Re: The story so far.. My Honda CBR 250R

Thank you shv18, ak3d, sanjay for your replies. It is actually 8k rpm. It was my mistake to write that and i apologize.

As far as chain lube is considered, i had my first service at 30th day (~700kms) after the purchase and lubing was done at that time. After that i didn't do it till now. So that's one thing i need to do.

For pillion, i feel that the difference is very large. But that's probably normal and i am thinking too much. Because of this, i started hating it when people sit at the back side

Lastly, for shim, i don't hear any tick-tick noise as of now but will inspect more closely and get back.

Thank you all.

Re: The story so far.. My Honda CBR 250R

1) Nothing to apologize about, I understood it would have been 8K RPM and hence I gave the info (which is already covered in the CBR thread btw).
2) You need to read the owner's manual and follow its maintenance schedule, and by yourself if necessary. Chain lube, routine check, regular look over at brake pads etc should be something that the owner should do himself rather than rely on the SVC.
3) The CBR picks up very well even with pillion, if you're trying to accelerate in 5th or 6th gear, the pick up will be slower given the taller gearing (6th gear is overdrive, meant for cruising, not for acceleration). You should not face any effort in the first three gears at all, provided you are in the correct RPM range (with a caveat, if your pillion is like the Hulk, you probably need a more powerful engine).
4) The CBR's shim noise is typical and not a 'tick tick' or stitching sound like rocker/tappets.

Re: The story so far.. My Honda CBR 250R

@shv18 I tried out the HDEO treatment on my CBR as well, since mine is also a pre owned vehicle which was manufactured on the 21st Dec 2011 and had been neglected until November of 2013. I ran the HDEO for 2342kms exactly, and after that, the gear shifts started sticking, so changed back to Shell Advance FS Ultra.

Initial impressions: (During the HDEO treatment)

1. The bike had become less vibey.
2. Slick gear changes
3. The annoying vibes that creep in around 4.5K~5K rpms vanished.
4. However, when revved to 9K rpm, there was a prescence of more vibes when compared to the earlier Advance FS scenario.
5. I felt the bike to rev more freely in the lower RPMs (upto 7K) over the stock condition.
6. The HDEO in the engine turned dark amber at 1765kms.

Impressions post oil change: (Reverted back to Shell FS)

1. Surprised at engine purr, it's much smoother than before.
2. Engine heats up less frequently(it might be due to the FS oil itself, but it has reduced from before)
3. Lesser vibes.

I havent tried redlining yet, will probably check this weekend to feel any differences. need to also check the FE. My neighbour has a CBR as well, and as a direct comparison between a regularly maintained bike and a not so regularly maintained bike, there did seem to be a huge difference. His bike had solid low end torque, but had weak mid end (his sprocket is almost dead), mine was weak on low end torque but punchy post 6K rpm.

These are just a few personal opinions though, i might be wrong too! :P

Re: The story so far.. My Honda CBR 250R

Thanks for the update.. really appreciate it.

I am waiting for this round of oil to go bad then will do a final run of Shell Rimula R4 treatment and switch back to Shell Advanced Ultra FS oil. I presume that in your case, using a high ZDDP and high detergent oil has led to cleaning up of internals really well and also ZDDP forming a protective layer on top of the metal surface. Now with using Ultra what you are witnessing is natural and hopefully will keep things ticking really smooth. It is interesting to note that in your vehicle, HDEO oil changed its colour at 1,765 kms whereas in my case the engine oil changing its colour to dark amber red has now slowly shifted from 300 - 500 - 800 kms. I believe the 20,000 kms of its initial life with topped up oil has left its mark inside the internals of my CBR and it will take a bit of time and kms with the Rimula treatment to slowly dislodge all the gunk and varnish inside the engine. I believe the next round will do the trick and from thereon shifting to normal FS oil will keep things in check as ZDDP by then would have already coated every part inside and the detergents by then would have removed most of the deposits (4th round is actually an overkill but the Obsessive Compulsive Motorcycling Disorder is something i can't control if you know what i am saying ).

All the best with your ride and do report your findings as you continue clocking kms on this thread.


