motorcyle tune-ups

[Steel 0]

Ok so I took my ninga zx-9 to get the front tire changed so that I could pass inspection. After the inspection, the service guy asks when was that last time I had my bke serviced, to which ofcourse the answer is never.
I bought this bike new in March 2001 and have put 8600 miles on it since then. {I have ridden very little in the past 2.5 years with it. So this guy says to me that I probably don't have enough miles on it to need a tune up, but that because its four years old it needs a tune up anyway. Then he says that it should idle solid at 1100 rpm's. (it bounces between 1100 and 1400). So I say I guess it needs to have the spark plugs changed. Then I ask him where the spark plugs are and he says the under some air filter or carberater under the fuel tank. Then he asks when was the last time I greased the cables (as in the clutch cables and brake cables) to which ofcourse I answer never. Then he says something about adjusting the timing. He says he could do all of the needed maintenance on this bike for 230 bucks plus parts.
Ok so the point here is I don't want to pay this much money. And I am trying to find a way to make sure the truly needed maintenance on my bike is done to avoid it breaking down on me. I think I can figure out how to change the spark plugs. But will that fix the idling problem? And what of this other stuff he mentioned really is important?
thanks in advance for the responses.

If I could make a wish, I think I'd pass.
Can't think of anything I need
No cigarettes, no sleep, no light, no sound.
Nothing to eat, no books to read.

[SkiD_PL8 0]

Yes your bike could use the service. The 230$ plus parts is very reasonable. Most likely the only parts you will need are spark plugs. There are several things that can go wrong that I assure you, would be better to prevent than repair after they break. If you insist on doing the work yourself invest in a clymer manual for your bike it is an invaluable tool.

Greenie in training.

[AggieDave 6]

The idle problem has to do with a few things.

Firstly, your carb settings as well as the condition of the bike's oil, piston rings and air filter.

You should do the maintance on your bike if you're riding it or not, on a schedule and sooner if needed. It comes down to if you don't take care of your bike it will break and it will be expensive. I do chain maintance every 200 miles and I'm religous on the rest of the maintance on my bike. Oil changes, lubricating, adjustments and checking the torque on all of the fittings. Its just a part of riding a bike, you have to take care of it or you'll break down (or you'll have an accident possibly).

Also, I do 100% of the work on my bike myself, that way I know for a fact that its done 100% right.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[mx757 4]

you could do that yourself.. it's not hard.. get a manual for bike, few basic tools and your all set

[Hooknswoop 19]

Synching the carbs will often make the engine run much smoother and requires a special tool. Spark plugs are easy, but it is best to let them just do everything in one shot. It would suck to tear something apart and either damage it or not be able to put it back together. That would end up costing more in the long run. I find that either getting all the tools, book, etc and diving into something or paying an expert to do it is the way to go. Sounds like you aren't into bike maint, just saving money. It will probably cost you more in the long run to do it yourself.

Derek

[Kris 0]

Dude....*shaking head*

A bike is one thing you never want to skimp on maintenance on. The price he quoted is more than fair. Otherwise, I suggest you shell out about $50-ish bucks and buy the service manual for your bike.

If your bike isn't fuel injected, you're also getting close to needing to probably get the valves adjusted, too.

Your plugs could be causing your idle problem, but you probably just need the idle adjusted. The plugs need to be changed anyway. Don't just change them though, you need to look at them to see what has been going in inside your engine.

As for lubing your cables, yes, that's a good thing to do. Sticking cables is a bad, bad thing.

If you're unsure as to what's important, it's best to let someone else do it or get fully educated yourself. Bikes are high-maintenance, and for good reason as there are a lot of dangerous things that have the potential to go wrong.

Have fun with that new front tire...heh...I hate breaking in new tires...they're squirrely for quite a few miles until you get them broken in, but it's always more fun to break them in by seeing how close you can get your pegs to the ground around the corners.

Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and
Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™

[Kris 0]

Good catch on the carb synch, Derek. My last bike was fuel injected so I'd completely forgotten about that pain in the ass.

Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and
Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™

[DeNReN 0]

$230 sounds like a great price for a 4 year 8600 mile check up...or do it yourself with little to no knowlage and tripple the price....

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Also, I do 100% of the work on my bike myself, that way I know for a fact that its done 100% right.

Dave Dave Dave........tsk tsk tsk....know it all do you?

[Hooknswoop 19]

Ya, if they are out of synch it makes a world of difference to get them back in synch and would explain the idle rpm range instead of smoothly idling. Of couse fuel injection solves that problem nicely.

Derek

[AggieDave 6]

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Dave Dave Dave........tsk tsk tsk....know it all do you?

