Had a hard time with mine too lol, twist and pull technique is all I can recommend.

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Got some silicone spray.... but wow these boots are STUCK good. lol
I really wish a previous owner would have checked them over the past 9 years, but I don't think it was ever done.
Owner's manual calls for inspection at 4k I think....but I haven't gotten the hard copy delivered yet.

Will post back later and let you know if I failed, or if I got them off using this silicone spray. It SHOULD lube the rubber enough to pull these.... :rant2:

 

Unfortunately, I'm going to have to pay a shop to do this. Kind of a bummer, but these boots are STUCK badly.
I can't twist and pull hard enough to even remove 1 easy-to-get-to boot. Let alone the other ones that are harder to access.
Not sure what it's going to cost...but 4 hours after messing with this and seeing zero results...it will be worth every penny.

#EpicFail #Sad

I feel like the bike takes awhile after holding the starter to fire up - which is why I wanted to do this in the first place. (Plus I just got this bike and want to go over ALL maintenance)
Maybe I can tell a shop to coat those rubber boots in Silicone spray so they remove super easy next time... lol

 

You can try and pry them up with a flat head screw driver as you twist them back and forward.

It shouldn't be that hard. You can do it I'm sure.

 

It shouldn't. You're absolutely right. I've done it before on a previous bike with no issue. lol.
4 hours later... and I've decided to just pay someone else to do it.
I'm not the most mechanically inclined in the first place. I got huge hands, so even with removing the radiator mounting bolts there still was hardly any clearance.
I think that was the biggest issue. Not having much leverage at all to pull on those suckers.
Oh, and the fact that these boots haven't been pulled in 9-10 years. Pretty sure they haven't been taken off....ever....

It can be someone else's problem, and I'll gladly pay them.

 

Your not alone. It was a real mission to get them off my R1 when I changed the plugs last year.

I put some slicone on the boots when refitting them, but it didn't make any difference when I tried to remove them last month.

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It only takes a little pressure with the screw driver. If you can, use another person and another screw driver on each side of the boot while you twist it up.

 

I always find they come out easier when the engine is hot. Try what one2 said. If that doesn't work take a strong peice of speaker wire wrap it around and under the connector pull up with one arm and turn the boot left to right with the other.

 

That's a damn good idea!

wish they made a boot puller..lol

Time to get inventive and get rich!!!

 

wish they made a boot puller..lol

 

They do. Don't think they would work on the R1 though.

 

I just did mine few weeks ago. The boots were the worst part for sure, especially #3. Did you give up? If so what did you pay to get it done? Took me 3 hours to do. And i don't notice it starting any better. Still takes about 3 Mississippi to fire up cold start.

 

The plugs in my bike had done at least 15,000 miles when I changed them. They looked fine and I would have put them back in if I hadn't had a new set to go in.

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I wish I had this problem. Had the opposite problem at the last track day. Vibration made the boots come loose and caused the bike to start missing.

What's the end to your story here. Shop end up doing it?

 

Hey man, I actually found out the delayed cold start is perfectly normal on some years. Specifically 07-08 - but maybe other years as well.
I wasn't able to pull the boots off w/ my huge hands, and haven't swapped them out yet.
A shop is probably going to charge around $200 whenever I decide to put in some NGK Iridiums (that I already purchased).

Owners manual says to replace after 8,000 miles and I'm around 7,500. I guess I'll pay a shop to swap them before 10,000mi. lol
My warm starts are instant. The slight delay on the cold start is what prompted me to look at spark plugs....BUT....
It's perfectly normal on my bike - AND weak plugs would impact both the cold and warm start. So I'm not worried about it right now. :tocoo:

 

Here is an automotive tool I've had for years, think it was for VW, not sure. Anyway, it was for removing spark plug boots of HV wires from the spark plug. Not sure it could work on COP (coil on plug).