How far can it be ridden, and how can I tell if its overheating

**Cobalt** · 15th September 2006, 19:06

Hi Folks I know this is going to seam a really dumb question so here goes I have been told that my GN 250 been a commuter bike its not supposed to be ridden to long as it will over heat and it will sag the engine. My question is how far can it be ridden and how can I tell if its over heating ? Would heavier oil stop it over heating letting me ride further? :spudwave:

**Edbear** · 15th September 2006, 19:16

If you're GN is in reasonble nick, just use the recommended iol and change it according to the specs. You should be able to hop on it tomorrow and ride straight to Bluff. You might not last the trip, but the GN certainly will!

**Edbear** · 15th September 2006, 19:18

Just checked and saw you're in CHch! The GN would happily cruise to the big Auck if you were of a mind too!

**Cobalt** · 15th September 2006, 19:28

My Gn Has only 1653 k on it its still shiny and new I was going to ride down to Dunedin but the guy at the shop said it was to much for a GN in one go

**diggydog** · 15th September 2006, 19:35

i've had this problem going back a few years and must say when i rode my honda cl 175 back in the 70's it just stopped, i waited 5 minutes and set of again no problem. i was riding from wellington to the mount, which is a fair way, but the funny thing going back to welly it never over heated, i would say it may have been cooler that day, but as far as your gn250 it should cope no worry's, i would of thought giving ita long ride every now then would do it good.

**Ixion** · 15th September 2006, 19:43

Any limitation will be because of rider not machine. I would with complete confidence set out to ride a GN250 right round NZ.

Provided you are willing to accept a "cruising" speed (say 90 to 100kph) , without holding the throttle hard to the stop the whole way, the only limit will be that you may get quite tired. But if you limit your distance to, say, 300km , you should have no troubles.

An aircooled engine will almost never overheat on the open road, if they overheat it will be in thick slow moving traffic where there is no air flow to cool the motor.

Ride the bike and do not worry about ignorant doomsayers.

**onearmedbandit** · 15th September 2006, 19:47

+1 what Ixion says. (except the part about riding a GN250 right round NZ)

**Warr** · 15th September 2006, 19:47

My daughter rode her '05 GN250 from Wellington to Hams to Wellington in a weekend. They are quite capable of it at the speed limit. But I do recall the dude in the bike shop giving her the long trip warning.

**Cobalt** · 15th September 2006, 19:49

Thanks for the replys folks I'll take it easy and give it a rest after every 100k just incase and its a chance to have a smoke they burn down to quick unless you stop

**Lee Rusty** · 15th September 2006, 19:50

I rode my old GN around NZ on a Southern Cross Road Rally 6300km in 8 days
if your arse can stand it the bike will - and cheap as well

**Racey Rider** · 15th September 2006, 19:53

Could we get a better explanation of what is meant by 'SAG THE ENGINE'?:spudwhat:
Never heard of it!

Sounds like the type of thing some would say to try and sell ya a bigger bike.

The GN would make a NZ tour. Not the perfect bike for it, but a well mantained one would make it here there and back again, no matter where in NZ the 'Here / There' was.

**Fub@r** · 15th September 2006, 20:42

I did a 300km round trip on mine the other week, never missed a beat and that was on one tank of gas

Did have a sore butt afterwards but it was fun

I have been warned also about long trips on a Ginny but I heard it was that the wheel bearings cant handle it?

Only thing I would keep a check on is your oil levels

Also for a long trip keep it to 90-100 (not that you have much choice) but don't ring it out too much

**Jantar** · 15th September 2006, 20:46

I would stronly suggest that on a long trip on a GN250 that you stop every 200 - 240 kms for 5 minutes or so. If you push too much past that then the engine will stop. It will not restart again untill you add fuel to the tank. So its a good idea that when you make that stop that you fill up and check the oil at the same time. As long as you do that then, as Lee Rusty says, you can ride right around NZ.

**Cobalt** · 15th September 2006, 22:10

Thanks for the Help Guys

**Steam** · 15th September 2006, 22:15

Weird that they said a Gn wouldn't make it.
My GN is 20 years old, a 1986 model, and I rode it from Auckland to Wellington in a weekend, throttle to the stop all the way. I kept it topped up with oil, ran it on 91, and the engine got hot but not too hot to touch. Too hot to keep your hand on it, but not as hot as a boiling steel kettle or something like that.

The main threat is running out of oil. If it runs out of oil, bits of metal will overheat and expand, while other bits of metal will stay the same size, and it will seize. Check those oil levels every time you fill it up with petrol.