Honda Adventure Riders Forum
Honda XL1000V Varadero - The bike that started our community! => Mechanical => Topic started by: Bønne on March 15, 2015, 01:07:35
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So, time to prepare the Werewolf for the season.
Here in Denmark we still get a couple of minus degrees at night now and then, so they´re stil putting salt on the
roads, and as I´m riding my Africa Twin every day, I´m not in a hurry to get the Vara on the road. On the other
hand it should be ready when time comes, so I´d better get started ;D
Don´t mind the dirt, it´s my bad conscience, I never managed to get it washed before hibernation, as the weather
was to bad. I did get the oil changed then, that´s why the bashplate is already dismantled:
(https://scontent-arn2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/10270816_10152771006162898_711453962006070738_n.jpg?oh=332fcc1d75f882eb7099df824a84f665&oe=58EE4C04)
Stripped down for maintenance:
(https://scontent-arn2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/10628048_10152771006147898_9018274784500242481_n.jpg?oh=dae036f07a515fc6a87ef9648428d49b&oe=58F73823)
As it has done 100000 km, it was time for service (actually at 96000 km, but as there was not much left
of the season, I wanted to finish this before I did the service ;D ).
Checked the valves, everything was okay, nothing to adjust, no new shims needed, so now I can order
the other things I need to get it ready for the season ;D
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Got my new suspension parts Wednesday, and startet to change it today, together with the new brakediscs that I got for Christmas:
(https://scontent-arn2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/1604527_10152787918057898_988941741160587987_n.jpg?oh=cadd202ece23daa26700e5302818fd42&oe=58AF63B4)
I startet at the front, stripping everything down, so I could get the pipes out to change the springs and oil.
(https://scontent-arn2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/11050281_10152787918067898_8884089951651088527_n.jpg?oh=2556b6226fce00c4698d0caf84b94952&oe=58B27C38)
The frontwheel with new discs:
(https://scontent-arn2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/10590515_10152787918062898_229145149689550303_n.jpg?oh=fcde8e5baa9129c0cffeb5e5e297ecae&oe=58B3D078)
The brakepads was "in stock", as I´d bought an extra set earlier to bring with me on longer trips (SBS):
(https://scontent-arn2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/11061173_10152787918332898_8052700113528058284_n.jpg?oh=7412542b438f395e4c6fc014902d7c70&oe=58BA2244)
The pistons in the braking calibers were massaged and greased (yes, I know, but it works ;D ), all six working fine, everything cleaned up and the new pads installed.
Tomorrow it´ll be the rear end getting new damper and brakes.
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So, down on it´s feet again:
(https://scontent-arn2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/11082666_10152789928132898_8047122622218802734_n.jpg?oh=cf1cf87b332a0e7c77b91795dfb8a0a1&oe=58BD4E6E)
I wanted to get some protectors on the pipes, as they had startet getting some tiny spots, which I could still polish off. I bought some at a local motocross-dealer. They were to long, so I had to cut them off, no problem as I then got rid of those three orange letters stamped on them ;D
New rear disc:
(https://scontent-arn2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/11050736_10152789928107898_4897946586848967505_n.jpg?oh=05dd2e016fd7c6c6571bc688cb31c84e&oe=58AFCC58)
And new dampers:
(https://scontent-arn2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/10569093_10152789928137898_2563106132274346318_n.jpg?oh=b7adcb4ce2e0759b59dc3da31a6a7077&oe=58B21E9E)
Finally, I got the shock absorber and reservoir in place:
(https://scontent-arn2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/10409199_10152789928417898_6327575568482683986_n.jpg?oh=57d4412cde8c29d8e02d47f07f0458bc&oe=58BF3E03)
According to the installation manual the two bolts in the "toolbox" should be removed and the batteri plastic box lifted so that the reservoir could be taken out where the old adjuster screw had been placed. But in reality, that didn´t make enough space between the batteri box and the bracket for the old adjuster, so after halv an hour of fighting to get it through, I gave up. Also because there generally was so little space that it was difficult not to get the damper scratched. I had to make more space, so I desided to dismantle the swingarm, the carrier, the side cowl and everything that was necessary to get the batteri box lose at the back, so I could move it even more. At last, after having dismantled or loosened nearly the whole back of the bike, I was able to put a tire iron under the batteri box and push it enough to get the reservoir through. Had I only startet doing that, as the more space made it much easier to install the damper too :-[
