[il_ragazzo]

i see you already have an ad up in craigslist looking for a mechanic! good job!

[The CyberPoet]

Another way to look at this is: If you look at the charges a shop will cost you, and some KR members assist you with the principle maintenance items, the cost savings will more than pay for some decent tools for future services.

Good point. A stock 15k service runs about $320 at most places these days with an $80/hr shop rate plus supplies... A good mechanics' tool set from Sears (craftsman) plus the specialty tools AND supplies will typically only run you about $280 - $320. And you'll never need to buy the tools again

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

[diavolo]

Another way to look at this is: If you look at the charges a shop will cost you, and some KR members assist you with the principle maintenance items, the cost savings will more than pay for some decent tools for future services. Plus, you have the security and knowledge that the repairs were done right. CP sells maintenance items, HS2020 brakes and chain sets. Both are excellent vendors, and knowledgeable in all areas of our Kats. Don't be afraid to dive in - these bikes are pretty indestructible - another reason you got "the look" from the shop.

[The CyberPoet]

so if you like that setup grab a 14 tooth front sprocket and a 45 tooth rear sprocket (make sure your sprockets are made of steel, they will last longer).

+1 -- personally I recommend the RK+Vortex steel-steel combo kits as cost effective and well engineered.

since you live in a fairly big city and extremely hilly* city , if you do mostly city riding i would get a 47 - 48 tooth rear sprocket for increased available torque. remember to adjust your chain length if changing gear ratios.

Given the amount of wet roads (mostly fog) and cobblestones in use in San Francisco, I'd recommend not increasing the torque with oversized sprockets. I would however *HIGHLY* recommend checking the tire age & make and looking for something that handles the wet extremely well -- my preference for that situation is Metzeler Z6's in 120/70ZR17 front & 150/70ZR17 rear on all the 88-06 Kat's.

If you just bought the bike i would check the brake pads too. just to give my self an estimate on how long i have till replacement is necessary.

If you plan on swapping pads, swap brake caliper seals at the same time...

KNOW THIS:
Brake fluid is good for 2 years max, 1 year max in high humidity environments. As it sucks up water from the air (through the hoses!), it turns darker and/or murkier -- good fluid is clear to light amber (think water to budweiser).

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

[il_ragazzo]

he stated in his 1st post he had a 93 600 so there is no grinding required.
stock gearing i do believe for a 93 600 is a 14 /45 at 112 link chain. so if you like that setup grab a 14 tooth front sprocket and a 45 tooth rear sprocket (make sure your sprockets are made of steel, they will last longer).

since you live in a fairly big city and extremely hilly* city , if you do mostly city riding i would get a 47 - 48 tooth rear sprocket for increased available torque. remember to adjust your chain length if changing gear ratios.

air filters last a pretty long time around my town but your closer to the ocean so i would check to see if i needed a new air filter.

oil and oil filter along with a fumoto valve.

If you just bought the bike i would check the brake pads too. just to give my self an estimate on how long i have till replacement is necessary.

as far as mechanics out there in SF i would put an add out in Craigslist saying you need a mechanic if your not comfortable with riding to Greg or myself. (we are both 3 hours from ya)

*btw 22nd street in SF is the steepest street in the western hemisphere!

[The CyberPoet]

88 -06 Suzuki Katana 600 & 750 take a model F111 (M14x1.25).
98+ have to cut/grind away the ridge next to the drain bolt hole to get sufficient clearance to spin the fumoto in all the way. There are pics all over from me on this...



Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet
_____________________________________________
The Best Motorcycle Tire Valves in the World (Aluminum!), plus lots of general motorcycle help files & Katana (GSX600F / GSX750F) specific help files.
CyberPoet's KR-special deals' are here (click)

[budgie45]

re

does one size of Fumoto valve fit all,and this is the first time im going to do a service on myu bike i dont know if the old owner did it.
so what should i buy,new oil the Fumoto valve i have a new clutch cable,do i need a new air filter and what else thanks

[budgie45]

re

thanks folks for all the info love this forum,
still looking for some one to do the work,i have to find out what kind of sprockets i need a s well

[il_ragazzo]

I do motorcycle repair as sidework and am a fun 3 hour ride away. 30 an hour is my going rate. Could be worth the trip for the money you would save. I've only been a rider/tech/tuner since 1974 but I'm willing to learn still.

