[Stoneman]

I'm offering to perform maintenance/repairs on their machines for HALF the labor costs that your local dealership/hacks would charge you. On top of that, I'll show YOU how to do whatever it is I may be doing for you so that you'll be able to perform such functions on your own in the future...

You will be responsible for getting all parts/fluids/hardware necessary to perform these duties, and any work will be performed at my house, in the garage...

Exhausts, brake service (pads/fluids), oil & filter changes, fork springs/oil, fluid flushes, suspension adjustments, lever/control adjustments, undertails, huggers, fender eliminators, and other simple maintenance chores you may require...

But here's the catch. The labor I'll be charging you will go directly into the NESR Racing team funds. Call it a 'donation' if you will...

Save your money. Get your parts from a reputable online store, and get you & your bike up to my place. Email me with any questions about services you may want done...

stoneman@nestreetriders.com

[benVFR]

In all seriousness, I will probably take you up on this since the money is going to a good cause and you are willing to play teacher/supervisor.

Not sure what though, maybe doing the brakes on my bike? I need to change the fluid so maybe it would be a good time to put braided lines on.

Ben

[Stoneman]

Originally posted by benSV
In all seriousness, I will probably take you up on this since the money is going to a good cause and you are willing to play teacher/supervisor.

Not sure what though, maybe doing the brakes on my bike? I need to change the fluid so maybe it would be a good time to put braided lines on.

Ben

Yip, sure. No problem with that. Check your pads too. Just gimme a shout when ya wanna do it...

In all seriousness on my end, I've got the 7K service coming up soon on my bike, and I would rather not pay the dealer huge $'s... The only thing I'm kinda worried to fuck with is the valve clearance...

Are you booked up right now? Do I drop my bike off, do you come to my place and show me how? Basically, are you superbusy?

edit: sorry, i just read that all the work will be done within your garage... How long do you think it will take to check valve clearances and adjust if necessary?

[bemused]

will def. be looking into carb sync-ing / tuning a little later on this season... you gots the sync set-up? like Ben said... good cause, etc, I'd happily pony up the bucks to y'all

(that is, of course, if you're willing to have a Kat in your garage...)

[benVFR]

Yah if Bemused wants to do carbs I'd come up and do that too... my SV could definitely use that (jetting, I think they are synced fine) but I really don't want to mess with them on my own without someone watching me.

I've changed my brake pads before, just haven't changed the fluid, changed the lines, or bled them.

Ben

Heck, I'm in for the carb syncing if you want to make a class out of it!

[Stoneman]

Okay. Jetting, I'm no good at. But synching 'em is a piece of cake. I'm planning to order a set of merc tubes next week. If ya wanna do this before I get mine in, I know someone here that has a set. In fact, I'm gonna hijack 'em under the guise of 'borrowing' em...

Valves are a bit outta my league though, sorry...

[Stoneman]

Oh, before we do this, make sure you don't need a special screwdriver to get at the adjustment screws. Some bikes require a very long, skinny screwdriver with a small tip (...shut UP, Taylor!). Especially the inline fours. They're usually NOT included with your bike's tool kit...

[Matt K]

2 things I wanna do this summer: Adjust valves and set up the suspension better. Think you can help me out with either of those? I'm not too close to you though, so I'll have to wait for the weather to let me ride on the highway...

[Stoneman]

Valves are a bit outta my league though, sorry...

Does anybody fuggin' READ around here? Sheeeeeesh...

[bemused]

Originally posted by Stoneman
Does anybody fuggin' READ around here? Sheeeeeesh...

so-o-o... if we do employ your services, will we have to pay extra for verbal abuse? or will you throw it in for no charge?

[Stoneman]

Originally posted by bemused
so-o-o... if we do employ your services, will we have to pay extra for verbal abuse? or will you throw it in for no charge?

Nooooooooo, THAT'S free!

[Rye]

It may not be a bad idea to get a maintenance day going (similar to what the SRNE guys do ever-so-often). I'm sure those less inclined to touch their bike would enjoy a heavier wallet.

