Motorcycle wheel balancing,valve stems,and other Q's

[Mobile Welder]

I am going to put in my steel valve stems this weekend.Is there any particular one make that is preferred? Also,do you guys trust the local bike shop to balance your wheels? Or is there a certain way,or;place to have it done.?I am also looking into installing a riv-nut kit into the frame of my fzr1000 exup to locate a steering damper but am wondering if that will hold up?(aluminum frame).I cant seem to find a kit like from scotts or gpr etc, for my Yamaha. (1994).I will also be puting on a new chain and sprockets.Any info would be much apreciated. Thank you.Gary.

[wobblywalrus]

Werner did not want to drill into his frame, either.  The pictures show a little "U" bracket he made.

The BUB rules say the steering damper cannot be the steering stops.  The stops had to be enlarged so they restricted the triple tree turning, rather than the damper.  A picture shows are enlarged stops. 

[donpearsall]

I used to balance my wheels myself very meticulously to the 10th of a gram. Then I saw that after each run there would be huge chunks of salt on the rims that apparently held on at speeds way over 200 mph. I never even noticed that the wheels were out of balance. I clean the rims after each run and spray silicone on them, but at the end of a run, there still is enough salt hanging on that all the balancing work made no difference.
Don

[Stainless1]

Hey Don, maybe the salt is seeking the true balance of your wheels, try leaving it on and see if it changes....  could be the salt gods trying to help... 

 

MW just take them to a shop that does a good job on street wheels, any metal stem will work.  There are several types of dampers, I'm not sure riv-nuts will do the job.  Test on a piece of scrap first.

[Peter Jack]

I'd be rather nervous about using rivnuts to handle a dynamic load. They aren't really anchored all that strongly and putting them under a single shear side load is probably asking for trouble.

Pete

[Dean Los Angeles]

I agree. Rivnut pullout strength is too low to trust on a steering damper.

[wobblywalrus]

Gary, that bracket assy in the previous post is for a 150cc Honda.  We would make a stouter one for a bigger bike. -Bo

[Mobile Welder]

Thanks. The frame is alum. I remember we used to have the riv-nuts come loose on our kx500 subrames too.I was thinking of a plunger type damper.I wish gpr or scotts made  a set up.I also dont know how to hook up the teather kill switch.I'm not too good with electrical stuff.on a dirt bike it would be pretty easy.Do you guys tie it in to the handle bar mounted kill switch? (run/off switch)?With all the electrical b.s. on this thing i dont want to mess somthing up.Its carbureted but theres still all these sensors and stuff.I guess i'll trust the motorcycle shop to do the balancing on their machine.It seems fine on the road,but then again i'm not going over 100 mph much at all either.My bike also has an electric fuel pump but it switches off when the ignition is turned off.
Do i need a seperate switch to shut it off? or will the dead-man teather switch suffice for this as it will turn it off too? Thanks.

[wobblywalrus]

Usually there is wire feeding the ignition system with a fuse in it.  The electrics are designed so current to the ignition system can be broken at the fuse and not mess anything up.  We simply hook the tether kill switch into this wire in series with the fuse.  The current goes through the fuse, then through the tether switch, and then to the ignition circuit.

[Seldom Seen Slim]

Just for the sake of the discussion, the above comment from WW holds true on distributor engines, but magneto-fired units commonly have the tether switch installed in series with the wire that grounds the mag.  Two strokes do this -- and so, if that's what you're thinking of running -- interrupt that wire, not a hot one.

[Mobile Welder]

Hey guys. Thanks for the replys. It's a 1994 fzr 1000. I think i can make a bracket for the steering damper off of the windscreen/mirror mount on the frame in front of the gas tank. I'm looking at a schematic of the electrical.....i think i can just splice into the wire that goes to the on-off switch on the right handlebar.Do you guys get themm from a speedway bike supplier or waverunner shop or is this a common item for a road race bike? I'm new to street bikes in the form of modifying them.. Thanks.

[Stainless1]

That is the place, make your tether do the same thing the off side does... which is open a circuit.  That new a bike should have a scotts kit.... search ebay for a couple of months before you give up.  But any factory mount in the frame will probably be tough enough.
Pictures.... we need pictures...

[Mobile Welder]

I am going to give Scott's and GPR a call. They may have them but just dont advertise them anymore since the bike is 17 years old.I will take pic's soon. I will have my daughter show me how to post them. She's a computer whiz-kid.

[grumm441]

I'm looking at a schematic of the electrical.....i think i can just splice into the wire that goes to the on-off switch on the right handlebar.Do you guys get themm from a speedway bike supplier or waverunner shop or is this a common item for a road race bike? I'm new to street bikes in the form of modifying them.. Thanks.

I would use one of these
They work normally open or normally closed and they are resin sealed
http://www.mcsonline.com.au/components/com_virtuemart/shop_image/product/kb20-P0.gif

Splicing into the handle bar on off switch works, or you could look at the fuses
If all else fails, try the side stand switch
G

[John Noonan]

Mobile,

I have a tank in perfect condition for the FZR1000 in your picture with some other parts as well..


Let me know if you need anything, subframe, wiring etc..

John