Author Topic: best advice you would give to a new (used) concours owner  (Read 8208 times)

Offline ZG RIDER

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best advice you would give to a new (used) concours owner
« on: April 21, 2012, 01:52:17 AM »
'97 Concours with 70k. All periodic services performed over the years. Runs great no mod's. I rode one other street bike for several years from '83 to'88. It was a '82 Yamaha XJ 550 Seca and I rode it till it died! I don't recall how many miles I put on it but it was my only mode of transportation at the time so, yea , i rode it alot. I've just been riding dirt bikes with the kids for about the last 15 years so i haven't been on the highway in a while. I feel quite comfortable on the Concours and am taking my time getting re acclimated with a road bike and the road. I'm just hoping for some good sound advice from some well seasoned Concours riders cuz this aint nothin like the old Yamie!  Anything come to mind?

Thank you in advance to all that care to comment! 8)

Offline VodkaAndPickles

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Re: best advice you would give to a new (used) concours owner
« Reply #1 on: April 21, 2012, 02:43:30 AM »
Wait for something to break.

Offline Walker18

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Re: best advice you would give to a new (used) concours owner
« Reply #2 on: April 21, 2012, 03:36:16 AM »
Become one with Connie, grasshopper, and travel far. Cover vasts amount of asphalt to meet with other Concours warriors,
converse with one another on journeys taken, and one's to yet be traveled. And consume large quantities of brew with these
nomads. And always keep an eagle eye out for the ever elusive cager, for they will swoop down and attempt to destroy your
destined path of travel, it is at those moments when your descision will... aw hell, just ride the damn bike!
COG#8443                                                  
AMA# 1088783
2012 C-14  'Rudy'

Offline cmoore

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Re: best advice you would give to a new (used) concours owner
« Reply #3 on: April 21, 2012, 04:13:00 AM »
Yea, just ride the bike for a while. You will start to get the itch to do things. I think my first purchase was a fork brace. After that a new wind screen. After that...it just goes on and on and on.
2010 C14
Dallas, Texas

Offline billhook

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Re: best advice you would give to a new (used) concours owner
« Reply #4 on: April 21, 2012, 05:25:36 AM »
Take a MSF RiderCourse.

Offline TjTexasJack

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Re: best advice you would give to a new (used) concours owner
« Reply #5 on: April 21, 2012, 06:12:39 AM »
 Welcome ZG RIDER

While the Conk is a gracefull beast up to speed it's a pig at parking lot speeds a read through the CDA section will let you know what to watch for.

http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?board=9.0

Secondly the forum has it's own Wiki=FAQ section lot's of Great info there.

http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?board=18.0

Ride safe, Keep sharp.
Tj

Offline mdr

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Re: best advice you would give to a new (used) concours owner
« Reply #6 on: April 21, 2012, 09:31:40 AM »
Long list, but most of it's really easy.  Just the first is really important to check right away.  I tend to check it often, not at every oil change, but any time I'm mucking about with it more than a little.

Open the #1 fuel bowl drain (hose on the nipple, dumping into a gas can - duh!) with the petcock to ON or Run, then Reserve.  Make sure the gas stops after a little.  If it keeps running, the petcock needs rebuilt or replacement.  Making sure the petcock is good, along with the float needle valves, are imperative.

Check the engine mount bolts for 1) they're there and 2) they're tightened to spec and 3) there's no gap between the frame and engine at the spec'd torque.  If there is, pull the upper left bolt and shim the gap.  Search again ;)

Make sure you at least check the level and condition of all fluids.  Brakes, coolant, rear drive, engine and forks.  OH, the shock too - ok, it's not intended to be checked or changed but it can be done.  Use the search.

Look for leaks while you're doin' the above.

Be on the lookout for missing or deteriorated rubber bits (grommets, spacers, TIRES).  Except for tires, they're not very expensive if you get them online (I like Ron Ayers) and if you get several of 'em the shipping isn't killer.

Air filter - check it.  Look to make sure the carb boots are seated both in the air box and around the carb inlets.  Look at the lower front of the air box to see if it's starting to come apart.  I gotta use the Search for that one :(
Mark in Austin
'01 Concours, Vrooomm
My "Tech Page"
http://www.randols.net/Connie/index.html

Offline booger

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Re: best advice you would give to a new (used) concours owner
« Reply #7 on: April 22, 2012, 06:57:30 AM »
Take a MSF Rider Course and enjoy. ;)

Offline elvin315

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Re: best advice you would give to a new (used) concours owner
« Reply #8 on: April 22, 2012, 10:12:48 AM »
My infamous Connie review:

http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=574.0

Most of your questions might be answered there. If not you have but to ask specifically. It's a little long winded so grab a brew and settle back.




