Maintenance - schedule or whenever?

[Gas Man]

Yeah its good, I don't care either way. I'm just saying, if the manufacture says to service them, do it. Do you think you know better than they do?

My 9R bushings were still in great shape but I didn't do the forks. That was before I got really into my own wrenching... so a race shop did them.




I can't remember how many miles but it was a 2002 bike. 15k miles or close

The first bushing is barely worn... the 2nd is slightly worn. But then again I didn't wheelie or hard on my bikes. BUt yes as tach stated... hardly worn compared to the chopper.

Honestly in a sportbike... there is a huge change for the good by just changing the oil to some good ohlins syn oil.

[derf]

Originally Posted by Gas Man

Do you think you know better than they do?

Not better than them. We have competing interests, The manufacturer wants me to service my bike at an authorized service shop for everything, they expect a majority of the people to have a shop do their servicing. This keeps their dealership network open. yes their service schedule is going to be very conservative. There are plenty of other reasons why they make their service intervals so short.

But i also say that with the understanding that I dont own a bike that has a super crazy service schedule. If I had a duc, yes I would be much more dilligent about servicing it, checking the valves every 150 miles and such. Being that I have a honda I believe I can stretch the service interval out a wee bit.

[njchopper87]

Whenever. I'm still learning about everything I'm supposed to be doing and I don't have much money to throw around. I do what's required (oil and filters and shit like that) and stretch the rest. I wish I still lived in Jersey though.. my next door neighbor was a mechanic and he'd help out no questions asked for beer or a return favor.

[Gas Man]

I hear ya Derf...

hell really for the most part the average person is still overkill on regular oil changes. I think I saw something on your oil breaks down mostly in the first 500 miles. Than it really doesn't do much less. The biggest important part is the oil filter cause once they get gunked up they just go into bypass. But the oil itself can go much longer than we run it.

[Dave]

Originally Posted by Gas Man

I hear ya Derf...

hell really for the most part the average person is still overkill on regular oil changes. I think I saw something on your oil breaks down mostly in the first 500 miles. Than it really doesn't do much less. The biggest important part is the oil filter cause once they get gunked up they just go into bypass. But the oil itself can go much longer than we run it.

heh i told fred this when we rode saturday but after i resurrected the 450 i rode it for about six months on the 26 year old oil. No shards at change either.

[derf]

Originally Posted by Dave

heh i told fred this when we rode saturday but after i resurrected the 450 i rode it for about six months on the 26 year old oil. No shards at change either.

You need to check the chain on that thing, I could see and hear it flapping against the swingarm or frame or something from where I was riding. There was probably 4 to 6 inches of vertical movement in it.



Gasman, 6k miles and the forks needed to be freshened up? I suspect they might not have been assembled correctly to begin with. Unless someone is using their bike way outside its design limits (stunting) I wouldn't even think to check my forks until around 20k mi or 5 years. My last bike went 26k and I never even looked in the forks, although I did check the valves at 19k because I thought I heard a ticking, which turned out to be 1 valve at the very limit of being servicable (still good), so I adjusted it back to the middle of the recommended range and closed it back up.

I also totally agree with you that the filter will break down well before the oil does.

Really what I'm trying to get at is that if something needs constant maintenance (like a chain) then I look at it alot, if something needs periodic maintenance (oil change) then I do it when it needs getting done, and if something needs very little maintenance (forks) then I look at when it tells me to look at it. Also realize the fact that when I look at my air filter I also change out my spark plugs, if they need to be looked at or not, just because I'm already in there and it only takes a few extra minutes to get to the spark plugs. Common sense really drives my maintenance.

Keep in mind though that I'm just some dude, not an expert of any kind

And lastly yes i would stretch the service interval on the ducati's way out to 150 miles, I totally understand that the manual says you should inspect and adjust them at every stop light but I think 150 miles is close enough.

[marko138]

Originally Posted by derf

You need to check the chain on that thing, I could see and hear it flapping against the swingarm or frame or something from where I was riding. There was probably 4 to 6 inches of vertical movement in it.



Gasman, 6k miles and the forks needed to be freshened up? I suspect they might not have been assembled correctly to begin with. Unless someone is using their bike way outside its design limits (stunting) I wouldn't even think to check my forks until around 20k mi or 5 years. My last bike went 26k and I never even looked in the forks, although I did check the valves at 19k because I thought I heard a ticking, which turned out to be 1 valve at the very limit of being servicable (still good), so I adjusted it back to the middle of the recommended range and closed it back up.

I also totally agree with you that the filter will break down well before the oil does.

Really what I'm trying to get at is that if something needs constant maintenance (like a chain) then I look at it alot, if something needs periodic maintenance (oil change) then I do it when it needs getting done, and if something needs very little maintenance (forks) then I look at when it tells me to look at it.

And lastly yes i would stretch the service interval on the ducati's way out to 150 miles, I totally understand that the manual says you should inspect and adjust them at every stop light but I think 150 miles is close enough.

I'm glad you'd be vigilant to explosive valves if you owned a Ducati.

[derf]

Originally Posted by marko138

I'm glad you'd be vigilant to explosive valves if you owned a Ducati.

I'm sorry, I love their bikes, they look great, sound great, ride great. I would even venture to say that they are probably great in bed too. But their maintenance is just too much for me. Everyone I know that has one is always talking about doing something to adjust or tighten or check the ellusive whochamawhatzit.

[marko138]

Originally Posted by derf

Not better than them. We have competing interests, The manufacturer wants me to service my bike at an authorized service shop for everything, they expect a majority of the people to have a shop do their servicing. This keeps their dealership network open. yes their service schedule is going to be very conservative. There are plenty of other reasons why they make their service intervals so short.

But i also say that with the understanding that I dont own a bike that has a super crazy service schedule. If I had a duc, yes I would be much more dilligent about servicing it, checking the valves every 150 miles and such. Being that I have a honda I believe I can stretch the service interval out a wee bit.

You would check your valves after every tank of gas? No fucking way.

[azoomm]

Originally Posted by derf

But i also say that with the understanding that I dont own a bike that has a super crazy service schedule. If I had a duc, yes I would be much more dilligent about servicing it, checking the valves every 150 miles and such. Being that I have a honda I believe I can stretch the service interval out a wee bit.

Ducati motorcycles are NOT that high maintainance. But, I find it awesome you would check the valves after you get half-way through a tank of gas.

When I had an odometer, I followed the maintainance schedule to a T. Now that it's a track/race bike - I follow the calendar rather than the miles. Oil changes every three months, valve check once a year. I just had the suspension taken care of - and the rest is taken care of and tracked [brakes/chain/tires/plugs/etc.].