Normal maintenance and new bike prep

[a454elk]

I was thinking that maybe a thread about new bike prep and normal maintenance would be benficial to some new riders and posters. Feel free to add your own ideas as well!

I go from front to back on a new bike. I check every bolt and torque as needed, spokes, etc. Set all my setttings to stock, shock, forks, carb etc. Then I grease the steering head and rear linkage and especially the swing arm bolt. I ride it to break it in then go back and recheck the same stuff and then adjust the forks and shock after a few good rides, to let them settle.

After that, I then do normal maintenance during the year, cause we have a year round riding season you know. :moon: Do a top end on the 2 stroke about twice a year, keep things lubed throughout the year as well. I like to keep up on the bikes for a couple of reasons.
1) To help in the costs down the road for myself
2) To assure the next buyer of that bike that he/she has a good clean slate to start from.

Maybe it's just me but it's nice to know when you buy a bike that it was well maintained. Some think that on a new bike you can just go and ride thinking that the grease and everything else is just fine. I don't think that's the case. I've heard of things falling off new bikes cause they were never checked after the dealer. I took my new 250X apart yesterday and checked the steering head, no grease on the top and very little on the bottom. The linkage is next on my list for this week along with the swingarm bolt and I forgot to add, the rear axle and chain adjusters.

Lets hear what else you do!

 

[kelseybrent]

It's a tedious process, but to keep my spokes/nipples from corroding and siezing, I clean, anti-sieze,and retighten them. One at a time, so the wheel stays true. Then use a layer or three of duct tape instead of the rim strips.

Definitely regrease the rear suspension/swingarm pivot and steering head bearings as stated above. Once when you get the new bike and once or twice a year afterwards. Grease must cost something like a billion yen a quart in Japan.

 

[Ol'89r]

I go from front to back on a new bike. I check every bolt and torque as needed, spokes, etc. Set all my setttings to stock, shock, forks, carb etc. Then I grease the steering head and rear linkage and especially the swing arm bolt. I ride it to break it in then go back and recheck the same stuff and then adjust the forks and shock after a few good rides, to let them settle.

Lets hear what else you do!

Good idea elkster. :cool:

When you consider that the person at the shop that gets to assemble the new crated bikes is usually the low man on the totem pole, it is in your best interest to check every nut and bolt on your new bike. Even bikes that come from companys that assemble bikes for Dealers are not always done right.

One of the most important things to check is the air filter. Make sure the filter is properly oiled, greased and seated. Riding a new bike that is sucking dirt can destroy a top end very quickly. Like kelsybrent mentioned, there must be one heck of a grease shortage in Japan since they don't seem to use much on the new bikes.

Make sure the oil levels are where they should be and it's a good idea to change the oil and filter even before you ride it since the break-in oil could already be contaminated. The first couple oil changes in a new bike is very important since it takes out the little particles in the oil that can come from a new engine wearing in.

As mentioned, checking your spokes is very important. Every time you ride your bike you should check your spokes. It's very easy. Take a spoke wrench and tap each spoke. It should have a nice ring to it. If it goes thud, it's loose. They should all ring at about the same tone. The quickest way to collapse a rim is to let your spokes get loose. After a while the spokes will remain tight and you won't have to check them as much.

On the new four-strokes. Check the valve lash often. The quickest way to destroy the cylinder head on your new thumper is to let the valves close up. If there is any indication of a loss of compression, check your valves.

Check your rear chain. Make sure it is not too tight. Compress the rear suspension and check that the chain does not tighten up anywhere within the suspension. Running a rear chain too tight can cause serious damage to the engine.

Also, don't, I repeat, DON'T use the do it yourself car wash or a steam cleaner to wash your bike. Use only cold water. The hot water at the car washes can cause condensation inside the engine and other areas of the bike. This can cause rust and corrosion that you can't even see until it is too late. Many times the reason for seized rear axle adjusters in a aluminum swingarm can be traced back to this.

The most important thing is to read your service manual from cover to cover. This will explain a lot about your new motorcycle and will have maintance schedules and tips to follow. Most importantly, torque readings.

Anyway, that's my $ .02

Ol89r

 

[Danman]

Also, on a new bike you might want to check and file smooth the inside of the brake lever and shifter if they have any sharp corners or ruff edges. I've heard on a several of the newer models were the shifter or break lever was smashed by a rock into the case cover knocking a small hole in it. Also, I heard on the CRF that you should file the inside most spike on the brake lever down to prevent a hole.

I watched a guy that just picked up a new YZ250F crank it up at our camp area and rip around on it a bit. There is a small down hill into a sandy creekbed right next to were we where parked. Jump that hill and landed at the bottom only to smack his face on the top clamp and get pitched over the front of his bike. The bar camps were not tight enough and the bar rotated all the way forward when he landed. It was pretty funny. Just remember to check all those bolts.

Another thing that you might do is relube you chain with quaility lube of you choice and make sure its tentioned properly (you might just was well include this in your procedure to grease the swingarm bolt).

