New Silver Wing Owner

I just purchased a 2004 Non-ABS Silver Wing with 862 miles. Just checking in for advice and tips.

ribetim

With that few miles it has got to have original tires. Please change them ASAP. They are old and deteriorated. Change the valve stems too.

I'm sure others will chime in with good advise as well.

And given those few miles you should put on as many miles as possible as soon as you get those new tires. Gotta exercise those unused touring muscles and blow out the cobwebs... Add a bottle of Techron fuel additive too. Yes a full bottle. No doubt there is varnish in the tank, fuel gauge sending unit and rest of the fuel system from deteriorated fuel.

Oh, thanks for your introduction too. Welcome to the forum.

Tim

Tips :
Change the oil and filter.
Flush the brake fluid.
Flush the anti freeze.
Change the drive belt. Some members also change the belt rollers to sliders. Mine are 24 grams.
Change battery if not already done.
Check if air filter and compartment is clean.
Remove under seat light bulb, or replace with switched light switch from Honda Civic.
Change to GIVI AF214 windshield when money is available.

Last thing is to RIDE, RIDE, and do more RIDING. HAVE FUN WITH YOUR SWING.
RIDE SAFE.
Oh yea, get a helmet, riding gloves, and a jacket.

All good advice. Thank you. Most all has been done or is being done. I did not think about the coolant and brake fluid, that will be next. New tires, oil change and the dealer threw in a new fuel pump and tank flush. I am thinking a Clearview shield and a Givi 46 L top box are next.

New to scootering. Just sold two motorcycles due to my clutch hand not working as it should. I think this should be fun.
Thanks again for the the info.

Tim

Welcome ribetim! This IS the best SWing site on the net.

I have an 08 SWing that I've had for four years now and it sat under a tarp for two years before I bought it from my sister in FL. I trailered it home and everything Easyrider suggested with the exception of the windshield. Mine has a Clearview brand shield and it's the right height for me so I didn't do anything with that.

The battery I ended up putting in it was a Battery Tender Lithium Ion battery. It's been in it for three of my four years and has worked great. The first battery I put in it was from eBay and cost only $25 but I figured that if it lasted the first year so that I could get it up and running that would be OK. That's all it lasted too was the first year and croaked. That's when I discovered the Battery Tender LI battery.

This is the one I put in my SWing: http://products.batterytender.com/Batteries/?_ga=2.44060770.751679599.1506506646-223424918.1506506646

I had a Clearview for years and thought it was great. But when one of the 'wings' broke off when I dropped the scoot I switched to the, then newly released, Givi Air Flow. Forget the Clearview windscreen. Go with the Givi AF214. While the Clearview has much better protection than the "standard" Givi screen, because of its size it's very much like adding a barn door to the scoot. The Givi Air Flow (AF214) is not only adjustable but also has more efficient laminar dynamics. My 2¢

Tim

I know the "Barndoor" feeling with a windshield, I had a Vetter Windjammer on an old bike. I will definitely check out the Givi Shield.

As for the LI battery, luckily the dealer installed a new one right before I bought the Silver Wing.
How did that Battery Tender battery fit in the scooter? I put one in my R1100S and it was all about wood blocks and duct tape.

The Battery Tender LI comes with dense foam pads of various thicknesses with stick on tape on one side. I put them on to take up the extra room in the battery compartment seeing as the LI is a lot smaller than an original battery. I like it and it's never failed me.

Group,
    My Silver Wing is a 2004 non-abs with 1,050 miles.

   I've only put a few hundred miles on my new Silver Wing since I bought it, but I have been trying to get the maintenance caught up. Even though it only had 862 miles when I bought it, it has had a rough life so I decided to treat it as a bike with about 16,000 mile on the odometer. Here is what I've done so far:
    Dealer: Oil Change, clean gas tank, new fuel pump, new battery and tires.
    Me: (in no order) Removed under seat light element, installed new seat support, replaced missing access cover below ignition switch, added SAE connector to battery for charger, new Givi mount and V46 top box, new drive belt, Dr. Pulley 26 gram sliders, new spark plugs, new K&N filter (found almond hulls in air cleaner box), changed transmission oil per manual, bought repair manual on ebay, purchased key blanks and had my only key copied * 2. Of course I've washed and polished the exterior and cleaned any areas I've exposed while doing this maintenance.

  Every cover I take off is covered in dirt.  

 This is getting long so I will get to my question. Everything I've done so far has given me little or no trouble to perform. The next thing is a very small coolant leak. I am apprehensive to start taking all the plastic off to inspect and repair the problem. Does anyone have experience with this coolant leak problem that is willing to advise? Honda shop wants $135 to diagnose, which may be a good deal.

(Admin- I am not sure this is the right place for this)

Tim

Ribetim, the body panels are not difficult to remove. You just have to go slow and steady. You have a manual already and use the search feature here. When you locate the source of the coolant leak it could be a very easy fix. The $135 charge is probably for the removal of the body panels ! Take pictures as you go. Youtube has several videos on the SWing.
Jay.

Jay,

Thanks for the advice. I will start on the project sometime this winter. I will let you know how is goes.

Tim

Maybe all it will take is tightening the hose clamps. At that age and sitting there for that long, the hoses may be starting to crack and in need of replacing.
Good luck.

welcome

Welcome to the best SWing forum on the net.
Blain

Remove under seat light bulb, or replace with switched light switch from Honda Civic.

Why do you say do this.

The reason for removing the bulb from the under seat light: eliminate the possibility of leaving the light on and running the battery down. Yeah, it happens. Maybe the switch is out of adjustment or the seat not fully latched. Results are the same either way.

I have had that happen. So what is the Honda Civic setup. How does that work.

You could use the Search function (above) to find answers to your questions. Here is something I found when I "searched" for the term "trunk light":

https://www.silverwing600.com/t259-interior-light-with-manual-switch?highlight=civic+light

Jeez, your avatar is disturbing.

Thank you a ton for the info.

ItBeMe, I kind of like your avatar. It keeps reminding me of a nightmare I had way back when...

I only hope that's not your real photo...

[quote="Dale N."]ItBeMe, I kind of like your avatar. It keeps reminding me of a nightmare I had way back when...

I only hope that's not your real photo...[/quote

Dam I am the best looking guy on this site. And old prince charming come along and says
I hope that's not you real photo.

Women fear me. Fish dig me. Wait....did I say that right?

ItBeMe. ROFLMAO!!!