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Message started by Boofer on 07/03/16 at 18:32:27

Title: List of "Bad Mistakes"
Post by Boofer on 07/03/16 at 18:32:27

Sauvage posted a question about a newb mistake changing oil.
Let's list mistakes that will or won't hurt the 650. No long technical crap. Maybe something we may have personally done. Some mistakes may only shorten engine life to 40,000 miles instead of 60,000. Some may be undesireable, but not serious, like gutting the muffler and losing low end power.

Starting with oil change since it is a good starter for wrenching your bike:

1. Putting STP, etc in any ATV, MC with a clutch that shares the same oil as the engine (Most do) will cause the clutch to slip. I consider this a major mistake because of the need to pull the clutch for cleaning or replacement.

Title: Re: List of "Bad Mistakes"
Post by engineer on 07/03/16 at 19:05:03

Letting a bike roll off a side stand.

Title: Re: List of "Bad Mistakes"
Post by WD on 07/03/16 at 20:34:00

Buying a wet sump bike with a sight glass... [ch128548]

Title: Re: List of "Bad Mistakes"
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 07/03/16 at 20:47:45

I'm just trying to remember what a good mistake looks like.
Don't they call that serendipity?
I don't think I remember a serendipitous moment.
All of the mistakes that I ever made came with negative consequences. Some more than others, of course.

Title: Re: List of "Bad Mistakes"
Post by striknein on 07/03/16 at 23:10:06

Leaving my bike parked outside overnight when I had a perfectly good garage.

Anyone got a spare ignition switch?

Title: Re: List of "Bad Mistakes"
Post by KennyG on 07/04/16 at 06:27:54

Parking a Honda too close to the gas pumps when purchasing a tank of gasoline. When I backed up to hang the nozzle back on the pump I was too close to the island and fell backwards and landed on one of the concrete pyramids that the roof posts are attached too.

2 broken ribs and 6 weeks of pain.

Kenny G

Title: Re: List of "Bad Mistakes"
Post by Kris01 on 07/04/16 at 15:46:11

Warm up idling on the kick stand kills the cam.

Title: Re: List of "Bad Mistakes"
Post by Savageman on 07/04/16 at 21:34:56

Running the engine with low oil level. Letting it idle to long on side stand. To low of a idle speed. Over revving the engine. Driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Not wearing your helmet.

Pretty much common sense things that are true for any vehicle with a engine.

Title: Re: List of "Bad Mistakes"
Post by Oldfeller on 07/05/16 at 03:56:28

Turn the ignition switch "on" one click too far -- goes into accessory mode and engine won't start.

(may be year specific, I dunno .....)

Title: Re: List of "Bad Mistakes"
Post by RaleighGuy on 07/05/16 at 05:56:17

Forgetting that you're wearing a carabineer FULL OF KEYS on your front belt loop and leaning across the gas tank occasionally while riding. Talk about some ugly scratches!! UGGGH. >:(

Title: Re: List of "Bad Mistakes"
Post by Gary_in_NJ on 07/05/16 at 07:36:25

This mistake goes back to 1977. Had a Suzuki TC125 that had oil injection. Added Golden Spectro synthetic 2 stoke oil to the oil tank and it didn't mix well with what was already in there, and it coagulated. This starved the oil injection system resulting in a seized crank, piston & rings. As a 14 year old this was a big enough failure to render the bike too expensive to repair and the bike was left at the shop as "payment" for the diagnosis. If my memory is correct, it was $400 in repairs for a bike that cost $550.

Expensive lesson learned...last "bad mistake". I don't think I've brought a bike in to a dealer for service ever since.

Title: Re: List of "Bad Mistakes"
Post by stewmills on 07/05/16 at 08:59:10

Not a BAD one, but a silly one. New to motorcycles with my S40 purchase in 2012 being my first. First few times I tool off the tank I failed ot realize that you could unhook the speedo cable at the case, so I reached under the tank (once loose) and unscrewed it at the speedo. Finally realized that unhooking it at the case was MUCH easier
;) ;) ;)

Title: Re: List of "Bad Mistakes"
Post by Dave on 07/05/16 at 09:07:08

Selling my pristine 1976 Suzuki RE5 that only had 1,100 miles on it....for $ 1,300 (in 1980).

Title: Re: List of "Bad Mistakes"
Post by Gary_in_NJ on 07/05/16 at 10:04:14

6B505D4A5B574C4A5159544B380 wrote:
Selling my pristine 1976 Suzuki RE5 that only had 1,100 miles on it....for $ 1,300 (in 1980).

We all long for the one that got away. There have been a few instances over the years that I bought a car or bike from my past hoping to re-live the magic...only to find that my memories were much fonder then the reality.

With that said, you did make a mistake...and I'm still looking for an '86 MR2 and a mid 70's TS-400. :)

Title: Re: List of "Bad Mistakes"
Post by ero4444 on 07/05/16 at 13:41:20

Nobody remembers a couple old threads? where it looked like 2-3 people put the oil filter in backwards and blew out the case!!!

