DIY oil change...save $; find gas leak...spend $

[kmrcstintn]

just a rant! I've been doing DIY oil changes, gear oil changes, chain clean/lubes the past few years to save $$$...most of the time it's worth the trouble; while doing an oil change yesterday I discovered residue between the cylinders, on top of the trans case, and splash residue on the cooling fins of my rear cylinder (Honda Shadow 750 Aero) and I confirmed an active leak when I spotted gas running down the trans case after idling the engine before checking oil level; last year I had a new petcock, fuel line, and vacuum tubing for the petcock replaced; also had the carburetor tore down and cleaned (all the internals & gasket looked great so we bypassed a rebuild)...

hoping it's something simple and quick because my maintenance budget was slated for mounting tires/tubes, checking spoke tension, and balancing the wheels!

needed to get that off my chest...thanks!

 

[sunruh]

how is this a rant?

if you took it in no telling if the mechanic would have said something or not....and then what? miles down the road you have a failure?

you are still WAY ahead just because of the knowledge.

 

[fdcg27]

Better for you to find a fuel leak while looking the bike over than to have the vapor from the fuel leak find a source of ignition while you're riding the bike.

 

[Jarlaxle]

Wait...a 2006 Shadow uses tube tires?!

 

[kmrcstintn]

Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Wait...a 2006 Shadow uses tube tires?!


yeah...the traditional spoke wheels require tubes inside the tires

 

[Cardenio327]

Originally Posted By: kmrcstintn
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Wait...a 2006 Shadow uses tube tires?!


yeah...the traditional spoke wheels require tubes inside the tires


All motorcycle spoke wheels except BMW use tubes. I've heard that no BMW dealer can rebuild their wheels and there is only one independent in all of the US that can do it because they are so complex.

 

[Jarlaxle]

Just another reason I will NEVER own a BMW motorcycle under any circumstances.

 

[02SE]

Originally Posted By: Cardenio327
Originally Posted By: kmrcstintn
Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Wait...a 2006 Shadow uses tube tires?!


yeah...the traditional spoke wheels require tubes inside the tires


All motorcycle spoke wheels except BMW use tubes. I've heard that no BMW dealer can rebuild their wheels and there is only one independent in all of the US that can do it because they are so complex.


Triumph, KTM, Yamaha, Aprilia, and likely more, use a tubeless design on their wire spoke wheels, on their ADV type bikes.