Motors Motorcycle Mayhem

Fair enough RAM, didn't think it would be that bad but I guess I'm quite lucky with the stock forks on my viffer.

Consider upgrading to HID lights, about £80 quid or perhaps less and a DIY job, should make an enormous difference if you cannot adjust them as they are satisfactorily

 

Yeah. If you're free for a ride next week I'll show you just how bad it can be! Quite frankly it's insane how spongy they are...

I'll have to figure the lights when I've got time and a good torch and it's dark. It'd be better if my dipped beams stayed on when I switch to full beam but they don't. Only way to have both is to use the flasher which is far from ideal. I think the dipped beams need lifting a little and my mains aiming more into my lane than into the middle of the road.

 

SV650's have got **** forks

I would recommend giving Steve Jordan Bikes a call and ask them all about your sv650. The owner and his wife have both raced in Mini Twin cup on sv650s for years. They'll know the best bang for buck mods for you to do.

http://www.stevejordanmotorcycles.co.uk/race_gallery.asp

They do alot of sv650 race bike prep as well.

 

So I noticed a strange rattling sound earlier low down on the bike at low revs, checked everything over and didn't find anything. Poked and prodded and then had a look at my chain and to my horror, my chain is flopping around like a wet fish. It's suddenly developed over 2 inches of 'slack!'

I'm thinkin chain tensioner? Any other thoughts?

 

New chain - do it now

I had one snap on me on a ZX10r - wrapped itself around my rear wheel, ate through my swingarm and nearly defootified me

Get a new chain



Oh, and it's 04-05 GSXR600 OEM forks that are a direct replacement for yours - AND with the added benefit of having radial calipers

Low capacity sir ? Then two stroke for the win ! Every time.

I've had several RD250 /RD350 YPVS's in my time, and I still dream about the powerband today - aahh the memories

And the smell as well, if they did aftershave that smelt like burnt 2 stroke oil ...

 

Ugh... More money... Do you reckon it's safe to ride gently to the dealership tomorrow? It's only 2-3 miles away. Or should I ask them to come pick it up? Might as well get new chain and sprockets if it's a replacement job. Might ask them to clean it up too. Depends if they try to rip me off again...

 

Well, I'd adjust it first obviously.

Adjusting chain is esay, loosen off the two rear bolts at either end of the axel.

Then there should be adjustment .. hang on ... wtf is Google for

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zB4DsHV8SAQ

If it gets to the limit of it's adjustment, and it's STILL slack, then it 's new chain time.

If not, then you're fine.

A nice tight chain makes wheelies from the throttle much easier - although in telling you this I think the admins might reduce my post count back down to zero again

Ooh - and if you get a new chain, then is advised that you should also get new sprockets as well.

Sorry

 

Hmm. I may have to just ride it very carefully for the time being as I don't have time to get it sorted. I only free up on Tuesday from work... Nice and gentle accelleration Cheesecake...

 

At least adjust the chain it only takes a few minutes. An overly loose chain may rub and damage the swing arm or worse yet fail which as Fat Tony pointed out can do a lot of damage to both the bike and your leg (seriously it's a thin piece of metal spinning at a high speed and as such isn't to be messed with!).

When it comes to bikes don't take the risk as it isn't worth it - if something fails on the car you will most likely walk away when something fails on a bike it can go very wrong.

 

Mmm... True. Means I'll have to get up ridiculously early to try and fix it, and if I can't it could be interesting! Or I could stop being a lazy git and just cycle in! It is only 4 miles... (Then again, I don have a slow puncture in my rear tyre!)

 

Couple of excellent posts there Tony, please use the edit and multiquote functions though.

 

Err question - when was the last time you checked your chain for slack/adjusted it?

It could well be that it was bad for a while and you've only just noticed it in terms of noise...

Obviously no need to assume it's new chain time just yet, but yes, do not ride that thing until you get it sorted out.

This is why you should check your chain every day

 

I checked it a couple of days ago and it seemed fine. I'll have another look in the morning and see what I think.

 

lol - just put me on -9999 posts and have done with it

 

So I've had the chain tweaked. Turns out there's a slack spot and a fairly tight spot too, which I noticed a short while ago. Left to go to a friends and it was slack, arrived and it was tight. Guessing the chain will need replacing soon in which case I'll do the sprockets too. I'm about to buy a rear paddock stand and some chain cleaning gear to see if I can extend its life a little bit. They adjusted my clutch free-play too and now I keep over revving the biting point has changed so much! Felt fine to me before...

Also, can anyone point me to some good but not 'too expensive' sockets and a torque wrench? I know expense and quality usually come hand in hand but I'm a student, so I can't have the best of everything! I'm feeling driven to buy the tools as my local dealership wanted 200 to do the chain and sprockets and another 150 for a small service... Could... not... believe... it...

Anyway, time to order this gear so I can clean the old girl up! Might even take a look at the Throttle Position Sensor sometime too. Might fix that bunny-hopping feeling between 1500-3000rpm. http://forums.sv650.org/showthread.php?t=55459

 

While not 100% advisable, you can do chain and sprockets without a torque wrench - I know I have on a Blade, a GSXR1000, 2 x ZX10rs and the BMW with no ill effects. (the above picture happened before I'd been anywhere near the parts - honest )

If by "service" you mean an oil change, then that's easy - brake pad changes are also easy. Just Google them and watch the vids.

I buy my inexpensive tools from Machine Mart or Halfords.

Slack and tight spots generally indicate that the wheel is slightly out of line - have a look at the distance indicators for the rear axle - make sure the axle is the same distance out either side. That said, that's only good if the distance markers are good - in some cases, they're not.

Abba stands are great - but more expensive than paddock stands - and are usually bike specific. An Abba stand uses the swingarm pivot to stand the bike up, meaning that the whole of the rear end is free to work on - a paddock stand will sometimes get in the way. Abba stands also allow you to work on the front wheel if you can hold the front end up. Nevertheless, a paddock stand is adequate.

You can adjust the clutch cable with the little round adjuster at the top end of the lever itself - sit on the bike, turn the engine pull the clutch in, put it in gear, and feel for the biting point. Then take it out of gear, adjust with the little round adjuster, and try again.

Personally, I like the clutch to be fully in only when I have the lever right back to the bar, and fully out when my hand is c.75% released.

 

+1 to everything Fat Tony said!

 

Hmm. I'm wondering if it's worth spending the extra on the Abba stand in the long run as I won't be changing my bike any time soon and even when/if I do I can just order the replacement fittings and keep the stand. It is twice as expensive as the paddock stand I was going to get! Worth the extra?

I don't know why he changed my clutch. It was fully disengaging when pulled in and fully engaging when released, probably in the 25%-engaged-25% region or there about. Had much more control over it then. Find U-turns much harder now and they're hard enough on an SV650s. No lock at all... Still, I'm just trying to figure why right hand U-turns are much harder than left ones for me. Weird considering you do right turns in the test!

Another thing, when I mentioned the possibility of tweaking my forks, they looked at me as if I was completely insane and stupid! Said the bike wouldn't steer/ handle properly if I were to replace the springs and changing the oil wouldn't stop the forks 'diving,' only slow it down etc.. What do you lot think?

 

Thicker oil, progressive springs and removing the top spacers iirc are the usual SV650 fork mods.

Hagon and Maxton sell the kits.

Halfords pro tools are a good buy, and Abba stands are so much easier if you're on your own.

 

If you work on the bike by yourself an ABBA stand or a forward handled pitbull stand is the way to go.