Returning Newbie

[1304]

Hello everybody, let me first give you a little brief history, last bike I had was in 2001 a brand new DRZ, gave it up because I had no spare time, now at the ripe old age of sixty I have just purchased a very nice and immaculate XR250R. Bought it from a bloke in Wakefield it's done an incredible 230K (not miles), just 230 Kilometres. So at present I'm getting it ready for a bit of light green laneing. But I'm a little bit unsure of what preparation I should be making. It's got twelve months MOT tax and insurance, now I'm looking at changing the oil and filter what is the word on the street when it comes to synthetic or semi-synthetic, I have always favoured fully synthetic but is this correct?. Also the air filter is worth spending a lot on one bearing in mind it will only be doing very soft off roading (just getting the tyres dirty).
While I'm on I'm in the process of fitting wraparound hand guards and need to drill out the bar end on the throttle tube, is there an easy way to do this, I've thought about loosening of the tube and cutting off the end with an axe saw or maybe drilling out the small hole the the correct size, what is the usual way?

I look forward to your ideas, thoughts.

Regards
1304

[Fladdem]

I cut the end off the throttle tube when I fit bars. I do find though that sometimes it can crack up and then you get a sticky throttle when the plastic breaks away inside the grip. Only happened once though, must have done a better cut on others.

If you have a stepper drill bit, you could use that to bore it out to 14mm or whatever the internal diameter of a bar is.

For an XR, semi synthetic would do, especially if standard, but any clean oil would be fine in one of those. I run fully synthetic in my Yamaha TTR 250, which is a very similar engine design, I bought the oil in bulk and lots of filters at a time, I used to drop the oil out every 10-15 hours of use, which worked out at about 1200KM's of use. Probably overkill, but I used to be able to get Castrol cheap from a mate of a mate.

Air filter, anything foam will do for the bike, just get some proper air filter oil. To keep the finer dust from getting through too easily. Although I used to use two stroke oil on the filter, again, cos it worked out cheaper from a mate and I had to buy it for the moped anyway. But proper filter oil would work best. Chances are though it won't need one already with such low use unless it's torn for some reason, they are washable filters, I believe, at least almost all off-roaders are.

I assume it has rim locks as standard? Does it still have the standard bars? They'll probably bend first off, possibly second.

You may want to get a file to the cleats on the footpegs as well to sharpen them up, to stop your feet slipping off, but again, with 230KM's on the clock, probably not worth doing. Other than that I would just check all the levers are where I want them both standing and sitting.

Sorry if that sounds a bit like I'm patronising you, I'm well aware at sixty, you have probably been riding longer than I've been on the planet, that's just what I do when I'm setting up a new bike.
____________________
Current:1991 Honda MT50 (Soon to be a H100/MTX/MT5 hybrid), 1976 Honda Cub C70, 2005 Honda Varadero 125, 1993 Yamaha TTR250 Open Enduro , 2010 Road Legal Stomp YX140, 1994 Honda CRM 250 MK III, 1999 Cagiva Mito 125, 1992 Honda CB400 Super Four, Stomp T4 230, 1984 Honda H100s, 2009 Sym XS125K
Past:2003 Aprilia RS125, 1982 Kawasaki GPZ550(FREE BIKE!)
I'm having more fun than a well-oiled midget.

[1304]

Thanks for the info, the foot pegs are fine they are brand new. I will buy some fully synthetic oil, bit over the top but peace of mind and all that. Might try the stepper drill bit (might be able to borrow one) seems a good idea. Looked at the air filter and it looks clean, it has been well oiled and no tears or rips so at 230k should be ok.
Thanks for your reply, will keep you posted.

Regards
1304

[1304]

Hi, spent most of the day changing the oil and filter, but have got a bit lost in the final amount the bike takes. I started off putting in a litre, starting it up letting it run for a few minutes then checked it again, it didn't show on the dip stick so I added a bit more, started it again and yet again it show on the dip stick so I added a it more, started it again and this time it showed about half way up. So I left it at that, when I looked at the oil bottle I'd put over half a litre in meaning I've put in over a litre and a half. I'm sure the max should be about 1.3/1.4.
Do you think I've over filled it? If so what's the best way to get a little I bit out. I'm thinking syphon it out with a length of clear tube.
What do you think.

[Fladdem]

That's fine, trust the dip stick. My TTR, similar design, is meant to take 1.1 litres with an oil change, 1.2 with a filter, I think (?) Around there anyway

When I did mine, I used to do it every 1000-1500 KM's on the clock, the book said ten hours, I assumed that was about ten hours of use, it would always take more than the book said it should, but I try to get the oil right onto the max marks, this way, you can easily identify how much oil it is using, if any.
____________________
Current:1991 Honda MT50 (Soon to be a H100/MTX/MT5 hybrid), 1976 Honda Cub C70, 2005 Honda Varadero 125, 1993 Yamaha TTR250 Open Enduro , 2010 Road Legal Stomp YX140, 1994 Honda CRM 250 MK III, 1999 Cagiva Mito 125, 1992 Honda CB400 Super Four, Stomp T4 230, 1984 Honda H100s, 2009 Sym XS125K
Past:2003 Aprilia RS125, 1982 Kawasaki GPZ550(FREE BIKE!)
I'm having more fun than a well-oiled midget.

[1304]

Thanks for the reply, what I intend to do next (weather permitting) is go for a little ride round to give the oil chance to pump round a little, see if that makes any difference. It's a little bit unnerving when the book says one thing and the dip stick says another. (the real dip stick might be the bloke punting the oil in)

See what tomorrow brings. (more suggestions I hope)