyc le s (as well

as m any o ld e r bikes) s till have a m echan ica l drum

b rake on th e rear w heel. The drum is ca s t as pa rt

o f th e rea r h u b . A m e ch a n ica l lin k a g e o r ca b le

system tran s fe rs m o tio n o f th e rear b rake peda l to

a cam , w h ich fo rce s th e brake shoes (faced w ith

fr ic tio n m ateria l) against th e ins ide o f th e drum . As

th e r id e r p re s s e s on th e p e d a l, th e e n e rg y o f

m o tio n is again con verte d to heat, and yo u r b ike

decelera tes. N oth ing to it, r ight?

: j j f W h y d o so m e m o to rc y c le s re ta in o ld -

>> scho o l d rum brakes? Because in v irtua lly

every s itua tion th e vas t m ajo rity o f b raking w o rk is

do ne by th e fro n t w heel; i t ’s no t as c ruc ia l fo r the

rea r w heel to have th e greate r sop h is tica tion and

s to p p in g p o w e r o f a h y d ra u lic d is c . B e s id e s

w h ic h , m e ch a n ica l d ru m b ra kes w o rk p e rfe c t ly

w e ll in th a t role. Lastly, on som e b ike s th a t have

been in p ro d u c tio n fo r som e tim e , th e to o lin g is

a lready pa id for, w h ich he lps keep do w n th e b ike ’s

reta il price.

HOW TO DETECT WORN PADSU nlike th o se in au to m o b iles , m o to rcyc le b ra kes d o n t

p ro v id e an a u d ib le w a rn in g th a t y o u r p a d s are w orn.

Instead, th e y have w ha t can on ly cha ritab ly be ca lle d a

v isua l w a rn in g sys te m ; th e r id e r e xp e c te d to v isua lly

v e r ify th e p a d s ’ c o n d it io n p e r io d ic a lly . I t ’s c e rta in ly

easy enough to do.

V irtu a lly a ll b ra ke p a d s w ill ha ve a g ro o ve o r line

m arked in to th e p a d s ’ pe rim e ter; ge ne ra lly th e groove

o r line is red o r y e llo w in co lo r, o r a t lea s t som e th in g

th a t co n tra s ts v iv id ly w ith th e co lo r o f th e pad m ateriaL

T he g ro ove o r line in d ica te s th e am o un t o f rem ain ing

pad m a te ria l, ge ne ra lly 2 m m o r so . B y loo k ing a t the

le a d in g e d g e o f th e c a lip e r , o r th ro u g h

in s p e c tio n /a cce ss p o rts loca ted on to p o f th e ca lip e r

y o u ’ll be ab le to see th e gro ove o r line in th e pad. Once

you see th e groove o r line b u ttin g up ag a in st th e rotot;

you sho u ld p lan on cha ng ing yo u r b rake pads soo n, f t

no t im m ediate ly.


I f yo u d o n o t p e r io d ic a lly c h e c k y o u r

pa ds, and yo u w ea r aw a y a ll th e fr ic tio n

m ateria l, th en th e pa d ’s back ing p la te w ill begin to

c u t in to th e ro to rs . W hen th is happens, yo u ’ ll hear

a lo u d s c re e c h in g e ve ry t im e y o u a p p ly th e

b ra ke s . If yo u he a r th a t n o is e , y o u ’ ll n e e d to

rep lace b o th th e pa ds and th e rotor. Go any fa r

th e r and you increase th e dam age, th e repa ir bill,

an d th e p o s s ib il ity o n e o f th e p is to n s w ill g e t

pushed to o fa r o u t o f its bore, th en c o c k s ligh tly

s o th a t it w e d g e s a g a in s t th e ro to r, in s ta n t ly

lock ing th e w heel.

BRAKE PADS: HOW TO PICK MR. RIGHTF lip th ro ug h th e pa ge s fo r b rake pa ds in m os t any big

oa rts d is tr ib u to r ’s ca ta log , and yo u ’ re liab le to m u tte r

som eth ing to th e e ffe c t of, “ No fre e soc ie ty needs th is

m any cho ices o f brake pads.” The cho ices can be over

w he lm ing : A re o rg a n ic p a d s rea lly , like , y o u know ,

o rg a n ic ? L ike g re en be an s? W h a t’s th e d iffe re n c e

oe tw een sem i-m e ta llic and s inte red? H ere’s som e th a t

'a cers use! C an’t go w rong w ith th a t, can you?

W ell, yes, you can.

T h is is a g o o d tim e to co n s id e r s tic k in g

w ith s to c k , o r ig in a l-e q u ip m e n t p a rts .

M a n u fa c tu re rs g e n e ra lly d o a s u p e rb jo b w ith

every p ie ce o f th e m o to rcyc le , and esp e c ia lly so

w ith brake pads, se lecting th e r ig h t fr ic tio n m ate

r ia l th a t w ill p ro v id e th e b e s t c h a ra c te ris tic s o f

s to p p in g pow er, fee l, and w ear. T he re ’s a reason

several racing team s use OE brake pads in c lasses

w here ca lipers and ro to rs m ust rem ain stock.

To som e, however, such an approach m ig ht seem te r

m inally un coo l, So w e ’ ll o ffe r som e in fo rm a tion on th e

.a rious typ es o f pads, bu t w ith a caveat: The fo llow ing

con ta ins a ho s t o f generalities, because th e re can be a

m ass ive d iffe re n c e in m a te ria ls an d p e rfo rm a n ce

oetw een one m anufactu re r’s s intered pad, fo r instance,

and a n o the r’s. F irm , e a s y - to - fo llo w reco m m en da tion s

are all b u t im possib le to give, and it w ou ld be foolish to

со so. W ith th a t said, le t’s proceed. Pads can be broken

dow n by material:

• O rg a n ic —A m ateria l m atrix held to ge the r by heat-

-esistant resin (glue, essentia lly). Early on, o rg an ic pads

-sed asbestos as a b inding m ateria l, and to m ake them

т л ге heat-resistant. We all know asbestos has gone the

«ay o f the carrier pigeon, dodo, etc., and now Kevlar has

argely taken its place. In general, organic pads are said to

Aork well right from cold (first applications), and som e riders

like the lever feel they provide. They’re also fairly friendly to

discs, as they don ’t cause the scoring th a t can occu r w ith

m ore aggressive all-metal com pounds. But organics tend to

fade a t low er temperatures than other pads.

• S e m i-m e ta llic —Basically an organ ic-type pad w ith

m etal pa rtic les, e ither in pow der fo rm o r fine ly chopped

w ire; tin , brass, bronze, iron, and o the r m etals are com

m on ly use d. T he a d d itio n o f m eta l m akes th e se pa ds

som e w h at m ore he a t-res is ta n t th an o rg an ic pads, and

th e y w e a r less qu ick ly . T h e y ’ re a lso ha rd e r on b ra ke

rotors th an organ ic pads.

• S in te r e d —T he se p a d s c o n s is t o f an a ll-m e ta l

pow der fo rm ed under extrem ely high heat and pressure,

w ith very little binding m ateria l. Generally th ey con s is t o f

brass, b ronze, copper, and som e iron, again fo r be tte r

pe rfo rm ance a t h ig he r op e ra ting te m pera tures, sa id to

o ffe r g o od , con s is ten t s to pp in g pow er. However, th ose

sam e highe r opera ting tem peratures ge t transferred from

th e pad to th e rotor, w h ich can cause w arping w ith som e

a fte rm a rke t pa ds. S in te red pa ds a lso cau se th e m ost

w ear on ro to rs , and m ost brands shou ld never be used

on cast-iron rotors. They also tend to leave a potentia lly

corrosive b la ck du s t on wheels, requiring m ore frequent

c leaning. The m ajority o f OE pads are sintered.

• C a rb o n —Essentia lly a sem i-m e ta llic -type pad, but

w ith th e add ition o f carbon rather than m etal. Such pads

are re a so n a b ly k in d to ro to rs , b u t th e y ’re p r im a r ily

rem arkab le fo r hav ing pe rha ps th e b ro a d e s t range o f

opera ting tem peratures; carbon pads te nd to ap proach

o rg a n ic s fo r th e ir p e rfo rm a n c e fro m c o ld , and w o rk

e x c e p t io n a lly w e ll a t h ig h e r te m p s , to o . B y its ve ry

nature, carbon is extrem ely heat-resistant. They do tend

to be m ore expensive th an o the r pads m en tioned here,

though . (Readers shou ld kno w these are n o t th e am o r

phous ca rb on pads used in M otoG P racing and on the

space shuttle .)

tJJj If yo u s till have to have a re co m m en da -

t io n , here are som e : F irs t, use th e sam e

ty p e o f p a d (o rg a n ic , s in te re d , e tc .) y o u r b ike

cam e w ith , if no t th e OE pad itse lf. S econd, resist

th e te m p ta tio n to go w ith rac ing -on ly pa ds; such

pa ds te n d to w o rk p ro p e rly on ly a t th e e le va te d

te m p era tures fo un d in com p e titio n on a race track.

T h ird , ask o th e r ow n ers w ha t th e y ’ve d isco vered

th ro ug h th e ir exp e rim e n ta tio n . T he re are dozens

o f fo ru m s on th e W eb w here you can fin d ou t w ha t

o th e r ow ners have used successfu lly. But, unless

yo u ha ve a lo t o f tim e and m oney, le t som e on e

else e xp e rim en t w ith b ra ke pa ds on th e ir m o to r

cyc le firs t.


WARNING SIGNS OF THE NEED TO BLEED

A r . To s ta y in t ip - to p c o n d it io n , a m o to r-

/ / / / \ c y c le ’s b ra k e sys te m re a lly d o e s need

m ore fre q u e n t s e rv ic in g th a n m any r id e rs m ig h t

im a g in e . F o r ins ta nce , m o s t m a n u fa c tu re rs rec

om m end rep la c ing th e brake flu id every tw o years

o r ap p ro x im a te ly 24 ,0 00 m iles. There are a lo t o f

m echan ics, however, w ho w ill te ll you on e yea r is

m ore appropria te .

-r^ rs j In s o m e in s ta n c e s , th o u g h , y o u r b ik e ’s

Ж bra kes w ill le t yo u kno w th e y ’ d lik e you r

a t te n tio n r ig h t now , i f n o t so o n e r. O ne su ch

in s ta n c e is w h e n yo u n o tic e a s p o n g in e s s o r

m ush in ess a t th e fro n t b rake leve r o r rea r brake

peda l w hen you a p p ly th e brakes. M ind you , there

w ill a lw a ys be a sm all am o un t o f g ive in a b ike 's

s to ck brake system s im p ly because th e re ’s som e

fle x in th e lever and th e OE rub be r hoses te nd to

sw e ll s lig h tly a t ex tre m e leve r-p ressures. B u t the

spong iness w e ’re ta lk in g a b ou t here can be fe lt as

m ore th an an inch o r so o f lever p lay w ith o u t s ig

n ific a n t pressure be ing a p p lie d a t th e pa ds, and

resu ltan t loss o f s to pp in g power.

W h a t’s g o ing on? A ir has m anaged to ge t in to th e

hydrau lic system , and w ith it w ate r vapor, because all air

has som e m easure o f w a te r in it. H ow d id it e n te r the

system ? Pretty easily, actually. A ir ge ts in th rough seals

and rubber brake hoses, w hich are surp ris ing ly porous in

th a t respect.

C onventional g lyco l-b ase d DOT 3, DOT 4, and DOT

5.1 b ra ke f lu id s a re h y g ro s c o p ic , w h ic h m ea ns th e y

a b so rb w ater. If su ffic ie n t w a te r en te rs th e system (as

v a p o r th a t a cco m p a n ie s air) and th e b ra ke s g e t used

hard enough, the w ate r w ill ac tua lly boil near th e calipers

(source o f greatest heat), releasing gas bubb les in to the

flu id . A nd w h ile liqu ids can ’t be com pressed, gases m ost

c e r ta in ly can . T h a t’s w h a t y o u ’ re fe e lin g a s e xce ss

m otion a t the lever o r pedal.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT BRAKE FLUIDThere are tw o basic typ es o f brake flu id you can buy: tra

d itio na l g ly co l-b a se d as m en tioned in th e las t section ,

a n d s ilic o n e -b a s e d . A ll b ra ke f lu id s fo r sa le in th is

c o u n try co m e w ith a D e p a rtm e n t o f T ra n sp o rta tio n

(DOT) th a t ra tin g c o rre sp o n d s to th a t f lu id ’s req u ired

m in im u m b o ilin g te m p e ra tu re s . T h e te m p era tu res are

ind ica ted as dry, w h ich is fresh flu id , s tra ig h t ou t o f the

container, and w et, w hich is after th e flu id has absorbed a

p e rce n ta g e o f w ate r. H igh e r n u m be rs sho w a highe»

cap ac ity fo r heat before they begin to bo il. So, w e hare

DOT 3, DOT 4, DOT 5 (silicone-based), and DOT 5.1.

