Specifications

Routine maintenance
4
Check the tyre pressures and tread wear
Check the tyre pressures with a gauge that is known to be
accurate. It is worthwhile purchasing a pocket gauge for this
purpose because the gauges on garage forecourt airlines are
notoriously inaccurate. The pressures, which should be checked
with the tyres cold, are specified at the end of Routine
maintenance and in Chapter 5.
At the same time as the tyre pressures are checked,
examine the tyres themselves. Check them for damage,
especially splitting of the sidewalls. Remove any small stones or
other road debris caught between the treads. When checking
the tyres for damage, they should be examined for tread depth
in view of both the legal and safety aspects. It is vital to keep
the tread depth within the UK legal limits of 1 mm of depth over
three-quarters of the tread breadth around the entire circumfer-
ence with no bald patches. Many riders, however, consider
nearer 2 mm to be the limit for secure roadholding, traction, and
braking, especially in adverse weather conditions, and it should
be noted that Honda recommend minimum tread depths of 1.5
mm (0.06 in) for the front tyre and 2.0 mm (0.08 in) for the rear;
these measurements to be taken at the centre of the tread.
Renew any tyre that is found to be damaged or excessively
worn.
5 Safety check
Check that the front and rear suspension is operating
correctly, that the chain is lubricated and adjusted correctly and
that the battery is in good condition. Check the throttle and
clutch cables and levers, the gear lever and the footrests and
stand to ensure that they are adjusted correctly, functioning
correctly, and that all nuts and bolts are securely fastened.
6 Legal check
Check that all lights, turn signals, horn and speedometer are
working correctly to make sure that the machine complies with
all legal requirements in this respect. Check also that the
headlamp is correctly aimed to comply with local legislation.
Monthly or every 600 miles (1000 km)
/ Check the battery
The battery should be checked regularly to ensure that the
electrolyte level is maintained between the level lines on the
casing, that the terminals are clean and securely fastened and
that the vent tube is correctly routed and free from blockages.
Refer to Chapter 6.5 for details.
2 Check the final drive chain
Despite its full enclosure, the final drive chain requires
regular attention to ensure maximum chain life. Remove the
rubber plug from the chaincase inspection aperture to check the
tension and carry out temporary lubrication. The best lubricant
is commercial chain lubricant, contained in an aerosol can;
engine oil or gear oil are better than nothing but are flung off too
quickly to be of any real use. Best of all are the special chain
greases described in Chapter 5.14.
Adjust the chain after lubrication, so that there is approx-
imately 20 mm (|- in) slack in the middle of the lower run.
Always check with the chain at the tightest point as a chain
rarely wears evenly during service.
Adjustment is accomplished after placing the machine on
the centre stand and slackening the spindle nut, so that the
wheel can be drawn backwards by means of the drawbolt
adjusters in the swinging arm fork ends.
The torque arm nut and the rear brake adjuster must also be
slackened during this operation. Adjust the drawbolts an equal
amount to preserve wheel alignment. The fork ends are clearly
marked with a series of parallel lines above the adjusters, to
provide a simple visual check.
3 Additional engine oil change
Since the engine relies so heavily on the quantity and
quality of its oil, and since the oil in any motorcycle engine is
worked far harder than in other vehicles, it is recommended that
the engine oil is changed at more frequent intervals than those
specified by the manufacturer. This is particularly important if
the machine is used at very high speeds for long periods of time,
and even more important if the machine is used only at very
slow speed or for very short journeys. The oil should be changed
at approximate intervals of every month or every 1000 miles,
depending on usage. Honda specify that the oil should be
changed at least once annually or every 1 800 miles (3000 km),
whichever comes first.
Three-monthly, or every 1800 miles (3000 km)
1 Change the engine oil and clean the filter gauze
This is the specified interval at which the engine/gearbox oil
should be changed; in normal use it should be regarded as the
maximum permissible.
It is recommended that the oil be changed after a run to
ensure that the engine is warm. This helps the oil to drain
thoroughly. Obtain a container of at least 1 litre (1.76 pints)
Free play can be felt via the inspection hole Move each adjuster by an equal amount