Winter Work - what to do, if anything?

[Campagman]

For the last 2 years of so I've been working away from home, meaning weekends are very short and I had no weekday evenings to use in the garage.............now that has changed and I've been back home since November .

The Stelvio has been off the road (untaxed) while I've been using the Honda Transalp, I've also brought home my recently aquired KTM400 :mrgreen: :mrgreen: which had to be part stripped to get into the back of the car to get it home.........this is my present project....full strip, powder coat the frame, clean and tidy up and rebuild. This is nearing completion :mrgreen: .



Also done some minor maintenance on the Honda..........which gets to the question.......I'd like to do some work on the Stelvio if no more that basic maintenance and simple mods.
So I have the oil to change, tappets to check, throttle cables to adjust (after reading one of Pete Ropers threads these a good 3-4 mm of play to take up). The bikes got the 'standard accessories such as fog lights, engine bars, pannier frames, charging lead.


There's a school of thought around 'if it aint broke, dont fix it' but having rediscovered the 'pleasure' :? of spending a few hours in the workshop/garage, even in the cold and into the late evening, I'd like to spend some time of the Stelvio ready for retaxing in the spring.
So after the oil, tappets, air filter, brake check, what else can I easily take off, investigate and put back even if just for gaining knowledge of what's there?

Seen some threads on the charcoal cannister (I guess under the air box, if its on UK bike at all) - is that worth removing?

I've been playing with a piece of freeware from a ducati forum that allows me to see the engine mapping, very interesting, don't know how far I'll take that opportunity as its getting little too technical.

Any other suggestions

Happy New Year

 

[Campagman]

Just seen one to do - twin up the full beam (also gets me 100 posts :mrgreen: )

 

[gstallons]

Leave the charcoal canister alone.It is an emmisions device and isn't hurting anything. Look for loose bolts,things rubbing,etc. and repair....
How do you like the TransAlp?
ps. I run nitrogen in my tires, it is worth it.

 

[Bill Hagan]

****
ps. I run nitrogen in my tires, it is worth it.

How so?

 

[WayneOrwig]

****
ps. I run nitrogen in my tires, it is worth it.

How so?

Maybe he sales it.

:lol:


Campagman, how about--------------------------ride it? :whistle:

How about:
Add a cruise control.
Try to install a Norge widshield motor on it.

 

[gstallons]

I run nitrogen because :#1 It contains no moisture,it does not expand/contract with temperature change. The pressure remains the same in winter and summer.#2 The nitrogen will not leak through rubber so the nitrogen will not leak through the tire/tube. #3 The tire temp and pressure remains the same throughout the day. #4 All MotoGP bikes run nitrogen in the tires.

 

[Bill Hagan]

I run nitrogen because :#1 It contains no moisture,it does not expand/contract with temperature change. The pressure remains the same in winter and summer.#2 The nitrogen will not leak through rubber so the nitrogen will not leak through the tire/tube. #3 The tire temp and pressure remains the same throughout the day. #4 All MotoGP bikes run nitrogen in the tires.

I accept all of that (and some was news and interesting to me), but my interest was in your original, "I run nitrogen in my tires, it is worth it."

Given the assumed cost and certain PITA (from my perspective), cannot imagine that being "worth it" to me.

I have a compressor at the ready, check my TP obsessively ... which, btw, in my case, at least, leads to more leakage than I could stand if it were N.

Thanks, tho, and, of course, YMMV.

Bill

 

[Lannis]

I run nitrogen because :#1 It contains no moisture,it does not expand/contract with temperature change. The pressure remains the same in winter and summer.#2 The nitrogen will not leak through rubber so the nitrogen will not leak through the tire/tube. #3 The tire temp and pressure remains the same throughout the day. #4 All MotoGP bikes run nitrogen in the tires.

I accept all of that (and some was news and interesting to me), but my interest was in your original, "I run nitrogen in my tires, it is worth it."

Given the assumed cost and certain PITA (from my perspective), cannot imagine that being "worth it" to me.

I have a compressor at the ready, check my TP obsessively ... which, btw, in my case, at least, leads to more leakage than I could stand if it were N.

Thanks, tho, and, of course, YMMV.

Bill

I run a 78% nitrogen blend in my tires, and it works great. More available than the higher percentage, too!

Lannis

 

[Bill Hagan]

****
I run a 78% nitrogen blend in my tires, and it works great. More available than the higher percentage, too!

Lannis

You guys have N supplies at your homes or what?

I am probably making more of this than necessary -- as I do with so many things; witness my maintenance stand melodrama elsewhere here -- but I just cannot figure out how it can be "worth it" to have to go somewhere to pay for fuNNy air. And, maybe I am the only one who manages to let air leave tires when I check 'em before I add to spec. OTOH, with a compressor, I may have just gotten sloppy with technique.

Be all of that as it may, what does "works great" really mean?

For a guy at my fighting weight who doesn't try to be Rossi (much ), and able to keep MMA (Mere Mortal Air) at proper PSI in my tires, just missing the draw of this stuff.

I also know that I'd have been of the Old Flatulents extolling the killing power of the longbow over those unreliable and inaccurate firelocks. :laugh:

Bill

 

[kiwi dave]

****
I run a 78% nitrogen blend in my tires, and it works great. More available than the higher percentage, too!

Lannis

You guys have N supplies at your homes or what?

Bill, 78% Nitrogen is MMA! :lol: :lol:

 

[WayneOrwig]

I run nitrogen because :#1 It contains no moisture,it does not expand/contract with temperature change. The pressure remains the same in winter and summer.#2 The nitrogen will not leak through rubber so the nitrogen will not leak through the tire/tube. #3 The tire temp and pressure remains the same throughout the day. #4 All MotoGP bikes run nitrogen in the tires.

I accept all of that (and some was news and interesting to me), but my interest was in your original, "I run nitrogen in my tires, it is worth it."

Given the assumed cost and certain PITA (from my perspective), cannot imagine that being "worth it" to me.

I have a compressor at the ready, check my TP obsessively ... which, btw, in my case, at least, leads to more leakage than I could stand if it were N.

Thanks, tho, and, of course, YMMV.

Bill

I run a 78% nitrogen blend in my tires, and it works great. More available than the higher percentage, too!

Lannis

I carry a 12 volt pump from Slime that puts 78% nitrogen in my tires.
It is worth it.

 

[gstallons]

The air we breathe is 78% nitrogen.

 

[Bill Hagan]

The air we breathe is 78% nitrogen.

Unless, as it appears just now in my case, one is smoking something else.

OK, you got me, so smirk away you science geeks.

As I have said here and elsewhere before, I was asleep in high-school science class ... or looking at Marilyn Basham's legs ... and if not knowing that about N is all I missed, I don't regret either sleep or ogling.

Bill

 

[gstallons]

Some auto dealers and some motorcycle dealers sell it.

 

[DanPez]

OK, you got me, so smirk away you science geeks.
Bill

...... and if you fill the tires up with Helium you can shave a few pound off the bike's weight. :lol: :lol:
just kidding

 

[kmartin]

Campagman,

I just did my winter service last weekend. Oil change (engine and gear boxes), valve check, carb balance check, TPS check, new spark plugs, new air filter, changed fork oil, and pumped in new brake fluid.

Then I installed my new high dollar Stucci Luigi auxillary tank.

Just shy of 24,000 mi.

Keith

 

[gdp]

Seriously? Nitrogen? I stuck rubber bands in my mirrors to keep 'em from rattling...