Bandit 1200 inspection, self-point maintenance, DID/Sunstar kit, Michelin Road 5 tire change request.Pilot tires are no longer available, it seems. Back in the day, when you thought of Grand Prix racing, Michelin tires and ELF oil came to mind. That brilliant image still lingers with me. Will they make a comeback? Lately, they’ve built quite a reputation as a touring tire.Front wheel has some scuff marks and slight runout. Wheel runout requires careful attention. It’s important to know when and where it happened.(For accountability, too.)The air valve is Arlete brand, reliable for long-term use. My personal recommendation is to use a contrasting color for the wheel and air valve. I think it’s easier to spot when you’re adding air. If you prefer a unified look, go with matching colors. For someone like me who gets frustrated easily, contrasting colors are the way to go.Suzuki’s hub damper is really tough. This time we replaced it.Since we polished it before, just wiping it with rust preventative oil brings it back to looking clean. I’m really feeling it now—finally, the work is paying off. It’s bittersweet.This time the customer wanted steel. It arrived in stock silver, so I applied gun coat for dirt protection.Drive sprocket lock nut plus threadlocker. From the manufacturer’s side: secure it firmly so it won’t come loose. From the technician’s side: keep it from loosening while making it easy to remove and preventing seizing. It’s tricky. Threadlocker makes the torque feel uncertain, so I remove some of it.
The chain is brand new. Cleaning the slider too feels good mentally.Rather than relying on feel, measuring the plate press fit with calipers or similar tools reduces mistakes. Peace of mind comes from numbers—that’s a good world, isn’t it?Lock nut plus lock washer (bent at two points). Bend the lock washer flat with Knipex smooth-jaw pliers for peace of mind.I cleaned the brake calipers. They’re in excellent condition.I replaced the brake fluid with Golden Cruiser DOT4.Polishing makes assembly feel better. It prevents corrosion from spreading and keeps parts usable longer.Cleaned and lubricated the levers and pedals. Newtech NC100 grease was still present in good condition, which is reassuring. Let me apply a fresh coat as well. That completes this service.
