I am looking to do my 7,500 mile maintenance myself. I have never changed any motorcycle plugs. How bad is it to do? I do this maintenance on my cars myself, along with oil changes and some other light maintenance, but a little intimidated by the bandit. Any thoughts are greatly appreciated. Thanks.
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Spark plug diy?
- Thread starter merlin310
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I was intimidated as well but I'm one of those people who has TERRIBLE luck with anybody touching my stuff (many many stories lol) and mainly I rather work, get cut, swear but keep my $$$ and know its DONE period one of my many stories of things not done anyways. Its not bad here's the main fun. Removing the tank I suggest you empty it as much as you can so its easier to hold while your trying to disconnect everything and not drop it. I balance the front on the "bump" and something flat on the seat side but still have to be careful. Other then that really its a tight fit drop the spark plug tool in 1st then attach the extensions as needed the right fairing needs to be loosened a little and MOST fun of all the boots/coil packs will more then likely be "stuck" the 1st time you take it out but use dielectric grease so its easier later. Bad idea but I used a closed wrench around the plug part and yanked up still was a **** to deal with. When reinstalling make sure you push on the boots REALLY hard as they click twice the 2nd time the hardest and you may think they are in and they probably aren't. Hopefully my semi drunken babble has helped! 
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I found out a long time ago that that the two different length spark plug sockets that come in the factory tool kit are the easiest to fit down into the spark plugs wells for removing and installing the plugs, along with two different lengths of rubber hose to push down over the plugs to use to speed up unscrewing and screwing them in and out of the head, and I've got tons of tools, but this is what I have found works the best use followed up with a final tightening using a torque wrench.
My personal tip : Don't even think about it , to change them WITHOUT removing first the "Radiator Thermostat".
If that's your mileage you probably won't have to change your plugs for a while anyway,I had twice that much before I changed mine and they really didn't look that bad.
DaveC
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I ran the NGK in my Kawasaki Voyager about 50,000 miles. I checked them every other year and the color was right, economy and performance were fine. When I changed them I did get about 1 mpg better economy. But thats subjective. If the insulator is carbon free and your tip color is a light tan then all is well. I have a bead blaster and I clean my old ones before installing them.
I got 33k miles on my 08 bandit and haven't even checked it out....It runs fine, good mpg and no problems so far.... But I did change out my air filter at 32k miles and it wasn't that bad either.... I put in a K&N air filter...
So how often are you plugs on bandit 1250....because all I have done are oil change, coolant fluids, brake fulid flush, brake pads front and back., tires, air filter, lube chain...will change chain soon. Whatelse do I need to do...bike is running fine...
bike is EFI...
So how often are you plugs on bandit 1250....because all I have done are oil change, coolant fluids, brake fulid flush, brake pads front and back., tires, air filter, lube chain...will change chain soon. Whatelse do I need to do...bike is running fine...
bike is EFI...
If I were you, I would change out the plugs before they permanently bond themselves to the head. 33,000 miles is getting up there without ever removing them. The manual says plugs every 7,500 miles (but that is a fairly short life for plugs). Plus, you might pick up some engine smoothness that you may not have noticed that you lost.
I did the change, WITHOUT removing the Thermostat. Glad my wife has smaller hands......
I did the change, WITHOUT removing the Thermostat. Glad my wife has smaller hands......
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Come on guys, changing the plugs on a 1250 is very easy to do if you have and use the right tools, which besides what I mentioned in my first post also includes a suitable type of lever to use to pop the coils off of the plugs and for which I use a piece of 3/16” x 1” x 12” long piece of aluminum, and you don't have to remove the thermostat / filler neck housing, and I can easily change the plugs from start to finish in around 20 minutes.
Another thing, make sure that the square, orange silicone seals don't pop out of the coil electrical connectors which they easily can do, for if you loose one you'll have to either buy a either a whole new or used wiring harness, as they are not sold seperately, but the coils are also used on many different models of Suzuki's as well as some Honda's and Kawi's, so you can also pick up cheaper used plugs wiring looms that will have the orange seals fairly cheap, as I just picked up one off of a CBR600RR for $14 shipped on eBay for use in wiring up a set of stick coils I installaing on the ZG1000 I'm resurrecting.
Another thing, make sure that the square, orange silicone seals don't pop out of the coil electrical connectors which they easily can do, for if you loose one you'll have to either buy a either a whole new or used wiring harness, as they are not sold seperately, but the coils are also used on many different models of Suzuki's as well as some Honda's and Kawi's, so you can also pick up cheaper used plugs wiring looms that will have the orange seals fairly cheap, as I just picked up one off of a CBR600RR for $14 shipped on eBay for use in wiring up a set of stick coils I installaing on the ZG1000 I'm resurrecting.
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All I can say about your maintenance schedule is
You may want to familiarize yourself with the maintenance schedule listed in the owners manual, which will answer your questions on when to change the plugs and air filter, and a bike having EFI has no bearing on when to change the plugs and air filter. Can we assume that you have never inspected the valve clearance either.
achesley
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Like Scott says, so easy even I can do it in under 30 mins with a coffee break. All the tools you need are in your kit. I did it once just because I wanted to see how long it took with the onboard kit tools. Now, it is faster and easier to use either T handle or speed wrench and sockets on the few bolts you need to remove to get to the plugs.
Wow, that reminds me, I need to look and see when the last time was that I changed plugs. Probably last summer before my trip to Montana. So, probably, good to go on the up coming trip to Southern Cal and up to Washington to visit a few old friends.
Hi. I'm replacing the plugs on my 2007 1250. I've done the 1, 2, and 3rd relatively easy, but no matter what, I can't remove the 4th (right) one. The frame tube has the groove to pull the coil out, but it's not getting in there. Just 1 or 2mm off. Looks like the coil is not under the right angle to get it in that groove.
Help. How did you do it??
Help. How did you do it??
Any luck yet? I haven't don't the plugs yet.
Update: No matter what, I couldn't pull it up until I pulled out the front engine holding rod and loosened other engine bolts to get the engine just a few mm down. Then the coil got thru. Was a lot of work, but I don't know how others do it... I just couldn't find a vid or writing about the 4th plug pulling on a 1250.
Try #4 first. You don't have to remove the tank or anything else for that matter. Just disconnect the wire from the coil and pick the coil up using a screwdriver just to release it. Then pull it up. If it'll go straight to the groove and out of the block, you're in business. Remove the tank and do all the rest.
LOL! I checked it last night. I didn't lift it up but it definately doesn't line up to come straight out. I was thinking after you get it up a bit it might bend. I got time though, only at 5,300 miles. But thanks for the info, now I know to start with #4. But I gotta say #1 looks just as misaligned.
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I wrestled with #1 for under a minute and it went in. They don't bend that easily.
But for 5300 miles you still have way to go. Don't even think of it now. Come back at 13-15k.
I remember that being a pain, but I got it out with some magical combination of wobble extensions and/or u-joints. Did mine at 30k, looked like the first time.