Has anyone here actually installed timing chain extensions? I have all of the info from Gadget and need a real-world input. Where are the pitfalls?
I am going to undertake a long list of maintenance/reliability issues in the next week or so. My 1600 has been a great road bike. I could not have been happier with it's performance and ability to go safely and comfortably on long trips. But... at 49,000 miles it has a long list of ills. In fact, it is probably the least robust of all the bikes I have owned.
Here's the current rundown:
Driveshaft... u-joint is shot.
Clutch... slips
Fuel pump.... noisy
Steering bearings......sloppy
Some unknown electrical gremlin
Timing chains..... you have to hear it to believe it!
I am going to fix all of that and do the normal maint. stuff... oil, filter, brake fluid, rear brakes, grease swing arm bearings, flush radiator, check all electrical connections. That should eat up most of a weekend. The cam plugs are going to have to keep on leaking!
I am not at all happy with the issues with this bike at only 50,000 miles. Hopefully, I can resolve most of them before the road trips (Carlsbad) start in March.
We have a very ambitious ride schedule including ~4000 mile trip all the way up the Pacific Coast Hiway into OR, down the Columbia River Gorge, across ID into Montana thru Glacier NP, down to Lake Tahoe and back home. If we get in everything this year, we should get ~30,000 miles in the saddle. My wife's 900 should have no problem but I am concerned about the 1600 It has never let me down, but I certainly do not want to get stuck out on the road. We are leaning toward biting the bullet and getting sport touring bikes (BMW R1200RT, FJR, ST1300). I have ridden all of them and they are super road bikes, but not cheap. Laying out a significant amount of cash in a down economy is problematic. If the seat height was a little lower we would already have gone over. My wife cannot handle a 31" seat and she sure isn't moving to the back!
Whew! So, who has installed extensions?
I am going to undertake a long list of maintenance/reliability issues in the next week or so. My 1600 has been a great road bike. I could not have been happier with it's performance and ability to go safely and comfortably on long trips. But... at 49,000 miles it has a long list of ills. In fact, it is probably the least robust of all the bikes I have owned.
Here's the current rundown:
Driveshaft... u-joint is shot.
Clutch... slips
Fuel pump.... noisy
Steering bearings......sloppy
Some unknown electrical gremlin
Timing chains..... you have to hear it to believe it!
I am going to fix all of that and do the normal maint. stuff... oil, filter, brake fluid, rear brakes, grease swing arm bearings, flush radiator, check all electrical connections. That should eat up most of a weekend. The cam plugs are going to have to keep on leaking!
I am not at all happy with the issues with this bike at only 50,000 miles. Hopefully, I can resolve most of them before the road trips (Carlsbad) start in March.
We have a very ambitious ride schedule including ~4000 mile trip all the way up the Pacific Coast Hiway into OR, down the Columbia River Gorge, across ID into Montana thru Glacier NP, down to Lake Tahoe and back home. If we get in everything this year, we should get ~30,000 miles in the saddle. My wife's 900 should have no problem but I am concerned about the 1600 It has never let me down, but I certainly do not want to get stuck out on the road. We are leaning toward biting the bullet and getting sport touring bikes (BMW R1200RT, FJR, ST1300). I have ridden all of them and they are super road bikes, but not cheap. Laying out a significant amount of cash in a down economy is problematic. If the seat height was a little lower we would already have gone over. My wife cannot handle a 31" seat and she sure isn't moving to the back!
Whew! So, who has installed extensions?
