Got a few questions after my first ride today...

[XRstroker]

Ok today i took my new 300 mxc out to my friends land to ride around and get used to the powerband before I hit the trails. After riding and evaluating a few things I thought of some questions.

1. After riding my butt and right hand is REALLY numb, its not like cramps or anything but it is just numb from the vibration. How can i fix this?

2. What kind of checks do I need to do before/after riding? Like when i get it home and baby it to get it back in good shape.

3. What is the BEST and EASIEST way to clean it? I have heard that powerwashing just pushes all the dirt into the washers and bearings and stuff, but washin it with a garden hose and regular soap doesn't seem to work well.

4. Also after washing do I need to apply something like WD-40 to the engine area? Ive heard that if you apply WD-40 after washing it keeps some parts from rusting. yes i know to lube the chain after washing.


Heh, thats quite a good bit of questions. Im just psyched about this whole NEW bike thing, with my old XR200 I just kinda put it in the garage after pressure washing, heh, it was old and ugly:p , but with my KTM i wanna keep it pretty :D


ex-XRstroker :)

 

[ktmboy]

When I first got the 360 my butt would ache by days end, and my eyeballs wouls blur at low RPMs. After you put some hours in your butt will toughen up, and you'll learn not to grip the bars as hard at low speed.:D

 

[TBob]

Originally posted by XRstroker
Ok today i took my new 300 mxc out to my friends land to ride around and get used to the powerband before I hit the trails. After riding and evaluating a few things I thought of some questions.

1. After riding my butt and right hand is REALLY numb, its not like cramps or anything but it is just numb from the vibration. How can i fix this?

2. What kind of checks do I need to do before/after riding? Like when i get it home and baby it to get it back in good shape.

3. What is the BEST and EASIEST way to clean it? I have heard that powerwashing just pushes all the dirt into the washers and bearings and stuff, but washin it with a garden hose and regular soap doesn't seem to work well.

4. Also after washing do I need to apply something like WD-40 to the engine area? Ive heard that if you apply WD-40 after washing it keeps some parts from rusting. yes i know to lube the chain after washing.


Heh, thats quite a good bit of questions. Im just psyched about this whole NEW bike thing, with my old XR200 I just kinda put it in the garage after pressure washing, heh, it was old and ugly:p , but with my KTM i wanna keep it pretty :D


ex-XRstroker :)

Softer seat foam can be ordered from EE, Devol, Guts ect...

Spray the bike with simple green and rinse with a garden hose.- Spraying
the bike with WD-40 will make for and easier clean up the next time.

I spray the chain with Tri-Flow - that's what I've found works best on o-ring chains.

Be sure to remove the compression clamps that are found on the thermostat
replace with a ktm hose clamp - automotive hose clamps are bigger and wider
and not worth the little money saving to mess with.

I've filled my bars with silicon calk before on bikes that vibrate bad - but I can't imagine your 300 vibrating much - I've owned and rode them alot -I think
you'll get use to it.

Adjust your chain so it has some slack in it when you compress the suspension.
I usually lay over the very back of the seat an check the tension - try to get
the swingarm parallel with the ground.

Not to sure about the jetting on the new 300's but on the 99 and earlier the
norm setup for AZ (1500 ft - 90deg) was 178main - d needle #2 - #7 slide
and a 48 pilot.

Enjoy your new ride,

 

[SnackSnack]

XR,

I use a light duty pressure washer on my 400, and it works great. I have had the bike for a year, and it still looks new. I am careful not to spray in areas around elecrical items, the carb/airbox, or bearings. Nothing cleans the inside of hubs like m a little pressure. If you are careful where you point it, and lube the bearing on a regular basis (like should be done anyway), the results are hard to match.

 

[firecracker22]

Your rear end, like mine, was used to the soft couch found on top of XRs. You will get used to it. Don't sit down as much! (J/K, I felt bruised :eek: )

I pressure washed mine with the gentler tip attachment.
I also tightened the spokes--they were horribly loose.
I've heard to spray WD-40 on the inside of the coil cover to keep water from condensing and making bad things happen.
Go around and tighten bolts--like the kickstarter bolt, frame bolts, bar mounts, etc.
You do know the bar mounts are 4-position adjustable?
The clutch cylinder is very vulnerable being right next to the front sprocket as it is. A foreign object caught in the chain or a broken chain could take it out, and on the advice of my friends I bought a guard for it:

 

[shawn sharp]

new bike questions

I haven't tried simple green but I think I will. I mix about 2:1 water: liquid laundry detergent in a garden sprayer. Plug the silencer. Soak with water. Saturate with the soap mix. Let sit for a few minutes and work the real muddy areas with a very soft brush. Rinse with copious amounts of water. Soak down with WD-40. The WD stands for "water dispersant". It keeps water out of those places that can rust. I then do the Armor All thing (except the seat). I come back later and take a rag and brake cleaner and remove any oil residue from my rotors. You want to make sure you do this. Pro-Taper bars seem to help with the vibes.

 

[XRstroker]

Cool deal, yah Firecracker the guy who had my MXC before me already put the hydraulic clutch protector thingy on there. He had all the extras and kept it in pristine condition, I really got a deal on it, its better then new in my opinion(new from a dealer who doesn't grease/put together the bikes like he should anyways). Yah, ill just get used to the seat thing, and it already has pro taper bars on there, i guess ill just get used to that too, it doesn't really bother me, its just different and I need to adjust to it. Can't wait to go riding tomorrow. I think ill pick up some of that simple green stuff too tonite :)


ex-XRStroker