Honda VFR800 owner's manual: Servicing Your Honda

Servicing Your Honda

To help keep your motorcycle in good shape, this section includes a Maintenance Schedule for required service, a list of periodic checks you should perform at least once a month, and step-by-step instructions for specific maintenance tasks. You’ll also find important safety precautions, information on fuels and oils, and tips for keeping your Honda looking great.

For information about the exhaust emission and noise emission requirements of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the California Air Resources Board (CARB), see page 223.

For information about replacing fuses, see page 202.

USA only Maintenance, replacement or repair of the emission control devices and systems may be performed by any motorcycle repair establishment or individual using parts that are “certified” to EPA standards.

Before You Service Your Honda

• The Importance of Maintenance ........ 72
• Maintenance Safety ........ 73
• Important Safety Precautions ........ 74
• Periodic Maintenance ........ 76
• Maintenance Schedule ........ 78
• Maintenance Record ........ 83

(cont’d)

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Servicing Your Honda

Service Preparations

• Maintenance Component Locations ........ 85
• Tool Kit ........ 88
• Owner’s Manual Storage ........ 89
• Seat Removal ........ 90
• Rear Seat Cover ........ 91
• Lower Fairing Removal ........ 93
• Inner Fairing Removal ........ 95
• Inner Panel Removal ........ 96
• Clip Removal ........ 97
• Raising the Fuel Tank ........ 98

Service Procedures

Fluids & Filters

• Fuel ........ 100
• Engine Oil & Filter ........ 104
• Coolant ........ 114
• Air Cleaner ........ 118

Engine

• Throttle ........ 120
• Clutch System ........ 122
• Engine Idle Speed ........ 125
• Spark Plugs ........ 127

Chassis

• Suspension ........ 134
• Braking ........ 141
• Tires ........ 147
• Side Stand ........ 154
• Drive Chain ........ 155

Electrical

• Battery ........ 162

• Appearance Care ........ 167

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Servicing Your Honda

The following table summarizes the three types of inspections and servicing recommendations for your motorcycle. Both the pre-ride inspection and the scheduled maintenance at the recommended intervals are necessary to assure safe and dependable performance. The periodic checks provide additional confidence in your motorcycle’s performance.

• more often if you ride frequently or long distances; or anytime you clean your motorcycle ** unless you have the proper tools and service data and are mechanically qualified

Servicing Your Honda 71

The Importance of Maintenance

Keeping your motorcycle well-maintained is absolutely essential to your safety. It’s also a good way to protect your investment, get maximum performance, avoid breakdowns, and have more fun. A properly maintained motorcycle will also help to reduce air pollution.

Remember, proper maintenance is the owner’s responsibility. Be sure to inspect your motorcycle before each ride, perform the periodic checks, and follow the Maintenance Schedule in this section.

⚠ WARNING

Improperly maintaining this motorcycle or failing to correct a problem before you ride can cause a crash in which you can be seriously hurt or killed.

Always follow the inspection and maintenance recommendations and schedules in this owner’s manual.

If your motorcycle overturns or is involved in a crash, be sure your Honda dealer inspects all major parts, even if you are able to make some repairs.

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Maintenance Safety

This section includes instructions on how to perform some important maintenance tasks. If you have basic mechanical skills, you can perform many of these tasks with the tools provided with your motorcycle.

Other tasks that are more difficult and require special tools are best performed by professionals. Wheel removal should normally be handled only by a Honda technician or other qualified mechanic. Instructions are included in this manual only to assist in emergency service.

Some of the most important safety precautions follow. However, we cannot warn you of every conceivable hazard that can arise in performing maintenance. Only you can decide whether or not you should perform a given task.

WARNING

Failure to properly follow maintenance instructions and precautions can cause you to be seriously hurt or killed.

Always follow the procedures and precautions in this owner’s manual.

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Maintenance Safety

I mportant Safety Precautions

• Make sure the engine is off before you begin any maintenance or repairs. This will help eliminate several potential hazards: Carbon monoxide poisoning from engine exhaust. Be sure there is adequate ventilation whenever you operate the engine. Burns from hot motorcycle parts. Let the engine and exhaust system cool before touching. Injury from moving parts. Do not run the engine unless instructed to do so.

• Read the instructions before you begin, and make sure you have the tools and skills required.

• To help prevent the motorcycle from falling over, park it on a firm, level surface, using the center stand.

• To reduce the possibility of a fire or explosion, be careful when working around gasoline. Use only non-flammable solvent, not gasoline, to clean parts. Keep cigarettes, sparks, and flames away from all fuel-related parts.

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Maintenance Safety

Remember that your Honda dealer knows your motorcycle best and is fully equipped to maintain and repair it. To ensure the best quality and reliability, use only new genuine Honda parts or their equivalents for repair and replacement. If you have the tools and skills required for additional maintenance jobs, you can purchase an official Honda Service Manual (page 234 ).

Servicing Your Honda 75

Periodic Maintenance

In addition to the regularly scheduled maintenance (page 78 ) and daily pre-ride inspection (page 45 ), consider performing the periodic checks on the following page at least once a month, even if you haven’t ridden your motorcycle, or as often as once a week if you ride frequently or for long distances. It’s a good idea to perform this maintenance any time you clean your motorcycle.

Check the odometer reading and perform any scheduled maintenance checks that are needed (page 78 ). Remember, more frequent checks may be needed for riding in severe conditions.

