How to remove and refit CCT's on the Firestorm

[Coasty]

I have put my faith in the new OEM units, my reasoning is this, the first ones lasted 23 years & 35,000km, in saying that if she blows up I'll be pissed,
also the reason for the popping on decel was some fool (me) had left the little vacuum line off the secondary air pump valve, I think I will leave that valve on for the moment, it was spoiling with the awesome decel sound !

[MacV2]

I have put my faith in the new OEM units , my reasoning is this, the first ones lasted 23 years & 35,000km, in saying that if she blows up I'll be pissed,
also the reason for the popping on decel was some fool (me) had left the little vacuum line off the secondary air pump valve, I think I will leave that valve on for the moment, it was spoiling with the awesome decel sound !

So these new OEM units, how long do you think they have been sitting around in a warehouse somewhere ?

Good luck, I really hope you don't suffer a failure & have to spend big $ on a rebuild or a replacement motor...

[tony.mon]

I did that when I bought my first Firestorm.
One failed eighteen months later, that's when I joined this forum.
Two bent inlet valves (unusually, on the rear cylinder) so I was lucky, I suppose.

[sirch345]

Like Tony I had a failure on one of my replacements, as I had done the "Stopper Mod" I was able to ride the bike home with the failed CCT still fitted. The engine was rather noisy in that state, even so it got me the 15 miles or so home with no damage to the valves.

Personally I think the original CCT's last the longest, whether that's due to the replacements being stored in a fully tensioned state (as Mac says) which they never are once fitted to the engine, I can't confirm, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was something to do with it.

Here's the "Stopper Mod" link in case you haven't already seen it: https://www.vtr1000.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=19416

Chris.

[Coasty]

Hmmm, perhaps I need to rethink my strategy,
as you say if something untoward happened the stopper mod will save my engine & get me home,
maybe the replacement units are from a different (cheaper) supplier than the originals she was built with ?
I would have thought the heating & cooling a few thousand times would be more detrimental to the spring than sitting around under tension but who really knows ? she had been sitting in a shed for eight years when I got her but the spring would have been extended not cranked up tight like on the replacement unit,
I thought I was buying like for like or even a new improved unit from the original but maybe that is not necessarily the case, but you'd have to be a mug not to listen to the voice'(s) of experience,
I will put that on my Storm's to do list, probably nearer the top,
thank you chap's for your wise words, I am rather fond of my storm & blowing the engine is not on my to do list
cheers

[sirch345]

Hmmm, perhaps I need to rethink my strategy,
as you say if something untoward happened the stopper mod will save my engine & get me home,
maybe the replacement units are from a different (cheaper) supplier than the originals she was built with ?
I would have thought the heating & cooling a few thousand times would be more detrimental to the spring than sitting around under tension but who really knows ? she had been sitting in a shed for eight years when I got her but the spring would have been extended not cranked up tight like on the replacement unit,
I thought I was buying like for like or even a new improved unit from the original but maybe that is not necessarily the case, but you'd have to be a mug not to listen to the voice'(s) of experience,
I will put that on my Storm's to do list, probably nearer the top,
thank you chap's for your wise words, I am rather fond of my storm & blowing the engine is not on my to do list
cheers

The main thing is you are aware of the possible situation. The heating and cooling of the spring as you mention has been brought up in the past as to possible deterioration of the front CCT spring. The front CCT spring does not have the advantage of being sat in engine oil like the rear, so is possibly more susceptible to the heating and cooling cycle effect, which would explain why it is more often than not the front CCT spring that fails not the rear.
It has been suggested that starting your Storm on the side stand and allowing the engine to warm up while you get your helmet and gloves on not to be a good idea either, not that you do that of course
Starting your bike while you are straddling it so it’s vertical, and having got your biking gear on before starting it is the way to go apparently, then soon after it’s started you can ride off,

Chris.

[Coasty]

Yes I had read about that letting her sit & idle on the side stand to warm up was a bad idea, something to do with low oil pressure to the front tensioner as you say. I have made a habit of keeping her upright on start up. going straight to a fast idle to get the oil pressure up & getting underway soon after, the old "warm em up quick & run em in fast" philosophy, apparently big decels aren't a good idea either which is a shame cos she just sounds soooo awesome when you do that

[sirch345]

Yes I had read about that letting her sit & idle on the side stand to warm up was a bad idea, something to do with low oil pressure to the front tensioner as you say. I have made a habit of keeping her upright on start up. going straight to a fast idle to get the oil pressure up & getting underway soon after, the old "warm em up quick & run em in fast" philosophy, apparently big decels aren't a good idea either which is a shame cos she just sounds soooo awesome when you do that

At least you have read up enough to know the best way to look after your new CCT's, so well done for taking the time to fish out the information

Chris.