A . N ow , n o t o n ly do g ly c o l-b a s e d flu id s

absorb m oistu re from the air, bu t th ey also

have th e ab ility to keep th a t m oisture in suspension

so th a t th e y re ta in rea so n a b ly e ffe c t iv e b ra k in g

p e rfo rm a n ce . P lu s , by p re v e n tin g w a te r fro m

s e p a ra tin g to c o lle c t a t th e lo w e s t p o in t in th e

system , th ey reduce its fiend ish ly corrosive effects.

In a d d it io n , su ch b ra ke f lu id s ha ve a d e g re e o f

lub ric ity , w h ich he lps p ro long seal life and m akes

th em s u ita b le fo r a n ti- lo c k brake sys te m s (ABS).

T hey also te nd to change co lo r gradually according

to th e a m o u n t o f m o is tu re th e y ’ve a b so rb e d ,

p ro v id in g an in d ic a tio n o f h o w co n ta m in a te d

th e y ’ve becom e. However, g lyco l-b ase d flu id s are

extrem ely destructive to pa ints and plastics.

T he so le s ilicone -based brake flu id availab le is DOT

5, w h ich has the sam e required m in im um bo iling tem per

atures as th e m ore recently in troduced DOT 5.1. Unlike

th e o th e r f lu id s , DOT 5 is n o t h y g ro s c o p ic ; th a t is, Ё

do esn ’t absorb m oisture. Sounds good, right? Well, hold

on — in s te a d , th e m o is tu re th a t in e v ita b ly en te rs any

braking system te nd s to fo rm g lobu les th a t d ro p to tre

bo ttom o f th e system w ith pred ic tab ly corrosive effects.

T ha t’s one o f th e reasons DOT 5 flu id s require the m o s

m aintenance o f any brake flu id . W hat's m ore, DOT 5 is

m o re e a s ily a e ra te d an d d o e s n ’t ha ve th e ir n a tu re

lu b ric ity ; b o th are rea so n s w h y D O T 5 is n ’t recom

m ended fo r use w ith ABS. To its cred it, DOT 5 a t leasS

isn ’t harm ful to pa in t o r plastics.

: 9 J u s t as w ith b ra k e p a d s , i t ’s a ll bu t

о im p oss ib le to o ffe r a tru s tw o rth y , re liab le

re c o m m e n d a tio n fo r b ra k e f lu id . T h e b e s t

s u g g e s tio n is to s t ic k w ith w h a t y o u r o w n e r's

m an ua l s p e c ifie s . If it says to use D O T 4 — and

m o s t d o th ese d a y s —th e n fin d a b ra nd you like

an d s ta y w ith it . D o n ’t e x p e r im e n t w ith b ra ke

flu id s on ce yo u ’ve chosen one.

A In fa c t, do n ’t m ix b rake flu id s a t all if you

can he lp it. If you abso lu te ly m us t do so,

m ix on ly g lyco l-b ase flu ids . Never, eve r m ix g lyco l

and s ilic o n e flu id s . The y w ill c lo t up , rende rin g

y o u r b ra k e s u n u s a b le an d re q u ire e x te n s iv e


str ip p in g and c leaning, a long w ith rep lac ing every

rubbe r seal in th e system .

5RAIDED BRAKE LINESf y o u ’ re s e rio u s a b o u t u p g ra d in g y o u r m o to rc y c le ’s

эгаке system , and do n ’t have a pa rticu larly large budget,

r e best p lace to s ta rt is to rep lace th e s tandard rubber

-oses w ith bra ided steel lines.

/f& A W ith a fa ir ly sm all ou tlay o f cash, you can

v ? / \ rep la ce b o th fro n t and rear ru b b e r hoses

w ith b ra ided s tee l lines th a t w ill im m edia te ly p ro

v id e y o u w ith a f irm e r re sp o n se a t th e leve r,

red uce d e ffo r t fo r th e sam e am o un t o f s to p p in g

pow er, and b e tte r overall lever-feel as well.

F irs t o f f, th o u g h , le t ’s ta k e ca re o f th e m isn om e r:

A lth ou gh th e y m ig h t be ca lle d b ra id e d s te e l lines,

sta in less-steel lines, e tc ., th e steel descrip tion does not

'e fe r to th e actua l hoses th a t tra n s fe r flu id . T ho se are

Teflon PTFE (p o ly te tra flu o ro e th y le n e ) hoses. T he y 're

surrounded and reinforced, however, by bra ided stainless-

steel hose. The end result is virtually zero expansion even

if you’re squeezing th e brake lever w ith bo th hands. Such

m inimal expansion guarantees all your effort is go ing into

stopp ing th e bike, and no t swelling the hose.

There are several a fterm arket com panies th a t w ill sell

you brake line k its w ith prem ade hoses, every p ie ce o f

Hardware y o u ’ ll need, p lu s yo u r cho ice o f a ra inb ow o f

c o lo rs fo r th e v in y l c o v e rin g th a t g o e s o v e r th e s te e l

bra id (to keep it from sc ra tch ing yo u r bike). Som e even

g ive you a cho ice o f co lo rs fo r th e fittin g s a t th e end o f

the hoses. A nd, las tly , v irtu a lly eve ry brand o f b ra id ed

brake lines w ill last th e life o f you r m otorcycle .

s lig h tly m ore w e ig h t th an M o to G P -typ e ca rb on ro to rs ,

bu t w ith m uch broader tem perature range.

For ca lipers , AP and N issin bo th o ffe r sup e rb k it, bu t

th e m os t de s ira b le is B rem bo’s rad ia l-m ou n t M onob loc

fo u r-p is to n /fo u r-p a d caliper, again as c lose as you can

ge t to real-dea l M otoG P hardw are . These are m ach ined

from a so lid b ille t o f a lum inum and fea tu re ven ted tita

n iu m p is to n s . B re m b o ’s ra d ia l 1 9 x1 8 b il le t fo ld in g -

b ra ke m aste r c y lin d e r—n o t ju s t a M otoG P lo o k-a like ,

b u t th e rea l th in g — is th e o n ly c h o ic e to a cco m p a n y

th ose calipers.

You should be getting th e idea.

W h a t a re th e a d van ta ge s o f such a w ild spe nd ing

spree? T he usual reasons w e ’ve exp lored so fa r: m ore

s to pp in g pow er, be tte r con tro l, and sup erio r feel a t the

lever. M ind you, even if you can ’t s tep to th e ne p lu s u ltra

e q u ip m e n t n a m e -d ro p p e d he re , be assu re d you can

a p p ro a ch it fo r a fra c t io n o f th e ab su rd p rice s th e se

k ing ly p ieces com m and.

ABS AND LBSH ow qu ick ly can you s to p you r m otorcycle?

B e ho ne s t. If a c a r tu rn e d le ft in fro n t o f y o u —th e

c lassic ca r vs. m oto rcyc le acc iden t scenario—cou ld you

ap p ly th e brakes hard enough, q u ick ly enough, to keep

from fe tc h in g up a g a in s t th e nears ide fe nd e r? J u s t to

m ake it m ore in te resting, le t’s assum e th e pavem ent is

w et, to o . H ow ab ou t then?

T ha t’s th e k ind o f s itua tion w hen an a n ti- lo ck brake

system (ABS) com es in m ighty handy. AB S can be a life-

saver, literally.

To op tim ize yo u r m o to rcyc le ’s s to pp in g po w er in an

em ergency s itua tion , th e tires need to be ro ta ting r ig h t at

th e th re sho ld o f locku p , ab ou t 10 pe rce n t s lo w e r than

AFTERMARKET BRAKES' ADVANTAGESIf you ’ re rich as Croesus, then th e sky ’s th e lim it if you

really w an t to upgrade yo u r b ike ’s brake system to the

highest degree possible . A s w ith m ost th ings, exce llence

m erely requires th e app lica tion o f a sta ck o f Grovers.

And w ha t w ou ld one ge t fo r a pile o f g reenbacks w ith

the p ic tu re o f ou r 22nd and 24th president on them ? To

s ta rt, you cou ld have y o u r c h o ice o f ro to rs : th e la te s t

p e ta l-s ty le d iscs from innova tors G a lfe r o r B rak ing , fo r

be tte r in itia l b ite , be tte r coo ling , and ligh ter w e igh t than

OE rotors. O r perhaps som e pa rticu larly fine du ctile cast-

iron roto rs from Brake Tech, w h ich prom ise no t on ly a 40

percent w e ig h t savings ove r OE d iscs, bu t unparalleled

feel. O r another Brake Tech offering , th e ir ceram ic com

p o s ite ro to rs , th e h ig h e s t-te ch ro to rs you can b u y fo r

s tre e t use , w ith th e fe e l o f d u c tile c a s t iro n an d on ly

C4UH3Z vSaUSfcR. SENSolZ

асспыне.coNreoL-

(y& 'W & hpv* * )


ro a d sp e e d . Th is o p tim iz e s th e tra c t io n o f th e tire s ,

a llow ing m axim um braking ac tio n and s to p p in g power.

N ow , if yo u ’ re an exce p tio na lly g o o d rider, you can

ach ieve th a t b y m odu la ting pressure on th e brake lever

and peda l a b it. In c re m e n ta lly red uc ing p re ssure un til

th e w heels un lock w ill he lp you regain g rip so you can

s to p e ffic ie n tly o r s te e r around th e threat.

B u t un less yo u p ra c tic e th is on a re g u la r b a s is —

w h ich w o u ld n ’t m ake you pa rticu la rly po p u la r w ith your

n e ig h b o rs—su ch a fe a t o f b rak ing is d iff ic u lt, p a rticu

la rly in th e heat o f b a ttle w hen you re a lly need to s to p

b e fo re yo u h it a s o lid o b je c t. If yo u co u ld th re s h o ld

brake p e rfe c t ly —a p p ly in g e x a c tly th e r ig h t am o un t o f

pressure on th e lever and peda l to keep th e tire s a t th e

ve ry edge o f op tim u m tra c t io n —yo u cou ld b ring you r

b ike to a s to p as q u ick ly as it w as cap ab le o f sto pp in g .

г-Q j Enter ABS. In th e s im p les t o f te rm s, ABS

» is an e le c tro n ic a d d -o n to s ta n d a rd

hyd rau lic b rake system s. By m on ito ring th e ro ta

t io n a l s p e e d o f b o th w h e e ls th ro u g h a w h e e l

speed sen so r and fe ed in g th a t in fo rm a tion in to a

sm all m icroprocessor, th e AB S system can recog

nize w hen yo u ’ve ove rapp lied th e brakes and your

tires are in th e process o f lock in g up . H ow does it

kno w th is? No, no t b y yo u r scream s. The system

iden tifie s th a t th e ro ta tion a l speed o f one w heel is

s lo w in g fa s te r th an th e o the r; th a t’s th e m om en t

o f im pend ing brake lockup.

T he AB S co m p u te r s ign a ls a hyd rau lic assem bly to

ra p id ly cyc le hyd ra u lic va lve s op en and c lose d to the

ind iv id ua l b ra ke o r b ra kes th a t are lock in g . The cyc lic

and ve ry ra p id va lve o p e n in g s b le e d o f f ju s t enough

hyd rau lic pressure to th ose brakes to keep th em a t the

edge o f op tim um tra c tio n . Thus, AB S prevents you from

o ve rb ra k in g — a p p ly in g to o m uch brake fo rce , lock ing

th e w heels, losing steering con tro l, and reduc ing brake

e ffic ie n cy . A n d , in th e p ro cess , A B S m akes you look

like a hero.

