woody1
Bachelor Dog
- Joined
- May 21, 2012
- Messages
- 13,231
- Reaction score
- 2,055
- Location
- Riversdal Weskaap
- Bike
- Yamaha Super Tenere
50 000 km and counting.
My 2014 XT1200 ZE has only given me good service and it was time for some love and payback time.
During the SERVICE I took the front screen off and noticed one of the 4 bolts holding the screen frame in place was missing. Maybe a thing for ZE owners to check.
I also used my new RIVNUT tool and fitted my power panel in place with bolts, no more pop rivets for me. :thumleft:
I planned to do the rear shock after the National bash...Fresh oil, re-gas and stiffer spring.
Why stiffer spring you ask. Well with me, mommy, the sidecar and the kitchen sink we need to LIFT the old lady a bit.
For some reason I started the service last weekend and before I knew it, the shock was out.
Getting the spring off was about 2 minutes with the help of 2 ratchet straps... just wrap the belt twice through the coils. Easy and controlled way to compress a coil spring.
Took it to my spring factory in Germiston on Monday. They put it on a fancy machine and they measure it.
Old spring compressed by 1 inch gave a reading of 160 kg.....whatever that means.
Guy told me he can go to 13mm diameter coils and that should give me about 215 kg for 1 inch deflection.
Thursday morning they phone... spring is ready...R 399.00.
Went there to pick it up, took it on the machine again and glad to see the machine registering 215 kg for the 1 inch deflection.
Also saw a dogbone design to raise the back a bit. This design has 3 levels. Drawn the cad file and my laser people (TW in Boksburg) quickly made them for me.
I know it can affect handling as you alter the geometry of the bike, but with the sidecar the geometry is stuffed in any case, so we are going for a BOOB job...lifting her a bit as she was sagging a bit at her age. :imaposer:
While we are at it I decided to cut the CAT out. Shit how did this bike get the air out...that thing has tiny holes man.
Also checking all the links and bearings. Swingarm is looking good for 50 000 km. Cleaned and re-greased everything.
On the swingarm... that bolt was VAS !!!!. Could not move her with air tool, power bar or long lever.
Got some WM.Penn G70 penetrating oil. Gave it som of this juice twice and the bolt came out.
Overall not looking to bad. A bit of white rust stuff, but the bearings are all clean and good. Just wiped then and applied some fresh grease.
Took the rear shock to Shimwells for assembly because I could not get it out of the frame with the pre-load motor and pump and the air reservoir, so I had to unscrew it...lost the oil and the air.
Only way to get it back is to drop the sub frame.... but that is next weekends job.
My 2014 XT1200 ZE has only given me good service and it was time for some love and payback time.
During the SERVICE I took the front screen off and noticed one of the 4 bolts holding the screen frame in place was missing. Maybe a thing for ZE owners to check.
I also used my new RIVNUT tool and fitted my power panel in place with bolts, no more pop rivets for me. :thumleft:
I planned to do the rear shock after the National bash...Fresh oil, re-gas and stiffer spring.
Why stiffer spring you ask. Well with me, mommy, the sidecar and the kitchen sink we need to LIFT the old lady a bit.
For some reason I started the service last weekend and before I knew it, the shock was out.
Getting the spring off was about 2 minutes with the help of 2 ratchet straps... just wrap the belt twice through the coils. Easy and controlled way to compress a coil spring.
Took it to my spring factory in Germiston on Monday. They put it on a fancy machine and they measure it.
Old spring compressed by 1 inch gave a reading of 160 kg.....whatever that means.
Guy told me he can go to 13mm diameter coils and that should give me about 215 kg for 1 inch deflection.
Thursday morning they phone... spring is ready...R 399.00.
Went there to pick it up, took it on the machine again and glad to see the machine registering 215 kg for the 1 inch deflection.
Also saw a dogbone design to raise the back a bit. This design has 3 levels. Drawn the cad file and my laser people (TW in Boksburg) quickly made them for me.
I know it can affect handling as you alter the geometry of the bike, but with the sidecar the geometry is stuffed in any case, so we are going for a BOOB job...lifting her a bit as she was sagging a bit at her age. :imaposer:
While we are at it I decided to cut the CAT out. Shit how did this bike get the air out...that thing has tiny holes man.
Also checking all the links and bearings. Swingarm is looking good for 50 000 km. Cleaned and re-greased everything.
On the swingarm... that bolt was VAS !!!!. Could not move her with air tool, power bar or long lever.
Got some WM.Penn G70 penetrating oil. Gave it som of this juice twice and the bolt came out.
Overall not looking to bad. A bit of white rust stuff, but the bearings are all clean and good. Just wiped then and applied some fresh grease.
Took the rear shock to Shimwells for assembly because I could not get it out of the frame with the pre-load motor and pump and the air reservoir, so I had to unscrew it...lost the oil and the air.
Only way to get it back is to drop the sub frame.... but that is next weekends job.