Where are u located greg? im down for a good ride.

Thank you for the compliments...
And, yes, I have a manometer (Morgan CarbTune II) available for rent.

Anytime.

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet
_____________________________________________
The Best Motorcycle Tire Valves in the World (Aluminum!), plus lots of general motorcycle help files & Katana (GSX600F / GSX750F) specific help files.
CyberPoet's KR-special deals' are here (click)

[The CyberPoet]

every thing CP just said right there is right on mark! i bought a Fumoto valve and love it! i buy oil filters from him as well! He is a great way to get started in normal Katana up keep.

CP didn't you at one point have a manometer for rent? i think i recall something about that? and arsenic does clean alot of carbs for people and he's still cheaper than dealerships in SF.

Thank you for the compliments...
And, yes, I have a manometer (Morgan CarbTune II) available for rent.



Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet
_____________________________________________
The Best Motorcycle Tire Valves in the World (Aluminum!), plus lots of general motorcycle help files & Katana (GSX600F / GSX750F) specific help files.
CyberPoet's KR-special deals' are here (click)

[GregS]

I do motorcycle repair as sidework and am a fun 3 hour ride away. 30 an hour is my going rate. Could be worth the trip for the money you would save. I've only been a rider/tech/tuner since 1974 but I'm willing to learn still.

[il_ragazzo]

every thing CP just said right there is right on mark! i bought a Fumoto valve and love it! i buy oil filters from him as well! He is a great way to get started in normal Katana up keep.

CP didn't you at one point have a manometer for rent? i think i recall something about that? and arsenic does clean alot of carbs for people and he's still cheaper than dealerships in SF.

[The CyberPoet]

In San Francisco, the predominant hourly rates represent (in large part) the cost of the real estate to run the shop on. Thus, while more rural & cheaper areas get $60 - $85 an hour for standard shop rate, big-city shops often get $100 - $120. It's the cost of doing business.

As for reliable, my advice is that if you don't find a local who swears by a specific shop, use a Suzuki OEM dealership. Your bike will get parts faster, the mechanics will be trained specifically for Suzuki's, and you'll be billed standard rates based on the Suzuki Time Manual. If you need a "full" service (valve adjustment, oil & filter change, etc.), be sure to ask for the "15k mile service" rather than listing the items separately -- the time manual combines time required to remove fairings, etc. when you ask for the 15k service, where it would include the time to strip fairings for each separate task if you ask for them individually.

Carbs: consider buying a set off a member or former member of KR who specializes in buying them used (or taking in trade-ins), cleaning, going through them fully & delivering a set of ready-to-run carbs. This is probably the cheapest way of getting a reliable set of correctly jetted carbs, and virtually guaranteed to be lower than a local shop if you're not doing your own work on stripping/cleaning/setting carbs.

Oil: Big city use in the summer - Mobil 1 MX4T 20w50. Highest vapor temp available, more likely to take stop-n-go traffic without letting your engine get damaged than any other in that scenario. As for the filters, I sell the OEM Suzuki oil filters for $8.50 -- see my deals thread: http://katriders.com/vb/showthread.php?t=58596

Personally, I agree with the others: do your own work, or at least learn to pick-and-choose what you can do vs. what you'll pay someone else to do (i.e. - zero sense in paying someone else to do an oil change for you). Fumoto valve will make doing oil changes a breeze and you'll never think about using a shop for them again

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

[il_ragazzo]

if you want to do the ride ive got the tools to change a chain. but my manometer is on backorder so your carbs will have to wait.


*im not A licensed motorcycle mechanic so if u want a pro do it i suggest going out of town to a smaller city that will charge u less than you leg for a few tightened bolts.

[budgie45]

re

yeah but this is my daly runner to work so i would like a pro to do it,the shops in sf is a 100 an hour i dont mind paying some one 50 an hour to do it thats all i can afford