Several notes and random topics.

[samkjr]

OIL CHANGE AND HOME MAINTENANCE

Friday I hanged out my oil for the first time. It was done at 800 miles with first service, and now by me at just under 7000.
I used to the chrome covered K&N filter and Mobil 1 20W50 V-twin full synthetic. I then put 400 miles on it Saturday and Sunday. As I was standing in the isle of Advanced comparing options and prices, I was really unsure of whether I wanted to commit to using a synthetic. regular oil would have cost me 16 dollars this stuff cost me 36. can honestly say, I think it was worth it. Not only can I go a little longer between changes, but I truly can tell a difference in shifting. All gears feel and sound smoother, but especially 1st-2nd. I no longer hear that loud cluck I had grown used to. I also used to have problem that when the bike was cold, I would have a nice firm shift into 2nd and then while accelerating it would slip out into neutral and rev like crazy. That has not happened yet, since the change.

I did use the method of the drain plug and found very little collection on the end. Surprisingly the hardest part of the change was figuring out how to get a drain pan under the bike. All I have is a tall 12 quarter for my truck. I finally thought to get a large box and just cut it to about 4 inches high. I put a garbage bag around it and there it was. When I was done all I had to do was carefully turn the bag inside out and drop the whole thing in the neighbors drain pipe. j/k. Made ya worry. I recycle at the local auto shop.

Of course I'm out feeling manly, playing with my bike doing maintenance, and I decide I want to look around and mess with more stuff. So I pull out my lift and Idahos adapter. Put the bike up in the air and start checking things out. First I noticed that the is a very weird series of four cuts in a perfect straight line going the entire circumference of the rear tire. The four lines are about .5 inch wide from first to last. The only thing I could think that would cause this would be a burnout on some sharp asphalt. But I have NEVER done a burnout. So I'm stumped. I'm sure it translates to me needing to replace the tire even sooner now.

After just general messing and looking around I decide to put the bike back down and realize that the hydraulic release really only has one speed and it isn't SLOW. I don't know how but for some reason the bike is in neutral. It rolls forward a bit and the kickstand folds in and next thing I know, the bike is leaning on its left side. I pick her back up and give her a once over. Luckily, all thats wrong is mild scratches(barely noticeable on the rear crash bar. and a dent/scratch in the lower heat shield where it fell on a brick. But what ever. That's just more reason for me to get new exhaust. BTW I am looking at the "Cobra true duals slash downs." Any feedback about those would be appreciated.

Next, I decide to take her to the car wash and give a good cleaning. I'm cleaning and pushing on the tank rubbing off a bad smashed up bug. All of a sudden the damn bike is falling down again. I left the little bugger in neutral again. Fortunately this time I was there to grab it and pull it upright. But man after all this it was about 5 in the afternoon and I really wanted to go play on it for a while, but I felt that the universe was talking to me and telling me not to ride that day.

As much as I love wrenching on my own and saving some money. It really is not worth it to save a few bucks if you are going to be clumsy and risk several hundred dollars worth of damage.


Modifications, Power, and Money

It is totally addictive. After seeing what all I did to my truck, my wife was hesitant to let me get another bike because she knew the customizing would just start from square one. I told her (and myself foolishly) that the bike was beautiful as it was and there was nothing really I wanted or needed to do to it.
Since then:
Light bar(necessary in my mind)
luggage rack(necessary in my mind)
Lower bag rails
Top bag rails(necessary in my mind because they had to match the above item)
vista cruise(necessary in my mind)
Rainbow effect cage for front headlight(just for fun)

Now I want to do:
tfi chip
cobra duals
hypercharger

Curse you chrome! and curse man's natural animalistic propensity to be attracted to shiny things!

In an effort to be a cheap-wad, I went and bought the Mr. Gasket( I don't think we have Spectre around here) filter and cover. It didn't really fit, mainly because of the solenoids. I forced it on and then cranked her up and heard the awful annoying sound of them clacking nonstop. No way I could deal with that on a ride.
I decided I am picky and Form must meet Function. It did not look bad at all , just noisy any annoying.

Cadd. I know your reading this. When are you taking a trip out here to VA? You can have a mechanically stock 07 to play with and boost some power out of.

Oh and one more question for anyone that has the Air shock balance kit. I saw people on the internet said that it was leaky all the time letting air out and they had to replace the hosing annually due to deterioration. Opinions and Inputs wanted.


Thanks for reading through my random and scattered thoughts.

Sam

[gghost]

I added the air shock balance kit May/June last year...haven't had any problem with it. Perhaps they are pinching the connecting tube under their seat? I hold mine down with black duct tape.

What I do need is an extension for the valve. I have to pull the seat up slightly in order to screw on the pump. A nice 90 degree extension would be good.

[Cajunrider]

I had small leaks at 2 of the connections. I removed everything and wrapped Teflon tape on all and now have no leak-down. One of the tiny O-Rings fell out when I removed the connections without me noticing it. I found it on the garage floor the following day. But the tape is preventing the connection from leaking. I may leave it as is until a leak starts. Soapy water will reveal the smallest leak right away. So far, very satisfied with the balance kit.

