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my baby comes out of hibernation
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Out of hibernation
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Hey Everyone! Vote for the Site Favourite BOTM winner for the year of 2022 HERE!
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I just got mine out this weekend for the first time as well. Thank God it's getting to be spring!
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46 Posts
59 is T-shirt weather.The snow is off the roads and the mud has set in so I just had to bring her out and run roads some.Changed over my front and rear sprockets yesterday. I went from the standard 14/50 to a 15/44.Loses some power on the hills but I am not windin the piss out of her on the highway doin 60 now
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28 Posts
Did my first commute of the year yesterday. It's only about 15 miles each way but the 40's seem awful cold when you're going 50mph! Too nasty today for a repeat performance. The wind has been pretty bad too. I need an extra helping of patience if anybody has some to spare!
I am really looking forward to May.
Byte
I am really looking forward to May.
Byte
speaking of cold weather... I just bought a new TW on march 15th and just HAD to ride it to work on march 16th, I got 2 miles and dumped it on a corner that had some refreeze on it! it had a whopping 3.7 miles on it! luckily only a couple scratches on the TW, it was sitting like a tripod on the left hand grip, foot peg and tail light/rack with the back tire still going around! I was not so fortunate, slight shoulder separation, sore wrist and broken face shield on helmet! The good news is a week later we managed to string a few warm days together to pretty much rid the roads of any more ice. So far I've used it to commute to work 5 days. but highs in the 30's are back for a while again! you really have to ride when you can in this state..... but you sure enjoy it when it's possible..... And now speaking of commuting and new bikes........... does anyone think that riding it 8 miles at between 30 and 45 mph with only a few stop signs OK to do while breaking it in?? or is that pushing the rpms on a new engine???? would really appreciate any feedback from guys that know engines. thanks much ..... I love this forum! Mark from Minn.
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7,044 Posts
Your commute as described won't hurt the bike at all. Even better if there are hills. The key to a good break-in on a bike with TW-type technology is limiting RPM and lots of speeding up and slowing doen. On the other hand, avoid lugging the engine, too. Allow the rpm to build up pretty good before shifting. 45mph in 5th is barely into the powerband. The on;y problem I see is the oil not getting up to temp long enough to vaporize any condensation that may accumulate. As long as you take a longer ride once a week or so, that will solve that problem.
Break-in cruising speeds in gears:
gear min max
1 0 13
2 11 21
3 18 29
4 23 37
5 30 47
These speeds will be between 3000 and 6000 rpm. Don't be afraid of the throttle, either. Anything under WFO will be okay since you already have 50 miles or so. Just don't hold the thrott;e at any setting more than a minute. The constantly changing parameters of speed, rpm, throttle position, and engine load prevent any hotspots from building up to critical levels, keep the temperatures of the engine parts constantly changing due to thermodynamic expansion and contraction, thus providing the quickest and smoothest possible break-in.
Might think about changing the oil about now, too. Make sure to use a non-synthetic motorcycle-specific oil that meets JASO MA standards, This time of year in Minnesota calls for 10W-40. You can clean the stock screen and the mesh oil filter. 95% of the gunk that will ever be in the sump gets there in the first 50 miles.
Once you get 500 or so miles on the bike let the engine wind up to redline, but not at full throttle in higher gears unless on a long downhill. The purpose of this exercise is to smooth the microscopis ring groove that has already started to form on the cylinder wall.
Maximum speed in each gear should be:
1 21
2 34
3 46
4 58
5 74
Choose the appropriate gear for the speed limit where you ride. Do not hold these speeds at max rpm. Simply let the bike rev at a third to half throttle or so, then shift up and do it ahain. If you are fortunate to have a long, steep downhill, gradually accelerate to max rpm, then back off the throttls and compression brake to half that speed, then slowly accelerate again. From cruising at half max, accelerating to max should take 15 seconds or more, and slowing down to half max should take the same amount of time. If you simply go out and wind 1st gear to the max as fast as it will get there, you'll chip the top edge of the top compression ring, which will cost power, though the bike will still run "perfectly", it simply won't have as much power. If you don't wear the ring groove out of the cylinder early, the first time you miss a shift you'll chip the top compression ring. This is the reason that those cars owned by old folks who only drove to the grocery on Tuesday and church on Sunday that people think are such awesome buys end up performing poorly and burning oil. Junior inherits Garmma's car, and first thing he does is take it out on the highwy to see what it will do. He ends up bashing the top ring against the ring groove and destroys it. Wearing the ring groove gently and early means the top ring slides up the groove instead of bashing into it, resulting in no danage, more power, cooler running, and a longer lasting engine.
