450 MXer Pitfalls?

[Badcat]

Heres some updated pix of my CB450 street tracker project
Currently Im working on the the paintjob & upholstery. The exhaust pipes in the pix are the patterns that I tacked up & Ive taken them to Autobend to copy & then theyll get black hi temp powder coated.
The mufflers will be replaced with a pair of black shorty reverse cone megaphones.
Next the motors coming out & the frame will get powder coated dark blue
Its great to make some progress after a long time on the back burner!!

man- that's gonna be sweet when it's finished...
i'm already planning my next street tracker - maybe a TRX850..........
anyway - keep the pics coming dave.
i love the seat you made for me by the way - will have it painted as soon as the sr500 arrives from japan - possibly come down to CHCH to pick it up in the next couple of weeks!

ken

[cowpoos]

get a klx300r $7995 brand new...including procircut exhaust and moose bars...
then ring these boys for this kit http://www.thequadshop.co.nz/index.php/cPath/94



and by the way:"" KLX 300 is only 3~4 kg heavier than a KDX 200 and only 1~2hp down. Compared to a KLX/DRZ 400 they are nearly 15kg lighter and down 8~9hp, however if you were to look at this in a power to weight perspective (hp/kg) it would look something like this: KLX 300 0.314 hp/kg, KDX 200 0.336 hp/kg KLX/DRZ 400 0.351 hp/kg."" [quoted from a website]

also check this out... http://www.thequadshop.co.nz/informa...6bbd5cc95c3781 and its a nz firm!!!

And I bet you'll get a better bike for the $$$$$ more reliable....and buy some switchgear and a battrey and get the larger magneto out of a klx250 and reg it!!!!

[laRIKin]

I would like to add that the MX motors do not like to be held at full throttle
for a long time.
They are made to be held at full noise for a short time only.
As when you are on a MX track, it is shorter fast burst's.
Supermoto/motard racing kills the motors faster, so I'm told.
Unless the track is short and tight.

Years ago you could not hot up the SR500 as much as you could on the XT/TT500's.
White Brothers use to say this in their book, for the reasons I have mention above.

I have a KTM640 LC4 and would like to do Supermotard racing on it.
But mates that have had LC4's for years, have said that even the LC4 motors life expectancies are shortened when they are Supermotard raced.
And things happen to the motors that normally do not happen when trail ridden.
I may still race it, but only on the short track, to be easier on the motor.

I have spent up to just under $1500-1800nz on a complete 2 stroke rebuild.
They where real major rebuilds.
But most 4 stroke rebuilds seem to be more like $4500+nz.
The cheapest I know of was $3500nz.

Racing is not cheap and has got a lot dearer now days when you are talking MX/trail bikes.
And that's why I went back to an older type motor.
I have saved so much money on oil and filters with the LC4 motor alone.

What would I race in a Supermotard?
Properly what I have, lots of power in a mildly tuned motor.
Than a smaller motor that's a grenade.
That is unless I really really wanted to win and had backing or lots of money.

Rik

[NordieBoy]

The LC4 is the engine in most of KTM's road motard offerings.
Seems to be reliable enough if looked after (like any engine).

[Coyote]

Looking at the info in this thread, I've been turned away from the idea of a motard. Maybe it would be a possibility for me in the future when I have a bit more money. Untill then whilst my Dad is helping me pay for all this, it'll probebly be best if I down-grade to a RG150 and continue racing streetstock and keep the rest of the CBR money aside for any repair bills

[TonyB]

get a klx300r $7995 brand new...including procircut exhaust and moose bars...

Quote from a very experienced mechanic/rider at a local bike shop:

Kawasaki's are great bikes, don't get me wrong. But they don't last. They're made out of cheese. Everything is done on the cheap, they use cheap alloys and while it goes great initially, they require a lot more maintainence than a Honda or Yamaha

[cowpoos]

Quote from a very experienced mechanic/rider at a local bike shop:

must be a honda mechanic...they like to talk there products up..I had a bet with a honda mechanic once...I won...lol...[I mean the suzuki won]...my old KLR250 had 76,000km on the clock used no oil....started first pop...one kick
my current KLX300R is coming up 3yrs old...it is still great...nothings gone wrong with it...well there have been the things I broke...canning off...
I do 120-150 km a day on it...you do the math...and I thrash its arse off...

Still starts first time every time....uses no oil....I swear by kawasaki....every kawasaki I've own has be brillent machine...no hassles...majorly cheap to run...reliable...well built...

