Motorcycles BS Thread 2.0

Finally did the Groms first oil change. Oil spinners are a lot more work and it’s crazy how much metal sludge there was from the first 650 miles. Hopefully there is less next time.

 

I did a "service" to my 1999 VFR800fi over the past couple of days (the bike has been on the lift for a week)
Fresh Dot 4 brake fluid all around, even the clutch. Out with the brown, In with the clear.

Fresh coolant. Out with the green, in with the Blue. M-B 325.0

Hmmm. That hole in the collector pipe for the front cylinder banks? I had been picking up some "puffing" sounds that didn't seem right over the past years. Honda weight savings resulted in metal that is gauged at "OH TOO THIN" . About 3/4 inch X 3/8" Paper thin all around. Took a while with the O/A torch to cover over the hole. Burned the coating off some galva-neal to make the patch. I'm not a sheet metal shop FCS. Did you know there is a MAGNET used as a spacer between the tow front cylinder head pipes on a VFR800fi? What a neat application of simplicity. Keeps 'em together, but not in any way stressful.

' Dropped a 10mm socket into the open collector outlet while fitting the muffler. A magnet wouldn't reach it. I had to resort to firing up the engine. 4500 rps kicked the socket right out. OH! My Ears! OH! What a sound. That four cylinder V just rocks the soul!

 

Given much thought to putting on a Kitaco clutch cover? Lose the spinner, gain an oil filter.

 

Oil spinners?

 

My buddy is selling his 2015 G 650 GS (BMW thumper made in China). As much as I’m not a BMW fan, it’s a fun little dual sport oriented street bike. Anyone ever own one? I was surprised how easy it was to handle, almost like my little 250 Dual Sports.

I wish Yami or someone made this exact bike but more confidence inspiring in the maintenance department ha.

 

I had to look it up too.

Apparently it’s an alternative to an oil filter. Uses centrifugal force to “spin” the metal particulates out of the oil instead of forcing the oil through a filter. The metal gets captured in a small cylinder behind the clutch cover. Means you have to remove the clutch cover to clean it out which would be annoying (handful of bolts and some brackets in the way) as opposed to a conventional filter and drain plug. On the upside, there’s no filter to buy at each change and you literally just wipe it clean and reassemble. But I imagine that gets offset by having to buy a clutch cover gasket.


I still want a Grom.

 

Yeah, I want one but didn’t want to spend $300 on one. After doing the first oil change I will probably get one in the near future if/when I get stiffer clutch springs.

 

What Ghost Ship said. It wasn’t hard cleaning the oil spinner, just time consuming. There is a company that makes a clutch cover that has a oil filter but it’s $300. It’s $11 for the 2 gaskets needed to remove the clutch cover and clean the oil spinner, probably the same price as a filter.

 

also gains you increase in the oil volume, and the oil site glass is a nice feature as well

 

Maybe I'm one of the odd ones out there but I absolutely hate the oil sight glass method of checking oil. I much prefer a dipstick. My FJR1300 has the sight glass and I damned near need to stand on my head to see it. I can't imagine how that might work on a Grom.

 

Not hard work but tedious. I remember doing it, but i only did once before i sold it.

Id rather have a dipstick too. Sight glass and holding bike level while your head is at the floor is dumb

 

i like both honestly, the problem is the factory grom dipstick is super small and kinda sucks... But I agree that on a motorcycle the site glass can be annoying for the obvious reasons, few really like bending over trying to keep a bike upright, but on a bike lift it is kinda nice already being near eye level as well

the dip stick on my tacoma the long traditional type I love, however I hate owning a couple cars without dipsticks... trusting the sensors and a computer is annoying

 

I cant say ive seen a car without a dipstick. Not that i drive or want anything new.

 

many car companies have ditch the traditional dip stick...

some have an aftermarket option to add one, but many have ditched it all together.

 

Interesting..no thanks

 

I think what makes the sight glass even worse is trying to check it when traveling. Like early morning or at night when it's not really light out yet and you want to check before you leave out for the day. I met a woman rider on an older BMW K1100RS where the sight glass was viewed through a small hole in the left side fairing lower. She had actually installed a small LED light on a momentary switch that she could reach inside the fairing and hold the button to illuminate the sight glass to check her oil. Pretty cool actually but otherwise would be a real PITA to check. Center stand helps.

 

there are times when it is ok, like having the option to check from within the cabin without as much as lifting a finger or getting your nails dirty what so ever while out on the road or something...
but for simply doing some maintenance in the garage the ol dip stick is tried and true for sure


I definitely dont want all the tech in all the cars all the time, but having options is nice

my oldest one is a 2006, it can be finicky with the read out if the car is not level, but I can't say its ever really failed me, the one nice thing is it gives me a read out every time I get in the car.... to do that with a traditional dip stick would require popping the hood every single time

 

When you think of it as being about 10% of the cost of the bike to purchase, it’s a tough thing to justify. But in my view, the convenience, and the time savings...I figure my time is worth something...bribes the cost gap that my mind struggles with. I had planned to get a Kitaco for mine, but I sold it and my other street legal bike. I really regret not hanging onto the Grom, and I’m on the search for another one.

Also shave off some weight, rotational mass at that, by removing the spinner.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GNXVQV2VKA

 

Yeah. The struggle with me was I only put 650 miles on it in the year I have owned it so far and I have a lot of other projects going on. Having done the oil change with the oil spinner now I will be installing the cover next time I have to break open the engine. Excited to put the Kenda KD1 tires on next. Been using the Maxxis knobbies for the last 600 miles and they just aren’t fun on the street.