Routine maintenance and oddities.

[Intech]

I mounted a set of RS III's the day before yesterday. Went out for 200 miles of scrub in preparing for a trip to West Virginia tomorrow through Friday. I got ahead of myself and put the back tire back on the bike before balancing. I finished the front tire and put our on the balancer with the weights from the last tire still on. It was balanced! Weird. Removed the back tire and put off on the balancer. Heavy spot where the weights are. Remove the weights and the tire is balanced. I think I should buy a lottery ticket.

Moved on to the levert pivots. First time in 63k. Yup. It needed to be replaced on the clutch side. Brake is next.

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[gixxerjasen]

Lots of tires these days are well balanced, but the wheel still needs to be balanced. I don't take the weights off my wheels till I find it is out of balance. Most times, it seems to be spot on. I know folks who balance the wheel without a tire, then just mount the tire and go. Not ideal, but my experience shows it's right almost all of the time.

[Intech]

I do it the same way. Never had this happen on one tire let alone two in all the sets I have done.

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[Hppants]

I get the tires mounted for free at Cycle Gear, and they price match the internet for me. That includes balancing, but unfortunately, their balancer is off. The amount of weight is correct, but they miss it's location by about 30 radial degrees. Particularly for the front, that translates into a vibration at speeds above 70 mph.

So I tell them to "balance" it, but don't stick the weights on. Just tape the weights to the tire and I static balance the tire at home.

[gixxerjasen]

I get the tires mounted for free at Cycle Gear, and they price match the internet for me. That includes balancing, but unfortunately, their balancer is off. The amount of weight is correct, but they miss it's location by about 30 radial degrees. Particularly for the front, that translates into a vibration at speeds above 70 mph.

So I tell them to "balance" it, but don't stick the weights on. Just tape the weights to the tire and I static balance the tire at home.

Your cycle gear does better than mine. I have to show up three times to get them to move my wheels to the back and finally start changing them. They are why I invested in a tire changer for home.

[Intech]

I got my tire changer for free, so all my changes are now free. I like the piece of mind of balancing my own tires.

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[raYzerman]

I found my front wheels have been way off balance right from the factory, they installed clip-on weights... I balanced the wheels without tires but with T-stems and TPMS, then put clip-ons to compensate..... mount a tire and it doesn't take much to balance it.

[HotRodZilla]

I have my wheels marked so I know where they are heavy, and it is NOT the valve stem. I think its about 140° away from that. I mount my tires with the marked heavy side opposite my wheels have spot and usually use very little weight if any. I took my wheels to my Yamaha dealer to install these Roadsmart 3s I have now, because I was thinking they were the BT30 GTs and didn't feel like fighting them. Either way, they used way more weight than I usually do, which means they paid no attention to my markings inside the wheel.

[raYzerman]

'07 and '14 FJR.... front wheels off balance (way light at the valve stem) and Yammy installed 50 grams of clip-on weights.... I reduced by installing metal valve stems and TPMS..... yet I have seen other FJR's with few weights on their front wheels, go figure.

[ionbeam]

'07 and '14 FJR.... front wheels off balance...and Yammy installed 50 grams of clip-on weights....yet I have seen other FJR's with few weights on their front wheels, go figure.

Two of the last three PR4 front tires for my '15 required no weight to balance. Both weightless tires were track tested to >130 with no detectable balance issues. This tire with weights as been on the far side of 100 with no vibrations. This last PR4 I put on this spring took a small amount of weight, I'd have to look to see how much. It took the weight right where the factory clip on weight was installed. I'm pretty sure that if I moved the tire around it would haven't required any weight.

[Auburn]

I got my tire changer for free, so all my changes are now free. I like the piece of mind of balancing my own tires.

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And knowing everything is installed correctly when you are done.

[Intech]

Exactly!

And knowing everything is installed correctly when you are done.

[extrememarine]

There is just something unique about working on a machine - knowing what makes it 'tick' and knowing it well enough to know when something is off, knowing that everything is right; and (in a case specific to our motorcycles) leaving the garage with the confidence that the time invested previously will mean a (mechanically) uneventful ride. That time in the garage has become, for me, just as therapeutic as each ride.

Exactly!

And knowing everything is installed correctly when you are done.

[El Toro Joe]

There is just something unique about working on a machine - knowing what makes it 'tick' and knowing it well enough to know when something is off, knowing that everything is right; and (in a case specific to our motorcycles) leaving the garage with the confidence that the time invested previously will mean a (mechanically) uneventful ride. That time in the garage has become, for me, just as therapeutic as each ride.

Exactly!

And knowing everything is installed correctly when you are done.

I do oil changes, tire changes, and brake pad changes...I leave the rest to the tech day pros, and have never hesitated taking my bike any were that I wanted to.

[Hppants]

There is just something unique about working on a machine - knowing what makes it 'tick' and knowing it well enough to know when something is off, knowing that everything is right; and (in a case specific to our motorcycles) leaving the garage with the confidence that the time invested previously will mean a (mechanically) uneventful ride. That time in the garage has become, for me, just as therapeutic as each ride.

Exactly!

And knowing everything is installed correctly when you are done.

I get this, and to some degree, I agree. But not as much as I used to. Now, for the most part, I'd rather ride it than work on it. But I'm also a cheap bastage and generally don't trust anyone I don't know to work on my shit. And so.....

Hi Ho
Hi Ho
It's to work on my bike, I go....

[FJRoss]

When it comes to working on my FJR, I know what I know and am comfortable doing stuff to save cash and because I know I am likely to be fussier than the average guy at the shop for mundane stuff.

More important, I know what I don't know and will defer to a qualified mechanic where necessary. No problem with valve checks and adjustment but don't know if I would feel competent to drop the engine, split the cases and fix a 2nd gear problem - at least not on my own. On the other hand, I'm not sure I would trust the local Yamaha shop to do it... (Guess I will just have to be careful with missed shifts!)

[raYzerman]

I've probably touched every nut and bolt on an FJR, but never split cases..... I'd be OK if I were the one to split them and know where shit came from in what order, etc., but I have a basket engine here which I should really put together for fun.. eventually for donation to a local skool.

[danh600]

There is just something unique about working on a machine - knowing what makes it 'tick' and knowing it well enough to know when something is off, knowing that everything is right; and (in a case specific to our motorcycles) leaving the garage with the confidence that the time invested previously will mean a (mechanically) uneventful ride. That time in the garage has become, for me, just as therapeutic as each ride.

Exactly!

And knowing everything is installed correctly when you are done.

Now this is something I admire. I want to get to this point in life.

Right now I want a bullet proof bike. Put your gear on walk out to the bike an hit the starter. It fires up and everything works just like the last ride and the one before that.

That is why I have Yamahas.

Once I retire I will have more time than money. Then maybe I will become a decent mechanic.

Looking forward to that day.

[raYzerman]

Money won't buy you mechanical aptitude, you better start now and start breakin' shit. Geek will give you lessons, then you can figure out how to put it back together.

[gixxerjasen]

you better start now and start breakin' shit.

Way ahead of you...