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DONE! About to do a bunch of work to the bike; advice welcome!

17K views 199 replies 16 participants last post by  WildDoktor 
#1 · (Edited)
Well, the rear shock is done, so it's time to go thru the forks, right? I need to check what's actually in there and definitely change the oil. (None of the previous owners can tell me what exact mods were made to the forks...all they remember is that it's been "revalved" (but not, say AK-20s or other aftermarket). So I'm waiting on buying fork oil until I see what's in there.) What I found in there were 1.0kg springs and shorter-than-stock spacers. Now there are longer spacers, 10w oil and a 160mm air gap. Will ride this way and tweak as needed.


  • I also have a new set of convertibars and a Yamaha R6 throttle that I'm going to install.
    • Convertibars installed; working on final settings. What a pain. Scratched the heck out of my top clamp without realizing it while rotating the main mounting ring again and again for positioning. After many hours of tweaking (literally over 5 hours, spread out over several days/evenings), flipping the mounting ring upside down and back again, I only have the bars close to where I want them. There's no way to make them exactly match each other's settings, so as I sit on the bike I can tell that one bar has a slightly different orientation than the other. Frustrating. Will continue to tweak.
      • ​I finally got them where I wanted them and put the plastics back on...only to find that the bottoms of the stalks now hit the plastics. So I cut them off at the correct length, and now have full lock-to-lock steering. The throttle cables touch the windscreen a bit at full left lock, but it's not a deal breaker; the shield just flexes maybe 1/8" and all is well.
    • I have throttlemiester bar ends / throttle lock and got a ConvertiBars "kit" to install them, but so far I have no idea how these are supposed to mount. Still investigating.
      • Left side is simple: push in, tighten the bolt, done! The throttle lock takes a lot of messing around until you find the sweet spot, but I've found it and now have a working throttle lock.
    • R6 throttle got replaced with a G2 aluminum quick turn throttle because I wasn't comfortable with the mods needed to use the Yami throttle tube.
      • ​This G2 throttle tube *rocks*!! I LOVE the quick turn throttle. It really brightens up the throttle response, and doesn't make low-speed riding twitchy at all. If you're thinking of doing this...do it! You'll be pleased!
  • And since the convertibars came with clutch and brake lines, and longer throttle cables, guess I'll be doing the brake fluid and bleed and the clutch fluid and bleed (I have 7 speed bleeders on their way...the LL version.).
    • Ugh...do *not* get the LL version!! I had to return them and get the L version. Much better. Both hoses and all fluid changed and bled; used 1.25 bottles of Motul DOT 5.1.
  • While I'm replacing clutch line/fluid, might as well open the clutch slave cyl to check for crud. And clean out the front sprocket cover and check the sprocket.
    • It's gross in there! But now it's clean, and I no longer fear opening it up once in a while and cleaning it out.
  • Of course I might as well check the brake pads, right? (Have 2 sets of EBC HH Sintered's on their way for the front; rears are fine.)
    • Brake pads are fine, so I have a new set for another day.
  • And heck...probably better change the oil and the coolant too. (Unsure yet what oil and coolant to use...I know CB will recommend Motul! :D) Not going to replace hoses unless they're bad...those fancy ones are spendy!!
    • Done! Maxima SynBlend 10w40. 1 gallon...used the whole thing! K&N oil filter as well. O'Rielys 50/50 coolant, good for all motors. Also replaced the OEM air filter with a K&N.
  • And then there's the PB double bubble that should arrive soon.
    • Not only do I have the PB, but I bought a ZG touring, dark smoke. Haven't mounted either of them yet.
      • ​I decided to try the ZG first and I love it! Puts the wind right at my shoulders, not my chest, not up my helmet. One day I'll try the PB as well.
  • And I might as well check the spark plugs.
    • Checked them and they are fine. Cleaned them up a bit and re-installed them.
  • And since the body work will be off, the bike should get a good cleaning as well.
    • Pending...


Yikes...I've got myself a bit of a project. How did that happen?? :rotfl:

Parts and pieces and fluids are either already here or on their way, and I plan on having the bike down for a week or so to get it all completed.

Why do I have a feeling I'm going to be asking a lot of questions soon?? :D I've already done hours and hours of research here...invaluable info is to be had here!! :clap:

Anyway, just thought I'd share, and thank all of you in advance for the knowledge you've already poured out here that has given me the confidence to do this huge project!
 
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#74 ·
Re: About to do a bunch of work to the bike; advice welcome!