And the spring preload adjuster:
(https://scontent-arn2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/11083667_10152789928382898_7032958681205692781_n.jpg?oh=2d0592d34a6e2ce7d16144ece87a1697&oe=58F6EF39)
Not much left at the rear...:
(https://scontent-arn2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/10441442_10152789928437898_600831839531609665_n.jpg?oh=6c547278174537bce6d0470b42ebb7ce&oe=58B6CEC1)
(https://scontent-arn2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/20781_10152789928572898_1444747004609517187_n.jpg?oh=b77dcfab2c086f9bc8a7f0010528ee74&oe=58EDEBA2)
Looking up under the rear, I found this pipe being very rusty:
(https://scontent-arn2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/11034208_10152789928627898_4171343761585280290_n.jpg?oh=c89fe6518bac3c8415480c790ff59610&oe=58EB7580)
I´m wondering why Honda hasn´t made some kind of protection there, as it´s obvious that it wil get all of the dirt and water thrown from the rear wheel, and in fact, it is part of the frame :o
Well, I´ll have to do something about it before I mount everything again!
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Impressive, Bønne! Now you are ready to rock 'n roll to VCIM17! ;D
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You'll have to let us know how the öhlins suspension feels. I'm new to the Varadero but I find the rear suspension pretty plush, maybe a bit soft. It's the front that is sort of hit and miss - nice and soft on big bumps and harsh on little ones.
You're a brave and courageous soul for working on a dirty bike. The extra dirt along with grime already on the bike would drive me mental working on my bike - dirt and grime X2. :)
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PS on your last picture... Its solvable (protection). I ordered the "Spritzschutz" from www.desertstorm-bike.de (http://www.desertstorm-bike.de) whicheasely can be mounted on the visible nuts. Its only € 25,- or so and they postorder it through Europe. I had this very uusable device on all my previous Varadero's for over 275.000 km and they never failed: cheap, rugged and simplicity.
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Just sneaked into the garage to make some pics... Pics say often more than words! This is the Desertstorm Bike 'Spritzschutz', mudguard... I almost feel ashamed for how clean the bike is... But hey, that's the 'Spritzschutz' doing its job! Brilliant!
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Thanx Bernard, but this "Spritzschutz" is ment as a damper protection and mounted lower that the rusty pipe. If you look at my second last picture, I´ve already got one like that, except it´s homemade from a sheet of rubber. The profile you can se on the plastic casing behind the pipe on the last picture is the "toolbox" where the two bolts holding the casing are screwed into the two threads, so this is higher up under the seat. When I´ve fixed and painted the pipe I might use the same rubber sheet to make some kind of protection there. The best would be making something like I did on my Africa Twin:
(https://scontent-arn2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/73195_450729897897_3580150_n.jpg?oh=b63aa297da5158a7e1c1144d4cacc9e1&oe=58FD0505)
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And superfunkomatic, of cause I´ll let you know ;D
The reason why I didn´t wash it before I startet working on it, is because when I´ve finished I´ll have to wash it again to get rid of the black fingers...and I´m to lazy to wash it twice ;D
Actually, as I wrote in my first topic, it should´ve been washed when put away for the winter, but I didn´t manage to get it done thanks to the weather :-\.
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Great work on that! You are going to really enjoy the new suspension. What caused you to decide to change the dampers? How do you know if they need replacing?
I guess I could ask a similar question on the disks....Where they getting thin or warped (or both) ?
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I know the feeling. One of my bikes was left bugs and all and dirty as a pig in mud.
And superfunkomatic, of cause I´ll let you know ;D
The reason why I didn´t wash it before I startet working on it, is because when I´ve finished I´ll have to wash it again to get rid of the black fingers...and I´m to lazy to wash it twice ;D
Actually, as I wrote in my first topic, it should´ve been washed when put away for the winter, but I didn´t manage to get it done thanks to the weather :-\ .