 

[Copenhagen]

This was helpful. i know not to go to scrubbies anymore and use the hot soapy water do wash my bike, which sucks cuz it worked so damn good :) only id it once though... anyway..

Where can i find a write up on how to adjust my valves? my bike is an 04 yamaha yz250f.... Ive ridden prolly 5 times so far on it.. and figure id better check the Valves soon just to be safe... thx a lot for any help...

 

[canadian-dirtbik3r]

what should i use for greasing? And when i do it do i have to take anything apart?

 

[Spine_Thrust]

Usually two types of lube: moly and lithium soap base (they both have lithium by the way and it can be confusing) some others on here can tell you the difference. And yes you have to take things apart.

 

[Jaybird]

Lithium based grease can have any number of components, one of them can be moly.
Generally, a moly grease if fine to use just about everywhere you do regular maint.
If a person was to forget to pull maint for whatever reason, it would be best if they had used a grease containing moly previously. That doesn't mean that you can neglect the maint. No greae is actually 'waterproof' but if you ride in lots of slop, perhaps a lithium based #2 grease touted as 'marine' would be a good choice.
No grease is waterproof, however some fight emulsification better than others.

I like to put a bit of anti-seize on the chain adjusters.
And of course do like Elk said and check that chain adjustment. Very rare to see a chain properly tensioned coming from ANY shop.

I also like to check bolt torques. It takes a bit of time, but it helps to get you introduced and intimate with your baby.

Bearings and things that the bike mfg buys from others to assemble their bikes are often of good quality and usually have closer tolerences than the rest of the bike.
But even the best parts will have a bit of metal wear at break-in.
Also, if the mfg's machining practices were more precise, there would be no need for A B C or D pistons. But, they aren't that precise, and as a result there can be lots of metal particulate coming from the motor right off the bat.
I like to go through a couple of heat and cool cycles when I first start the bike, then drain the oil.
Go through another couple of heat cycles, and ride the bike a bit to put some load on it. Change the oil
Give it a full day of normal riding, change the oil. (dont be afraid to ride it, hell you own it! See what shees got!)
Give it another full day of good load riding, change the oil.
By this time you should have most of the excess particulate out of the motor.
Some say to not use synthetic during this break-in period, some argue otherwise.
I won't get into that, but IMHO you should probably use the cheapest, 10w40 you can find for the first few drains. It's controvercial, but I think it may be best to use a less than robust oil for the first few heat cycles, as we are 'trying' to get some of the mismatched parts to wear in a bit. If the machining were more precise, I would recommend going to the best full syn/blended gas, or full syn/blended diesel, you can find right off the bat. [don't pick me apart on this one..I'm giving generalities here]
Unless you do some research, you are only going to have price, and others recomendations to go by on this one. And price is NOT always indicative of quality in the motor oil world.
IMHO, the frequency in which we change oil if far more impoortant than the oil choice, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't be discerning about what type of oil to use.

Check you tire pressures early and often.

Set your static and race sag of the suspension early.
I like to check fluid levels right away, as I don't trust Ching Li Kabuki, that works third shift in the fork room.

Your carb will need to have new jets put in place. Very rarely will factory circuits be spot-on for any riders conditions. Riding the stock circuits will more than likely start to fill your pipe and packing with spooge. Best to get to that task right away. It can save you from chasing your tail later.

Hard to beat the recommendations posted above this one.

 

[Burtonridr250]

I bought an 05 yz250 this spring, and now everything is gunked up with oil around my pipe. what is a good spot to start with jetting.

I live in chicago, tempatures range a lot, but it mostly stays in the mid to high 80's.

 

[Wyld Bill]

It's a tedious process, but to keep my spokes/nipples from corroding and siezing, I clean, anti-sieze,and retighten them. One at a time, so the wheel stays true. Then use a layer or three of duct tape instead of the rim strips.

Definitely regrease the rear suspension/swingarm pivot and steering head bearings as stated above. Once when you get the new bike and once or twice a year afterwards. Grease must cost something like a billion yen a quart in Japan.

I just got out of the 4x4 hobby & I used never sieze on EVERYTHING that was on my Suzuki Samurai. I found out that there is such a thing as too much never sieze. The front steering components loosened up a couple times, the lug nuts would loosen up some times, etc.
My point,..do you find that your spokes are loosening on they're own no that you have never siezed them?

 

[a454elk]

Burton, yes, start with the jetting and go from there. Also, check your mixture, I run around 40:1, even up to 42, based on the riding I'm doing. 32:1 is way too heavy in my opinion. They usually run a little rich from the manufacturer so it may be just that the jetting is too rich. Good luck!

 

[kelseybrent]

I just got out of the 4x4 hobby & I used never sieze on EVERYTHING that was on my Suzuki Samurai. I found out that there is such a thing as too much never sieze. The front steering components loosened up a couple times, the lug nuts would loosen up some times, etc.
My point,..do you find that your spokes are loosening on they're own no that you have never siezed them?

No, I haven't had any problems with the spokes not staying tight.