2007 GS500F, 20,000KM
Yoshi Carbon slip-on

Although the bike is put away now, up here in cold and snowy Toronto, I wanted to investigate a couple of things.
When season turns over, I'm going to be doing my valve clearance check, new spark plugs, new air filter, look into my brakes, new spark plugs.

Regarding brakes:
My brakes stick...the front was not sticking, but did so after I bought new basic pads for it off of eBay....stuck severly in begining, drove it a bit and now its sticking maybe 10-15% on the rotor...
The rear is different story, always has been stuck, BUT i managed to fix it by replacing it pads, taking apart caliper and clean and relube it and re-bleed rear system. Now it still sticks if I use the rear brake, more than the front a little...
How can I solve this problem? Is it the seals around the pistons in the caliper??

Regarding valve clearance check: I've never done one before and it may need valve adjustment...is this all I need to do: http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...4469142545363#
Where do I get the shims...feelers I can grab off of ioffer.com or eBay...but where to get the rest of needed items?
It beats my mind how those things just don't rattle out of there in bike usage, but to the extent of my knowledge I would not understand why, unless someone explains

ALSO, I have my bike stored OUTSIDE, covered up (excased in thick plastic, the ones they use for mattresses) and then covered with bike cover and large umbrella (to prevent weight of snow on it)....now is there anything I should look out for by storing my bike outside like this? It's in the cold...I have put fuel stabilizer...so it's good to go until it thaws in the new season?

ALSO, should I consider running carburetor cleaner on the carbs?
I find no problems...but it should be cleaned, no?

Regarding outside storage, I think its best to shield it from percipitation and such, but to leave it well ventillated to prevent condensation and rust  (and mouse pee).  I would store the battery seperate/handy and put it on a Battery Tender to recharge for a few hours each month.  The Stabil will work well if the fuel tank is full almost to the brim and you circulated it into the carbs.

There really is no mechanism to retract the brake pads away from the calipers.  Remove the pads, use brake parts cleaner and a brush to clean the calipers/pistons.  Clean the slider pin and lube that pin with silicone grease.  Then replace the brake fluid and bleed.  If that does not let the brakes run without binding, you gotta tear it down and fix what ever else is wrong.

prs

RE: also; open the carb drains in the spring to check for crud/dirt.  Then, if it runs OK, using a dose of Techroline is a safe bet.

prs

Quote from: Pigeonroost on December 21, 2009, 12:49:48 PM
but to leave it well ventillated to prevent condensation and rust

Be careful with cheap covers, they will trap water underneath an rust the bike.

-Jessie

Brake piston sticking is caused by pushing dirty pistons back into the calipers when installing new pads.  After a few such incidents over the years I now always pop the pistons and clean them up like new when replacing pads.

Quote from: gsJack on December 21, 2009, 12:58:35 PM
Brake piston sticking is caused by pushing dirty pistons back into the calipers when installing new pads.  After a few such incidents over the years I now always pop the pistons and clean them up like new when replacing pads.

Well thats weird, because i FULLY cleaned them and lubed them a bit with brake fluid. Cleaned the area inside where the piston sits too...

Quoteopen the carb drains in the spring to check for crud/dirt.  Then, if it runs OK, using a dose of Techroline is a safe bet.

Sorry, I'm not quite catching onto the lingo there, its cool, but im not that far advanced into it....what exactly should I open and check?? Thanks.

The bottom of the carb is called a "float bowl".  It is a bowl that fills with gasoline.  They have a screw near the bottom that opens a valve to drain the gas out of the bowl.  Since you have stabilizer in the gas it is not absolutely necessary but it will drain out any debris that may have settled in there.

-Jessie

Yes I let the bike run with fuel stabilizer to let it get to the carbs too.

Ok so, is it that screw thats sticking out that allows you to adjust the idle? Or don't event touch that...? Or is there another screw...

If I open this valve that you mention, to drain, will gas continuously drain out? or will it stop at certain point (the amount in the bowl)? I'm assuming it'll stop at a certain point...
Thanks

Quote from: vorBH on December 21, 2009, 01:02:56 PM

Quote from: gsJack on December 21, 2009, 12:58:35 PM
Brake piston sticking is caused by pushing dirty pistons back into the calipers when installing new pads.  After a few such incidents over the years I now always pop the pistons and clean them up like new when replacing pads.

Well thats weird, because i FULLY cleaned them and lubed them a bit with brake fluid. Cleaned the area inside where the piston sits too...

Another thing to watch for is the little outer dust wipers that can get twisted and cause piston binding.  If they get out of place I just throw them away.  They serve no purpose except to wipe brake dust from the pistons when pushing them back in.  The hard crud I get on the pistons riding here in NE OH all winter thru the salt water isn't touched by the wipers.  If I'm poping the pistons to clean them then there is no need for the wipers.  The piston seal does the job of keeping fluid in.

Quote from: vorBH on December 21, 2009, 01:34:26 PM
Yes I let the bike run with fuel stabilizer to let it get to the carbs too.

Ok so, is it that screw thats sticking out that allows you to adjust the idle? Or don't event touch that...? Or is there another screw...

If I open this valve that you mention, to drain, will gas continuously drain out? or will it stop at certain point (the amount in the bowl)? I'm assuming it'll stop at a certain point...
Thanks

This is not the idle screw.  There should be screw towards the bottom of each carb (float bowl) facing out towards the side of the bike on each side.  There is a little spout just below the screw where the fuel comes out.  You can stick a length of hose on the spout and direct the fluid into a container.  As long as the bike is not in the "prime" setting, only the fuel in the float bowl will drain out.  If you have it in "prime" it will drain until the gas tank empties.  Good luck   

-Jessie

Ok cool, will watch out for it when I go down there in couple of months.

Also "Regarding valve clearance check: I've never done one before and it may need valve adjustment...is this all I need to do: http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...4469142545363#
Where do I get the shims...feelers I can grab off of ioffer.com or eBay...but where to get the rest of needed items?"
Thanks

I use www.cheapcycleparts.com for my supplies.  The shims are about $9 a piece there (#26 in the diagram below).  First measure your clearance, you might not need to change any shims at this time.  If your valve cover gasket is dried out you should replace it.

-Jessie