B-King - An Odd bike's Journey

[jstark47]

Then I'll probably ride it and since I doubt we'll get all the chunks and particles I'll probably have some lower chain life this time around.

More likely lower sprocket life. But this is OK, sprockets wear regardless and should be replaced when the chain is replaced. Figure 20K miles as a rough average.

I was even thinking of going so far as to expose the front sprocket to see about getting particles off there as well.

Depending on what's involved with a BKing, not a bad idea. The front sprocket cover on my Bonneville comes off with a few bolts. Don't be surprised at the mess under there, chain lube and dirt mix to form nasty glop and it accumulates under the sprocket cover.

We are having a really difficult time seeing what has been lubed and what hasn't -

Ummm..... can I make a kinda obvious suggestion? (besides spend a few bucks and buy a frikkin rear wheel stand so you can do maintenance right?) Next time, don't worry so much about seeing what has been lubed. It won't hurt to hit the same section of chain twice. It's probably a sealed O ring chain, all you're doing with the lube is keeping the O rings all nice and oily so they don't dry out.

[RhadamYgg]

Then I'll probably ride it and since I doubt we'll get all the chunks and particles I'll probably have some lower chain life this time around.

More likely lower sprocket life. But this is OK, sprockets wear regardless and should be replaced when the chain is replaced. Figure 20K miles as a rough average.

I was even thinking of going so far as to expose the front sprocket to see about getting particles off there as well.

Depending on what's involved with a BKing, not a bad idea. The front sprocket cover on my Bonneville comes off with a few bolts. Don't be surprised at the mess under there, chain lube and dirt mix to form nasty glop and it accumulates under the sprocket cover.

We are having a really difficult time seeing what has been lubed and what hasn't -

Ummm..... can I make a kinda obvious suggestion? (besides spend a few bucks and buy a frikkin rear wheel stand so you can do maintenance right?) Next time, don't worry so much about seeing what has been lubed. It won't hurt to hit the same section of chain twice. It's probably a sealed O ring chain, all you're doing with the lube is keeping the O rings all nice and oily so they don't dry out.

I'm going to check in to it (removing the front sprocket cover) - I did a quick test on some particles I was able to find and my larger neodymium magnets did pull them off the chain. I'll take lower chain life over screwed up bike, any day.

I've been trying to save money and that's my excuse (and not a very good one) for not getting a read wheel stand. I'm going to get one ASAP. I'm sure it is a sealed o-ring chain.

Thanks for the help, wrider and jstark47!

Hopefully, this is the worst I screw up my bike.

RhadamYgg

[RhadamYgg]

Well, the commute was relatively uneventful. Bike is running well. I was able to take the cover off over the front sprocket and found some of the magnets. Probably only shattered one magnet as it went around on the engine side.

Too bad I don't remember how many magnets there were. I found 2 whole magnets and parts of a couple others.

In taking off the front sprocket cover, I discovered that I need to adjust my chain.

Anyway, another 124 bike miles this day. Incredible day for riding. Not too hot, not too cold. Lots of other bikers out there, even rode with another biker on the Sawmill going north over the Tappan Zee and in to 287.

Well, waiting on my rear stand to do my chain. Probably not wise to ride until I adjust the chain.

Hope everyone is well and got to ride today!

RhadamYgg

[jstark47]

Well, waiting on my rear stand to do my chain. Probably not wise to ride until I adjust the chain.

Much worse for a chain to be too tight than too loose. Unless the chain is loose to the point of falling off the sprockets, I wouldn't sweat it. That doesn't mean neglect it, but it's OK to ride, just get to the chain when you can. Moderately loose chain might make power engagement a little snatchy, but you can compensate with the clutch....

[RhadamYgg]

Well, waiting on my rear stand to do my chain. Probably not wise to ride until I adjust the chain.

Much worse for a chain to be too tight than too loose. Unless the chain is loose to the point of falling off the sprockets, I wouldn't sweat it. That doesn't mean neglect it, but it's OK to ride, just get to the chain when you can. Moderately loose chain might make power engagement a little snatchy, but you can compensate with the clutch....

Hmmm. With the Kawasaki I let it go for a while and it was ok. So, I'm not paniced about it.

When I took off the front sprocket cover there was a piece that the chain seemed to be almost resting on. But, when the sprocket is putting the chain should go taught on the top.