[Degsy]

DO NOT spend $175 for a carb synch, are you nuts???? It takes 10 minutes to do once you have the tank off and the airbox off. Go back to the screw you turned and turn it back until the bike sounds like it is running evenly, you'll be good to go. Sounds to me like you turned an idle adjuster screw though, not a synchronising screw.

At 2k your valves should not need adjusting on a modern jap motor (even a Kwak). Check 'em at 7500miles.

Just my humble opinion.

degs

[Stoneman]

Originally posted by Rye
It may not be a bad idea to get a maintenance day going (similar to what the SRNE guys do ever-so-often). I'm sure those less inclined to touch their bike would enjoy a heavier wallet.

That's actually where I'm kinda going with this. But I'm doing it in smaller groups. It can get to be a HUGE pain in the ass when too many people show up at one spot for something like this. Doing it this way keeps all MY shit organized, and I'm garaunteed (I can NEVER spell that right ) to not have a shortage of tools. Not to mention the headaches involved with doing it to suit everybody's needs at once...

I have two objectives here:

1) Of course, to give people a chance to help out the NESR Racing cause....

2) To show people that wouldn't normally try this sorta thing just how simple most of it can be. All it takes is a decent set of tools (READ: the RIGHT tools) and some MINOR mechanical skills, and they can save some serious money...

I'm no mechanic, but I do a lot of the minor shit myself. I learned most of it from just digging in and doing it, along with trial and error. I figure if I can show summa the less knowledgable the easy stuff (that they'd normally pay to have done), they'd be psyched to know it. I'm soooooo tired of hearing people say they dropped their bike off at a dealer for the '*insert mileage here-service' when most of what they REALLY do can be done in a driveway in just a few short hours with a little know-how...

[Honclfibr]

Originally posted by Degsy
DO NOT spend $175 for a carb synch, are you nuts???? It takes 10 minutes to do once you have the tank off and the airbox off. Go back to the screw you turned and turn it back until the bike sounds like it is running evenly, you'll be good to go. Sounds to me like you turned an idle adjuster screw though, not a synchronising screw.

The 175 is for carb sync and valve adjustment, and I'm willing to bet at 125-150 of that is valve adjustment. But the point about the carb sync is true enough, I was under the mistaken impression that those screws threw off the mixture, which I realize now is not true. They simply control the throttle position on each carb relative to the others, so I guess running the engine while I sync them up isn't going to kill it. I don't have 4 vacuum gauges though, so it's probably still worth having the dealer do it...or at least, purchasing the right tools.

At 2k your valves should not need adjusting on a modern jap motor (even a Kwak). Check 'em at 7500miles.

Just my humble opinion.

degs

As I was explained it, most bikes should have their valves checked at 500 miles, as the valves tend to seat during this time and may be out of spec. As I said, I don't know that I trust the original owner to have done this, given the shape I bought the bike in. And knowing what it would cost to replace a bent or burnt valve, I may just err on the side of caution on this one.

Otherwise, you're right though, 7k on the "Kwak". I know YZF's, which is pretty much the closest competitor to the ZX6E spec it at 17k, and they're shim under bucket. I'm not sure what the reason for such a discrepancy is, whether there's physically something about the YZF's valve that make them less likely to lose tolerance, or if it's just one manufacturer being more anal. TLRMan, any insight as to what can cause valves of similar design to require different inspection intervals?

...You've got nothing to fear thrashing Kawasaki around my overweight, underpowered, saggy suspension relic from '93 . But I might be more careful of what I said around those new 636s. They look pretty damn trick...Painful on the ergos, but trick.

[TLRMan]

Originally posted by Honclfibr
TLRMan, any insight as to what can cause valves of similar design to require different inspection intervals?

