Honda Vtx 1800 F Service Manual

							Honda DOT 4 Brake
Fluid brake
fluid
132Brake Fluid Recommendation
Brakes
Servicing Your Honda
The hydraulic braking systems on your
motorcycle dissipate the heat generated by
the f riction of the brake pads on the brake
discs as the wheels are slowed.
As the brake pads wear, the brake f luid
level will drop. A leak in the system will
also cause the level to drop.
Frequently inspect the system to ensure
there are no f luid leaks. Periodically
inspect the brake fluid level and the brake
pads for wear.
If the brake lever or brake pedal f reeplay
does not f eel within the normal range
while riding, check the brake pads f or
wear (page ). Worn pads should be
replaced. If the pads are not worn beyond
the recommended limit, there is probablyair in the brake system. See your Honda
dealer to have the air bled f rom the system.
The recommended brake f luid is Honda
DOT 4 Brake Fluid, or any brake f luid of
equal quality and performance. Use fresh
brake fluid from a sealed container. Be
sure to read the label bef ore opening the
sealed container. An opened container
may be contaminated or may have
absorbed moisture f rom the air.
135
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							(1) RIGHT HANDLEBAR
(Front Brake)
(1) LOWER level mark
133 Fluid Level Inspection
Brakes
Servicing Your Honda
Saf ety Precautions
Brake f luid can damage plastic and
painted surf aces. Handle with care. Refer to on page .
If your inspection indicates a low f luid
level, have your Honda dealer add the
recommended brake f luid.
Do not add or replace brake f luid, except
in an emergency. If you do add f luid, have
your Honda dealer check the system as
soon as possible.
Wipe up spills immediately. Avoid contact
with skin or eyes. In case of contact, washthoroughly and call a doctor immediately
if it contacts your eyes.
74
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							(1) RIGHT SIDE
(Rear Brake)
(2)
(1) lower level mark
(2) upper level mark
134
Brakes
Servicing Your Honda
Place your motorcycle in an upright
position on a f irm, level surf ace.
Check the fluid level.
Front : It should be above the lower
level mark ( ).
Rear : It should be between the upper
( ) and lower level marks.If the level is at or below the lower
level mark, check the brake pads for
wear (page ).
Worn pads should be replaced. If the pads
are not worn beyond the recommended
limit, have your brake system inspected
for leaks.
Check for deterioration or cracks in the
hoses and f ittings. Make sure there are no f luid leaks. Other Inspections
1.
2.
1
2135
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							(1)
RIGHT REAR (1) cutouts
(1) cutouts(1) RIGHT FRONT
135 Brake Pad Wear
Brakes
Servicing Your Honda
Saf ety Precautions Refer to on page .
Brake pad wear depends upon the severity
of usage, the type of riding, and road
conditions. Generally, the pads will wear
f aster on wet and dirty roads. Inspect the
pads at each regular maintenance interval
(page ).
Check the cutouts ( ) in each pad. If
either pad is worn to the cutout, replace
both pads as a set. See your Honda dealer
for this service. Always inspect both pads in both the
right and lef t f ront brake calipers.
174
82
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							Using tires that are excessively
worn or improperly inflated can
causeacrashinwhichyoucanbe
seriously hurt or killed.
Follow all instructions in this
owner’s manual regarding tire
inflation and maintenance.
136Air Pressure
Tires
Servicing Your Honda
Saf ety Precautions
Properly inf lated tires provide the best
combination of handling, tread life, and
riding comf ort. Generally, underinf lated
tires wear unevenly, adversely affect
handling, and are more likely to f ail f rom
being overheated. Overinf lated tires make
your motorcycle ride more harshly, are
more prone to damage f rom road hazards,
and wear unevenly. Refer to on page . To saf ely operate your motorcycle, your
tires must be the proper type and size, in
good condition with adequate tread, and
correctly inflated for the load you are
carrying.
