Zero Knievel

Around 35 mpg.

Duh? I've always used OTC antifreeze and pump conditioner in my bikes.

If I go through the work to pull my plugs, they are getting replaced. Of course, I save the old plugs (if they are in good shape) so I have quick replacements....just in case I need them and can't wait for new plugs to come by UPS.

I do things when I do winter maintenance. I have a K&N filter, so I clean and re-oil that every winter. Plugs normally should be changed every 20,000 (IIRC), but I say change them when it feels like they need it. If Iridiums are rated for 50K, just change them when that starts to come close. Frankly, I just did my plugs, and while the bike ran fine, I notice that it's significantly smoother running now. So, I think you can feel when plugs are coming due for a change.

With gaskets, my chief rule is that the harder it is to get to, the smarter it is to replace it even if there is no damage or wear to it. I'd consider reusing a gasket if it was in good shape and easy to get to should I be wrong.

Iridiums replaced most of the platinum plugs NGK makes. I couldn't find platinum when I needed plugs...they were discontinued.

Wear foam plugs in your ear. It not only protects your hearing but it blocks the "little noises" every bike makes. It a noise is loud enough to be heard through the plugs, then you need to worry about it. FWIW, I think all dashboards move. They are anchored through rubber grommets and are intended to move a little so the vibrations of the road don't rattle things to bits.

My guess is because they have a proper bike jack stand so they can get lots of room to move the tire out with. I always have to take both calipers off and I think the fender too. It's not all that much extra work (thankfully).

I'll have to look next time. I don't recall a washer on my oil plug. Don't loose oil either.

Um. Doesn't the odometer utilize input from the speedometer? If one is off, the other is as well. Not enough to make a federal case over, though. I know this because I know my odometer is 1/30th of a mile short in measurement.

I don't even think about it. Of course, the first couple of miles is just a leisurely ride to get out to the main road, so it's not like I open it up anyhow.

The "cracking" is usually the stress put on the plastic. IMHO, the rear cowling was meant to be decorative. It's thin and flimsy. The rear handle bolts are meant to just hold what is largely a decorative piece onto the bike. When you put on the Wingrack, you are using the hard point under the seat to hold some serious weight. With longer bolts and locking nuts, you can only lightly snug those four bolts and know that they won't come off, but still, any vibration could eventually crack the plastic. If you snug the bolts down right, the pressure against the plastic will cause cracking with hot, cold and vibration. It's really a no-win situation. Thankfully, most of the damage (for me at least) is hidden under the handle's attachment points.

Odd. I do as the instructions say. I spray both sides until the material has that even red color. Never had an "over oiled" problem yet.

I must be the only guy who had problems with Givi's bolts. Everyone says just tighten them down as given. Every bolt that didn't have a locking nut to screw into came loose, and I know how to tighten down stuff. I lost a couple of bolts on the first ride. I had to get replacement bolts that were longer and locking nuts. Why every bolt didn't come with a locking nut is beyond me.

I have a front and rear, but they are my replacements for when I need one. I'm sure someone on this site linked who sells stock Honda replacement sets for the best price.

I have cracking on my rear cowling as well. Frankly, they use much thinner material on the rear than everywhere else, and I think that's just lousy design standards. My wingrack goes onto the rear grab rail. I use longer bolts with locking nuts to ensure they don't come loose. The plastic under the grab rail has cracked again, but it's not that noticeable. You don't really get a choice. You want the bolts tight enough that everything stays secure, but the stress, vibration and temperatures take their toll on the thin plastic. Bob Brown at www.empiregp.com can repair plastics if you want to fix any damage and give the rear cowl a new coat of paint.

Did someone say "OIL"?

I didn't do the install on mine, but the guy before me put it under the instrument cluster. It's a small switch. I suppose it's a good location. Not easy to get to, but you really don't need to adjust the High/Low/Off position when riding, and if you do, so long as you're on a straight stretch, you can get to it while in motion.

