Not to the FJR, but, like Peter Sellers in "Being There", the new FJR does "like to watch"...
Spent a long day in the garage today, wrenching on the VFR800. It is at 30k miles, (yes, it is a 1998. Yes, that's less than 2k miles per year!) and I performed the last "major service" at ~ 15k. That is when you drain and replace coolant, change spark plugs, and, of course,
the dreaded valve check and adjust (if needed), plus other little random things and a regular oil change.
This is my second time around on the valve checks for the Viffer, and I have to confess that it really didn't get any easier. I will never,
ever, complain about doing a valve check on any FJR. That's a walk in the park compared to the little Honda's V4. Stuff is packed into that little chassis pretty tightly. Not only do you get to pull the lower fairings, and drain the coolant (like an FJR), but you really need to pull at least one of the two radiators, plus the entire air box assembly off the top, and all the vacuum hoses and PAIR crap that is tangled up in the engine compartment, in order to get good access to the front head. The rear head is relatively easier.
Of course, all the 16 valves were still in spec at only 30k miles (Honda is about as good as Yamaha in that regard), so it was merely a precautionary exercise. but a couple of the intakes were found near the low limit and may need adjustment the next time.
My real reason for doing all this work is I think it is time to put the old girl back up on the block. I've had two really fun rides of 4-5 hours each, this summer on the bike, and although it is such a blast having a small and relatively nimble pseudo-sport bike to blast around on, in both cases I paid for it the following day. This is definitely a younger (or more fit) man's bike.
We're looking to downsize houses in then next couple of years. Cutting down to two bikes in the garage would probably help that effort. Or maybe I'll figure a way to fill that space with something orange and dirty between now and then?
Probably just wishful thinking.
I found a bad front running/turn signal bulb, which will necessitate a trip to the auto parts store tomorrow. So I'll finish putting the tupperware back on tomorrow, but all the dirty work is done, and she is all ready for another 15k miles. So that should last what... another 8 or 9 years? Oh, if only my FJRs lasted that long.