Cheers,

Re: The story so far.. My Honda CBR 250R

Yeah, well, i rescued my bike when she had 7,600 clicks on the odo , and have been taking care of her ever since. Might be an explanation to as why the HDEO lasted 1.7K+ kms.

Still need to try the earth wire mod, but work always gets in the way .

Re: The story so far.. My Honda CBR 250R

QUICK UPDATE

Hi All,

I hope as winter sets in, riding at some places in India has become much more fun, coz at least in this part, the cold really gets you if you know what i am saying Anyways, as the story progresses new things have come up and the findings are really interesting. My honda CBR 250R has now clocked a total of 1682.3 kms with the third round of Shell Rimula R4 and so far things have been really holding up well.


Pic 1: Trip meter showing a total no. of 1682.3 kms (trip resets to "0" after 999 kms).

I have still not witnessed hard gear shifts and notchy gears when upshifting or downshifting. Though the colour of Shell Rimula R4 HDEO oil is more less going towards very dark brownish-amber which is a clear indication of a lot more particulate matter are currently under suspension in the oil. If the readers may recollect, last time the same grade of HDEO oil had given up roughly post 1557 kms. However, this time the HDEO oil is able to surpass the 1,600 kms easily. To me this is a sign that the HDEO engine oil is doing its job rather well.



Pic 2: Shell Rimula R4 HDEO engine oil's status @ 1682.3 kms. Note the brownish-amber colour of the oil.


Just a quick no. check for those readers who may be interested: i have now covered around 2392 + 1682.3 = 4,074.3 kms on Shell Rimula R4 HDEO oil and so far nothing has blown off, leaking or any signs of deterioration to any of the engine components have been witnessed so far. Also 4,000 kms+ has been covered using Yamaha FZ/Byson engine oil filter and my vehicle is functioning just fine as it would with an OEM engine oil filter. So the nos. and data speak volumes about this oil! I believe, if something had to give away due to using an experimental, unapproved HDEO oil it would have already happened by now... but seems to be the case that my CBR is actually responding to the HDEO engine oil treatment rather well!!

Though the results so far are extremely encouraging, I will continue monitoring the health of the engine and will be on the look out for any untoward noise emanating from the engine bay but so far things are really going smooth. I hope that with this 3rd round of Rimula R4 engine oil currently doing duty, i should be able to surpass 2,000 kms easily.

Thanks to the "earth wire" mod the early morning cold starts have been a breeze. I have not witnessed any issue on this front: the engine starts happily at one crank and the engine settles down to a steady 1,400 rpm post the initial warm up phase which lasts about 35 - 40 seconds. Though once or twice my vehicle did randomly shut down when decelerating from 3,000 rpm - 2,500 rpm and i pulled the clutch to change gears. However, after having a chat with my local fellow riders, i had a strong suspicion about the fuel quality at the regular filling station so i immediately changed my petrol bunk. I believe thanks to the winters setting in, any kind of adultrated or bad fuel will act up really quick in an FI engine. I am happy to report that post changing of the petrol bunk, there has been no repetition of the same. I also managed to pick up a fresh 1 ltr Rimula R4 15W 40 HDEO engine oil bottle for the next upcoming and final round of HDEO engine treatment post which i shall shift to Shell Advanced Ultra 10W40 FS oil and report my findings on this thread.





Pic 3 & 4: Final round of Shell Rimula R4 engine oil being kept ready. Four new Yamaha FZ/Byson engine oil filters for the purpose of oil changes that will be done in the near future.

Thanks to the cheap cost and readily available Yamaha FZ/Byson engine oil filters, i got hold of four pieces for a meagre price of Rs. 160/-. So Four more rounds of future engine oil changes along with an oil filter which is still almost half the cost of one OEM Honda engine oil filter for my CBR 250R. I sincerely hope that all the TLC done for my CBR, she will give me the returns in a different manner. I have no doubt about her reliability and capability, but thanks to this ongoing "road to recovery" exercise, i have ended up learning a lot many things and happy to share them here on this thread. But there are still tons of stuff lined up for my vehicle: mods, upgrades, farkle and experience... so do watch out this space for the upcoming updates.