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sleepyhead65 (and others ;D )
To start with the discs, the two in front were under minimum thickness and the rear was close to minimum, so I decided to change all three of them.
As for the suspension; Ole Stubager, another danish member here and several times VIM-participant, his rear damper lost the gas at around, I think, 60000 km. And I´ve read about a couple of others doing the same, maybe in here, I don´t remember.
As the original cannot be renovated, and the fact that my bike has done 100000 km now, I didn´t want to suddenly stand somewhere in Europa with a flat damper, so I decided to get a new one, but what should I buy?
Some time during the winter, I read an article about dampers and according to this, the only ones build specially for the bike model, was the original...and Öhlins. Every other brands were using a standard damper, customized to each bike model. But, if I bought a new original one (for around 670 Euro), I´d have the same problem at 200000 km or so.
Öhlins makes two models for the Varadero, a "discount" model to around 590 Euro, and the top model for around 1260 Euro. At an MC-exhibition here in Denmark I talked to an Öhlins-dealer and asked about the difference in the two dampers. First of all, he said, you have one more adjustment on the top model, you have remote adjustments, and, if you ride hard, or long trips, the cheaper one will some time start to get a little soft/warm, the top model won´t do that.
Thinking it over, I decided to buy Öhlins top model... partly because when I bought the Varadero, I bought, not a "discount" model, but the bike that I wanted, despite the price, and so now with the damper. And partly because, buying it now, I´ll have damper for the rest of the bikes life, as the Öhlins can be renovated. And, if I eg. bought something cheaper now, I might not buy the top model later on, at eg. 200000 km.
I then decided to buy new springs for the front too, as they didn´t cost that much. By doing that, I´d get Öhlins at both ends, which should be the most optimal, as they are build to work together.
Of cause I´m quite exited to feel how it works, and tomorrow it´s Easter-holliday, then I can get finished with the bike, and maybe get a ride soon, they predicts a lot of rain in the weekend and the start of next week, so now it seems that the salt can finally get washed off the roads!
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Yesterday I received the things I ordered from DavidSilverSpares.
In the autumn I broke a key in one of my panniers, and as I didn´t manage to get the bit out, I had to destroy the lock to get access to the pannier. I had an ekstra lock from the topbox (with a different key), as I´d changed it so that all three locks were equal, I mounted this for the rest of the year.
I needed a new set of three locks to get them equal again.
As there might be something like 10000-12000 km left in the current chainkit, I thought that I might as well order a new kit now, together with the locks. I had no idea how the condition of the chainguard was after 100000 km, so I ordered this too, just in case it had startet getting worn. But, when I now dismounted the swingarm to get the damper mounted, I found that the chainguard was still in a fine condition... so, then it´s "in stock" for later on ;D
(https://scontent-arn2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/11041674_10152804196152898_7144951288381107617_n.jpg?oh=60c0b100f2ab1126fdf9956bda838698&oe=58B74EF3)
Today I got the swingarm in place again and tougue tightened everything around the damper. I also got the rusty pipe fixed (grinded, painted and rust protected), and got the plastic batteri box in place again. The rear braking caliber cleaned and massaged, and new pads mounted.
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(much text cut)
In the autumn I broke a key in one of my panniers...
I needed a new set of three locks to get them equal again.
I too broke a key in one of my panniers, in Kristiansand, and I too had the three of them equal.
But the guy in the workshop was able to remove the broken bit by drilling a very small hole in the lock. The lock remained useable for the rest of our trip and much beyond that.
Greetings,
Josep
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So... everything is in place again, only thing missing now is a serious wash... ;D
(https://scontent-arn2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/11081348_10152808363087898_3248025042869187128_n.jpg?oh=049467386804e62d82691255293d89f0&oe=58B461A9)
I also got a pressure switch for the rear brake light mounted, while changing the brake fluid:
(https://scontent-arn2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/11036027_10152808398052898_953636880560734847_n.jpg?oh=441218a6b8266e3a880c290d34bc5935&oe=58BF6D8A)
A year ago I mounted one on the front brake, but didn´t get the rear mounted, as it was a little more complicated related to getting air into the system:
(https://scontent-arn2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/11077866_10152808398047898_925949644998997767_n.jpg?oh=24da70ddff17f5a1b6401ee93af986ca&oe=58B252A1)
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Finally got the Varadero out and washed!