Nope, but I learn fast and I'm good with a wrench.

It comes down to the shop where I bought my bike has fucked up more then they fix. It started when I bought my bike and the carb wasn't tuned correctly, the brakes weren't set correctly and my clutch wasn't set near correctly. So I do it myself, I consult manuals and will call the manufacture and other dealers to ask questions when needed. Atleast I know that I'm doing it to the absolute best of my ability and if something needs minor tweaking beyond that I can tweak as needed and get things done promptly, safely and correctly.

The condition my bike was in when I left the dealer was unsafe. The brakes *barely* grabbed and the clutch was set so loosely that it didn't disengage even 1/2 of the way. I was RPM shifting on the way back to my house so I could adjust it.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[Kris 0]

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It comes down to the shop where I bought my bike has fucked up more then they fix. It started when I bought my bike and the carb wasn't tuned correctly, the brakes weren't set correctly and my clutch wasn't set near correctly. So I do it myself, I consult manuals and will call the manufacture and other dealers to ask questions when needed. Atleast I know that I'm doing it to the absolute best of my ability and if something needs minor tweaking beyond that I can tweak as needed and get things done promptly, safely and correctly.

The condition my bike was in when I left the dealer was unsafe. The brakes *barely* grabbed and the clutch was set so loosely that it didn't disengage even 1/2 of the way. I was RPM shifting on the way back to my house so I could adjust it.

And you rode it home that way?! You should have taken it straight back to the dealer and started tearing ass. There's no excuse for their tuner to have uncrated the bike and thrown it together that negligently.

Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and
Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™

[DeNReN 0]

Well I am glad that you dont go there anymore...and I dont doubt your ability with a wrench and you have impressed me as someone that can take damn fine care of there equipment...but...my responce was directed at the 100% statement...lower it a tad...hehe

[DaveBjork 0]

Hey dude,
Although 230 bucks sounds like a deal, be sure of what you're getting. If you get everything that your manual recomends for that mileage, it should cost you a lot more than that. You may not be dealing with a dealer though. Make sure the guy knows what he's doing. Check it out. I work in a dealership and have worked on bikes for over 25 years. Even people in a dealership aren't necessarily qualified. Your bike does need some maintenance. Valve adjustments are important, but often neglected. Actually, most of the maintenance is. Let me know if you need some help. Later

[pleifer 0]

Missing maintenace on a cruiser is one (bad) thing.... but on a sport bike you are asking for trouble...

Those off the floor are tuned... and if you ride if fast (it is a sportbike ya' know) you should baby that thing, cause at any speed, it's carring you... essentially unportected except for what your wearing.

Take everybody's advice above and get 'er fixed

_________________________________________
The Angel of Duh has spoke

[Squeak 17]

Just so you have some idea of service times, my bike get a minor service every 5000km and a major every 10ooo,
Changing your plug on the Ninja may not be as easy as you think you sound like you dont know anything about bike manntenance, so stripping the ZX down to get to the heads might be a bit more work than you're prepared for, find a good mechanic and ask them if you can watch them do the service so yo have 'some idea'.



How can anyone own a bike and not know anything about htem
Everyone I know who rides can pretty much pull their bike down and service it. must be a cutlural or geographic thing

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[AggieDave 6]

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And you rode it home that way?! You should have taken it straight back to the dealer and started tearing ass. There's no excuse for their tuner to have uncrated the bike and thrown it together that negligently

You don't think I didn't tear ass? Come on Kris, you know me better then that. I just went back the next day. How do you think I was able to afford a Corbin seat? Needless to say when I mentioned "gross negligence" and "possible lawsuit" they wanted to make me VERY happy. So a nearly $400 seat for my motorcycle and a very happy Dave.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[AggieDave 6]

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Well I am glad that you dont go there anymore...and I dont doubt your ability with a wrench and you have impressed me as someone that can take damn fine care of there equipment...but...my responce was directed at the 100% statement...lower it a tad...hehe

Ok, ok, ok...99% Is that better?

98%

How about just a 90%?

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[Kris 0]

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You don't think I didn't tear ass? Come on Kris, you know me better then that. I just went back the next day. How do you think I was able to afford a Corbin seat? Needless to say when I mentioned "gross negligence" and "possible lawsuit" they wanted to make me VERY happy. So a nearly $400 seat for my motorcycle and a very happy Dave.

Good boy...I didn't want to think you were slipping as you were getting along in years.

BTW, I'll be up sometime in May or June to check out that Caravan. Now lets hope I don't bring bad weather with me or manage to break myself and my canopy at your DZ again.

