Welcome new 9x0 owners! Things you need to know about your new bike...

Geek, Thank you for starting the thread! Because of it I have already ordered a sidestand relocation bracket and I haven't even taken delivery of my 990 yet. Again, much appreciated. You rock.

You do have the drain plug in the bottom of the motor right?

Thanks Geek, perfect timing as I am a 950 newby.

When putting on a kick stand relocation bracket be very very careful you don't pinch the sensor wire behind the plate eventually causing the bike to die causing a long embarrassing walk home.


Or install the bypass switch kit from KTM twins before heading out just in case..........................

Geek, I've been riding my 990 for five years now and feel very comfortable with the maintenance on it, but still pick up awesome pointers from you, CJ, CPModem and others...GREAT THREAD, keep it going!!!

Hello everyone! I have owned a 2004 950 since last Nov here in Australia and I have to say that I learned heaps through this forum. May I say that I literally spent hours reading the HOW and this forum trying to add new info to already existing "manuals" - it's always in the little details and hints when I find myself stuck when actually working on the bike.
I'm due to do my first oil change, install 2nd fan kit, somehow mount the deflector shroud on the second fan etc. More importantly I need to learn how to dismount front and rear tire and how to change the rubber. What are the best tools to get the tires off the rims? Do you get the tires rebalanced each time you change them?

of course, mine has one

Another thread that can rust! Every so often, shoot some WD 40 or the like and give the adjuster a few turns back and forth. It's a weird design, and if it rusts it will break when you try to fix it - then it's nasty and expensive to fix. (ask me how I know this:eek1)

Good stuff Edward.

Great thread-thanks guys! Always some new stuff to learn (for me alot of stuff to learn!)
Removed thet screw inside the filler cap on my right tank......just in case
Done a lot of reading on the HOW site and here already, but a lot to still learn...will be watching with interest.

The stock OEM battery is factory activated and may not last very long if it sits idle in a warehouse or dealership. It is a good idea to add a volt meter to monitor the battery and the regulator. Lower priced after market batteries may not last longer than 2 or 3 years . . . depending on how long they sit between rides. You may want to relocate the voltage regulator in a cooler location (it will last longer).

There are many digital meters in the market . . . . or, if you are cheap like me . . . you can use a 2" volt meter for an outboard (make a panel out of plastic to mount.

I have an aversion to cutting things for some reason. Maybe something about the permanence of it. So unless I absolutely have to I try to avoid it. I used a couple of washers behind the bolt to space the mud guard away from the swingarm. So far so good...

This plastic mud guard tends to brake because of the heat it lives in, close to the exhaust. So every 3-4 years it will need replacement.

Edit. I foud out the exaust "H" that lives under the saddle, rusts at the point where the mounting brackets are welded to the pipes, letting exaust gas out that burn the nearby plastics. This needs to be checked every now and then for leakage.
Cheers

Since we're on the topic.. here's a photo of my mudflap with the spacer behind it for reference

Try as I might, i'll cannot turn the screw even having left it overnight with WD 40 soaking in. Me thinks next I should give it a whack with an impact driver. Is this a good idea?

My SMT has a sight glass for oil level. Will a coolant leak be evident by oil color?

it would be milky looking

On the rear mudguard .I have found that a little heat (map gas or even the kitchen stove) and you can mold it away from the swing arm and back from that new tire. They are cheep to about $10- $15

If you run out of gas it means that the left fuel tank is empty (where the fuel pump is located), but there is probably fuel still in the right tank. You can lean the bike over to the left side and transfer fuel from the right tank to the left. This can be done while straddling the bike, I have gone several additional miles using this technique. i always made it to a gas station within a few miles, so I'm not sure just how much fuel can still be "trapped" in the right tank, or how far some people have traveled using this method. Perhaps others can chime in and we will all learn more.

This is a great thread Geek, I have learned a lot.

I'm going to start a related one that deals with trail/roadside troubleshooting, so more experience can be shared.

Just for 990s, correct?