VTR250 Care and Maintenance
Markus
I'm fresh out of learner training and onto a 2nd hand 2001 VTR250 with
just 2500kms on it, so I'm as happy as a pig in muck.
Unfortunately there was no owner's manual with the bike, so I'll need
to find one somewhere. What's the best source? Online? A Honda
dealer? Maybe contact Honda directly?
In the meantime, are there certain regular checks I should be doing?
Apart from fuel, I'm fairly ignorant. (blame in on my car that tells
me when I should be attending to something)
Thanks in advance.
Manning
"Markus" <mar...@infoteksystems.com.au> wrote in message
news:eb9fb022.04051...@posting.google.com...
You need to check your oil, tyre pressures and chain tension regularly.
Tyres on a bike are *real* important, far more so than on a regular car.
Chain tension is also important - use your imagination to guess what might
happen with a chain coming off while riding. Failure to check oil can get
*real* expensive. There are certainly other checks you should do
periodically. To broaden your knowlege, get a copy of Haynes' "The
Motorcycle Book" which is $50 very well spent. You can get it from a
motorcycle accessory shop.
Get to know the accessory shops in your city - the main ones in Sydney are
Motorcycle Accessory Supermarket (http://www.mcas.com.au/) in the city and
Parramatta, and Motorcycles Accessory Warehouse in Castle Hill
(www.maw.com.au). I've got no idea about the other cities, sorry. These
shops will have all sorts of good books, including service manuals
(published by Haynes and/or Clymer). I don't know if there is a Haynes
manual for the VTR-250, (someone else might.)
As far as chain tension and adjustment, head up to where the riders
congregate (in Sydney the Mt White Cafe is a good start), strike up a
conversation, tell them you're a newbie and ask for guidance. Most riders
are decent types and are quite happy to give advice to a newcomer.
Welcome to the clan.
Manning
James Mayfield
> > to find one somewhere. What's the best source? Online? A Honda
> > dealer? Maybe contact Honda directly?
one though that's much use. What year model VTR250? I may be able to help
you out with a photocopy....
> You need to check your oil, tyre pressures and chain tension regularly.
You also need to lube your chain regularily. It keeps it in tip-top
condition, and will make it last a lot longer. Service manuals tend to say
every 300km. I do mine once a week during normal weeks, and once a day if
I'm doing a big tour or something. Use proper motorcycle chain oil (not
chainsaw chain oil or anything like that).
> *real* expensive. There are certainly other checks you should do
> periodically.
Make sure your indicators and horn work regularily. You are a bit more
vulnerable on a bike, so it's important that people know what your doing.
Indicators help with that, and the horn helps if they try to run you over.
> Get to know the accessory shops in your city - the main ones in Sydney are
> Motorcycle Accessory Supermarket (http://www.mcas.com.au/) in the city and
> Parramatta,
Also at Liverpool!!!
and Motorcycles Accessory Warehouse in Castle Hill
> (www.maw.com.au). I've got no idea about the other cities, sorry. These
> shops will have all sorts of good books, including service manuals
> (published by Haynes and/or Clymer). I don't know if there is a Haynes
> manual for the VTR-250, (someone else might.)
If you're going to buy the service manual, you may be better off getting the
genuine Honda Factory Service Manual for it. It will cost a little more, but
everything will be 100% spot on, and none of it will say "We're not going to
tell you how to do this, 'cause we think you should take it to a mechanic."
(I'm not a fan of the Hayes manuals every since they didn't tell me how to
pull apart the Automatic transmission on my G100 Charade.)
--
James Mayfield
"Insert witty comment here."
Uncle Bully
"James Mayfield" <may...@tpg.com.au.nospamplease> wrote in message
news:40a1...@dnews.tpgi.com.au...
> > > Unfortunately there was no owner's manual with the bike, so I'll need
> > > to find one somewhere. What's the best source? Online? A Honda
> > > dealer? Maybe contact Honda directly?
> Honda will sell you one, but that's expensive. There's not a lot
in
> one though that's much use. What year model VTR250?
I'm guessing it's a 2001 model :-P
Uncle Bully
> In the meantime, are there certain regular checks I should be doing?
> Apart from fuel, I'm fairly ignorant. (blame in on my car that tells
> me when I should be attending to something)
Good work, there's no turning back now.
