If some of these problems are caused by the airfilter the damage will not go away by replacing the original filter. But it will hopefully not get worse.

hi folks... sounds confident now, but some cases, scarry. will ride slow to texas to do up the bike. anyone know any good bike shop along the way that can do up xrv750? USA does not have this model but i believe the basics to mechnics are the same, and i have the important spares with me.

Clutch: When you say "clutch is engaged". Do you mean when the lever is in or out ??

Engaged means you are not holding the lever in and the plates are together and driving the gearbox. You need to check it you can stop the wheel with your foot when the clutch is disengaged (pulling the lever to the bar)

tedmagnum:

i couldn't stop the wheels with my foot or hands. my foot nearly got into the mudguard with the force of the wheel.

i put bike to main stand, start engine and ask my wife to pull clutch level in, step to gear 1. i am behind and try to stop the wheel.... negative.. too strong. is there something wrong?

yes.. That is wrong.

With the lever pulled in, you should be able to stop to wheel with your foot or very light braking.

Your clutch is not disengaging properly. Either the cable is too slack and not pulling enough on the clutch arm or something more drastic is wrong inside.

You need to fix this NOW !!

__________________
Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

bike doctors, i really hope my bike could enjoy his last moments. a transplant must be done by a professional, not in central america.

thank you for all the care and concern for this patient.

will keep updated for any improvement done to his 11 years old machine.

goh

solved???

finally i managed to made it to Houston, TX. Got to the mechnic at "Houston Bike Exchange' and i must say that Tommy is the best salesman ever lived!

Clutch issue: he suggested me to use the fully syntetic engine oil. with out my acknoledgement, he test drove my bike, ride into the workshop and ask his mechnic to drain my old engine oil and start working.

he said he is afraid that if he is going to get parts, he couldnt get any so changing the engine oil might help.

It has been 40000km since that i have not do any valve clearance. he made the mechnic to do a compression ratio on my bike, results:

front 160pounds
rear 140pounds

where the XRV manual stated: 185. that means that i have to do valve clearance!

he tried to show me some wierd stuff in his workshop saying that he do not know how to do valve clearance.

results: i ended up paying for US$245.29 for something which i can do myself like changing sparks plug, engine oil and oil filter.

then i test ride the bike,

with that oil, it became worse!

he just try to escape my question, made it complicated for me by using all the technical terms where i do not know. also one of my spark plug was stucked inside because the thread was broken. i wanted him to do the job but he said it should be ok to leave it inside. com'on, sooner or later i would need to change that spark plug!

what can i do? is all american workshop like that? i am dissappointed.

Oh god !! That mechanic was an IDIOT !!!! He stole your money man. If he can't do a simple job like valve clearances, he is not a mechanic ! Maybe try to get your money back.

My friend.. I think you need to find a good honest workshop in the USA. I am sure there are plenty of them. Ask the question here or on Adventure Rider Motorcycle Forum. I am sure you will get help on that site (many Americans on there)

With no disrespect, I think the problems on your bike need to be looked at by a competent mechanic with correct tooks and knowledge. Your bike has many problems and I dont think they can safely be fixed using a forum.

The threads can be repaired on the spark plug (it needs to be fixed. Maybe it is leaking causing low compression)..

Low compression can be many things, but yes..Valves should be checked first. It could be badly worn piston rings or leaking head gasket (which would also explain the burning of oil)... Do you have smoke when you start the bike ????

I really think you should not go any further without finding a good mechanic. You maybe looking at spending $800-$1000 to fix all these problems.

__________________
Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

Guys.....

Similar but slightly different.......

My 03 Transalp 650 selects all gears every time.......except neutral. It works about 2-3 times out of 10 attempts and for some reason when standing still it will select neutral from 2nd gear better than from 1st gear. It will select neutral every time when the engine is off and ignition lights are on. No other gear selection problems whatsoever and all else seems ok. Any ideas???

Christopher

Neutral is harder to select for a good reason.... The gear change mechanism in the case has little cut outs for the selector ball to select and neutral is very small...

In your case, You could probably solve it with some lever/cable adjustment....

__________________
Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.

Almost certainly it's a clutch adjustment problem. On older bikes it's really common - to the point where I've stopped thinking of it as a problem and just live with it. Different oils can make it worse / better.

Thanks guys

I have the clutch cable tightened at the lever end pretty much as tight as I can do it by hand, then a little twist (and just a little one!!!) with a tool. That did improve it ever so slightly but not to any great extent though.

The oil situation.....now there's a possible idea.......the oil hasn't been changed in about 15 months. There has been no real mileage covered since then, I've only covered about 500 miles. Possible solution????

Christopher

for my case, the clutch issue: i suspect it might be the clutch cable had 'lengthen' over time. so when i press the clutch cable, the clutch system doesnt engage/disengage fully.

2ndly, the oil that the mechnic/salesman gave me was a US$59.99 fully syntetic oil and it made it worst. i guess the oil makes a difference. since its so expensive, i gonna use it and wait till the next oil change and i will try mineral oil on my honda.

3rd: good news. i went to a friends house in austin by the name of gary, i took out the stucked plug for me. the tread is perfectly all right, its the carbon built on the tread.

4th, i had made some valve clearance with the help of gary (HE IS GREAT!). going to do the compression ratio test tomorrow.

regarding that bike shop in houston by the name of:

Housten bike Exchange and that Tommy guy, i would use this incident to make myself and you guys a lesson. i dont think i will get the money back. i am not the best 'talker' in town. .

will update my bike progress with u guyss. i think i am with the right guy!

Hi!
If you have covered such a high milage with a faulty air filter, probably you will need some new rings...it is a simple task, you will just have to deglaze the bore and fit some new rings. When you do that , just replace the valve seals and this should solve your burning oil problems. You can use Honda Shadow 750 rings and valve seals, since both models share those engine components ....and Shadow 750 was widely available in USA market...
It is :

13011MV1305 for the rings
12208-413-003 for intake valve seals
12209-413-003 for exhaust valve seal
World of Powersports w/ MC MART's 2000 Honda Street Bike VT750C SHADOW Parts Finder this is Honda Shadow in States...
Motorbike components for Honda XRV-750-W (G) this is Africa Twin in Europe...

...you will notice the same part numbers.. .. good luck..

hi porompp!

thanks for that info! its really useful.im using the k&n filter and it might caused some dirt into the engine. i did the valve clearance and the new compression ratio was about 150 pounds front, 160 pounds rear, when engine not so cold. but when i pour abit of engine oil into the spark plug hold, both raised to 210.

also the valve become more noisy after the doing the valve clearance. it has loud ticking sound. is that ok?

goh

You need some new piston rings !!!!!!!!! That is for sure ! (as long as your valves are correct and your head gasket isnt leaking)

157 PSI is the absoute lowest compression per cylinder. It should be more like 200. But you HAVE to be sure that the valve clearance is correct first or you will get a false reading.



Measure your valves again. When the engine is COLD !!!

__________________
Did some trips.
Rode some bikes.
Fix them for a living.
Can't say anymore.