i enjoyed this video a million times more than those videos with the guys talking about cars at the table with the tv screen, and i don't even have anything to need winterizing. nice work on the video guys, good work onscreen too. subbing.
I can save all of you guys a lot of time! Just park your bike in your living room over the winter - your wife won`t mind! Just be extra nice to her before you bring it in!
I was told by a couple of guys that have worked with old British bikes for a very long time that spraying the whole bike (except the tyre treads and brakes) with silicone spray will prevent moisture from sitting on any surface during long storage periods and prevent oxidisation too.
Great, video, thanks! I wish I saw this before i tarped my 50cc on the back porch last year... At least now I have a pretty good idea about what's causing my problems.
The problem with this video although well put together was that there was one expert watching whilst another guy who knew very little did the work. It should be the other way round. I could see the frustration in the guys face whilst the other was like "let me just go ahead do this, this is the right way to do it right?"
There are quite a few things that I wouldn't do on this video like drawing the chain through the hand in the direction of the rear sprocket, Very dangerous! Also, do not use brake cleaner on your 'O' ring chain as it will dry out the rings leading to premature failure, use paraffin (kerosene) or diesel which is an excellent cleaner without drying out the 'O' rings. Chain wax is OK if you're storing the bike but I would not use it for everyday riding as it's sticky by nature and all the road crud will also stick to it becoming a grinding paste! Not good! and spray it onto the Inside of the chain where it needs to be as it will be pushed outward by the rotational forces.
Yeah, I agree.. I'm not sure I'd use a solvent on a chain either. Unless you're prepared to leave it for enough time for the solvent to fully evaporate before applying a lubricant.
i always use shell rotella t6 5-40 full syn or rotella t 15-40 (both deisel oils), cheaper and they have lots of zinc, and high grade detergents, plus when youre obsessive like me and change tour oil every 2 rides(mx bike with low capacity) it saves quite a bit
Very good explanation for novice like me.. Thanks so much for uploading this. Quick question (probably dumb) do belt chains require any kind of lube/maintenance? Thanks again.. Very helpful
Hi, I really enjoy your 'Saturday mechanic' episodes, Keep it up. On another note, I'm having a few issues with my bike, a Cagiva Raptor 125cc. It stalls after +- 30 seconds, and acceleration is sluggish. I read on the internet that's it's probably because the carburetor is dirty, or a sparkplug issue. I assume many other bike owners have had similar issues, so I was hoping Car & Driver could shed a light on carb problems or spark plug issues. Hope you can help a car/bike enthusiast out ;)
I live in north Dakota so winter is about 6-7 months and I've been told to empty the tank entirely by many motorcycle enthusiasts, and I just want to get your opinion on it
@zanuha It's all fuel related. I had a dirt bike that saved itself by running out of gas before the winter, thereby requiring me to push it up a hill back home. My other two bikes got left with a half full tanks and no stabilizer. I'm not looking forward to doing a full carb rebuild without a manual.
Dude, Your chain is well overdue for replacement, please check at time frame 2:44, you will see the chain in no longer straight even after a recent cleaning and lubing.... However the theory is good, if only the practice was similar, you would have convinced more than one ... cheers
Not sure brake cleaner is good for o-rings in chain. Better use wd40 or diesel and then lube the chain from inside. Centrifugal force will spread the oil out when you rotate the wheel, it wont happen the other way. Beautiful Kawi!
P.S.: While you're in there, before you put the cover back, over the oil filter, might be a good time to look at the front sprocket condition for wear.
Great video! I have a kawasaki zr7s. I just changed my oil and I think a piece of the foil from the oil container fell off and got into my engine. What should I do? I haven't started it yet...
Any problems with using an old bed sheet to cover the bike for storage? Also, I hear that Steel Wool Is a great option in the tail pipe, for stopping mice?
lol all you need to do is take your battery out and put motorcycle stablizer in your gas tank and store it with a motorcycle cover in a shed or somewhere warm
The manual for my 1985 Honda Magna V30 says to drain the fuel tank and carburetors then spray the tank with rust inhibiting oil. Also it recommends pouring 1 tablespoon of engine oil into each cylinder then replace the spark plug and crank the engine a couple times. Is this what I should do? Or should I use the method described in this video? Just curious as it is my first bike and I understand some things in my manual may be outdated as it was written 30 years ago.
What about if I intend to run the bike throughout the winter? In that case is it just scheduled maintenance as usual (oil, chain lube/tension, etc.), or do I need to take extra precautions for the cold weather, even if I'm not storing it?
