MAINTENANCE LIST HONDA CRF 450 L

A list that shows all the necessary repair- and maintenance work, done to my CRF 450 L …

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More than a decade ago I learned how to use my hands in combination with mechanic tools in a sometimes more, and sometimes less professional way. As a consequence, I’m doing the required maintenance work and repairs on my motorcycle by myself.


Down below, you will find an ongoing list with all the maintenance work and necessary repairs I did to the Mule.

ONGOING MAINTENANCE LIST CRF450L

DATE AND MILEAGE	REPAIR / MAINTENANCE WORK
12/2023_1036km or 600mi	Purchase and testride
02/2023_1100km or 660mi	Adventuriziation, details see: –> KLICK
04/2023_1230km or 740mi	Oil + Filter change (in: Honda HMOC 10W30 fully synthetic)
05/2023_3217km or 2000mi	Oilchange due to riding in Sahara: Shell Advance 20W50 mineral oil (No filter change).
05/2023_3820km or 2370mi	Airfilter clean out (Despite riding sand no dust inside the air intake)
05/2023_5250 km or 3260mi	Lost chain clip (clip type) for DID ERVT 520, replaced with spare part
05/2023_7227km or 4480mi	Oil+Filter change, back to 10W30 HMOC Honda fully synth.
05/2023_7330km or 4540mi	New Back Tire Micheline Anakee Wild mounted
05/2023_7910km or 4915mi	Airfilter change –> Airbox inside still clean. Higher mileage till next change seems possible
05/2023_10332 or 6420mi	Lost again chain clip (clip type) for DID ERVT 520, replaced with spare part
06/2023_10806 or 7400mi	Big Maintennace: Oil+filter change after 3500km: Just a few fine shapes in the oil filter paper. No shapes visible on the oilscrew and oilfilter magnet. Airfilter changed / No heavy polution visible (Airfiltersock neither) Valve Clearence: nearly no change so I put them back into the upper end of the tolerance: EXL: 0,33 (set to 0,30) EXR: 0.33 (set to 0,30); IL: 0,17 (set to 0,15) IR: 0,15 (set to 0,13) Sparkplug: Looked fine after 10.000km in duty, electrode gap was still at 0,80mm –> reused Changed to other aftermarket front indicators due to ground error in moist conditions New rear brake pads Changed the chain clip (clip type) for a rivet clip due to two losses along the last journey (DID ERVT 520) Heated the right front fork guard due to being mis-shaped /scratching more than necessary on the upper fork body when damping compresses. Looks ugly but hopefully helps. Back tire: Michelin Anakee Wild 120/80/18 was illegal after less than 2500 km. Embarrassing: definitely no recommendation from my behalf. Swapped it for a Heidenau K60 Scout 120/80/18. Greased the lower shock bearing and sealed the front and back wheel bearing also with grease. New mirrors (set no. 4 on that bike due to incompetent riding) ^_^
06/23_10856km or 6745mi	Nearly blow up the engine by myself due to not correct mounting the camchain bearings in its position during the last valve check. *damn* This way the cam chain was able to move out in the direction of the steering chain till the cams had no contact with the valve levers anymore and than the steering chain jumped over many teeth. The result was a more than usual heavy engine breaking moment around 100 km/h on the road. Afterwards it wasn`t starting anymore. A look in the valve train showed the issue and that the autodecompression weight, mounted on the other side of the camshaft scratched at the seat of the camshaft bearing/the engine head. Luckily, as far as I can tell now, no damaged valves, because the cams wheren`’t able to push the valves open due to sidewards drifted camshaft. Valveplay seems also be ok as far as I can tell without measurement tools. Motorcycle runs fine now after proper reasembling the valve train in correct way.
06/23_12200km or 7580mi	Bikes engine still runs great. Looks like I was really lucky. *phew*
07/23_15013km or 9320mi	New Front Tire Mitas E10
07/23_16843km or 10465mi	Oil+Filter Change → After 5000km fine shapes visible in the oilfilter but nothing serious. Filled in Honda 10W30 Fully synthetic Exhaust-DB Killer was lose. Bent it a bit and put it back in so no rattling any more Visual controll of valve train → Looks still fine → Autodeco works well. New Battery → Shido LTZ7 is weak after 15000km in duty. Swaped in a Anti Gravity AG-801 which should be the better option because stronger Swapped the Airfilter+Airfilter Sock. Airbox is very clean, still after 6000 km or 3600 mi of using the same airfilter New Front Sprocket and Chain (DID ERVT 520 and Renthal 14 tooth front sprocket is done after 15.000km of riding) → Replaced with DID VX3 520 and Renthal 14 tooth sprocket. New Backtire Mitas E-07 130/80/18: The Heidenau Scout 160/80/18 had after 6000km or 3600 mi still about 1000km 600 mi in it but was changed due to incoming offroading.
