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a basic tuneup

  • Thread starter Thread starter mcneilk
  • Start date Start date
M

mcneilk

Guest
I bought my kat about 10 years ago. It had 14500 km and had not been ridden in awhile. I knew nothing about mechanics and wasn't on this site so i took the bike to a shop and got ripped off. I replaced the stock exhaust with a vance and hines and upped the main jet a bit. The bike ran good.
I then found another shop and got to know the mechanics and trusted them. They did a carb balance and the bike ran better but couldn't wheelie without the clutch. Years went by and i figured i should check the valves. I had a friend who was a mechanic and took the bike to him. Though he mostly worked on ski-doos and quads he checked the valve clearences and they were all within specs. More time passed.
Last year i put pods and a stage three dyno on the bike. Checked the plugs and they were a nice tan color. The bike is fast but still wouldn't wheelie without the clutch. I had come to expect this.
This past winter i did a valve check on my own. Used a .106mm feeler gauge. The specs are .08 to .12. One valve i couldn't get the gauge under but the rest i could but they felt pretty tight to me. so i adjusted all the valves a little looser. About an eighth of a turn all (except the tighter one which i adjusted more).
A couple years ago i bought a set of vaccum gauges for balancing the carbs. Time to try them out. I found out to adjust the #2 carb is gonna take a special tool. Anyway one and two were real close but #4 was out so i adjusted it. Now one and two were slightly out. (note to self:order the tool). I decided to take it for a spin and change the oil.
I could tell right away the bike was quicker. Road a couple miles and turned around. Started rolling and gave the bike a little throttle to preload the forks. let off and twisted the throttle. UUUUUUUUUUUUUp came the front tire. WTF?
Done 50 miles or so since then and my kat can now wheelie without the clutch ALL the time. I could flip myself over backwards. This bike is a beast. A torque monster. I am calling myself the motorcycle whisperer with my biking buddies.
 
Your profile says you have been on the forum for about five years, although there aren't many posts.

How many times have you seen us post something to the effect of DO IT YOURSELF? :-K

Now you know why.
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mcneilk said:
I am calling myself the motorcycle whisperer with my biking buddies.
Click to expand...


It's amazing what a little basic maintenance will do. Believe it or not, but Suzuki actually publishes a maintenance schedule.:p
 
i don't have much to say

i don't have much to say

How does the saying go? something about say little and let people think you are an idiot rather than saying lots and removing all doubt. I can easily think of one post i wish i had never posted. After removing the valve cover i was like... DOH!

The valve clearence and carb balance were things i had never done before. Most of my motorcycle repairs ended up being do it twice and hopefully its right the second time. Please guys just let me bask in the glory of having done something to my bike that really made it better instead of doing something and having it basically the same. Which wasn't bad. it started, idled good and ran good.

I am NOT the motorcycle whisperer. I know that but thanks to this site i know more than i did. Clymer helped a lot too.
 
The only way to know it is done right is to do it yourself !!!!!
 
Oh, we are not taking anything away from you, just glad that you finally figured it out. :D

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I totally get that. The last engine I overhauled prior to doing the top end on my 850 was twenty five years ago and to have it turn out so well and the engine run so smoothly with great power makes me grin ear to ear every time I ride it.

Cheers
 
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