DIY chain, sprockets, maintenance/service advise

Zowghi

Zowghi

Zowghi

Associate
Joined
11 Nov 2009
Posts
661
Location
Essex
Hi OcUk,

I'm looking for some advice on whether or not I should be attempting the much needed TLC my '12 ER6 requires. I bought the bike privately on 12k and over the last year I've taken that up to 20k. I can see it was last serviced at 8k so it's long overdue.

I noticed this week the chain (DID) was very slack and some links weren't moving too well. I took it to my local Kawasaki dealer today who confirmed the chain and sprockets have worn well past where they would usually be replaced.

I also asked about the lack of service history and they recommended the 15k service. When I asked what this entailed he said "everything", after a rather blank stare he added "oil and filter, spark plugs and air filter". All of which sounded DIY'able and also poor value for money at £330.

So my questions are:

  • What maintenance does the bike require given the milage that's been done?

  • Does a £330, 15k service really only include those things?

  • What things can I attempt, and which things should I just pay for?

I'm happy to pay for the work to be done, I just really enjoy working on the bike myself. My DIY mechanic "skills" include fitting; full exhaust system, sliders and tail tidy, so I'm a little weary of taking on something like the chain and sprockets.

Oh, and the quote for the chain and sprockets (generic sprockets & gold X-ring DID) was £101 plus £50 fitting, which I thought was reasonable.
 
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You can get some parafin and give the chain a good old clean! I spoke to a fella at the bike show at manchester a few months ago who was selling chain and sprokets and said either petrol or parafin to clean the chain and get it up like new. Obvioulsy oil it after words and tighten up the chain at its tightest point.

£330 is stupidly expensive. For that price, you want the valve clearences checked and adjusted for that!

It would cost you around £50, give or take for plugs, filters and oil, and all it takes is an afternoon to do. Get a haynes manual and give it a go.

Fitting sprockets and chains I couldn't comment on. But 15k out of a set of sprockets, does that seem low? Sure they not fobbing you off trying to get you to use their services?

Also, if you want to keep up with tlc of the bike, take a part your calipers and give them a clean up and re greasing too :)
 
If it's on 20k on the original chain and sprockets they most probably want changing.

Rear sprocket is a doddle - wheel off, sprocket off, clean up the mating surfaces, new one on. Chain is easy if you have a decent tool. The front sprocket can be problematic, depending how stubborn the front sprocket nut is.

Oil/filter/air filer, all easy DIY jobs. Air filter will be a tank off jobbie.

I'd do it all myself, in fact I have, with zero prior knowledge of bikes (but with a fair bit of knowledge running old mini's so not adverse to getting my hands dirty). I've done oil and filter change along with new rear disc and brake pads front and rear on my old varadero, chain and sprockets on my CB400.

Chain and sprockets will be £100, then say £30 for oil/filters. I wouldn't worry about spark plugs, maybe at 30k.
 
9 years I got out of original spark plugs;)

you can do the oil n filter yourself,the air filter you can soak in a petrol bath and re oil it

chain n sprockets id always paid to have done till recently,i did the first one myself,and provided the front sprocket comes undone easily then its very easy to do,i bought this cheap riveting tool as you need to rivet the soft link together to join the chain

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/390991811128?_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

I cut the old chain off with an angle grinder

@20k miles it depends how close the valve clearance check is,that you could pay to have done and do all the other bits yourself

(only paid £89 for my did x ring chain/sprockets,not a gold one though)
 
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Up until last November I'd never done anything mechanical since, then I've done all my own work on my YBR with the help of a Haynes manual and plan to do the same on my SV it's pee easy as long as you take your time.
 
Thanks for the advice guys, I really appreciate it.

You've convinced me to go buy a Haynes manual and replace the oil and oil filter. I'll also be cleaning the air filter and chain with petrol.

Servicing the callipers sounds like fun, I'll do some research into this. I've always been worried about removing either wheel due to alignment, but I assume the calliper can be lifted off. Maybe some braided cables.... ;)

The chain on at the minute is a gold DID, am I right in assuming these are aftermarket and not OEM? If so that could have been put on at the 8k service. The rear sprocket is unbranded so I'm assuming that's the original (the handwriting on the service invoices isn't at all readable).

I guess they could be looking for some custom, this is my first big bike so I have no idea what "normal" wear is. Does 20k on sprockets and 12k on a chain seem low?

Thanks for the link to the break and riveter kit, wazza. This will come in useful. I saw some reviews on the DID chain, some said it came with a removable link, and seemed quite annoyed by that. Would a spring link be a problem given it's a low power bike?

So far we have a valve clearance check to pay for and the rest I could do myself (although still not sure if the chain & sprockets needs replacing). Anything else the bike should have checked or replaced between 8-20k miles?
 
A very slack chain and numerous tight links means it's not really worth trying to save to be honest spend the money and replace the chain and sprockets and make sure you're new ones get lubed and cleaned regularly and they'll last a fair old while.
Having your chain jump off the sprocket and jam against your swing arm due to tight links isn't fun ;)

I wouldn't trust a spring link on anything other than a 125 or less to be honest, no point in risking it.

The calipers normally lift off but you'll need to mess with your rear wheel alignment when you adjust the chain anyway.
 
The chain should come with a soft link,that you rivet

I've used split links on my zx6r before but they are dangerous and can snap

Depends how well the chains been maintained,some last 25k plus,some 10k

Fill the oil filter up with oil first and a smear of oil on the rubber seal then fit it,only tighten it hand tight aswell
 
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I popped into my local Kawasaki dealership as my bike is coming up to its 15k service and this was the quote I got (including MOT)

unnamed.jpg


£415!!

so the £330 you're being quoted is a bargain lol
 
Eh, hang on.. unless my brain has melted that adds up to £351.46. Adding 20% VAT brings that to £421 :confused:

£50 on spark plugs :eek: £60 an hour labour, well that's just main dealer prices for you!

Sod paying that for basically an air filter, oil filter, oil and spark plug change. Unless it's a zzr1400 under warranty, then it might be justified.

I'm guessing it's the 201 ZX6-R? Take that to an indy, or do the air/oil/filter yourself, unless of course you want a nice stamp in the book.
 
That price looks like they're quoting for iridium spark plugs and if they're not then they could at least provide some lube!
 
Unless you have money to burn, do it yourself. I have been servicing my own bikes since I got my first one aged 12


Posted from Overclockers.co.uk App for Android
 
I came back in from doing something on my bike the other day and my house mate said to me
"Before you got this bike you'd never touched a bike before, are you not worried you're going to die?"
:D

Bike's really are so simple to work on especially if you've got something like a Haynes manual and you can follow basic steps, the money I've spent on tools and stands I would've spent on labour charges and pick up fees and then some I'd imagine.
 
you don't even need a manual tbh,most things are the same no matter what bike you own,youtube vids are a good guide

only thing im weary on is the chain/riveting it

things like oil/plugs/filters are easy/straightforward
 
True but for less than £20 they're worth having around for the odd bike specific thing.
 
I had a look on Haynes' website and it looks like they don't do a manual for the 2012 and newer ER6 bikes. While searching forums to see if I'd just missed something, I found plenty of people looking for the ER6 f/n Haynes manual, but I did come across this:

U1aedpo.png


I'd have preferred buying the Haynes manual as I think it would be easier to follow, but the 600+ page service manual will do fine. The pic above is of about a third of the whole doc.

Here's my shopping list from SBS:
CB0w32E.png


Anything on there you guys would advise against?

The service manual says to replace the rear sprocket bolts and the oil drain bolt. Is this something you usually do?
 
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