Adventures in Wrenching for the New GS Owner (long)

[Admiral Crunch]

The last owner of my '91 GS didn't have any written maintenance records he could give me, so after riding my GS for a couple hundred miles and enjoying the hell out of it, I decided I ought to do a top-to-bottom basic servicing and get all the disposible stuff nice and new.  I also decided I'd better replace the chain since it seemed a little on the old-and-busted side.

I consider myself fairly mechanically-inclined, although this is my first bike, and I don't have a lot of mechanic experience beyond changing the oil in my car.  But I have a shop manual, and I can follow instructions well.   

I started my little adventure by replacing the spark plugs.  No problems, and I was done in less than five minutes.  Off to a good start.   

Everything since has been interesting to say the least.

An oil change was next, so I dumped the oil out the bottom, and took off the oil filter cover -- except I couldn't get one of the nuts off.  It just turned and turned and wouldn't move.  I even tried unscrewing it while pulling on it with vicegrips.  No go.  Great, the person who changed the oil last time stripped it putting it on.  So I dropped the exhaust system to make room to work (Luckily I already knew how, since I already took it off once before to repaint it), and I got out my trusty Dremel tool and cut the nut off.  I then tried cutting a slot in the stud for my flathead screwdriver, but the stud split when I tried to unscrew it.  I finally managed to get it out by grabbing it with vice-grips and unscrewing it.  Two days later when the bike shop finally opened up again, I went in to get a replacement stud and nut.  No luck.  They'll order me one and it'll be there in a few days.  Wonderful.  I order two of each so I can have a spare set.

They come in three days later, and I can finally finish changing my oil.  I get home and quickly realize that I don't know how to screw the new stud into the block without damaging the threads.  I can't use vice grips this time.  So I decide to try screwing two nuts against each other on the bolt and grabbing that to screw the bolt in.  Problem is, I don't have any nuts that fit the bolt other than the cap nuts I just bought.  So it's a trip to the hardware store across town to buy a pair of 60 cent nuts.  But they worked perfectly, and I finally got my new oil filter installed and the cover tightened on (carefully!!).  I refill with oil and go for a quick spin around the block and check for leaks.  All seems well!  My oil is changed, and it only took a week to do it!  (When I started the bike, I also realized very quickly that I had forgotten to replace the exhaust system.   )

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Next, I decided to change the chain.  Before putting on the new chain, I decided it was a good time to give my GS a bath, since I hadn't washed it yet since buying it, and the engine had some nice crud build-up going in a few spots.  A liberal spraydown and soak in Simple Green made a nice improvement.  After rinsing, I wheeled my now-clean bike into the garage to tackle that chain.

I haver a Clymer and a Haynes manual, and they take very different approaches to chain replacement procedures.  Clymer started with "Remove the seat and side panels".  I'm thinking "What the hell for?"  Haynes starts with "Remove the swingarm."  "Screw that." I reply.  This chain on here has a master link, and so does my new one, and I'm only replacing the front sprocket.

I decided to read what both manuals had to say and to come up with my own plan.  I started by removing the shifter lever and the cover over the front sprocket.  Setting the cover aside and letting it dangle by the clutch cable, I was first struck by the sheer amount of filth deposited inside this cavity.  It was truly disgusting.  I loosened the rear axle bolt and kicked the rear tire forward to give myself more chain slack, and I removed the front sprocket with my new circlip pliers (glad I knew that was coming).  I got the chain off the sprocket, and I was able to attack the crud in the cavity.  Taking a small flathead screwdriver, I scraped over a cup of black, oily, gritty gunk from the inside of the cover and from around and behind the sprocket.  Before I put it back together, I plan on cleaning that area more thoroughly, but it's good enough for now.

Then I decided that since I was disassembled to this point, I might as well lube my clutch cable while I'm here.  I had bought a cable luber for just such an occasion, so I was good to go.  At this point, I discovered that the Clymer manual's instructions for removing the clutch cable from the clutch lever are useless.  After wrestling with it for five minutes, I read what Haynes had to say on the subject, and I was done in ten seconds.  You have to turn the lock ring and the adjuster nut until the slots in the sides line up.  Then you can pull the cable out sideways and get it out of the clutch lever.  Clymer missed that step.  So after removing the clutch cable from the other end as well, I hooked up my new cable luber and sprayed in a nice helping of lithium grease -- which promptly shot out all around the cracks in the cable luber.  Nothing I did could get the grease to go down the cable.  I tried from both ends.  I think I got a little into the cable, and it did seem to move a little smoother, so I left it at that.

I turned my attention back to the chain, and I located the master link. I managed to pry the clip off the front, but the plate behind it might as well be welded in place.  I tried prying it off with screwdrivers, grabbing it and pulling with vice grips, and even some foul language.  Nothing worked. At that point, i was losing my light, so I decided to hang it up for the evening, and that's where I now sit in my epic journey through the pains of a self-service.

Tonight, I plan on taking out my old friend the Dremel and getting that master link apart.  Then I can try putting that new chain and sprocket on.

It's hard work, and it's frustrating sometimes, but it's still fun to learn how things work for myself, and I always hate paying someone else to do something I can do myself.  At least the next time I have to do a certain task, it should be much easier.

Just wanted to share my experiences so far in maintaining my new (to me) bike!  I hope it helps someone else trying to do this stuff.

[Egaeus]

I replaced my chain on Tuesday.  And Wednesday.  I had a solid OEM chain on the bike, and a solid OEM chain to replace it.  I had to take the swing-arm off.  It's not so easy to put back on when you only have 2 hands. 

Why didn't you replace the rear sprocket?

[Admiral Crunch]

it doesn't look worn at all, whereas the front sprocket is definitely showing signs of wear.  I have read on here that some people replace their rear sprocket less often than the front.  That, and the rear sprocket I ordered is still backordered and hasn't come in yet.   

[manofthefield]

(When I started the bike, I also realized very quickly that I had forgotten to replace the exhaust system.   )

Hahaha this part made me laugh... sounds like something I might forget

It's hard work, and it's frustrating sometimes, but it's still fun to learn how things work for myself, and I always hate paying someone else to do something I can do myself.  At least the next time I have to do a certain task, it should be much easier.

+1 well put.  It's amazing how quickly you can learn alot about something when you take it apart

[scratch]

Good job and well done!

Hint: When inspecting sprockets, it is kind of nice to have a brand new sprocket to compare the teeth to the sprocket mounted on the bike.  I suggest a countershaft sprocket as they take up less room.

[D-Day]

I replaced my chain on Tuesday.  And Wednesday.  I had a solid OEM chain on the bike, and a solid OEM chain to replace it.  I had to take the swing-arm off.  It's not so easy to put back on when you only have 2 hands. 

Why didn't you replace the rear sprocket?

Next time use a chain breaker.  If you want to use a more secure set up than a master link, and don't want to hassle with a endless chain (OEM)
Then use a rivet master link.  The chain breaker/ rivet tool is around a $100 for a good one, $60 for a cheap one, but time is money.