ugenmzs Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Hi, I just bought a new Suzuki Bandit 650. My knowledge of bikes is to say the least sparse. I want to keep the bike in good condition and would really appreciate some tips on how best to maintain it. A couple of things I'm unsure of below:Chain Adjustment & tools required for the jobHow to clean the bike - things to avoid and recommended productsHow often to lube the chain and howI've also heard a lot of chat about "greasing" certain components & was wondering if this is necessary on a new bike. Running the bike in: How important is it to keep the revs below 6000 for the first 1000 miles, as the manual suggests?Any guidance on any of the above or anything i've more than likely missed would be greatly appreciatedCheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 if its new read the manual supplied this will give the above advice and also not invalidate the warranty by othe rtechniques not recognised as best practise hi there as well Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Korben Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 Get the Haynes Manual... It's full of good info on maintenance as well as fixing things.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill_on_a_bike Posted March 3, 2009 Share Posted March 3, 2009 BasiclyAll the time: Lube the chain and general cleaning.Frequently: Tension the chain correctlyEvery so often: Change the engine oil +oil filter and eventually spark plugs.None of the above jobs are difficult atall once you know how anyway.This is the bare minimum though, on top of this you should check things every time you ride, like head bearings(keep handle bars moving freely), tyre pressure ect. You should keep an eye out for things about to break down, any sign on oil on the forks or the rear shocks could mean seals need replacing. Feeling for things like clutch slip could mean the clutch plates need replacing. I'm just trying to cover the basic and maybe more common issues. Basicly, anything you notice that's different or strange should be checked out thoroughly.Obviously, check none of the above doesn't void any warrenty you might have before you do it, but a haynes manual will tell you how to do all of the above. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 Hi, I just bought a new Suzuki Bandit 650. My knowledge of bikes is to say the least sparse. I want to keep the bike in good condition and would really appreciate some tips on how best to maintain it. A couple of things I'm unsure of below:Chain Adjustment & tools required for the jobHow to clean the bike - things to avoid and recommended productsHow often to lube the chain and how Put the bike on the centre stand and in neutral, turn the wheel by hand, and spray chain lube onto the chain links, look through the other side of the wheel and spray between the wheel spokes to cover the other side I've also heard a lot of chat about "greasing" certain components & was wondering if this is necessary on a new bike. all bikes needs a bit of TLC, to keep them looking and working right, lube will wash and wear off so is important. places to pay attention to:Side stand and centre stand pivots and switch, gear linkage, Running the bike in: How important is it to keep the revs below 6000 for the first 1000 miles, as the manual suggests? i would check with the manufacturer, vehicles get accustomed to use, so treat it with respect, but most engines now are bench tested (run in on the bench) before they are installed, negating the need to run-in, but check..Any guidance on any of the above or anything i've more than likely missed would be greatly appreciatedyorbandit, jademongoose, and many others on here swear by the bandit as a good bike, my GSX is in essence a bandit but a 750 with twin shocks and a different suit.. so most of your service stuff i have done at some point..Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 see also on how to adjust your chainhttp://www.themotorbikeforum.co.uk/view ... 43&start=0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigsisterbiker Posted March 4, 2009 Share Posted March 4, 2009 nobody else has mentioned cleaning, so....i love the sdoc100 stuff but it's expensive. meguiars too, again expensivemuc-off is effective too, all these for general fairing cleaning, and a good range of stuff for other jobs loads more makes but not tried most of them. auto glym shampoo good for plasticswashing up liquid is fine too but don't use it too often - it contains abrasives and long term use can damage your paintwork. if i remember correctly white spirit good for getting crud off wheels, but wash off!and when you lube your chain try not to get lube on your discs. for obvious reasons - adjusting your chain is easy. i did it at weekend for the first time and the hardest part was trying to undo the spindle nut Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ingah Posted March 5, 2009 Share Posted March 5, 2009 For cleaning:http://www.visordown.com/articles/view/ ... /1412.htmlSays it all really. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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