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you choice. My personal preference is for mineral based oil is Castrol 20W50 while the synthetic I 
use is Mobil 1 15W50.

 

Lube EVERYTHING that moves.

 

 

WD-40 is a good rust preventative and water repellent, but it is not a good lubricant. Use a 
product that is truly a lubricant. Every motorcycle shop has a product (or several) that is designed 
for lubricating moving parts and cables. Buy a can and use it. It will be more expensive than a can 
of WD-40, but it will last for years and more than pay for itself by reducing cable wear.

 

Now that you have taken care of your new mount - have fun - and give a friendly wave to us other 
folks on two wheels!

 

 

Summary of Contents for V-Star 650

Page 1: ...cleaner If the pit has started to erupt and the chrome is lifted from the surface a spot has formed that you can catch with your fingernail this can be improved but is usually always visible even after cleaning If the bike is clean it s easy to just look the chrome over closely and make sure it is in good shape If the bike is dirty use a rag to wipe down the top of a fender or any other area that ...

Page 2: ...functional items Kickstart lever rubber torn or missing Gearshift rubber torn or missing Footpeg rubber split Rubber boot over front brake master cylinder banjo fitting missing Buttons that cover hex bolts in handlebar mounts missing Black covering over wire harness cable between headlight and tank split Rubber fork gaiters on early models These are hard to find and require removing front forks to...

Page 3: ...s that are tight This is another indication the chain must be replaced BRAKES If the front has disc brakes shine the flashlight inside the caliper to look at the pads There is a groove in the pad that is a wear indicator If the wear is down to the groove it s time to replace pads Some years have small inspection holes on the caliper with a little cover This cover can be opened up and the pads insp...

Page 4: ... pushing and pulling there should be no detectable movement in either the swing arm pivot area or the rear wheel bearings Any movement in these areas will cause the bike to feel like it has a hinge in the middle and will tend to wander Something that must be remedied Rear wheel bearings run about 15 and swing arm bearings are 50 for bronze bushings which are recommended The pivot bolt and outer bu...

Page 5: ...shlight inside the tank Some mottled looking rust areas are normal for the 650 However it should appear to be surface rust only with no visible flaking If you see continuous areas of rust that appear to be three dimensional this is the stuff that will flake and clog up carburetors and fuel taps It can be fixed fairly easily for about 30 by lining the tank with a plastic tank liner Buyer s Checklis...

Page 6: ... brass screen oil filter It will collect debris that drops into the sump and prevent it from being drawn into the oil pump pickup A problem with the screen is that it frequently tears Once it has a hole in it it obviously is no longer effective and should be repaired or replaced Once every year or two the bottom engine plate should be removed and the screen cleaned and checked for holes or tears T...

Page 7: ...ght shell try to avoid putting stress on any wires and get things arranged so they won t get pinched by the headlight when it is replaced This simple check will save lots of future problems FUSE HOLDERS Later years of the 650 twin used a fuse holder that sits on top of the battery Over time the fuse holder fingers weaken and eventually just break off This problem can be difficult to diagnose becau...

Page 8: ... the cap CHANGE BRAKE FLUID Another neglected item that will cause problems if not changed is brake fluid Brake fluid collects moisture no matter how tightly the system is sealed and this corrodes brake parts from the inside At the very least brake fluid should be drained from the system and refilled with DOT 3 or 4 every other year A bit of pain because the system has to be bled again but it will...

Page 9: ...t a good lubricant Use a product that is truly a lubricant Every motorcycle shop has a product or several that is designed for lubricating moving parts and cables Buy a can and use it It will be more expensive than a can of WD 40 but it will last for years and more than pay for itself by reducing cable wear Now that you have taken care of your new mount have fun and give a friendly wave to us othe...

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