Top 10 Newbie Mistakes

[posplayr]

I have NEVER stuffed a rag into a cam chain galley. Don't know if it's because I am a mechanic or just careful but I HAVE dropped a bolt or 9 in the cam chain galley & had to fish them out with different methods. My favorite is a magnet I have with a shield over it to keep it from grabbing magnetic stuff on the way down. After that I like stainless safety wire to hook nuts with. Experience & "Oh SH!T!" moments are the best teachers. I can honestly say I haven't had to fish a bolt or anything else out of a cam chain galley in over 10 years.
Ray.

Stuffing rags is a trick us mortals have to use. We just don't have the courage to keep fishing bolts and sockets out with the certainty that retrieval is inevitable.

[Steve]

It has been about 10 years since I have had to use a magnet down the can chain tunnel,
but this is why I use the "zip-tie method" instead of that "special tool" to change shims:





No, I don't use a rag, either.

.

[coyoteyip]

This is a good thread for us newbies. Now I can count it as another I've caught up on via this site so my own noob questions are more informed. I found this thread because it was in the sig of Nessism and he replied to one of my recent posts (thanks!)

I'll add that patience is truly a virtue. As frustrating as us noobs can sometimes be; if one is truly eager and open to learning, then there is no such thing as a stupid question. I work at a university where I'm in a position to mentor my younger staff and to teach students and one thing I always keep in mind is that part of being a newbie in a particular field (or just young and by definition a newbie in every field is that sometimes they don't know the right questions to ask, much less the answers. For instance, a moto noob would not necessarily know that it helps, when asking for advice, to offer extra info like your weight, riding style, or region; that has to be learned just like the wave.

I've found this forum, like the forum for my previous bike, to be mostly full of incredibly generous and knowledgable riders and wrenchers. The reasons I enjoy motorcycling is a) to ride (5,000 miles a year on average; can't get enough) and b) to be in the position of student, constantly learning new things about a whole new field from folks like you all. I'm ready to absorb it all; so bring it on!

[BADJACKSON]

I read it. I like 11 best. All are useful tips.
I don't think I paid too much.

Now if only I had a fuel tank...

[Allie]

This is a good thread for us newbies. Now I can count it as another I've caught up on via this site so my own noob questions are more informed. I found this thread because it was in the sig of Nessism and he replied to one of my recent posts (thanks!)

I'll add that patience is truly a virtue. As frustrating as us noobs can sometimes be; if one is truly eager and open to learning, then there is no such thing as a stupid question. I work at a university where I'm in a position to mentor my younger staff and to teach students and one thing I always keep in mind is that part of being a newbie in a particular field (or just young and by definition a newbie in every field is that sometimes they don't know the right questions to ask, much less the answers. For instance, a moto noob would not necessarily know that it helps, when asking for advice, to offer extra info like your weight, riding style, or region; that has to be learned just like the wave.

I've found this forum, like the forum for my previous bike, to be mostly full of incredibly generous and knowledgable riders and wrenchers. The reasons I enjoy motorcycling is a) to ride (5,000 miles a year on average; can't get enough) and b) to be in the position of student, constantly learning new things about a whole new field from folks like you all. I'm ready to absorb it all; so bring it on!

Good post... for a newb lol! Welcome to the site, and the journey!

[Bob]

Hello!! I am a complete noob!! I was given a 1982 GS850L...the bike has sat in a barn for about 5 years! I was about to put full synthetic10w-30(all I had sitting in my garage) Drain the gas tank, put fresh gas in and see if it would turn over...I want to make sure it is going to before I put some time into it!!How bad would this be to do??14303716180812019828596.jpg

[cowboyup3371]

You'll do better to just clean the carbs, do the valve adjustment, and run through all of the maintenance listed here and on Basscliff's site (http://members.dslextreme.com/users/bikecliff first to give you a good starting point. As this thread tries to allude to, it gives you a good known baseline to start from instead of trying to fight at least 5 years of neglect.

[Steve]

Hello!! I am a complete noob!! I was given a 1982 GS850L...the bike has sat in a barn for about 5 years! I was about to put full synthetic10w-30(all I had sitting in my garage) Drain the gas tank, put fresh gas in and see if it would turn over...I want to make sure it is going to before I put some time into it!!How bad would this be to do??

While the urge to hear it run can be somewhat overwhelming, you may be doing some damage in the process. Tame your noob-ness a bit, do some of the basic stuff that is outlined in the guide, USE THE PROPER MATERIALS (oil should be 10w-40), and you will be rewarded with a well-running motorcycle.

What part of oHIo? You might be close enough for some in-person help from a local member.

.

[Allie]

Hello!! I am a complete noob!! I was given a 1982 GS850L...the bike has sat in a barn for about 5 years! I was about to put full synthetic10w-30(all I had sitting in my garage) Drain the gas tank, put fresh gas in and see if it would turn over...I want to make sure it is going to before I put some time into it!!How bad would this be to do??

What you might do is make sure it has some oil in it, pull all the plug wires and see if the engine will crank. If it does then do a compression check. If the engine cranks and has good compression everything else is a slam dunk. Best not to run the engine until you sort out all of the basics though.

[Bob]

Ok, my buddy came over...we have compression!!! So, in the process...my throttle is stuck...one of the carbs are stuck...kinda odd, Hoping it was the mice I found in the air intake left an acorn or something in the carb...haha..also tank is rusty...bad...I will do more searching on the forums!! I'll start a new post with updates!! Thanks for the input!! I live near Lima!!

[Xanthius]

As an admitted newbie, just beginning a rebuild, I just wanted to say I greatly appreciate this post. I have read it and will likely be rereading it about 16 more times as I make progress on my project. So, in short, thank you

[gsnewbie68]

New to the community here I have always loved Suzuki 's I recently picked up a 79 gs850 great shape runs great he sold it to me for $375 because it would not charge even after he replaced the stator following the stator papers I found the stator was not putting out enough ac voltage 25v at 5k rpm each leg anyway after reading through these forums thoroughly I bought my Clymer book today going to have patience and go through this right I've rode her for 25 miles fell in love can't wait to go through her and get maintenance done up properly before I ride some more planning on a nice winter run through thanks to you all for this thread I agree it should be sticky. Oh and my wife agreed on telling me it's dinner 10 minutes early because it's hard to tear me away when I have something unfinished.

[JayT]

This is all gold. I'm finding several things (swingarm, suspension, carbs, and etc) to fix in my 550 daily. But now I know what to do after I get the bike built. Thanks for the wise words!

[lettuceman44]

For #7, the rewiring, I'm a little confused by what R/R is. Can anyone give me a quick definition?

[Charlie G]

For #7, the rewiring, I'm a little confused by what R/R is. Can anyone give me a quick definition?

Regulator/rectifier