2 year service - is this unusual? - Page 2

09-02-2011, 10:11 AM

Jenny you being a desert rat,

if potholes are such a big thing for wheel bearings and heasdstock bearings, i suppose on a Dakar you change them on a daily basis?

gary tompkins · 09-02-2011, 10:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JMo

The clue is in the name?

Jx

He's Big Oz only in name these days. A strict fitness routine has seen him shrink to a relative lightweight.

In fact the Kenties are considering re-naming Andy as our medium Oz

09-02-2011, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bialbero

Jenny you being a desert rat,

if potholes are such a big thing for wheel bearings and heasdstock bearings, i suppose on a Dakar you change them on a daily basis?

Hi Bialbero - not necessarily - you might have to change them once or maybe twice during a long rally like the Dakar, but certainly not every day... on a shorter event like an FIM round, you'd be unlucky if you have to change them at all if you started the event with fresh ones.

You have to remember than dirt bikes have far longer and softer suspension travel, and are also much lighter, so the shock loading on bearings is reduced significantly... the trick is also to ride at a speed that minimizes the vibrations - for example on washboard piste (dirt roads with corrugations), if you ride at 50mph or more, it actually smoothes everything out, as the wheels are essentially skipping over the ridges, a bit like a speedboat planing on wave crests?

Even on my Tenere which I rode 23,000 miles across the USA over the winter of 08/09, and covered a lot of desert miles are quite high speed, I never needed to change the wheel (or steering bearings)...

Keeping them clean and adjusted is the key.

Jx

ps. As Rally suggested, this is an alternative method:

09-02-2011, 11:52 AM

JMo, thank you.

that's the point I tried to make. we never changed the bearings, nor did anybody else
(maybe the factory teams because they can)
potholes will simply not kill a healthy bearing. the bumps will be eliminated by the tyres and the suspension
X

09-02-2011, 11:59 AM

I agree... I have an 8 year old monster thats done 38,000+ miles... never needed bearings for that bike...

Jx

BigOz · 09-02-2011, 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JMo

The clue is in the name?

Jx

Not so much these days but yes for the bikes first 6k mikes it was essentially carrying the weight of two normal riders, I've now lost 6.5 stone so we will have to see if the new set last longer.

At the 2 year service (a couple of days out of warranty) Pro Twins noticed the slightest sign of a front wheel bearing failing, in the hand after they were removed one was definitely on it's way out.

No problems with the head bearings but I changed them while tinkering with a few mods in the last two weeks.

How's the recovery going?

Andy

10-02-2011, 08:48 AM

There is another possibility (which Capo hinted at) which is that riders aren't the best.

When I had a dink in my front wheel I found them both profit oriented and very risk averse in suggesting I get a new front wheel for £700 and that straightening it was not safe.
I did directly ask them why it was acceptable for them to straighten the wheel on their OWN track back but not on mine. The answer was that the service and race departments were not the same departments, hence they treat their own bikes differently to customers (when there is money at stake?).
I did get it straightened elsewhere for about £80 in the end.

So if they are being risk averse or wanting to make money from the warranty work, then in this case I'm not bothered as it's new parts on my bike for free.

But I probably won't take it there once I'm out of warranty.

Capo · 10-02-2011, 12:35 PM

I have no hesitation in recommending Rich at Louigi Motors, he is a top man.

10-02-2011, 01:49 PM

I would highly recommend him too, in fact he straightened my wheel for me and lent me a spare wheel in the meantime to keep me on the road.

However the downsides are:

He cannot do Ducati warranty work.
He really is out in the middle of nowhere with no facilites to speak of or public transport (and it's in the wrong direction for my commute unfortunately).
He doesn't have a fleet of bikes to lend me (Riders have so far lent me 4 different bikes).

So at the moment it's far more convenient to do what I did, which is have the service and warranty work all done in one day and borrow a brand new Harley to ride into the office (which creates a bit of interest).
As soon as the warranty benefit is finished I will be using Rich as Riders are on some sort of "work creation" scheme I reckon whereas Rich is clearly thoroughly trustworthy.

jerry · 10-02-2011, 02:17 PM

In the UK my wheel bearings seem to last forever but on Thai roads bikes get through them regularly , my S4 has had all replaced , and other bikes destroy them all the time its the sand and dust plus deluges in the wet season and rutted roads i reckon.But the bearings are cheap £4 each for japanese, swedish or german parts and easy to replace .

10-02-2011, 06:10 PM

It's quite amusing that 2 have you have said it's not expensive.
Riders told me it would all be "quite expensive" but it's all being done under warranty. I think he wanted to imply they were being good to me.

BigOz · 10-02-2011, 11:07 PM

Ducati front wheel bearings 70250451A were £10.97 each and they took Pro Twins about 30 minutes to fit If I rember right so about £50 ex vat at a dealer depending on hourly rate.

Andy

10-02-2011, 11:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigOz

How's the recovery going?

Andy

Quick thread hi-jack... it's going ok Andy - still on crutches for the moment, but got an x-ray on the 24th and hopefully will get the all-clear to start walking again...

It's going to be a while before I'll be riding (certainly off-road) in any capacity though - doctor said it could be up to five months, so I'm looking at the end of May to get back on a dirt bike...

Right, normal service is resumed... "that Rich at Luigi Moto, excellent fellow etc etc."

Jx

12-02-2011, 03:50 PM

Wish someone would give me a quid for everytime I've read "don't go anywhere near any motorcycle with a pressure washer". I wouldn't even use it on my scooter commuter.