N o te th a t a fe w m o to rc y c le m a n u fa c tu re rs o ffe r

l in k e d b ra k in g s y s te m s th a t u se v a lv in g to a p p ly

b ra k in g e ffe c t to bo th w he e ls w hen you h it one lever.

In o th e r w ords , a s lig h t am o un t o f pressure is applied

to th e re a r b ra ke w he n yo u use th e fro n t leve r, and

v ice versa.

H onda, in particu lar, uses th is system on som e o f its

m o to rcyc le s . T h e ir f ir s t in c a rn a tio n ap p e a re d on th e

C BR 1000, and it w as ju d g e d he lpfu l fo r inexperienced

rid e rs , b u t n o t so m uch fo r sea son ed rid e rs . A n d th s i

system w as aw kw a rd fo r b o th a t s low speeds. Honda

refined th e system , and on m odels b u ilt in 1998 o r la ta ;

it w o rks qu ite w ell. The advan tage is th a t you ge t a bi-

m ore s to pp in g po w er if you on ly use one lever.


Caliper and Disc Service

1 to 2 ho urs

W ren ch es, rags; 60- o r 80- g rit sa ndpaper, toothbrush o r other sm all cleaning b rush, a thin piece of wood, brake/contact cleaner, o rgan ic cleaner su ch as Sim ple Gre en, waterproof, high-tem perature grease, bike lift (optional), M ity-Vac, so m e clear tubing, an old- fashio ned oil can, sockets and Allens, screw driver, ja r to catch brake fluid

C O S T: 0 to $

PA R TS : N e w p ads, b ra k e fluid,b ra k e b an jo w a s h e rs , an d m a s te r c y lin d e r g a s k e t o r d ia p h ra gm

T IP : G en tly s n u g ( ra th e r thanh e a v ily t ig h te n ) th e b le e d er s c r e w

B E N EF IT: M a x im ize s b ra ke p e rfo rm a n c e

Fortuna te ly , brakes are easy to w ork o n —and m uch

cheaper to m ainta in by you rse lf th an pay to f ix up

once th e y ’ve g o n e so u th . In th is p ro je c t, w e ’ ll d isa s

sem b le and c lean th e ca lip e rs and disc(s). In P ro jects

43 an d 44 , w e ’ ll re p la c e th e p a d s an d re fre s h th e

hyd rau lic system .

C leaning the caliper removes the obvious s tu ff such as

brake dust, bu t it also plays an im portant role in preventing

the need fo r rebuilds. M ost brake flu ids absorb m oisture

through the piston seals. That m oisture com bines w ith the

brake d u s t and g r it an d w h a te ve r e lse ha pp en s to be

wedged into the calipers, form ing a “shellac” th a t bonds to

th e surface o f th e p is to ns and keeps them from s lid ing

sm oothly th rough the rubber seals.

R em ove th e fro n t caliper(s), s lip ou t th e brake pads,

and support the caliper on som ething other than th e brake

line. Place a th in piece o f w ood between the opposing pis

tons and squeeze th e brake lever to expose m ost o f the

p istons. U sing a to o th b ru sh and an organ ic c leaner like

S im ple Green, w hich w on ’t hurt the caliper О-rings, care

fu lly rub th e shellac o ff th e pistons. If your fron t brake has

been s ticking , you see leaking flu id , o r th e piston is rusted

or pitted , bu y a caliper rebuild k it and sw ap ou t the pistons

and sea ls . O th e rw ise sc ru b o ff th e sh e lla c , rin se w ith

w a te r to rem ove th e c leanser, and th en b lo w aw ay all

trace s o f m oistu re w ith an a ir hose.

To fin is h y o u r c a lip e r c le a n s in g , on s in g le -a c tio n

c a lip e rs (th o se w ith p is to n s on o n ly on e s id e o f th e

caliper), pu ll ba ck th e rub be r cove r p ro tec tin g th e pins

upon w h ich th e ca lip e r s lides back and fo rth . U sing the

sam e o rg a n ic c le a n e rs , rem ove th e o ld , t ire d grease

an d c h e c k fo r a n y n o tch e s o r u n se e m ly w e a r to th e

p ins. Lube th e clean p ins w ith w a te rproo f, h ig h -te m p er-

a tu re gre ase and s lid e th e m in to p o s itio n un d e r th e ir

p ro tec tive covers.

N ow you need to p repare th e d isc . B rake pads can

leave de pos its in th e ro to r’s surface. You w an t to rem ove

th ese deposits and take th e ro to r back dow n to sm ooth,

c lea n m e ta l b e fo re rea sse m b lin g y o u r b ra ke s . U se a

p iece o f 60- o r 80 -g rit sandpaper. W ith you r b ike on a lift

o r ja ck w ith th e w hee l o f f th e gro un d , p ress th e san d

paper against th e d isc and sp in th e w heel a fe w tim es.

(K eep th e c a lip e r secu re , no t ha ng ing fro m th e brake

line.) R epeat th e process on th e o the r s ide o f th e d isc .

R em em b er: Y o u ’ re n o t t ry in g to s co re th e d is k , ju s t

rem ove th e bu ildup. F inish th e d isc prep b y spraying it

w ith brake cleaner and w ip ing it dow n w ith a c lean rag.

N ow you can rep lace th e pads.

CA

LIP

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A

ND

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CA

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A

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DIS

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RV

ICE

Many a chromed caliper needs to have its bore

honed slightly to get rid of the crud that’s

deposited inside during the chroming process.

The caliper piston must be a light, sliding f it

but without any noticeable side-to-side slop

once it's pushed home.

You may find it to your advantage to run a

well-oiled tap down the threaded holes in the

caliper, as well. This may be the only way to

ensure no-problem installations on chrome

pieces (not just brake pieces either). Once

you’ve gone this far, it only follows that you

should check that the internal passages are

clear, and then meticulously clean the thing.

Overpolishing and chrome flash can inhibit a

good retention of the dust seal and piston

О-ring. Make sure both parts fit properly and

stay put before you proceed. Use brake fluid

to lubricate these rubber parts when you

install them.

160


TIME: 1 hour

TOOLS: W renches, sockets, flathead screwdriver, Allen keys, torque wrench, an ti-se ize lubricant, bike lif t (optional)

Project 43 TALENT: 1

R r a l r o P o r i COST: $

D i c IIv g r d l l PARTS: Brake pads

Change TIP: D on 't fo rg e t to pump the brake lever a few tim es a fter you are done so you have im m ediate stopping power when you go fo r a te s t ride

BENEFIT: Better stopping power

Man y b ike s use s in g le -p is to n s lid in g c a lip e rs th a t

squ ee ze a ro to r like a h yd ra u lic C -c la m p . The

resign princip le o f th e fron t and rear brake calipers is the

same, bu t th e w ay they are m ounted and th e ir respective

oads are different.

To in s ta ll n e w fro n t b ra k e p a d s , u n b o lt th e fro n t

ca liper from th e low er fo rk leg and s lide th e ca lip e r up

and o f f th e roto r. Insert a large f la t-b la d e d sc rew driver

oe tw een th e p a d s in th e c a lip e r and use i t as a leve r

against the ou te r pad to push th e caliper piston back into

th e c a lip e r bo dy. R em ove th e

outer pad carrier from th e caliper

oody and rem ove th e inner pad.

I fs rig id ly m ounted to th e rear o f

the ca liper body v ia a sm all bolt.

The other pad is probably already

on th e floo r. In sp e c t th e ca lip e r

and replace anyth ing th a t’s dam

aged o r w o rn be yo n d se rv ice

lim its. (Check the shop manual.)

W hen re a sse m b lin g th e

c a lip e r w ith ne w p a d s , m ake

su re th a t th e r iv e t he ad is

in se rte d in to th e c u to u t in th e

s lid ing nu t. T he re ta in ing sp ring

kee ps th e pad fro m v ib ra t in g .

S lide th e ca lip e r o n to th e ro to r

and in s e rt th e m o u n tin g b o lts .

W hen reinstalling the caliper m ounting bo lts, g ive them a

ligh t coa ting o f an ti-se ize lub ricant, w h ich w ill a llow the

c a lip e r m ou n tin g b o lts and o u te r pa d ca rr ie r to m ove

fre e ly an d a lig n p ro p e rly w ith th e d is c . U se a to rq u e

w rench and tigh ten th e bo lts to spec as ou tlined in your

fa c to ry manual. If you r b ike has tw in fro n t brakes, repeat

th e process fo r th e o the r brake.

The p rocedure fo r th e rear is nearly ide ntica l to th a t

used in replacing fron t brake pads, though it may involve

d ifferent too ls , such as a Torx bit.

BRAKE PAD BREAK-IN

The surfaces of both the pads and the discs aren't really as smooth as they look. In fact, they’re made up of lots of hills and valleys. The break-in procedure wears down the pad so that the hills and valleys match each other, giving the maximum surface-area contact. Get too aggressive too soon, and the hills melt and glaze over, lowering the coefficient of fric tion fo r the pads and reducing braking performance.

Begin pad break-in by riding in a parking lot and ligh tly applying the brake, bringing the bike slowly to a stop. Do th is a few times with slightly more pressure each time. Now, go for a ride.

Just like when you have new tires and you know not to immediately throw your bike into corners, allow yourself some extra room for braking around town. Begin to vary your braking pressure. Each stop should be more firm than the last. Allow for some cooling between applications (i.e., no maximum-braking exercises).

There is no magic number fo r how long it takes to break in a set of pads. If you vary the pressure and don’t build it up too quickly, a short ride may be enough. However, if you’re ever in doubt about how to break in a set of pads, simply look at the instructions that came with them—the manufacturers know.

BR

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CH

AN

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BRAK

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E

Once you've freed the caliper from its mount, you may want to pry the

pads apart with a screwdriver. Then they’ll slip out of the center as

shown here. Before you set them aside, inspect them closely. Did they

wear evenly? If one pad is thinner than the other, take a look at the

pistons to see if they may be sticking. Another symptom of a dragging

caliper piston is having one end of the pad more worn than the other.

These signal the need for a caliper rebuild.

After the caliper’s interior is clean, press the pistons back into

their bores. Otherwise, you won't be able to slip the new, thicker pads

into place.

If you can’t get the pistons back into their bores far enough to allow the

disc to slide between the pads, you can use a pry bar to gently open up

more space. Be careful not to mar the pads' surfaces. As you install the

new pads, place the factory antisqueal plates or springs in the proper

position. Check the other caliper if you can’t remember how the pieces

go together. If the pads are not held in place with a pin, pay attention to

the way they fit in the caliper, and verify that they haven’t shifted once

you've remounted the caliper to its bracket. Torque the fasteners to the

proper specification. Also, pump up the brake lever as soon as you fin is

remounting the caliper to build pressure and seat the pads against the

discs. This way you won’t experience the unfortunate surprise of having

the lever come all the way back to the grip as you try to stop at the end

of your driveway.


TIM E : 45 m inu tes

Changing Hydraulic Fluid

T O O L S : W re n ch e s , so ck e ts , rags,to rq u e w re n c h (16-in), Te flo n tap e, brake b leedin g tool (optional), c le a r h o se, g la ss ja r fo r bra ke fluid , ra g s

T A L E N T : 1

C OST: $

P A R TS : B ra k e fluid

T IP : O n ly u s e fr e s h fluid fro mu n op ened c o n ta in e rs , and n e v e r m ix flu id bra nds

B E N EF IT: B e tte r le v e r fe e l, no n a sty su rp ris e s

When wrapping the bleed screw’s threads with Teflon tape, make sure

you wind it so that screwing in the valve tightens the tape. Also, be

careful not to cover the bleed holes.

B le ed in g th e S ystem

Brake flu id should be rep laced every tw o years w ith the

spec you r m anufactu re r recom m ends. T he easy w ay to

change th e brake flu id w itho u t ge tting a ir in the system is

to bleed it clean.

T h ree d iffe re n t te c h n iq u e s can be use d to d o th e

a c tu a l b le e d in g . No m a tte r w h ic h yo u c h o o se , a fe w

basics are th e same. F irs t ad just the hand lebars so th a t

the m aste r cy lind e r s its fla t, th en clean and rem ove its

cover. Fill th e m aster cy linder to abou t 3 /8 inch from the

to p ; th is g ive s th e co v e r g a s k e t-b la d d e r s o m e room .