Hey guys; I'm back at it for a couple hours...finally!! I can NOT get the bearing off the steering stem (I have no work bench, no vise, no chisel) so I'm going to take it in on Monday to Todd and have him remove it and press the new one on while he's at it.

So I've moved on to replacing my rear turn signals. I'm tying them into my brake lights to make them running/brake/signal lights, and am wondering if anybody can tell me: which wire is "running light" and which is "brake light"? The two in question are G/Y and Bl/Br:
Text Diagram Technical drawing Plan Design


Thanks!
 
#75 ·
Re: About to do a bunch of work to the bike; advice welcome!

Have you got a simple testing light? Alligator clip on a wire and bulb and sharp point on the other?
 
#76 ·
Re: About to do a bunch of work to the bike; advice welcome!

Give me 30 minutes and I will get out there and find out
 
#77 ·
Re: About to do a bunch of work to the bike; advice welcome!

Thanks man! It should be fairly simple, but I've replaced the flasher relay, the 2 front blinkers are unplugged from the bike, all the headlight stuff is unplugged, and the front lever is off the bike awaiting new bars. In this config, when I turn the key on and move the rear brake pedal, the brake lights don't come on. The "tail" lights are on, and the rear blinkers blink, just no brake lite.
 
#78 ·
Re: About to do a bunch of work to the bike; advice welcome!

Thanks for the phone call XXGuy, that helped a lot!

I found out that the brake lights weren't coming on because they were ALREADY on! When the front brake lever is off the bike, the switch stays open...so the brake lights are on constantly. Tape down the little button and the brake lights go out; just the running lights are on (and brake lights work fine when I step on the pedal).

I have the new blinkers installed, but they either sent me the wrong ones or these just don’t work. I connect the “running lights” wire up and nothing happens…no matter what I hook it to. Blinkers and brake lights work, just not running lights. :huh: Ah well, I’ve contacted the seller.

I have the upper and lower races pounded into the steering head and have test fit the taper bearings…smooth! Now just gotta get the bearing off the shaft…hopefully that’ll happen Monday.

First thing this morning I setup my new AC unit in the garage (portable, 10500BTU, vents thru window) and it allowed me to get a few hours of work not done on my bike! But at 106F outside, I had to call it quits; that ac unit was *not* keeping up. :crap:

So: I didn’t finish my steering head bearings, didn’t finish my new rear signals / running lights, and now even with the AC it’s too hot to not finish any more stuff, so I’m done for the day. Time to work on house stuff!
 
#79 ·
#86 ·
Re: About to do a bunch of work to the bike; advice welcome!

BTW, these are the blinkers I got: 4X Motorcycle LED Turn Signal Indicator Blinker Brake Light Red Amber US5 | eBay

I know, I know. :) But, they were 9 bucks plus tax, and they actually look pretty good! Way better than those big ol boys that I removed. Just wish I could get the running lights to work...

Well brother we STILL love you anyway, just don't get a chrome plated chain for the rear grab bar!..............lol or ELSE
 
#81 ·
Re: About to do a bunch of work to the bike; advice welcome!

I'm tapping into the tail light wire, the one that's on all the time...
 
#82 ·
Re: About to do a bunch of work to the bike; advice welcome!

Ok so taking power from the brake light running light circuit ok. Did they send you a wiring diagram for the signals?
 
#83 ·
Re: About to do a bunch of work to the bike; advice welcome!

Ok so taking power from the brake light running light circuit ok. Did they send you a wiring diagram for the signals?
No diagram, but very simple instructions:"Black to negative,Yellow to indicator,White wire to headlight(slightly red light) ,Red to brake light(red light gets more bright)."

Mine came with black, yellow, blue, and red wires. Blinkers work fine; red wire only works when the brakes are on, blue doesn't work no matter what I hook it to, including the + terminal on the battery.

The ebay seller got back to me asking for pictures. Errr...I gave them what I had, we'll see what they do.
 
#84 ·
Re: About to do a bunch of work to the bike; advice welcome!

Wild is your garage insulated? If not there is no way it will keep up.
 
#85 ·
Re: About to do a bunch of work to the bike; advice welcome!

Wild is your garage insulated? If not there is no way it will keep up.
Yeah; the garage isn't insulated, but that AC and a floor fan allowed me to stay in there until around 2:30pm (my wife took her time at the Saturday Market...bonus time for me)! I would have been pushed out at about 10am normally. So it seems it was a pretty good $125 investment. :)

Too bad I got nothing accomplished... :D

Speaking of which, I just dropped off my steering stem and new bearings with Todd and should have them back after work today.
 