Title: Re: List of "Bad Mistakes"
Post by verslagen1 on 07/05/16 at 14:10:59

One guy forgot to lock the cam gear bolts in place and they backed out.

Many had the pulley nut loosen and the pulley work back forth till the savage was nothing more than a noise maker.

And I have a self lightening bike... tool cover, tank damper, handlebar end, helmet lock, muff heat shield, and the non muff supporting side of the muff bracket.

Title: Re: List of "Bad Mistakes"
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 07/05/16 at 16:25:31

As long as it doesn't spit the nut between the bars and seat,,,

Title: Re: List of "Bad Mistakes"
Post by sauvage on 07/05/16 at 17:16:24

Forgot to shut the fuel off at the tank petcock on my gs yesterday, pull of hose off at the frame petcock waiting with a cloth ready to catch a dribble of fuel... then came the panic as I frantically reached for the locking vice grip...etc... not necessary on the s40 though.

Title: Re: List of "Bad Mistakes"
Post by Boofer on 07/05/16 at 17:50:39

You guys are mostly in the ball park. Truth is, you can be pretty dumb wrenching this bike and still get away with it. I am not talking about riding safety.

Oldfeller, turning the key to accessory and having a "no start" is ok if you don't pull the battery and the starter switch to find the trouble. ;D

Raleigh, You'll never work at an autobody shop. ;)

Dave, isn't the RE5 a rotary engine? If it is, that hurts. :'(

Stew, I call you the Man of the Hour for even admitting that one! Good cautionary tale. ;D

Let me go again:
Filled up with gas one day and hit the 2 lane south out of town. Got behind 2 cars running about 45. After about a mile of that I whipped out and sucked their doors off. "Wow", I thought. "That gas made a difference!" Turned out I was in 4th gear the whole time. :-[

More please. I've been mostly absent from here for the last year. It seems we have a whole new bunch of newbs with varying degrees of experience. We need to repeat what what we know for this new batch of people. Thanks, Boofer :)

Title: Re: List of "Bad Mistakes"
Post by DavidOfMA on 07/06/16 at 08:06:27

Noticing, but ignoring, that the new o-ring I "responsibly" purchased when I was going to change the oil was a little loose. Tightening everything down pinched it, and within a couple of miles it blew, spewing oil all over my boot, pants, and exhaust. Fortunately, I still had the old o-ring, as I was 325 miles from home and 40 from the nearest Suzuki shop.

Add to that: doing any work on the bike when I'm 325 miles from home and 40 miles from a Suzuki shop.

Title: Re: List of "Bad Mistakes"
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 07/06/16 at 08:34:37

We, now you know how important it is to seat those little rubber rings in their little grooves before tightening up bolts... Bummer deal..

Title: Re: List of "Bad Mistakes"
Post by welshpete on 07/06/16 at 10:31:55

topping up the oil on my versys and forgetting to put the oil cap back on. a few miles and a slippery boot later....

Title: Re: List of "Bad Mistakes"
Post by Kris01 on 07/06/16 at 16:51:20

[quote author=5875757C7F681A0 link=1467595948/15#18 date=1467766239]Turned out I was in 4th gear the whole time. :-[/quote]

4th... 5th... It's all the same on this bike! ;D

Title: Re: List of "Bad Mistakes"
Post by DavidOfMA on 07/06/16 at 18:04:37

And then there was the time my turn signal switch wasn't working consistently and I inadvertently sprayed it with carb cleaner instead of contact cleaner. Those replacement switches aren't cheap!

Title: Re: List of "Bad Mistakes"
Post by robinsoncrusoe on 07/06/16 at 19:26:07

In a parallel time continuum dimension, having your bike stolen after it dropped an exhaust valve head into the wheel house. wowza :o

Title: Re: List of "Bad Mistakes"
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 07/07/16 at 16:49:53

Is there an alternate universe where the thief wouldn't bring it back?

Title: Re: List of "Bad Mistakes"
Post by Dave on 07/08/16 at 04:11:11

I talked to a fellow last night about this thread. He told me that he found a dirty and neglected Yamaha TD3 in a barn that used to be a race bike, and the current owner had put a small headlight on it and was riding it on the street. He paid $ 500 for the bike, and the guy said he had a bunch of spare parts - and when he got the parts the boxes all had labels with Vesco - Caruthers written on them (turns out it was a race bike with credentials). He fixed the hole in the bodywork where the headlight was installed, and got it all put back together properly, and raced it for a few years - and then sold it for $ 750. (He told me that today they are about $ 30,000).

Title: Re: List of "Bad Mistakes"
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 07/08/16 at 08:39:33

Wow,,

Title: Re: List of "Bad Mistakes"
Post by Ruttly on 07/08/16 at 12:25:20

My only bad mistake was buying my first motorcycle! A very consuming hobby , consumes money,space,time! Wouldn't change a thing , no regrets well maybe one wish I had more money,more space,more time to build more bikes! Life gets in the way of building bikes!