At least in a garage/shop environment, you can start backing the plug out but only about half way or so. Then take high a high pressure compressed air nozzle and blow the crap out of the area all around the plug. I've never had anything fall into the plug hold using this method. I haven't had to change a plug in the field since the days I ran 2-strokes, so the compressed air method always works for me.

 

Yeah and next time clean the area before you work on it, come on, that bike maintenance 101 man! LOL

 

Fair enough deej - lesson learned. I haven't been around here very long but I take it you're the bawse of one clean machine!

I like the idea of taking the plug halfway out and blasting the area while its dry. I think that would have saved me the stress.

I changed the oil/filter last night as well and saw nothing out of the ordinary... except my eternal battle fidgeting with the filter spring for 10 minutes.

 

After a field plug change, where I was worried about what happened to you, I now carry a piece of clear hose to blow out the area.
As to the stupid filter spring...Open the end of the spring so it stays in place or put a bit of grease on the end and stick it to the filter and then put the filter in.

 

Good stuff, thanks. I eventually used a glob of grease and a slightly more aggressive tilt to the bike.

Tubing is now included in my kit. I don't feel like spark plug changes are very common on these bikes - but I could be wrong. I'm used to frequent checks/changes with snowmobiles and thus far I've not had the inclination to check the plugs outside of yearly maintenance/winterizing. Maybe once I DJ I'll be checking for lean/rich characteristics...?