[Alcalder1]

New to riding - purchased 06 VTX1300R and love it.

Took the riders beginning course before I got the bike.

Gonna be 58 this year and thought that I better get going or I would get too old to start.

Got tires for life and it took 6 weeks to get them - total cost including rear brakes - $409.15. These were supposed to be free - talked them down to $160, but I was not a happy camper.

Same dealer charged me $450 for hooking up my hyper charger and an oil change - they said that they adjusted the vales - only had 4,ooo mile on the bike at that time.

Now have 7,500 miles on it in 5 1/2 months of riding. The ownwers manual says valve adjustment at 8,000 miles, not 4 and oil change at 8,000 miles at a cost of $60. The dealer said I don't need an oil change till 9,000 miles.

Any way, I think that I want to start doing my own service. I am not mechanically inclined but I love to tinker and look forward to challenges.

I own the maintenence manual but not sure exactly where to start.

Two questions:

1. What do I need to do my own oil change and exactly where are the components and how do I do it?

2. What do I need in the way of tools to do the valve adjustment and how do I do it (specifically.)

I love riding here in Melbourne, Florida and have already moded my stock seat, added 3 inch risers, connected Battery Tender Plus to (hard connection), put on wide levers, drilled out the baffles, windshield and hard bags. Still planning on getting the Ultimate X seat, higway bars, foot pegs, and other things.

Thanks for all the great leads on this forum - most likely my questions have already been answered before, so please be patient with me.

Thanks,
Alcalder1

 

[woof359]

if they had the tank off it was a good time ot check and adjust the valves. hard to say weather they really did it, but I like to think more people tell the truth than lie.

 

[Charlie D]

The first valve adjustment is a pita but everytime you do it it gets easier.

link to how to do them.
http://tech.vtxoa.com/index.php?sid=170937&lang=en&action=artikel&cat=31&id=72&artlang=en

link to list of oil filters.
http://tech.vtxoa.com/index.php?action=artikel&cat=24&id=192&artlang=en

oil should to have no friction modifiers in it
I use the mobile MX4T 10-40 for motorcycles, it is syn and is real good.

Oil change is 2 plugs one on the bottom, taken out first and let drain in a cat liter pan, then there is one up front left side as you are sitting on the bike take that out next and let drain, you do this on the side stand, now you have to pick the bike off the stand and rock it side to side a little to get all the oil out of the sumps.
takes a 17 mm wrench for the plugs and you should change the crush washers.
next up is getting the filter off it is left rear and can be real tight take it off and make sure the old "O" ring is on the filter if not make sure it is taken off the case, a little dab of oil on the new "O" ring to help seal and twist it on you don't need to kill it putting it on just up snug and then another half turn give or take a little.

Put your 4 qts of oil in and you are now ready to start her up and check for leaks.

 

[Shutterbug]

+1 Charlie, great info.

 

[Alcalder1]

Thank you Charlie D.

Appreciate the information.