Cheers,

Re: The story so far.. My Honda CBR 250R

It's been quite some time since i wanted to get the bikes front fork oil renewed and was getting it delayed so that steering cone set renewal could also be carried out at the same time.


Master mechanic Laxman Chavan Can completely dismantle, clean and reinstall both the front forks under 30 min.












Thanks to Pruthviraj for providing me with the spacer for stiffening the front fork and helping me find the front setup to my liking. In the past we have tried with spacers of different length but eventually i settled down with the current setup.



DID X-Ring chain with JT sprocket.Chain cleaned and lubed.

I hold @shv 18 responsible for luring me into the Tapered roller bearing setup from All Balls which i managed to procure from U.S. I must say they are very prompt in replying to any query,they even mailed me a drawing which was of great help in understanding the correct setup.


Side by side comparison of ball and tapered roller bearing.















After installation rode the bike for around 50 kms,the riding experience put a smile on my face,the front feels much more stable and planted,if you manage to hit a pothole it doesn't unsettle the bike and vibration through the handle bars has reduced drastically.

Re: The story so far.. My Honda CBR 250R


Regarding installation of the above.. I am glad that you beat me to it!!! I guess the real answer about whether this simple mod is indeed a worthy upgrade shall come into the picture once you cross another 200 - 300 kms and share your experience with the tapered roller bearings. If compared to stock OEM ones the tapered roller steering bearings do provide a better, stable, planted feel even while on the corners then one of Achilies Heel syndrome of CBR's wonky handling characteristics has already been taken cared of by a great extent post this mod. I am yet to get the old fork oil replaced and the tapered roller bearings installed so would like to reserve my comments until then. But thanks for sharing.. at least i am happy that whatever we have learnt in theory is actually turning out to be true in this regard.

Hope you will end up sharing more on this thread.

Cheers,

Re: The story so far.. My Honda CBR 250R

It is i who must thank you for inspiring me to go ahead with this tapered roller bearing mod .Sir with my limited knowledge i have tried to give an honest opinion in my previous post of what i actually felt about the handling characteristics of my bike after the steering stem bearing replacement,it was my experience of the 50 km ride from pune back to my home.I am neither an expert nor a professional rider to delve deep into the intricacies of bike handling however purely as a simple bike lover i will try my level best to share my experience in future.You know that i really wanted you to carry out the installation of the Tapered roller bearings first in your bike and was so desperate to get a review from you but i am also aware of your extremely tight work schedule and the difficulty in finding a competent mechanic in your place is what's holding you back momentarily.As far as my personal feeling is concerned no words can do justice in expressing my delight of my 50 km ride back home.Thanks once again @ shv 18.

Re: The story so far.. My Honda CBR 250R

Hi all,

i would like to wish all the members and readers of this thread a very happy new year (2016). With new year on the cards, my CBR demanded her usual TLC during the treatment phase and who was i to ignore her request eh? So without further adieu, let us start with log.

ROAD TO RECOVERY (PART - 8)

The 3rd round of CBR 250R's HDEO treatment definitely changed her characteristics. This time the engine oil was able to go past 1,500 kms rather easily. However, as i inched closer to the 2,000 kms mark, the gears slowly started sticking both during upshifts and downshifts and finding neutral was becoming tricky. This was a clear indication that additives and ZDDP in the Shell Rimula R4 HDEO engine oil was more or less used up by my CBR quickly. I had already got hold of a fresh stock of 1 ltr pack of R4 HDEO oil and this was the sign i was waiting for. So an appointment was fixed today with my local SVC and i carried the stock (engine oil & oil filter) along with me.



Pic 1: Fresh 1 ltr bottle of Shell Rimula R4 HDEO engine oil along with remaining 500 ml oil from the last oil change.

The readers may take note that the 3rd round of Shell Rimula R4 HDEO oil lasted about 1,936.7 kms which is way more than the earlier 1557 kms. To me this is an indication that the engine is responding well to the Rimula treatment.



