bolty.net

I’m Flattered (I Think)

Stacy — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 12:00:04 +0000

Thanks for the laugh, genderanalyzer.com!

That’s a Bad Idea, Vol. 1

Stacy — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:51:49 +0000

This blog gets its fair share of incoming traffic from search engines. Here are a few interesting (ahem!) search terms that brought folks to this site:

“using brake cleaner to clean motorcycle chain”

Why that’s a bad idea: Many brake cleaners can penetrate and remove the grease packed inside an o-ring (x-ring, etc) chain.

If the can says “penetrates”, “penetrating”, or has verbiage to that effect printed on it, it’s not safe for cleaning o-ring chains. I suppose you could use it to clean a non-o-ring chain, but kerosene is so much cheaper.

When in doubt, consult your owner’s manual.

Sources: Chain O-ring WD-40 exposure effects study and results, part 1, Chain O-ring WD-40 exposure effects study and results, part 2, WD-40 customer service email.

“only change 3 spark plugs out of 6″

Why that’s a bad idea: So you took the time to remove, gap, and replace 3 spark plugs already. Why stop at halfway? From experience, half-assing a job usually leads to half-assed performance. Cut your corners accordingly.

Now, there are some cases where you might see an issue affecting some, but not all, of your spark plugs. This usually means that there’s an underlying problem that should be fixed. For instance, when I had the Rebel, I had an ongoing issue with one of the plugs becoming carbon fouled. I’d change the plug, and a week later it would be fouled again. The other plug remained clean and trouble free. Changing the one bad plug was a waste of time and money — I should have fixed the real issue. Once I did, I no longer had any problems.

“strap for securing jacket to motorcycle handlebars”

Why that’s a bad idea: Never mount stuff on your handlebars that can come loose and entangle themselves in the controls. A jacket could slip down and prevent you from being able to fully turn the bars. Or, it could slip down even further and get entangled in the front wheel. This is why you rarely see more than a tool roll or a small bedroll mounted to the handlebars of most cruisers.

A better bet would be a tailpack or a nice set of saddlebags.

“chain wax as cable lube”

Why that’s a bad idea: Some clutch cables react very badly when lubed with chain wax. Here’s a personal account: How Not to Lube the Clutch Cable on Your SV650.

When in doubt, consult your owner’s manual. It will tell you what lube to use on your cables.

Where Have You Been All My Life?

Stacy — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 06:41:21 +0000

Tonight I discovered something amazing. There exists a company in this world that will accept $44.10 of my money in exchange for 4 — yes, FOUR — bolts.

Pretty colors available for a small extra charge.

Of course, these are no ordinary bolts. They are made of UNOBTAINIUM and PUPPIES. And, by “unobtainium” I mean titanium, and by “puppies” I mean pure-bred greyhound puppies because these bolts weigh a whopping 40% lighter than the stock bolts. Short of taking a pre-race leak, how else am I going to shave half a gram off the weight of my SV?

Apparently the stock bolts on the SV make it a bit of a porker. That front caliper refurbishment kit is pretty tempting at a mere $78.35. And think of all the weight I can save if I swapped out all my engine bolts with the handy engine bolt kit — only $238.71!

Unfortunately, I don’t have $500 to spend swapping out all the bolts on my SV for titanium replacements, so I’m passing that burden on to you, dear readers. The donation box is now open. Just think, for 35 cents a day, you can help an overweight SV650 become The Biggest Loser.

Some Quick Updates: WITW Safe Mileage, CL175 Project

Stacy — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 19:03:28 +0000

We’re firmly into the Fall season here at bolty.net and things motorcycling-related have started to slow down. I’m still commuting every day — 32° during this morning’s ride to work — and even managed to get out yesterday for a quick ride up Mary’s Peak and back under the weak light of Fall’s setting sun.

