Tips and Tricks for oil changes:
Have you ever changed  your oil and spilled or leaked oil from the filter all over the exhaust pipe? Then you spend several minutes wiping it all off so it doesn't blow back on the engine, etc.
Well, I am going to tell you how to prevent this in the future. First take some regular tin/alum. foil from the kitchen and pull out about 2' and place it over the exhaust pipe in between the oil filter and the pipe, wrap it so the oil will flow into your pan.  Now place your oil drain pan under the area so you catch all the oil that will be directed around the pipe. Now remove your oil filter and let the oil run into the container instead of all over your exhaust pipe. Hope this saves you some time. Good Luck!

Tips and Tricks for adjusting the chain :
Assuming you have adjusted your chain before you will know what I'm talking about. When you loosen the axle bolt and adjust the chain you turn the adjustment screws out to tighten the chain. O.K. I know you already knew that. Now the trick is to make sure the axle adjustment plates stays tight against the bolts when tightening. If they don't and you have a gap, the wheel will be out of alignment. Even if you make sure both sides are perfect, then tighten the axle down and one side moves back just a little bit this can throw you out of alignment. Now the tip is to make your adjustment and get everything perfect and then put a 12mm wrench between the sprocket and the chain and roll the bike or turn the wheel so the wrench is turned between the sprocket and chain this will tighten the chain and keep the wheel / axle against the adjustment bolts while you tighten. Good Luck and I hope this helps you get more mileage out of your chain. Remember, proper alignment is as important as chain lube.

Tips and Tricks for removing graphics
Remove those factory number plates and graphics  with Citristrip adhesive remover, this stuff works great. Take a hair dryer and heat up the graphic you want to remove then peel it off- keeping heat on it while peeling. ( Don't get it too hot, you just want to get it warm not blister the paint!) Now use a soft cloth and apply the Citristrip and wait 5-10 mins.- then wipe it off. You will need to keep the cloth wet with Citristrip while wiping the adhesive off.  I removed the rear number plates on my 00 CBR 929 in about 30 min. to an hour. I then added the Tape Works Graphics Kit, but that's another story. 

Tips and Tricks for Stripping and Polishing Rims :
 Have you ever seen a bike with the wheel/rim/ lip polished and wonder how he did it? Well, let's start by saying it is not as hard as you might think. First, let's finish off those tires and get them off the rims so we have lots of room to work. After you have the tires off clean the rims so the tape will stick to them, get all the oil, etc. off of them. Now use a vinyl type tape that will stay where you put it or professional masking tape ( you don't want the edges coming up ).  Now decide where you want to strip the rim and put the tape there. Let's say we are going to follow the inside ridge of the rim beside the spokes. Once you get your tape in place. Get the    and a brush too apply it. Now very carefully brush it on the rim and work your way around the tape edge, make sure you don't push on the tape you want to keep a very clean edge. Now wait the 10-15 min. and wipe it off. Once you clean all of the paint stripper off the rim, now it is time to polish it. Get your clean cloth and 

Tips and Tricks for Chain Alignment :
Ever wonder why your chain and sprockets wear out so fast?  Well, if you read Cycle World Magazine they will tell you not all bikes have accurate markings on the swingarm. Since Motion Pro makes a special tool for this job, I would say it is most likely true. This is what the tool looks like from Motion Pro   http://www.motionpro.com/index.html    Now I am going to tell you how to make one for FREE.  First you will need a strong piece of metal rod like a coat hanger but stronger so it doesn't flex. Make it long enough so it will reach from the Swing arm mounting bolt at the engine and reach back to the axle bolt in the rear wheel. Now bend it so it has a little L  shape which will slip into the hole at the swing arm bolt. Now put a zip tie / plastic tie strap around the metal rod at the other end where it is even with the axle bolt.(Getting the picture?) Now adjust your chain like you always do then check the distance with your new tool to make sure you have the same exact distance on both sides. If you don't, it is because your markings on the swing arm are off. If they are, you need to use your new tool to adjust both sides the same so your rear wheel and chain are in line. Slide the tie strap so it is lined up with the axle bolt, then walk to the other side and do the same thing. This will tell you if you have it lined up.  If both sides are the same, then you should be in line. Bikes will vary, so you must figure what works best for you. This is one of many methods used. I do not take any responsibility for this tip- use it at your own risk.