This Mity-Vac is a handy tool for bleeding hydraulic systems—particu

larly bone-dry ones. Be prepared to empty the catch container at least

once when freshening fluid. Since you’ll be working by the caliper

instead of the master cylinder, don’t forget to keep an eye on the fluid

level in the reservoir.

T hen bleed th e brake flu id dow n to abou t 1 inch from the

bo tto m o f th e reservo ir before fillin g its cy lind e r w ith new

flu id . C ontinue to bleed the flu id un til it com es ou t clean

a t th e caliper. Then refill th e reservo ir and b leed th e o the r

caliper, if there ’s another connected. W hen done, to p up

th e reservo ir and rep lace th e cap.

T he che ap est b leed ing m e th od is to use a p ie ce o f

c le a r tu b in g and an o ld p la s tic so d a b o ttle . The m ain

dra w b acks w ith th is m e th od are th a t i t ’s a tw o -p e rson

CHAN

GIN

G

HYDR

AULI

C FL

UID


CHAN

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HYD

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FLU

IDjo b and it ta kes w ha t seem s like fo rever (m aybe an hour),

unless you ge t lucky. Use a c lea r bo ttle so you can see

th e flu id . C onnect th e tu b ing to the caliper’s b leed nipple

and s tic k th e o the r end in th e bottle . W ith th is setup , one

p e rson squ ee zes th e b ra ke h a nd le an d h o ld s it ba ck

w h ile a n o th e r pe rson o p e n s th e b le e d e r f it t in g a t th e

caliper. W hen th e flow s tops, th e second person closes

th e b leeder n ipple . Repeat un til th e flu id flow s clear, and

th en repeat fo r each caliper. D on ’t fo rg e t to keep filling

th e m aster cylinder.

There are a lso b le ed e r k its on th e m arke t to speed

th is p rocess. T hey are fa s te r and conven ien t; if you do

brake w o rk on m any veh ic les , bu y ing a w e ll-re ga rd ed

one m ay be w orth th e e ffo rt. A q u ick In ternet search or

you r loca l service s ta tion can te ll you w here to d ispose o f

th e used flu id safe ly and law fully.

Keeping a big arch in the line will keep bubbles from being drawn back into

the caliper. Don’t be stingy with your fresh fluid. Keep pumping it through

the system even after you think you’re done. Some bubbles are tenacious.

When topping off the reservoir, don't fill beyond

the full mark. Be sure to clean the diaphragm

that floats on top of the fluid before installing it

Always use name-brand hydraulic fluid.


Project 45

Drum Drake Maintenance

30 s e c o n d s to 1 h o u r

W re n ch e s, so ck ets, Allen ke ys , torq u e w re n c h , dial caliper, rags, brake/contact cleaner, h ig h -te m p e ra tu re g re a se , b ike lif t (optional)

Brake s h o e s, b ra k e sh oe s p rin g s (if no t inclu ded w ith sh o e s)

T o k e e p fro m b rea th ing ha za rd o u s m aterials , d o n ’t b lo w o ff th e b ra k e panel w ith co m p re s s e d air

Pre d icta b le rea r bra ke p e rfo rm a n c e

Drum brakes require a little regular m aintenance th a t

shou ld ta ke you all o f 30 seco nd s every m on th or

so. From th e peda l’s resting position , press it dow n w ith

y o u r ha nd an d m ea sure th e d is ta n c e th e p e da l is

depressed un til you feel th e shoes con ta c t the drum . If

th a t m e a su re m e n t is g re a te r th a n th e fa c to ry spe c ,

tigh ten th e nu t a t th e drum end o f th e brake rod. In many

cases, you w on ’t even need a w rench to do th is . S im ply

press the cam lever (the lever a ttached to bo th the drum

brake a sse m b ly—o r b ra ke pane l —an d th e b ra ke rod)

s ligh tly against th e spring hold ing it in to position against

the adjuster. S ince th e ad juste r usually has a m achined

curve to m atch th e c levis pin in th e lever, you ’ll be able to

m ake cha ng es in h a lf- tu rn inc rem e n ts . O n ce th e free

play is back to spec, you 're done.

N ote th e w e a r in d ic a to r w hen you ta ke up th e free

play. M anufactu re rs bu ild th ese ind ica to rs in to th e ou t

side o f the brake panel. R eplace th e shoes w hen th ey ’re

a b o u t 80 p e rc e n t use d up to be su re th a t m ax im um

p o w e r is a va ila b le . (P a d s /sh o e s c a n ’t d is s ip a te heat

properly when th ey ge t to o th in , and th ey w ill no t fu n c

tion properly.)

Every tw o yea rs o r 10 ,0 00 m iles , d isa sse m b le th e

brake pane l and lub e th e m oving pa rts . C lean ou t the

b u ilt-u p brake dust, to o , and g ive the assem bly a close

visual inspection.

To ch a n g e th e sho es , lo o se n th e cha in a d ju s te rs '

lo ckn u ts to p ro v id e enough cha in s la ck to rem ove the

w heel. Then give each o f th e ad justers th ree fu ll tu rns of

s lack and retighten the locknuts to m aintain th e ir ad just

m e n t re la tive to each othe r. (O nce y o u g e t th e w hee l

back on th e b ike , yo u ’ll ju s t tigh ten th e ad juste rs th ose

th re e tu rn s fo r a p ro p e rly a d jus te d cha in .) If you have

sha ft d rive , ch e ck yo u r fa c to ry serv ice m anual fo r rear

w heel rem oval tip s . D ifferent b ikes have d iffe ren t require

m en ts . F o r exa m p le , th e Yam aha V -S ta r 650 requ ires

th a t you pu ll the sha ft itse lf free w ith th e rear w heel.

Remove the bo lt connecting the torque arm to the drum

brake assem bly and the nut from the end o f the brake rod.

Now, loosen the axle nut and spin it o ff the axle. Jack up the

bike so th a t the wheel is about an inch o ff the ground. While

ho ld ing th e w heel in pos ition (use yo u r fo o t to ta ke the

s tra in o f f th e ax le as you s lide it free), rem ove th e axle.

Now, push th e wheel forw ard to create som e slack in the

chain. Remove the chain from the sprocket and hang it on

the swingarm. You m ay need to jack the bike up farther to

he lp the wheel c lea r th e fender. D isassem ble everything

according to the photos and captions.

DRUM

BR

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DR

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EDon't forget to remove the bolt securing the

drum to the torque arm. You’d be amazed how

many people are momentarily surprised when

the rear wheel won’t come off after the axle is

removed. Place the wheel on the floor with the

drum brake side facing up and wiggle the

brake panel free. You’ll see lots of brake dust

and grime on the inside of the panel, but resist

the urge to blow it out with compressed air.

Those particles can contain some pretty toxic

stuff. Instead, clean the parts (in a well-venti

lated area) with brake cleaner. It will flush the

dust away without making it airborne. Don’t

worry that it’ ll also remove the grease from its

rightful place; you’re going to reapply it

anyway. If you decide to clean the inside of the

drum, take care not to get the cleaner in the

wheel bearings.

With the brake panel exterior on a surface that

won’t scratch it, measure the thickness of the

pads with a dial caliper to make sure they are

within specification. As with disc brake pads,

most brake shoe failure takes place on the last

20 percent of the shoe material. So, if the shoe

thickness is less than 3 mm, replace the set.

(The Vulcan 800 factory service manual, for

example, specifies a service limit of 2.6 mm)

You should also check the internal diameter of

the drum itself with your dial caliper.

Turn the brake panel over and, using a Sharpie,

mark the brake cam lever's position by

drawing a line from the gap in the lever across

the shaft to the other side of the lever.

Unscrew the pinch bolt and remove the lever.

Now, slide the camshaft out of the panel. Set

the wear indicator aside. Clean the shaft and

its associated hole in the panel and check for

wear. If you notice any wear, consult your fac

tory service manual for tolerances to make

sure the parts are still within specification.


Grasp the brake shoes with a clean rag and lift

them free of the assembly. The shoes will fold

toward the center of the panel as they pivot

around the anchor pin and the camshaft. Be

careful, as the springs holding the shoes

against the pin and cam are fairly strong. Set

the shoes aside and wipe the panel clean of any

crud. Protect your hands from the shoe material

and the shoes from grease by gripping the two

parts with a clean rag as you rotate them free of

the retaining pin and cam.

i

Before replacing the brake panel, rotate the

cam lever to make sure that everything works.

Check that the wear indicator is pointing at the

beginning of its range (or where it was pointing

prior to disassembly if you just cleaned and

lubed the unit). If not, remove the cam lever

and adjust the indicator. When you’re ready to

put the wheel back in the swingarm, begin by

cleaning and greasing the axle. Carefully slide

the wheel into the swingarm and lift it up into

the forward position you used to remove the

chain. Take the chain from the swingarm and

put it back on the sprocket. Pull the wheel

backward until the hole in the hub lines up

with the hole in the swingarm. Slide the axle

into the hub far enough to support the wheel,

le hub. Lift the wheel until the hole lines up with the swingami. Tap

Once everything is clean, lube the camshaft

and the mounting hole in the brake panel

with high-temperature grease. Slide the

shaft into the panel and rotate it until the

flats on the cam are pointing toward the

center of the panel. Place the indicator on

the shaft with its pointer at the right end of

the useable range marker on the panel. Line

up the Sharpie marks on the shaft and the

lever and remount the lever. Tighten the bolt

to spec. Apply high-temperature grease to

the contact surfaces of the anchor pin and

the cam. Add a little bit of grease to the

brake shoes’ spring-mounting holes.

Move to the opposite side of the bike, where you can see through the swingarm

the axle through using your hand or a dead-blow hammer.


DR

UM

B

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ESnug down the axle nut, but not so tight that

the chain adjusters can't move it. Make sure

the wheel is all the way forward against the

adjusters by giving the rear of the tire a couple

of whacks with your dead-blow hammer.

Reset the chain adjusters the three turns you

loosened them. If you haven't adjusted your

chain in awhile, now is a good time.

Verify that the marks on the chain adjusters

match up on both sides. Coat the clevis with a

light application of grease, slip it into the cam

lever, and slide the brake rod into place. Set

the adjuster into roughly the same position on

the rod that it was in prior to disassembly.

Loosely (finger tight) attach the torque arm to

the brake drum assembly. Before torquing

down the axle nut, spin the rear wheel and lock

the rear brake by pressing quickly on the

pedal. With the brake still applied, tighten

down the bolt securing the torque arm.

Now, torque the axle to factory spec. Make sure

that the chain adjusters are snugged up and

their locknuts are tight. Verify that everything is

in place and the wheel turns freely. Adjust the

brake pedal free play to factory settings.


Р в 'ofect 46

Installing Stainless- Steel Brake Lines

F itting a se t o f bra ided, sta in less-steel brake lines can

ha ve a d ra m a tic e f fe c t on y o u r b ik e ’s s to p p in g

power. The initia l on set o f braking w ill be m uch quicker,

s ince s ta in less lines d o n ’t expand a t all. And s ince the

line s are she a the d in m e ta l (usu a lly w ith a p ro te c tiv e

p la s tic o u te r c o a tin g ), you d o n ’t have to w o rry a b o u t

s ta in less line s c ra ck in g fro m ag e and exp osu re to the

sun. Also , th e Teflon in te rio r is less prone to becom ing

brittle than rubber. So, a tr ip to the afte rm arket w ill give

you be tte r braking and longer-lasting lines, to boot. Oh,

yeah—th ey loo k coo l.

Order a k it fo r you r bike, specify ing a custom length if

you’ve changed you r bars o r sw ingarm. C heck them again

fo r length before you s ta rt insta lling them . The sim p lest

way to do th is is by z ip -ty ing them to th e existing lines.

A lthough th is ta kes a cou p le o f ex tra m inutes, you can

te ll r ig h t aw ay if th e lines w ill have th e proper am ount o f

s lack in them . H aving you r brake lines go ta u t before the

fo rk is fu lly extended w ou ld be a very bad th ing.