On the blogging front, I’m setting into a longer posting schedule and hoping to have at least a couple of new posts a week. Here are a few updates that were too small to get their own posts:

WITW Safe Mileage Update

This year’s Women In The Wind safe mileage contest wrapped up on October 31st. My ending odometer reading was 11351, which gave me a total of 8820 for the year. Thankfully, this summer’s oops didn’t count against me. I didn’t reach my goal of 10000 miles for the contest, but I did improve almost 7k miles over last year’s total.

I still have hope for 10000 miles for this calendar year, however…

CL175 Project

Stacey and I drained the oil on the CL175. The old oil was toasty brown in color, very thin, and smelled of gas. We didn’t see any metal fragments, but I’m going to tie a magnet to a string and go fishing in the drain pan when I get the time.

We’ve heard from several sources that it would be a good idea to squirt some penetrating oil down into the cylinders via the spark plug holes. However, there’s been no consensus on what that particular substance should be. We’ve heard all of the following:

50/50 mix of engine oil and automatic transmission fluid (ATF)
100% ATF
PB Blaster
seafoam

Now, which is it? Back to the research pile for me, I guess!

Operation Shed

We need to clear room in our garage for a workspace before we can start serious work on the CL175 project. There’s a ton of garden tools and other detritus in the garage that really ought to go in a shed. Too bad we don’t have one!

So, we spent a very sunny and beautiful Sunday in the backyard digging out a 10×10 patch for a shed foundation. Shed first, project bike second. Alas!

Now We’ve Gone and Done It

Stacy — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 02:27:10 +0000

Stacey and I have had café on our minds, like a pot on the back burner. A slow, dark roast: positively brewriffic! (Ok, ok, I’ll stop now.)

Without further adieu: a humble 1973 Honda CL175. Not quite a basket case, but we’ll be shocked if it runs. No matter what, we’re certain to learn something along the way.

There’s a sweet little café bike in there just waiting to get out. You can be sure that I’ll post updates as this project progresses.

Something Brewing

Stacy — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 15:44:04 +0000

Stacey and I are plotting something… consider it the “winter blend.” More details on Wednesday, we hope!

How to Clean/Replace the Air Filter in Your SV650

Stacy — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 05:33:34 +0000

Just like top athletes, engines need clean, unobstructed airflow in order to perform their best. The maintenance chart for the SV650 recommends cleaning the air filter every 4,000 miles and replacing it every 11,000 miles. Here’s a step-by-step guide how to do it.

Like all of my how-to guides, this one’s written at an exhaustive level of detail to make things easy for those new to wrenching. If you’re experienced at performing your own maintenance, click here to skip right to the summary.

This guide will show you how to clean and replace the air filter on a 2007 SV650. These instructions cover all second gen models of SV650. Remember kids, consult your owners and service manuals for the final word.

Step 1: Gather the Required Tools and Materials

Tools

large phillips head screwdriver
hex (i.e. allen) bits or wrenches: 4mm and 6mm
bit driver
air compressor and blow gun attachment (if cleaning air filter)

Consumables

air filter (Suzuki part #13780-16G00) if replacing air filter
paper or shop towels

A Note Regarding Air Filters

I’m keeping things simple and using a Suzuki OEM air filter as the replacement filter in this guide. There are aftermarket options, and many of them — actually all of them — claim some kind of wondrous performance boost if you buy one. If that kind of thing floats your boat, by all means, shell out the cash. Just know that you’ll probably need to make some adjustments to your fuel injection system (or rejet your carbs, if you have them). Such adjustments are beyond the scope of this guide, so you’ll need to do your own research if you decide to go with a performance air filter.

Step 2: Lift the Gas Tank

The gas tank must be lifted in order to access the airbox that houses the air filter, and to do that, you’ll also need to remove the seat. Use the 4mm hex (allen) bit to loosen the 2 bolts on the plastic trim covers below the seat. There’s a cover on each side of the bike. Remove both covers and set them aside.