Tips and Tricks on how to clean your leathers :
 So your great looking leathers are kinda dirty looking from bugs and stuff hitting the front   when you ride. This YUCKS!  Getting the perforated leather looking good again can be a real pain,  but I have learned a few tricks that can help you:

• First, get a cloth, like a kitchen towel (smart tip-don't let your wife see you take her kitchen towel) and get it damp. Not sopping wet--just damp. Wipe off what you can from the surface of the jacket. You won't be able to get the bug stuff out of the holes at this point so just do what you can. Don't push hard enough to squeeze any water on the jacket or into the perfs. Water isn't good for the leather.
• To get the bug stuff out of the holes, get some square tooth pics and cut them in half with some good scissors or a pocket knife. The cut end will have a square end and is about the right size to fit in the holes. The square shape makes a great tool for removing the debris. Stick the square end in the hole and twirl it between your fingers a little bit. This kind of reams out the holes and removes the bug stuff. You will find this works pretty well except for the shoulder areas where the jacket is made with the perf. leather sewn over a layer of solid leather. This presents a problem since your toothpick reamer tool won't go all the way through and the bug stuff can't come out easily. For these areas, get your self some black shoe cream. Dip the toothpick into the shoe polish and ream out the holes. Even though the toothpick might not dig out all the bug stuff, the shoe polish will blacken the hole and make it look new again. With a little patience, you can clean up a pretty gross jacket in about 45 minutes.
• After debugging/reaming, I like to condition the leather. Leather conditioner like Lexol works great for me. Conditioning a solid jacket is simple, but you need to do it a little differently with a perf. jacket. If you put on conditioner and just wipe it around, you get it down in the holes and you're back where you started with the bug stuff--with white looking gunk in your holes. For perf. leather, get a soft cloth, not a towel, but rather a cotton cloth of some type without a nap. Dampen the cloth with the conditioner just enough so that it won't squeeze out when you start to rub on the jacket. What you will be doing is applying a light coat of conditioner to the jacket surface without squeezing it into the holes. You can repeat this if you feel you want more conditioner in the leather.
• If your sleeve patches are dirty, I have found that some spray carpet cleaner and a toothbrush work great. Spray on liberally and brush and it will kind of foam up and clean it very well. Dab it dry with a towel and let it completely dry.
• WHEN YOU ARE USING THE SHOE POLISH, DON'T GET ANY ON THE SLEEVE PATCH! You'll never get it clean. 7

 Tips and Tricks for Heli Bars :
 I would like to start by saying this was the best thing I did to the 929 for rider comfort. I ordered the clip on's before I picked up the bike, because I knew the stock clip on angle is not what I wanted. If I was racing on the track I would go with the Vortex or something like that in a 2 piece design and lower. But I am not racing on the track at least not a real track. Just a little place we go... but back to the bars. If you decide to purchase Heli bars you retain the stock controls, etc. But you do have to reroute the clutch cable. You need to remove the Right side plastic and remove the clutch cable and route it over the engine mount brace. My cable was under the brace and was not long enough. Well, it was but you will see how it rubs on the ignition if you don't reroute it. ( I am not the only person that has had this problem ) Also you will have to cut off the brake line brace on the reservoir. You will see a little tab that sticks out and keeps the brake line from moving forward. This little tab will have to be removed so you can move the brake line 1/4" forward for clearance. These are the only two things you will need to do. Just bolt them on and attach all of your controls. etc. And Enjoy the new comfort. Good luck, you could buy them with the discount for around $200.00 or less.

Tips and Tricks For Blacked Out Turn Signals :
If you want to make your turn signals look trick then tint them. Yes, you can tint them using spray on window tint for models. Testor's makes a tint paint (part #2949) which is sold and used for tinting  windows on radio-controlled models. Just remove your turn signal lenses,Clean them very thoroughly first with soap and water, then with a stripper such as paint thinner (don't use acetone or other plastic-eating solvents). This is very important! Once clean, scuff the surface using 1200-grit sandpaper. It is important that you clean and scuff the surface to get a good paint bond. Once you sand them, clean the lenses with paint thinner again. Put the lenses on a piece of newspaper in a wind-free area with good ventilation. Doing it in the open sun is good because you can see mperfections and it will dry the paint quicker. Now tape off around the edges and spray the tint on very litely. (You may want to test the paint on something else first just for practice). Do this several times ( 3-5 ) to get the desired tint. Most people go too dark and severely limit the light output.Don't go to dark, or you may get hassled by the police. You can do this with any plastic. Good Luck

Tips and Tricks to Installing SS Brake Lines:

GIMME  A  BRAKE

(NOV 1997) This month, my husband (Matt) replaced his stock front brake line with a braided stainless steel line. Here's some information on brake lines, why you might want to swap yours, and how to go about it.

