Video I made of my first valve clearance check

[ben]

Hopefully some will find this useful. I have no experience of doing this on any bike but i managed just fine int the end!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4B5fEOb6uck

[khaosaming]

Many thanks for the video! I just watched the other one where you removed the rear tyre. Thanks again for that, too. It's always nice to see people roll up their sleeves doing something useful.

[gokidd]

Ah, you're a brave man, Ben. Well done!
I just ordered the Helm service manual, so ... I'll be back to watch that video in about 4000 miles.
Glad you had the radio playing ... a London station?

[Kermit]

Interesting.

But I think my first valve clearance check will most likely look a little more like this:

[Alibally]

Had a look at your videos. Very interesting. Did you change the rubber gasket or just reseal the old one?

[ben]

Had a look at your videos. Very interesting. Did you change the rubber gasket or just reseal the old one?

BIG WARNING!

Its fine to use the old gasket but make sure all the metal surfaces are clean of any old sealant and that you apply the new sealant properly! I found dipping my (latex gloved) finger in sealant and smoothing it over the gasket worked best. The first time i did this i got it wrong and leaked oil, its about the only thing you can do wrong to be honest! All the hard work in this job is getting to the valves, trust me you dont want to take it apart twice in one day!!

Once you have done it you will be so confident in any other work that needs doing!

[logepoge1]

When you were removing the grab rail was that Coldplay-clocks playing in the background? I love that song

[Warlock]

That video is pure 100% awesome sauce! But holy mother of god how complicated is that!!!!!!!!!
My hats off to those with the time knowledge and patience to do such things. Truly amazing...

[Honda4me]

It's amazing to see how most of the time spent (and cost at a dealership) is just getting to the valves in the first instance. Good effort, I imagine this will require a good amount of patience but you've convinced me that it's not worth getting a dealer to do it.

Cheers and thanks for the helpful vid

[katschamne]

Thanks for the video. Now I know why it cost so much at the dealer. Although I think that I will be taking it to the dealer. For me it will take way to long and my luck I'll either lose some bolt or forget to do something.

[you you]

It's a shame honda didn't put some kind of service access in the underseat bucket

[SmellyTofu]

That's what gets me as well. If a bike needs to be services to intensely, why didn't they just make some sort of flip or easy removable bolts. Sure dealers don't make as much money in labour but it makes the job easier, quicker and less prone for panel breakage. I guess there isn't any incentive for engineers to design any bike that way.

It's a pity there isn't a true naked scooter around and we can't really ride the PCX without some panels either. Rear lights rely on the rear side panels.

[scudder]

Checking valve clearances, simplest of jobs. Getting to them is almost impossible and a labour of love. Well done for this video though. Great work.
It is not just bikes that are complicated, open the lid on any modern car and you would be hard pushed to see something that resembles an engine there are so many shields, covers, add ons!