QuestionI just bought a 1995 Honda Shadow VT600 VLX Dlx with 10k miles ... the lady who rode it had it since it had 1k miles, and had records for almost everything .. looks like she did a good job keeping it up (including many oil chnages, recently replaced air filter, new spark plugs) ... it rides real smooth, but two problems:
1) the front brake pulses, as if maybe a rotating part like the disk is bent ... supposing that is what happenned, and assumming it is bent such that although you can feel it, you can't really see it (not bent too much) ... is this a major problem, or can i just leave it as long as i can brake ... any other dangers?
2) the throttle is lumpy, and hardly stays running if i put the choke all the way in .. i keep it about 1/2 inch out all the time for good operation ... if i adjust the idle will that help ... ? what should i do with minimum cost in mind?
AnswerForgive me but mechanics are not my specialty. You may want a second opinion, but here's what I'd recommend:
A warped rotor such as you describe is not a major problem, but it does compromise your braking performance and will continue to get worse.
(Often times, warping initially occurs when you make a long, hard stop, heating up the pads and rotor, and then sit for several seconds with the brake still clamped on. The rest of the rotor cools while the area clamped by the pads does not, resulting in warping.)
As the warp gets more pronounced with everyday use, it "pushes back" the pads more and eventually, you will have to pump your brakes once or twice to get them to work. Best to replace the rotor. Bad news: they're not cheap.
Replace the pads at the same time, and follow the break-in instructions carefully.
If the bike doesn't want to run without the choke, it's likely that the mixture is off and it's running too lean, meaning it's not getting enough fuel.
Check the shop manual to determine if the mixture can be adjusted or if it needs to be rejetted.
Also, check the shop manual or other manual to determine more exactly what is wrong by pulling and inspecting the spark plugs. The color and condition of the business end of the plugs can tell you a lot about what's going on in the cyclinder.
An idle speed adjustement will most likely not solve the problem.
This doesn't have to be a huge or expensive project if you do it yourself, but it does require some time and trial-and-error to get the jetting just right.
It is best to have it jetted at a shop by a pro with a dynamometer.
It is possible if the bike was originally from a higher elevation and you live in a lower elevation, the air density change is enough to make it run lean.
Running lean also causes the bike to run hotter, which can cause damage to other engine components, especially in air-cooled bikes or warm-weather, stop-and-go traffic, but I believe the VLX is water cooled, correct?
Good luck.
Pat
