Tommorow im gonna be doing my first DIY maintence and im a little pumped and nervious. I gotta...

1. Change the oil

2. Lube the chain

3. Tighten the chain

4.  and though some of you may dissagree in doing this,  stiffen the suspension

What are you going to do with the other 23 hours and 45 minutes?

1.  Easy

2.  Easier

3.  t'was OK

4.  What's wrong with that???  I set it to the highest.  Of course I'm 208lbs.

I hate you guys, but yeah im about 205 as well, tell me how does it handle with the tightened suspension

PS she is my baby and the fear of screwing her up scares me

also how many quarts are in the gs on average. I just want to know how long it'll take me to drain it into the storm drain without anyone noticing

Quote from: TadMC on June 19, 2006, 08:00:40 PM
I hate you guys, but yeah im about 205 as well, tell me how does it handle with the tightened suspension

PS she is my baby and the fear of screwing her up scares me

I weigh in at 130 and I cranked it up to the 6th position on the shock. Noticeable difference. I bumped it up to the highest position, #7, when I was at Deals Gap. Noticeable change.

better or worse?

Quote from: TadMC on June 19, 2006, 08:13:22 PM
better or worse?

Why would I have gone stiffer if it made it worse?

So yeah; better, much better than stock at least.

Yeah the stock suspension is pretty squishy.  I've had to crank all the gs bikes I've had all the way up and I'm pretty lightweight being half bird and all.

one last thing


Linky to a guide to tightening the chain please  

You need instruction?  Come on man...loosen the axle, operate the adjusters in 1/4 turns (turning both...left one, then right) until there's only 3/4 inch of slack in the chain halfway between the sprockets, roll the bike 5ft, check slack again, adjust if necessary, tighten axle.

Quote from: makenzie71 on June 19, 2006, 08:22:41 PM
You need instruction?  Come on man...loosen the axle, operate the adjusters in 1/4 turns (turning both...left one, then right) until there's only 3/4 inch of slack in the chain halfway between the sprockets, roll the bike 5ft, check slack again, adjust if necessary, tighten axle.

Our bikes have a chain tension of .8-1.2", but aside from that, he's right.

LOOK i just want to make sure I dont screw this up ok



You guys shoulld be saluting me not making fun of me

Quote from: TadMC on June 19, 2006, 08:28:37 PM
LOOK i just want to make sure I dont screw this up ok



You guys shoulld be saluting me not making fun of me

Just some friendly ribbing, that's all!

You have some sig work to tend to before either of us cares if your feelings get damaged...

 


Before I cranked it to the highest position, I didn't know any better.  I decided to try it, and it made a HUGE difference.  I was gonna do the front forks, but since I'm planning on a new bike, I don't wanna spend too much on the GS

damn, it didnt work. So nobodies worried about my feelings?



You know, yall could be my girlfiends then.

Most important things about changing the oil filter:

* Make sure the new O-ring doesn't come out of the groove.  If it does, it will get pinched between the oil filter cover and the crankcase, leaving a gap and causing a leak.  In fact, if the old O-ring is free of pits or cuts you can just leave it in till next time.

* Don't crank down on the oil filter cover nuts!  The oil filter cover is spring-loaded, so push it up against the crankcase with one hand while hand-tightening the nuts with the other hand.  Then add about 1/8 to 1/4 of a turn with a wrench.  Use a 1/4"-drive socket wrench if you have one ... it makes it easier to not apply too much torque.  The pressure from the spring helps keep the nuts from vibrating loose

without tightening them so hard that you shear off the threaded stud.[/list]

^The cover should be reinstalled with a torque wrench...15lbs, tops.

I can't believe everyone but Kerry remembered to mention the filter cover bolts.

That wouldv'e been BAD

Also dont make the same mistake i made when changing oil.

When you pour new oil in dont fill it to the F mark on a dipstick, because new oil is cold, and when you ride it becomes warm, expands and goes way over the F mark. I had to get some of the oil out after the change and it wasnt so pleasant.

So just keep the oil level above L mark, you can top it after it is fully warmed up.

Also when checking oil remember that the bike has to be on centerstand and level surface. Just a little bit lean angle gives very innacurate measuring results. That made me overfill the engine the second time