A 4mm hex bit will loosen the bolt on the trim cover.

Then, use the same 4mm bit to loosen the 2 tank bolts. I like to use a T handle bit driver to reach these bolts.

My trusty T handle bit driver.

Whatever you do, don’t drop your bit around this part of the bike!

Next, use the 6mm hex bit to loosen the 2 bolts holding down the seat. There’s one on each side of the bike.

A 6mm hex bit will loosen the bolts on both sides of the seat.

Once the seat is loose, lift it up by the edge closest to the gas tank, then pull the seat forward until it slides free. Remove the passenger seat and grab the gas tank prop. Use it to prop the gas tank up by one of the tank bolt holes.

Lifting the gas tank will expose the airbox.

Step 3: Remove the Airbox Cover

Locate the screws holding the airbox cover in place. Use a large phillips screwdriver to loosen all 7 screws. The plastic guides will prevent you from being able to separate the screws from the top cover. That’s a good thing — less things to lose!

Use the large phillips screwdriver to loosen each screw.

This screw is easy to overlook. It's the one closest to the seat.

Once the screws are loosened, lift the cover straight off. The air filter will usually remain attached to the cover, so gently separate it from the cover and set it aside.

Can you tell which is the dirty air filter?

Step 4: Clean the Airbox Sponge

Locate the sponge inside the airbox.

It may look clean from this side...

But the other side's probably gunked up.

Use a paper or shop towel to mop up the goop. I also like to wipe down inside the area where the sponge sits. When finished, put the sponge back in its place.

Now we’ve reached a fork in the road, because the next steps are different depending on if you’re going to clean the air filter, or replace it entirely.

Step 5a: Clean the Air Filter

Fire up your air compressor and get your blow gun ready. Hold the air filter so that the side with the mesh screen is facing you. Use the blow gun to blow air through the filter from the mesh screen side. In other words, point the end of the blow gun at the mesh screen and let ‘er rip. Don’t force air through from the other side — you’ll push the dirt deeper into the filter which is the exact opposite of what we’re trying to accomplish!

Step 5b: New Air Filter

A Suzuki OEM air filter.

This one’s about as easy as it gets: take the new air filter out of the packaging and proceed to the next step.

Step 6: Replace the Air Filter and Airbox Cover

Take the filter and push it back into the airbox cover. The mesh screen will face down toward the engine.

The air filter fits neatly into the airbox cover.

Set the cover and filter onto the base of the airbox. Use the phillips screwdriver to tighten the 7 cover screws.

Step 7: Lower Gas Tank and Replace Seat

Remove the gas tank prop and lower the gas tank. Replace the 2 bolts at the front of the gas tank. Put the seat back on and replace the 2 seat bolts. Push the side trim covers back into place and replace the 2 side cover bolts. At this point, everything should be back together again. You’re done!

Summary

Tools

large phillips head screwdriver
hex (i.e. allen) bits or wrenches: 4mm and 6mm
bit driver
air compressor and blow gun attachment (if cleaning air filter)

Consumables

air filter (Suzuki part #13780-16G00) if replacing air filter
paper or shop towels

Steps

Remove seat and lift the gas tank.
Remove airbox cover.
Clean or replace the air filter.
Re-install air filter and replace airbox cover.
Lower gas tank and replace seat.

Fin.

Installing Hyper-lite Brake Lights on an SV650

Stacy — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 07:01:11 +0000

I ordered a set of Hyper-lite non-flashing brake lights and some Hyper-white running lights as a birthday present to myself this year. I have a mounting system for the running lights in the works, but I went ahead and installed the brake lights on Friday evening. Here’s how it went.

The brake light kit contains two LED arrays, an electronic controller box, two Posi-Twist, and three Posi-Tap connectors. An instruction sheet and a fancy Hyper-lite sticker were also in the bag. I have to say, I’ve accumulated quite a collection of fancy stickers from the various farkles I’ve added to my bike!

