Bag of spanners

In the last week ort so, my bike has started to sound like a bag of
spanners. Really rough and backfires like there's no tomorrow. Being the
mechanical numpty that I am, can anyone point me in the right direction? For
those that don#t know: it#s a Hondavtr. Garage suggested to take the engine
apart and replace what's needed. I am leaning towards that as the bike has
done nearly 50000 miles and in the last 34000 has only had one major
service.

So, anyone got anything sensible to say about the backfirey stuff?

 

[my bike has started to sound like a bag of spanners]

If it's a '98-ish VTR1000FW it could well be the cam chain tensioner(s)
about to fail. It's a common problem, knowon to everyone one except
journalists who write about "Honda reliability and build quality".

 

I think getting it serviced by someone who knows what they're doing
would be a good start - new plugs, valve clearances set and camchain
checked would be a good start, having the carbs balanced would be the
icing on the cake.

 

The Ruffian speaks sense. Can't imagine much being wrong on that engine
past a camchain/tensioner or valve shim, unless you have allowed it to
run low on oil? You wouldn't do a thing like that now, would you....

 

Which is why Bike magazine specifically mentioned it as a known VTR
issue when the mag did a used buyers' guide on the bike, a while back?
;-)

I'd give the thing a service first, before pulling it to pieces. Get
the valves done, new plugs, get the fuelling checked (old Firestorms
were carbed), etc etc. In my experience, a bike that's simply running
roughly isn't usually fucked. Terminal rattles, rumbles, and clouds of
smoke - *that* means fucked.

 

[Which is why Bike magazine specifically mentioned it ]

What have the Romans ever done for us, etc...

 

Dunno about the Romans, but the uk.r.m. CBT has a specific section on
how to post properly - leaving in attributions, quoting, that sort of
thing.

You'd do well to read it - have a google for it.

 

It's the least of your worries.

 

Nice, building up the suspense..
Looking forward to your next reply

 

Just pointing out that you know sweet FA about the bike press, is
all.....