When you work on your bike how do you plan it?

[customizedcreationz]

Well I had to replace rear brake pads ( still doing that ), fork seals, and the rear tire. So...... I decided I would powder coat a few things. Which turned into a day and a half of pulling my bike apart, forks, triples, risers, headlight covers, brackets, pegs, bolts, rear set brackets, stator cover, misc little parts. I took inventory and came up with around $1250 worth of parts I coated....:confused2:

I originally planned on just doing seals, brakes and a rear tire so if my Busa isn't ready by Thunder I would have the Vmax ready atleast. Well that turned into a quick crash fest. The whole front end is off the bike, EVERYTHING. I have parts spewed all over the place. Most already coated and ready to reassemble.

I forgot I have a progessive front spring kit, but it only has the 1" lowering springs, not the second set of springs. So I am going to call progressive Monday and see if they will send me the second set so I can lower it 2" in the front.

Then I started thinking, "Oh yeah , I have those 6 pot calipers......" so now I have to take those apart, rebuild them and powder coat them as well. Get those put on I guess. Might as well as long as I have the entire front end apart right?

Another brillant idea popped into my head, lets machine the name Yamaha off the front of the head light lower mount.... well the casting is really crappy and there was a shallow spot, probably only .020 thick, of course I didn't catch it till I maching through it. So I ll either have to powder coat that piece of crap and put it on for now, or I ll have to custom machine one. Which I TOTALLY don't have time to do.

Ok so I figure I am almost done with the powder coating gun. Then I remember I bought a second swingarm to do a brace on. Well after some thought I figured it wont really do anything except make it look cool so I figured I might as well strip it and powder coat that thing as well.

NOW I have to pull my rear end apart, because that will really be one of the last things I have to powder coat and the bike will be mostly all done.

Of course I need a new rear tire, and while I have all that apart, I started thinking I should probably put new shocks on the back and lower that bitch as well.

Crickey.... what the hell did I get myself into. I have a Vmax sitting here that needed three simple parts, and ended up getting $1250 worth of powder coating done to it when all is said and done, 6 pot calipers, new progressive fork suspension, rear tire, possibly rear shocks, and who knows what else I'll stupidly decide to do before Thunder.....

Sometimes I don't know why I do the things I do. Just having all the cool tools and shop acess any time of the day is a problem I have. One little thing starts and next thing you know I am building a whole new bike.

I left out one little suprise, if the Max goes to Thunder and not the Busa, those that know my bike will be wondering if I bought a new one with my next little custom project I am doing with it.

BUUUUAHHAAHAAHAAAAHHAAAA damn custom monkey! :bang head:

So I guess back to my question, when you guys decided to do something do you plan it in stages, or say screw it and pull the entire damn bike apart like I do?

Here is a picture as I started to pull it all apart.

 

[customizedcreationz]

And of course I made some videos for DIY people that want to take some of this crap apart for some unknown reason....

 

[VMax-Mike]

I do that kind of stuff over the winter.

 

[Traumahawk]

I really do it in stages....with my job...I'm gone for 2 weeks at a time, and then home for 2 weeks at a time. I plan 1 maybe 2 things to do to the bike when I'm home...thats it...so that way i still get some ride time in too.

 

[marsmax85]

I like to order monkey parts and wait till winter and after hunting season 's over. But with my dirt bikes yea I go crazy with repairing and cleaning parts .
The monkey is NOT allowed for dirt bikes ..

 

[leroycp]

Winter

 

[KJShover]

I start with a list. Then soon as the bike gets parked for winter, I start. Then work on it when I find time between study sessions. I get allot of the heavy stuff done during the 3 week break between semesters and usually finish up during spring break.

This year I have it pretty good. I'm just going to stretch my swingarm and change mufflers.


.

 

[Sweetwilliebrownjr]

I usually wait til the day I get the parts, then when the wife and kid go to bed, I hit the garage and pull an all nighter, and go to work the next day in a painful sleep deprived state. And then, since I work at a mechanic shop, any fine tuning or tinkering that needs to be done, I do inbetween work orders. It's a terrible system, but I'm one of those guys that likes to be in a pinch when I'm doing stuff, so it works well for me.

