Total Motorcycle Community Forums

Hello all,
My first post, but I have lurked for a little while. Great stuff in this forum!! Thank you! I do have a question, but first a little about me. I am mid in my mid 30's and rode dirt bikes/quads about 10 years ago, and have now decided on hitting the open road! I have taken Team Oregon riders training, and passed. I purchased a used 1998 V-Star 650 (14k miles), and love it. My questions are this:

1. I read a post on here about checking things on the bike, but do not have a dipstick to check oil, or tranny fluid, (atleast none that I can find). Is there one, or a way to "install" one?
2. I was checking the tires, and they are pretty new, except I did notice something (and it may be my paranoya being new and all), but on the tread itself (not sidewall), there are tiny cracks on the raised portions of the tread. These tires are spitfires. The tires do not appear to be damaged in anyway, and the mechanic guy did not appear to be to concerned with it, but I am still paranoid. Should I be alarmed?
3. How can I check the breaks to make sure that they are good? The manuel probably has this in there, but for some reason this particular manual only seems to show how to replace them instead of showing how to inspect them.
4. Any other things to inspect, and how to go about inspecting them?
5. When it comes to riding, I have anxieties about the open road. I have been riding around the neighborhood, but the cool thing is, that withing a few hundred feet is a hwy that is 55, and I really want to ride it, but paranoya takes over again. LOL. Any advice?


Thank you all for any help you can provide!

Hello Alan and welcome to the forum. Congradulations on buying the bike. Your bike uses a sight glass to check the oil level. You need the manual for instructions. I'm not sure what your talking about with the tires. I've got a set of bridgestone Spitfires on a bike here and the don't show any cracking around the thread. Look at the brake pads, can you see them. If not replace them. That should get you going. Get a manual. Good luck.

I am not to sure about the tires either, but when you look at the tread (grooves and such) there is what appears to possibly be stress cracks or something similar on the piece of tire in between the grooves, I just dont want to spend a couple hundred bucks on tires if I dont have to. Know what I mean, but in the same token, safety is a must!

I looked at the sight view on the oil, but am unable to tell if the oil is ready for change, I suppose I should just change it.

Take a picture...

Here is a photo.

http://i668.photobucket.com/albums/vv49 ... ckTire.jpg


If you look on the right side of the tire, those are the cracks I am speaking about. Thanks guys!!


Also, Tire says check inflation on cold tires and the psi is 41 psi. I checked them warm, and got 41...

Not to sure if they are cracks or just wear marks, the picture isn't all that clear. If they're just on the tops of the tread blocks and not down in between, I would just keep an eye on them for now. You might want to check the date of manufacture on the tires, it would be an indication if they're starting to dry out.

Don't ask me, but there are others on here that can tell you where to look for the manufacture date of your tires...

It should be on the sidewall, if cycle tires are anything like auto tires. Hang on, let me google it and see if I can figure it out.

Okay, here we go:

http://www.canyonchasers.net/shop/generic/tires.php (scroll down to "Tire Age")

http://www.ehow.com/how_6904540_tell-ag ... tires.html

http://motorcycleviews.com/maintain/how ... etires.htm

http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/379/749/M ... Guide.aspx

What about bias -vs- radial on an old early 80s bike?

Hi Black rose
Just get out on the highway and embrace motorbike riding. Enough paranoia and just wing it.

I know the feeling of being nervous about the bigger road - wouldn't be as bad if it was empty and you could go your speed without being pushed.
My 36 year hiatus is over as of 8 days ago and I have had my 250 up to 80 kph (=50 mph) on a quiet road. Would rather go 65 kph though.
Someone on another TMW forum gave very good advice - assume all other vehicles on that road are trying to kill you and act accordingly. Just winging it is foolish if you are nervous, because that's when you will make a mistake.