H2 to ZX12
Needs a job
two stroke power
Posts: 3674
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posted January 24, 2007 07:28 AM
Do's and Don'ts
After reading the "bike won't start" thread I thought the long time and experienced 12R owners might share some general advice from regular maintanence to mods etc... Haven't had mine long and would like to avoid problems. for example: previous owner was using Motul 300V 10w40 synth and stock kawi oil filters
thanks in advance
   
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TRNorBRN6001
Needs a job
Posts: 2021
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posted January 24, 2007 08:10 AM
I use stock Oil Filters and Motorcycle Mobile 1, but I do not think it matters much as long as you change it on a regular basis. I have never owned a motorcycle for more than 60k Miles (1979 KZ900), as I have usually sold them before any major problems. In that bike I ran the cheapest filter and Castrol 10w40 regular oil. Don't skimp on tires.
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TFA 200MPH CLUB MEMBER!
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shane661
Needs a life
Posts: 11494
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posted January 24, 2007 08:12 AM
Avoid Fram Oil Filters. Also, you may want to look into aftermarket air filters. They seal out dirt better.
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TRNorBRN6001
Needs a job
Posts: 2021
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posted January 24, 2007 01:33 PM
 Edited By: TRNorBRN6001 on 24 Jan 2007 13:36
Have a reputable Kawi shop do the oil/rectifier recall. Stuffing tissue down the sleeve and wrapping electrical tape around it does not last long!
Also, Don't Drink Fast Food Soda Pop Through A Straw As It Will Somtimes Keep Flowing Out!
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TFA 200MPH CLUB MEMBER!
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krexken
Zone Head
Posts: 732
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posted January 24, 2007 03:03 PM
Do-Make sure you put the oil filter on tight! I've had a couple back off on me and I know a few others here have had that problem. Luckily I caught mine before I lost enough oil to worry about. Some weren't so lucky.
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blitzkrieg
Needs a job
Road kill = Free lunch.
Posts: 2044
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posted January 24, 2007 05:17 PM
1) Run the Purolater Pure1 PL14610/PL14612 series filter. Its 3x the filter the OEM is at 1/2 the cost. Mobil1 is also a very good filter. I wouldn't run a Fram on my 10 year old lawn mower.
2) Pre-fill the filter before installing it. It does make a difference. If the oil light remains on for more than 2 seconds, shut off the bike, slightly loosen the filter just enough to break the seal and then tighten it back up. Air lock is very rare if you prefill the filter, but this will resolve it regardless.
3) Replace the valve cover gasket when you check the valve clearance. It's expensive (around $30) but it will almost always leak upon reuse.
4) Flip your exhaust gaskets around one time for reuse if you remove the header or put a new pipe on. They will be fine one time if you flip them. Sharpie them before you remove them as it's not always 100% obvious which was the head side and which was the pipe side. The head pipes will generally put small indentations into the gasket, but better safe than unsure.
5) Run Chevron Techron (Sams Club and other places) through once a year. Your fuel injectors will thank you.
6) Don't bother replacing the factory plugs at the recommended interval. They are easily good for 30K+ miles.
7) WD40 is the best chain lube on the face of the earth. 
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"BTW....You need to get a girlfriend who's last name isn't .jpg"
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VincentHill
Needs a life
Posts: 6520
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posted January 24, 2007 06:01 PM
What Blitz said except for me the WD 40 I use to clean the chain but I would use a real lube. I also use Triflow to clean the chain because of the Teflon in the oil keeps the dirt away/,
Motul is an extremely good oil and the 300V is great for racing but expensive. Look at e-tech 100 which I think has a Better street package of Pao and Ester. I also use it for my land speed Racer.
Texaco and Chevron gasoline both have Techron. use them they really do work!
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slug
Pro
Out in search of my mind...
