[bpe]

Cleaned, lubed, adjusted the chain.

Spoiler: Some days

It's all about the chain

 

[bpe]

Pegged a squirrel.

Spoiler: He zigged

When he should have zagged

 

[ridervfr]

Pegged a squirrel.

Spoiler: He zigged

When he should have zagged

No post-mortem pictures?

 

[bpe]

I always miss the best times to have video rolling.

 

[szoftveres]

Gave it a good clean with warm water and a rag

 

[haybaler]

Sold cousin BMW bike to clear garage space, ready for Winter teardown, renewal:

CHEERS!!

 

[yorkie]

bit warmer today so I decided to fit my nice new hoses. seeing as how I had to drain the coolant and change the coolant pipes. thought I might as well do the valve clearances it is 2 years since they were done, even if it had only covered 5.5K miles. must say I was impressed with the cams expected some wear on them or pitting on a 88k engine but no almost perfect. with no issues. only one exhaust valve out of spec rest were just fine. will getting it running and do a heat cycle or two tomorrow before reassembly.

PS. what do you guys use to ease in the coolant tubes. PJ or something else last time I used CF50 gel but they were still hard to get out. so that wasn't the best idea.

 

[ducatiman]

I'd venture to say at a certain mileage point the valvetrain "settles" somewhat.
But still not any reason to blow off the all important clearance checks when due, though. No way.

I perceive on forums (VFR, Ducati, EX, Vulcan) folks are looking for some sort of support or vindication in "not needing" to do a valve check....even when due per mileage!
All it takes is 1 comment such as .....if its running ok, leave it. They then run with it....accept as justification to blow it off! (But I read it was ok on the internet!)

In Ducati-land, blowing off desmo clearance checks the biggest no-no, along with periodic timing belt replacement. Engine blow ups super expensive.
VFR guys have bragged "haven't done in 50K" or more....some NEVER....gambling.
The EX/EN exhausts can tighten in alarmingly short interval....ditto gambling.

Oh well, my .02 on vital clearance checks.

 

[yorkie]

no I completely agree. it's just the service interval (mileage) verses time thing. 2 years seems a long time to leave them despite the mileage.
and seeing as how I've got the seat. tank. and front fairing off to do the pipes plus draining the system and replacing the coolant tubes (UK models have carb heaters) removing 6 more bolts and doing the valves was a no brainer.

it is a bit strange that most (yeah it only takes one) of the clearances were correct and the last time I did them 2 years they also fine (no adjustment) but if you don't check you don't know. I will also drop the oil and fit new filter. despite it only doing minimal mileage last year. why not I have 4 spare filters and 12gallons of oil to hand. but I do that every year anyhow perhaps that's why the cams are so good.

as for service intervals you have to take time into consideration my old Volvo needs a cambelt every 100k changed it last year at @ 180k the car is 10 years old. now someone who does minimal mileage could take 20 years before it reaches the first belt change. question is would you trust a 20yo cambelt. nope.

 

[Sarge2481]

PS. what do you guys use to ease in the coolant tubes. PJ or something else last time I used CF50 gel but they were still hard to get out. so that wasn't the best idea.

I generally use new coolant as a lubricant for coolant hoses. How did those hoses work out for you anyhow?

 

[bpe]

@yorkie You must be using some good earl. I change my oil every 3-4 months (more often if I'm riding a lot). Still can't seem to get much past 50k before cams start pitting.

Spoiler: Dare I ask

What oil are you using?

I too use coolant to lube the hoses.

 

[Davenay67]

I acquired another one! No sooner did I clear much needed space n my garage by selling 3 dirt bikes, than I bring home another stray and clog things up again. It's a disease I tell ya..!!

2006 with 595 miles. Yes, you read that correctly....it still has the plastic break-in sticker on the rev counter glass. Shows some obvious signs of newbie ownership....nick, dings, scratches. Just needed a loving home and a thorough "going through" to bring it back to a fantastic little road bike.

 

[yorkie]

hoses are perfect mate nice and snug on all the connectors. pity you can only see 3/4 of one pipe when all the fairings are on. (the btm rad hose) but I know there on. will do a photo tomorrow before fitting all the kit back on.
glad you sent the cooling pipes. almost destroyed the old ones getting them out. that was a complete surprise as I lube'd the O rings when fitting them last time with CF50 grease guess the lube turned into a glue with heat, may try copper grease this time. unless coolant works better.

@bpe the oil I use is stock mineral 10/40w (Dino oil) with a slug of Wynn's oil treatment. think it's some generic stuff from ASDA (Walmart) they were selling it off 2 years ago when they switched to selling semi and full synthetic oil only. it was £3 for a 5ltr can I bought 5 cans (25ltrs for £15) a absolute bargain.

 

[ducatiman]

@Davenay67 Grats! Does look nice, lotta potential. How's the VFR project coming along?

 

[ridervfr]

I'd venture to say at a certain mileage point the valvetrain "settles" somewhat.
But still not any reason to blow off the all important clearance checks when due, though. No way.

I perceive on forums (VFR, Ducati, EX, Vulcan) folks are looking for some sort of support or vindication in "not needing" to do a valve check....even when due per mileage!
All it takes is 1 comment such as .....if its running ok, leave it. They then run with it....accept as justification to blow it off! (But I read it was ok on the internet!)

