GoodbyeBlueMonday

First I'd like to say thanks for all of the good info I've found on these forums over the past few months. I purchased a low-mileage (18k) 450 Rebel from a friend of a friend a month or so ago, and am really loving it.

I want it to run forever, so I've been doing preventative maintenance type stuff so far. I've done an oil and oil filter change, air filter change, new spark plugs, replaced a faulty front brake light switch, new headlight, and just yesterday replaced the fork seals (one had a leak, the seal was old and rotting, basically all warped and cracked). The tank doesn't look rusty, and I've got some seafoam running through it right now to help clean out everything.

What I'd like to know is- what should I do next? The chain has a thick lube on it right now, and looks fairly clean. The front and rear brakes work well, but the rear brake is a little squeaky (I can't figure out how to spray some brake cleaner in there without taking the wheel off....and I don't have a jack- I had to lift the front and put a cinderblock underneath for the fork removal). The tires are good, lots of tread left.

Since I am new to motorcycling, any advice for common maintenance to work on would be appreciated, specifically in regards to the 450 Rebel. I just frankly don't know what I should check or maintain on a regular basis.... As far as my mechanical competence: I'm not a mechanic, but have a service manual, basic tools, and can be stubbornly persistent when it comes to figuring things out. Thanks again.

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wannabeyooper

Congradulations and welcome on the 450! I have one too and feel the same way about wanting mine to run forever! I really liked my 250 but I am in heaven with the 450! I went to a local bike shop the other day looked at new bikes saw some 250's and bigger. I left saying out loud to the dealer. Hey! It's really too bad Honda dicontinued that 450. None of these bike fit me size wize any better then that 450. I would not consider buying any of these and the 250 is too small for me now after driving the 450. My bike has the same rear brake that is squeaky too. I asked the son to look at it but he has not done that yet? I do not work on the bikes so I am not much help. I just wonder if sqeaky back brakes are the norm for the 450?

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jax

I have owned a few 450's and I haven't had a squeaky brake in the bunch. It sounds like you need to take the rear wheel off and check the brakes. don't ever spray anything on the brake pads all that will do is ruin them. You might have a glaze on the pads and need to sand them to get the glaze off. If the brakes only have about 1/8" or less on them it's time to replace them. You can get brake pads through Jack at Jack's rebel warehouse at 407-321-5242. Sometimes you can find them on ebay. Hope this helps.

Ride safe

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JunkyardDog

First of all welcome. Second, take care of that 450. Not many 450 Rebels around anymore. They were only made for 2 years. As a result, parts can be hard to come by.

You will need to jack up or block up the bike in some way to get the rear wheel off. I wouldn't invest several hundred $$$ in a motorcycle lift just for one bike. There are many ways of doing it. First I curse Honda good for not putting a centerstand on it, then I take a piece of 2x4 and put it under the sidestand, making the bike almost vertical, but not quite enough to fall over. Then I put a small sissors jack (you can get them at Harbor Freight) under the swingarm on the right side and lift the wheel off the floor. This works a lot better if you have all the nuts and bolts loose first, so you don't have to move the bike around a lot on the jack. Then remove the rear wheel.


The squeak is probably caused by glazed shoes and brake drum. Look for signs of uneven wear on the shoes to see if they have been contacting the drum properly. It's possible they are contacting the drum on both ends and not the middle, or the middle and not the ends. Replace the shoes if they show any noticeable wear. You sure don't want to damage that drum. If everything looks ok, take some medium grit sandpaper or emery cloth (I use plumbers tape, like you use to sand copper before soldering it) to sand both the shoe lining and inside the drum.

This is where I get picky, remove the shoes, and the pivot shaft, clean everything, and put high temperature grease on the pivot shaft and on the cam that opens and closes the shoes against the drum. Most people don't go that far. Jerry.

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Buickguy

Welcome aboard

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1987 CMX250C Rebel

2002 FSC600 SilverWing

1983 Yamaha Midnight Virago XV920MK

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flitecontrol

Welcome. I second Jerry's suggestion for a scissors jack. I got one in essentially new condition out of a wrecked car at a junkyard. Cost just $5, which was their minimum charge for any part. You can use it to lift one end or the other (use the frame, not the exhaust) and block it up. May want to have an assistant hold it steady until the blocks are in place.

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I'm keepin' all the left over parts. I'm gonna use 'em to build another bike!

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Guba

Welcome to the forum, looks like you have a lot of good advice already.

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'07 Rebel 250 26,000 miles

igjosh

Welcome and ride safe nice bike.

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JunkyardDog

Mine says "Nissan" on it. It looks, or looked brand new when I got it from a Goodwill thrift store for about $4, it has come in handy for a lot of things, you just have to be careful not to overload it. But since it was designed for a car, I don't think there is any danger of overloading it with a bike. Jerry.

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GoodbyeBlueMonday

Thanks for all of the warm welcome and helpful advice. I do plan on taking good care of the bike, especially because I know these are hard to come by. Luckily, I'm in Orlando and close to Jack's Rebel Warehouse (I've made a couple trips there in the last few weeks getting various small parts). He is a great guy, and very helpful.

My wife's car has a scissors jack in it, so I will utilize that to take the rear wheel off sometime in the next few weeks using the 2X4 method. Thanks again for the advice!

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