SuzukiSavage.com - List of "Bad Mistakes"

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List of "Bad Mistakes"
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.

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2001 Black, Spitfire windshield, Headlight upgrade, Sissy rack, Tool bag, Fork bag, Harley muffler, Memory foam seat, Crash bars. Hwy pegs, Raptor.

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engineer Serious Thumper Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 872 Gender:	Re: List of "Bad Mistakes" Reply #1 - 07/03/16 at 19:05:03 Letting a bike roll off a side stand.
Back to top	2005 S40, Intruder shocks, Dyna, 52.5/150, 3 washers, 2 turns, modified seat, Raptor IP Logged

WD Serious Thumper 2005 No Login Offline Professional "scooter trash". Posts: 5207 Rosemark TN Gender:	Re: List of "Bad Mistakes" Reply #2 - 07/03/16 at 20:34:00 Buying a wet sump bike with a sight glass... 😤
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justin_o_guy2 Serious Thumper Offline What happened? Posts: 55279 East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.	Re: List of "Bad Mistakes" Reply #3 - 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.
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striknein Junior Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 51	Re: List of "Bad Mistakes" Reply #4 - 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?
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Kenny G Serious Thumper Offline SuzukiSavage.com The Singles Club...LOL Posts: 1754 Robson Ranch, Denton, Texas Gender:	Re: List of "Bad Mistakes" Reply #5 - 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
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Kris01 Serious Thumper Offline Eat, sleep, RIDE! Posts: 3767 Tennessee Gender:	Re: List of "Bad Mistakes" Reply #6 - 07/04/16 at 15:46:11 Warm up idling on the kick stand kills the cam.
Back to top	There's no problem that a full tank of gas and a sunny day can't fix! 2008 S40, Rotella T 15W-40 w/ZDDP added, Dyna, 140/90-15, Battery Tender Jr., Seat lift, #52.5/150/3 washers, Raptor IP Logged

Savageman Senior Member Offline Knowledge is half the battle Posts: 275 Marysville, California Gender:	Re: List of "Bad Mistakes" Reply #7 - 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.
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Oldfeller--FSO Serious Thumper ModSquad Offline Hobby is now "concentrated neuropany" Posts: 12672 Fayetteville, NC Gender:	Re: List of "Bad Mistakes" Reply #8 - 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 .....)
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RaleighGuy Full Member Offline It's as easy as 3.14159265358979 Posts: 132 Raleigh, NC Gender:	Re: List of "Bad Mistakes" Reply #9 - 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.
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Gary_in_NJ

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Re: List of "Bad Mistakes"
Reply #10 - 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.

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My LS650=> http://suzukisavage.com/yabb2.2/Attachments/Left.JPG

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stewmills

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Re: List of "Bad Mistakes"
Reply #11 - 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
Wink

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Dave YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 18098 Camp Springs, Kentucky Gender:	Re: List of "Bad Mistakes" Reply #12 - 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).
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Gary_in_NJ

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Re: List of "Bad Mistakes"
Reply #13 - 07/05/16 at 10:04:14

Dave wrote 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).

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.

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A life-time student of motorcycling.
LS650 Cafe, DRZ400SM, FZ6N, SV650S, CB900C, Ducati ST2, CB550F-SS
My LS650=> http://suzukisavage.com/yabb2.2/Attachments/Left.JPG

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ero4444 Full Member Offline weekender Posts: 176	Re: List of "Bad Mistakes" Reply #14 - 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!!!
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