Not a bad video but I have two small gripes. First, when changing your oil you replaced your filter and fluid, but not the crush washer on your drain bolt. Second, why in the world would you use those blue paper towels to wax your bike?
My God .. If you are going to do 'How-To' video's the least you could do is make sure you do things properly !! .... NEVER PUT YOUR HANDS BETWEEN THE CHAIN AND SPROCKET WHEN SPINNING IT !! Also you spray the chain wax on the INSIDE run of the chain not the outside. NEVER use oil that's not bike specific ... Putting car oil in will ruin your clutch due the the additives in car oil. Don't 'Snug' nuts up. USE A TORQUE WRENCH !! ... Having the oil drain bolt fall out WILL ruin your day.
Are you covered while out on the road? Motor Club of America will have you covered in case your car breaks down. You will have 24/7 roadside assistance. You will be reimbursed for expenses such as rental car, meals and lodging. If you are in an accident they help pay for hospital bills. There are so many benefits you will receive for only 19.95/month!
i have a question but it's about my own car. i drive a 2006 saturn ION 4 cillender straight 4. It is a standard and it seems every time i go into 4th gear it makes a crunching noise. if im in 3rd gear and i put the car in neutral for 2-3 seconds and then put it into 4th it does'nt make the noise. anyone know why? or how to fix it? also if im in 5th gear if i try to put it in 4th no matter how long i wait it'll always make the crunching noise. So i have to put it into 3rd and then 4th.
Soon as they started with brake cleaner on an o-ring chain I stopped watching... Use Kerosene to clean your o-ring chain, effective and cheap but use rubber gloves (stinks). I put Kerosene in my spray bottle and it works great!
+Joe G Here in Chicago they asked 700$ for cleaning cb750 carbs, Brand new carbs cost 740$ . What a business. i cleaned them by myself, and baby is running smother than ever :D
maybe instead of this, you can do something about winterizing a car. Like putting a Porche 911 into storage. This is CAR and driver, not MOTORCYCLE and driver.
And this is why the majority of people dont have a motorcycle. To much work for the majority. Why get a bike when u can have a car and u never have to winterize it? If they could make bikes so u dont have to do all that work, or the manufacturers would give free winterizing maintaince once a year for those who need it. Then u see more people want to buy a motorcycle. If not, your never going to see any note worthy increase in motorcycle sales ever. There will be just thr normal average of bikes sold every year in general. Add electric motorcycles with same power as current gas motorcycles, that will help to. But if things stay the same as is, no, no substantial increase in sales. Motorcycle manufactures I guess are ok with the current system. But if they did what I said, they could make more money. Peace.
That's exactly why you don't deserve to own a motorcycle and the reasons for motorcycle sales are not centered around maintainece issues.. They are focused more on safety issues. Get your facts right. I am quite happy to be riding my bike while you guys ogle with envy from your minivan
i enjoyed this video a million times more than those videos with the guys talking about cars at the table with the tv screen, and i don't even have anything to need winterizing. nice work on the video guys, good work onscreen too. subbing.
I can save all of you guys a lot of time! Just park your bike in your living room over the winter - your wife won`t mind! Just be extra nice to her before you bring it in!
Excellently done, clear, concise and easy-to-follow tips. Very impressed.
I was told by a couple of guys that have worked with old British bikes for a very long time that spraying the whole bike (except the tyre treads and brakes) with silicone spray will prevent moisture from sitting on any surface during long storage periods and prevent oxidisation too.
Great, video, thanks! I wish I saw this before i tarped my 50cc on the back porch last year... At least now I have a pretty good idea about what's causing my problems.
The problem with this video although well put together was that there was one expert watching whilst another guy who knew very little did the work. It should be the other way round. I could see the frustration in the guys face whilst the other was like "let me just go ahead do this, this is the right way to do it right?"
best tutorial, wow.....THANK YOU GUYS !!!!!!!
There are quite a few things that I wouldn't do on this video like drawing the chain through the hand in the direction of the rear sprocket, Very dangerous! Also, do not use brake cleaner on your 'O' ring chain as it will dry out the rings leading to premature failure, use paraffin (kerosene) or diesel which is an excellent cleaner without drying out the 'O' rings. Chain wax is OK if you're storing the bike but I would not use it for everyday riding as it's sticky by nature and all the road crud will also stick to it becoming a grinding paste! Not good! and spray it onto the Inside of the chain where it needs to be as it will be pushed outward by the rotational forces.
Great pointers
Yeah, I agree.. I'm not sure I'd use a solvent on a chain either. Unless you're prepared to leave it for enough time for the solvent to fully evaporate before applying a lubricant.
