Increasing oil capacity?

[bogan]

I bet all of the negative/lazy comments are from people who have changed multiple things from how their bike came factory. Pack racks aren't factory, carrying luggage is not specifically designed for 90% of bikes. Bubble screens, race modifications, heated grips, different seats, changing the suspension. Get over it.

I bet we just think you're wasting good dino juice doing it that often.

[CrazyFrog]

The hassle and time of doing it mid trip. Even if you doubled the service interval with double the oil....it would still cost you the same. On that token even with double the oil I'd be happier with 1.5x the interval, which would cost more.

A 1L oil change in itself isn't a pain. I used to do 9L every 5000km in my last vehicle. That was a pain, especially when I spilled it on a 2 day old concrete driveway, but it wasn't on the side of the road potentially every second day while I was fanging around.

Recommended interval is 1000km, some people do it every 5 hours or 500kms and valves at 1000kms. I wouldn't even make it to Dunedin. I don't know how some people manage to commute on these sorts of bikes.

So from what I can gather, this oil dilemma is for a WR450? or 250? Or some other high performance 4 stroke enduro bike?
Speaking as a KTM RFS owner, you can easily stretch out oil changes from 1000km to 2000km IF you are dual sporting, ride frequently mid rev range on the highway, and generally taking it a bit easier on the motor. As far as the valve checks go, learn how to do them properly, and it's only a 15min job (on a cold bike).

Yes, the enduro/racing boys will change oil every 5 hrs, but try and remember, they are revving the fuck out their motors on a regular basis while either racing or trail riding the snotty stuff, so the oil quality breaks down faster. If you're dual sporting, use good synthetic oil and be happy knowing that highway cruising speed on tarmac offers better oil cooling, so less oil degradation.

Don't bother pissing around retro fitting an oil cooler your machine, if it hasn't been done by other dual sporters before. Google it and ask the specific question relevant to your bike. Just plan to change your oil to suit your longer trip itinerary, and factor it in as part of the experience.
Anyway, you won't want to ride a chook chaser non stop to Dunedin, unless your arse is made of steel
I rode my EXC from TeAnau to Nelson, did it over 3 days and changed oil once. And my arse has never forgiven me for it.

[Tazz]

I bet we just think you're wasting good dino juice doing it that often.

Wasn't meaning your oil comment, but fair call.

As an aside there are clutch covers available that would increase the oil capacity try Rekluse.

Thus depending on the set up not sure where the clutch pivot is etc you could make a spacer say 15 mm thicker with Gaskets either side longer bolts.

no worries.

Yeah got that cover, there is room for a spacer though. Nice idea

So from what I can gather, this oil dilemma is for a WR450? or 250? Or some other high performance 4 stroke enduro bike?
Speaking as a KTM RFS owner, you can easily stretch out oil changes from 1000km to 2000km IF you are dual sporting, ride frequently mid rev range on the highway, and generally taking it a bit easier on the motor. As far as the valve checks go, learn how to do them properly, and it's only a 15min job (on a cold bike).

Yes, the enduro/racing boys will change oil every 5 hrs, but try and remember, they are revving the fuck out their motors on a regular basis while either racing or trail riding the snotty stuff, so the oil quality breaks down faster. If you're dual sporting, use good synthetic oil and be happy knowing that highway cruising speed on tarmac offers better oil cooling, so less oil degradation.

Don't bother pissing around retro fitting an oil cooler your machine, if it hasn't been done by other dual sporters before. Google it and ask the specific question relevant to your bike. Just plan to change your oil to suit your longer trip itinerary, and factor it in as part of the experience.
Anyway, you won't want to ride a chook chaser non stop to Dunedin, unless your arse is made of steel
I rode my EXC from TeAnau to Nelson, did it over 3 days and changed oil once. And my arse has never forgiven me for it.

450. The more I've read the more I've seen the comments regarding stretching them out. Out of interest I might push it out to 1500 first and get an oil analysis done (I'm assuming their near as cheap in NZ as the states) and see what they say. Just for interests sake rather than a KB Mk II eyeball test.

I've seen a few more tid bits around about how the increased capacity doesn't do anything for oil quality anyway as mentioned earlier so increasing it might be moot for that reason anyway. More would just be good for cooling it seems, but as you touched on unless I'm flogging it everywhere or bore it out it shouldn't be a worry.

It has been done before, there is a specific kit for it that costs a body part, but if I was going to spend that much I'd be putting a rear brake on the handle bar first.

Seat doesn't bother me once your arse is broken in haha. I did an 11 hour day on the DR the first week I got it, that hurt a bit but from then on it was fine. I switched to a gripper cover that was even better after that. Don't know about others but I find if you stretch out and sit right near the back of the seat when you're slabbing it things are much more comfortable.
This one has a seat concepts seat which is nice, probably a fair trade off compared to a bruised ass, but I don't like that it's wider for when you need to put your feet down.

Cheers for all the info peoples. Good to learn something new.

[Tazz]

Well I'm 1000k deep from the weekend including a good few K's on an MX track and the oil is still looking pretty good

Strange with that short of an interval they don´t make it easier with a quick drain valve or something. Shame these don´t come in smaller sizes:


http://www.stahlbus-us.com/oil-drain...l-drain-valve/

There will be something out there that will do that in a smaller size I bet, but just not marketed for use on vehicles or something.

I don´t know if its the cost or the hassle of oil changing that's putting you off - but you can get some small hand pumps that would fit in your luggage to suck most of the oil out of the engine - still leaves all the crap at the bottom though. You could suck out the majority of the oil and do a full change every other time.

Yep, I use turkey baster syringe things (because the Vet things I'm a junkie and won't give me any of theirs) for that sort of thing. Only 250ml or so per hit but comes in handy for all sorts.