Warm water with lots of suds and a clean sponge ! Doesn't take any longer either.

utopia · 12-02-2011, 04:58 PM

Totally agree with that.
...but would add...a selection of paint brushes, some with the bristles cut down to stiffen them up a bit, and all with a piece of cycle inner tube covering the metal ferrule.
...and a cheap hand pump with neat cleaning product of your choice, for those grubbier areas.
Hand cleaning is also a much more intimate contact with the bike...helps with general familiarity and with spotting developing problems.

When I was 18, I discovered that 3.30pm was a good time for bike cleaning...cos after a while the girl next door would come walking along from the school bus-stop, and I could engage her in conversation for a few brief moments until her overly strict father called her inside.
She ended up being the mother of my four children.

10-02-2011, 08:48 AM	#22
lisyloo Guest Posts: n/a	There is another possibility (which Capo hinted at) which is that riders aren't the best. When I had a dink in my front wheel I found them both profit oriented and very risk averse in suggesting I get a new front wheel for £700 and that straightening it was not safe. I did directly ask them why it was acceptable for them to straighten the wheel on their OWN track back but not on mine. The answer was that the service and race departments were not the same departments, hence they treat their own bikes differently to customers (when there is money at stake?). I did get it straightened elsewhere for about £80 in the end. So if they are being risk averse or wanting to make money from the warranty work, then in this case I'm not bothered as it's new parts on my bike for free. But I probably won't take it there once I'm out of warranty. Last edited by lisyloo; 10-02-2011 at 09:50 AM..

10-02-2011, 02:17 PM	#25
jerry Old Git Join Date: May 2006 Location: Cricklade Bike: Multiple Monsters Posts: 2,897	In the UK my wheel bearings seem to last forever but on Thai roads bikes get through them regularly , my S4 has had all replaced , and other bikes destroy them all the time its the sand and dust plus deluges in the wet season and rutted roads i reckon.But the bearings are cheap £4 each for japanese, swedish or german parts and easy to replace . __________________ MONSTERMAN

09-02-2011, 10:11 AM	#16
bialbero Guest Posts: n/a	Jenny you being a desert rat, if potholes are such a big thing for wheel bearings and heasdstock bearings, i suppose on a Dakar you change them on a daily basis?

09-02-2011, 11:52 AM	#19
bialbero Guest Posts: n/a	JMo, thank you. that's the point I tried to make. we never changed the bearings, nor did anybody else (maybe the factory teams because they can) potholes will simply not kill a healthy bearing. the bumps will be eliminated by the tyres and the suspension X

09-02-2011, 11:59 AM	#20
JMo Guest Posts: n/a	I agree... I have an 8 year old monster thats done 38,000+ miles... never needed bearings for that bike... Jx

10-02-2011, 12:35 PM	#23
Capo You Are What You Is Join Date: May 2005 Location: A Foward Location Bike: S4r Posts: 1,948	I have no hesitation in recommending Rich at Louigi Motors, he is a top man.

10-02-2011, 01:49 PM	#24
lisyloo Guest Posts: n/a	I would highly recommend him too, in fact he straightened my wheel for me and lent me a spare wheel in the meantime to keep me on the road. However the downsides are: He cannot do Ducati warranty work. He really is out in the middle of nowhere with no facilites to speak of or public transport (and it's in the wrong direction for my commute unfortunately). He doesn't have a fleet of bikes to lend me (Riders have so far lent me 4 different bikes). So at the moment it's far more convenient to do what I did, which is have the service and warranty work all done in one day and borrow a brand new Harley to ride into the office (which creates a bit of interest). As soon as the warranty benefit is finished I will be using Rich as Riders are on some sort of "work creation" scheme I reckon whereas Rich is clearly thoroughly trustworthy.

10-02-2011, 06:10 PM	#26
lisyloo Guest Posts: n/a	It's quite amusing that 2 have you have said it's not expensive. Riders told me it would all be "quite expensive" but it's all being done under warranty. I think he wanted to imply they were being good to me.

10-02-2011, 11:07 PM	#27
BigOz Registered User Join Date: Feb 2009 Location: Chatham Bike: Multiple Monsters Posts: 714	Ducati front wheel bearings 70250451A were £10.97 each and they took Pro Twins about 30 minutes to fit If I rember right so about £50 ex vat at a dealer depending on hourly rate. Andy

12-02-2011, 03:50 PM	#29
Banus Guest Posts: n/a	Wish someone would give me a quid for everytime I've read "don't go anywhere near any motorcycle with a pressure washer". I wouldn't even use it on my scooter commuter. Warm water with lots of suds and a clean sponge ! Doesn't take any longer either.

12-02-2011, 04:58 PM	#30
utopia No turn left unstoned Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: leicester Bike: M750 Posts: 4,559	Totally agree with that. ...but would add...a selection of paint brushes, some with the bristles cut down to stiffen them up a bit, and all with a piece of cycle inner tube covering the metal ferrule. ...and a cheap hand pump with neat cleaning product of your choice, for those grubbier areas. Hand cleaning is also a much more intimate contact with the bike...helps with general familiarity and with spotting developing problems. When I was 18, I discovered that 3.30pm was a good time for bike cleaning...cos after a while the girl next door would come walking along from the school bus-stop, and I could engage her in conversation for a few brief moments until her overly strict father called her inside. She ended up being the mother of my four children.