#89 ·
Re: About to do a bunch of work to the bike; advice welcome!

Oh yeah; wing rack! Duh... :D

Front LED bulbs: I'm going to keep the stock lenses for now; so which (if either?) of these would be a good replacement bulb so I can at least have led's in all 4 corners? (Yes, I have already replaced my flasher unit with a plug-n-play unit.)

2X 1157 5630 Chip High Power Chip LED Amber Yellow Front Turn Signal Light Bulbs | eBay

2X 1157 20W Bright Epistar LED Amber Yellow Front Turn Signal Parking Light Bulb | eBay

Thanks!

Looks like temps are dropping back to double-digits here for the next several (!) days, so *hopefully* I'll be getting a lot of work done on the bike soon!! I can't believe I started this thread over a month ago and I still haven't turned the wrenches to "install" yet...
 
#90 ·
Re: About to do a bunch of work to the bike; advice welcome!

Oh yeah; wing rack! Duh... :D

Front LED bulbs: I'm going to keep the stock lenses for now; so which (if either?) of these would be a good replacement bulb so I can at least have led's in all 4 corners? (Yes, I have already replaced my flasher unit with a plug-n-play unit.)

2X 1157 5630 Chip High Power Chip LED Amber Yellow Front Turn Signal Light Bulbs | eBay

2X 1157 20W Bright Epistar LED Amber Yellow Front Turn Signal Parking Light Bulb | eBay

Thanks!

Looks like temps are dropping back to double-digits here for the next several (!) days, so *hopefully* I'll be getting a lot of work done on the bike soon!! I can't believe I started this thread over a month ago and I still haven't turned the wrenches to "install" yet...
Neither either here or the ST forum that I follow someone had posted some LED turn signal bulbs that were bright white day time running light and then when the switch was used one ring of bright yellow.
 
#92 ·
Re: About to do a bunch of work to the bike; advice welcome!

Ok
 
#93 ·
Re: About to do a bunch of work to the bike; advice welcome!

Steering Stem help needed now!

When I have the steering stem and bearings in, and the "first" nut that goes on top torqued to 18lb/ft per the manual, how "loose" or "easy to turn" should the triple clamp be? Like, is it supposed to just swing freely, and if I let it go it's supposed to "fall" to one of the stops? Or is it supposed to be more "tight", so that it takes effort to move it, and wherever I let it go, that's where it stays?

Because right now mine is in that second condition.

Don't get me wrong; it's very smooth thru the range, but just tight...like the nut is too tight, or like the grease I put on it is super sticky (because it is!).

If I loosen the nut a bit it turns more freely; but at no point does it become "floppy", like falling to the stops when I let it go.

The grease I used is green; Bel Ray Waterproof Grease. Like this but in a white tub (it's a few years old). Bel-Ray Waterproof Grease | Bel-Ray Company, Inc

Thoughts? Thanks!
 
#95 ·
Re: About to do a bunch of work to the bike; advice welcome!

All Balls tapered. So you're saying when it's torqued to 18lbs/ft and it's "tight", that sounds loose?
 
#96 · (Edited)
Re: About to do a bunch of work to the bike; advice welcome!

All Balls tapered. So you're saying when it's torqued to 18lbs/ft and it's "tight", that sounds loose?
Yes, I have found it feels 'tight' when steering bearings are new and torqued. But I think it has alot to do with leverage. When the forks, wheels, and brakes are on and the weight of the bike is loading the bearings, it'll feel alot more 'loose' through the handlebars.
As long as it's smooth through the travel, installed and torqued per the manual, then it should be perfect. -BIG DAN:thumb:
 
#97 ·
Re: About to do a bunch of work to the bike; advice welcome!

Thanks Dan; that's a relief! I will proceed; the bike is going to look really strange with forks on it...it's been a while. :)
 
#98 ·
Re: About to do a bunch of work to the bike; advice welcome!

Just think how strange the world will look from the saddle of it as it is going down the road with you on it again!
 
#99 ·
Re: About to do a bunch of work to the bike; advice welcome!

Just a note on the bearings, you 'ignore' the torque setting for bearing pre-load in the manual* when fitting tapered bearings since this setting was for ball bearings (OE). Due to the different directions the loads are lost through the bearing/shell /headstock until you have the bike on its wheels and some braking load put through the bearing you can't get it perfect....... which is why with tapered bearings a final adjustment after a few miles is needed.