Posts: 1433
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posted January 24, 2007 06:35 PM
but sparingly ;P shell/sunoco are non-middle-east oil. i'd stay away from hugo chavez's citgo stations too.
instead of over-tightening the oil filter, put a few worm-drive hose clamps around the filter, tighten down, and run lockwire or zip-ties to a convenient non-moving part. This prevents filter loosening up on you. They also give you something nice to grab on to when it comes time to loosen the filter.
I've had to use a filter wrench twice in 66000 miles on the old yzf, and both of those were oil changes after some idiot shop did the change. The second one required the screwdriver trick, i was pissed. And i called the shop who had performed that piece of garbage work and let them have an earful.
have fun!
  
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ZXLNT
Needs a job
Kawpuke Extraordinare
Posts: 2853
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posted January 24, 2007 10:51 PM
Lube your chain AFTER you get back from riding, while its arm, NOT BEFORE, that just slings crap everywhere..
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VincentHill
Needs a life
Posts: 6520
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posted January 25, 2007 02:46 PM
quote:
Lube your chain AFTER you get back from riding, while its arm, NOT BEFORE, that just slings crap everywhere..
OH Oh, Here we are in agreement again? WHen the chain is Hot the lobe goes into the chain and then when it sets overnight everything jells and the next day you are not covered.
The best lube I have found off the shelf (by Accident) is Belray for "0" Rings. It even leaved the WHite grease film like a new chain when you are done and all of it stays on the chain to boot!
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slug
Pro
Out in search of my mind...
Posts: 1433
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posted January 25, 2007 03:16 PM
i'm cheap, i lube with the honda HP lube (red can)
;p
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ZXLNT
Needs a job
Kawpuke Extraordinare
Posts: 2853
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posted January 25, 2007 03:52 PM
quote:
quote:
Lube your chain AFTER you get back from riding, while its arm, NOT BEFORE, that just slings crap everywhere..
OH Oh, Here we are in agreement again?
Stop that your giving me a complex....
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VincentHill
Needs a life
Posts: 6520
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posted January 25, 2007 05:29 PM
OK, New Advice. Put the bike on a stand and run the bike at idle in first and put a piece of cardboard under the chain between the sprockets. SPRAY DOWN Into the chain until covered. GO to a higher Gear and rev the bike a little and then bring to Neutral and turn off. This will force the Lube THROUGH the chain and throw off the excess when the WInd Back pressure will not put it on the back of your Jacket!
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blitzkrieg
Needs a job
Road kill = Free lunch.
Posts: 2044
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posted January 25, 2007 10:01 PM
Or you could just listen to the most anal mother fucker on this site and try the WD40.
I once believed in the "chain specific" shit too Vince. 20 years worth.
When you get tired of cleaning that worthless shit off your rim and chain, we'll talk.
____________
"BTW....You need to get a girlfriend who's last name isn't .jpg"
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tuusinii
Pro
Posts: 1031
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posted January 26, 2007 03:55 AM
You don't need to change the valve cover casket. I have changed mine ones in 90k km (55k miles) and it was for nothing because the leak was elsewere... Best thing You can do to Your bike is ride it! 
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shane661
Needs a life
Posts: 11494
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posted January 26, 2007 05:52 AM
I also stand behind the WD. But you need to use it frequently. 20k miles on my chain, 120+ drag strip runs, Maxton Mile, etc....still in great shape. The key is keep it clean, adjusted, and lubed religiously....no matter what lube you choose.
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VincentHill
Needs a life
Posts: 6520
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posted January 26, 2007 12:44 PM
Edited By: VincentHill on 26 Jan 2007 12:45
In some applications (as when I was using NEP Nylon / Plastic rear Sprockets, You could not use Chain Lube it would start the heating process and melt the teeth. That is when I flund Triflon now called TriFlow (Teflon Impregnated Oil) It does a great job of lubercating and keeping the chain clean. The only problem I have with using "WD 40" as opposed to chain Lube is Chain "NOISE" That drives me crazy even when I hear it on other bikes! #2, Chain Rust is also SOmething I do not like either. A WD 40 chain sitting in the heavy rain and winter time WILL Rust if you do not oil it from time to time.