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Periodic Maintenance

Servicing Your Honda 77

Maintenance Schedule

The required Maintenance Schedule that follows specifies how often you should have your motorcycle serviced, and what things need attention. It is essential to have your motorcycle serviced as scheduled to maintain safe, dependable performance and proper emission control.

The service intervals in this Maintenance Schedule are based on average riding conditions. Some items will need more frequent service if you ride in unusually wet or dusty areas or at full throttle. Consult your Honda dealer for recommendations applicable to your individual needs and use.

Some items in the Maintenance Schedule can be performed with basic mechanical skills and hand tools. Procedures for these items are provided in this manual. Other items involve more extensive procedures and may require special training, tools, and equipment. We recommend that you have your Honda dealer perform these tasks unless you have advanced mechanical skills and the required tools and equipment. Procedures for such items in this schedule are provided in an official Honda Service Manual available for purchase (page 234).

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Maintenance Schedule

If you do not feel capable of performing a given task or need assistance, remember that your Honda dealer knows your motorcycle best and is fully equipped to maintain and repair it. If you decide to do your own maintenance, use only genuine Honda parts or their equivalents for repair or replacement to ensure the best quality and reliability.

Perform the pre-ride inspection (page 45 ) and owner maintenance (page 80 ) at each scheduled maintenance period.

Each item on the maintenance schedule requires some mechanical knowledge. Certain items (particularly those marked * and **) may require more technical information and tools. Consult your Honda dealer.

• Should be serviced by your dealer, unless the owner has proper tools and service data and is mechanically qualified. Refer to the official Honda Service Manual (page 234 ). **In the interest of safety, we recommend these items be serviced only by your Honda dealer.

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Maintenance Schedule

Summary of Maintenance Schedule Notes & Procedures:

NOTES:

1. At higher odometer reading, repeat at the frequency interval established here.
2. Service more frequently when riding in unusually wet or dusty areas.
3. Replace every 2 years, or at indicated odometer interval, whichever comes first. Replacement requires mechanical skill.

Maintenance Procedures:

I: inspect and clean, adjust, lubricate, or replace, if necessary C: clean A: adjust L: lubricate R: replace

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Maintenance Schedule

\begin{tabular}{|l|l|c|c|c|c|c|c|c|c|c|c|} \hline \multicolumn{2}{|c|}{\textbf{FREQUENCY}} & \multicolumn{9}{c|}{\textbf{ODOMETER READING (Note 1)}} & \ \cline{3-11} \multicolumn{2}{|c|}{} & × 1,000 mi & 0.6 & 4 & 8 & 12 & 16 & 20 & 24 & Refer to & \ \cline{3-11} \textbf{ITEM} & \textbf{NOTE} & × 1,000 km & 1.0 & 6.4 & 12.8 & 19.2 & 25.6 & 32.0 & 38.4 & page & \ \hline \multirow{11}{*}{EMISSION RELATED ITEMS} & * FUEL LINE & & & & I & & I & & I & — & \ \cline{2-12} & * THROTTLE OPERATION & & & & I & & I & & I & — & \ \cline{2-12} & AIR CLEANER & 2 & & & & R & & & R & 119 & \ \cline{2-12} & SPARK PLUGS & & \multicolumn{8}{c|}{EVERY 16,000 mi (25,600 km) I,} & 127 & \ & & & \multicolumn{8}{c|}{EVERY 32,000 mi (51,200 km) R} & & \ \cline{2-12} & * VALVE CLEARANCE & & & & & & I & & & — & \ \cline{2-12} & ENGINE OIL & & \multicolumn{8}{c|}{INITIAL = 600 mi (1,000 km) or 1 month: R} & 108 & \ & & & \multicolumn{8}{c|}{REGULAR = EVERY 8,000 mi (12,800 km) or 12 months: R} & & \ \cline{2-12} & ENGINE OIL FILTER & & & R & & R & & R & & R & 109 \ \cline{2-12} & * ENGINE IDLE SPEED & & & I & I & I & I & I & I & I & 125 \ \cline{2-12} & RADIATOR COOLANT & 3 & & & & I & & I & & R & 115 \ \cline{2-12} & * COOLING SYSTEM & & & & & I & & I & & I & — \ \cline{2-12} & * SECONDARY AIR SUPPLY & & & & & I & & I & & I & — \ SYSTEM & & & & & & & & & & & \ \cline{2-12} & * EVAPORATIVE EMISSION & & & & & & I & & & I & — \ CONTROL SYSTEM & & & & & & & & & & & \ \hline \end{tabular}

• Should be serviced by your dealer, unless the owner has proper tools and service data and is mechanically qualified. Refer to the official Honda Service Manual (page 234). ** In the interest of safety, we recommend these items be serviced only by your Honda dealer.

Servicing Your Honda 81

Maintenance Schedule

• Should be serviced by your dealer, unless the owner has proper tools and service data and is mechanically qualified. Refer to the official Honda Service Manual (page 234).
• • In the interest of safety, we recommend these items be serviced only by your Honda dealer.

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Maintenance Record

Keeping an accurate maintenance record will help ensure that your motorcycle is properly maintained. Retain detailed receipts to verify the maintenance was performed. If the motorcycle is sold, these receipts should be transferred with the motorcycle to the new owner. Make sure whoever performs the maintenance completes this record. All scheduled maintenance, including the 600 mile (1,000 km) initial maintenance, is considered a normal owner operating cost and will be charged for by your dealer. Use the space under Notes to record anything you want to remind yourself about or mention to your dealer.

Servicing Your Honda 83

Maintenance Record

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