A good shop?

[craig]

Can anyone recommend a good shop in the Boston area for getting work done on the bike? I need to replace the chain/sprocket, and possibly get a valve adjustment, maybe a carb sync...

Or if anyone wants to help me out with doing that work (at least the chain/sprocket, as I hear valve adjustments can be tricky) let me know - I've got plenty of tools at my place, or I could meet you at yours. I just think I should get a new chain on before the Aug. 11 trackday, as it's looking pretty old and nasty, and the rear sprocket's starting to get pretty thin teeth

thanks!

[hohum]

Chain + Sprocket == SUPER EZ

IF you have a chain tool. You could prolly do it on yer own with no help if you had the chain tool, its really an ultra simple bolt on operation.

Valves + Carb Synch is prolly something you wanna have someone show you how to do the first time. Checking valve clearances can be really ez, but shimming/adjusting can be a difficult/dangerous operation if you don't know what you are doing (can you say bent valves! OUCH). Synching carbs is also ez but you will need a special tool to do it... either a set of dial vaccuum guages, a <a href="http://www.carbtune.com">carbtune</a>, or a mercury/water/oil manometer calibrated appropriately.

Cheers,
Chris

[craig]

Thanks Chris!

excuse my n00bness but:
"the chain tool" = something like this: http://www.calsportbike.com/cgi-bin/...id=160&count=1 ?

I love doing things myself and if it's that easy I'll give at least the chain/sprocket job a try on my own.

edit: oh yeah..I guess this thread should have been in Bike Maintenance...sorry!

[bemused]

Originally posted by craig
Thanks Chris!

excuse my n00bness but:
"the chain tool" = something like this: http://www.calsportbike.com/cgi-bin/...id=160&count=1 ?

I love doing things myself and if it's that easy I'll give at least the chain/sprocket job a try on my own.

edit: oh yeah..I guess this thread should have been in Bike Maintenance...sorry!

yup... that's the one that I have.

makes the chain change a breeze, virtually idiot proof (well, idiot-resistant-- I don't think there's any such thing as "idiot proof" )

AND... you'll get the opportunity to make lotsa new friends w/ folk who DIDN'T buy the tool, but still need to change chains...

[Aaron[MA]]

If you're still looking for a shop in your area, South Shore Motorsports in Quincy has some really good techs. Don't know what bike you have though, they won't work on stuff older than 10 yrs and probably wouldn't do valves on anything other than Kawi, suzuki, yamaha or Aprilia - the brands they sell/ get factory support from.

[benVFR]

That's f*ckin lame that a dealership wouldn't work on an older bike.

I know the place I go to always has ancient bikes in for service.

The bikes will run forever if they're serviced.

For what it's worth GBM has always done a good job for me, but they are not a yamaha dealer so who knows if they are good at working on them.

My dad takes his Virago (almost 10 years old) to the Yamaha dealer in Billerica, I believe it is right off Rt. 4? And they still take good care of his bike.

Ben

[Half Squid]

This is the chain tool to get ! I just bought it from Sprocket center.
http://www.sprocketcenter.com/newsit...aintools.aspIt works super easy and does a very good job! Comes in a nice little RK tool case and very good instruction! I got my chain & sprockets done in 1/2 hour. If I do it again it will be more like 15 minutes cause I know what to do without reading the instructions! VERY EASY.

Get your sprockets here to, Obviously compare prices, but I think these are great for RK products!!

http://www.sprocketcenter.com/newsite/mainbox.asp

If you call you most likely will deal with Brian, he is great with customer support, and a good guy!

[craig]

Originally posted by Half Squid
This is the chain tool to get ! I just bought it from Sprocket center.
http://www.sprocketcenter.com/newsit...aintools.aspIt works super easy and does a very good job! Comes in a nice little RK tool case and very good instruction! I got my chain & sprockets done in 1/2 hour. If I do it again it will be more like 15 minutes cause I know what to do without reading the instructions! VERY EASY.

Get your sprockets here to, Obviously compare prices, but I think these are great for RK products!!

http://www.sprocketcenter.com/newsite/mainbox.asp

If you call you most likely will deal with Brian, he is great with customer support, and a good guy!

Sweet - thanks everyone. I'll most likely buy from them as their prices are damn competitive and I can get the tool from them too.

I'm just waiting to hear back from them as far as what's the difference between the AFAM/DID "Street Kit" for $159 and buying the AFAM sprockets and DID chain seperatly for $149 total...I would think buying the kit would be a little cheaper but I'm guessing it comes with something extra?

Maybe I should order two chains in case I mess up learning how to use my new tool

also - that is pretty crappy they won't work on bikes older than 10 years...crappy because it rules out people working on my 12 year old bike!