Look at all the self proclaimed experts in the comment section here.
Why would you even be watching this video if you are soo well informed
to do so?
i always use shell rotella t6 5-40 full syn or rotella t 15-40 (both deisel oils), cheaper and they have lots of zinc, and high grade detergents, plus when youre obsessive like me and change tour oil every 2 rides(mx bike with low capacity) it saves quite a bit
I love that cafe racer!
Appreciate this video fellas. Sorry you have to go thru so much, to get your oil filter out.
great video
Very good explanation for novice like me.. Thanks so much for uploading this. Quick question (probably dumb) do belt chains require any kind of lube/maintenance? Thanks again.. Very helpful
How about winterizing a Summer only car/Track car? I imagine it's not that different, but could be worth the time.
Thank you!
Hi, I really enjoy your 'Saturday mechanic' episodes, Keep it up.
On another note, I'm having a few issues with my bike, a Cagiva Raptor 125cc. It stalls after +- 30 seconds, and acceleration is sluggish. I read on the internet that's it's probably because the carburetor is dirty, or a sparkplug issue. I assume many other bike owners have had similar issues, so I was hoping Car & Driver could shed a light on carb problems or spark plug issues.
Hope you can help a car/bike enthusiast out ;)
02:44 That chain looks like it's seen better days.
great video! really helpful... r u gonna do a video on how to Winterize ur car?
Put the Stabil in the tank before you top off the tank with gas!
I live in north Dakota so winter is about 6-7 months and I've been told to empty the tank entirely by many motorcycle enthusiasts, and I just want to get your opinion on it
forgot to mention they also have no friction modifiers(safe for wet clutch)
ohh c'mon! we still have a good month of riding left! and i'm in ILLINOIS!
valvoline max life? great synth blend for cars but for a wet clutch bike? after what you guys said to put that in i dunno..love the show though!
@zanuha It's all fuel related. I had a dirt bike that saved itself by running out of gas before the winter, thereby requiring me to push it up a hill back home. My other two bikes got left with a half full tanks and no stabilizer. I'm not looking forward to doing a full carb rebuild without a manual.
Dude,
Your chain is well overdue for replacement, please check at time frame 2:44, you will see the chain in no longer straight even after a recent cleaning and lubing....
However the theory is good, if only the practice was similar, you would have convinced more than one ...
cheers
Question here from newbie biker, when doing the chain, do you have to make sure that the brake cleaner and oil do not go on wheel/brakes?
Not sure brake cleaner is good for o-rings in chain. Better use wd40 or diesel and then lube the chain from inside. Centrifugal force will spread the oil out when you rotate the wheel, it wont happen the other way.
Beautiful Kawi!
P.S.: While you're in there, before you put the cover back, over the oil filter, might be a good time to look at the front sprocket condition for wear.
Great video! I have a kawasaki zr7s. I just changed my oil and I think a piece of the foil from the oil container fell off and got into my engine. What should I do? I haven't started it yet...
take it apart and remove it
Any problems with using an old bed sheet to cover the bike for storage? Also, I hear that Steel Wool Is a great option in the tail pipe, for stopping mice?
lol all you need to do is take your battery out and put motorcycle stablizer in your gas tank and store it with a motorcycle cover in a shed or somewhere warm
to cchecck oil in that bike, is it half way in the eye glass when the bike is cold or warm?
The manual for my 1985 Honda Magna V30 says to drain the fuel tank and carburetors then spray the tank with rust inhibiting oil. Also it recommends pouring 1 tablespoon of engine oil into each cylinder then replace the spark plug and crank the engine a couple times. Is this what I should do? Or should I use the method described in this video? Just curious as it is my first bike and I understand some things in my manual may be outdated as it was written 30 years ago.
brake cleaner is hella bad for the rubber seals on chains.
I thought brake cleaner hurts the O rings so that's why you'll have to use specifically chain cleaner???
What about if I intend to run the bike throughout the winter? In that case is it just scheduled maintenance as usual (oil, chain lube/tension, etc.), or do I need to take extra precautions for the cold weather, even if I'm not storing it?
be careful of ice on the road because no matter how skilled the person is, they will probably fall
nice cafe bike
big rebel choice rasta cycle man
Surprised the air filter was not mentioned.
If all I'm running is non-ethanol fuel, should I still use a fuel stabilizer?
Both my bikes suffered from poor winterization. Still can't get the damn things to start :(
3 to 5 years might be average for battery life, I got 13 years before replacing mine and it still started the bike but was getting weak.
