[ST] Fairing Removal Tip

["Al Garvin" <agarvin@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Here is a little tip for those of you doing you own maintenance.

Don't use locktite on the screws that hold your fairing on.  The tabs will
break off
when you try to remove them next time. Don't ask me how I know.

My .02 cents on the Oil thread -- I too was in shock at the cost of my 600
mile service, which was basically an oil change. This is the first (new)
still under warranty bike I have ever owned. I wanted to make sure that I
did not do anything that would void the warranty so I took it in for all the
scheduled maintenances. I think I spent close to $1200 on service in those
two years. That is more than I ever paid for any motorcycle I had owned
until I bought this Triumph. I have owned a lot of bikes and I don't
remember any of them that ate up tires like this one. Maybe I'm just riding
it more but the cost of maintenance on this bike is quite high compared to
others I have owned. $100.00 for a chain? $140.00 for rear tires, $120 for
front tires. $ 75.00 for Oil, filter, and crush washer and do the labor
yourself. But I love this bike. This Triumph is so far and above the level
of the old Triumphs I have owned. They leaked oil, would run for about 3
days before needing an overhaul, had Lucas electrics, etc  but I learned a
lot about working on bikes from them. This new Triumph just needs a steady
diet of gas, oil, and tires and is always ready to go when I am. I think one
of the ways Triumph, BMW, Ducati, Indian, HD, and all the others have had so
much success is that they give two year warranties with their bikes with the
stipulation that you take them into their dealers, use their oil and their
parts. Car manufactures do the same thing. My Fords say to use Motorcraft
parts and the Chevys say to use only genuine Delco parts. But if everyone
did that there would not be any autoparts stores or after market bike shops.
My warranty has expired, so from now on I am going to do all my own work
(after I pay for those new fairing tabs, another lesson from the motorcycle
gods), change my own oil and uses oil from Wal Mart.  I have never had an
engine failure on any vehicle I have owned yet that could be attributed
using the wrong oil.  If you change it when it gets dirty and throw on a new
filter when needed and keep that energy conserving teflon away from the wet
clutch you'll be OK.

Have fun, take your bike out and play on it.
Al
2000 ST   (if fast were a color what would it be?)


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