How does a front hydraulic disc brake work?

When you want to engage the front brake, you squeeze the brake lever. This causes the master cylinder to move, which pushes brake fluid down the front brake line. The fluid puts pressure on the front brake piston(s) which causes the brake pads to press against the brake disc, which causes friction, which makes your bike stop.

Why do I want to replace my stock rubber brake line with a stainless steel braided brake line?

Well, it's not a necessity, but it's an easy way to get more efficient braking. Most, if not all, stock brake lines are rubber. When you engage your brake the brake fluid puts pressure on the rubber brake line, which causes it to expand slightly. Any pressure that is being used to expand the brake line is pressure that is Not being used to stop your bike. A braided stainless steel brake line won't expand as much as a rubber one; this makes for more efficient braking (and Matt claims there is a better, more precise "feel" in the braking, although I'm not sure I can tell a difference).

How easy is it to replace my brake line?

Ohhhh, this is an easy one. It took us less than an hour to swap out the brake line. You only need a few items to do the swap:

• your new brake line and its associated hardware (ordered from a local shop - you tell them what bike you have, and they'll get you the right SS line)
• a couple of bottles of DOT 3 or 4 brake fluid (check your manual for which kind to use)
• closed-end wrenches for use on brake line parts (the parts are delicate; you don't want to bung them up)
• torque wrench (for tightening the new line)
• a bottle to catch the old fluid

Optional materials:

• your dog, and
• some music on the stereo

Now let me explain how to swap your line. There are a few things you need to know about brake fluid before you start messing with it: (1) it eats paint, skin, and anything else it comes in contact with, so be careful not to spill it on your tank, your hands, or your dog, (2) brake fluid is SUPER water-absorbent. When you're not using the bottle of fluid, CLOSE IT or it'll be ruined, and (3) don't re-use brake fluid. If you use "new" brake fluid to bleed your line, you can't catch it at the bottom and pour it back in the top. Once it's gone through your brake system and out the other side, it's OLD, so don't re-use it!

Now, start with your old line. Open the bleeder valve (check your manual if you're not sure where it is), attach a short hose, and let the fluid drain out of the line. As you're letting the fluid drain out of the old line, remove the cover for the brake fluid reservoir (the box-looking thing located somewhere near your right handlebar). Use some paper towels to sop up all of the brake fluid from the reservoir. Once the brake fluid is completely drained from the reservoir, you can remove the brake line connection at the top. (When you do so, make sure you have some paper towels handy in case you need to mop up a leak or a spill.)

Before you chuck your old brake line, check it and remove any rubber mounting thingies that might be on it. You'll want to swap those rubber thingies onto the new brake line, so you can firmly mount it .

Now take your new brake line (isn't it beautiful?) and attach it (with the NEW mounting bolts and NEW crush-washers which should have come with it) to the brake fluid reservoir. Don't tighten it just yet, but attach it loosely.

Thread the brake line through the appropriate mounting areas (in other words, put the new brake line exactly where the old one was), and then bolt it onto the bottom mount (loosely - don't tighten it just yet).

Take your torque wrench and tighten the two mounting bolts to spec. (The line on the Hawk GT had to be tightened to 30 N-m; you should check your manual for the spec for your bike.) Once the two bolts are tight, you're ready to add the brake fluid. (There are some folks who actually make sure the new brake line is full of fluid before they put it in place. I have NO idea how they do this... if you're one of those people, drop me a line and tell me your secret - I'll pass it on!) Pour the brake fluid into the top reservoir, keeping it topped up while you bleed the brakes. Finally, you need to bleed your brake line until there are no more air bubbles. Air bubbles in your brake line are BAD. They can be deadly. If there are air bubbles in your brake line, the best-case scenario is that your brakes will be very spongy, and the worst-case scenario is that they won't work at all. So bleed, bleed, bleed. And it's a good idea to let the bike sit for a day or two after the swap so that any bubbles you missed can work their way out on their own, and then bleed the brakes again.

Gimme a Brake copyright 1997, Erika H. Bennett

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