[VulcanE]

I've had my balancing kit on now for 2 1/2 years. I have had no problems with it, and it takes about a year to leak down 5 lbs, or that could just be what I lose from connecting the pump to check it from time to time. Just make sure you follow the directions to a "T", and don't over tighten the fittings. What I like best about it, is, no matter what pressure you have, it is exactly the same in both shocks. ;)

[billmac]

Sam, I enjoyed reading your post. Sounds like you have my kinda luck. I figure I would rather drop it than have some high school kid at the dealer drop it or strip the oil plug. Hang in there. We will get smarter someday.

The balance kits leak if you overtighten them just the tiniest bit, because they used round o-rings instead of square ones. The o-ring seats against a relatively pointy surface and so as you tighten it what seems like a normal amount that point pushes the o-ring aside and it doesn't seal. I just glued Mac's on with some 5-miunte epoxy, and they will never leak there again. If they must come off, the epoxy will bust loose easy enough.

As for going to Virginia, it's not likely to happen in this lifetime. I haven't been out that way since 1967, and have no interest in returning. But, really, you can do these mods easily if you follow the directions and have some patience. I got about 28 more years of practice being patient than you, but you can still do it. ;)

If I was to get pipes I would get the cobra true duals with billet tips because I think they look the coolest.

BTW, every bike I have owned that was black I have never dropped. Every bike I have owned that wasn't black, I have dropped

[pablo]

I have the Cobra true duals with tapered tips. I've read that you can remove the baffles on the ones with billet tips, but mine are not removable. These pipes have the perfect sound for me; not too loud but loud enough to hear easily. They have a nice deep rumble. I've found that if you run lean, the pipes have sort of a tinny sound, but if you richen up the fuel settings, the pipes sound awsome.

[phenrichs]

Originally Posted by wolfman

BTW, every bike I have owned that was black I have never dropped. Every bike I have owned that wasn't black, I have dropped

Sounds like deep down your mind was telling you to crash the non-black and get your ass back on a black scooter Wolf.

[dantama]

As far as your comment about catching the oil, the thing I use that works great is an empty gallon oil bottle. I cut a big rectangle whole in one side and it slides under without a lift and will hold all the oil. Then because it has a screw cap you can pour the oil out into a better container for transport to a collection place.

For one of my oil changes I bought a gallon of oil at the truck stop and have been using that container ever since.

[billmac]

Originally Posted by Dan Lund

As far as your comment about catching the oil, the thing I use that works great is an empty gallon oil bottle. I cut a big rectangle whole in one side and it slides under without a lift and will hold all the oil. Then because it has a screw cap you can pour the oil out into a better container for transport to a collection place.

For one of my oil changes I bought a gallon of oil at the truck stop and have been using that container ever since.

Great idea Dan. That's how I am going to do it from now on.

[Top Cat]

I do the same as Dan on the oil change. He beat me to the reply. Thats me, a day late and a dollar short

[Todd]

sam, if you keep that stuff and we ever get to meet in the middle or somewhere around (my brother lives in Richmond) .. we can have you fixed up in less than an hour!!!

[macmac]

SAM!

Place a block of wood as high as you need and place your hell on it, when you toe down the lift, and you can lower the lift much slower and with controll.

Make sure the bike is in gear, and also hold the ft brake ON or tie it with a bungie cord.

I can't comment on the idle solenoids as they came off when i got a Cadd kit. I think you have to bend the holders in a good bit to still use them

The hyper charger looks great, but when it comes time to maybe buy one guns get in my way.

I just want you to understand you are buying a big freer flowing air filter when you do buy one. ALL real chargers have turbine fins that spin real fast and pack many atmospheres into one. So while the flapper look cool, they are just bling.. There are many other choices albeit with no moving parts, but the moving parts just move and do nothing.

Saying so just so you know... If I had spare change for one I'ld do it just because i like 2 big round things that flop, and for no more than that..

If you get up to NH any time bring the bike camping gear and the parts...

[samkjr]

Thanks everybody, for the input and feedback. I think I will also go ahead and the shock balancer kit. Great suggestion on just zip tying the hand brake so that it cant roll any where. I know the hypercharger is not a true charger, but it does look cool and do the job of allowing more air in.

Todd, that might be quite an idea. Are you near scootworks? I was thinking about taking a field trip down there sometime on a saturday. Now, your intakes look stock or is that an old photo?

I didn't even know you could just take the solenoids out. What do they do?

I love gettign tips and info from people but for those that are offering advice let me say that i still have 59 months of factory warranty and dont really want to screw that up. In my mind debaffling was pushing it but that was a low risk of incidence mod, IMO. I think for these reasons, I should stick to mods that can easily be "fixed back" and name brand accepted aftermarket mods.

What is this marbling thing? I understand the basic of what it does but does anyone have pics of where exactly you stick it?

This might make me sound really dumb, but I think I have it figured out. You dont jet a fuel injected bike right? jet kits are for carbed bikes. all fuel infected models would use a chip or comp module to do what jet kits do for old bikes?