Service -Valve Clearances

[beddowsm]

My @ is now completely stripped and looks quiet naked. No fairing and tank has been removed. Finally getting rid of the Welsh mud that has accumulated over my last few outings!!!

Im in the middle of a 12,000 mile service. Following the Haynes manual. Have got to the section on Valve Clearances. This bit seems to concern me. The bike is running fine. Why do I need to check valve clearances? What if I skip this bit? It just looks complicated!!!!

Im also not going to bother with the Carurettors - synchronisation. Haynes says leave this to a Honda dealer so I wont be bothering with this either.

Rest of the services seems straightforward enough. Already replaced the fuel pump, got a new battery, replaced the oil and off to buy new plugs today. Rest of it just seems to be checks.

[Pussyhorse]

Valve clearances are worth doing. Would only rattle if they'd gone baggy. If they've closed up they won't make noise and in extreme cases you'll burn out a valve.

The throttle balancing is easy to do with the right toys. God knows why the manual would say to leave to honda.

[BobA]

I would have thought it should be the other way round, leave the valve clearances to Honda!!!

I've only had to do the vlves on one of my AT's, and I've read quite a few threads where people have said they were always OK when checked.

I would say that if the bikes stripped, it's well worth the effort just to CHECK the clearances if nothing else; just for peace of mind.

I maintain that balancing the carbs is the most productive and satisfying service procedure you can do on an AT. If you have vacuum guages, or can invest in a set, it's a 10 minute job and the results are well worth it (well they have always been for me on RD04's, although I think RD07's have better carbs and run a bit smoother anyway)



Bob

[simon0bikes]

Gosh, dont let a dealer touch it if you can avoid it.
Do have a go at balancing the carbs, as Bobo says, its very satisfying. It's easy and the benefits are huge. Buy yourself the gauges from Hein Gerike...£50.

Valve clearances are a tad more difficult, however if you follow Haynes manuel to the letter it's actualy very easy.

Go on...do it.

At least you have the manual and are reading it!!

[Lutin]

Whilst you have the bike stripped down, it would be daft not to at least check the valve clearances.

Carb balance is also remarkably easy - but only if you have the right tools for the job. However, there is a post on here somewhere that goes into detail about how to make your own carb balancing manometer.

Ah, here we go - Valve Clearances and Carb Balancing

Have fun.

[Windmill John]

The only bad new is the length of time it takes to get to the tappets. As you have the tank off, summon up the courage and check the clearances.
It took me 15 minutes to do my BM tappets, 6.5 hours for the Transalp!!!!!!
It was the first time and I have crash bars and Haynes doesn't cover 2006 models.
But, at least I wont be checking them for a while.
Don't skimp, do it
BTW you also need hands like ET to do it, three fingers at least 5 inches long each

[beddowsm]

Ah, here we go - Valve Clearances and Carb Balancing

Have fun.

Thanks, just what I was after!!!

[cbrpaddy]

I'm in the middle of doing mine at the moment for the first time ever, using that guide too. However getting to the front is a right bugger, even with the rad moved out of the way, as I only have straight feelers and haven't been able to find angled ones like in the pics. Ah well, I'll get there eventually.

[YEN_POWELL]

I'm in the middle of doing mine at the moment for the first time ever, using that guide too. However getting to the front is a right bugger, even with the rad moved out of the way, as I only have straight feelers and haven't been able to find angled ones like in the pics. Ah well, I'll get there eventually.

I lost my angled feeler gauge (specific to the AT) at the first working bee, so have used normal type since. You can curve them quite a lot, it is possible to use them on the AT, even the earlier RD04 which has the least amount of room to get in there.

I check mine about every 20k miles now.

[Lutin]

....as I only have straight feelers and haven't been able to find angled ones like in the pics. Ah well, I'll get there eventually.

Just bend the feeler gauges, it's what I did. Works too.