We'll see if I get a chance to ride before the stand comes if I'll ride or not. I'm hoping to get over 2K miles before I stop riding this year - if I stop riding.

Thanks as always for all help and assistance.

RhadamYgg

[RhadamYgg]

So, I got my rear wheel stand. I went cheap as usual. You'd think I'd learn.

One thing I've found though - is that the B-King is an impractical bike all over.

There is no rail in the back to hold on to and the bike is really heavy. So, putting the bike on a rear stand requires two people.

So, I life the bike and balance it, my wife changes places with me and I do the rear stand thing...

However, my rear stand has a short lever - and the B-King is heavy (did I mention that?). So, it takes quite a bit of grunt power to get the wheel off the ground.

Also, it takes to people to put the bike down or the bike will take a spill - but getting it down from the stand is much easier than putting it up.

So, I looked around and discovered (not surprisingly) that the nut on the rear wheel is over twice the size from my Kawasaki Ninja 250! So, I'll have to buy a new socket to adjust my chain. No biggie.

My rim is filthy. I'll have to clean it before I can do my rim stripes.

Also I discovered that you need a separate stand to put the front of the bike up. So I'll have to get that before I can do my front wheel rim stripes.

Ran in to a video of a guy putting a Honda 599 on a rear stand and it looked infinitely easier.

Ran in to a video of a guy removing his rear wheel - that looked reasonably easy, too.

I hope everyone is well.

RhadamYgg

[BuzZz]

...........
So, I looked around and discovered (not surprisingly) that the nut on the rear wheel is over twice the size from my Kawasaki Ninja 250! So, I'll have to buy a new socket to adjust my chain. No biggie.
..........
RhadamYgg

Is Suzuki cheapin' out on the tool kits these days? My GSXR came with a tool kit including a wrench to fit both axle nuts. It's really short, but a chunk of pipe or a hammer will suffice to get the axles loose or tight.

A little practice should help you in getting the bike off and on the rear stand. Just takes a little balance and technique to get the hang of it.

You think your wheels are dirty, be glad you don't have white rims. I would dearly love to meet the man who thought white wheels on a motorcycle were a good idea. I want to shake his hand. And kick him repeatedly in the 'nads while I got him held still........

[RhadamYgg]

...........
So, I looked around and discovered (not surprisingly) that the nut on the rear wheel is over twice the size from my Kawasaki Ninja 250! So, I'll have to buy a new socket to adjust my chain. No biggie.
..........
RhadamYgg

Is Suzuki cheapin' out on the tool kits these days? My GSXR came with a tool kit including a wrench to fit both axle nuts. It's really short, but a chunk of pipe or a hammer will suffice to get the axles loose or tight.

A little practice should help you in getting the bike off and on the rear stand. Just takes a little balance and technique to get the hang of it.

You think your wheels are dirty, be glad you don't have white rims. I would dearly love to meet the man who thought white wheels on a motorcycle were a good idea. I want to shake his hand. And kick him repeatedly in the 'nads while I got him held still........

Oh, I like doing things right. So, it says I need a torque wrench and it needs to be tightened to 74 pounds... That's what I would do (of course). So, it came with little toy wrench thingies. I just refuse to use them.

Black rims are bad enough when I'm close up to them - 5 feet or further away and they just look black.

There was a 2005 Honda CBR1000RR Repsol that I want with bright orange wheels. Might not be as bad as white, but I'm sure they would look dirty pretty fast.

RhadamYgg

[RhadamYgg]

Road in to work today - and had forgotten that I needed to ride over to the Einstein College of Medicine Hospital for a meeting - exposure to data and how it was created.

For a day at work... I clocked 148.6 bike odometer miles. Not too shabby. As I mentioned in another thread I experimented a little with on turns. I had some results and a scary moment as I made a turn and my arms really wanted to go the other way to steer the bike. But I'm ok, fortunately.

Saw quite a few other bikers out there today. Even rode near one for a brief bit. He had a nice black Suzuki - looked like a supermoto kind of dirt bike on street tires kind of thing.

RhadamYgg

[BuzZz]

Oh, I like doing things right. So, it says I need a torque wrench and it needs to be tightened to 74 pounds... That's what I would do (of course). So, it came with little toy wrench thingies. I just refuse to use them.

RhadamYgg

Really? My front wheel is 72.5 ft/lbs, the rear is 86.8 ft/lbs......

am I a dick for imagining him running for his manual to check the specs in a flury? yeah, thought so....