Break-in cruising speeds in gears:
gear min max
1 0 13
2 11 21
3 18 29
4 23 37
5 30 47
These speeds will be between 3000 and 6000 rpm. Don't be afraid of the throttle, either. Anything under WFO will be okay since you already have 50 miles or so. Just don't hold the thrott;e at any setting more than a minute. The constantly changing parameters of speed, rpm, throttle position, and engine load prevent any hotspots from building up to critical levels, keep the temperatures of the engine parts constantly changing due to thermodynamic expansion and contraction, thus providing the quickest and smoothest possible break-in.
Might think about changing the oil about now, too. Make sure to use a non-synthetic motorcycle-specific oil that meets JASO MA standards, This time of year in Minnesota calls for 10W-40. You can clean the stock screen and the mesh oil filter. 95% of the gunk that will ever be in the sump gets there in the first 50 miles.
Once you get 500 or so miles on the bike let the engine wind up to redline, but not at full throttle in higher gears unless on a long downhill. The purpose of this exercise is to smooth the microscopis ring groove that has already started to form on the cylinder wall.
Maximum speed in each gear should be:
1 21
2 34
3 46
4 58
5 74
Choose the appropriate gear for the speed limit where you ride. Do not hold these speeds at max rpm. Simply let the bike rev at a third to half throttle or so, then shift up and do it ahain. If you are fortunate to have a long, steep downhill, gradually accelerate to max rpm, then back off the throttls and compression brake to half that speed, then slowly accelerate again. From cruising at half max, accelerating to max should take 15 seconds or more, and slowing down to half max should take the same amount of time. If you simply go out and wind 1st gear to the max as fast as it will get there, you'll chip the top edge of the top compression ring, which will cost power, though the bike will still run "perfectly", it simply won't have as much power. If you don't wear the ring groove out of the cylinder early, the first time you miss a shift you'll chip the top compression ring. This is the reason that those cars owned by old folks who only drove to the grocery on Tuesday and church on Sunday that people think are such awesome buys end up performing poorly and burning oil. Junior inherits Garmma's car, and first thing he does is take it out on the highwy to see what it will do. He ends up bashing the top ring against the ring groove and destroys it. Wearing the ring groove gently and early means the top ring slides up the groove instead of bashing into it, resulting in no danage, more power, cooler running, and a longer lasting engine.
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46 Posts
5th gear 74. I better have a real good tailwind and a steep downhill grade.I have only seen a max of about 68 and that was down hill.I have yet to see what the new gear ratio will do however.
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117 Posts
Whoa! Some serious snow there, unfortunately my TW is still buried in the Conex Van, will be a couple of weeks before the snow is gone up here.
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7,044 Posts
9500rpm with 14/50 sprockets and the stock tire is about 74mph. Under most conditions, the engine won't pull 9500rpm in 5th. Most TWs on level pavement with no wind will top out about 65mph if fed real gasoline. Knock off 5-7mph with E10. Add a mph or three for tucked in. Slightly taller sprockets might gain a mph or two by moving the meat of the powerband a little higher on the speedo, maybe. Chances of improvement increase with careful tuning of the carb. There are a host of other variables that also affect top speed.
QWERTY: WOW! Thanks a ton man! That was an even more comprehensive and thorough response than I had ever hoped for! I really appreciate it and can tell you know what you are talking about. Now I just have to try follow through with the advice. I did hear about varying the rpm's and speeds before this, so I was doing that, but I wasn't sure if I was revving the rpm's too much that early on, it's comforting to know I wasn't... once again thanks so much!
Another TW200 out of hibernation after 5 months of napping.
It started up on the 3rd try. The DR and SV started on the first try. I must have finally stumbled on the correct storage procedure. This is the first time in several years that I haven't had to do carb work to get the TW running.
Temperatures in the 70's in western NC. Did about 100 miles on forest service roads today.
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jb
It started up on the 3rd try. The DR and SV started on the first try. I must have finally stumbled on the correct storage procedure. This is the first time in several years that I haven't had to do carb work to get the TW running.
Temperatures in the 70's in western NC. Did about 100 miles on forest service roads today.
jb
Joined
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7,044 Posts
Another TW200 out of hibernation after 5 months of napping.
It started up on the 3rd try. The DR and SV started on the first try. I must have finally stumbled on the correct storage procedure. This is the first time in several years that I haven't had to do carb work to get the TW running.
Temperatures in the 70's in western NC. Did about 100 miles on forest service roads today.
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jb
jb, what part of WNC are you?
About 20 miles NW of Murphy... 11 miles from the TN line and 15 miles from the GA line.
After a night of rain the weather is great again. Off for an afternoon of trail riding.
I don't have internet service at the cabin, so I'm only able to log on when I'm near a public wireless connection... maybe once a day.
jb
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7,044 Posts
Hmmm? 20 miles NW of Murphy is in Tennessee, isn't it? I hate you, anyway--you're right in the middle of some of the best riding in the country.
The main variable is a tiny engine, not much power there. I went with a 14/47 and it seemed better in 1,2 but it 5 it might be slower. I'll probably go back to stock.
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