Road racer buys WR, 8 questions

[ilikebass]

What's happenin thumpertalk! New to the dirt scene. I blew my racebike motor a few weeks ago and bought a WR just to stay on 2 wheels and to have some fun on local dirt roads and trails while I part the other bike out.

 

Just picked up the 2004 WR450F today, pretty sweet bike!! Decent condition I guess, and for $2300 I thought the price was right. Thing thumpers your whole body though, guess you thumper people are used to it. Pretty sure it has the free mods done and these jets: 165, 48, 70, 40, 0. I found these with the part numbers written down and the guy I bought it from said the first owner put them in (he thought anyway). But the bike rips and has the zip-ty and all that so I'm pretty sure it's set up right.

 

Questions:

 

1. What's with the 0 leak jet, is that a plug?

2. New pads and the brakes are squeeking bad when pushing in neutral. Took caliper off, pins are easy to move, pistons move fine, rotor is straight. But the pistons were really uneven. I pushed them flush with the caliper at the lowest point of the piston then dremeled the high points flat so they hit the pad evenly. This didn't help. Why were they all worn and unevenly so? When wheel is lifted it is catching a lot of friction on the pads when you spin it. Is there a plunger that's adjustable at the master cylinder? Maybe fluid isn't alowed back up there and therefore keeping pistons/pads out too far?

3. Brake lever feels real soft, bled and no improvement. When braking, my ring and pinky fingers get squished, technique thing or is there supposed to be so much travel? If I pull hard I could prob touch lever to grip.

4. Front tire is dry rotting, looks like some of the knobs might break off, is that ok for now or no? Speaking of which, what tires are good and economical for dirt roads, trails, and maybe some dunes? Or should I def get paddles for dunes?...

5. Front wheel is bent, can you bent these back if they're not bad? It's not a huge deal but it is bent.

6. My weight is 190 lb, what are the stock springs set for? Can I find a chart? Not sure if my springs are stock, so what sag numbers do you go with?

7. Rear light isn't working at all. Might be bulb, haven't checked but I need a brake light anyway. How do you hook up lights to be street legal? I hope there's an easy bolt on switch.

8. About bike geometry, are there any preferred settings other than stock? Is the swingarm angle adjustable or no? Should forks be flush with top triple?

 

Thanks for any replies.

[ilikebass]

Wow, 86 views and no replies? Is this in the wrong section?

[FORMA MOTO]

Wow, 86 views and no replies? Is this in the wrong section?

 

No, you are just impatient!

[FORMA MOTO]

1. What's with the 0 leak jet, is that a plug?

  YES

2. New pads and the brakes are squeeking bad when pushing in neutral.

Took caliper off, pins are easy to move, pistons move fine, rotor is straight. But the pistons were really uneven.

I pushed them flush with the caliper at the lowest point of the piston then dremeled the high points flat so they hit the pad evenly.

This didn't help. Why were they all worn and unevenly so?

THIS IS TYPICAL ON A DIRT BIKE CALIPER. IT IS NOT THAT IMPORTANT

When wheel is lifted it is catching a lot of friction on the pads when you spin it.

Is there a plunger that's adjustable at the master cylinder?

NO. YOU HAVE TO CHANGET HE PINS AND GREASE EVERYTHING, ESPECIALLY THE BACKS OF THE BRAKE PADS AND SPRING CLIPS

Maybe fluid isn't alowed back up there and therefore keeping pistons/pads out too far?

NO, THEY ARE JUST CLUNKY CALIPERS

3. Brake lever feels real soft, bled and no improvement. When braking, my ring and pinky fingers get squished, technique thing or is there supposed to be so much travel?

NO. REBUILD THE MASTER CYLINDER, REPLACE ALL THE FLUID, AND BACK BLEED IT. THERE IS PROBABLY AIR BEHIND THE PISTONS FROM YOUR WORK

If I pull hard I could prob touch lever to grip.

NOT NORMAL

4. Front tire is dry rotting, looks like some of the knobs might break off, is that ok for now or no?

DIRT TIRES HAVE A SHORT SHELF LIFE OF ABOUT 1 YEAR

YOU CAN RIDE WITH IT IF YOU LIKE

Speaking of which, what tires are good and economical for dirt roads, trails, and maybe some dunes?

DUNES WILL DESTROY THE BIKE IN SHORT ORDER UNLESS YOU PULL IT APART AFTER EVERY RIDE

Or should I def get paddles for dunes?...