(https://scontent-arn2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/1385769_10152822769192898_3960467970185205113_n.jpg?oh=28dbb0beec53d7cfe463a7d71c94e734&oe=58F688FE)
While washing it, a lot of motorcycles passed, enjoing the fine weather. And in the afternoon Schou came by on the Crosstourer for a beer and a chat, so when finished, I thought; well, if everyone else can do it, I can do it too, despite the salt there might still be on the roads, I want to ride in the fine weather too! So I startet it up and took a ride to the kiosk at the Munkholm Bridge to buy a roasted pork burger and a beer, this was my first trip there this year.
So, now the Werewolf is on the road again!
(https://scontent-arn2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/603760_10152822769072898_3159055464008525605_n.jpg?oh=9816a323210d34ebcf4ad3e298ab9544&oe=58B9B730)
(https://scontent-arn2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/11143469_10152822768982898_1635110900577295941_n.jpg?oh=6c473368758d8946925aa47a27322e0e&oe=58B27CAB)
I can´t say much about the suspension yet, as this was just a small trip at moderate speed, to make sure everything worked as it should.
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Hi Bonne,
I can't believe that it's been a month and you still have nothing to say about that Ohlins :-)
Is it sooo good that you even can't find the words to describe it or so bad that you are simply ashamed to admit it ;-)
Jokes aside, I'd really want to hear your comments, so I can decide if I should spend the 800+ GBP on an Ohlins or on some nice sounding Scorpions.
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Any updates on the suspension. I recently completed a long trip in the US and offroad parts, when the bike was fully loaded, does make the Varadero wallow and wander a bit - feels underspring in the rear shock. The Ohlins is the top of the line. I'm curious if it made a top of the line difference in your handling, especially since you also did the front springs.
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Yes, I know, I know, I owe you a feedback... as you can se, Grayfox has been after me ealier ;D
Here, after around 10000 km with the Öhlins, I can only say that I´m very, very happy and satisfied about it VCIF_a040hae
Generally the bike is much more tight and precise in the handling and because of the more opportunities of adjustments than the original damper, I can adjust the bike to be totally neatral steering in the corners, together with optaining small bumps on the road much much better.
I´m also very happy that I decided to buy the front springs and fork oil too. I´ve always thought that the bike had a tendency to get heavy in the front when going through sharp corners, e.g. hairpins, but now it doesn´t, it just goes exactly the line I´ve planned ;D . I don´t think I´d have had the same interaction between the front and rear if I´d kept the original front springs.
If I should give any excuses not having written earlier, one reason is that from the mounting and until going to VCIM17, I only managed to do around 1800 km, and didn´t make any adjustments in that period. After VCIM17, I had something to catch up (so I didn´t have the time to write ;D ), and try some adjustments too, before I´d have a feeling of the differences.
My first impression was, with the pre-adjustment from Öhlins, that it was much harder than the original, and when I hit a bump on the road, I got a kick in my butt, but, as time went on, and VCIM17 came closer, I thought that I might try the pre-adjustment on my way to France with all the luggage on, to feel the difference. And, in fact, the kick in my butt disapeared, and the bike actually felt more precise with the load on it. On the trip, I, of cause, did some riding both with and without the luggage, so when home again I had an idea where to start changing the adjustments.
In the manual, there were some hints; if the bike feels like... adjust this, and if it feels like... adjust that. This seemed quite equal to my own thoughts about what to adjust, so I started by loosening the rebound one click at a time, until I didn´t get kicked in my butt anymore, then on to the compression and the spring preload.
At this moment I´m having the spring and the compression each two clicks harder than the pre-adjustment and the rebound three clicks softer.
As I ride the same 34 km to work every day (and back), with almost the same riding stile I think, from a small country road with poor tarmac, to a good conditioned highway, some speedbumps, and a very nice 110 km/h ;D , curve just before my work, I could feel the differences from day to day as I made the adjustments. One day on my way home on the small country road, I noticed that in a curve to the right I didn´t end up in the left side of the road as I used to, but only in the middle. At home I adjusted one more click in the same direction as my previous adjustment, and the next day I kept the bike in the right side of the road through that same curve ;D .
