New to the Vmax.

[Ken Kirchoff]

I'm probably a little old for this monster but I love speed. My last bike was a 92 Kawasaki Spectra 1100. I just picked up a 05 with 7400 miles with backrest, factory exhaust and center stand as parts. Hopefully I did good, 55 hundred. Kinda thought the carbs needed syncing and its in the shop now. Just got a call from the mechanic and was told the carbs needed rebuilt and the fork seals needed replaced. I was also told I would be very impressed on the performance improvements. I can't wait!!

 

[Fire-medic]

My last bike was a 92 Kawasaki Spectra 1100.

Welcome to VBoost Land! Your last bike was a 1100 Spectre

The 1992 1100 Spectre

I think that was a derivative of the 1986 Ninja 1000.



The 1982 Spectre, based upon the air-cooled KZ1100 that was to compete with the Yamaha XS1100 Midnight Special. Black & gold trim. A neighbor had one, low miles & non-runner, he wanted too-much for it in my opinion, many years ago. Now it would probably be a 'deal.'



Take a look at the inside of the gas tank, if it's not shiny-clean, then 'rebuilding' the carbs is useless. Crap/rust goo will just plug up the carbs again. There's a chance the gas tank was lined with some tank sealer in the past, but w/that few miles, it probably doesn't need that. A fuel filter won't 'cure' a rusty gas tank.

A VMax 'carb rebuild' usually means a good cleaning, and occasionally replacement of O-rings or gaskets, or perhaps the CV diaphragms, if they're torn. OEM come w/slides & diaphragms together as 1 piece, they are not cheap. Replacement diaphragms are available aftermarket. Slides are easy to break trying to fit the aftermarket diaphragms. Beware.

 

[Tom Determan]

Never too old.....

 

[Dkid]

Welcome to Riding the Lightning!! Be Safe and Enjoy.

 

[MaxMidnight]

Kinda thought the carbs needed syncing and its in the shop now. Just got a call from the mechanic and was told the carbs needed rebuilt and the fork seals needed replaced. I was also told I would be very impressed on the performance improvements.

I know I'm a cynical ole xxxx but I'd be curious to know how it was established that the carbs needed a 'rebuild' and what parts do they intend to change.
And being a cynical ole xxx I'd also want the displaced parts.

I'd be inclined to stick to balancing the carbs and running some carb cleaner through it. If you don't have a set of balance gauges they would pay for themselves after a couple of uses.
Should you still have issues then there are plenty here who would offer advice.

Whatever you choose to do, welcome to the site and I hope your Max is everything you hope it is.

 

[Ken Kirchoff]

Yep. Got the bike back. I thought it was fast but it's stupid fast now. The guy knew what he was doing. Carbs and forks rebuild for 750. It's not even the same bike.

 

[MaxMidnight]

What was done to the carbs?

 

[CaptainKyle]

Welcome ! Glad you like the bike

 

[Ken Kirchoff]

What was done to the carbs?

What was done to the carbs?

He removed, cleaned, adjusted and tuned. That was on the receipt. I had talked to him on the phone and was told te was running very lean.

 

[MaxMidnight]

Thanks for the feedback Ken, and if you are happy with the work that was done that is the most important thing but...

IMO that write up on the receipt says very little. If it was running very weak I'd ask where in the rev range that was occurring and how was it established? Did he do a plug chop to establish this or was the bike put on a dyno?

How was this corrected?
The only adjustment is the idle mixture screw and I would check to see if the tamper proof plugs have been removed. The mixture screws are the only adjustment that can be made to the carbs without changing parts. Whist they are effective throughout the rev range this decreases significantly as the needles and main jets cut in.

If it was at the upper end I would expect to have been charged fro replacement main jets and a note of what was put in - were you?
Alternatively did he shim the needles for a mid range lean condition?

Were the carbs removed and stripped to 'clean' them?

For adjustments, there is the previously mentioned idle mixture screws and balancing which if out will make a significant difference to performance.

As for 'tuning' then IMO that is a meaningless tern unless a description of what this consisted of is included.

For many years part of my job was to audit claims for repairs made under warranty to motor vehicles. Far too often the technicians write up consisted of bull shit trying to justify the time spent on the vehicle. Some of this was due to incompetence and trying to recover the cost of lost time, in other cases down to trying to get paid for work not completed.
Obviously I have no way of knowing exactly what was done to your bike but if I had my auditors hat on I'd be looking at the job card very, very closely and my nose suggests I wouldn't be paying what was asked for.

I make the above comments not to make you feel bad, and I apologise if that is how it comes over, but to suggest what we should all be asking before we agree to the repairs and part with our hard earned. At the end of the day it's your money and that you are happy with what was done is great and and the most important consideration.

We don't know all of the answers here but we can suggest what should be asked to ensure what you are being asked to pay for is justified.

 

[Ken Kirchoff]

We did agree on what the bike was doing and at what rpm. I'm no mechanic on these bikes and the shop had 5 stars. I talked to the mechanic once and we discussed what he was going to do. I trusted him and do not think I was ripped off. As I said the bike is a monster now.