Offline Ron Moss

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Re: best advice you would give to a new (used) concours owner
« Reply #9 on: April 22, 2012, 09:07:30 PM »
'97 Concours with 70k. All periodic services performed over the years. Runs great no mod's. I rode one other street bike for several years from '83 to'88. It was a '82 Yamaha XJ 550 Seca and I rode it till it died! I don't recall how many miles I put on it but it was my only mode of transportation at the time so, yea , i rode it alot. I've just been riding dirt bikes with the kids for about the last 15 years so i haven't been on the highway in a while. I feel quite comfortable on the Concours and am taking my time getting re acclimated with a road bike and the road. I'm just hoping for some good sound advice from some well seasoned Concours riders cuz this aint nothin like the old Yamie!  Anything come to mind?

Thank you in advance to all that care to comment! 8)

Just get on it and ride!

Offline ZG RIDER

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Re: best advice you would give to a new (used) concours owner
« Reply #10 on: April 23, 2012, 08:37:07 PM »
Take a MSF Rider Course and enjoy. ;)

DONE! Thanks for the advice! I did however find that the air box is coming apart on the front lower side where the filter access panel is. Are there any threads on the best method to repair that? After playing with the gas pet cock I foolishly left it in the prime position all night :-\   and lost some gas. After I cleaned up the mess the next morning and returned the control to on the bike wouldn't turn over like the starter lockout was engaged! eventual, it started and functioned normally. Any thoughts?

Thanks to all for your replies and this great forum!!!

Offline jworth

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Re: best advice you would give to a new (used) concours owner
« Reply #11 on: April 23, 2012, 09:32:04 PM »
Install carb bowl overflow tubes.  This is one place where an ounce of prevention is worth far more than a pound of cure.

Offline Jet86

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Re: best advice you would give to a new (used) concours owner
« Reply #12 on: April 23, 2012, 09:40:04 PM »
I Hate this word "Hydrolock" i'm not sure i understood but is the bike starting now? if not then you might have damaged the engine, when you left the petcock to prime it filled the cylinders with gas then backed up into the airbox where it leaked out, when you hit the start button it locked the engine. you probably have gas in the oil now to so change the oil and filter.


1986 California Connie 87k and counting

Offline Mettler1

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Re: best advice you would give to a new (used) concours owner
« Reply #13 on: April 23, 2012, 09:52:07 PM »
  If you didn't damage your engine you got very lucky!!!!! You have at the very least a float needle leaking in 1 or more of the carbs. Float bowls over fill and you get raw gas in the cyls. It's called "HYDROLOCK" and can destroy an engine due to a bent rod! Chances are you won't get lucky again. Go to search and type "hydrolock".
'94 Concours 112,000 miles-- 7th gear,2MM,KB fork brace,Over flowtubes,Stick coils,Tcro shifter,GPS,Torque cams,SPOOKFAK,block off plates, SS brake & clutch lines,KB risers, FENDA EXTENDA, emulators,etc

Offline ZG RIDER

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Re: best advice you would give to a new (used) concours owner
« Reply #14 on: April 24, 2012, 12:14:05 AM »
  If you didn't damage your engine you got very lucky!!!!! You have at the very least a float needle leaking in 1 or more of the carbs. Float bowls over fill and you get raw gas in the cyls. It's called "HYDROLOCK" and can destroy an engine due to a bent rod! Chances are you won't get lucky again. Go to search and type "hydrolock".

Jet and Mettler,

Ok now I'm freaking out!!!! What you describe is exactly what happened!! However, I never drove the bike with the pet cock in the "prime" position it was left that way over night. I found the bike with gas all over the ground and dripping from the air box. I re positioned the pet cock to "on" and the gas immediately stopped flowing. I took off the side panels, cleaned up all the gas, removed the air filter and dried it, wiped out the air box, put it all back together and tried to start it. The first three tries,as I said, it wouldn't start, wouldn't crank over at all. I could hear the starter engage but it WOULDN'T turn the engine. I spent about fifteen minutes looking for other problems, tried again and it turned over and started. It wasn't running rough and didn't backfire. There were no loud clunks and the motor DIDN'T lock while it was running. Is it possible to bend a rod without the motor running? I let it idle and warm up for a good 5 minutes took it for a short, slow spin around the block and parked it. Everything felt normal. PLEASE TELL ME I'M OK and what I should do next! Obviously I'll be changing the oil and filter and looking into installing overflow tubes  :-[   :banghead: 
« Last Edit: April 24, 2012, 01:43:15 AM by ZG RIDER »