It all has to do with a combination of things, RPM's the engine will see, which means differing valvespring tension. The material the valves, and valve seats are made of, and how efficient the combustion chamber is of dispatching heat. The release or drop rate of the camshafts have a little to do with it to. Once everything gets "Mashed" together, the wear rates won't be as bad. I would highly suggest that you do check the valve clearances at the 500 or 600 mile mark, although I'll check mine with zero miles on it first. Just to be on the safe side. Never know what you'll find. Stoinky said he found valves out by .006", which in my eyes, is a shitload....

[TIMMYDUCK]

Stoneman, I have a 1980 Kawasaki CSR 650 ( same motor as KZ 650) that I am selling to a freind.
The bike has 24000 plus miles and the cam chain is screaming to come out.
He will want this repaired upon purchase.
Besides cam chain, tensioner and gasket what would you need and how much do you think for the repair?

[bemused]

hey! since this is for "members only", will we hafta show our

MEMBERSHIP CARD

in order to take advantage of it???

[need4speed]

Originally posted by bemused
hey! since this is for "members only", will we hafta show our

MEMBERSHIP CARD

in order to take advantage of it???

Until we get our MEMBERSHIP CARDs

you'll have to put up your firstborn as collateral.

[Polonius]

Stone:neutral:

I rode with you last year sometime. You suggested that you would run a maintenance day or more. I am very interested.

Would you please post possible dates and a complete list of parts and accessories necessary. If you could provide community oils and accessories, I would pay for my portion and then for your collection.

I have a Kawi ZER-7 that supposed to be minor maintained every 3k and majorly (valves) every 12k. That's more than a fukin ducatti.

Since you don't do valves, I will make other arrangements unless there is someone out there that can teach me how to do that even thought the engine is hot. I can take it home after and cool it off overnight and then perform it. I got burnttt at Bikeworks to the tune of $650.00 ( materials came to $40.00 total ) for my first valve job. Nerver want to get fukin suckered again!

What sayist thou sir?

Every time I pick a smile, my dropdown freezes and I can't open it again to acquire the entire list. Waz rong?

[TheIglu]

Basically, from my experience, checking valve clearances is pretty easy provided you have your shop manual with the timing mark descriptions and the clearances. As far as adjusting these clearances, shim-under-bucket typically means you will need to visit a parts store to get the proper size shims if you can't do the ever-dreamed-about total shim shuffle. I don't know if any bikes use the screw and locknut method anymore, but my old 400 honda was a 20 minute valve adjusting job due to these.

My advice? Let Stoneman teach you guys whats goin on with all these things, but before you go up there, spend the $10-$20 on a Haynes or Clymer manual for your bike. It would clear up any discrepancies in opinions about technical specs and will make you a more educated person in the process. Plus, it will make his job a lot easier if anything more complicated arises!

I started out with no knowledge of the internal combustion engine when I was 12. After doing some initial trail and error, I picked up the book for my bike. Two years later, I could strip the engine down to a bare block(not counting the tranny) and throw it back together, installed and running in the bike, in 3 hours. True, it was only a twin, but it sure made for a sense of accomplishment. I think the best way to learn is by picking up an old money-pit rat bike and fixing it up. You get to learn most EVERYTHING then!

So I take it this maintenance meeting of yours doesn't include a Desmodronic valve adjustment for the Duc?



And if you end up needing the Mercury Sticks, I got a set you could borrow for a little while....

[Stoneman]

Okay, let's be clear here. I WILL NOT touch valves, and I WILL NOT rejet carbs. Synch's are fine, as is most of the other simple stuff. Iglu is 100% correct too: Pick up a service manual, no matter how mundane you think the servicing is we'll be doing. When ya have that, gimme a shout...

Not too sure how I feel about a big get together, as in a 'maintenance day' sorta thing. Shortage of tools, misplaced items, big pick up afterwards, not giving certain bikes the attention they need are just a few of the concerns I'd have with that...

That being said, when you're READY (YOU pick up the parts/fluids/service manual), lemme know. We'll figure out a date from there....

How'z dat woik?

[oreo_n2]

where's my membership card?