I'm reasonably new too and my regular checks include chain, tyres and oil.
Petrol stops are about once a fortnight, so I use this opportunity to spray
some oil on the chain.
You're supposed to check chain tension, but I'm not sure how. I figure if
it's not dangling on other stuff, or as tight as a tight rope then it's ok
(someone may be able to clarify this for me).
Tyres are another easy check, as you can appreciate this is a lot more
important on a bike than a car.
Oil is the other biggie. I got stumped for a while as I couldn't find a
dipstick anywhere on my bike, then I asked someone, and there is a little
window about the size of a twenty cent peice near your rear brake (may
differ on various bikes). Ensure the bike is level and you can look through
the window and see how much oil is in it.
Thats all I do, but as I said, I'm new so I may be missing something.
Markus
Thanks for the advice. I'll follow up on all of it. Neither
Parramatta, Castle Hill nor Liverpool are anywhere near me (St
Leonards)... which is PERFECT... another excuse for a ride (spot the
enthusiastic newbie).
Mt White sounds good. I've been up there many a time - albeit on a
bicycle - and have always found everyone friendly and eager for a
chat, despite the lycra/leather contrast. I doubt if I'd need to tell
them I'm a newbie though... the still-flashing indicator will give me
away instantly.
Johnnie5
"Markus" <mar...@infoteksystems.com.au> wrote in message
news:eb9fb022.04051...@posting.google.com...
>
> Thanks for the advice. I'll follow up on all of it. Neither
> Parramatta, Castle Hill nor Liverpool are anywhere near me (St
> Leonards)... which is PERFECT... another excuse for a ride (spot the
> enthusiastic newbie).
head to the city store or MAW will post to you
>
> Mt White sounds good. I've been up there many a time - albeit on a
> bicycle - and have always found everyone friendly and eager for a
> chat, despite the lycra/leather contrast. I doubt if I'd need to tell
> them I'm a newbie though... the still-flashing indicator will give me
> away instantly.
just watch the cops up there
Manning
"Markus" <mar...@infoteksystems.com.au> wrote in message
news:eb9fb022.04051...@posting.google.com...
> Mt White sounds good. I've been up there many a time - albeit on a
> bicycle - and have always found everyone friendly and eager for a
> chat, despite the lycra/leather contrast. I doubt if I'd need to tell
> them I'm a newbie though... the still-flashing indicator will give me
> away instantly.
Well several of the aus.moto regulars might be up there. I've got yellow and
white Axo leathers and ride a yellow/black Yam FZ1. Cam is a Scortsmun who
could be there on just about anything from a gorilla bike to a hot pink 250.
Zebee might be there on her Guzzi. Say hi if you see us. (The others can
describe themselves as they see fit).
I also recommend you check out Bikers Anon (www.bikersanon.com) - they're a
Sydney group and a fine bunch of folks. I tend to be more involved with
Girls Ride Out (as my wife is a committee member) but BA and GRO tend to do
a lot of things together anyway. If you get out to MCA in Parramatta, my
wife Lucy works there, so say hi. (You'll see her schmick new silver
GSXR-600 parked out the front).
And you don't need to be a newbie to leave your indicator flashing...
Cheers Manning
FuTAnT
loses the bloody manual! Not that they're much help, but you'de think you
would have all that kinda stuff stored away. Some people amaze me.
Cam
'03 954
"Markus" <mar...@infoteksystems.com.au> wrote in message
news:eb9fb022.04051...@posting.google.com...
James Mayfield
Bugger. That'll learn me to actually read the whole post properly.
Hamish Alker-Jones
<man...@NOSPAMbartlett.net> decided to come out from under the bed and
slurred:
>
> And you don't need to be a newbie to leave your indicator flashing...
>
> Cheers Manning
Really?
I'd get that problem seen to.
Hammo
>
>
>
Markus
me looking like a dipstick while searching for it.
Neither Haynes nor Clymer cover the VTR250 yet, so I've ordered the
owner's manual from Honda. I'll also get to MCA soon too and grab a
copy of the Motorcycle Book for a more general coverage of what to do.
I already check the horn regularly.... damn thing is so close to the
indicator switch. My apologies to all those motorists wondering why
I'd honk them when changing lanes.