My Favorite Chain lube was Alsyn which was developed by and AeroSpace engineer in Columbus Ohio great Syn chain lube. What I like about the Belray is it leaves the white covering that is difficult to remove and when it is not white it is time to clean the chain and soap and water will not remove it so the chain can sit for months on end and never rust!
I forgot to mention that all of my chains last between 20 to 30,000 miles when I just get new ones because the old ones are still within the specs
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dougmeyer
Needs a job
moderated
Posts: 2713
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posted January 26, 2007 01:53 PM
On a modern O-ring chain, you are really not "lubing" it, 90% of what you are doing is protecting it from corrosion, 10% adding a little cushion to the roller/sprocket interface. The purpose of the O-ring is to seal in the grease that is in the roller bushings when the chain is assembled. What you are spraying on there does not get into the pin (the "axle" of the rollers) and roller bushing interface . If your chain is not stretched, which you can tell by "hooking" of the sprocket teeth, the roller rolls into, then out of the valley between the sprocket teeth. There is relatively little scrubbing between the surface of the roller and the flank of the sprocket tooth. The roller rolls into the sprocket, stops when it is fully engaged and then rolls out of the sprocket. Use whatever blows your skirt up.
D.
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GUNNER
Needs a life
Posts: 5778
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posted January 26, 2007 02:10 PM
What if you don't wear a Skirt Doug???????? What then ??? Tell us.....What then???? Tell the truth Doug we all know that YOU KNOW 
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VincentHill
Needs a life
Posts: 6520
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posted January 26, 2007 04:30 PM
Agreed DM Unlike some, I ride in the bad weather also and the salt, Rain and washings it had to go through WD 40 just does not "Protect" it. When I move to Florida and only ride when the sun is shinning, then I will be a WD 40 man. (Water Dispursement 40th Formula)
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dougmeyer
Needs a job
moderated
Posts: 2713
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posted January 26, 2007 07:04 PM
I said YOUR skirt Gunner, not MY skirt.
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GUNNER
Needs a life
Posts: 5778
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posted January 26, 2007 09:08 PM
But Doug I don't have skirt... NOW WHAT????
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blitzkrieg
Needs a job
Road kill = Free lunch.
Posts: 2044
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posted January 28, 2007 01:23 PM
Whomevers skirt it is, please don't post pics.
Go back about 4 years ago and I was a died in the wool PJ1/Bel-Ray/"Best stuff money can buy" guy.
Now what always bothered me about chain lubes was once a few guys started discussing and pointing out the fact was that they are dirt magnets. Grit, really abrasive crap seems to be attracted to them like Sonny on Cher.
And we all know the stuff is absolutely horrendous to clean up and seems to fly everywhere you don't want it.
So I started to think. If my O-ring chain is sealed what is the best thing I can do for it?
Keep it clean.
Been using WD40 ever since and I will never, ever go back to purpose built chain lubes.
Since I became sold on it I've given more than one guy the Pepsi challenge on WD40 and not one of them has gone back to purpose built chain lube.
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VincentHill
Needs a life
Posts: 6520
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posted January 28, 2007 03:28 PM
Blitz you are preaching to one of the Church Members. My only problem is I hate Chain Noise and I ride a lot in bad weather. Like I said, when I move to Fla or some where south, I may not be using WD-40 but it will be Tri-Flow (WHich is what I use several times "After" the Heavy Chain Lube until it is all cleanned off then another coating. The #1 thing I do not like about Chain Lube is cleaning out the Sprocket cover! 
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H2 to ZX12
Needs a job
two stroke power
Posts: 3674
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posted February 03, 2007 06:47 AM
ok, can we move on to something else like choice of tires, brake pads, fork service, or use of boxes other than the PC such as ignition, or the "bonneville box"?
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