Hawk Talk

[hertz9753]

Originally Posted by Ariel Red Hunter

People on this site that have switched to UniBear chain have had very good experiences with them, and they are not expensive. In the $20.00 range.

Why don't you ever mention the JT HD chain? I'm not the only person using a 428 here and it is a good chain.

I'm just having fun and I don't have a UniBear but I do have a dog that I got from a shelter.

[timcosby]

Originally Posted by JerryHawk250

Quality of chains are hit and miss ( mostly miss) There are a few of us Hawk owners that have had no issues with the chain, Me being one of them. I was ready to order a chain before I even got the bike because I heard how bad they were. I only had to adjust the chain twice. Once after the first ride and the second time was at about 100 miles. I haven't fooled with the chain except to remove and clean it a few time but check it before I removed it and was okay. I have over 1600 miles on the chain and has very little side play. They must have sent out a batch of Hawks with decent chains.

i too seemed to have gotten a good chain over a 1000 and going strong on it. adjusting every 50 miles seems like it didnt come with any lubricant on it to me.

[JerryHawk250]

Originally Posted by timcosby

i too seemed to have gotten a good chain over a 1000 and going strong on it. adjusting every 50 miles seems like it didnt come with any lubricant on it to me.

One of the first things I done was pull the chain and put it to soak in some 90w synthetic gear oil (all that I had at the time). The chain looked dry on the outside so figured there couldn't be anything were there should be.

[Ariel Red Hunter]

Originally Posted by hertz9753

Why don't you ever mention the JT HD chain? I'm not the only person using a 428 here and it is a good chain.

I'm just having fun and I don't have a UniBear but I do have a dog that I got from a shelter.

I have never before heard of DogShelter chain, thanks for the information. I never mention JT HD chain because it is not the brand that pops into my mind when I write this stuff. I recommend UniBear because it works. I'll try to remember JT, because of your experience with it. And, of course, DogShelter...ARH

[XDoubleXA]

Originally Posted by Ariel Red Hunter

People on this site that have switched to UniBear chain have had very good experiences with them, and they are not expensive. In the $20.00 range.

428 124 links?... The other ones i was looking at were 70-80 bucks. I can do 20

[JerryHawk250]

Originally Posted by XDoubleXA

428 124 links?... The other ones i was looking at were 70-80 bucks. I can do 20

Here you go. just cut to length you need. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01ACMEZCE...d=2TIDKN14UQSQ

[Ariel Red Hunter]

This article is for the new Hawk owners whose bikes will start showing up any day now. While we almost all are hot to ride the little beastie as soon as possible, doing it as a procedure will make you happier in the long run. Please understand that ALL of the lubricants that come in the bike are primarily rust-preventative oils, not much as lubricants. As it comes out of it's cocoon, I would jack it up under the engine enough to get the front forks off. Take the top caps off, turn them upside down and let the anti-rust oil drain out. Preferably overnight. Likewise the engine oil, which contains the clutch and transmission oil as well. Got to your favorite supply place (like Wal-Mart), and buy Diesel Truck engine oil, like 15-40, or 20-50. Buy three quarts or a gallon. Also, unless you prefer a boutique fork oil, buy one quart of ATF. Assuming you did all of this when you got home after work, also remove the battery from the bike and fill it with the included acid. Let it sit (not on concrete) for three or four hours while the acid starts the chemical process of generating electricity. Don't use the one amp battery charger that you also bought when you bought the oil until it is time to go to bed. Let the charger work overnight. Next morning, take the charger off of the battery. Now would be a good time to undo the two nuts on the center of the triple trees on top. The top nut is the lock nut, the bottom nut is the adjusting nut. Undo the adjusting nut enough to expose the ball bearings at the bottom. Grease them up real good with water proof marine grease. I use Evinrude water proof grease for this, as I know it works, even in salt water. Then push the triple trees back up and grease the top bearings. Tighten the top nut until ther is no shake in the triple trees, then put on the lock nut, but no need to tighten it just yet. Put the fork tubes back in the triple trees, and put 6 ounces of ATF or fork oil in each leg. Put on the caps that go on the fork tubes. Set the tubes so that the caps are just above the top triple tree plate. Put a quart of oil in the crankcase. Spray brake cleaner on both disc brakes to clean off the waxy oil used by the factory to prevent rust. To install the front wheel, remember to use something to push the brake pads back in so the rotor will go between them. It wil easily go between the pads. If it doesn't you have the spacers on the front axle wrong. Well, that should get you started...ARH

[pete]

I think most know my feelings on useing ATF in the forks...
In another thread I gave the a few reasons why it dosn't work...

http://www.chinariders.net/showpost....0&postcount=48

useing ATF is going back to the days before fork oil was on the market..