I also sprung for the license plate bracket at a little extra cost.

I decided to stick the LED arrays to the bracket right away. This helped make the wiring routing easier and let me measure the wire lengths more accurately. Mounting the LEDs was dead simple: use some rubbing alcohol to clean the bracket, then stick the LEDs to it with the included double-sided tape.

The next step was threading the wires for the LEDs up under the fender and into the compartment under the passenger seat. This is easy if you have a stock fender; just follow one of the turn signal wires. Each LED array has a brown and a blue wire, for four wires in all.

You can see the brown and blue wire pairs in the left part of the picture above. After I threaded the wires, I unhooked a few of the existing connections in this area to give me some room to work with, namely the turn signal wire connectors and the tail light connector. Then, I pushed some wires aside until I found a nice spot for the Hyper-lite controller module. The picture above shows the chosen location — look for the small plastic piece with wrinkles in the lower right.

The controller comes with a piece of double-sided sticky tape on it. I used a little rubbing alcohol to wipe the target surface down before sticking the controller to it.

With the controller module in place, it was time to start connecting wires. Namely, the brown wires needed to be connected together using the Posi-Twist connector. There are three brown wires: one each from the two LED arrays, and another from the controller module. I trimmed the excess wire, then used the Posi-Twist like so:

Step 1: Strip 1/2 in. insulation off wire ends and twist together.

Step 2: Insert wires into threaded cap.

Step 3: Tighten the barrel end.

Then, I did the same thing to the blue wires.

The second part involves tapping into the existing wiring harness. After consulting my SV650 wiring diagram, I followed the recommended instructions and tapped into the tail light wiring.

What	on SV650		on controller
brake light +12V	white w/ black stripe	connect to	red wire
running light +12V	brown	connect to	grey wire
ground	black w/ white stripe	connect to	black wire

Here’s how to tap into the brake light wire:

Step 1: Insert 'hot' wire between the prongs on the threaded end.

Step 2: Tighten barrel onto the 'hot' end.

Step 3: Strip 1/2 in. off wire end and insert into threaded cap.

Step 4: Insert threaded cap into barrel and tighten.

I repeated this two more times to tap into the running light and the ground wire.

Then it was time to button things up: I reconnected the turn signal and tail light connectors, tidied up the wiring, and put the passenger seat back on. Turned the ignition on and was pleased to see a successful result. I love it when a project goes well!

Unfortunately, I don’t have any pictures of the lights in action — I couldn’t get them to do justice to how the lights really look. For a better view, check out the videos on the non-flashing brake light product page at Hyper-lite’s website.

When Your Bike Hits 100,000 Miles

Stacy — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 04:21:38 +0000

… make sure it’s someplace scenic!

In a case of impeccable planning, our friend Deb Weber’s R1100R hit 100,000 miles just as we rolled into the parking lot at the top of Mary’s Peak. Congratulations!

Thanks Don and Deb for inviting us along. We had a great time!

In other news, I rode up to the Suzuki dealer on Saturday to pick up my parts order: two air filters and the smallest piece of plastic I’ve ever paid $9 for. During the ride, the temperature controller for my heated grips went haywire. Instead of a variable temperature range, I had a choice between FULL HOT and off. Yay for electrical gremlins.

Later that evening, I did some troubleshooting and narrowed down the issue to one of two things: the connection between the switch and the controller box, or the controller box itself. I was hoping it wasn’t the controller box because that would be a warranty issue and I really didn’t want to disassemble things now that the weather’s turned cold.

I lucked out — the issue was a short in the connection between the switch and the controller. The connection is via mini-DIN plugs, which I originally wrapped with heatshrink. Guess that’s no match for a winter’s worth of Oregon drizzle! This time, I’m going to silicone seal the connection and then heatshrink it.