YES

5. Front wheel is bent, can you bent these back if they're not bad?

NO YOU CANNOT; IF IT'S OUT OF TRUE, RE-TRUE IT

It's not a huge deal but it is bent.

IF IT'S A FLAT SPOT, NO BIG DEAL

THE STOCK FORKS SUCK AND WILL BOTTOM, HENCE THE FLAT SPOTS

 

6. My weight is 190 lb, what are the stock springs set for?

150-180

Can I find a chart?

SERVICE MANUAL

Not sure if my springs are stock, so what sag numbers do you go with?

25/100

7. Rear light isn't working at all. Might be bulb, haven't checked but I need a brake light anyway. How do you hook up lights to be street legal?

BUY A KIT

I hope there's an easy bolt on switch.

8. About bike geometry, are there any preferred settings other than stock?

NO

Is the swingarm angle adjustable or no?

NO

Should forks be flush with top triple?

0-10MM 

 

YOU NEED TO READ THE FAQ SECTION AT  THE TOP OF THE FORUM

THERE ARE LOTS OF THINGS YOU DON'T KNOW YET

[SteveThe Snakes]

You could also try the Racetech spring chart. Speaking of which the front forks have notoriously bad base valves that cause excessive sacking through the travel. Change them, gold valves or whomever.. 

[mch]

If the bike is 2004, I'm thinking it's time your brake lines get replaced.  It could be air in the line, but it's just as likely the lines are just worn and expand too much when braking.  Get some steel braided lines, and your brakes will be feeling better than new. 

[YamaLink]

190 before gear needs heavier spring. Rear spring, stock is a 5.3kg. A 5.7kg or closest is recommended for approximately 100mm sag.

[Rockyracer]

The leak jet is part if the accelerator pump circuit in the carb, it returns fuel to the float bowl when you wick the throttle it s used to adjust the accelerator pump.  There is no adjustment for the brale caliper, only for the pedal. squeeking rear brake probably normal or worn rotor.  Front brake lever mushy, bleed with a mighty vac, also take master cylinder off handelbars andhang it so that the brake line is straight do this overnight. Front tire is more important than rear tire on a offroad bike get a new tire.  Try Race Tech or MX Tech for spring rates for your weight.

[letitsnow]

And don't be afraid of the sand dunes -  my bike never has it as easy as the rides in the dunes.  I can climb choke cherry (St Anthony dunes) with a knobby, but it is much easier with a paddle tire.  

 

The sand does much less damage than when I'm bouncing it off of trees and crashing in the deep mud puddles...

[letitsnow]

Another piece of advice from a fellow ex-road racer - don't put your knee out when entering corners in the woods as it is painful when you hit your knees on the trees. ?

[ilikebass]

Thanks for all your replies. I've sorted a lot of the problems and have started dialing the bike in. This WR is awesome ?

 

So I got a K&S hydraulic brake light switch for the rear, wired it in and all works great. I think the running light didn't work before because the wires were not properly connected even though the connection was clipped in place... The front brake felt a lot better once the pads set in, but they still don't feel good. I'll be rebuilding the master and getting a new line over the winter, it's ok for now. The seat is like a 2x4 after a half hour, but I know most of you guys stand up most of the time.

 

I got a set of Shinko 520's which I have read good things about but have not installed yet but will maybe this weekend. Also got a paddle tire on the way, Cheng Shin C7220 Surge to go hit the Silver Lake dunes soon!! And an 8' fire stick flag which I have not decided how to mount yet. I also ordered fork fluid to change that out asap. The forks seem to stick and are not all that smooth when pressing and releasing at a stand still. I figure this may actually be a seal or bushing but want to change the fluid out before getting too deep into them while the season is coming to a close. [Except I might try riding this winter too ?] Seems to me that thick nasty fluid will cause these symptoms too and it probably hasn't been changed in a long time.

 

About the springs: to the best of my knowledge the shock spring is the stock gray one which set up for someone 10-30 lbs less than me. For my 190 weight I should be closer to the 5.8 kg/mm springs but I just set sag to 100mm and free sag was 20mm, which is right where it should be pretty much. So seems to me this spring is good for about 200 lbs because I'm 190 with 10 lbs gear approx. Maybe the spring is heavier than stock, but it looks the same? Do you check the front springs the same way? I haven't heard many people in the dirt bike community talking about front sag, but in a relaxed "normal" stance, should I be looking for somewhere around 65mm sag in front? If so, what should free sag be?