09-04-2024, 12:56 AM
(09-02-2024, 02:08 PM)Dave_imp Wrote: 1) we have guys with close to 150,000 miles on their CB's with no major work. My personal bike is at 76K miles and the valves have never needed adjusting. Spec is every 16K I believe. Oil and filter every 4,000.
Hi Ferret, I am impressed that your bike reached 76K miles and never needed a valve adjustment. I am curious as to how you achieved this; my guess is you keep your engine RPMs low. I am convinced that valve wear is directly related to engine RPM - the higher the RPM, the greater the valve wear. I remember a post you made a long time ago where your gas mileage was pretty incredible also. Can you please share with us some details about how you ride? What is the typical RPM you ride? Is there a maximum RPM that you don't exceed? What RPM do you typically shift?
Also, can you please share at what intervals your valves were checked?
Thank you.
Dave, I ride a lot like Wisedrum. Typically in the 2500-3500 rpm range, normally shift about 3200 rpms, and although I haven't checked it lately I average about 57 mpg if memory serves me.
Valve cover has never been off. I go by symptoms as advised by my tech with 30 years experience working in motorcycle shops...it starts easily, runs great, gets good gas mileage, no weird noises. I also ride my NC 750 like that and I did have the valves inspected at 40,000 even though there were no strange symptoms, and not surprisingly all were in spec. I also had the valves on my ST 1300 inspected at 50,000 again with no bad symptoms, and again all were in spec. I also believe low rpms keep valves in spec but now it's the nature of how I ride anyway, and have for the last oh...25 years or so. For the first 30 years or so I rode a little let's say "wilder" racing here and there, seeing what every bike would do...but now I just cruise. Been there, done that so to speak .......
I believe engines are a lot like hearts...they only get so many beats/revolutions
The Chinese have a saying and I'll paraphrase: an elephant and a mouse get the same number of heartbeats in their lifetime. The mouse uses his up very quickly and doesn't live very long, the elephant uses his up very slowly, and lives a long time.
YMMV