How to Change the Spark Plugs in Your SV650

Stacy — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 00:09:12 +0000

An engine won’t get very far without spark, a courtesy that the spark plug provides. The maintenance chart for the SV650 recommends replacing the spark plugs every 7500 miles, and here’s a step-by-step guide how to do it.

Like all of my how-to guides, this one is written for those who are new to wrenching. As such, it’s written at an exhaustive level of detail. If you’re experienced at performing your own maintenance, click here to skip right to the summary.

In this guide, we will change the spark plugs on a 2007 SV650. These instructions apply for all dual-spark models of SV650, i.e. from the 2007 model year onwards. If you own a faired (S or SF) model, you may need to remove some plastic. You’ll have to consult your owner’s manual for instructions on removing your fairings.

“Dual spark” refers to having two spark plugs per engine cylinder. The SV650 has a V-twin engine with 2 cylinders; thus, a dual-spark SV650 will use 4 spark plugs.

Step 1: Gather the Required Tools and Materials

Tools:

5/8in spark plug socket
ratchet wrench
3in and 6in extensions
10mm wrench
spark plug gap tool
hex (allen) bits or wrenches: 4mm and 6mm
bit driver

Consumables:

4 spark plugs (NGK or DENSO)
anti-seize compound

Optional:

torque wrench
2×4 block of wood

A Note Regarding Spark Plugs

Iridium. Dual electrode. You can spend a lot of money on fancy spark plugs. If you’ve got the cash and it makes you feel better, knock yourself out. Me? I use regular NGK plugs and follow the heat ranges in the service manual.

	Standard	Cold Type	Hot Type
NGK	CR8E	CR9E	CR7E
ND	U24ESR-N	U27ESR-N	U22ESR-N

I could spend all day writing about spark plugs and heat ranges and all that jazz, but all you really have to know is that for regular street riding on a typical SV, go with the standard heat range. If you’d like to read more about spark plugs, NGK has a very nice guide: Tech Info – Spark Plugs Overview

A Note Regarding Spark Plug Gap Tools

Don’t bother with anything other than a wire or blade type gap tool.

A wire-type gap tool.

If you’re trying to gap your plugs with one of those 50 cent “coin” style tools you found at the checkout counter, bin it and get a better one. I think this one cost me 4 or 5 bucks at Napa. Trust me on this.

Step 2: Move the Radiator

This maintenance should only be performed on a cool or cold engine! A hot radiator or engine cylinder can burn you.

First, locate the plastic “fender” attached to the bottom-most fork clamp. Unfortunately, this particular part just happened to fall off my bike sometime this summer and I’m still waiting for a replacement. Here’s a picture of it from the service manual (marked with “1″):

Use a wrench to remove the bolt circled in the picture. Then, remove the fender piece and set it aside.

Next, locate the radiator mounting bolt on the right side of the bike. (For the purposes of this guide, the right side refers to the side that’s on the right when you’re seated on the bike.)

Remove the radiator mounting bolt using the 10mm wrench.

Use the 10mm wrench to remove the bolt. Once the bolt is gone, gently pull the radiator assembly toward the front wheel. This will give you some room to work on the plugs in the front cylinder. If you have a block of wood, you can use it to hold the radiator out of the way.

Step 3: Replace Front Spark Plugs

Now, locate the two spark plugs in the front cylinder. Plug “A” is on the right side of the front cylinder and plug “B” is tucked into the front-most part of the cylinder.

Front plugs 'A' and 'B'

Start with plug A, as it’s by far the easiest to remove. Remove the rubber boot covering the spark plug by grasping the plastic cap and pulling it straight out.

Front plug A with rubber boot removed.

Then, use the 5/8 inch spark plug socket and ratchet wrench to loosen the plug.

Loosening front plug A with spark plug socket and ratchet wrench.

Once the plug starts spinning freely, you can use your fingers to loosen it the rest of the way.

Success!

New spark plugs should be “gapped” before being installed. The spark plug gap should be between 0.7 and 0.8mm.