Even in th e b e s t-case scenario , chang ing hyd rau lic

lines is m essy. S ince brake flu id can dam age pa in t and

o th e r s h in y s tu ff on y o u r b ike , you s h o u ld rem ove o r

1 - 2 ho urs

W re n ch e s , so ck e ts , fro n t and rea r sta n d s (optional), ra g s, to rq u e w re n c h (Ib - in), Te flo n tap e, brake b leedin g tool (optional), c le a r h o se, g la s s ja r fo r bra ke fluid

C OST: $ -$ $

PA R TS : B ra ke lines, b ra k e fluid

T IP : If y o u ’v e m odified y o u rbike b y ra is in g o r lo w e rin g th e b a rs o r e xten d in g th e s w in g a r m , o rd e r a c u s to m -le n g th kit

B E N EF IT: A f i r m e r s q u e e z e a t the le v e r and b e tte r fe e d b a c k

Quickly attaching the new line to the stacker will tell you if it is the right

length. This will also help you to prepare for any idiosyncrasies of your

bike’s brake line routing.

INS

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INS

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SSucking the fluid out of the reservoir will

speed up the task of draining the system.

Place the cap back on the system— but don’t

screw it down—to keep dust out of it while

you’re changing the lines.

cover any vulnerable painted surfaces. Unscrew or unclasp

all o f the fasteners holding the hydraulic line in place. Using

a ratchet, remove the banjo bo lt from the caliper. To keep

flu id leakage to a m in imum, w rap the banjo w ith a rag and

secure it w ith a z ip-tie o r p iece o f tape. Remove the master

cy linder banjo and feed the line ou t o f the chassis. Now,

feed the new line into place, fo llow ing th e exact sam e route

as the s to ck line. Usually, afterm arket fron t brake k its will

use tw o lines from the m aster cylinder instead o f a T-junc

tion fu rther dow n the line. Be sure you run the correct line

to each caliper. (One is usu a lly lo n g e r th a n th e other.)

O nce yo u ’ve to rq u e d th e ba n jo bo lts do w n , m ake sure

yo u a tta c h th e line s to th e c h a ss is a t a ll th e o rig in a l

po in ts . S o m e tim es y o u ’ ll need to use z ip - tie s to hold

th e th in ne r, s ta in le ss lin e s to th e OE c lip s . A lth o u g h

m o s t s ta in le s s line s a re s o ld in p ro te c t iv e s h e a th s ,

b a re , b ra id e d s ta in le s s -s te e l lin e s ca n c u t th ro u g h

m eta l like a hacksaw . If you r lines are uncoa ted, m ake

sure you w ra p th e lines w ith ta p e o r sp ira l w ra p sp e c if

ica lly de s ign ed fo r th e pu rpo se a t a ll po te n tia l po in ts o f

c o n ta c t w ith th e cha ss is . Then fo llo w th e procedures

ou tline d in th e ph o to cap tion s.

Using a vacuum bleeder is much more effec

tive at draining the brake system than trying to

pump it dry with the master cylinder. Begin by

sucking the extra fluid out of the reservoir.

Then attach the hose to a caliper’s bleeder

valve. Give the bleeder a couple of pumps to

build up the suction, and crack the valve until

fluid starts to be drawn into the catch tank.

Keep pumping until the system is dry. Do this

for both front calipers.

170


Notice the gentle curve of the stainless line as it leaves the caliper. If things

don’t line up right, you may have the banjos at the wrong mounting point

Hydraulic line manufacturers spend a lot of time making sure that the fit

tings have the same bend as the OE lines they replace—if something

doesn't look right, it probably isn’t.

The OE system only used a single line at the master cylinder, so the

second aftermarket line needs to be held in place while the banjo is

torqued. Always replace the crush washers when the banjo bolts have

been removed. The soft copper (for steel banjos) or aluminum (for alu

minum banjos) is designed to conform to any irregularities on the fitting

or mounting surface. A washer should be used on both sides of the banjo.

If two banjos are being bolted together (as on the front brake master

cylinder), be sure to use a crush washer between the two banjos, as well.

Screw the banjo bolts in finger tight and check your hose routing for

bends or kinks before you torque things down.

171

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H ow it W orksOxygen Sensor A fterm arket Exhausts

Chapter 11

Exhaust

OLD SCHOOL TECH

TOMORROW’S TECH

KEY CONCEPT

MAINTENANCE TIP

MONEY-SAVING TIP

P ro je c tsP ro je c t 4 7 : In s ta llin g a S lip -O n

Exhaust System P ro je c t 4 8 : In s ta llin g a Full

Exhaust System

Mo to rc y c lis ts o fte n ch o o se to m o d ify o r rep la ce

th e ir b ike ’s exhaust p ipes to im prove perform ance

and g ive th e bike a th ro a tie r sound. R iders typ ica lly seem

to be lieve th ey have an inherent, in tu itive know ledge o f

ho w exhausts w ork , even if th ey d o n ’t rea lly kno w any

m ore a b ou t them th en a sea cucu m be r know s ab ou t a

Russian O scar-class nuclear subm arine. If m oto rcyc lis ts

rea lly d id know th a t m uch abou t exhaust system s, they

m ig ht be a little m ore c ircum spect before bo lting on the

firs t shiny p ipe th a t caugh t th e ir eye.

A w ell-designed exhaust p ipe is a fa irly sophistica ted

p ie ce o f equ ipm ent, as evidenced b y ho w w e ll a s to ck

exhaust copes w ith th e m any pressure pu lses th a t travel

up and dow n its length . On a m u lti-cy lin de r engine, fo r

exam ple, as an exhaust valve opens, a positive pulse o f

exhaust gas sta rts stream ing dow n th e exhaust p ipe. As

th a t pu lse h its a s ig n ifica n t change in c ro ss -se c tio n in

the p ipe, such as th e collector, pa rt o f th e pu lse's energy

bounces back to w a rd the engine, bu t as negative pres

sure th is tim e. If everything has been designed properly,

th a t re tu rn ing pu lse arrives b a ck a t th e exh au s t valve

du ring overlap, w hen bo th th e in take and exhaust valves

are s ligh tly open and th e p is ton is near to p dead center.

T he pu lse’s negative pressure evacuates th e rem ainder

o f th e bu rn t gases from the com bustion cham ber. It also

sneaks pa s t th e in take valve and sta rts suck ing a ir in to

th e com b us tio n cham ber even be fo re th e in take stroke

has begun.

A w ell-designed exhaust p ipe d irects these exhausts

pulses and precise ly evacuates th e com bustion cham ber

o f th e incom ing air/fuel charge, resulting in a b igge r bang

fo r a nice bum p in to rque and good acceleration. (That is

a frigh tfu lly oversim p lified exp lanation o f exhaust flow.)

A t som e rpm , however, a returning pos itive pu lse hits

the exhaust valve, pushing the spent gases in the com bus

tion cham ber back ou t to the a ir box, resulting in a dilu ted

air/fuel charge th a t gets sucked back in to the engine. Such

behavior causes to rque to d ip , w hich th e rider feels as a

f la t s p o t in th ro ttle response an d w ea k acce lera tio n . A

stock exhaust is designed to take advantage o f the form er

ha pp y s ta te o f affa irs ove r as broad an rpm range as is

possible, w hile isolating the latter, less desirable situation

over as narrow an rpm range as possible.

_ T W h a t’s th is m ea n to y o u ? Y o ur s to c k

exhaust p ro ba b ly gives you c lose to ideal

pe rfo rm ance. T hey are ca re fu lly de s igned p ieces

o f e q u ip m e n t th a t have been rig o ro u s ly b u ilt fo r

th a t m ach ine. The days w hen bo lting on an open

p ip e w a s g u a ra n te e d to g ive yo u m o re h o rs e

po w er are long gone.

OXYGEN SENSORIncreasingly restrictive em issions laws around the w orld

(such as th e Euro III regs) have caused m odern m otorcy

c les to sp ro u t m ore and m ore so p h is tica te d e le c tron ic

1http://moto.amoti.ru/

devices to ensure th ey run as green—and lean—as pos

s ib le . O ne p a rtic u la r c o m p o n e n t lives in th e e xh au s t

sys te m : an oxyg en sensor, p lu m b ed in to th e c o lle c to r

jus t dow nstream o f th e head p ipes, and ju s t upstream of

the ca ta ly tic converter. This little e lectron ic g izm o com

pares the percentage o f oxygen in th e exhaust w ith the

percentage o f oxygen in th e atm osphere, th en generates

a low -vo lta g e s igna l rep resen ting th a t ra tio , and feeds

th e signal to th e e lectron ic con tro l un it (ECU), o r engine

m anagem ent com p u te r hundreds o f tim es per second.

T he s igna l from th e oxyg en sen so r a llo w s th e ECU to

tr im fu e l d e liv e ry fo r o p tim u m p e rfo rm a n ce an d e ffi

c ien cy and m inim um em issions.

M uffle rs

M o to rcyc le s th e se da ys te n d to have ex tre m e ly qu ie t

exhaust notes. T ha t’s because all m oto rcyc le s so ld fo r

s tree t use have to m ee t e ve r-tig h te r no ise res tric tions.

W ith p o w e r g o in g up e ve ry ye a r a lm o s t a c ro ss th e

board , ho w do m anufacturers do it?

T he sam e w a y W a l-M a rt m ake s a p ro f i t—th ro u g h

volum e. S tock m oto rcyc le exhaust m ufflers, o r silencers,

need am p le room in o rd e r to ba ffle com b us tio n racke t

and to le t th e engine breathe freely.

Г S till, th e re w ill alw ays be unreconstructed ,

o ld s c h o o l m o to rc y c lis ts w h o in s is t

en g in es run an d so u n d b e s t w ith le ss -re s tr ic tive

exhaust system s. And it ’s tru e th a t M otoG P b ikes

run s u c h e x h a u s ts . H ow e ver, if yo u lo o k a t a

M otoG P b ike ’s p ip e , you can eas ily see th a t vast

am o u n ts o f e f fo r t w e n t in to its de s ig n and c o n

s tru c t io n . The lik e lih o o d o f th a t b e ing th e case

w ith ty p ic a l a fte rm a rk e t b lo o e y p ip e s is a ro un d

s lim and none . R ide rs w h o fa v o r such exh au s ts

are ju s t fo o ling them se lves, if th e y ’re no t ju s t ou t

r ig h t fo o ls to begin w ith . The ir engines o ften m ake

le ss p o w e r so e q u ip p e d , an d th e ir in fe rn a l

exhaust racke t m akes all o f us loo k bad.


AFTERMARKET EXHAUSTSAs m entioned a t the beginning o f th is chapter, afterm arket

exhausts have been th e nu m be r one cho ice fo r m o to r

cycle m odifica tions. And their appeal is easy to ascertain.

T he y ’re no t p ro h ib itive ly expensive, and an a fte rm arket

p ipe te nd s to announce its presence, b o th v isua lly and

sonically. C onsequently, your rid ing budd ies can qu ickly

see the difference, and the rest o f the w orld can hear it.

R iders have tw o cho ices w ith afte rm arke t pipes: s lip -

on m uffle rs, o r silencers, and fu ll system s w ith s ilencer

and head p ipes. S lip -o ns are th e lea st expensive route,

and, a t one tim e, w ere th e easiest w ay to ge t a substan

tia l w e igh t savings ove r s tock. OE s ilencers used to be

real porkers, largely because they w ere m ade suffic iently

s tu rd y to la s t fo r m o s t o f th e b ik e ’s life . T he se da ys,

though, m anufacturers have s ta rted m aking them o u t o f

tita n iu m , and a fte rm a rke t s ilen ce rs no lon ge r p a y th e

w e ight-sav ings d iv idend th ey once did .

To g e t th e fu ll b e n e fits o f an a fte rm a rk e t e xh au s t

com p an y’s engineering, buyers are encou raged to pop

fo r the firm ’s fu ll exhaust system . The th in g is, w ith few

exceptions, OE m anufacturers actua lly do a rem arkable

jo b o f c re a tin g b ro a d , e a s y - to -u s e p o w e rb a n d s w ith

s to ck exhaust system s. In fac t, w ha t a lo t o f accessory

exhausts do is s im p ly rearrange th e engine’s pow erband.