 

[Redbone]

I like most riders in the cooler climes of the north like to do my work during the winter. Most of the time this works out pretty well, this year not so good. I was not good at timing when I needed things and a couple unexpected events thwarted my efforts to ride when the salt was finally washed off the road.
I'm riding now, but I did do one more maintenance item (re-bleeding a clutch line) that is going to cost me a few good riding days. I lost the tiny brass "olive" from the clutch line (Galfer), I looked for it everywhere but it was nowhere to be found! I didn't know that there was a "olive" to lose from the clutch line but I do now. Luckily, we have Sean Morley who had the part and a longer SS braided speedo cable to replace my now too short cable since raising the front forks 1" (Removed a 1" lowering spring).
Picture of said "olive" and where it goes to follow during reinstall. I must say having a Mityvac is a good thing to have, once you start using it properly, with a Vmax with 3-4 lines to bleed!

 

[customizedcreationz]

Redbone I sent you a pm, I need a 1" lowering spring if you want to get rid of yours let me know.

Todd

 

[Redbone]

Got it and replied!

 

[jagco1]

Wow thats a lot of work. I did that last year changing the head bearing. I mostly lade out what I was going to do 1st and go from there.

 

[invalidsession]

I try to do one job at a time when the parts are to hand. It's very frustrating trying to remember what bolt / nut goes where and in what order if I spread the work out over time.
My memory has been been diluted by an overabundance of alcohol :ummm:

Chris.

 

[customizedcreationz]

Sad thing is I can look at bolts in can and know were they go.

 

[Redbone]

I try to do one job at a time when the parts are to hand. It's very frustrating trying to remember what bolt / nut goes where and in what order if I spread the work out over time.
My memory has been been diluted by an overabundance of alcohol :ummm:

Chris.

Plastic baggies and a sharpie are your friend.

 

[invalidsession]

Plastic baggies and a sharpie are your friend.

I almost always try to plan ahead Redbone but my then my enthusiasm kicks in and before I know it I'm surrounded by random pieces and wrenches. It's a miracle I ever get to actually ride.

Chris

 

[Redbone]

Wow thats a lot of work. I did that last year changing the head bearing. I mostly lade out what I was going to do 1st and go from there.

My list what I did this winter:
Remove and reinstall engine to put in Aluminum MM.
Replace fork oil seals, remove 1" lowering springs, install adj spring load caps.
Install new to me R1 rear brake in underslung position and bled.
Install fan on/off switch.
Install USB plugin for iphone charging and so phone can be used as GPS.
Install new bar ends and bar end mirrors.
Install new Speedo cable
Install new std rate springs in place of HD springs on Progresssive 440 shocks.
Install new HD starter and ground cables.
Polished my Mark's SS exhaust system.
Change fluids in Radiator, engine and final drive.
I'm probably forgetting a few things but all this was done in my motorcycle trailer (6x12) or on my cement patio.

 

[Redbone]

I almost always try to plan ahead Redbone but my then my enthusiasm kicks in and before I know it I'm surrounded by random pieces and wrenches. It's a miracle I ever get to actually ride.

Chris

I know what you mean, the first years teardown went like that so I decided to force myself to use baggies. It would be a lot easier to do this if I didn't have to put stuff away after working but that will come when I have a garage.

 

[Rollie]

Made up my mind a while back at a bike shop about working and planning mods on my VMax . Bought a second VMax. Now anytime I get an itch for a new part or design change , I ride # 2 until I can devote the time to change # 1.

 

[one2dmax]

Todd, all you need is 1" or 2" spacers (which you can easily make) and you're in business. Just make sure to at least use the 1" spring that is normal as well. So, stock spring plus 1" spacer (or one more spring) = 1" lowering. Stock spring plus 2" spacer (or 2 more springs) = 2" lowering. If you only want 1.5" lowering then the spacer is that length.

When done you compensate for the preload on top and you're done.

Sean