Measuring the gap.

Take the spark plug gap tool and select a feeler sized somewhere within the spec. For example, I like to use the 0.76mm feeler on the particular tool that I have. Gently run the feeler between the contacts on the plug. The feeler should slide between the contacts with a slight resistance.

If the gap is too narrow, use the special tool to very gently push the contacts apart. Think “nudge” instead of pry. You shouldn’t feel anything move.

Slight pressure is all you need to change the gap on a spark plug.

If the gap is too wide, use the tool to push the contacts together. Remember, gentle is the way to go. It’s extremely easy to over-do the adjustment.

The phrase “slight resistance” is standard shop manual verbiage. Unfortunately, it’s also open to a particular person’s notion of the word “slight”. To really double check the gap, measure it using a feeler that’s within spec, then select the next bigger size and try to run it through the gap. If the gap is correct, the bigger feeler won’t fit. For example, I measure against the 0.76mm feeler. The next size up is 0.83mm, which is out of spec. If the 0.76mm feeler fits and the 0.83mm one doesn’t, I know I’m close enough for government work.

Once the spark plug is gapped, rub the threads with anti-seize compound, which will help prevent the threads from sticking inside the cylinder head and make it easier to remove the plug in another 7500 miles.

A little anti-seize can save you headaches later on.

Now, take the new plug and thread it into the cylinder by hand. Keep tightening the plug until it’s finger tight, i.e. when you start to feel resistance like it’s finally tightening up. Take the socket and ratchet and turn the wrench an additional 1/2 turn. Do not over-tighten! If you have a torque wrench, the spec is 11 N·m (1.1 kgf-m, 8.0 lb-ft).

The new plug.

Replace the rubber boot, pushing the cap on firmly until it snaps into place on the plug. Front plug A is done.

Remember these basic steps, because we’ll be repeating them three more times for plugs B, C, and D.

remove plug
gap new plug
apply anti-seize
insert and tighten new plug
replace rubber boot

Now it’s on to plug B. This one’s trickier because there’s not a lot of room to work with between the cylinder and the radiator. I recommend moving to the left side of the bike to tackle this one.

Disconnect the wire to the horn to give yourself a little more room.

Horn with disconnected wire.

Grab the plastic cap on the plug and give it a strong pull until the rubber boot comes free.

Front plug B's rubber boot.

Here’s our target:

Front plug B is down in this hole.

Grab your 5/8 inch spark plug socket and the 3 inch extension bar. Attach the socket to the extension, then insert the socket into the hole. If there’s not enough clearance, separate the socket from the extension, put the socket part-way into the hole, then attach the extension.

A 3 inch extension is required to reach front plug B.

Once the socket and extension are in the hole, slowly and gently spin the end of the extension by hand until you feel the socket match up with the plug.

Turn the end by hand until the socket matches up with the plug and stops spinning.

Now, you can use the ratchet to loosen the plug.

Loosening front plug B.

Once the plug spins freely, detach the ratchet and spin the extension by hand until the plug comes free.

Check the gap on the new plug and apply anti-seize. Replacing this particular plug has some added complications: you can’t see the actual spark plug hole in the cylinder head and you can’t reach it either. The solution is to essentially reverse the steps you took to remove the old plug.

First, push the new plug into the spark plug socket so that the electrode end is barely sticking out. Then, insert the socket into the hole before connecting the 3 inch extension bar. Now, use your fingers to tighten the new plug. If you’re careful, you’ll feel the new plug align itself properly and then start to tighten. The threads should turn smoothly. If you feel something catch, STOP. Back the plug out, then try again.

When the extension is finger tight, use the ratchet wrench to tighten the plug an additional 1/2 turn. Put the rubber boot back into the hole and push the cap until it snaps on to the new plug.

Re-connect the horn wire, push the radiator back into place, then replace the mounting bolt. Don’t forget to put that pesky plastic fender back too!

