Valve Adjustment

[guzz46]

Yes, stock levers. Oddly enough, I didn't notice it at first when I'd initially picked up the bike at the dealership. On the way home I decided to test the ABS out, and after I managed to trigger it the first time, the brakes TOTALLY went to hell! I dunno if there was an air pocket in there somewhere or what, but after that first ABS trigger the brakes were TERRIBLE!!! I bled them the next morning, and things VASTLY improved, but I can still manage to bring the bar all the way back. I've gotta grab it with 4 fingers and pull hard, but one can still do it. It's not flex in the lines either. I put a machinist caliper on them and there is zero expansion in them. So, either somethings going on in the ABS unit, I've still got air in there... SOMEWHERE... or, the master cylinder just totally sucks. I'm betting on the latter. I can eventually see a master cylinder upgrade group buy in our future on the forum.

Something strange must be going on there, I can't get my lever any where near the bar.

 

[Formula390]

Something strange must be going on there, I can't get my lever any where near the bar.

Well I dunno how hard you are pulling the lever. My paws are pretty big and I can grab a LOT of lever when I'm breaking HARD.

 

[guzz46]

Well I dunno how hard you are pulling the lever. My paws are pretty big and I can grab a LOT of lever when I'm breaking HARD.

With the bike stationary I can get the lever pretty close to the bar if I use four fingers and squeeze as hard as I can, but if I did that while moving I would go straight over the handle bars.
Two fingers is all it takes to get the back wheel skipping off the ground on mine at speeds of around 100kmh, it doesn't even require much pressure to do it either

 

[Formula390]

With the bike stationary I can get the lever pretty close to the bar if I use four fingers and squeeze as hard as I can, but if I did that while moving I would go straight over the handle bars.
Two fingers is all it takes to get the back wheel skipping off the ground on mine at speeds of around 100kmh, it doesn't even require much pressure to do it either

Are you on a cup bike or street? I'm on a street bike. How much do you weigh? I'm 210# nekkid on the scale... in gear, probably easily tipping 225#. On my NSR I could get the back light or up easily with three fingers (I've NEVER been a two finger brake guy... there's no fracking throttle control that way, but using my outter three fingers I can still modulate the throttle WHILE braking so I have my RPMs matched to exactly where I need them once I'm done braking and back on the throttle again. Anyway, with the RC390, with HARD three finger braking I can manage to pinch my pointer finger between the lever and bar on HARD braking, so it's 4 finger braking. I'm not getting the lever ALL the way back to touch the bar while riding, but close enough. Sitting at a stop, pulling with all four, I can get the lever to touch the bar with a firm pull.

So, it sounds like our brakes are probably working similarly then. I'm just possibly tipping the scales a bit heavier, so having to pull the brakes harder to match the same level of braking.

 

[guzz46]

I'm on the street bike, its the Aus/NZ model, I'm 158lbs in street clothes, probably around 178lbs in full riding gear, which would make it easier to get the back end off the ground, plus I saved 7lbs by ditching the stock exhaust, I also installed the powerparts brake lever to bring the lever a little further out from the bar, with the stock lever I could still use two fingers but the lever got a bit too close to my outer two fingers.

The only reason I thought it sounded strange was because you said this "On the way home I decided to test the ABS out, and after I managed to trigger it the first time, the brakes TOTALLY went to hell! I dunno if there was an air pocket in there somewhere or what, but after that first ABS trigger the brakes were TERRIBLE!!! I bled them the next morning, and things VASTLY improved, but I can still manage to bring the bar all the way back."

 

[Formula390]

I just finished checking my valves for the initial service. No adjustment needed. Pretty much in the center of the range on all four. I didn't put the Rubber Bib from Hades back in. Took everything in me not to just cut it out of there. Hells Bells that things a PITA! I can't even fathom what it's for either! Still need to decide if I'm gonna put the evap system all back together, or pull it. I didn't make a video, but I did take plenty of photos so might try to put together a post for step by step for checking valves for members who haven't done it before but are up for trying it themselves. As others said, not difficult, just time consuming. I can say, the quoted dealer 2.5 hours seems pretty small for doing the full service. A tech would have to be FLYING to get that done, and if the valves required adjustment, I don't think that there's any way they could get that done in that time!

