Valve Adjustments: Anybody try HotCams shims?

[lanesplitter2]

Since I'm going to be a motorcycle owner for a long time, eventually I'll have to do a valve adjustment. (and change my own tires)
Anyways, I hear how dealers charge up to $5 a valve shim, which seems pretty pretty steep. So after some looking on the Net, I found a few places that offer kits from Hotcams with 75 shims, or about .65 cents a piece.


So bottom line, anybody try these out?

 

[elskipador]

haven't yet because a shop on the west coast bought all exsisting stock. the things have been on backorder with parts unlimited for awhile now. plus they only come in increments of .05 instead of .025.

 

[lanesplitter2]

i found a few sets online on

ebay, Procycle in oregon and denniskirk.


So with only .05mm increments would your chances of not having the right shim increase by 50 percent?

 

[elskipador]

procycle is the shop that bought up all the stock.

its all about the math. say your measured clearance is .18mm. the spec is .20mm. with the .025mm shims you can put it @ spec, but with the .05mm's you'll either be @ .13mm or .23mm.

 

[lanesplitter2]

math? if i needed

to know that, i'd become a mathematician.
I did some more researchin and
looks like suzuki only offers the shims in
.05 increments anyways.

 

[elskipador]

thats true. however honda 7.5mm shims fit right in and they come in .025mm increments. the 7.5 diameter is the most common shim in all the sportbikes. all cbr,r6,r6,rr,zx,vfr,gsxr,fzr all that they. i put honda shims in any bike that they fit in. its just easier for me to put the valve right where i want it.

 

[nedro]

And the worse thing about paying $5 a shim is that they don't credit you for the shim they pull out. Because that shim will go in the next bike for $5 also. Which means the shim they installed on your bike was off someone elses bike that they got payed $5 for and are recharging you another $5. So basically they are charging you for labor and then charging you more labor each time they preform the original work you already payed them for!
Put that in your pipe and smoke it!

 

[duh_ave]

And the worse thing about paying $5 a shim is that they don't credit you for the shim they pull out. Because that shim will go in the next bike for $5 also.another $5.

Time to start your own collection!
Dont give them your old ones! You may stil lbe able to use them later!
The local shop here wont reuse them, so they will give me the used ones in the box when I buy new ones
Be sure to measure them before using them!
Anyways, I just bought a little multi- compartment box and labeled each slot with a numer like "190" and all the 190's go in there. I already have 30 or so...

 

[magyarbetyar]

And the worse thing about paying $5 a shim is that they don't credit you for the shim they pull out. Because that shim will go in the next bike for $5 also. Which means the shim they installed on your bike was off someone elses bike that they got payed $5 for and are recharging you another $5. So basically they are charging you for labor and then charging you more labor each time they preform the original work you already payed them for!
Put that in your pipe and smoke it!

:loco

 

[mylane]

Most shops give them back if you want them. I always offer , but nobody ever wants them.