To save space in your saddle bags, roll your duck tape on to a pencil.
Never use a paper product to clean your windshield. All paper products are made with ash, which is an abrasive, and will leave tiny scratches.
Turn your gas off before you start wrenching.
Sweep your work area, twice,this will make it easier to find those small nuts, bolts, and screws when you drop them.


W. Coyote

By Hook or by Crook...invest in a shed if at all possible

take an MSF riding class, amazing what you learn
lube your cables and any metal pivot points: kickstand, brake linkage, cluth linkage, levers...
check your bikes nuts and bolts, use locktight too.

Add the following in your saddlebags:
a set of zip ties of various sizes
rags
flashlight and batteries
bottles of water in case of a breakdown
electric tape
glass cleaner for your mirrors and windshield
small set of vicegrips
small set of metric tools, lots of allen head bolts

The video is gone.

1) Take an MSF safety course. As dthorny has said it is amazing what you learn. Even after 45 years and 17 different bikes it put a smile on my face finding out just how unsafe I was.

2) If your ride is noisy, look at the machine and somewhere it will say "Roadstar". Yup you found it. Now get on and ride. What weird ticky-knocky noise?

3) Don't ask the parts guy or the Yamaha mechanic about noises, oil, or grease. Your Grandmother knows more about these things.

4) Lube up that seat lock mechanism. Don't use WD-40, that's just a solvent. Use your favorite cable lube or even an aerosol white lithium. There is a nice post here somewhere about making an unlatching device if yours decides not to want to let go of the seat.

5) Ask lots of questions here on this clinic. These guys are smart and helpful. Don't ask about oil unless you want NO sleep for two days.

Enjoy your Roadie.

Never, ever use a standard floor jack to lift your bike for any reason. I had my bike just sitting on a floor jack with a section of 2x12 as a pad. It was centered from side to side and the ground is level. The bike was not actually lifted, just sitting on it. I turned around to go to my roll around tool box, took one step and heard the crash. The bike fell on it's right side destroying a plastic tool box I had sitting there. I went to Harbor Freight and bought the yellow motorcycle jack. Now even with that under it I still strap the bike to the jack using ratchet straps. I was lucky, I would have been laying there working on the bike if it had fallen 45 seconds later. So I guess the tip is: Use the proper tool for the job, and always keep your safety in mind when you work on your bike.

If your clutch lever feels a bit sloppy (up/down movement) replace the brass sleeve that the bolt goes thru in the lever. Brass is a soft metal and it wears out.

If your front brake feels a little grabby, remove the lever (make sure ya don't lose the spring) where the pin comes out from the Master Cylinder, there is a rubber boot, I use a small jewelers screwdriver to push it out of the way and get the straw from a slicone spray and give it a shot.

Don't use use quick pierce thru the insulator type electrical connectors, solder and heat shrink, can use marine grade shrink as well, much higher quality. If you must use a crimp connector, make sure the crimp jaw is for that style connector. One that crimps with the plastic around the connector is not the same jaw as a bare metal connector.

And since the ride season is upon most of us now, keep yourself hydrated, water or a sport drink. Even 80 deg's will dehydrate ya.

Each year at renewal time take a few minutes and price around on insurance for your scoot. Make sure you compare apples to apples. Eventually you will save some coin or get better coverage.

Any time you are removing bolts/screws, always use a magnetic tray and a large cookie sheet. Large cookie sheet is great when working on Carbs, Helps keep all the small parts (especially screws and springs) together.

Jona wrote:
By Hook or by Crook...invest in a shed if at all possible

Sheep are optional.