Can you over maintain the bike???

[AZ7000']

I too am excited about being lucky enough to have the 125. These are mass produced engines, not performance machines, I have rescued a dozen or so "non running" CT-90's and they are pretty much bulletproof. Change the oil, one needed clutch plates, good battery and electrical, points and valves. I seem to think the less is more will be fine with this bike, it should outlast me for sure. My DD is a 1975 CT-90 and she runs like a sewing machine. I've maybe checked 3 screens ever, one on an xr400 that had a bolt in the sump...

I read the guy "maintaining" the oil screen at 1000 miles is now down for a week. I recently tried to put an LED kit on the 75 and besides not really needing it I now have static on/off blinkers, waiting for another Flasherino and goofararino, should have never touched it!

What are thoughts on rounding off bolts, stripping holes, torquing heads off, and other unintended damage in the name of maintenance? I'm thinking oil changes as required and thats about it??

 

[dmonkey]

I think any maintenance that's new to you is going to be a learning experience with risk of downtime and waiting on parts. On older bikes that weren't well maintained (or just never needed certain things taken off of them) you run the same risk with rusted old bolts breaking. IMO, do your research (and watch a YouTube video if you can) to know what to expect before doing something, and figure if it goes wrong you might need to wait on parts, borrow a tool, or ask help from a buddy to get it back together. Using the right tool, torque spec, and common sense can avoid rounded off bolts, stripped threads, torquing heads off bolts, etc. Even those issues are all fixable with the right tools and replacement parts, it just costs you $$$ that teaches you to be more careful next time around.

 

[m in sc]

Using the right tool, torque spec, and common sense can avoid rounded off bolts, stripped threads, torquing heads off bolts, etc.

^ this. ^

I maintain all my bikes meticulously. I never have these issues on bikes going back to being built in the 60;s. lack of maintenance is the worst thing you can do (aside from letting them sit for long, long periods of time). they work great... till they don't.