You can get an obscene amount of miles from a chain if it stays cleaned and lubed. That's why I invested in a ProOiler for my 'Bird. This is from a Kawasaki, but the same DID make of chain. When the chain was getting ready to go, I got a God-awful clunking sound from the chain constantly that I could hear OVER having foam plugs in my ears. The chain also needed constant tightening, and when I cleaned it, a lot of black gunk was coming off (perhaps bits of metal too). The seals and bearings in the links were breaking down. Normally, I'd say the chain wear indicator should be your guide, but if you start hearing a clunking sound from the chain, look closely. I'm sure you'll find indicators that it's ready to be replaced.

I don't use "tap" water, but my H2O comes from a well system using a water softener. In prior bikes, I've used water from the tap with no noticable problems in system performance. To be fair, even the water from the tap ran through a basic charcoal water filter, so that might have made a difference. Never have rust problems. My last bike had coolant pump failures, but this was the flaw in design for that Kawasaki model, and failure happened within the known lifespan of the component. I used the softened water in my truck to backflush the system when I service it, and I don't have a problem there either. If I really wanted to be careful, I could always use the reverse-osmosis treated drinking water, but I'd not be inclined to run to town to get distilled water. Frankly, if the water you use goes through any meaningful post-tap treatment (what's in the tap is nasty to drink for most people anyhow if you're in the city), I think it's the additives in your antifreeze/coolant additives and how often you flush and treat your coolant system that matters more than how "clean" you think the water is. Just my 2 cents. I'm sure others will passionately disagree. Like on OIL. :icon_shhh:

Because, as I pointed out, they are prone to stripping if you remove and replace them too often. The threads are designed to cut into metal and screw in at the same time where regular screws will not cut a new path if not aligned property (unless you force them). Gotta be careful with self-tapping screws.

I just did mine. They say "tap and screw" is best, but frankly, I don't know why they give such small screws. There was no way I felt comfortable using what came with my kit. Also, you have to have a thread cutting tool (not included) with the right size thread cutter. You will still need to properly mark and drill the pilot holes needed for the tools to work in. So, that part you have to do no matter what. I went with self-tapping screws my dad picked up at Lowes hardware. If you buy other screws, you want stainless steel if possible (prevent rust/corrosion). They were bigger and fit the size of the holes in the mounting bracket much better than what came in my kit. Since the mounting bracket was the width of the swingarm, I put the nozzle unit in place, held the bracket tight, and used a blue felt marker to mark the shape and size of the mounting holes. My dad then used a drill to make a pilot hole as dead center of each blue mark as possible. Then he went to a larger bit that was just smaller than the self-tapping screws. Then, I put the nozzle unit in place and worked the self-tapping screws in the first time. After that, I took each screw out, applied blue threadlocker and put them back in one at a time. The single BIGGEST flaw with self-tapping screws is that each time you remove/reinstall them, you risk stripping out the threads. Then, you have to go to a sllightly bigger self-tapping screw (or make the hole slightly bigger and tap threads for a regular screw) to solve the problem. So, once you install the nozzle unit, you DO NOT want to remove it unless absolutely necessary. Fortunately, since the only adjustments you should need are horizontal (back to front), you should only have to loosen the adjustment screw, not the mounting ones. I'm keeping an eye on my nozzle mounting to make sure the self-tapping screws do not work loose. If I see that happening, I'll have to redo it (perhaps larger screws) or hopefully just add something like lockwashers or hardcore cement that will bond them in pretty much permanently. If they don't come loose at all, it's all good.

I have heated grips and a heated vest. I don't use the vest except in cold weather. I use the grips as needed. No HID or AUX lamps though. No problems so far, but I think it's definitely wise to shut down stuff you don't really need when not using it. Heated clothing doesn't take too much juice if you have a thermostat to regulate how hot it gets. Most good gear doesn't need max power to do the job.

I might consider getting the gloves as well. I have heated grips, but they'll broil the palms but let fingers freeze when it's cold enough. It's a hard call because when it's below freezing, I'm not inclined to take the 'Bird out (or any bike for that mater).

Not to mention if you tip it back too far when propping it up, excess gas will run out the overflow hose. :icon_doh: Discovered that installing the ProOiler last weekend.