We’ve been asked to do a V-Strom 650 self-point maintenance job: pad, plug, and air filter replacement.
It’s a really Suzuki-looking bike, isn’t it?
We’ll clean and oil the fork. It’s easier if you remove the dust seal over as wide an area as possible.
Using a flathead screwdriver to pry can scratch the bottom case.
Apply it and spread it well all over. The oil film also helps with rust prevention. Then wipe it off and you’re done.
Whether you oil it or not makes a huge difference in how long the inner tubes and oil seals last.
Occasionally remove the side stand and clean and oil it. It feels great when the part you always touch when getting on and off is smooth. And oiling it also reduces wear on both the stand side and the frame side.
It’s even better to oil the spring’s moving parts too.
Let’s clean the calipers and replace the pads. All three had different pads, which made me wonder, but it’s apparently no problem.
I was a bit flustered since it was my first time. The pistons were working smoothly too.
When replacing brake pads, always clean the brake disc with brake cleaner or similar for better results.
Modern bikes have a lot of tabs, so you need to be careful. Removing the fairing is what takes the most attention. And there are a lot of screws. Lately, removing the fairing is the trickiest part.
The dirt was pretty moderate.
We’ll replace the coolant too.
It’s hard to tell whether it’s clean or dirty.
The radiator cap still has elasticity, so we’ll reuse it.
For future front bank plug replacement, we can remove the left and right inner panels and spread the outer fairing a bit to get the plugs out. I was prepared to remove more, but we managed. The rear bank is easy once you remove the tank.
Since it’s a modern bike, there’s barely any carbon buildup.
Suzuki’s bolts look cool lately. They’d work on a GSX-R1100. Though the neck might be a bit short…
This self-point maintenance breakdown
• Fork cleaning and oiling: 1 point
• Side stand cleaning and oiling: 2 points
• Brake caliper cleaning and oiling: 2 points × 3 = 6 points
• Air filter replacement: 2 points
• Coolant replacement: 6 points
• Plug replacement: 4 points + labor charge: 2 points = 6 points
• Chain cleaning and oiling: 2 points
Total: 25 points.