They m ight m ake eye-open ing peak pow er num bers, but

a t th e expense o f robbing pow er from the m idrange and

low end. A dm itted ly , back in th e day, w hen m oto rcyc le

e xh a u s t de s ig n w as less w e ll kn o w n , an a fte rm a rke t

co m p a n y co u ld ind ee d b u ild b e tte r sys te m s th a n th e

m anufacturers. B u t th a t’s fa r less tru e today. Yes, there

are som e in s ta n ce s w h e re a fte rm a rk e t e xh a u s ts can

m ake a genu ine , la rge -sca le im p rove m e n t ove r s to ck ,

bu t th ey ’re becom ing increasing ly rare.

Plus, ju s t as it w as ba ck in th e day, such

im p ro v e m e n ts a re a ll b u t im p o s s ib le

w ith o u t re c a lib ra tin g th e b ik e 's fu e lin g . T he n it

invo lved re je tting th e carb u re to rs , bu t th ese days

th e pre ferred m e th od is to have a D yno je t Tuning

C en te r f i t one o f th e f irm ’s P ow er C om m an de rs

and w h ip up a cus tom m ap fo r th e fu e l in je c tion .

W hat m any rid e rs d o n ’t seem to realize, though ,

is th a t a P ow er C om m an de r w ith a cu s to m m ap

on an o the rw ise s to ck b ike can m ake huge d iffe r

e n ce s in rid e a b ility . E m iss ion s re g u la tio n s have

fo rc e d m an u fa c tu re rs to m ake ce rta in c o m p ro

m ises in th e fu e l in je c tion m ap p ing th a t can sho w

u p as a b ru p t o f f- id le re sp o n se an d d ip s in th e

to rq ue curve . A w e ll-m a p p e d P ow er C om m ander

ca n en su re th e o w n e r g e ts a ll th e h o rs e p o w e r

and pe rfo rm an ce he pa id fo r, an d th a t th e b ike ’s

de s ign e rs in te nd ed . A n d th a t ’s m oney fa r b e tte r

sp e n t th a n on som e on e ’s im a g in a tive c o lle c tio n

o f tu b in g m e a n t to s e rv e a s an a f te rm a rk e t

exh au st system .


Project 47

Installing a Slip-On Exhaust

TIM E : 1 ho ur

TO O L S : W re n ch e s , so ck e ts , torqu ew re n c h , re a r stan d, ru b b er m allet o r d e a d - b lo w ha m m er, sp rin g puller, W D -4 0 , s o ft cloth o r w o rk m at

T A L E N T : 1

C O S T: $ $ $ -$ $ $ $

PA R TS : A ft e rm a rk e t s lip -o ne xh a u s t

T IP : S tu c k o r o r n e r y c o m p o nen ts can be loosened w ith penetrating oil and careful application s of heat

B E N EF IT: P o w e r in c re a se in portio ns o f rpm ra n g e — p o s sib ly

Slip -o n exh au st sys te m s de live r th e racy loo k o f an

a fte rm arke t system and (possib ly) som e o f th e pe r

fo rm an ce b e ne fits a t a s ig n ifica n tly low e r p rice th an a

com p le te system . Installation is m uch s im p ler fo r novice

m echan ics, to o . One real be ne fit o f a s lip -on system is

th a t it can reta in au x ilia ry valves th a t im p rove low -en d

pow er in fa c to ry exhausts.

A lthough you cou ld insta ll a s lip -on w ith you r b ike on

its s ide stand , use a rear s tand to s tabilize it. Be fore you

begin w re nch ing , ta ke a loo k a t th e fa s teners securing

the s to ck com ponen ts you w ill be rem oving. W ith som e

bikes, such as th is R1, you d o n ’t even need to rem ove

bodyw ork. W hile som e bikes w ill need a little m ore w ork,

in s ta llin g th is Tw o B ro th e rs R ac in g s ile n c e r req u ire d

rem oving on ly tw o p a rts —th e c lam p secu ring th e co n

n e c to r p ip e to th e header, an d th e b o lt a tta c h in g th e

m u ffle r to th e passenger fo o tp e g bra cke t. A q u ick ta p

w ith a rubbe r m allet, and th e OE can is te r and connecto r

p ip e s lipped free. O nce again, s tu ck com ponen ts can be

benefit from som e W D-40.

M o u n t th e S -b e n d and any ne ce ssa ry c la m p s ,

lea v ing th e c la m p s lo o se in itia lly . If th e m a n u fa c tu re r

requires it, squeeze a bead o f h igh-tem perature sealant

around th e exterior o f the p ipe approx im a te ly a quarte r-

inch be low th e lip. S lide th e can is te r ove r th e p ip e un til it

is fu lly seated on th e S-bend . W ipe aw ay any sea lan t th a t

When you remove the stock pieces, loosen the clamp securing the con

necting pipe first. Then unbolt the muffler and slide it free.

oozes o u t o f th e fo rw ard edge o f th e canister. W rap the

m uffle r c lam p around th e can is te r and s lip it in to position.

You m ay need to rota te ob long m uffle rs on th e S -bend or

rota te th e connecto r p ip e itse lf to ge t th e c lam p ’s holes

to line up w ith th e fo o tp e g bra cke t. T igh ten th e m uffle r

c la m p b o lt fin g e r tig h t and ch e ck all exh au st pa rts fo r

p ro p e r a lig n m e n t. W hen y o u ’ re s a t is f ie d th a t e ve ry

th in g is c o r re c t, in s ta ll a n y s p r in g s an d tig h te n th e

c lam ps and bo lts .

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TThis R1 didn’t require the bodywork to be

removed. There is just enough space inside the

fairing to tighten the pipe clamp.

The high-temp sealant will keep exhaust gases

from leaking forward out of the muffler and

possibly discoloring the pipe.

Some systems require that the muffler clamp

be secured to the outside of the footpeg

bracket. Others need it on the inside. Make

sure you follow the instructions, or the pipe

may interfere with the swingarm travel.


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TIM E : 1 - 2 ho urs

TO O L S : W ren ch es, sockets,universal joint so ck ets or universal joint socket adapter, 3- to 4-inch e xten sion, A llen k e ys o r Allen sockets, torque w re n ch , rubber m allet o r dead-blow ham mer, sprin g puller, flashlight, high-tem perature gre ase, W D-40, soft cloth or w o rk m at

T A L E N T : 2

C O S T: $$$$$$

PA R TS : A ft e rm a rk e t e xh a u s ts y s te m , e xh a u s t m an ifold g a s k e ts

T IP : T ig h te n fa s te n e r s fro mfr o n t to b a c k to e n s u re yo u aren't p in ch in g th e s y s te m c o c k e ye d a g a in st th e c h a ssis

B E N E F IT : In cre a s e d e n g in epe rfo rm a n c e (possibly)

A n exhaust sys te m ’s prim ary, h is to r ic pu rpose is to

d ire c t stinky, to x ic fum es to th e back o f the vehicle

so th e o p e ra to r d o e sn ’t have to b rea the th em . B u t an

exhaust system serves o the r purposes, to o : it qu iets the

inte rna l com bustion engine, it can play a role in the w ay

a v e h ic le lo o ks , and it a lso a ffe c ts pe rfo rm a n ce . The

system th a t cam e on yo u r b ike is yo u r m an u fa c tu re r’s

take on w ha t its typ ica l buyer w ill w an t in te rm s o f sound,

ap pe ara nce , and pe rfo rm an ce . B ike rs sw itch p ip es to

a lte r any o r all o f these criteria.

N ote th a t p ipes are no t pure ly a restric tion on engine

pow er. H ow gases f lo w th ro ug h th e system can a ffec t

p o w er in d iffe ren t ranges. W hile s tra ig h t p ip es m ay be

be s t fo r fu ll-o u t d ra g rac ing , th e y a c tu a lly red uce pe r

fo rm ance fo r all-around rid ing because they provide little

exhaust-gas scaveng ing—th e process by w h ich a nega

tive pressure w ave trave ls backw ard th rough th e system

and he lps d ra w o u t th e exp en de d a ir/fu e l cha rge and

draw in a fresh one.

A fte rm a rke t m a n u fa c tu re rs can te ll you w h a t each

o f its sy s te m s is d e s ig n e d to a c c o m p lis h . R esearch

ca re fu lly—and ide a lly lis ten to and try o u t th e system

y o u ’re c o n s id e rin g — be fo re you p lu nk d o w n yo u r ha rd-

earned greenbacks.

Project 48

Installing a Full Exhaust System

CO

Screw both bolts in finger tight. You want the bolts to pull in evenly on

both sides of the manifold. Before reaching for your ratchet, make sure

the entire system is installed and in proper position.

Begin b y p la c in g y o u r b ike in f irs t ge a r on its s ide

s ta n d . N e x t, re m o ve any b o d y w o rk th a t w ill p re ve n t

access to th e exhaust m an ifolds. U nbo lt the s to ck m uf

fle r from its m ounting bra cke t. If necessary, un b o lt the

m u ff le r fro m th e c o lle c to r o u tle t . You m ay a ls o f in d

c lam ps p in ch in g p ip e con ne c tion s . If you have trou b le

pu llin g p ip e s e c tio n s a p a rt, t ry sp ra y in g som e W D -40


Space can be tight behind the radiator or the rear cylinder. Accessing

the manifold nut can be just about impossible if not for a universal

joint socket.

Don't forget to wipe down the system completely before you fire it up for

the first time. Otherwise, you may get to look at your fingerprints every

time you go for a ride.

in to th e seam s and le tt in g it so a k a b it. T app ing the

offending pa rt in th e direction you w an t it to m ove w ith a

ru b b e r m a lle t ca n a lso he lp . You m ay fin d exp an s ion

cham bers tu cke d aw ay under th e b ike th a t need som e

additional m ounts loosened before they 'll s lide free.

W ork your w ay to the fron t o f the engine. On som e bikes

you m ay need to loosen and tilt the radiator o r oil cooler up

ou t o f the w ay to give you access to the exhaust manifold

nuts (or bolts). You may need a socket w ith a universal join t

to reach the fasteners. Loosen all the m anifold nuts before

rem oving them . This w ill keep th e header from fa lling o ff

w hile you ’re unscrew ing th e rest o f the nuts. Once all the

nuts are removed, w iggle the header loose from the studs.

M ake sure to rem ove all th e exh au st m an ifo ld gaskets.

Sometim es they’re hard to see. Use a flashlight to check.

In s ta llin g th e ne w sys te m is th e reve rse o f th e

rem oval process. S tart a t th e engine and w ork you r w ay

ba ck. D on ’t secure an y fa s ten e r m ore th an fin g e r t ig h t

un til you have th e en tire system insta lled and ad justed

in to its fina l po s ition . O th erw ise , you risk to rq u in g th e

system in a w ay th a t p laces unw anted fo rce s on it. This

cou ld tra n s fe r an noy ing v ib ra tio n s to th e ch a ss is and

lead to prem ature w ear (metal fa tigue) and fa ilu re o f your

expensive new exhaust system .

Before you m ou nt th e headers, secure th e m an ifo ld

gaskets w ith a d o llo p o f grease. O therw ise, yo u 'll need

th ree hands to hold th e gaskets in p lace w hile jockeying

th e header and its asso rted flanges in to pos ition . W hen

you s ta rt th e engine, you probab ly w on ’t even no tice the

grease bu rn ing o ff, s ince ne w exh au st system s sm oke

Working your way front to back, install the

headers into the muffler. You might not believe it,

but it can take some finesse to get everything

lined up.

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Sometimes just changing the exhaust tip or

buying a pipe of a different length will dramati

cally alter the look of a bike. Photo courtesy

Cobra Engineering

So many cruiser owners buy drag-style pipes

that you might forget that there are a multitude

of styles out there. This 2-into-1 megaphone

looks good, and you won’t see it on every other

cruiser you pass. Photo courtesy Cobra

Engineering

Staggered dualies are another popular style of

pipe. Many manufacturers offer a variety of tip

styles other than just the slash cut shown

here. Photo courtesy Cobra Engineering


Aftermarket pipes for some bikes, by virtue of

their multiple cylinders, can be pretty pricey.

