wheel bearing follies

[mrmooseisloose]

I have a friend that bought an A16 last June, his first bike, and he doesn't know crap about bikes. I have been teaching him this and that and doing all kinds of simple maintanence to his bike but I just found out today that although he did do 2 oil changes since he bought it.....thats ALL that he has done to it. How crucial is it to check the valves on a new bike, or put another way, how long can I let it go before I have to do it for him? Don't the dealers usually take care of the 500 check up for free? If so, can he still get them to do it with 5000 miles on it now? I'm just trying to take care of him and don't really know what to tell him since I haven't bought a NEW bike for 18 years. Thanks MrMoose A8 (Barbie and Ken special)

[hens_p]

You really should do the valves ASAP! There are plenty of web sites and videos that are excellent and will walk you through the procedure step by step. IMO, here is the best web site: http://klr6500.tripod.com/valves.htm Pat --- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "mrmooseisloose" wrote:

> I have a friend that bought an A16 last June, his first bike, and

he

> doesn't know crap about bikes. I have been teaching him this and > that and doing all kinds of simple maintanence to his bike but I

just

> found out today that although he did do 2 oil changes since he

bought

> it.....thats ALL that he has done to it. How crucial is it to

check

> the valves on a new bike, or put another way, how long can I let it > go before I have to do it for him? Don't the dealers usually take > care of the 500 check up for free? If so, can he still get them to

do

> it with 5000 miles on it now? I'm just trying to take care of him > and don't really know what to tell him since I haven't bought a NEW > bike for 18 years. Thanks > > MrMoose > A8 (Barbie and Ken special)

[monahanwb]

--- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "mrmooseisloose" wrote: How crucial is it to check

> the valves on a new bike, or put another way, how long can I let it > go before I have to do it for him? Don't the dealers usually take > care of the 500 check up for free? If so, can he still get them to

do

> it with 5000 miles on it now?

Moose, best to get it done now. It's probably down to about no clearance at all by now. They seem to do most of their tightening-up when new, that's why the first couple of adjustments are so necessary. Bill in Santa Rosa ps I saw you riding through the County complex last Wednesday, going south from the jail area. How much was your bail?

[Guy B. Young II - COG Tech. Ed.]

DO IT! My (used) A16 had a little over 4K on it when I finally pulled the cover. Three were tight. Two of those three were still within spec. but one was out on the low side. From what I have read they can be all over the place. Why tempt fate? Adjust 'em. Guy A16 '95 Concours Richmond, VA At 10:59 PM 4/27/03 -0000, mrmooseisloose wrote:

>How crucial is it to check the valves on a new bike.....

[zrod73026]

The valve setup on the KLR is a shim in bucket type. They tighten with age apposed to conventional types which get looser with age. Once they get to 0 the valves may not close all the way and burnt valves may be the result. I sweated my 03 valve adjustment till 1500 miles and had one down to .004. Get it done, you have all the help you need using Marks procedure. Won't take half a day and your friend won't end up with a doggy backfiring KLR. --- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "mrmooseisloose" wrote:

> I have a friend that bought an A16 last June, his first bike, and

he

> doesn't know crap about bikes. I have been teaching him this and > that and doing all kinds of simple maintanence to his bike but I

just

> found out today that although he did do 2 oil changes since he

bought

> it.....thats ALL that he has done to it. How crucial is it to

check

> the valves on a new bike, or put another way, how long can I let it > go before I have to do it for him? Don't the dealers usually take > care of the 500 check up for free? If so, can he still get them to

do

> it with 5000 miles on it now? I'm just trying to take care of him > and don't really know what to tell him since I haven't bought a NEW > bike for 18 years. Thanks > > MrMoose > A8 (Barbie and Ken special)

[mrmooseisloose]

CRAP!!! Thats what I thought. Since the valves wear tighter with milage does that mean they are staying open longer? That would explain the worse and worse gas milage that he has been telling me about huh. Thanks for all your replies. I will call him first thing in the morning. MrMoose A8 (Barbie and Ken special)

--- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "zrod73026" wrote: > The valve setup on the KLR is a shim in bucket type. > They tighten with age apposed to conventional types which get looser > with age. > Once they get to 0 the valves may not close all the way and burnt > valves may be the result. > I sweated my 03 valve adjustment till 1500 miles and had one down > to .004. > Get it done, you have all the help you need using Marks procedure. > Won't take half a day and your friend won't end up with a doggy > backfiring KLR. > > > > > > > --- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "mrmooseisloose" > wrote: > > I have a friend that bought an A16 last June, his first bike, and > he > > doesn't know crap about bikes. I have been teaching him this and > > that and doing all kinds of simple maintanence to his bike but I > just > > found out today that although he did do 2 oil changes since he > bought > > it.....thats ALL that he has done to it. How crucial is it to > check > > the valves on a new bike, or put another way, how long can I let it > > go before I have to do it for him? Don't the dealers usually take > > care of the 500 check up for free? If so, can he still get them to > do > > it with 5000 miles on it now? I'm just trying to take care of him > > and don't really know what to tell him since I haven't bought a NEW > > bike for 18 years. Thanks > > > > MrMoose > > A8 (Barbie and Ken special)

[RM]

On Mon, 28 Apr 2003, mrmooseisloose wrote:

>CRAP!!! Thats what I thought. Since the valves wear tighter with milage >does that mean they are staying open longer? That would explain the >worse and worse gas milage that he has been telling me about huh. >Thanks for all your replies. I will call him first thing in the morning.

