Mechanics

[bevsta]

Hi all,
This is my very first thread as I am relatively new to the biking world. I've had my bike for nearly half a year now, mostly riding round Wgtn but with one trip up to Napier and back recently. Someone recently mentioned to me that after every few hundred kilometers one needs to have their chain tightened. Is this correct, and if so could I do this myself?
Furthermore my bike is nearly due for it's first warrant (since I brought it) - any recommendations of where in Wellington is good to go, and not too expensive (I'm a poor student).
Cheers, looking forward to your words of wisdom...

[Eddieb]

hi Bevsta, welcome aboard.

Yes you should at least check it, and adjust if needed. It's a fairly quick and easy job normally. I'll leave it to someone more familiar with the GN to describe however just in case there is something about those specifically I don't know about.

If you use the search function in the top menu I think you will find conversations where this has been covered before. Most things maintenence wise have been at some stage.

[White trash]

Hi and welcome Bevsta. Good choice of machine and yeah, you should be lubing and adjusting your chain every few hundred kms.

WOF's can be done by any motorcycle store that's any good or any VTNZ testing station.

Price will be between $30-$40.

All bike shops in Wellington are good, just some are gooder than others, eh Sparky Bills? :shifty:

[James Deuce]

Hi all,
This is my very first thread as I am relatively new to the biking world. I've had my bike for nearly half a year now, mostly riding round Wgtn but with one trip up to Napier and back recently. Someone recently mentioned to me that after every few hundred kilometers one needs to have their chain tightened. Is this correct, and if so could I do this myself?
Furthermore my bike is nearly due for it's first warrant (since I brought it) - any recommendations of where in Wellington is good to go, and not too expensive (I'm a poor student).
Cheers, looking forward to your words of wisdom...You should be lubricating the chain every 600km or so too.

Cheers and welcome.

[Blakamin]

Welcome Bevsta! :spudwave:

Depends on where in wellywood you are. you cout go to the hutt and see our good friends at motomart or see the fine peeps at wellington motorcycles!
and of course motorrad

Thatt'll be $5 each SB, WT & Mitch :niceone:

[LB]

.
.
Hi Bevsta, welcome to the KiwiBiker gargre.

Scottoilers are great, they lube the chain as you ride - let me know if you want to have a look at ours - we've got them on three of our four bikes (the 4th one is a shaft drive!).

Husbands are very useful at adjusting chains - I never worry about mine! (the chain that is, not the husband!)
.
.

[merv]

Hi all,
This is my very first thread as I am relatively new to the biking world. I've had my bike for nearly half a year now, mostly riding round Wgtn but with one trip up to Napier and back recently. Someone recently mentioned to me that after every few hundred kilometers one needs to have their chain tightened. Is this correct, and if so could I do this myself?
Furthermore my bike is nearly due for it's first warrant (since I brought it) - any recommendations of where in Wellington is good to go, and not too expensive (I'm a poor student).
Cheers, looking forward to your words of wisdom...

Do you have a handbook for that bike? If so it will tell you how tight the chain should be, but typically you should be able to move the chain up and down in the centre of the bottom run about 20 - 30mm. Much more than that it is getting a bit slack. The bike should have easy to use adjusters for the chain and if you have to adjust it make sure you do it evenly left and right to keep the back wheel straight within the rear swingarm. Usually you don't have to adjust a chain very often but you do need to lubricate it regularly like every few hundred km. Adjustment I would say should only be about every 2-3,000km. Whatever you do, don't overtighten the chain so that it has less than the specified slack in it.

[badlieutenant]

Do you have a handbook for that bike? If so it will tell you how tight the chain should be, but typically you should be able to move the chain up and down in the centre of the bottom run about 20 - 30mm. Much more than that it is getting a bit slack. The bike should have easy to use adjusters for the chain and if you have to adjust it make sure you do it evenly left and right to keep the back wheel straight within the rear swingarm. Usually you don't have to adjust a chain very often but you do need to lubricate it regularly like every few hundred km. Adjustment I would say should only be about every 2-3,000km. Whatever you do, don't overtighten the chain so that it has less than the specified slack in it.
was just going to suggest a handbook, hanes or something like that is recommended. As a poor student myself years ago it saved me lots of frustration and I learned alot along the way that can be applied to most bikes. Incidently, Merv, as a fellow vfr rider have you checked this link out ? http://www.micapeak.com/reg/view/VFR if the link doesnt work use this one http://www.micapeak.com and navigate to hondas then vfrs then do milage as a search. some incredibly high k vfr's out there.

