W.T.F. Were They Thinking? (Motorcycle Designers/Engineers)

[ceemes]

Yesterday I went to check the oil level on my Connie and had one of those moments where you stop in your tracks and go W.T.F. were they (the designers/engineers) thinking!?!?!?!?!? Now I love my Connie, its a great bike, lots of usable power when she is running 100%, fairly nimble, very comfortable, all in all one of the best all round bikes I have ever had, apart from the lousy fuel mileage in the city. And I like the looks of it and having a couple of nice hard cases on the tail to store away things is a big plus. However, there is one thing I do not like and that is checking her oil levels. Now I am a fairly simple lad and love the simplisity of an oil dipstick. Unscrew the cap, wipe the stick clean, stick back down the hole, pull it out again and read the level. Below the line, add more oil, oil is dirty. change the oil. Very simple and quick. However Connie don't have no dipstick, instead you have to peek into a small window to check the oil level. Sounds simple enough, but let me run you thru the procedure. First get her up on the centre stand, no mean task given her weight especially if she has a full tank of fuel. Next, lay flat on the ground beside her on the left hand side. Peek in between the gear change linkage and then get up coz now you need to find a light source to illuminate the window, the silly thing is tucked inside a deep and dark recess behind the linkage. Get your flashlight (or lighter), lay back down and shine in the light. Get up and go get a rag to clean the glass, lay back down and play with the light till you can see inside. Get up, add a bit of oil, lay back down and see if you need more...repeat until oil level looks about right.

All this got me thinking, how many other minor design oddities have other found on their bikes? I am not talking about complete bikes designs such as the DN-01, but rather those little niggly things that make you shake your head in wonder in what is otherwise a perfectly wonderful machine.

[Wrider]

What kills me is Yamaha's insistence to put the in-engine oil filter behind a cover that requires removal of the (very hot) pipes just to change the oil filter.

[fireguzzi]

My srx 250 is a single cylinder engine with a primary carb and a secondary carb. The primary is a perfectly normal carb. The secondary is some weird thing that has no float bowl. Its basically one big jet and a slide. Why they did this? I have no idea. If they needed a bit mor gas flow they should have put a bigger single carb on there. BUt no, they want to make things complicated. It's a single for crying out loud. Who wants to clean two (one and a half?) carbs and wiggle that stupid little connection hose between them for an hour before you get it lined up just to have to do it all over again when push the carb all the way in the boot and it pops off. Kinda dumb IMO. quirky bastrd

[High_Side]

'93 ZX6E - you had to drop the oil cooler to get at the filter between the two hot header pipes - brilliant. All of my Kawasakis could have taken the prize in one way or another for the most ridiculous design errors (I love 'em though...)

KTM Superduke - I'm not kidding here when I say that you have to remove the rad cap to change the oil!

And have you ever tried to work on the carbs on a V-Four Honda? It's worth it however for the sound alone

[HYPERR]

On the flipside, contrary to what the Honda shop manual says, I can change the oil and filter on my CBR600RR without removing a single piece of plastic.

[Grey Thumper]

I hate that I have to remove the tank to get access to my battery. On the newest version of my bike, the battery's just under the seat.

Although on that bike, the oil filler cap is on the right side of the bike, while the window to check the oil level is on the left.

[HYPERR]

Although on that bike, the oil filler cap is on the right side of the bike, while the window to check the oil level is on the left.

Which bike is that?

[Grey Thumper]

Although on that bike, the oil filler cap is on the right side of the bike, while the window to check the oil level is on the left.

Which bike is that?

The current version of our bikes, HYPERR; the R1200R. IIRC, the filler cap moved to the right cylinder ever since they had the twin cam engine.

[Wrider]

My srx 250 is a single cylinder engine with a primary carb and a secondary carb.

Reminds me about the XL350. A single with two full sized carbs, again one without a float bowl, but side by side instead of front to back...

[Scob]

What kills me is Yamaha's insistence to put the in-engine oil filter behind a cover that requires removal of the (very hot) pipes just to change the oil filter.

Amen to that!

I know the VStar 1100 (but not the 650) was configured as such and it drove me nuts! Thankfully my new Roadstar has an external filter.

Are there other Yamahas besides the V1100 that require you to disassemble half the engine just to change the filter?