Service

SERVICE

Speed guessing

I have a 1982 Honda V-45 Sabre that performs beautifully with the exception of the speedometer. It has a nasty habit of working only when it feels like it. The only regularity I can establish in its pattern of dormancy is that it will work for brief periods after I press the trip reset button. The ’82 Sabre’s gauges are integrated into what my dealer calls “a mass of electronic goo.” He has tried to fix the problem several times but can’t find anything wrong.

Michael Horrigan Mt. Pleasant, Michigan

Your Honda dealer should have a service manual on the Sabre with a special section called “Sabre Instrument Trouble Shooting Guide. " This section details a step-by-step procedure for testing the Sabre's elec-

tronic instrument panel. If your dealer doesn 't have the proper service manual, try another dealer. And, if the problem can't be found, any Honda dealer has a special “Honda Tech Line" that can provide information.

Shaky Ninja

My 1987 Ninja 750 with only 1700 miles on it has a severe headshake problem. The front end shakes violently between 40 mph and 50 mph when accelerating and at all speeds when stopping hard with the front brake. I’ve replaced the wheels, the front tire, fork bushings and springs, tightened the steering head nut and had the front tire and rim balanced three times. But the problem doesn’t get any better. I need help.

Pete Pressly

Ann Arbor, Michigan

First, remove and check the condition of the steering-head bearings. If they are in good condition, clean them thoroughly and regrease them before they are reinstalled. Next, check the rear-wheel alignment and the swingarm bushings for looseness. The swingarm bushings can be checked by elevating the rear wheel and pushing/ pulling on the top/bottom of the rear tire. If movement is noticed at the front of the swingarm, remove it and inspect all of the parts. Replace any worn or defective parts and grease all of the moving parts before reassembly. You didn V say whether the machine had been crashed or not. If so, you could have a bent frame or swingarm.

Clutch it, if you can

I have an annoying problem with my Kawasaki ZXIOOO Ninja—the clutch lever free-play increases after a few shifts. I have changed fluid and flushed the system without a noticeable change. My dealer says the condition is “normal.” Pumping the lever to regain a normal clutchlever position works, but it’s a real pain. Is there a fix?

Ronald Grasmick

Clovis, California

According to Kawasaki's public relations department, there is no known reason or fix for the problem, although they admit the problem does exist on some bikes when the rider is riding in an “aggressive manner."Maybe there are some hardriding Ninja 1000 owners out there who have solved the problem. If so, write in and we'll relay the information.