In Ducati-land, blowing off desmo clearance checks the biggest no-no, along with periodic timing belt replacement. Engine blow ups super expensive.
VFR guys have bragged "haven't done in 50K" or more....some NEVER....gambling.
The EX/EN exhausts can tighten in alarmingly short interval....ditto gambling.

Oh well, my .02 on vital clearance checks.

wow, If I ran into a blow hard VFR doode that bragged aboot not doing/checking the valve lash on his scooter in 50K, I would either punch him in the bread basket or do something else. My two bikes, have had them done a them at 30,000 mile intervals and they have been dead nuts on the money. My 93 that I bought with 15K I did a check just to be safe and same was true, dead nutz on the money. My Kawasaki on the other hand which has threaded adjusters, always gets adjusted with a feeler gauge and the lock nut, its easy and your already there.

Makes sense if your changing anti-freeze to install some new hoses and you have the coolant tubes out of the head to just go ahead and do a valve lash check. Valves I would not go by a time stipulation unless it was a barn find bike under a pound of pigeon poop. Motor oil, I change either yearly or 2000 miles, which ever comes first (last EX change went 2500 just because I didnt look at my log book) Cheers and happy safe riding. btw, the other day I was surprised to see the not so old EX hit over 125mph 11,000 RPM on the freeway, had to tone it down a skotch as I wana be nice to "it"

 

[Davenay67]

@Davenay67 Grats! Does look nice, lotta potential. How's the VFR project coming along?

If you look carefully, you can see the VFR in the right side of the picture....in an obviously unfinished state. I'm gonna have to behave myself and finish the VFR before I tear into the little Ninja, at least the mechanical parts. The seat recover and fairing paint can wait a little, it's already safely stored in the basement, and no chance I can't remember how to reinstall.

I'm a sucker for sad little neglected motorcycles with so much potential given a healthy dose of TLC....

 

[ridervfr]

If you look carefully, you can see the VFR in the right side of the picture....in an obviously unfinished state. I'm gonna have to behave myself and finish the VFR before I tear into the little Ninja, at least the mechanical parts. The seat recover and fairing paint can wait a little, it's already safely stored in the basement, and no chance I can't remember how to reinstall.

I'm a sucker for sad little neglected motorcycles with so much potential given a healthy dose of TLC....

wow, I think I have a trained eye for the kind of bikes I dig but there is not a snow-balls chance in H E double hockey sticks that I would have known what kind of derelict motorcycle is on the left of your Ninja LOL. I have time to get into another project now but have limited space and want to be careful what stray I take in (wanted to get a third generation 3 VFR but can not remember where the doode that was breaking it stored it.)

 

[Davenay67]

wow, I think I have a trained eye for the kind of bikes I dig but there is not a snow-balls chance in H E double hockey sticks that I would have known what kind of derelict motorcycle is on the left of your Ninja LOL. I have time to get into another project now but have limited space and want to be careful what stray I take in (wanted to get a third generation 3 VFR but can not remember where the doode that was breaking it stored it.)

The bike to the left is definitely not derelict, it's in an orderly state of rebuild (or at least that's what I keep telling myself ).Stripped to the frame, with the whole back end off for cleaning, so it looks way worse than it is. I'll post pictures of the finished job to prove I'm not consigning another VFR to the unfinished project list.

For some reason there are a ton of abandoned/neglected VFR's on FB Marketplace in my area. They are complex machines, so I'm personally nervous about VFR projects. Mine is a relatively simple strip/clean/rebuild of a machine that was running fantastic already, and just in need of some cosmetic upgrades.

250 and 500 Ninjas are dead simple, and rebuilds are for the most part quick, fun and easy.

 

[yorkie]

ok so hoses are on. new coolant in. new oil and filter. ran it two heat cycles no leaks. and it actually sounds a lot better of course you cannot miss the primary chain rattle. but hey it's an old bike. I will put all the kit back on it tomorrow.
new hoses - YouTube

 

[ridervfr]

The bike to the left is definitely not derelict, it's in an orderly state of rebuild (or at least that's what I keep telling myself ).Stripped to the frame, with the whole back end off for cleaning, so it looks way worse than it is. I'll post pictures of the finished job to prove I'm not consigning another VFR to the unfinished project list.

For some reason there are a ton of abandoned/neglected VFR's on FB Marketplace in my area. They are complex machines, so I'm personally nervous about VFR projects. Mine is a relatively simple strip/clean/rebuild of a machine that was running fantastic already, and just in need of some cosmetic upgrades.

250 and 500 Ninjas are dead simple, and rebuilds are for the most part quick, fun and easy.

Its funny how you reacted to the word "derelict" not putting down anyones/anything - thats not how I role LOL. I hate inheriting other peoples projects that are in boxes (hence the word Basket Case.) I used to like using a two word catch phrase of "Finger Fuc*ed" but found out another way to describe various states of FUBAR in a better way. In aviation, they like saying "undisturbed" it is concise and to the point without resorting to profanity (even though profanity is funny as FUC*) you get the picture,

Its nice to get a rolling bike that has the body work intact or parts left undisturbed. Forgotten neglected bikes fall into this category and are usually ok if the motor is'nt locked up. Not saying you can't get burnt buying something not running, just saying the price should be representative of its non running state.

You got alot of derelict VFRs in your neck of the woods? Wow, Have bike trailor will travel, kidding aside, I am planning on doing a TN trip end of Feb/MAR this year, will trailer either my EX or my 93 VFR up there, its 800+ miles for me and will break up the trip at a cousins house that is 5 hours away. PEaCe