General maintenance questions

[zalle]

Hi,

I find it a bit odd seeing that the manual states I should replace fork oil, gearbox oil, final drive oil, etc, every 10.000k...

I own a Honda CBX1000, and I don't remember the last time I changed the oil in the forks... Cars drive a full lifetime without changing geabox oil... Why is this supposed to be done in a K?  :dunno2:

What shoud I REALLY do every 10.000k / couple of years?

[mystic red]

Make sure no moisture has got into the forks and gear oil. Easiest way to do that is change it.

[The Mighty Gryphon]

You definitely want to change the brake fluid at least every year.  Master cylinders are stupid expensive. 

Same with the coolant.  These bikes need the cooling system running at peak efficiency.  Changing the coolant every two years is cheap insurance.  No need to use the BMW stuff.  Any long life antifreeze will work.

Drive shaft splines are subject to expensive wear if not kept lubed with a good molybdenum paste every 10,000 miles.  Most of us do them when we change the rear tire.

[Laitch]

What shoud I REALLY do every 10.000k / couple of years?

Don't do any of it, zalle. Report back to us every 10,000km and let us know how things are working. Not enough people are dedicated to myth-busting. Make it your mission; we will appreciate it!
 :yes

I just looked at a online copy of a CBX manual. It mostly reads "Inspect" everywhere a K manual would read "Replace". Mileage interval requirements are few. ATF is specified for the fork tubes. It is all very attractive. Are there a lot of high-mileage CBX bikes around? There seem to be quite a few K-bikes in that category. Either those or bikes the owners can't get started. :giggles .

[jakgieger]

Reason for changing fork oil...stop fork leaks!!!  Mine had not been changed for an excessive time.  The top seals were leaking.  Upon draining, I discovered brown sludge (oil+water).  New oil and the use of this, and now the forks don't leak!    

[Chaos]

dog shift geabox not the same as all synchro car tranny.  geeez,  change the fluids, spend some bonding time with you machine.  it's not a soul-less Honda.

[F14CRAZY]

Fork oil gets contaminated from moisture and from the seals moving over the chrome when they have bug guts on them. Handling is noticeable better after changing fork oil after a season.

I think you can change the transmission and final drive oil with one quart of oil. Want to keep that oil clean. As mentioned, being un-syncronized probably means particles develop more than in something syncronized.

Brake fluid absorbs 1-2% of moisture yearly. I would flush motorcycle brake fluid yearly or maybe every other year. Keeps master cylinders happy. I don't know if it's an issue with bikes but with cars, excessive moisture results in a fading feeling when braking.

Any "lifetime" fluid in a car is bs. Like Ford Econolines had "lifetime" differential oil but one for our family business failed at 250k miles or so. If that oil were changed, say every 50k miles, I seriously doubt it would have failed. I change ALL fluids in my Subaru regularly...pump out the master cylinder, refill then bleed the brakes, change coolant, change transmission and rear diff fluid every 30k, exchange power steering fluid every other engine oil change. Things like ABS units and power steering pumps and racks wouldn't ever failed if they had clean fluid. Over 200k miles on my Subaru now (bought new) and haven't had to replace much.

[zalle]

dog shift geabox not the same as all synchro car tranny.  geeez,  change the fluids, spend some bonding time with you machine.  it's not a soul-less Honda.

Please do your homework before you write bull$%π× like this... The CBX was a 6 cylinder, 24 valve  magnificent piece of engineering. THE fastest, most powerful bike made in the 70's! Not a  "soul-less Honda"...


Thanks!

[Motorhobo]

Please do your homework before you write bull$%π× like this... The CBX was a 6 cylinder, 24 valve  magnificent piece of engineering. THE fastest, most powerful bike made in the 70's! Not a  "soul-less Honda"...


Thanks!

Only one person can tell you for sure whether a German engineer or a Japanese engineer has more soul. It's this guy, and he'd say:  Huh!!!!???!!!

But the Godfather passed on in 2004, so the point is moot. On a scale of 1 to 10 I'd put them both so close to 1 that the needle barely registers.

[zalle]

Yes, of course ANYTHING American would have more soul... Right?  A Macdonald's cheeseburger will rank way higher on that soul list... Obviously a lot higher than 2 of the best bikes ever made  :falldown:

[jakgieger]

This is the wrong place to mediate a SPC. BTW, it is culturally acceptable to "dog" other brands of bikes on a BMW forum ...

[zalle]

it is culturally acceptable to "dog" other brands of bikes on a BMW forum ...

Yep... This I admit, makes sense!  :2thumbup:

[Laitch]

Yes, of course ANYTHING American would have more soul... Right?  A Macdonald's cheeseburger will rank way higher on that soul list...

It will rank higher than a Harley, that's for sure. :giggles

[Motorhobo]

Yes, of course ANYTHING American would have more soul... Right?  A Macdonald's cheeseburger will rank way higher on that soul list... Obviously a lot higher than 2 of the best bikes ever made  :falldown:

Of course...the Godfather is the epicenter of Soul. The further away from the epicenter, the less soul. That's just physics.

[Motorhobo]

In Honda's defense -- never seen a musician of any ilk on a BMW...

[billday]

People grouse about the K-bike's spline maintenance needs . . . but having to do the splines every year or two (depending on your mileage of course) is a great way to ensure that your tranny and final drive oil get changed.

[The Mighty Gryphon]

Hey, Macca on a XL125, the King of the Woods back in the late 70's.

[Motorhobo]

And he's wearing his wife's blouse!