Slip-on systems are a less expensive and just

as stylish option. A well made slip-on can

make almost as much power as a full system,

too. Photo courtesy Barons Custom

Accessories

on th e ir f irs t run -in anyw ay. S crew th e nu ts o r b o lts so

th a t th ey are fing er tig h t evenly across the header tubes.

You d o n ’t w a n t th e c la m p s c o c k e y e d o r y o u m ay

deve lop exhaust leaks.

D e p e n d in g on y o u r e xh a u s t s ys te m , y o u ’ ll e ith e r

ins ta ll th e m u ffle rs ind iv id ua lly o r in pa irs. If you m ount

b o th m u ff le rs to a b ra c k e t b e fo re s lid in g th e m in to

p o s it io n , ke e p th e b o lts lo o s e so y o u ha ve s o m e

w ig g le roo m to a tta ch th e can is te rs to th e headers. A

s p r itz o f W D -4 0 on th e p o rtio n o f th e p ip e th a t s lip s

in s id e o f th e o th e r w ill m ake th e p a rts s lid e eas ier.

Again , th is w ill bu rn o ff w ith o u t you n o tic in g . O nce you

have th e can is te r(s) a tta ch e d to th e header, you m ay

ne ed to d o so m e jig g lin g o r ro ta tin g o f th e c o m p o

ne n ts to g e t a ll th e m ou n ts to line up co rrec tly . T igh ten

a ll n u ts and b o lts fin g e r t ig h t and c h e ck th e a lig nm en t

o f th e s y s te m . You d o n ’t w a n t th e e n tire e x h a u s t

s ys te m to ha ve an un n e ce ssa ry lo a d on it o n ce you

tig h te n th e b o lts . In s ta ll a n y re ta in in g s p r in g s .

B e g inn ing w ith th e m an ifo ld nu ts o r b o lts and m oving

rea rw ard , to rq u e th e sys te m s fa s ten e rs to spe c . Insta ll

th e h e a d e r h e a t sh ie ld s w ith th e ir c la m p s ro ta te d in

such a w ay th a t th e y w ill be o u t o f s ig h t b u t s till w ith in

reach o f a scre w d rive r o r socke t.

Just because pipes usually come in just

chrome or stainless steel doesn’t mean your

custom vision can’t incorporate other heat-

tolerant finishes. Photo courtesy Barons

Custom Accessories


Chapter 12 H ow i t W orksB ike W ash 101

Keeping ItPolish and W ax Polish ing Your B ike Beginners ' D etailing T ips

CleanP ro je c ts

P ro je c t 49 : H ow to Touch Up Paint Scratches and Chips

P ro je c t 5 0 : How to Clean Your Bike

, WARNING! KEY CONCEPT

OLD SCHOOL TECH MAINTENANCE TIP

TOMORROW'S TECH M0NEY- SAVING T|p

H avin g a c lean, sh in y m o to rcyc le in you r d rivew a y

is n ’t ju s t a pe rson a l fe e l-g o o d and a fu n w a y to

keep o the r riders envious. It ’s the best w ay to preserve

the appearance and value o f yo u r bike. A sk any m o to r

c y c le de a le r, ne w o r u se d , and th e y ’ ll te ll y o u in itia l

appearance and im pression are th e num ber on e assets

w hen selling a m oto r veh ic le. Even if you plan on keeping

your b ike forever, keep it clean, to p and bo ttom , and not

on ly w ill it look better, it ’ ll last longer to o .

BIKE WASH 101Plan on w a sh in g y o u r m o to rc y c le a t le a s t o n c e per

m onth o r s o —m ore often if you drive on d irt/sa lty /sandy

roads, in w inter, near the ocean, o r any o the r highly co r

rosive environm ent.

C o n n e c t y o u r ho se to th e h o t w a te r o u tle t in th e

m ud /laund ry room if possib le . M ake sure you ’re using a

m otorcycle - o r au tom otive-specific w ash product, and not

laundry or dish detergent. These household products are

to o strong fo r th e pa in t on your bike. If th ey can rem ove

las t n ig h t’s baked -on lasagna fro m th e d ishes and th a t

na sty grease s ta in from yo u r w ork sh irt, recogn ize th a t

they w ill s trip the oils and life righ t o u t o f the paint.

A good bucket, wash m itt o r big sponge, and th e spray

nozzle fo r your hose are all you need fo r the job . Oh, yeah,

and an arm load o f clean, d ry tow e ls. Thoroughly presoak

the entire bike from to p to bo ttom , then it’s tim e to wash.

S im ple enough, jus t m ake sure th e painted surfaces are

th o ro u g h ly w e t, use lo ts o f yo u r b ike w ash , and rinse

you r sponge/g love frequently to rem ove any solid debris.

W ash in s e c tio n s from th e to p do w n , rinse frequently ,

an d keep fin ish ed sec tio ns w e t un til y o u ’ve com p le te d

the en tire job .

O nce clean, pu t those nice dry, flu ffy to w e ls to work.

Dry thorough ly, including all the trim and brigh t w ork.

POLISH AND WAXA fte r th e w ash, you m ig h t w an t to po lish and w ax you r

b ike . A ll it ta kes is a sha dy s p o t an d an ho u r o r so o f

yo u r tim e.

IJ F irst, le t’s d iffe ren tia te be tw een po lish and

о w a x . P o lish is a c le a n e r d e s ig n e d to

re m o ve s tu b b o rn d ir t an d lig h t o x id a tio n .

(O x ida tion happens w hen th e a ir d u lls th e paint.)

W ax is a p ro tec tive coa ting ap p lied to th e pa in t to

repel d ir t, g rim e, and u ltra v io le t lig h t and to p re

ven t ox ida tion .

So, if you r b ike is new, o r a t least newer, and the pa int

is s till in shiny, like-new condition, ju s t use w ax. M odern

au to m o tive w axe s , w h e th e r liq u id o r pa ste , are m uch

easier to ap p ly than th ey w ere in th e past. No longer do

you have to rub it on, w a it until it dries to a w hite powder,

and then virtua lly scrub it o ff w ith a tow e l. Now, ju s t w ipe

th e w a x on , w a it 30 to 60 se co n d s , an d b u ff i t o ff.http://moto.amoti.ru/

A pplying th e w ax w ith an e lectrica lly pow ered orb ita l po l

isher no t on ly m akes th e jo b m uch easier, bu t you ’ll also

be th e envy o f your entire neighborhood. Expect to have

to re trieve th e p o lishe r fro m a ne igh bo r every tim e you

w an t to use it.

Again, you don ’t have to w a it until m odern w ax is fu lly

d ry be fo re b u ffin g it o ff. T h e key is a p e rfe c t ly c lea n

surface and a m odern w ax o r sea lan t. Sealants te nd to

in c o rp o ra te p o lym e rs fo r a d de d p ro te c tio n an d th a t

wonderful w e t look.

POLISHING YOUR BIKEB u t w ha t if you r m o to rcyc le ’s pa in t isn ’t qu ite new any

m ore? That’s where po lish com es into play. Polishes are

cleaners th a t can help restore th a t new look by removing

ligh t ox id a tio n th a t te nd s to du ll th e pa in t. Polishes can

also rem ove buildup or film o f road debris, dead bugs, tar,

and o the r junk th a t s ticks to th e pa int on our m otorcycles.

For th e enthusiast, it ’s a 1 -2 -3 process: wash, polish,

wax. For th ose w ith som ew hat less en thusiasm , shorten

th e ta s k to a s im p le 1-2 : w ash , p o lis h /w a x . P rod uc ts

lis ted as a c leane r/w ax are m ade fo r prec ise ly th is pu r

pose, as th ey con ta in bo th a polish to clean th e surface

and a w ax to p ro tec t it. They do an exce llen t jo b in bo th

departm ents, so you do n ’t have to feel gu ilty abou t sk ip

ping th e po lish step.

BEGINNERS' DETAILING TIPS• A ll you r w ash ing and deta iling w ork should be per

fo rm ed in th e shade, ou t o f d irec t sunlight. It should

a lso be a re la tive ly ca lm , s till day. You do n ’t w an t

w ind to w hip up g rit and dust on to th e gas tank sur

face you’re w axing, do you? W hat’s more, surfaces

on the bike should be coo l before you apply cleaning

solutions, waxes, o r polishes.

• H igh-qua lity m icro fiber tow e ls can be vastly superior

to co tton ones. M icro fiber tow e ls can rem ove w ater

spo ts and sm udges w ith no assistance from cleaners

whatsoever. W hat’s more, m icro fiber tow e ls can dry

o r bu ff ou t w e t spo ts be tte r than co tton o r cham ois.

M icro fiber g loves can g e t in to tigh t spots and around

corners easier than anyth ing else.

• For fine scratches, oxidation, and m in or surface rust

on ch ro m e , use a m ild ly a b ras ive p o lish th a t w ill

rem ove th e s lig h te s t a m o u n t o f m eta l w ith o u t

breaking th rough the th in chrom e plating. The best o f

th e bunch are th e o ld favorites: S im ichrom e, W enol

(blue tube), and Flitz. Jus t go slow ly and don ’t s ta rt off

using m axim um pressure. All three are also excellent

fo r scratches in aluminum.

• W heels, fo rk s lide rs , an d engine cases and covers

m ig h t lo o k like bare m eta l, bu t q u ite o ften th e y ’ re

c o a te d w ith c le a r p la s tic . U s in g to o h a rsh ahttp://moto.amoti.ru/

c le a n e r w ill b e g in to s tr ip th e p la s tic , lea v ing a

leprous-looking finish. Instead, use cleaners/polishes

appropriate fo r plastic or a painted surface.

You say y o u ’ re s ta rt in g to like th e re su lts o f th is

wash/w ax/detailing gig, bu t no t th e am ount o f tim e it

takes? C ut som e corners then, s ta rting w ith s im p ly

ge tting the bike dry a fter you wash it. Rather than use

w h e e lb a rro w -lo a d s o f th e u b iq u ito u s c lea n , d ry

towels, o r even the superduper m icro fiber ones, get

a vacuum b lo w er such as th e ones ava ilab le from

M etro. Yes, you c o u ld use a hair dryer, bu t it doesn’t

seem as if it wou ld save you m uch tim e.

Tire m akers ge t all flinchy when you ask them about

c leaners and dressings. “ No!” they howl. “ Soap and

w ater on ly!” And th a t’s ju s t w hat their lawyers like to

hear. But no t everyone likes the d ingy yellow-brown

c o lo r tires can ta ke on. And if yo u ’re one o f th ose

pe o p le , c o n s id e r t ire c le a n e rs fro m 3M and

M others. Both m anufacturers say th e ir p ro du cts are

q u ite sa fe fo r you r tire s —and p ro ba b ly fo r th e tire

m a ke rs ’ law ye rs as w e ll. For d re ss in g , V iny l and

R ub be r D ress ing fro m G rio t’s G arage has no s ili

cone o ils o r pe troleum d istilla tes to harm your tires,

o r leave a greasy finish.


2 - 4 h o u rs

ICl

How to Touch Up Paint Scratches and Chips

R o ta ry tool and bits; 80-, 1 20-, and 2 2 0 -g rit s a n d pa p e r; 4 0 0 -g rit w et/ d ry sa n d p a p e r; f lexib le sa n d in g b lo c k s and/or C ra fts m a n 3D San der; s c is s o rs ; plastic sp re a d e rs , Po psicle sticks, d isp o sa b le p a in tbrush es; d isp o sa b le co n ta in e rs fo r m ixin g res in s; res p ira to r; la te x g lo ve s

Fib e rgla ss c loth, f ib e r g la s s res in , P la s-Te c h re p a ir kit

T h e k e y to a se a m le s s re p a ir is th e fina l sa nding

No b u s te d -u p s e a m s g u m m in g up a e ro d yn a m ic s

T he s w o o p y ae rod yna m ic bo d yw o rk on sp o rtb ike s

com es a t a cost. As anyone w ho has had to stand by

and w atch his o r her bike tip over can attest, ABS plastic

is no t very tough. O ther easy w ays to w reck ABS are over-

tightening fasteners o r bending o r pulling ABS pins ou t o f

rub be r g ro m m ets to o qu ick ly . S im ila rly, th e ligh tw e igh t

f ibe rg lass rep la cem e n t fa ir in g s race rs use o fte n su ffe r

from pavem ent abuse. Ruining you r expensive bodyw ork

is rid icu lously easy.