Sky, Muff Bro, Rodriguez Bro, and
Bastion of Purity and Innocence!™

[op5e 0]

If you do not want to do the maintence yourself then you should expect to pay for it. It is a reasonable price. Btw I would suggest learning more about your bike. Perhaps you could ask if you could watch him do it.

Btw squeak didnt see your reply, great minds think alike :)

[op5e 0]

Squeak sounds to me that its his first bike. That is the problem when you can buy a 900 as your first bike. I kinda like canberra's rule that you must have a 250 (or similar) before you can upgrade. Also the composulary classes you need to take before your learners definately gives you a good start to learn how to look after your bike. Its alot of money to spend when you do not look after it, think of the resale value. Not to mention how unsafe it is if the break cable snaps when doing something stupid around kangaroo valley, because you didnt service it.

[matthewcline 0]

as a rider/racer for 20 years I too am shaking my head.

Here is my plan for my little F4-i each year.

Daily check the fluids, tires, chain and all body wotk fasteners (at least before each ride).

Mothly or every 100 miles (wich ever is first) check the clutch cable, brake sytems (you have 2 on a motorcycle) and all inside the body work fasteners (all the nuts and bolts you can see once body is off). It is also a good time to do a real detailed cleaning, after all you do have the plastic out of the way.

I replace the oil and filter every 6 months or 3000 miles which ever comes first.

Tires I replace every 24 months, they dry rot and pick little sharp things in the tread that are real hard to see some times, having hat both front and rear flats on the track and the street I have learned this lesson PAINFULLY!

$230 is fairly standard for a full servicing. $200 is what tires on ZX/R's-CBR/R's-GSXR's run for front and $250-ish for the rear, but the long stay and high price of an ER visit and dual occupancy hospital room as a lot more $ than I have.

I use a synthetic oil (Golden Spectro) and it seams to make the bike run better and last longer.

For just street cruising buy a harder compound tire that is R or Z rated, the harder compound will last a bit longer and some tend to not dry rot as much as they are designed for the long haul.

The ZX is a great ride, I had a ZX-7RR when they first came out and ran it for 3 years beforing selling it for two 600's (FZR and CBR).

With some good maintenance you can run that bike for 100,000 miles and 10 years all with out any maintenace related desasters.

Matt

An Instructors first concern is student safety.
So, start being safe, first!!!

[bobsled92 0]

I know a guy that could do a few minor mods for you too.
(Aggie Dave likes to go BIG with his bike mods)

_______________________________
If I could be a Super Hero,
I chose to be: "GRANT-A-CLAUS". and work 365 days a Year.
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[justinb138 0]

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Not to mention how unsafe it is if the break cable snaps

or a clutch cable.... trust me, it sucks...

[lurch 0]

Um, what the fuck is that? And where can I get one?

Live and learn... or die, and teach by example.

[Steel 0]

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Squeak sounds to me that its his first bike. That is the problem when you can buy a 900 as your first bike. I kinda like canberra's rule that you must have a 250 (or similar) before you can upgrade. Also the composulary classes you need to take before your learners definately gives you a good start to learn how to look after your bike. Its alot of money to spend when you do not look after it, think of the resale value. Not to mention how unsafe it is if the break cable snaps when doing something stupid around kangaroo valley, because you didnt service it.

First I want to once again thank all for their responses and very quickly clear a few things up. Its NOT my first bike. Its my third bike. First one was a KLR-250 (put 5K miles on), second was an ninga zx-6 (put 10K miles on it) and then I got this bike. I am just not a very mechanically inclined, what can I say. When I first took my oral exam for my private pilot license, I failed it because of engine systems. I remember the FAA examiner (DICKHEAD) started asking me about the heating system. Because I couldn't explain the freakin shroud, he failed me. Then when I went back to my instructor, he had the most interesting quote which I will never forget, somewhat offensive but truly laughable in my opinion. He said well I didn't go over the mechanical aspects of the plane with you because well I figured, you're male, so I thought you would already know this stuff. Now I do enjoy getting down and dirty fixing engines (when succesful). But I think size of my arms and sexual ability are more definitive of my masculinity.
Also I did try to get exactly all the things that were included in the price but he didn't have a list. He did however refer me to the center of the manual my bike came with, suggesting that he would be following this very same manual. I haven't gone over yet. I was thinking that this manual was more like an auto manual, over exagerated. That was the point of my post, to ask those who may know better what maintenance does my bike really need in its current condition? (4 years 8600 miles) So far what I have is that it needs new sparks plugs, to grease the clutch and brake cables, and that think with the carborator's about the timing.
thanks
Bruno

If I could make a wish, I think I'd pass.
Can't think of anything I need
No cigarettes, no sleep, no light, no sound.
Nothing to eat, no books to read.