Two plugs down, two to go.

Step 4: Lift the Gas Tank

The gas tank must be lifted in order to access the rear plugs, and to do that, you’ll also need to remove the seat. Use the 4mm hex (allen) bit to loosen the 2 bolts on the plastic trim covers below the seat. There’s a cover on each side of the bike. Remove both covers and set them aside.

A 4mm hex bit will loosen the bolt on the trim cover.

Then, use the same 4mm bit to loosen the 2 tank bolts. I like to use a T handle bit driver to reach these bolts.

My trusty T handle bit driver.

Whatever you do, don’t drop your bit around this part of the bike!

Next, use the 6mm hex bit to loosen the 2 bolts holding down the seat. There’s one on each side of the bike.

A 6mm hex bit will loosen the bolts on both sides of the seat.

Step 5: Replace Rear Spark Plugs

Now you’re ready to tackle rear plug “D”. (Don’t worry, I’m saving plug “C” for last!) Rear plug D is tucked under the reserve coolant tank on the left side of the bike.

Hope you have small hands!

Take a deep breath because this one's a colossal pain.

As with the other plugs, remove the rubber boot by pulling on the plastic cap. You can try gently pushing the coolant and fuel hoses aside to give yourself some room.

Rear plug D with rubber boot removed.

You’ll need the 6 inch extension bar to reach the plug. Attach the socket to the extension and thread the socket down through the various hoses until you reach the vicinity of the plug.

Threading the socket down through the hoses.

If you look through the gap in the frame, you should be able to see if the socket has matched up to the plug while moving the end of the extension bar around with your hand.

Look through the frame while moving the end of the extension.

Use the socket and ratchet to loosen and remove the plug.

Gap the new plug and apply anti-seize. Just like the previous plug, you’ll need to reverse the steps you took to remove the old plug in order to install the new one. Start by inserting the new plug into the spark plug socket, then use the 6 inch extension to “fish” the new plug into place. Carefully tighten to finger tight, then use the wrench and give it another 1/2 turn.

New plug peeping out from behind a coolant line.

Replace the rubber boot and push it into place. Then, run inside and grab a cold beverage because you deserve it.

The final plug, plug C, is much easier to get to.

Rear plug C is easily found on top of the rear cylinder.

Remove the rubber boot.

Rear plug C with rubber boot removed.

Use the 3 inch extension and socket to remove the plug.

As with the previous three plugs, gap the new one and apply anti-seize. Reverse the steps you took to remove the old plug: put the new one into the socket, use the extension to put it in place, then carefully tighten it finger tight and use the wrench to tighten another 1/2 turn. Replace the rubber boot and push the cap into place.

Step 6: Just a Test

Before buttoning everything back up, try starting the bike. Then, let it run for a few minutes. You should feel the front and rear cylinders begin to warm. That’s a very good sign.

Step 7: Lower Gas Tank and Replace Seat

Summary

Tools:

5/8in spark plug socket
ratchet wrench
3in and 6in extensions
10mm wrench
spark plug gap tool
hex (allen) bits or wrenches: 4mm and 6mm
bit driver

Consumables:

4 spark plugs (NGK or DENSO)
anti-seize compound

Optional:

torque wrench
2×4 block of wood to prop radiator away

Spark Plug Gap: 0.7 to 0.8mm
Spark Plug Torque: 11 N·m (1.1 kgf-m, 8.0 lb-ft)

Remove radiator fender, loosen radiator and pull it toward wheel.
Remove right front plug.
Remove left front plug using 3″ extension.
Gap new plugs, replace and tighten to specified torque.
Remove seat and lift gas tank.
Remove right rear plug using the 3″ extension.
Remove left rear plug (located under reserve coolant tank) using the 6″ extension.
Gap new plugs, replace and tighten to specified torque.
Replace gas tank, seat, radiator, and radiator fender.