So I have had my beast for only one riding season and already have so many things I would like to do to it but limited mechanical, and when I say limited I mean none, skills or experience. I really don't want a test dummy this expensive so am trying to find someone(s) in Mid Missouri who owns a 14R that would help me learn some pretty routine stuff like oil changes, fender eliminator kit etc. Not looking for someone to do it for me but, especially with oil change, help me be able to do it myself. I am more than willing to travel and compensate for time spent. This forum is great and I really appreciate all the advice and information posted here for those like me that really only ride!

I'm in KC, and could offer some tips. Let me know.

Good gawd I need to get a fresh pic of that stuff.

* Last updated by: jimmymac on 2/28/2015 @ 2:01 AM *

When you say none, do you also mean like my tool set consist of a couple screwdrivers and a green box ratchet set? Or do you mean motorcycle's specifically, but you have worked on cars?

Quite honestly you're up for a challenge learning basic motorcycling on 14. Motorcyclist live and die by maintenance. IMO 14s are rough on themselves, that big motor puts a lot of stress on components. Proper and timely maintenance checks are vital (loose bolts, chain slack/wear, tires, etc.)

General
The bike is basically a big hunk of aluminum. Aluminum will not tolerate abuse of any sort, cross thread something once and it's done (might be savable). Over torque something it's very easy to strip threads or break a bolt.

You must:
- Have patience
- Notice when you're becoming frustrated and walk away
- Be gentle like you're working with a baby. For stuff like removing body work, if you're putting more than a couple lbs of force pushing or pulling you are doing it wrong. Other than maybe manually mounting tires, motorcycles are highly engineered and come apart and go back together in a specific way.
- live by the numbers, as engineered as these bikes are torque values are specified for probably every fastener on the bike. Get the service manual, double check torque values and double-check torque wrench settings (mistake a 44 in-lb bolt for a 44 ft-lb bolt and you're gonna have trouble)

Stand
Stands, you have a few options. If you're not in need of paddock stands (your uses will require them specifically), you should look into pivot stands such as ABBA or Hiendl and there are probably others. A lot of us have either and everyone likes them.

Tools
- standard tools (ratchets, wrenches, metric, screwdrivers, flash light, shop lights, space to work etc.)
service manual
Torque wrenches - inch lbs and foot lbs (CDI on Amazon for 100-130 are pretty good clicker type wrenches..this is what I have)
hex bit driver set
36mm socket for the steering stem head nut
32mm socket for rear axle nut
43mm/30mm castle nut driver for the swingarm pivot locknut and a couple other uses (think it's also used for clutch work).
22mm hex bit driver for front axle
65/14 oil filter cap wrench or other oil filter removal tool

Optional tools or you will need at some point or equivalents
steering head tools
Generation 1 Spark Plug tool (Gen 2 does not come with this, all reports are Gen 1's tool works)
calipers - if you want to be really precise on rear axle alignment adjustments

* Last updated by: VicThing on 2/28/2015 @ 6:26 AM *

http://www.zx14ninjaforum.com/messages.cfm?threadid=A6D9C5D1-D56B-84E2-1AC877781E3CF7AC

Lots of how to videos on Youtube.

If you were closer, I would let you use my shop/tools/bike table/mad skilz.

Excellent post, Vic.

As always - this forum has been friendly and helpful!

Jimmymac - I will hit you up for sure as we get closer to some weather I feel comfortable riding in to KC!

Victhing - Great advice and post - to show my basic level of expertise in mechanics .. no idea what half those things are or what I would do with them if I had one!

To answer a few questions posed above .. no I have not really ever worked on cars or motorcycles nor do I feel I should try to handle any kind of repair or modifications on my own now or even in the future. I should be more specific on my immediate goals here...

1) The biggest thing for me right now is to learn routine maintenance starting with changing the oil and oil filter - runs about $75 or more when I take it in to the shop. I have watched the videos which are great but just not ready to tackle it on my own - lack of skills and tools etc.

2) Installation of a fender eliminator kit - I have seen a ton of ideas on the forum about those and they all look viable but, again, a little hesitant to go after it on my own.

3) Exhaust system - I would like to replace this and, again, have seen several posts about which is best or preferred so will have to make a decision on that. Either way, I am not sure if this is best handled by simply paying someone for labor or trying to assist and learn.

4) The bike went down on some gravel (nothing in this world I hate more) at an extremely low speed and there are some scratches on the fairings - no cracks, holes etc. but it makes me sick every time I look at it. I will post pics in a separate thread because I need to decide the best course of action to take between matching the factory paint and repainting only affected fairings, purchasing a new set of fairings or simply having the entire bike painted. It will also require either sand blasting or replacing one of the mirrors which got a good size scratch.

There is a factory service manual at the beginning of the General section which applies to your bike even tho it says 2012, no really any changes. You can download the manual to your computer, print the manual (700 or so pages) or just use it online printing only the pages you need.

