Help! @ Prep for touring

[londonbubble]

Okay here goes,

I am touring Norway,Finland,Estonia,Latvia,Lithuania,and Poland in a few weeks, it is my first tour with the AT. I usually put my bikes in the mechanics before i go touring to prep the bike, but this time i am paying for two and i need to save some pennies, plus the fact i am so busy with work and saving money, that i have not got the time to take the bike to the garage and bus it home and then do the reverse on collection! I have the Haynes and Honda workshop manual and it looks kinda straight forward although the throttle cable changing seems confusing

So! can you mark from one to ten on the idiot scale (one being easiest and ten being hardest) how hard the following jobs are on the @ plus the approc time each task should take

1 Brake pads F&R

2 Spark plugs ( i can't see one of em! is the @ a triple in disguise! )

3 Oil and filter change (under the pans i guess)

4 Fitting centre stand

5 Replace clutch cable

6 Replace throttle cables

I have done the brakes on a few cars i have owned and other peoples cars, same with oil changes etc (motorbikes as well) but my other bike had no plastic around it and everything was visible and accessible and i can't seem to see anything on the @ apart from the cables at the handle bars and the clutch cable down the bottom. I think its more of a confidence thing with me as well. If i cock it up on a car there is plenty of metal around me to protect me if the work i have done on it was bodged (hasn't happened so far)

The alternative is to ditch the other half,(young polish girl less than half my age) and with the money i save paying for her i could take the bike to the garage and have the work done But i'll have no one to keep me warm in the tent at night, and with a slightly arthritic right wrist it could very lonely three weeks away

Or if anyone in the north or east London area wants to help me do the work, whilst i work under there guidance, i can generously cross there palms with silver.

And before you mention it NO! a night with the 21yr old Pole is not an option for payment in exchange any work carried out on the bike

Cheers my dears


London Bubble

[gibbo]

None of those jobs are very difficult, however I have done all of them a few times & they get easier with time. Changing spark-plugs is a bit fiddly, as is changing the throttle cables.
I reckon if you dont stop for numerous coffee breaks, and the Honda Gods are smiling upon you, about half a day should knock off all those jobs. If its is the first time you are doing them, allow a day.

1 tip, if the old clutch and throttle cables are fine, fit the new ones but leave the old ones in place as spares.

Also, to fit the centre stand you need to loosen the exhaust manifold. To do this you will need a 3/8 universal joint socket adaptor, about £5 from Halfords.

I am in N. London and may be able to give you some time if you need.

[twinadventurer]

The plugs are not too difficult to change, just make sure you use the AT tool kit plug spanner - ideal for this job.

Have you considered taking a few spares for your journey?
You may want to think about taking a spare fuel pump if your AT still has the original. The vacuum type would be less expensive.

I am sure there are a few other little bits worth taking that don't cost too much.

[londonbubble]

Thanks for your advise on the touring part but i am quite experianced at that bit, it's the pre-preping the mechanical bits that i am not to confident with, and its the first time i have toured on this bike, plus i am short of time before i go. I

I am gonna have a go at the brakes first, can anybody tell me if the calipers have to be completley removed to fit the pads or can the pads be changed whilst the calipers are still in place? Also i have fuel pump fitted on the bike that goes by the name of 'Facet' then it says 'automotive electronic fuel pump' has anybody heard of this make of pump, and more importantly is it any good? And Gibbo i'll accept your kind offer of help, (i'll buy you a drink,) are you gonna be free weekend after next ? or do you work shifts like me and have weekdays free?. which part of north London are you?

London Bubble

Cheers

[gibbo]

Evenings would be best, weekends are all booked. I am in Highgate.

[stueydo]

Hi londonbubble.

If you want any extra help with the dirty bits on your bike, let me know. I managed to loose your number after the horizons weekend, so send me a pm.

Cheers

Stu

[mal]

Yes you have to remove the sump guard to change the oil and filter ,you can the change the oil without removing the guard, I found it easier to remove the tank to change the spark plugs,it also lets you check the various hoses which live under the tank i also found it easier to move the left radiator to get at the front cylinder front plug.

[samih]

Do a search about the brakes, I will have to take mine apart again after less than two months due to corrosion. I will coat all the parts (not the pads ) with copper paste this time.

It's a really good idea to do a pre trip checkup to familiarize yourself with the bike. If something goes wrong you'll be able to fix it then. One spare that you might want to carry is rectifier. Or even better change it now and take the old as a spare.

[londonbubble]

Gibbo thanks for your offer of help but Stueydo is gonna help me, he lives down the road from me and has a couple of weeks holiday at the moment, how convenient is that? and for the others that offered advice, thanks very much for your help

London Bubble