[Paul in NZ]

Hi all,
This is my very first thread as I am relatively new to the biking world. I've had my bike for nearly half a year now, mostly riding round Wgtn but with one trip up to Napier and back recently. Someone recently mentioned to me that after every few hundred kilometers one needs to have their chain tightened. Is this correct, and if so could I do this myself?
Furthermore my bike is nearly due for it's first warrant (since I brought it) - any recommendations of where in Wellington is good to go, and not too expensive (I'm a poor student).
Cheers, looking forward to your words of wisdom...


Get together with jazbug, ride out to the sunny Kapiti Coast and we could run through the basics one day..

Learn to do the basics and your bike will love you for it...

If you bring out a filter we can do an oil change etc as well...

Cheers

Paul N

[Blakamin]

was just going to suggest a handbook, hanes or something like that is recommended. As a poor student myself years ago it saved me lots of frustration and I learned alot along the way that can be applied to most bikes. Incidently, Merv, as a fellow vfr rider have you checked this link out ? http://www.micapeak.com/reg/view/VFR if the link doesnt work use this one http://www.micapeak.com and navigate to hondas then vfrs then do milage as a search. some incredibly high k vfr's out there.

Think the first one is a miss type!!!

[merv]

Think the first one is a miss type!!!

Weird thing is that is the correct link, but it only works when you go the long way to it.

[merv]

Incidently, Merv, as a fellow vfr rider have you checked this link out ? http://www.micapeak.com/reg/view/VFR if the link doesnt work use this one http://www.micapeak.com and navigate to hondas then vfrs then do milage as a search. some incredibly high k vfr's out there.

Yeah that 4 million one seems hard to believe but the rest are what I'd expect. Me being a weekend rider at best mine has only done 40,000km in 10 years so its still like new. Too busy riding the other bike, driving cars or the 4x4 or staying home doing other things. Its one reason I don't change my bikes often, I don't need to, and the depreciation cost would kill me not the cost of having them sit there relaxing in the garage. Besides the VFR is a bloody great bike and I'm real comfortable with it.

[riffer]

Hi bevsta.

Welcome to Kiwibiker. :spudwave:

There's a lot of guys on this site who do their own maintenance, and chain lubrication and adjustment has to be one of the easiest and most satisfying.

I can't remember if your bike has a centre stand but no matter if it doesn't theres lots of ways around the problem if it doesn't. Car jacks are helpful!

If you can come along to the Sunday ride (10.30am Caltex Rimutaka north of Upper Hutt) we can look over the bike for you and offer you some pointers.

[Blakamin]

Get together with jazbug, ride out to the sunny Kapiti Coast and we could run through the basics one day..

Learn to do the basics and your bike will love you for it...

If you bring out a filter we can do an oil change etc as well...

Cheers

Paul N

Thats a good idea!... you can see the drunken hippo Paul's been working on! :msn-wink:

[Paul in NZ]

Thats a good idea!... you can see the drunken hippo Paul's been working on! :msn-wink:

Hey! You leave my Guzzi outa this you bastard!!! :blink: heh heh

:rolleyes:

Paul N

The offer stands. I dunno why a local bike shop does not run a simple mtce class once a month. They would make a fortune on the tools, oil, busted bits and ham fisted repairs... (just kidding)

Seriously, you need to be able to do a quick check to wof standards or you could be riding a dangerous bike or be seriously ripped off one day!

[Blakamin]

They would make a fortune on the tools, oil, busted bits and ham fisted repairs...
You been sneaking around in my garage??? :msn-wink:

[JohnBoy]

Dont think motomart dose wof's was a loyal customer of thiers until moving to the Mighty Waikato. i dont reconmend that you go to VINZ or even a car only workshop, seen too many bikes been smashed up by coyboys. my rule of thumb is to go to the place you brought it from or the local dealer, talk to them and watch them doing it. then next time you know what to expect and wof's should become hassle free!
also the best from of maintainence is to clean it once a week from top to bottom, then you can see things happening before they break.
Happy motoring mate.

:blah:

[merv]

If you can come along to the Sunday ride (10.30am Caltex Rimutaka north of Upper Hutt) we can look over the bike for you and offer you some pointers.

Wasn't it 10 am?

[merv]

As for WOF's I've used the local garage when the man's there, otherwise I go to VTNZ. VTNZ don't ride your bike at all so there is no chance of them doing anything to it that they shouldn't. I used to go to Seaview but last time my garage man was away I went to the reasonably new VTNZ at Porirua. I rang up first to check because they don't always have a bike authorised dude on. Most of their guys are oldish and bikers from way back - riding the sort of bikes Motu talks about so I've had no hassles with them at all.