07/23_ 19516km or 12126mi	Recognized 4 lose spokes on the back rim, tightened all of them
07/23_ 21005km or 13051mi	Lost front left footpeg bolt, causes footpeg to turn and stripped out the wire of the kickstand switch. Infieldrepair by bypassing the switch and got a different but fitting replacement bolt from a mechanic on the way.
08/23_22989km or 14284mi	Oil and Filter change → After about 6200km or 3850 mi in use very less fine metal shapes had been visible in the drained oil. For that mileage the oil has been into the engine: not bad. Self installed magnet at oilfilter/drainplug had no, magnetic shapes on it. Honda full synthetic 10w30 was changed due to incoming hot desert riding for a better high temperature oil: Motul 5100 10W40 (semi-synthetic) Airfilterchange: Swapped after 6200km or 3850 mi in duty the foam air filter for a freshly cleaned/oiled one. Airbox still looked very clean, but the swapped out airfilter was propper dirty. New Back tire: Old Mitas E07 130/80/18 (after 6200 km or 3850 mi on the bike, had still 3000km or 1800 miles in it, but was swapped for a more aggressive Dunlop D606 130/90/18 for incoming sandy terrain. New Kickstand Switch: Old one was destroyed due to stripped Cables The Ram-Mount-Extension-Arm had a crack and moved by itself on very rattling tracks → I was able to strengthen it, by using two metal hoseclamps which compress the ramballs on the Handlebar/the Navigationsystemmount properly. → temporarry fix until getting a new part Mosko Moto Reckless 80 Luggage System → The tension strap on the left side leading forward to mainframe of the motorcycle was nearly worn through due to getting permanently clamped between my boot and the frame. I was able to mount it in a different way and protected the strap at the affected spot with a layer of sturdy Gorilla tape.
08/23 24766 km or 15388 mi	Ram Mount extension for navigation system mount cracked. Replaced with a shorter extension arm from RAM
08/23_27615 km or 17160 mi	Oil+Filter Change (No shapes on the magnets, a few fine coating shapes in the oil filter visible), mounted a fresh oiled airfilter, filled in again Motul 5100 10W40 semisynthetic oil, Front wheel bearings got replaced, New front tire Mitas E10 mounted, Greased the steering steem bearing and readjusted it, completely disasembled the swingarm leverage and greased all the bearings. I wasn’t able to chisel up the back wheel bearing retainer, so will do the back wheel bearing change later. Recognized again five loose spokes on the back wheel, retightened them.
08/23_29913 km or 18587 mi	Back wheel bearing replaced, Front sprocket replaced
08/23_32200 km or 19800 mi	New brake pads rear axle, New back tire Mitas E07 130/80/18, New chain DID VX3 due to very abrasive mud all the Dalton Highway long. Secure welded, the chain clip
09/23_33640 km or 20900 mi	Oil+Filter change: everything looked fine since the last oil change 6000km or 3600mi ago, filled in Yamalube 10w40 fully synthetic, airfilter was replaced for a freshly lubed on
09/23_36280 km 22540 mi	New front tire – Shinko, new front sprocket-14T, new rear sprocket 49T, new chain (DID VX3 520), Curious: not long ago replaced rear-wheel bearings had a lot of play so I replaced them again+seals, (I damaged the rim due to tilted bearing — > seal seat on sprocket side lost a half inch broad piece → JB weld repair) new chain slider, new chain guard, Valve Clearance Check: nearly no change since last time viewing into it, about 14.000 mi or 26.000 km ago – still in range EXL: 0,30 mm (+/- 0,00); EXR: 0,28mm (- 0,02) INL: 0,13 mm (- 0,02); INR: 0,11 mm (-0,02) Sparkplug: Looked still fine after 36.000 km/22.500 mi in use, but was replaced with a new one. Keeping the old one as spare.
11/23_38819 km or 24121 mi	Oil+Filter-Change after about 5100km: Black oil, no metal shavings in the old oil. Still locks good so far. Filled in again Yamaha Yamalube 10W40 fully synthetic. Cleaned and reoiled Airfilter. Swapped old damaged Rear rim for a Heavy Duty Elite Rim from Warp 9 including a Cush Hub Drive. The Cushub is a huge difference when riding on tarmac. I really appreciate it.