The following pages give detailed
informationonhowandwhentocheck
your air pressure, how to inspect your tiresfor wear and damage, and our
recommendations f or tire repair and
replacement.
74
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							137
Tires
Servicing Your Honda
We recommend that you visually check
your tires bef ore every ride and use an air
pressure gauge to measure the air pressure
at least once a month or any time you
think the tires might be low. Even tires
that are in good condition may lose one to
two psi per month if not checked and
adjusted regularly.
Tubeless tires have some degree of self -
sealing ability if they are punctured.
However, because leakage is often very
slow, you should look closely f or
punctures whenever a tire is not f ully
inflated.Always check air pressure when your tires
are ‘‘cold’’ –– af ter the motorcycle has
been parked f or at least three hours. If you
check air pressure when your tires are
‘‘warm’’ –– even if your motorcycle has
only been ridden f or a f ew miles –– the
readings will be higher. If you let air out
of warm tires to match the recommended
cold pressures, the tires will be
underinf lated.
04/08/11 14:43:29 31MCH630_146 
						

							ÎÎ
Î
36 psi (250 kPa ,
2.50 kgf/cm
) 33 psi (225 kPa ,
2.25 kgf/cm
) 33 psi (225 kPa ,
2.25 kgf/cm
)
33 psi (225 kPa ,
2.25 kgf/cm
)
42 psi (290 kPa ,
2.90 kgf/cm
)VTX1800C
VTX1800F
includes the weight of the rider,
passenger, all cargo & all accessories front
rearwith less than
200 lbs (90 kg) of
added weight
with more than
200 lbs (90 kg) of
added weight
front
rear
138
Tires
Servicing Your Honda
The recommended ‘‘cold’’ tire pressures
are:
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							(1)
(2)
(1) wear indicator
(2) wear indicator location mark
139 Inspection
Tires
Servicing Your Honda
Saf ety Precautions Refer to on page .
Bumps or bulges in the side of
the tire or the tread. Replace any tire
that has a bump or bulge. Whenever you check the tire pressures,
you should also look f or:
Cuts, slits, or cracks in the tires.
Replace the tire if you can see fabric or
cord.
Nails or other f oreign objects embedded
in the side of the tire or tread.
Excessive tread wear.Tread Wear Also, if you hit a pothole or hard object
while riding, pull to the side of the road as
soon as you safely can and carefully
inspect the tires for damage. 74
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							0.08 in (2.0 mm) 0.06 in (1.5 mm)
front
rear
140Tire Repair
Tires
Servicing Your Honda
Saf ety Precautions For the best perf ormance, you should
replace a tire before the tread depth at the
center reaches the following limits:
If the wear indicators are visible, replace
the tire immediately as it is no longer saf e.Refer to on page .
We strongly recommend that you replace,
not repair, any tire that is punctured or
damaged. As discussed below, a tire that is
repaired, either temporarily or
permanently, will have lower speed and
perf ormance limits than a new or
undamaged tire.74
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							141
Tires
Servicing Your Honda
If You Have a Flat Tire,A permanent repair, such as an internal
plug patch, can be made if a tire has only a
small puncture in the tread area. With such
a repair, you should not exceed 50 mph
(80 km/h) f or the f irst 24 hours, or 80 mph
(130 km/h) at any time thereaf ter. In
addition, you may not be able to saf ely
carry as much weight. If you choose to
have a tire repaired, be sure the repair
work is perf ormed by a prof essional and
that the wheel is balanced before you ride.
If you have a tire prof essionally repaired
at a non-Honda f acility, we recommend
that you have the work checked by your
Honda dealer. A temporary repair can sometimes be
made in an emergency situation.
However, since a temporary repair may
not hold, you must ride very slowly,
pref erably without any cargo or passenger,
and have the tire replaced or permanently
repaired as soon as possible.
(For more inf ormation on temporary
repairs, see page
.) 172
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