Of cause I cannot make it optain a speedbump, but as mentioned before, opposite the original damper, small bumps and minor imperfections gets optained now so that I barely feel them, I think this is due to the rebound adjustment, an option the original didn´t have.
Another thing I´ve noticed is that at heavy acceleration, the rear doesn´t get pulled down as it did before and it feels as the acceleration gets more concrete.
In fact, last weekend on my way to a meeting, I caught up with some other bikes behind a truck. The bikes started to overtake the truck one by one, but the last one, a 650 V-Strom, made the same mistake every time he tried to overtake, so I decided that the next time he did that, I´d overtake both him and the truck! So, I did, went to the left in what must have been 4th. gear and full throttle, but then thought, I need to go faster, so I took it down to third and again full throttle, and now we went ahead, went to 4th. again and felt a bump in the front... when the frontwheel touched the road again ;D . I didn´t notice it raising the front, as it didn´t get pulled down in the rear, the front just raised with the acceleration ;D .
Having said that, I think that the reason why the acceleration was so heavy, I think I can ascribe to the PowerCommander ;D .
(think I have an unfinished busines here too :-[ )
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Good feedback. Is it worth the money in your opinion? It's a lot of money to do front and back.
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this is due to the rebound adjustment, an option the original didn´t have.
Thank you Ole, nice report! Notice since 2007 ABS models have rebound adjust. ;)
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... since 2007 ABS models have rebound adjust.
You´re right Zebulon, it´s the compression-adjustment that´s missing on the original damper ;D (mine is a 2008VA model)
Is it worth the money in your opinion?
Depends on, do you calculate keeping the bike, or do you plan to change it to the new Africa Twin next spring ;D
If you plan to keep it for years/many kilometers, then yes, I think it´s worth the money, it´s a very different and much better bike to ride now and as the damper can be renovated you actually have the Öhlins for the rest of your bikes life. And for the fork springs, I think the price for these are the smallest part and I´m very happy that I changed them too.
But, if you plan to change bike in a year or two, I´d look for a cheaper solution.
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Cool. I plan to keep the bike for a while. It's on my list of things to do in the future then. Thanks for sharing.
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Hi Bønne,
Did you change to 8 or 8,5 N/mm fork springs? Is the oil included?
//Åke
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Hi Nysse.
According to an old mail from when ordering the stuf, it´s Öhlins partnumber 08725-85 I ordered. This should be the ones at 8,5 N/mm, and the oil was not included, but was in stock at the dealer.
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@Bønne
I just bought a second hand Öhlins rear chock and having problem to mount it. Your pictures on your mounting is missing. Can you repost them or email them to me?
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Hi Nysse.
Yes, I´ll post them again, so you´ll get the pictures and the text linked together again.
Of some strange reason, Facebook, were I have my pictures linked from, seems to change adresses on the pictures now and then, resulting in the pictures disapearing from here, as the adresses doesn´t match anymore >:(
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Done ;D
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Hi Bønne
Thanx. I got it. But I did't realise that the rebund adjuster fits on the right side. Need to look at that tomorrow.
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Hi Nysse.
The adjuster mounted to the footrest bracket on the right side is not the rebound adjustment, but the hydralic spanner adjustment for the spring preload.
The rebound damping adjuster is the black plastic wheel at the buttom of the damper.
The black knob on the end of the reservoir is the compression damping adjuster.
When adjusting, all three adjustments are at the hardest when turned fully clockwise.
The ground setup for the Varadero is:
Spring preload: fully anticlockwise.
Compression: fully clockwise and then 10 click anticlockwise.
Rebound: fully clockwise and then 14 click anticlockwise.
My settings:
Spring preload: 2 click clockwise (from fully anticlockwise).
Compression: fully clockwise and then 7 click anticlockwise.
Rebound: fully clockwise and then 16 click anticlockwise.
When adjusting, start from ground setup and then make one adjustment at a time. And write down the adjustments you make, so that you can easily go back if it doesn´t feel right. I made a table in Word to write my adjustments in to.
Good luck and enjoy! ;D