I have heard alot of people diss kawasakis reliabilty,build quality,longevity,etc
I've own alot of bikes...ridin alot of bikes...far more than I should have for my age...and I know....I'm never buy another yamaha...hondas have there place [like toyota...reliably boring and ugly] coz they still work when they shouldn't...suzuki make a bloody good product all though they build to a budget...they are hard to beat value for money...and thats why they are the top brand in this country aswell as havin a good product...

I still believe kawasaki have a superiour product...they bolt good shit on to kawasaki's...and they are a focused product...

[laRIKin]

The LC4 is the engine in most of KTM's road motard offerings.
Seems to be reliable enough if looked after (like any engine).

They are still very reliable when motard raced and are a strong motor.
Sorry if I gave the wrong message there.
But any motor that lives at the high end of their rev range, pays a price in longevity.
And from what I have read more and more guys in Europe are now starting to using the RFS motors.

Rik

[dellow]

Just do it man.Every bit of time/money spent on maintaing a big four stroke is well worth it.(in my opinion)

[Cary]

From what I've heard the Yamaha is the most sorted of the modern 4 strokes,but they are still big on maintanence - lots of oil changes using expensive oil,and regular top end rebuilds....depending on use of course.The modern 2 stroke needs less maintenance than the modern 4 stroke these day,and cheaper too.

I disagree, my YZ will only get a new piston/rings engine check at 100 hours. Talking to guys today at Power twilight ride said they have a CRF450X with 300 hours in shop and have only had to replace piston/rings, rest was sweet.

The WR's, CRFX's etc are the modern brick shithouses of the MX world.

Coure, if you do self distruct a modern 4 stroke its gonna cost a bloody fortune to fix

[Brian d marge]

How does a mechanic at a local bike shop know what material has been used ????
I use a Vickers hardness test then narrow the material down to about a handfull

Currently doing exactly that to calculate the estimate life span of a conrod .....so HOW does wonder mechanic do it ??

at a stab ,,they all ( the manufacterers ) subcontract out to specialist smaller companies
Yamaha has stumbled upon a good casting company ( I like there casting work ,,,v nice )
but at the end of the day all the propriatry bit ...springs widgits ,,,torsion bars and giggly pins are all sourced from china at negotiated prices ...wether its honda /haharly /onda /or shinray
Try buying 3 million yen worth of springs at 1/4 yen each ....and find they all have a differing spring rate than the specified drawing ,,,,then tell me you had a bad day at work ...( wasnt me !!!:spudwave:but a good friend )

..
Personally I would keep me eyes on the emergin nations ,,india /china /tawian ,,,as they are investing heavily in tooling AND have that flexiable approach to manufacturing ,,,that IS delivering a quality product at prices WELL below the big 4
Trade me Shineray??? is it ..MX bike for 2k NEW apart from conventional forks it looked ok to me 2 K approx NEW

Drifted off topic again ,,,never mind ,,,that means I am 1/2 way to not being sober ,,,and thats a good thing I suppose
Nite all

Stephen

[Coyote]

Just do it man.Every bit of time/money spent on maintaing a big four stroke is well worth it.(in my opinion)

Time isn't a problem, money is.

So are the 4 strokes just like the 2 strokes as their piston and ring is the only thing they need replacing regulary? If that's wrong, what does need replacing? At what cost and how often?

[Coyote]

How long do 4 strokes and 2 strokes normally last before needing to replace the piston and rings?

[Cary]

How long do 4 strokes and 2 strokes normally last before needing to replace the piston and rings?

All depends on your use of the bike really. A pro rider is going to change it often to keep it at peak performance, say after every race meet or two. I think most manufactuers recommend 15 hours.

Mine gets a hard time but not a complete thrashing and is still going strong at 75 hours, I'm going to change piston/rings at 100hrs whether it needs it or not!!

I change oil every 6 hours and oil filter every 18, clean air filter after every days riding maybe every 2nd depending on conditions.

[Coyote]

All depends on your use of the bike really. A pro rider is going to change it often to keep it at peak performance, say after every race meet or two. I think most manufactuers recommend 15 hours.

Mine gets a hard time but not a complete thrashing and is still going strong at 75 hours, I'm going to change piston/rings at 100hrs whether it needs it or not!!

I change oil every 6 hours and oil filter every 18, clean air filter after every days riding maybe every 2nd depending on conditions.

Pretty much sounds like the same routine with my brothers 125. Does it cost much more than a 2 stroke for the piston and ring and to get it sorted by a shop? Liked to be able to do it myself but thats unlikely