Pic 2: Trip meter indicating a total of 1,936.7 kms (trip meter resets after crossing 999 kms) with the 3rd round of Shell Rimula R4 HDEO oil run.

Surprisingly for a Sunday, today was relatively a very relaxed one for the SVC mechanics. I presume new year celebrations while soaking in and around the natural beauty of river banks and Arunachal Pradesh on a weekend, most of the motorcycle owners couldn't resist the temptation. So it was a simple "walk in" job for me. The mechanic along with his helper immediately put the vehicle on a paddock stand and started with the process of dismantling the panels.











Pic 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7: The CBR's panels are getting dismantled from the bike. Engine oil drain plug was opened up and the oil collected in the oil pan.

When the drained oil was inspected, it had a lot of particulate matter but was still flowing smoothly. Unlike the burning smell experienced with the 1st round of Shell Ultra motorcycle FS oil used on my Honda CBR 250R ( http://www.xbhp.com/talkies/general-...r-250r-12.html), the 3rd round of Shell Rimula R4 HDEO oil: there was no burning smell from the oil. Regardless, the mechanic then went ahead with removing the engine oil filter from the vehicle. The engine oil filter of Yamaha FZ/Byson has quite a lot of trapped particulate matter but the filter was still in good shape. I have also put a comparo picture below of a new one taken out from the OEM packaging Vs that of the one which was taken out from the engine bay just minutes before.

Regardless, the new Yamaha FZ/Byson engine oil filter was wetted with fresh oil, then put back in the engine and a fresh and final round of Shell Rimula R4 engine oil was poured into the engine.











Pic 8, 9, 10, 11 & 12: Note the engine old vs new Yamaha FZ/Byson oil filter. 4th and final round of Shell Rimula R4 HDEO oil being poured into the CBR250R's engine as a part of the high ZDDP & high detergent content oil treatment.

On my way to the SVC, I did notice that the front suspension has slowly started diving in too much. I believe the time has come to follow the footsteps of @gopakumar s pillai and get the fork oil replaced as i am pretty sure the fork oil has turned into a mucky drain water due to absorption of moisture, ageing and also losing its properties with over 25,000 kms of usage. I am planning to get the tapered roller bearings installed as well whenever the forks are getting removed from the CBR. That way the two major irritants will be taken care of at one go, a job which i have been postponing due to hectic work schedule. I have already got hold of new fork oil pet bottles from the manufacturer Valvoline as Motul was nowhere to be found in the vicinity. Shall give my feedback about this brand of fork oil once the installation is complete.



Pic 13: Valvoline fork oil. Each bottle contains 175ml of fork oil.

I would also like to point out that before the 3 round of Shell Rimula R4 engine oil was drained, mild shim noise has started emanating from the engine bay. I was actually expecting this to be happening sooner or later purely because of the fact that Rimula has been slowly but steadily stripping off deposits of from the engine internals. No wonder the tolerances set in with the topped up oil was also affected as the layers of deposits starting coming off. Though the shim noise is not yet irritating to the point where my OCMD would kick in.

As per my discussion with Senior riders, 0.01 - 0.03mm of valve clearance is within the acceptable limit, so i can continue running around till the shim noise is quite prominent. It is also to be noted as per the Service manual, the first inspection window for shim clearance is @25,600 kms. My vehicle has roughly done close to 25,600 kms so well within the limits. Once, the indications from the engine bay is clear that the typical shim noise has become prominent, i shall follow the service manual instructions and get the shims replaced as per the measurements found using a by a feeler gauge.



Pic 14: Maintenance schedule as per Honda CBR250R's service manual.

So a lot of things are pending, the way i see it the learning experience has been immense thanks to the series of surprises thrown at me with purchasing a pre-owned motorcycle. At times she did frustrate me, but common sense and with the support from senior rider in xbhp, i have been able to slowly bring her back to her former glory (may be even better!!). Anyways, post oil change this is what i had experienced...