11/23_43934 km or 27299 mi	Left aftermarket mirror arm fell off due to fatigue crack, replaced it with the right hand side mirror. Just two days later wire bracket for voltage gauge also cracked. Cabletied the gauge direkt to the handlebar.
11/23_44862 km or 27875 mi	Oil+Filter-Change after about 6050 km or 3600 mi: Oil was dark black, Oil-filter-paper: Nothing was visible to declare. Filled in one more time the Yamaha Yamalube 10W40 fully synthetic oil. Changed the airfilter too after same distance in duty.
12/23_49376 km or 30662 mi	The mechanical oneway valve of my self-made chain oiler started leaking. So I spilling it with water and it worked again properly.
12/23_51313 km or 31865 mi	Oil+Filter-Change after 6451 km or 4006 mi – No recognizable oil usage: The changed oil was dark brown; besides that oil and filter were clean, so nothing to declare. Filled up Yamaha Yamalube 10W40 and also swapped the same duration used air filter for a freshly lubed one.
01/24_53645 km or 33330 mi	New front sprocket, new chain (DID VX3 520) + a new set of mirrors mounted (old ones got rattled appart)
01/24_55271 km or 34344 mi	New front tire : Shinko E804 out, Kenda Big Block 90/90/21 mounted (Shinko lasted about 19000km /11400 mi)
01/24_57774 km or 35899 mi	Changed oil and filter after 6400 km or 4000 mi in use. Everything fine. Clean magnets and clean filter. Old oil was dark brownish. Filled up with Honda HP4S 10W30 Fully Synthetic oil. Air filter was renewed.
03/24_63107 km or 39212 mi	Faulty connection for navigation system cradle: a solder connection in the cable went lose, so no charging anymore. Resolderd the cable with a new solder-connector and a lighter.
03/24_64286 km or 39945 mi	Oil and filter change after 6512 km or 4046 mi: Old oil Honda HP4S 10W30 out, and Fuchs Siliconele 10W60 full-synthetic in (for high temperatures in Australia). Old Oil was dark brownish, no metal shapes in the old oil visible, nor on the magnets. All good. Swapped the air filter too for a clean and fresh lubed one.
03/24_64900 km or 40500 mi	New front tire Mitas E-07 90/90R21– old Kenda Big Block 90/90R21 lastet about 9700 km but got real bad saw-tooth wear at its lifetime end
04/24_70549 km or 43500 mi	Oil and filter change after 6286 km or 3800mi: Old oil Fuchs Silicolene 10W60 full-synthetic was changed for the same oil. Old oil was dark red-brownish, no metal shapes in old oil or on the magnets visible. Airfilter washed and lubed. Checking valve clearence after about 34.000 km or about 21.000 mi since last check: EXL: 0,31 mm (+0,01); EXR: 0,30mm (+ 0,02) INL: 0,15 mm (+ 0,02); INR: 0,11 mm (+/-0,00) So nearly no change at the valves and no adjustment needed. Changed the spark plug for a new one: The clearance of the old one has worn from 0,80mm to 0,85mm Front wheel bearings changed after about 42000 km or 26000 mi in duty. Inspected the whole rear suspension bearings/levers and linkage. Slightly wearmarkings visible at the bearing surfaces but nothing to bad. All bearing points got filled up with grease properly.
04/24_72315 km or 45000 mi	New DID 520 VX3 Chain + new Renthal 14 tooth front sprocket (Old chain/sprocket lasted about 18500km) Recognized that the alloy sidestand joint has worn off: The bike is tilting now more over when standing on sidestand. Sidestand-tip has circa 5 cm / 2 inches play at its tip when unfolded. Not sure if just the sidestand aloy body or also the footrest bracket is worn out. I will have an eye on the development of this.
05/24_73665 km or 45773 mi	New Backtire Dunlop D606 120/90/18. Old D606 lasted 11845 km or 7360 mi
05/24_75328 km or 46806 mi	Accident: Front wheel washed out on gravel road: Front mask, front fender and front light heavily scratched and mount near indicator left side broken – fixated with duck tape, volmeter cable ripped of and caused a short – had to isolate the broken cables and replaced the fuse, tank left side scratched, left aluminium radiator guard: mount to frame bent – was bent back and is holding up well again-no damage to the radiator, gear lever slightly bent – no need for bending back.
05/24_77071 km or 47890 mi	Oil and oil filter change after 6522 km. Old oil Fuchs Silikolene 10W60 full synthetic looked dark-brown-redish look. No magnetic debris on drainplug- or oilfilter magnet visbile. Neither visible particles in the old oil. Filled in Australian oil Penrite MC4ST 10W40 Fully Synthetic. Airfilter was replaced with a clean/fresh lubed one.