 

[micahpearlman]

Going in this weekend. What's the story with the bib? Why's it a PITA?


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[Formula390]

Going in this weekend. What's the story with the bib? Why's it a PITA?

It's huge, and lots of wiring and hoses are strung through it, so even just trying to get it out of the way to be able to SEE the valve cover took lots of cussing and knuckle bashing. The final problem area was the very front where the bib is hooked around two fingers I had to use a long flat blade screwdriver to get it unhooked and finally pulled out.

Once you get every wiring connector and hose free, and all the zip ties clipped, and the front unhooked, it comes out, finally. I tried getting to the cover with the bib just pulled out of the way, but that wasn't practical for my size hands. Note, also as previously mentioned, don't bother unbolting the ABS unit. Just disconnect the wiring to it, and pull that out of the way, and you'll be fine. Getting those three bolts out was a royal pain, and an even bigger one getting them back in, all for naught. It didn't have to be unbolted at all.

 

[micahpearlman]

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[Bagwell]

Im doing mine tonight as well, that Bib may stay out permanently. My exh valves are a lil tight and out of spec so I will be doing those in the morning. The intakes are well within spec.

 

[Formula390]

Im doing mine tonight as well, that Bib may stay out permanently. My exh valves are a lil tight and out of spec so I will be doing those in the morning. The intakes are well within spec.

I've yet to hear a compelling argument for the bib's purpose, or need, other than to determine the number of swear words the wrench knows.

 

[Bagwell]

Heh. I will just leave it out for now. I wanted to get my valve check/adj done and ride it to LaGrange tomorrow for the TWT Pie Run since its not real far for me. I will either have to pick another bike, or just sit this one out.

 

[Formula390]

Apparently the cup bikes don't have the bib... So mine is ABSOLUTELY going into long term storage now. HATED that Damn thing, and now that it's confirmed to be pointless.... Screw that thing!

 

[Bagwell]

Still though, I would like to hear the official word as to why its on the street bike.

 

[Formula390]

Still though, I would like to hear the official word as to why its on the street bike.

Heat shroud to keep the rider more comfortable sitting at lights is probably the answer. Anybody who knows the REAL reason tho is almost assuredly not going to ever publicly explain why tho.

 

[Treachery]

I don't know the bib, but does it go in between the head/valve cover and the bottom of the tank? If so, my guess is a heat shield for not just the rider but the fuel. Cool fuel=more power.

 

[Bagwell]

I think you may be right, the more I think about it I wonder if it really is keeping the fuel tank cool under there. I may put it back in now. I still have the bike apart as I ran late on doing the work I wanted to and didnt get the valves done because I have the wrong size shims. It requires the 10mm and I had a hard time finding them but now I think you can source them from a Harley dealer pretty easily here in the US. The HD Vrod uses the same size shims and HD apparently carries more thicknesses than the Shim kits you can buy from HOT RODS or Wiseco and ProX Racing. It seems the KTM 990, 500, and some of the smaller KTMs use these 10mm shims. I needed a couple of certian thcknesses to be right where I want to in the specification range. So, I will get the specific shims I need and finish this week.

 

[watchmaker]

I removed my BIB....and picked up some heat shield tape and applied it to bottom of the fuel tank....IMO I think this is a better option than the BIB...plus it stays on the tank...

I did the same when I had my ZX14.....helped a lot, before I installed it on the 14 you would hear the tank venting from the heat, afterwards it was pretty much not doing that until temps got up over 100 deg outside!...

 

[cornerslider]

Yeah I would rather not be the dealership's test subject.

Some about flat rate and half-assery.

No one is going to pay as much attention to the details on my bike as I am. I am not turning wrenches to make money and I have no time constraint. If it has to be done correctly I will be the one doing it.

I have had nothing but problems taking things into the dealership for work. They always find a way to mess up something or damage an unrelated part.

If I need a special tool for the job I buy it. Half the joy of owning a motorcycle for me is working on it.

+1 on what he said.......


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[ReidMcT]

If the bib were for heat control, I think it would be reflective, and not rubber. My hypothesis is that it is for noise emission control. I've seen such on other bikes. Some even have rubber mats inside the clutch side engine case. That it is not on the Cup version is telling, I think.