Offline Jet86

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Re: best advice you would give to a new (used) concours owner
« Reply #15 on: April 24, 2012, 01:45:20 AM »
You just may be one of the lucky ones, my advice would be to go to this link witch is a sticky link on this forum and read up, it tells you how to check if you bent a rod... i would not start it up again til you change the oil and filter.
http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=276.0


1986 California Connie 87k and counting

Offline Jet86

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Re: best advice you would give to a new (used) concours owner
« Reply #16 on: April 24, 2012, 02:04:30 AM »
Check to see if your petcock is working properly, remove the fuel hose from the petcock.
in the "On or Reserve position" there should be no gas coming out unless the bike is running, in the Prime position gas should flow with engine on or off. since you forgot and left it on prime overnight and you also had a stuck needle/float that's what caused the lockup.
if the petcock is leaking in the on or reserve position then you need to fix it or replace it. i chose to replace mine.


1986 California Connie 87k and counting

Offline Mettler1

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Re: best advice you would give to a new (used) concours owner
« Reply #17 on: April 24, 2012, 06:45:54 AM »
   If you didn't hear a bang you may be ok. The way to be sure is pull all the plugs and measure each piston at top dead center. Go to the "sticky" how to check for hydrolock by SiSF. It is at the top of this page.
 I understand what happened but the float needles should have prevented it. At least one float needle leaking. Time for a good carb cleaning and maybe new float needles.

                                                     http://sites.google.com/site/shoodabenengineering/intake-and-exhaust
  Go here to get it done right.
   Also use the "search" feature for more info. And don't take it to a dealer as a lot of them don't do it right and charge you a LOT of $$$.
  Sounds like you petcock is working right in the "run" position but if that fails your in the same position as "prime".
             
'94 Concours 112,000 miles-- 7th gear,2MM,KB fork brace,Over flowtubes,Stick coils,Tcro shifter,GPS,Torque cams,SPOOKFAK,block off plates, SS brake & clutch lines,KB risers, FENDA EXTENDA, emulators,etc

Offline Steve in Sunny Fla

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Re: best advice you would give to a new (used) concours owner
« Reply #18 on: April 24, 2012, 12:47:17 PM »
Jet and Mettler,

... tried to start it. The first three tries,as I said, it wouldn't start, wouldn't crank over at all. I could hear the starter engage but it WOULDN'T turn the engine. I spent about fifteen minutes looking for other problems, tried again and it turned over and started. It wasn't running rough and didn't backfire. There were no loud clunks and the motor DIDN'T lock while it was running. Is it possible to bend a rod without the motor running? 

  It sounds like a cylinder was completely locked with fuel. If the engine wouldn't turn ANY - ZERO ROTATION - then the rod wouldn't bend. It also won't bend while running; it'll only bend when the engine has turned enough to get some inertia and then the piston suddenly stops. The fact that it sat for 15 minutes then started means the fuel bled past the rings into the crankcase. You need to change the oil NOW and do a hydrolock rod test... unless you just don't want to know  8)   Steve

Offline ZG RIDER

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Re: best advice you would give to a new (used) concours owner
« Reply #19 on: April 25, 2012, 01:24:16 AM »
  It sounds like a cylinder was completely locked with fuel. If the engine wouldn't turn ANY - ZERO ROTATION - then the rod wouldn't bend. It also won't bend while running; it'll only bend when the engine has turned enough to get some inertia and then the piston suddenly stops. The fact that it sat for 15 minutes then started means the fuel bled past the rings into the crankcase. You need to change the oil NOW and do a hydrolock rod test... unless you just don't want to know  8)   Steve

Whew, Tragedy narrowly averted!  :o

 Thank you to ALL who helped with my education on hydrolock. If I never utter that word again it would be too soon!! Ill be performing all the recommended  procedures to ensure it never happens again! As for now I'll have to wait since I just blew my budget on the bike, Insurance, registration, transfer fee's, a new helmet, not to mention two teen's attending school here in California. I'm tapped for the next few months! I'm going to cringe now every time I press the starter button until I can get the carb work and the tube kit!! I'll just have to keep a close watch on the petcock, making sure it functions properly, until then.

 Steve, I'm also interested In the two minute mod and the exhaust cam kit. It looks like you've made some great innovations and come Highly recommended in the forum!

Well, gotta scrape up some change and go buy some epoxy to repair the loose seam on the air box front bottom corner. Then, short of any other parking lot operator errors, I gotta go RIDE! 8)

Thanks Again!
« Last Edit: April 25, 2012, 03:07:47 AM by ZG RIDER »