[Blakamin]

As for WOF's I've used the local garage when the man's there, otherwise I go to VTNZ. VTNZ don't ride your bike at all so there is no chance of them doing anything to it that they shouldn't. I used to go to Seaview but last time my garage man was away I went to the reasonably new VTNZ at Porirua. I rang up first to check because they don't always have a bike authorised dude on. Most of their guys are oldish and bikers from way back - riding the sort of bikes Motu talks about so I've had no hassles with them at all.

Same here, VTNZ pararparaumu...f or the nose dive check they made me ride it at them at 30ks and grab the anchors!

[riffer]

Same here, VTNZ pararparaumu...f or the nose dive check they made me ride it at them at 30ks and grab the anchors!
LOL I took mine to VTNZ Tory St for my last warrant.

The guy there said "brakes feel a bit soft - don't think they are very good mate."

"Well you try them," I said.

So he takes the bike out towards the Beaurepairs, floors it, then yanks on the anchors, pulls about a two and a half foot stoppie, nearly wobbles it and loses it, pulls up in front of me, and says "Yeah, OK, I'll pass it..."

Wonder if he'll give me shit about my brakes next time. :msn-wink:

[gav]

I just get one of them telephone warrants, man :whistle: :niceone:

[LB]

Dont think motomart dose wof's was a loyal customer of thiers until moving to the Mighty Waikato. i dont reconmend that you go to VINZ or even a car only workshop, seen too many bikes been smashed up by coyboys. my rule of thumb is to go to the place you brought it from or the local dealer, talk to them and watch them doing it. then next time you know what to expect and wof's should become hassle free!
also the best from of maintainence is to clean it once a week from top to bottom, then you can see things happening before they break.
Happy motoring mate.

:blah:
.
.
Motomart use the Vehicle Testing station for their WOF's. I understand the VTS are now really careful with the bikes since an MV Agusta was dropped by their tester!

Bevsta: it's 10.00am at Caltex on Sunday - weather might not be too bad...... :cold: :cold: :cold:

.
.

[bevsta]

Hey guys,
This is awesome, Thank you so much. I'm gonna go hit the guys at Wellington Motorcycles this avo and then go form there. I don't have a handbook with my bike either so whatever I can learn is a help.
I'm keen for this Sunday ride aswell, given that the closest any of my friends get to experiencing the awesomeness of riding is on a scooter I don't really get anything in the way of social rding with others.
SO see ya at Caltex Rimutaka on Sunday morning. Can't wait!
Bevsta

[Paul in NZ]

Hey guys,
This is awesome, Thank you so much. I'm gonna go hit the guys at Wellington Motorcycles this avo and then go form there. I don't have a handbook with my bike either so whatever I can learn is a help.
I'm keen for this Sunday ride aswell, given that the closest any of my friends get to experiencing the awesomeness of riding is on a scooter I don't really get anything in the way of social rding with others.
SO see ya at Caltex Rimutaka on Sunday morning. Can't wait!
Bevsta

Don't expect anyone else to take responsibility for the state of your machine dude... Ya need to learn a bit and git yer hands dirty.. It's easy and it's FUN..

See you sunday... Looks like it is going to be a pretty hinteresting event..

Cheers

[F5 Dave]

As for WOF's I've used the local garage when the man's there, otherwise I go to VTNZ. VTNZ don't ride your bike at all so there is no chance of them doing anything to it that they shouldn't. I used to go to Seaview but last time my garage man was away I went to the reasonably new VTNZ at Porirua. I rang up first to check because they don't always have a bike authorised dude on. Most of their guys are oldish and bikers from way back - riding the sort of bikes Motu talks about so I've had no hassles with them at all.

Yeah my touring bus had a nice shiny warrant from VTNZ (or was it VINZ or whatever).

Anyway I took it for a test ride & scared myself shirtless. Although they probably checked that the discs were not passed min thickness they didn’t test ride it.

The discs were so badly warped (or perhaps as a result of a duff tire change or accident) so damaged that the bike shuddered like a jack hammer, locking the front wheel was scarily easy if braking semi hard. As a result the head bearings were knackered too. The girl I bought it from ‘hadn’t noticed’ & was presumably was relying on these people to make sure the bike was roadworthy. As was the bike shop which I won’t mention as it’s not really their fault who contracted out the work. Actually I should really mention it to them one day.

I priced this into what I though the price should be (the bike was cheap anyway so I fixed it myself). But an inexperienced rider could have crashed the bike (as I almost did on the way home like a klutz) & not known why.