[screamin demon]

ok so i have alot of questions...first off my front brake leverf doesnt feel like it used to when i first bought the bike, it used to be that i could hardly touch it and the bike would slow rather quickly but now it seems alot softer and i dont know whats wrong...could it be that i need new brake or maybe do i just need to tighten up somthing? second... when i was cleaning and adjusting my chain earlier everything was going fine until i started to actually tighten the chain and then once i got everything in place the back tire didnt seem to spim as freely and the chain doesnt sound right as i turn the wheel. could it be that i over tighted or wheel is misaligned? i have more questions but im getting tired and i want to sleep so yall help me out please! and oh yeah never ever ever ever ever let your friends ride you bike even if you trust them or you might end up like me and get a cracked fairing because he took the STREET BIKE into his grandmas BACK YARD and started riding it like it was a dirt bike!!! idoits lol

 

[spooph]

Front brake: Check the pads - how much is left? If there is less than 1mm left on each pad, it's time to change. Check the reservoir, enough fluid? Check the lines for any cracks, leaks... You might have to bleed them. The stock brake lines are pretty squishy, and an upgrade to some braided steel will bring that grippyness back...

Chain - when you adjust your chain, make sure it will just barely NOT touch the swing arm, right by the sticker. If its maybe 1mm away, it should be right, but it's better to barely have it touch it, than be 2mm away... A looser chain is better than an overtightened chain. But too loose is no good either. After you've untightened the chain to the point of where the chain is nice and purdy sounding, give the wheel a spin. See which side the sprocket rides on the chain, and adjust the other side so that after wheel spin, the sprocket's teeth are nice and dead center on the chain. Once you've done this, tighten everything back down. And don't crank on the rear wheel axle either. It needs to be just shy of "snug", I think it's like 22lbs or something...

And hope friend is paying for the fairing.

Good luck, let us know how it goes.

 

[screamin demon]

ok so i started working o nthe chain today i everything seems to be going fine like the chain isnt too tight or too loose and then once i start to tighted the axel bolt everything tightens up too much and the wheel doesnt spin as freely and i cant even get the cotter pin back in...am i just stupid or is this easier than it looks?

 

[dknollRX7]

you can check the marks on the swingarm to make sure that both sides of the rear axle are aligned properly. if the chain is adjusted correctly and the rear wheel is aligned properly, maybe you're overtightening the axle nut? try to snug it up while the rear wheel is turning (by hand).

another possibility for the brake complaint could be that you have air trapped in the system. you might just need to flush the front brake system and bleed it completely, but like spooph said the rubber hoses can make the brakes feel soft over time.

let us know what you find out. any pics could help too.

 

[screamin demon]

ok so i finally got the just right but i think its just a liitle loose...i sucessfully took off my fairing today and im planning to do the needle shimming that red posted because it seems pretty easy...man i love this site lol and then after that im going bleed the lines and see that helps