Change the order of the list of things to do:

(If you were going to...) Clean the chain

Ride the bike

Check your chain slack in at least three places (pretty easy since you have three spokes).
Adjust your tension at the tightest point, as Mak stated.
.8-1.2"

Change the oil, dump in 3qts (you'd better have a fourth quart...)

Ride the bike

Lube the chain

Adjust the suspension

Check oil level, add if neccessary

Ride the bike again

Check chain slack again, as suspension changes can potentially change tension.

Now, the reason I have you do the chain adjustment first as it will affect suspension travel, I want to make sure that you get a good feel for how the suspension feels before and after the changes, without interference of the chain.  And, again, as it may not even affect the chain tension, but it doesn't hurt to check to make sure.

do you have a haynes manual yet? i highly reccommend it. that way you don't have to rely on people like kerry who remember every little detail and remind you not to strip bolts. you can use it for the easy procedures to start and then move on to more complicated things as your confidence improves. DIY is not too hard, especially on the GS. it just takes patience.

WHOOOO HOOOOO!!!

Well I did it with a little something extra.......

I started witht the chain.  Did my messurement on the chain.... hells yeah it was loose.   Anyway got it tight and aligned... No more squealling when i hit the back brake.  Holy smokes a  tight chain makes a difference in suspension. Then i did the supension adjustment that was pretty easy. 

Then, oh yeah, then....... I did a fenderectomy and holy shaZam! it looks good.   

I figure the next thing I do is going to be the progressive spinging.  cuz now the fronts really soft and the backs hard.   


Oh yeah.  I have the clymer book on the gs and its a ton of help.

I can think of another reason its a big day tmra  Its my Bday! and Thursday is my full motorcycle license test day!  whew busy busy. Good look with teh wrenching!

OK, so I just went out to check my bike-  preload is set at 4 (big surprise there!)

So I pulled the manual out, check it, pulled the tool out of the tool kit, put it on the center stand... and looked and tried and looked and tried...

How do you adjust it??!??!  HELP!   

Its a hard fit for that spanner,

I did it by laying on the left side of the bike while its on its center stand.  Attach the spanner to the adjuster and make sure the grip on the spanner is between the swing arm and the chain and then twist HARD toward the handle bars.

Quote from: ExYankee on June 20, 2006, 12:29:27 PM
OK, so I just went out to check my bike-  preload is set at 4 (big surprise there!)

So I pulled the manual out, check it, pulled the tool out of the tool kit, put it on the center stand... and looked and tried and looked and tried...

How do you adjust it??!??!  HELP!   

If you want some help I'm in San Antonio regularly and will give you a hand with whatever you need.

Quote from: AlphaFire X5 on June 20, 2006, 12:39:05 PM

Quote from: ExYankee on June 20, 2006, 12:29:27 PM
OK, so I just went out to check my bike-  preload is set at 4 (big surprise there!)

So I pulled the manual out, check it, pulled the tool out of the tool kit, put it on the center stand... and looked and tried and looked and tried...

How do you adjust it??!??!  HELP!   

If you want some help I'm in San Antonio regularly and will give you a hand with whatever you need.

You just want to go to his house and eat all of his snacks and drink all his soda

Quote from: TadMC on June 20, 2006, 12:40:54 PM
You just want to go to his house and eat all of his snacks and drink all his soda

Not my fault we don't have any here.

OK, went back out and looked at it again-- taking off that rear tire spash shield made all the difference ... do'h!  2min later I had it set to 7!

AlphaFire X5 -- thanks for the offer!  A  to you! 

Congradulations!

Quote from: TadMC on June 20, 2006, 12:06:50 PM
I figure the next thing I do is going to be the progressive spinging.  cuz now the fronts really soft and the backs hard.

www.peterverdonedesigns.com/introduction.htm

Quote from: scratch on June 20, 2006, 01:01:59 PM
Congratulations!

Quote from: ExYankee on June 20, 2006, 12:52:27 PM
OK, went back out and looked at it again-- taking off that rear tire spash shield made all the difference ... do'h!  2min later I had it set to 7!

AlphaFire X5 -- thanks for the offer!  A  to you! 

Oh yeah I forgot i had to do that too

any one else have problems geting the rear spring to 7?  i could only get it to 5, and i am 230 and 300 with gear (camping)  this thing is a SOB and poor enginered.

Quote from: rangerbrown on June 20, 2006, 02:34:23 PM
any one else have problems geting the rear spring to 7?  i could only get it to 5, and i am 230 and 300 with gear (camping)  this thing is a SOB and poor enginered.

I got mine to 7. It took a little effort, but not too much.

PS my girlfriend loves the federectomy, she said that the bike look sleaker but couldnt point out why

well after a while she pointed it out though

Quote from: makenzie71 on June 19, 2006, 07:58:17 PM
What are you going to do with the other 23 hours and 45 minutes?

Quote from: annguyen1981 on June 19, 2006, 11:34:47 PM
I can't believe everyone but Kerry remembered to mention the filter cover bolts.

That's because Kerry is The Man 

Tad - Glad you got it all set. Rock n' Roll 

Quote from: AlphaFire X5 on June 20, 2006, 02:50:43 PM

Quote from: rangerbrown on June 20, 2006, 02:34:23 PM
any one else have problems geting the rear spring to 7?  i could only get it to 5, and i am 230 and 300 with gear (camping)  this thing is a SOB and poor enginered.

I got mine to 7. It took a little effort, but not too much.

Same here, but I didn't have to take off the chain guard

Quote from: annguyen1981 on June 20, 2006, 06:26:34 PM

Quote from: AlphaFire X5 on June 20, 2006, 02:50:43 PM

Quote from: rangerbrown on June 20, 2006, 02:34:23 PM
any one else have problems geting the rear spring to 7?  i could only get it to 5, and i am 230 and 300 with gear (camping)  this thing is a SOB and poor enginered.

I got mine to 7. It took a little effort, but not too much.

Same here, but I didn't have to take off the chain guard

Likewise, just a bit of muscle (what little I have) and some trickey working of the c-spanner.