Bought a used '08 990 with only 3,300 miles on it and I can't believe the number of loose bolts. Body panel bolts: loose. Windshield bolts: loose. So far nothing major. She's sitting until I get the time to check the clutch and generator bolts. Well, that's the plan anyway :) Had many dirt bikes and thrashed them to within an inch of their lives( a little old Dirt Bike Magazine humor for ya) and rarely had many bolts loosen at all. Glad I read stuff in here about loose bolts although I thought you guys were nuts :huh . Well, not really but... you know. Just a thanks for the posts and the community here. -the Noob. Long live Super Hunky
Its used,there is absolutely no guessing what the previous owner may have done or not done. I usually spend chunks of cash and hours fixing the "fixes" the PO did. Some guys cant leave em alone and then do all the internet fixes theyve seen,that can be bad.
i got my 990 new, and straight from the dealer had a slew of loose fairing bolts. with only 3300 on the clock, you may have had the same guy assemble yours as mine from the factory...
Start off with a 6mm and go around the bike putting a blue threadlocker on everything you can access, do the same with 8mm, 10mm, etc., etc. making pains to properly torque to spec. Once you do this, you'll likely not have any more problems. ....of course I do sell Loctite for a living. Dirty
We use a small dab of RTV on bolts, really easy to get back out and stops them backing out under their own steam being almost a glue. Just a tech tip from on the road.
DO NOT USE ANY SORT OF THREADLOCKER ON THE FAIRING BOLTS THAT FIX TO THE TANKS!!! (X3) This is a common cause of the inserts spinning Be warned!
When you use the wrong strength threadlocker, yes, the inserts can spin. Threadlockers come in 3 main strengths denoted by different colors and numbers. Loctite 222 is purple, considered low strength and suitable for screws as small as those found on eyeglasses. This threadlocker may be the suitable threadlocker to use on fairing threaded fasteners. Blue threadlockers like 242 and 243 are considered medium strength threadlockers. The breakloose and prevailing loosening torque values are a bit higher. I use blue on 95% of the threadlocking applications on all of my bikes. Red Threadlockers like 262, 263, 271, 277, etc. are considered High Strength or permenant. Many are so strong they'll make grade 5 bolts to shear while loosening unless localized heat is applied. Even on Harleys, HD only uses Red Loctite threadlockers on two to three applications-everywhere else gets a removable medium strength or low strength. I've been a Loctite Factory Rep for a long time and more often than not, the folks that say don't put Loctite on that nut and bolt because you'll never get it off are only familiar with Red permenant threadlockers only. Threadlockers should never be used on plastic fasteners (we have specific plastic-only threadlockers) they should only be used on metal threaded fasteners. There's a lot of meaty info on the Loctite Thread in the Garage if anyone wants to feed their head. Ride Safe. Dirty
