update on my new '99

[zoomone]

Well first of all thank you all for all the welcomes and advice.
This weekend was bike weekend. I changed all the fluids, new battery, set her up for a trickle charger, new filters (oil and gas), new spark plugs, cleaned the air filter, and then started it for the first time. After a few (many few) tries (starter is bad) she finally went! It was GREAT to hear her and see that she was still able to idle on her own. After four years of being neglected in the garage of the PO, she runs OK. I was actually amazed! I then proceeded to change all the break pads, the PO had runed them down to almost nothing, amazingly enough they are just fine now. I still need to rebuild the front shocks and change the starter. Took her to the shop so I could get a profesional opinion on anything else that needs to be done. I think I might have him do the shocks and the starter, I do not see another long weekend coming up for me. I know I need a new front tire, I can see the cupping, mechanic said it was due to the bad shocks. Well guys, I can't wait, weather here is fantastic right now!

 

[maleko89]

Good to hear you have it running? How did you determine starter motor was bad? With it being a '99 it's not very likely. More likely to be a bad ground.

 

[zoomone]

the noise it makes when you press the starter. And a couple of friends opinion, we all came up to the same...

 

[Redbone]

Vmax's have a propensity to have the starter bolts to loosen over time. It might save you some mod money if you found out that's all it was.

 

[maleko89]

I agree, it's probably starter clutch due to being started by a weak battery in the past.

 

[kozy]

If the noise its making sounds like metal-on-metal inside the lower left side of the engine, then it's your starter clutch. I just had to replace mine this past summer. I swore up and down it was the starter that was bad, but turned out that it was just the clutch.

 

[Thevmaxrider]

+1 about the starter clutch. Motor will sound like there are marbles in the engine when you go to start it, almost like a car when the bendix goes out. Changing out the starter clutch on your own can be a terrific pain in the ass to say the least. You have to pull the flywheel and it takes a REALLY GOOD wheel puller to do so with some grade 8 bolts. If you drop the flywheel and damage it..... well be prepared to write the big check!! I would recommend looking at purchasing a starter clutch from PCW and replace the stock unit with theirs. You will never run into these issues again. The hard part is removing the flywheel, from there you just have to be careful:biglaugh:

 

[82ndCowboy]

Well first of all thank you all for all the welcomes and advice.
This weekend was bike weekend. I changed all the fluids, new battery, set her up for a trickle charger, new filters (oil and gas), new spark plugs, cleaned the air filter, and then started it for the first time. After a few (many few) tries (starter is bad) she finally went! It was GREAT to hear her and see that she was still able to idle on her own. After four years of being neglected in the garage of the PO, she runs OK. I was actually amazed! I then proceeded to change all the break pads, the PO had runed them down to almost nothing, amazingly enough they are just fine now. I still need to rebuild the front shocks and change the starter. Took her to the shop so I could get a profesional opinion on anything else that needs to be done. I think I might have him do the shocks and the starter, I do not see another long weekend coming up for me. I know I need a new front tire, I can see the cupping, mechanic said it was due to the bad shocks. Well guys, I can't wait, weather here is fantastic right now!

Tires tend to cup from wear before the tread completely wears out, (depending on PO's riding style).
I'd be skeptical on letting a dealer tell me I need new shocks because my tires are cupped.
Probably would need new tires any way even if shocks were fine. In-proper tire inflation will cause cupping as well.
Be skeptical of what a dealer is telling you, there is a reason we commonly refer to them stealers.

 

[coffee_brake]

Dude I've heard that about the tires cupping too, don't believe it! Really crappy shocks won't cause a tire to cup. Perfect maintenance on air pressure and careful sane riding may still end up with cupped tires. It's about the tires, not about anything else. Love your local mechanic as much as you can by bringng him your business, but they gotta make a living too, and if you don't have lots of experience, they'll make a living off of your lack of knowledge!

We have nothing to gain by telling you this. Go figure. Look around your area for another mechanic and ask the same questions. See what they tell you.

The Golden Rule of keeping a bike on the road more than 5 years: try the cheap easy fixes first! Get a new high quality tire, not new shocks! Watch the problem go away....

 

[naughtyG]

Yea, tires will cup eventually - it's just the way they eventually wear. Think about front bike tires - when do they get under real pressure? Every time you apply the brakes.. That will wear the tire in a certain way over time.
The rear's different on a bike - it actually gets worn both ways: more on acceleration, but also some on breaking.

Cup o'tea anyone?

 

[lankeeyankee]

Tire cupping happens on automotive cars due to worn out struts.. Motorcycle cupping is caused by tire manufacture or inproper inflation of tire pressure.. I can prove this due to I have no cupping on my Metzler ME880 and I have had the front end strapped down with no suspension for 85% of the tire life.