Motorcyle Blog

Tuesday being my days off I decided that I'd go ahead and do some maintainence on my bike. Odometer reading: 4,090.

I've been using carb cleaner (STP brand) the last tank of gas and now this one. I probably put more in than I should of this go but it won't hurt anything. Trying to get whatever gunk in my carbs out! Stupid choke problem. I rode up to Honda Street & Trail on Washington Rd and grabbed Chain Wax and 4 quarts of oil. (My bike only takes 1.6qt so don't freak out.) I'll have enough for 2 oil changes. My bike doesn't have an oil filter so that's one less thing to buy.

I did the chain waxing first. I'll need to do this every 500 miles or so which at the current rate of travel means I'll be doing this twice a month. It's easy. This stuff comes in an aerosol can so you just point and shoot it onto the chain links. I then just move my bike forward until all the chain is covered. Then you let it sit for 10-15 minutes to set up.

I then grabbed my owners and service manual to try to figure out where the heck my oil plug was located. That was fun. I actually had to go an internet search and I found a rebel fan with a good picture and good location details. It's actually up, under the engine behind some rubber guard thing (which is why I couldn't see it before). Well, this was the fun part. I had no way of taking that plug out with my current tools. I ran down to Auto Parts here and grabbed a 6 inch extender for my socket wrench. Problem solved.

Drained the oil out for 30 minutes, squeezed the starter button like the directions say (no keys in ignition) and came back a few more minutes later. Put the plug back in and then grabbed my funnel and poured in 1.6qt of oil. I got lucky on the first shot that I had filled it up to the top of the dipstick (instructions once again). The bike ran in place for a while and I double checked the engine oil a few minutes later. No leaks, proper spot on dipstick. Good to go.

So now I know exactly when I need to change my oil and when I should do my lubrication of the chain. I feel like I got something accomplished today.