If y o u ’re lucky, c racke d o r sha tte red p la s tic can be

easily repaired w ith m in im al visual rem inders. In th e case

o f s lid ing crashes, you ’ re go ing to have to perform som e

re c o n s tru c tiv e su rg e ry to re ca p tu re th e fa ir in g ’s sexy

cu rve s . To ad d in su lt to a lrea dy-e xpe ns ive in ju ry, th is

typ e o f dam age w ill a lso requ ire pa in ting . W ith p la stic -

repair k its o r fibe rglass and body filler, the bo dyw o rk can

look new ag a in—at least from th e ou tside .

Sand both sides of the edge of the damage with 80-grit sandpaper. Make

sure that there are no high points on the break. Do not make the gap

wider with your sanding, though. HOW

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SFor this project, we’ll be using a Plas-Tech

repair kit. Before you attempt to repair

cracks, wash and dry the bodywork to

remove dirt and oils that could disrupt the

bonding process. Then, using a small paint

brush, apply the Plastic Weld Accelerator to

both sides of the crack. Let this dry for 15-20

seconds. Next, apply a healthy bead of the

Plastic Weld Adhesive Gel to one side of the

crack. Press the parts together firmly. Make

sure they line up, because the adhesive

bonds almost immediately.

After the gel solidifies, carefully sand away any

excess on the outside of the bodywork with

220-grit sandpaper. Sand down any excess

adhesive on the inside with 80-grit sandpaper.

Scuff up both sides of the bodywork to prepare

for the compound.

Press the reinforced tape into the repair

compound on the back of the bodywork. Add

an additional layer of compound over the tape.


Less straightforward breaks in ABS require a

little more work. Using 80-grit sandpaper,

rough up the back of the broken bodywork. On

the seams, sand both sides of the break at an

angle so that you expose approximately 1/16

inch of fresh plastic. Sand to a minimum of 1

inch around the opening. Make sure that the

edges are lower than the surrounding material

so that the filler will have someplace to grip. In

other words, you want both sides of the frac

ture to touch, with the sanded angles creating

a V as they taper up to the surface of the panel.

You're going to fill in the V you created on the

crack. Without something tying both sides of

the crack together, the bodywork would easily

break at the same location. A coarse fabric tape

combined with body filler will help to bind the

two pieces together. Wash and dry the body

work and glue the break together as described

previously. Sand down any excess adhesive

with 80-grit sandpaper until it is flush with the

surface. Clean off the dust. Measure and cut

the fiber tape to a length that allows approxi

mately an inch overlap on all of the cracks.

Damage with big holes to fill should be treated

the same as with the fiberglass repairs

described beiow. You’ll bind the pieces together

and then add a filler coat to fix the hole.

Mix equal parts of the two plastic repair

compounds. When the color is uniform,

spread it over both sides of the repair. A flex

ible, plastic spreader w ill make the job much

easier. Smooth the fiberglass fabric until it is

wrinkle-free. Make sure no air bubbles are

visible between the bodywork and fabric and

that the filler extends beyond the break on

both sides of the bodywork. Press the fabric

tape into the repair compound on the inside

of the panel, and then let everything dry.

Apply a second coat of plastic repair com

pound over the fiber tape. Make sure the

compound extends at least 1 inch beyond the

tape for additional strength.

HOW

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HOW

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Drill a couple of small holes in the fabric for

repairs of more than a couple of square inches.

Note how the fabric pattern can still be seen,

meaning it wasn’t overly saturated with resin.

After one to two hours of drying time, the

repair will be fully hardened. Begin sanding

with 120-grit sandpaper. If you find any voids

that still need to be filled after the compound

has been sanded down, mix up another batch

of the filler and spread it thinly over the inden

tation to fill it. Let it dry, and begin sanding

again. Although flexible sanding blocks can

give you a mirror-smooth surface, the

Craftsman 3D Sander is worth its weight in

gold when repairing or painting bodywork.

Once you've painted the body panel, you

shouldn't be able to tell that the plastic was

ever damaged.


Project 50

How to Clean Your Bike

T O O L S : B uck et, ra g s, to w e ls ,b ru s h es , cle a n e rs, w a x e s

T A L E N T : 1

C O S T: $

PA RTS

TIP :

P la stic b a g s an d ru b b er b an d s to k e e p w a te r ou t

R a th e r th a n th in k f ro n t to b ack, th in k to p to bottom

B E N EF IT: In crea s ed co m p lim e n ts p e r m ile

Y ou can ’t keep yo u r b ike new forever. B u t you can

keep it clean, and a suitable am oun t o f a tten tion to

basic cosm etic upkeep can m ake you r s led look as good

as new, even decades dow n th e road.

The p lace to s ta rt is w ith a standard hand wash. Avoid

coin -ope rated cleaning, because th e caustic chem ica ls in

th e detergent aren’t good fo r m ost surfaces, and there ’s a

real problem if the s tu ff sneaks in to brakes, wheel bear

ings, ca rb s, an d e le c tr ics . D on’t go there! S t ic k w ith a

b ucket fu ll o f proper car/m otorcycle wash, som e sponges

and rags, and good old e lbow grease.

Speaking o f grease, if you r b ike is especia lly d ir ty o r

g re asy, y o u ’ ll ne ed de g re a se r to g e t rid o f th e heavy

s tu ff. Try to fin d a go od so lve n t th a t w ill no t harm you r

p a in t; d e g re a se rs w ith b le a ch o r re a c tiv e ch e m ica ls

cou ld cause hazing and bubb ling o f th e pa int. Be careful

h o w an d w he re you try th ese be fo re you g lo p th em all

ove r th e s led . C osm oline rem over d isso lves ju s t abou t

everything and w ill no t harm th e pa int. G unk is an em ul

s if ie r th a t tu rn s g re a se in to w a te r-s o lu b le fo a m and

w orks brilliantly, if you can ge t past the sm ell.

If you r b ike has been ro lling around in th e m ud, try a

so ft b ris tle brush o r to o thbrush. Bugs are best rem oved

w ith pla in soap and w ate r and gentle app lica tions o f one

o f th o s e n y lo n s p o n g e s c ru b b e r th in g s yo u u se on

d is h e s —be ca re fu l to use m ild ab ra s ive ve rs io n s ; th e

coa rse ones can scra tch pa in t and p lastic . By th e way,

go od carnauba w ax w ill he lp prevent bugs and s tu ff from

stick ing to you r b ike in th e firs t place.

I f y o u p la n on a p p ly in g a n tic o rro s io n o r d re ss in g

products , do th is before th e fina l wash; it m akes a mess!

A fte r sha m po o ing and sc rub b ing yo u r bike , d ry it w ith

c lea n to w e ls o r a ch a m o is . N e x t, p o lis h th e fra m e .

P ro tect A ll (a good spray-on polish) w orks w ell here. Be

sure to let it haze over, then b u ff it ou t to avo id streaks.

You can use S100 here, as well, o r any spray po lish you

have fa ith in, fo r th a t matter, bu t fram es are a bear to do

w ith paste w ax, so s tic k w ith som ething log ical. It ’s the

m o s t te d io u s ta s k o f th e b u n ch , b u t w he n th e fra m e

loo ks good, it m akes everyth ing else loo k better.

O n e rea son c h ro m e s ta y s p o p u la r in th e H a rle y

w orld is th a t it ’s de ad easy to keep clean. A n y p ro p ri

e ta ry chrom e po lish w ill m ake go od chrom e loo k great

in m in u te s . If y o u r c h ro m e has s ta rte d to p it, (A) you

w a ite d to o lon g to c lean and sea l it, (B) hard rub b ing

w ith a p ie ce o f tin fo il o r th e fin e s t steel w oo l can c lean it

u p surp ris ing ly w ell.

Next, m ove on to th e pa int. For heavy scra tches and

ox idation, use an e lectric bu ffe r and very little pressure;

le t th e to o l do th e w ork . R ou tine w ax in g b y hand w ith

carnauba is th e s ing le best th in g you can d o fo r fac tory

p a in tw o rk . C a rn a u b a is a na tu ra l w a x th a t can be

c leaned o ff and stripp ed back to the pa in t w itho u t d iffi

culty, so if you need to repair a blem ish, you can ge t a t it.

S ilicone-based w axes aren’t so friendly.

F in ish th e jo b w ith a g o o d lea the r (o r vinyl) c leaner

and cond itio ne r on the seat, and prope rly dress th e s ides

o f th e tires— avo id ing getting anyth ing s lic k on th e tread.

HOW

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E


The weekend project of choice for most proud owners is a thor

ough clean and shine. To do that takes as many special tools as

anything mechanical. You need a variety of cleansers and pol

ishes to go with that tube of elbow grease. Using all of them,

you can have the bike sparkling from the chrome to the vinyl

and everywhere in between in no time (OK, six to eight hours;

it's a labor of love isn’t it?). Oh, one word about wax. Fresh vir

ginal paint with no blemishes whatsoever can be waxed with

silicone-based products. It seals the surface so well, however,

that it will trap anything under the wax like a fly in amber.

That’s why official Harley-Davidson wax is carnauba based

without silicones. Carnauba can be buffed back to clean out

those little imperfections, and then a rewax keeps the shine

without keeping the dirt trapped.

INDEX

Acce l, 50 A ir filte r

C hanges, 41 C lean/replace, 43, 44

A lte rna tor and charging system , 71 A n ti-lo ck brake system (ABS), 157 Arm or-A ll, 28

Battery, 33, 70 Charger, 34 M aintenance, 70, 71 S ervicing, 78, 79

Be lt fina l-d rive , 92 Belts

Inspection , 98 Loose, 28 T igh t, 28

Bike w ash ing , 182 BM C, 43 Brake flu id , 22

C hoosing, 156 Brake lines, 23

Stainless-steel, Installing, 170-172

Brake pad, 23, 24 Breaking in, 161 C hanging, 16 1,16 2 C hoosing, 155 W orn, 154

Brakes, 153-158 Afterm arket, 157 B leeding, 163Drum, M aintenance, 165-168 H ydraulic, 153, 154

M echanical drum , 154 Position , 1 5 ,1 6

C able lub rica tion , 19 C ab le stretch, 30 Caliper, Servicing, 15 9 ,16 0 C arburetors, 33, 38

Synchronizing, 5 2 -54 Chain fina l drive, 90, 91

Lube, 20A djustm ent, 2 5 -27 R eplacem ent, 94 -97

Charging system , Testing, 71 C hassis and finish, 35 C hoke cab le, 20 C leaning, 182-184

H o w to , 189, 190 C lutch , A d just free play, 29, 30 C lu tch cab le, 19 C lu tch lines, 23 Cobra fi2000, 59 C om bustion stroke, 46 C om pression stroke, 46 C ontro ls, ad justing, 1 5 ,1 6 C oo lant, 21

C hecking , 87 Level, 22Flushing/re filling, 88

C oo ling system , 8 2 -86 Leaks, 84 M aintenance, 83

C orrosion, 83 C overs, 35

Dam pingA d justing, 1 0 4 ,1 1 1 ,1 1 2 C om pression, 113 R ebound, 113

D isc, Servicing, 15 9 ,16 0 Drive be lt

C hecking and tension ing , 28 R eplacem ent, 96

D rivetrain, 89 -93 Dynatek F.l. C ontroller, 59

E lectrica l system , 7 0 -74 Electronic con tro l m odule, 72 Electronic fuel injection , 39, 46 Engine m anagem ent system , 39,

4 0 ,5 0 Engine, 33, 34, 4 5 -49 Exhaust, 172-174

A fterm arket, 174 Full system , Installing, 178-181 S lip-on, Installing, 175-177

Exhaust stroke, 46 Exhaust valve, ad justing, 66 -69

Floa t bow l, D raining, 34 F loa t height, 57 Fluids, C hecking, 21, 22 F ork springs, C hanging, 120,-121 Frame, 124-127

A lum inum , 126 Pressed steel, 126 Steel tube, 124, 125

F ront fo rk , 100,101 Fuel cho ice , Proper, 41