Tight valves WILL degrade fuel economy. I loosened up three tight valves and got an immediate 10%+ fuel economy bump.

[zrod73026]

--- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "mrmooseisloose" wrote:

> CRAP!!! Thats what I thought. Since the valves wear tighter with > milage does that mean they are staying open longer?

Staying open longer, yea maybe a little. The scary part is they may not close tightly during combustion. Fire shooting past the valve seat can burnemupquick! That would

> explain the worse and worse gas milage that he has been telling me > about huh. Thanks for all your replies. I will call him first

thing

> in the morning. > > MrMoose > A8 (Barbie and Ken special) > > > > > > > --- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "zrod73026" wrote: > > The valve setup on the KLR is a shim in bucket type. > > They tighten with age apposed to conventional types which get > looser > > with age. > > Once they get to 0 the valves may not close all the way and burnt > > valves may be the result. > > I sweated my 03 valve adjustment till 1500 miles and had one down > > to .004. > > Get it done, you have all the help you need using Marks procedure. > > Won't take half a day and your friend won't end up with a doggy > > backfiring KLR. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > --- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "mrmooseisloose"

> > wrote: > > > I have a friend that bought an A16 last June, his first bike,

and

> > he > > > doesn't know crap about bikes. I have been teaching him this

and

> > > that and doing all kinds of simple maintanence to his bike but

I

> > just > > > found out today that although he did do 2 oil changes since he > > bought > > > it.....thats ALL that he has done to it. How crucial is it to > > check > > > the valves on a new bike, or put another way, how long can I

let

> it > > > go before I have to do it for him? Don't the dealers usually > take > > > care of the 500 check up for free? If so, can he still get them > to > > do > > > it with 5000 miles on it now? I'm just trying to take care of > him > > > and don't really know what to tell him since I haven't bought a > NEW > > > bike for 18 years. Thanks > > > > > > MrMoose > > > A8 (Barbie and Ken special)

[Marc Illsley Clarke, W2MIC]

Dear Mr. Moose, Yes, crucial to check valves at 500 miles. Sometimes they are way out. Sometimes not. By reputation and reports on this list, dealers usually charge $$$ but do not actually adjust valves at 500 miles. Dealer will accept money to adjust valves any time and as often as you want. No problem. Also no freebies. Cost of torque wrench and feeler gauges and instructional video less than cost of having dealer do the adjustment. I suggest you do the valve inspection and adjustment yourselves using the excellent step-by-step valve adjustment video. Get video and shims from Fred Hink at Arrowhead Motorsports in Moab, UT via his web site. -- Marc, KLR650 A12 Date: Sun, 27 Apr 2003 22:59:10 -0000 From: "mrmooseisloose" Subject: A16-5000 miles-no valve adjust yet I have a friend that bought an A16 last June, his first bike, and he doesn't know crap about bikes. I have been teaching him this and that and doing all kinds of simple maintanence to his bike but I just found out today that although he did do 2 oil changes since he bought it.....thats ALL that he has done to it. How crucial is it to check the valves on a new bike, or put another way, how long can I let it go before I have to do it for him? Don't the dealers usually take care of the 500 check up for free? If so, can he still get them to do it with 5000 miles on it now? I'm just trying to take care of him and don't really know what to tell him since I haven't bought a NEW bike for 18 years. Thanks -- MrMoose, A8 (Barbie and Ken special)

[mrmooseisloose]

Well I just called my friend and he is not even gonna put the key in the ignition till we do the adjust. So I think I'm gonna put out the money for the video (I know there is help online but I like videos) and buy the feeler gauges and shim set. Is $63 for the shim set from Arrowhead a decent price? I will let you all know just how bad they are out of adjustment when I get them done. MrMoose A8 (Barbie and Ken special) --- In DSN_klr650@yahoogroups.com, "Marc Illsley Clarke, W2MIC" wrote:

> Dear Mr. Moose, > Yes, crucial to check valves at 500 miles. Sometimes they

are way

> out. Sometimes not. By reputation and reports on this list,

dealers

> usually charge $$$ but do not actually adjust valves at 500 miles. > Dealer will accept money to adjust valves any time and as often as > you want. No problem. Also no freebies. > Cost of torque wrench and feeler gauges and instructional

video less

> than cost of having dealer do the adjustment. I suggest you do

the

> valve inspection and adjustment yourselves using the excellent > step-by-step valve adjustment video. Get video and shims from Fred > Hink at Arrowhead Motorsports in Moab, UT via his web site. > > -- Marc, KLR650 A12 > > Date: Sun, 27 Apr 2003 22:59:10 -0000 > From: "mrmooseisloose" > Subject: A16-5000 miles-no valve adjust yet > I have a friend that bought an A16 last June, his first bike, and

he

> doesn't know crap about bikes. I have been teaching him this and > that and doing all kinds of simple maintanence to his bike but I

just

> found out today that although he did do 2 oil changes since he

bought

> it.....thats ALL that he has done to it. How crucial is it to

check

> the valves on a new bike, or put another way, how long can I let it > go before I have to do it for him? Don't the dealers usually take > care of the 500 check up for free? If so, can he still get them to

do

> it with 5000 miles on it now? I'm just trying to take care of him > and don't really know what to tell him since I haven't bought a NEW > bike for 18 years. Thanks > -- MrMoose, A8 (Barbie and Ken special)