revtothelimit - motorbike forum

At the last MOT, there was a wee bit of play in the rear linkages. Not enough for a fail, but enough for me to scratch my chin.
A look on Fowlups spares page.....£18 + vat x 4 + seals x 6 + 3 shafts. Well over £100.
A quick check on eBay, very low mileage '22 complete bell crank.......£35 Whilst I was in there, this was the frame bolt Don't think it has ever seen grease!
All bolted back together, just a perceptible bit of play now, but it is a Yamaha......they're like that from new!

Kawasaki are notorious for letting the suspension linkages/headstock bearings/swingarm bearings on their bikes to barely smell the grease. I swear they have the same tub of grease still half full from 1969.

Not long from new I stripped those parts on my Zed and greased them properly.

When I fitted the ohlins, I made sure all the bearings/collars/bolts got a good dousing of waterproof grease.
My mistake was expecting Yamaha to have actually put some on the others.......silly me!

Sadlonelygit wrote: Sun Jan 12, 2025 2:38 pm When I fitted the ohlins, I made sure all the bearings/collars/bolts got a good dousing of waterproof grease.
My mistake was expecting Yamaha to have actually put some on the others.......silly me!

So now the excess grease can collect dirt and make a nice grinding paste.

Le_Fromage_Grande wrote: Sun Jan 12, 2025 8:55 pm

Sadlonelygit wrote: Sun Jan 12, 2025 2:38 pm When I fitted the ohlins, I made sure all the bearings/collars/bolts got a good dousing of waterproof grease.
My mistake was expecting Yamaha to have actually put some on the others.......silly me!

So now the excess grease can collect dirt and make a nice grinding paste.

No, that's if you slather them in grease.

I guess you don't ever lube your chain then?

Not sure why people think any and every bolt needs slathering in grease, that's not a design requirement.

And chains are self-lubed internally BTW, said it loads of times Being dirty is what kills them, not being dry.

Mr. Dazzle wrote: Wed Jan 15, 2025 8:22 am And chains are self-lubed internally BTW, said it loads of times Being dirty is what kills them, not being dry.

Only applies to sealed chains, and sealed chains still need the o or x rings externally lubricated periodically.
And stop derailleuring the thread.

The dry bolt was part of the rear suspension linkage (frame pivot) which according to yamaha themselves should be greased prior to re-assembly.

The pedants on here love to jump on the use of a word, without sometimes even reading what has actually been written.

It's like dealing with infants on here sometimes

Sadlonelygit wrote: Wed Jan 15, 2025 10:50 am It's like dealing with infants on here sometimes

You're the one who opened with a Blue Peter quote