Question for High Mileage Bikes

[dank]

The recent thread shows we have a lot of 35,000-plus mile bikes out there. For those bikes, I'm curious how many have done the cam chain tensioner extensions. Off and on there are threads on that, but no clear pattern is evident on how many actually add them and when it is truly needed. Let's get some group experienece-knowledge on it.

If you are over 35,000 miles post your mileage, whether it is a 1500 or 1600 engine, and whether you have added the extenders.

Mine is 40,167 miles, 1600 engine, no extenders to date.

[dantama]

On my first Nomad (1500) I didn't do the extenders and the cam chain buzz sawed through the spark plug tube at about 60,000 miles.

On the outside it only got a nick about the size of a pin head all the way through, but that was enough to through a ton of oil out (happened on a trip). On the inside was a nice groove the width of the chain.

[audiogooroo]

Did the extenders in my 1500 at 30,000 miles because I could hear them occasionally.

[nighthawk11]

what exactly do the chain extenders sound like when they're rubbing?

[ringadingh]

I have over 54,000 miles and have not installed the extenders yet, I check to make sure a couple times a season that they are not rubbing. I wouldn't be surprised if I am installing them later this summer.

[ringadingh]

Originally Posted by nighthawk11

what exactly do the chain extenders sound like when they're rubbing?

They would probably sound like a bicycle chain rubbing on a peice of pipe. With all the other noise going on with these motors, its something you will most likely still hear over the other stuff.

[dank]

Originally Posted by Ringadingh

I have over 54,000 miles and have not installed the extenders yet, I check to make sure a couple times a season that they are not rubbing. I wouldn't be surprised if I am installing them later this summer.

I think yours is a 1600, but eveyone be sure to include that information in case the motors are different on this.

If we get enough responses I tabulate them so we can see if there is a general trend that will guide us on when to do the modification..

[audiogooroo]

Originally Posted by Ringadingh

They would probably sound like a bicycle chain rubbing on a peice of pipe. With all the other noise going on with these motors, its something you will most likely still hear over the other stuff.

Exactly. It's sort of a "buzzing" sound. Definitely different than the normal sounds of these engines...you know kind of like you dropped a handful of change down the garbage disposal.

[nighthawk11]

Holy crap. Yeah I guess I would definately hear that. Fortunately, I haven't heard that yet. Mine is an '03 1500 Nomad with 30k.

[jmorrow]

I have two 2004 Nomad 1500's, one has 47400 and the other has 31200 mile. I checked the sparkplug tubes a couple week ago and all was still good, no extension needed yet.

[emu]

My 03 has 61000 miles and runs like a top ... If it ain't broke ... Don't fix it!

[ponch]

A while back I asked Quinton Grubbs the same question about getting over 200K miles on his nomad. THis is what he said:

"Nothing special in keeping her going.Â* The 1500 motor is bullet proof.Â* I change the oil/filter and add 4 oz Seafoam to the tankÂ*every 3,000 miles.Â* Change brake/clutch fluids every 15,000 miles.Â* Replace spark plugs and clean K&NÂ* air filter every 25,000 miles. Whenever I replace the tires, I also change the gear oil.
BTW, this bike is so reliable that I took her on an SS1000 (IBA ride) 3 weeks ago.Â* Took my time and completed it in 15 hrs 4 min.Â* Even rode her 2-up from GA to IL and back last week.


The motor is original.Â* I've never touched the swing arm bearings.
Replaced shifter bolt at 98K(warranty), greased the drive shaft at 100K, new battery at 137K, replaced outer stator at 150K(warranty), replaced front fork seals & wheel bearings at 160K(warranty), replaced drive shaft at 165K(warranty), added Tim Acree's cam chain tensioner extenders at 170K.
Plus many tires, brake pads, spark plugs, oil/filters, fluids etc along the way."
Â*

[zoom45]

Mine is a 2000 1500 with about 63,000 on it now. I put the extenders on about 59,000 and they were about worn to the limit but still had a little adjustment left. I never heard any unusual noise before I added the extenders but I seem to notice a lot of noises now. I think I'm just paranoid something will go wrong since it has a lot of miles. So far it runs as good as it always had.
Zoom45

[gv550]

'05 1600.........I checked the tensioners at 35k miles and the rod was 5.5 mm below the body (9.5 mm is fully extended) so I added the extenders which placed the rod 2 mm above the body. At 55k the rod was still 2 mm above. At 76k the rod was .5 mm above. At 133k the rod was 1.4 mm below. 149k on it now but I have not checked them, I have removed the tubes and the chain is nowhere near touching them.
If the chains continue to stretch at this rate I figger they will go to 300k before the tensioners run out of travel.

Garry

[Jared]

Garry, You must live on your bike to put 150K in 3.5 years. Nice!