One of the easiest mods you can do is exhaust slip-ons. If you go with slip-on exhaust such as Yosh R-77 it's only one bolt for the hanger and two springs where the exhaust slips on to the header, very simple change. Yosh instructions explain everything you need to do and you don't need to modify anything! If you can read, and obviously you can, you can do it and then sit back and be proud of your acomplishment!

With a basic set of metric wrenches and allen wrenches you can acomplish a lot more than you think. Take your time, like Vic said, patience, it is a virtue and it will keep you from breaking something. Like I was taught a LONG time ago, read the instructions completely and then read them again.

This is a great forum and I'm sure you'll be able to find lots of people to provide great advice!

Best to you and your new baby!!!

When I look back I am just blown out of the water how some of us have 3 of these going thru our hands already. Time flies and so does the reach-around and decisions-decisions. Like joining the army, taking up racing, you know going in you may die. What you did though was make a commitment. That's the bottom line. You knew nothing about what you were about to do, but you did it without anyone's help learning the curve or the ropes. It's not that you can't do it. Everyday you learned something and experienced the good and the bad mistakes. You took it with you as you now look back. Time is hay waiting in the fields kind of decisions-decisions, so hand me that clustizzfucupitsfucked needle nose is.

1) The biggest thing for you is to learn routine maintenance via your owner's manual/vids/shop manual/Rook's tutorials/hands on/cross your fingers/kiss your wallet goodbye.. hey wait! You can stay with the $75 shop rate kind of know what they are doing, or is this a money issue? I'm not going to ask and you need to step off the red carpet if you think this is you. If you can afford it, step away from the bike and have it done. This is me looking at the bike/a want/a decision to make. Is that not universal? So how could it be coincidence call it. Lack of skills is to start from the bottom. Lack of tools etc. says, do I spend my shop rate money on tools and oil or stop talking about it and get ear done. Hear me? The proverbial, 'shit or get off the pot.'

2) Installation of a fender eliminator kit - Stop! Just stop it. I now have a fender that eliminated my tools by blowing away 'I gotta have it parts' is parts not thrown at "The Vic-List." You get to sleep with your tools kind of study-study-study your hobby>> turn it into. And that is how you become a tool kind of fix it out in the field; not a caterpillar dealer for 1000's of miles; and there goes the crop; storm coming; and you have an oil filter tool that is able to turn bikes over with; and where is it? Again, if we are a little hesitant, this is a "no turning back" kind of; I got the old filter off but stripped the new filter going on and can still see the threads. I now have a huge oil leak going on so I'm going to ride over to the dealer kind of; I don't want to do this anymore.

3) Exhaust system - No not again, "I gotta have it' stomp on the ground what the hell for into 1 he said. Every time a 'gotta have' pops up in the head, close your eyes, hold your arm out and point to the next, 'gotta have the next tool off "The Vick List." That's more of a decision to make. I have to WANT to do this and commit. Think real hard. 2-wheels. 1-mistake and down you go. It's not that drastic of an observation, but think like this bike as a fighter jet. You are the maintenance man not the pilot. You can kill the plane, not the pilot. Look at all that money up in smoke. WOT didn't you and/or what did you do? So in a way, you will have your own hands and improper hand tools to blame.

4) The bike went down and (nothing in this world I hate more) says it goes with the sport. I have to look at that as a battle scar. Can you see where this is going? I know there are some big dollar scratches on the fairings. Oh look at that - no cracks, holes etc. Now we have a decision to make about a quote and no pun intended when I say, "It's a throwaway." So every time you look at it, it's not to say you are proud of it. You have to know how it happened and be aware of your new hobby. A very expensive hobby, and if only you have the head for it. It's more a battle of the anal-ing. No sympathy here over plastic. Hey, there are more important things in the world than a scratched bike and that is to scratch off all that paint/fairing replace/what a disgrace/you don't scratch a tool off the list.

'I need to decide the best course of action' is to wind up not listening to turtle, who is listening to you, who is not the final decision maker, but looking out in the net from afar. It is you making decisions about a throwaway and throwaway your money on a bike with little damage. I'd let the next owner worry about it. It is not me about to waste gas driving all over the place. Driving around gathering tool is money well spent. See me burning that money down... on a "depreciating value" as we speak? Buy the time we look back, you pissed money at a throwaway vs. a box of tools that will work on the next bike/car you own. Oh and btw, are not oil changes about as routine as changing a diaper on a baby? But no, 'I have to have' matching factory paint and repainting only affected fairings and the next owner wished you left it alone. The sun took its toll on all that sanding, masking, gassing over, "Is it done, is it done?" kind of purchasing a new set of tools instead of fairings and a bike painted all mismatched. Yeah, it's ready, come pick it up 5 months later.

No sand blasting, cha-ching! No replacing one of the mirrors I can still see perfectly no glass broken, cha-ching! Everything has got a good size scratch and that's not the tipped over side so I'll, I'lll....