Newsgroups: rec.motorcycles


>The manufacturers have another set of problems: they are in a very
>competitive specialty market, they must invest heavily in R&D to stay in
>business, have to deal with tremendous certification/litigation overhead to
>sell their wares. Many of the components they package for sale, not as part
>of complete  motorcycles but as parts inventory, are small volume production
>fragile bits that are easily damaged. Also, they are constrained by law for
>supplying such spares for some period of years after the sale of a
>motorcycle model has ceased.

I think manufacturers (especially Honda :-)) could make things a bit easier on
themselves by not using so many different indicator assemblies, switchgear,
batteries, horns, handlebars, rear light lenses, footpegs, instrument clusters, brake levers, master cylinders, discs, wheels, grab rails, side stands, and so
on and so on... if there was a bit more commonality, the poor dealer wouldn't
have to stock so many different parts.

>All of this is an expensive undertaking. The prices of individual components
>reflect that cost.

>Another thing that irks me when I go to look at a used machine is to see a
>nice motorcycle that has been totally botched by a mistaken collection of
>'almost factory' nuts and bolts. I look carefully at any bike I'm going to
>purchase. The manufacturer typically uses a very carefully selected fit of
>nuts, bolts, washers and other bits that gives the machine a well-finished,
>coordinated look. If I find an abundance of mis-matched nuts and bolts, I
>wonder about the rest of the pieces I cannot see and steer away from the
>machine. Why were they missing and in need of replacement in the first
>place? Smacks of poor maintenance or damage while being operated.

Nope, Japanese bikes come with two grades of steel, (three if you include
chromed bits) high tensile, and cheese - you know the ones, when the heads get
all torn up the first time you undo them.  The Japanese also don't use any sort
of thread lubricant, so you get the different metals (like steel and aluminium)
seizing together.  These cheese nuts, I replace with stainless steel, and use
a thread lubricant called Duralac when putting back together.  This stops the
sodding thing all rusting together, and allows my maintenance to be a quick and
easy affair.  The chromed screws that hold my fairing in went rusty the first
winter, so I've replaced them with stainless steel.  Basically, whenever I take
out a rusty bolt or screw, I replace it with a stainless Allen screw.  Poor
maintenance?  Damage?  No, pride.

>I cannot do enough to emphasize the need for good maintenance. Many
>motorcyclists put themselves into the position of being consumers, not
>knowledgable riders, because our modern machines are so well engineered and
>reliable overall that they don't seem to need much maintenance. I read all I
>can about every motorcycle I own, always buy the parts and factory service
>books and read them through. I spend a lot of time just examining my bikes
>(and cars) and evaluating their condition, looking for loose bits, looking
>for things that need adjustment and lubrication, making sure they are safe
>and ready to be used to the fullest extent I am capable of at any time. As a
>result, I have never been stranded anywhere and I get much pleasure out of
>my motorcycling.

Yup, I agree with this bit.  I find cleaning the bike is a great way of
spotting problems.  Ride when the sun shines, maintain when it doesn't :-).
Xref: sparky rec.motorcycles:27865 rec.crafts.brewing:4716 ba.food:2791