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Service Time
Blog Date - 07 November 2014
The gf's 125 is due it's 10,000 miles service and my CBF 125 is coming up for 30,000 miles so that is due a good dose of looking at too. Luckily the gf's bike is still under warranty and will have to go back to the shop where a real mechanic will give it the once over. My 125 on the other hand will get serviced by me. Poor thing.
If I'm honest with myself I hate servicing bikes, especially the CBFs, both of them. The 125 has far too much plastic to remove to get to the tappets but at least the tappets are screw and locknut. The 250 is bucket and shim which means the cams have to come out and then there's the pointless waiting until the corrected size shims have been ordered and delivered. Give me a CG125 for that kind of work any day.
Bucket and shim = fiddly
At least everything else is quite simple.
Changing the oil. Remove sump nut - splash oil all over the back yard - lose sump nut - spend ages mopping up old oil with rags - find sump nut under the other bike - clean and replace sump nut. Realise you haven't enough oil - buy cheap stuff from local auto factors not the super good stuff for motorcycles - feel guilty - spend AGES filling slowly as the CBF has a dipstick not a sight glass - overfill - find old pipe and start sucking excess oil out - replace oil cap/dipstick. Run engine for 5 minutes. Wait 5 more minutes while cleaning up the rest of the oil slick. Check oil - too low - replace oil that you sucked out, except the bit you accidentally drank.
How can I miss the oil pan? Easily...
Checking the tyres. Spend half hour looking for tyre pressure gauge - buy a new one from local auto factors, second visit of the day - remove valve cap and try to catch it as it rolls away - watch as valve cap rolls into the drain - grieve and come to terms with my loss - check pressure letting most of the air out - look for footpump - retrieve from car while "borrowing" a valve cap from the spare tyre - pump tyre and change legs when one gets tired - remove connector from valve and let all the air out you just put in - repeat several times - check pressure - pump - let air out - pump - check pressure - pump - check pressure - replace valve cap. Repeat all of the above for the other tyre this time stealing a valve cap from the car's front tyre - return to auto factors for a third time to buy valve caps.
Adjusting the chain. Spend an age looking for torque wrench and suitable sockets - loosen wheel spindle a little - check free play in chain - tighten chain side adjuster - check free play - tighten chain side adjuster - check free play, now correct - look for marks on chain side adjuster, covered in dirt - look for paraffin and toothbrush to clean adjuster to see marks - use my own toothbrush and promise to buy a new one - clean marks on chain side adjuster - 1, 2, 3, 4 and a bit - clean opposite adjuster and tighten - 1, 2, 3, 4 and a bit - check chain free play - too tight - curse and shout - loosen spindle some more - loosen adjusters - delicately hammer the tyre forcing wheel towards bike - repeat the tightening process - noting to adjust both sides simultaneously - check chain free play - tighten spindle to correct torque - tighten lock nuts on adjusters - check chain - realise it has tight spots and in places the chain is tighter than a violin string. Cry.
Too tight...too lose...ARHG!
Replace tools back in the wrong places - clean toothbrush first with paraffin then washing up liquid and return to bathroom - wash hands in washing up liquid, shampoo, kitchen cleaner then remember I have Swarfega - remember I've not checked the lights, suspension, cables, steering or bearings - put kettle on and make a brew - put computer on and look at naughty pictures. Service done.
So what are your services like?
Reader's Comments
SL said :-
Or pay for someone to do it, simples.
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Ren - The Ed said :-
Thing is...can I trust someone else to do it properly. Anyhow, you know how tight I am.
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Doug said :-
And if someone else does it, how do you know that exactly the right amount of blood has been sacrificed to the knuckle gods? :-)
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Ren - The Ed said :-
I think a little blood in the oil helps Doug. After all a bike is a living breathing thing.
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
Stew said :-
Haha! yeah dude if I aint made a right mess in the shed then the job aint done properly.
01/01/2000 00:00:00 UTC
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