hey all! moving up from my '94 EX500.....just picked up a '94 F2 with about 16K on the clock. runs pretty well, but needs paint and tires and whatnot. boltshave safety-wire holes and the shock is aftermarket, plus the left peg/shifter is ground down on an angle - sounds like an ex-race bike, no? also looks like an aftermarket swingarm - there are nomounting holes for a fender or chain guard.

it's got a full D&D that's pretty beat up but sounds good, plus someone added clip-ons that really lower the riding position. not so bad, though. it's also got a manual cam chain tensioner on it from the last owner (who did a lot of burnouts and wheelies, by the look of the rear tire and the uncomfortable sounds coming from the front forks when i brake hard).

anyway, i thought i should say hi and all that.

quick questions - the brake calipers seem loose - like, there's atiny bit of side to side play when i move them by hand, but they don't seem like they're getting any looser. are they just a sort of floating-type caliper or what?

also - front forks - what is this strange clicking/bumping/i dont know what else to call it noise that happens when i brake hard or go over a big bump?

and lastly - the temp. gauge doesn't work. any common failures on that circuit i should be on the lookout for?

sorry for the novel. Thanks!

-Tyler

 

Welcome to the forum! The front calipers are normal...don't worry they won't come loose. As for the sounds, can't really say...Just check things over for tightness.Temp prob. could be sensor or guage itself.
RB

 

Check the bearings on your steering stem. My bike was making a noise on braking when I first got it, and I could actually feel it, felt it a little on bumps too, like the painted lines on the road.Turns out a simple adjustment took all the slop out, no more noise, smooth as a baby's bottom. [8D]

 

cool, i feel better about the brakes then.

Rickracer - what does the steering stem bearing adjustment entail? easy enough for your average shadetree mechanic, or should i take it in to a shop?

-T

 

I loosened the locknut on top, snugged the adjusting nut about 1/8th of a turn then tightened the lock nut again. 10 minute job, worth every minute. [8D]
I'll probably pull it all apart at some point in time to check it out closer, maybe in conjunction with a fork swap or something, but for now it's fine. [8D]

 

sweet i'll give that a shot right now. thanks!

 

ok, so....

i'm only seeing one nut. the big one in the middle with the black plastic cover in the center of it. are you referring to the two notched nuts beneath the top triple? and if so, it kinda looks like i need a specialty tool to loosen/tighten those. any thoughts?

thanks!

-T

 

Can you see any play there? I could have made a tool for that in about a half hour, but just I used a small hammer and a 3/16" pin punch and just gently tapped the nut about 1/8 turn tighter,thats all it tookto take the play out of my front end. [8D]

 

well the gentle hammer and punch method sounds like my kind of solution :-)

i'll give ita shot. thanks!

-T