[Coasty]

It is a great forum, & like the rest of you I just have to tinker, so it is a mine of information,
I have the Storm, an 06 Harley Street bob, 1997 XR250R, 97 XR200 (daughters) a 97 Honda Foreman (dunno what it is about 1997) & all have been modified to some degree or another, I had a couple more but the chancellor of the cheque book got a bit uppity when the Firestorm plan was being floated so a KDX200 & another XR200 were moved on, something about eight bikes being too many or something like that, wasn't really listening but for the sake of marital bliss we moved a couple on to make way for the Storm, always wanted one & now I've got one & couldn't be happier !

[sirch345]

It is a great forum, & like the rest of you I just have to tinker, so it is a mine of information,
I have the Storm, an 06 Harley Street bob, 1997 XR250R, 97 XR200 (daughters) a 97 Honda Foreman (dunno what it is about 1997) & all have been modified to some degree or another, I had a couple more but the chancellor of the cheque book got a bit uppity when the Firestorm plan was being floated so a KDX200 & another XR200 were moved on, something about eight bikes being too many or something like that, wasn't really listening but for the sake of marital bliss we moved a couple on to make way for the Storm, always wanted one & now I've got one & couldn't be happier !

It sounds like you are living the dream anyway
Nothing like modifying a motorcycle to your liking. I'm not quite sure which I enjoy the most, doing the mod or road testing the bike after carrying out the modification, especially if the mod has gone in the direction you were hoping for by making it a better ride,

Chris

[Coasty]

yes it is all good fun, not quite so much when it all goes horribly wrong but then this is how we learn, give it a go & see what happens,
I am working my way thought the suspension currently, setting the sag etc, I don't ride that fast anymore so it doesn't need to be super stiff, & I live up a gravel road so suspension setup is a little different for me, can't have too much weight on the front wheel or things get leary, thanks again to you & the other chaps for taking the time to put me straight on the cct's, I will be back to that after playing with the suspension,
cheers
Steve

[sirch345]

yes it is all good fun, not quite so much when it all goes horribly wrong but then this is how we learn, give it a go & see what happens,
I am working my way thought the suspension currently, setting the sag etc, I don't ride that fast anymore so it doesn't need to be super stiff, & I live up a gravel road so suspension setup is a little different for me, can't have too much weight on the front wheel or things get leary, thanks again to you & the other chaps for taking the time to put me straight on the cct's, I will be back to that after playing with the suspension,
cheers
Steve

It's certainly worth setting up the suspension on these bikes, although the downside is you will soon find (if still standard) the front end is too soft the rear end is too hard for solo riding

I'm glad we were able to help

Chris.

[Coasty]

Ha, you were right on the money, after much measuring, static sagging, rider sagging, mathematics, fiddling , test riding etc I find the front at max spring rate, rear minimum spring rate & rebound dampening on both is set to standard although there may be more fine tuning there, but she does ride & handle much better, turn in has suffered a little so maybe a spacer for the rear but hesitant as I have read about instability issues without the front end being resprung (Roger) & set up by a suspension guy, we have Robert Taylor of Kiwi Suspension Solutions over here in NZ he is our version of your Roger & set my Harley front end up a while back & while she ain't never going to be "nimble" he vastly improved her, but for now I'll live with the suspension as it is & get back to the stopper mod, thanks again for input & advice,
cheers

[sirch345]

Ha, you were right on the money, after much measuring, static sagging, rider sagging, mathematics, fiddling , test riding etc I find the front at max spring rate, rear minimum spring rate & rebound dampening on both is set to standard although there may be more fine tuning there, but she does ride & handle much better, turn in has suffered a little so maybe a spacer for the rear but hesitant as I have read about instability issues without the front end being resprung (Roger) & set up by a suspension guy, we have Robert Taylor of Kiwi Suspension Solutions over here in NZ he is our version of your Roger & set my Harley front end up a while back & while she ain't never going to be "nimble" he vastly improved her, but for now I'll live with the suspension as it is & get back to the stopper mod, thanks again for input & advice,
cheers

And you have your gravel road to deal with

At least you have been reading up on what's what with the suspension, well done

Handy too in having your own suspension guy in NZ,

Chris.

[Coasty]

Hey there Chris,
compliments of the season to you ,I hope the new year has started well.
I have a request , I lent my Firestorm to my brother in law who was over from Australia over the Christmas break to go touring for a few days & while she seams to run ok the idle is all over the place, very unusual as she has ticked like a swiss watch all the time I have owned her. I am thinking it must be fuel, maybe he got some bad gas somewhere ? but before I start tearing things apart I would be interested to hear what you think & maybe point me in the right direction before I charge in & pull the carbs to bits. I did spray some carb cleaner around thinking I may have developed an air leak but there was no discernable change in engine speed so cross that off, possible sticky choke plunger perhaps ? any advice you have will be appreciated
cheers
Steve