What is operating temperature
Saturday Mechanic... on a Thursday?
what if your bike has a drive shaft? Just change the oil in it? I have a 83 honda nighthawk 550
Not a bad video but I have two small gripes. First, when changing your oil you replaced your filter and fluid, but not the crush washer on your drain bolt. Second, why in the world would you use those blue paper towels to wax your bike?
My God .. If you are going to do 'How-To' video's the least you could do is make sure you do things properly !! ....
NEVER PUT YOUR HANDS BETWEEN THE CHAIN AND SPROCKET WHEN SPINNING IT !!
Also you spray the chain wax on the INSIDE run of the chain not the outside.
NEVER use oil that's not bike specific ... Putting car oil in will ruin your clutch due the the additives in car oil.
Don't 'Snug' nuts up. USE A TORQUE WRENCH !! ... Having the oil drain bolt fall out WILL ruin your day.
Are you covered while out on the road? Motor Club of America will have you covered in case your car breaks down. You will have 24/7 roadside assistance. You will be reimbursed for expenses such as rental car, meals and lodging. If you are in an accident they help pay for hospital bills. There are so many benefits you will receive for only 19.95/month!
i have a question but it's about my own car. i drive a 2006 saturn ION 4 cillender straight 4. It is a standard and it seems every time i go into 4th gear it makes a crunching noise. if im in 3rd gear and i put the car in neutral for 2-3 seconds and then put it into 4th it does'nt make the noise. anyone know why? or how to fix it? also if im in 5th gear if i try to put it in 4th no matter how long i wait it'll always make the crunching noise. So i have to put it into 3rd and then 4th.
Cheaper way to do it is to put it in the garage until spring or summer
+.... You should never spray on the outside of the chain but on the inside................
Why cant u make it ready for a winter ride .?
That's why plastic tanks are king
Funny I just changed the oil on my 98 R1 last week and forgot the drain plug...... a massacre.
another video for the unskilled bike rider , thank god for you tube,
I’m late, but you definitely don’t want to use brake cleaner on O or X ring chains.
Soon as they started with brake cleaner on an o-ring chain I stopped watching... Use Kerosene to clean your o-ring chain, effective and cheap but use rubber gloves (stinks). I put Kerosene in my spray bottle and it works great!
Luckily where I live I can ride all year round...
I failed to stabilize my fuel over the very cold Minnesota winter what should I do. I haven't started it yet!?
honda do not recommend any additive in unleaded
The color of the oil means nothing, you need to get a used oil analysis to know if its any good.
the darker the oil after being used means it is very old and has high miles and smells burnt
Charlieswag9000 Not necessarily.
Boodieman72 nothing is necessarily
could i use DW-40 instead the fogging oil?? thank you
Winterize your motorcycle? send it to Hawaii! LOL
its so wierd to watch someone have so LITTLE respect for their little baby
STAY WITH CARS AND FORGET ABOUT MOTORCYCLES!!!!
brake cleaner on your chain? praying wax on the outside of the chain? Cmon man this guy doesn't have a clue.
Really guys brake cleaner? No clue...
200 to 600 to clean a carb lol
+Joe G Here in Chicago they asked 700$ for cleaning cb750 carbs, Brand new carbs cost 740$ . What a business. i cleaned them by myself, and baby is running smother than ever :D
What the fuck u guys doing
maybe instead of this, you can do something about winterizing a car. Like putting a Porche 911 into storage. This is CAR and driver, not MOTORCYCLE and driver.
And this is why the majority of people dont have a motorcycle. To much work for the majority. Why get a bike when u can have a car and u never have to winterize it? If they could make bikes so u dont have to do all that work, or the manufacturers would give free winterizing maintaince once a year for those who need it. Then u see more people want to buy a motorcycle. If not, your never going to see any note worthy increase in motorcycle sales ever. There will be just thr normal average of bikes sold every year in general. Add electric motorcycles with same power as current gas motorcycles, that will help to. But if things stay the same as is, no, no substantial increase in sales. Motorcycle manufactures I guess are ok with the current system. But if they did what I said, they could make more money. Peace.
***** They sure r, and most of them stink. :]
I'm pretty sure cleaning the chain isn't the hardest part of owning a motorcycle lol. cyclists do the same and dont complain about it
That's exactly why you don't deserve to own a motorcycle and the reasons for motorcycle sales are not centered around maintainece issues.. They are focused more on safety issues. Get your facts right. I am quite happy to be riding my bike while you guys ogle with envy from your minivan
Zero bikes avoid 95% of this.
To much work, but is so nice to do by your own.... i loved