If you get them far too loose on the initial set up you will get a knock the first time you put the front brake on, adjust, bed in and then final adjustment in that case.

* I note the 954 Blade manual that I have (had tapered fitted as a retrofit in the UK after owners said it was too slow to turn) doesn't give set up info.
 
#100 ·
Re: About to do a bunch of work to the bike; advice welcome!

Torque them to 25 ft pound roll them 5 times lock to lock then back them back off re-torque to 18 ft lbs and use scale and check for about 5lbs of drag that should set your initial up correctly. Then as Duck mentioned run the bike for a few miles and recheck. I'd concentrate more on getting the drag value correct. I've found 18lbs gets it the right ball park on the 3 bikes I have done to date.
 
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#101 ·
Re: About to do a bunch of work to the bike; advice welcome!

Agree with you there beestoys. Just a note, your 5lbs on the spring balance is about what I use (kg's here so not exactly the same) this is higher that the figures given in the Honda manuals which is correct again due to the bearing design and the way they work. So once again 'ignore' the manual figures for the set up of these bearings.

The important thing to remember is the final adjustment, unlike ball bearings, tapered bearings are not just fit and forget.
 
#102 ·
Re: About to do a bunch of work to the bike; advice welcome!

You guys rock! So...to re-check the torque after riding, you have to take the bars and top plate off? Is this doable with all the faring still on? Or should I do my test ride with all the (front) plastic off the bike?

Also, how do you check drag value? What kind of scale? Do you mean like a bathroom scale? or...? :huh:
 
#105 ·
Re: About to do a bunch of work to the bike; advice welcome!

..to re-check the torque after riding, you have to take the bars and top plate off? ......
Also, how do you check drag value? What kind of scale? Do you mean like a bathroom scale? or...? :huh:
B.ggered if I'm going to take the bike apart again, I do it with everything on, just loosen off and lift the top yoke. I have an adjustable pin spanner like this
Tool Pipe wrench Adjustable spanner

but it has a square hole cut by the head so you can insert a torque wrench (too lazy to find a photo of one online but the tool is readily available over here) The beauty of this tool is that if the head bearings don't feel right you just lift the top yoke, adjust the collars, drop the top yoke back on and you are away, 10 mins max. Knowing the job is easy means you never get to the position where you think 'that will have to do' .....

I use a spring 'fish type' balance as well.
 
#106 ·
Re: About to do a bunch of work to the bike; advice welcome!

You guys, again, are awesome. :) Fish scales and adjustable pin spanner wrenches...love it! Will hit Walmart on my way home today.
 
#107 ·
#109 ·
Re: About to do a bunch of work to the bike; advice welcome!

In the famous words of Jeremy Clarkson of Top Gear, "I did a THING!" :D

Auto part Plumbing Plumbing fixture


Now I need to order a pair blockoff kit; if somebody here makes them for less than $20 let me know and I'll buy 'em from you instead of ebay!

I also installed the steering stem by following the links above. With no forks/wheel/brakes/etc attached yet, the ol' fish scale reads about a 5lb pull. I don't know how that will translate once the rest is installed, but at least now i know what to do.

I also finally got around to finishing tearing the calipers apart. I'd not gotten the pistons out, so B recommended I shoot some low pressure air in, and get ready to grab the pistons. Yep; he was right! A couple popped out at about 20psi; a few took 40psi, and one stubborn one took 60psi! Man; those things sure POP when they come out! Anyway, they're all cleaned up now and ready for assembly, but had to quit for the night.

Auto part


I don't know why I bought those LL speed bleeders; those things stick out a *mile*, and they're gold...they look stupid and I sure hope they don't interfere with the hoses. I should have spent a little more and got the shorter stainless ones. Bummer.

Also did more tinkering with the new blinker/running lights. They actually don't work after all. If I hook the running light (blue) wire up correctly without the brake (red) light wire, I get running lights. As soon as I hook up the brake light wire, the running light goes out. Back to the ebay seller for more communication!

Anyway, I at least got *something* done on this day, exactly 6 weeks after the start of a week long project! *sigh*
 
#110 ·
Re: About to do a bunch of work to the bike; advice welcome!

What is that part in your first picture? Your 6 week project has turned out to be the proverbial thread that you pulled and the whole sweater has unraveled. Hopefully it will all be back together again by the time cooler weather comes.
 
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