.

[Cruisin_with_CJ]

I have been searching for hours, I can not find the thread or post I am looking for. I live in florida, Just bought two use 2015 hawk 250s. I'm working on one and I have replaced the battery and did the mikuni carb swap and putt a 115 jet in it, yet I can not get it to start. What should be my next step? What setting should I be using? Im at a loss here, please help.

[Ariel Red Hunter]

Originally Posted by Cruisin_with_CJ

I have been searching for hours, I can not find the thread or post I am looking for. I live in florida, Just bought two use 2015 hawk 250s. I'm working on one and I have replaced the battery and did the mikuni carb swap and putt a 115 jet in it, yet I can not get it to start. What should be my next step? What setting should I be using? Im at a loss here, please help.

You have spark at the plug, I presume? You have compression? If the spark plug inside was wet with gas when you pulled it out, you must have fuel. Need to know a little more about what steps you have taken, so far....ARH

[Megadan]

To touch on the brand new Hawks and replacing the fork oils, do so. My oil came out clean (picture found here http://chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=19247 ) but it was also filled with a bunch of contaminants/particulates and had the consistency of vegetable oil - and even smelled like it lol.

ATF is not an uncommon thing for use in forks. I personally prefer to use fork oils, and the price difference isn't enough for me to run straight out and buy ATF. I bought 0.5L of PJ1 synthetic 15wt (here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1 ) which is enough to do both forks and have a little left over. For measuring it out, I simply use one of these https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

When draining the "factory" fork oils, I would recommend not just simply turning them upside down, but also cycling the fork in and out. This will help pump out some of the trapped oils. You can take it a step further like I do, and use some ATF to help flush the system out completely. Then leave the forks standing inverted for a few minutes to help let as much of the old stuff drain as possible.

When filling the forks, put in about half and cycle the tube a little to help clear out any trapped air. One thing I noticed right away after flushing the forks and adding the new oil was the much smoother action of the forks. This is a good indicator of proper lubrication on the internal fork bushings and seals, which should make for much longer service life.

Then, I highly recommend making a fork oil change an annual service. This is probably the most neglected fluid on motorcycles. No matter how good the fork seals are, dirt, grime, and moisture easily find their way into the system, and much like brake fluid it should be serviced and changed out regularly.

[Cruisin_with_CJ]

Originally Posted by Ariel Red Hunter

You have spark at the plug, I presume? You have compression? If the spark plug inside was wet with gas when you pulled it out, you must have fuel. Need to know a little more about what steps you have taken, so far....ARH

I did pull the plug on it and it was dry, ill got get a compression tester and a new plug, Ill grab a mulitmeter too

[Ariel Red Hunter]

Originally Posted by Cruisin_with_CJ

I did pull the plug on it and it was dry, ill got get a compression tester and a new plug, Ill grab a mulitmeter too

Plug is dry? Did you crank it over to see if you had spark?..ARH

[Cruisin_with_CJ]

Originally Posted by Ariel Red Hunter

Plug is dry? Did you crank it over to see if you had spark?..ARH

Indeed there is spark. I don't understand, it should be getting fuel, when i changed the jet (thinking that was the problem) there was fuel in the carb bowl. I'm wondering if its the air mixture, but when i tried that, it still would turn over all the way.

[Ariel Red Hunter]

Originally Posted by Cruisin_with_CJ

Indeed there is spark. I don't understand, it should be getting fuel, when i changed the jet (thinking that was the problem) there was fuel in the carb bowl. I'm wondering if its the air mixture, but when i tried that, it still would turn over all the way.

If it was mine, I'd take off the intake air hose and squirt a little gas in the carburetor, then crank it on the starter and see what happans...ARH