Richmond Va chatter

it was a 250 Ninja.....yes it was wreckless....

Got the parts on order from Ron Ayers.
Thanks for your help MOB.

The local constabulary over around Grottoes love to snag big city folk who don't slow down. I got a warning once for being like 5 over the limit (cage)!

The only place I've seen as bad is Madison Co north of Cville.

Bummer...

Not Reckless. For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

Hey, when I was leading you over to 33, I started hearing bad noises. I had not torqued one of the locking nuts on a valve adjuster. it came loose. No damage, after I got home I opened her up and found the locknut and put it on right. Bike is now REALLY smooth. Went out and put 90 plus miles on riding around town Sunday night.

Is it wrong when your trip home from the gym takes you through 3 counties and one city and back past the gym?

Next time I think I'll finish my bike another time and just help out everyone else. I don't think I would of made that stupid mistake otherwise but no biggie. No damage.

Ben, send a message when you get your parts, I'll help you get it back together. Of course, I think we might need to find a service manual and a decent torque wrench first. Also thanks for having us over.

Hey, Jeremy, nice 2nd posting! I still think you need to make time to come play tag, but I'll leave the continued nagging for later...

Yea, I did the same thing yesterday. Wanted to make sure I had everything right, and to see if I put the valves right in the middle of spec. instead of more toward the loose end, if it would have any effect. None. Still has the ticking. I looked all over with a flashlight, nothing loose, nothing floating around anywhere, but no wear on the cam lobes either. Guess that's just the nature of my bike.

I do have the service manual and supplement for an '07, don't know if there is any difference with your bike Ben, but I doubt it.

Jeremy, thanks for leading me out of town to 33. I had a pleasant ride back - pulling over every now and then to let the impatient trucks pass (all to get to the next stop sign faster)

Mine sound good and feel smooth so hopefully I don't have to take it all apart again any time soon.

This is just the old mechanic talking, but I've been thru what you guys experienced a "few" times, and know the pitfalls of multi-bike tech jobs....
solo job in solitude often times is the best way to insure perfection first go, and when you have 4 bikes going at once, with all the hands working to get things done, often little things get overlooked as we all are trying to help the other guy. Another important thing that I noticed was the lack of proper containers and places to segregate parts into groups, while keeping them all handy, things like egg cartons, muffin pans, small plastic tupperware tubs to hold parts, fasteners, and tools used during the process, greatly ease the job so you aren't looking for the elusive screw or wrench that you just had a minute ago. I did have a good time watching 4 different guys doing the same job each a little differently, and practice makes perfect. Glad you guys decided to check over the job again on the side, and after you do this stuff about 1000 times, it becomes second nature to double check things before buttoning it all back up....I tend to do little things to insure at a glance, that i verified installations, things like marking the threads on the adjuster I just tightened with chalk, so I know I finished that one. Also re checking each valve/rocker's clearance after all have been done, to verify one didn't change when snuggin up the locknut.
All the turn signals worked tho...so you all had that goin for ya!!!

Ben, when the parts come in, give one/couple of us a call, and definatly get Dad over there also, and we'll rip yours together again, and sych it up.
And maybe have a brewski....
Oh, spend the money on a factory manual....they are priceless, and then there is no guessing on the other stuff that you didn't download and print, when it gets encountered during the job....

check E-bay for pdf versions to download also. I got one for free from another site for my bike,....

MOB, all great advice. This was my first Valve Adjustment EVER and I certainly needed the guidance. In the future, I will save this job for a rainy day in a friend's heated and well lit garage where I can concentrate and let my OCD take hold

Camping April 18-19

FOUND THIS ONE....
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=IBEAGMMB

MOB could not have put it better. Spoken as the voice of experience. I too have found the same to be true, although I was the one responsible for multiple bikes, and yet I was the one who failed to adequately check his own. Believe me, lesson learned. If I ever do another tech session, I will not work on my own too at the same time.

Great points about the containers too. I had never thought of using muffin pans to hold bits and parts.

jeff

Just remember to get the oil, grease, and errant nut or washer out before wifey snatches the muffin pan back!

I'm hosting a tech session on Saturday at my place. Mikeinrichmond wants to change a tire, so we are getting together to do it. I'll also have a tire on a rim with several nails in it, so folks can practice fixing a flat if they want. I just use a cheap reamer and corded strips from NAPA to fix flats, but if any of you have a high dollar tire plugger that you wish to show off, or use for the first time, that would be a good way for folks to evaluate what they might want to buy.

I have a Northern Tool tire changer (POS), a compressor, a lift, tire irons, static balancer, and weights.

Would be happy for anyone to join in. Starting about 0900? Should be done before noon so riding can be done as well.

If you need directions, PM me.

Anyone interested besides MikeinRichmond and MichHub?

jeff

Jeff,

It's Easter weekend, which means I'm pretty busy. If I can squeeze it in, I'll come down. But... I'm doubtful that I can make it this weekend.

Jimmy

Sorry Jimmy, I guess it is bad timing for you. Dang.

I'm getting used to it. I stay way busier than I'd like.

if you guys are any least bit packrat-ish, I know you have a couple old el-cheapo automotive speakers in the garage somewhere, or when you see a lawn sale, stop and check, you know, the 4 to 6" ones, with the ripped cone....that never got thrown away?...rip that sucka apart and get that honkin magnet, stick it to the bottom of a steel cake pan, and viola....awesome spill proof parts holder, mounts anywheres....or bust the magnet into pieces and toss a piece in each cell of the muffin tin....

the key to having cool stuff is never let Momma in the "sanctuary".....

oh, go grocery shopping with her at least once every couple months, and peruse the baked goods section, those nice heavy duty clear plastic cupcake trays, and cookie and pie containers work great, and we all need a nice deseart sometimes also....heheheh best part is they are free....

What a great idea!

I tend to use the good ol' coffee cans. I really like the idea of the speaker magnet! Was at Advance Auto yesterday and they wanted $10 for an overgrown magnetic ashtray. :huh