Just did the plugs, 24,000

[gringo]

   

Some prick backed into my bike and bumbed it over, that's what you get for parking directly behind a car in the roadhouse carpark I guess. I thought he was in the shop! Not sitting in the car eating breakfast. Doesn't matter, just a few scratches and a broken brake leaver that the insurance is going to pay for.

It goes in tomorrow for some new lower fairing bitz, RHS and I thought I would do that bloody oil filter today since it requires removal of said bitz. I did that and decided that since the tools were out I would replace the plugs. I bought the Denso (lol, what a name hey) iridium plugs a couple of months ago for $80 the set. I know some of you recon that they never need replacing but if you have ever been stuck in the middle of nowhere with a dud plug you tend to look at things differently.

I had the manual pages printed out and a great write up from Hayabusa.org to go by (though instead of using silicon spray on the rubber I used spit, with a little biscuit mixed in there too I think?) Anyway it was a pretty straight forward job I thought.

1/ Seat off and Tank up on its leg after removing the 2 bolts up front
2/ Pull off 3 hoses, disconnect 1 sensor and slide off another from airbox
3/ Undo the air box bolt and loosen the two 3mm throttlebody clamps
4/ Wriggle off the airbox, unclip the coil leads, pull the coil packs off
5/ Pull the plugs out.

I think the most important part of the web directions though was the pulling out of the plugs with a magnet if your plug spanner rubber is shonky, and most importantly
BLOW AND OR VACUUM AROUND THE COIL PACKS
I did both, there was tons of crap up there and I used a small vacuum cleaner and also blew out the plug wells before I pulled out the plugs.

It even started after I put it all back together which was a bonus. And I had no parts left over except the old plugs, which is a sure sign the job was probably done well. I did have a little help from a $400 3/8 drive tension wrench, just to get things right, but all the rest you could just about do with the tool kit under the seat. In fact I'm sure you could.

[mozza24]

Good tips there Gringo BTW was that you I passed on the goat track heading into Canungra a coupla weeks back ?

[gringo]

No mozza, but I saw a girl on an identical pearl white at the coffee shop there a few months back, might have been her. I don't go up that goat track myself, too tight when those trucks and buses come the other way. I go up around the back and take the eastern climb. It's smooth as a baby's arse and has some nice wide 40k corners and a that big sweeper before the last steep climb. How's the NW run up from tambo village, have they got that all resurfaced yet?

I was talking with a dude the other day and he said the road from woodenbong to kilarny had been resurfaced and was a good ride. I did that about 7 years ago in a car and hated it. Great corners but absolute crap bumpy surface. I will have to get up there in a week or two and see for myself. That would be a nice loop up the Mt Lindsay HWY and across and down the Cunningham. I just wish the speed limit was 150 and not 100.

[mozza24]

Are you talking about Henri Robert Dve ? Havent been on that for a while or the run up from Tambo village. The Woodenbong loop sounds good - sing out if you feel like company. I try to get a ride in during the week.

[Axe]

I like the old spit and biscuit mix for lub. I'll try that one next time.
lol


Ash

[gringo]

I like the old spit and biscuit mix for lub. I'll try that one next time.
lol


Ash

I tell ya, after i saw the tear in the top rubber grommit that holds the fairing on I think I will look for some of that silicon spray. I wonder if a tiny smear of rubber grease would do?

---

Are you talking about Henri Robert Dve ? Havent been on that for a while or the run up from Tambo village. The Woodenbong loop sounds good - sing out if you feel like company. I try to get a ride in during the week.

Henri Robert, that's it mozza. I don't know who he was but he must have been a legend to have such a nice piece of road named after him. There a 4 ways up that bloody mountain and it's the only one that doesn't seem to be in a constant state of repair.

I went up on sunday but just quickly up the tambo village side and down, past the piano, to scrub in a new rear tire. Unfortunately there was too much traffic and I ended up finishing the job in an industrial estate off beaudesert road acacia ridge. Good roads in those industrial estates lol.

Anyway the western ascent of tamborine was in good condition, the last few km before the pub has been resurfaced and was very nice(except for the traffic.) Still not as good as the Blessed and Holy Saint Henri Roberts drive though, that stretch is perfect for the busa I recon and never seems to have many cars on it. I don't know what the north eastern one that comes up from the hope Island exit is like. Haven't been up that in ages as that requires traversing the M1 which is the worst piece of highway imo. Those bumpy ripples all along it piss me right off. Why didn't they just get the Americans to build it, their experts at concrete roads?

I'll PM you when I take that trip up to Killarny, I go during the week too, Tuesday is usually good. Do you like an early start? Where abouts are you located? IFor a longish ride like that I would like to take off no later than 9. I'm at sunnybank hills right beside the Mt Lindesay Hwy.

[Axe]

yea rubber grease will be best, but i use the silly lube for everything.
A quick squirt will be great. and keep the rubber fresh.
Ash