OBSERVATIONS:

* The engine note became smoother and muted
* All vibrations became completely nullified
* Gears were back to being butter smooth and slick shift
* Finding neutral was very easy
* Acceleration was really smooth & linear
* Engine was rev happy as ever

Post 4th and final round of Shell Rimula R4 HDEO oil treatment, i will shift to regular Shell Ultra 10W 40 FS motorcycle engine oil. As of now my CBR 250R has covered 2392 + 1936.7 = 4,328.7 kms. With final round of Rimula treatment, my CBR would have covered around 6,000+ kms . If by then everything is still ticking based on my observations, i believe we can then safely state that Shell Rimula R4 HDEO engine oil can be used on a Honda CBR 250R without any repercussions. We will also take a note of how long this final round of Shell Rimula lasts as this will clearly give us an idea whether this oil can be used for an extended no. of kms or the maximum life of this HDEO mineral oil is within 2,000 - 2,500 kms.

Till then, stay tuned for more updates...


Cheers,

Re: The story so far.. My Honda CBR 250R

What a load of information I had missed in the last month,since my home got flooded....Good to catch up, and needs a re-reading to soak it in...
Good Luck .

Re: The story so far.. My Honda CBR 250R

OT:

Shivang, I'm reading reports of a strong jolt in the NE. I hope you (and family) are fine and doing just good. Please let us know about your well being and if we can do something somehow if needed.


Glad you're fine sir. I was beginning to worry seeing you being absent from the couple of platforms I'm used to seeing you in.

Re: The story so far.. My Honda CBR 250R

Sir, glad that you are fine. yes plenty of stuff happening this year on my CBR.. some useful and some completely pointless ones too!!

Well in response to your OT.. i am fine and actually was busy snoring when the earthquake struck. The epicenter was quite far away from where i live and majority of buildings in this area being made as per the municipality code under earthquake prone Zone - V. So all well and good here.


Thanks for sharing your concern... much appreciated..

Cheers,

Re: The story so far.. My Honda CBR 250R

its good to have you back sir

Re: The story so far.. My Honda CBR 250R


QUICK UPDATE:

Hi All,
I managed to cover a quick 370 kms since, the last oil change and the vehicle is seemingly becoming smoother, effortless the gear shifts and acceleration is linear as ever. I am happy with the results so far and i am eagerly waiting for this round of Rimula R4 to get done with so that the fresh run with FS oil can be started at the earliest... impatience does take a toll on someone suffering from OCMD.

So what does a mad biker do to keep himself busy??? the answer is plain and simple: SHOPPING!!



Pic 1: Shell Advanced Ultra 10W 40 Fully Synthetic motorcycle engine oil.

I guess my impatience is the reason why my bank balance keeps on dwindling every month! Couldn't resist the temptation so manage to procure 3 bottles of Shell Advanced Ultra 10W 40 FS oil for the future engine oil change. I already had about 500 ml remaining from the 1st round of Ultra run on my CBR 250R. I believe this stock is good enough for the next 10,000 kms eh?? Anyways, i am really hopeful that post the completion of Shell Rimula R4 HDEO oil treatment, the internals by the end of the 4th round would have more than enough ZDDP coating. The moment i put in Shell Advanced FS oil, it will maintain the ZDDP coating even though it has comparatively lesser ZDDP content PPM and also being FS oil, i may witness further increase in smoothness just like rider @John Niranjan Paul experienced first hand. However, i believe only time will tell and give us concrete data what will be the end result of all this experiment carried out so far with my CBR 250R.

I was also on the lookout for a fresh can of WD 40 but due to some odd reason it is currently not available in the local market. So i got hold of Zorrik 88 which is more or less similar to WD 40. I will be using this product extensively on the electrical switch gears and the lockset and report my observations post usage of the same.



Pic 2: Zorrik 88 anti-rust spray from Pidilite.

I am eagerly awaiting to see whether the 4th round of Shell Rimula R4 is able to surpass the 2,000 kms barrier and successfully manages to last till 3,000 - 3,500 kms. If at all this is the end result then as a cheap alternative one may look at this oil especially for those who cover very little mileage per year. Anyways, shall update this thread with fresh reports as i continue clocking kms on my CBR 250R.

Till then, stay tuned..


Cheers,