[Kev250R]

So my wife ran some errands the other day and rather than taking her TW as she normally would she took mine since her's was in the back of the garage and mine was in the front. When she returned she commented that my bike has the loudest valves on any motorcycle she had ever ridden. I mumbled something about how loose valves are happy valves and that I'd look into it. Then a few days later I took my TW for a quick ride to a friends house and noticed that yeah, the valves were a bit noisy so today I had some time and I decided to check them (I had previously adjusted them about a year ago).



Exhaust valve was spot-on, however the intake valve was way too loose (I don't know how loose but it had to have been over 0.10"). I set it back to the spec in the Yamaha service manual. Put everything back together, fired it up and it sounds dare-I-say normal now? It's much better now.



Since I had everything out I decided to check the valves on a new-to-me TW I picked-up a month or so ago. '08 with 1,300 miles on it valves have never been touched (I know the original owner). Intake valve was spot-on, exhaust valve was out of spec, though not too bad. Made the adjustment, fired it up and now it runs nice and smooth just like it's two other stable-mates.



So word to the wise guys, check your valves...oh and maybe listen to what you're wife has to say, sometimes

Kevin

 

[Polarpilot]

Just goes to show ya - she is a keeper big time - and a diagnostic ear might we something handy to have around for a lot of years!

 

[qwerty]

Flowers and chocolate. Just because.

 

[Kev250R]

Good idea Qwerty, though I'd better be careful not to let this get to her head, otherwise I might find myself kicked-out of my own garage! She does alright, she's real good about telling me when there is something wrong with any of our vehicles which is nice.



Kevin

 

[qwerty]

Flowers from the car, chocolate from the bike.