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

COMPLETED TRIP LOG & OBSERVATIONS:

Hi All,

been meaning to post an update ever since, i returned form my ride. However, as it happens with most of us: once the regular life resumes and the work pile and tasks take priority, our passion sometimes has to take a backseat. Keeping in line with the request of senior rider @Divya Sharan i would like to share some excerpts of my journey on this thread without going too far as it would deviate from the primary subject we have been covering all this while. Rest i will try and keep the post to purely mechanical and related to the subject matter: My Honda CBR 250R. One may find the pacing bit off and quick but time constraints can be blamed solely for this..


Anyways, On Day 1 till 3 a.m. it was still raining and i was concerned that the weather will play a complete spoilsport to the whole trip i had planned. But the weather gods decided to be merciful and while keeping the overall scenario cloudy, rains had completely come to a halt by 4:30 a.m. and i started my Journey by 5:30 a.m. I had stock piled a lot of energy bars and plenty of water for the journey so i guess everything was in place. Thanks to the numerous rides and the guidelines shared by senior riders like @Old Fox on xbhp in the thread:The Art Of Safe Riding i was able to ride continuously for 266 kms without taking any break. In my first pit stop, i grabbed a bite and rehydrated my body with a lot of fluid in bits and pieces and kept the halt period limited to 45 mins. After that took the next break for 15 -20 mins @165 kms. Day 1 i had covered a total of 481 kms @8:30 mins and made it to the commercial mini metropolis of Assam: Guwahati. The primary agenda was to keep a good average speed throughout the duration of the journey which allowed me to cover the distance with ease and that too without stressing myself or my CBR 250R.

The original plan was to visit the Himalayas and finish a long cherished dream of making it to Tawang, Arunachal Pradesh and then to Bumla (Border between India and China). The last time i had paid a visit to this virgin nature's sanctuary was 16 years back. However, due to upcoming Tawang festival all the hotels were booked and accommodation was next to nothing. Also on the day of completion of my journey, i came to know that one of the portions of the road was completely blocked by landslides thanks to cloud burst. So considering all the options i had no choice but to scrap this plan.

Some of my friends wanted to join me but due to their own personal commitments they couldn't do a very long distance ride. So keeping in line with the general consensus, it was decided to do a small trip to Sohra, Cherrapunjee in the state of Meghalaya. A total of 5 guys (2 on two-wheelers and two in car), the headcount including me commenced the journey to Sohra. Now for most of the veteran riders who have had the chance to visit North-East are well aware of the butter smooth roads of Meghalaya. Even on the hilly areas, the roads have been well made and maintained by the local administration so cudos to the state govt. Do check out some of the pics below:










Pic 1, 2, 3 & 4: A beautiful view of Nature doing what it does best. The mountains with the rain clouds doing their dance in the sky @ Sohra, Cherrapunjee - Meghalaya and ofcourse the typical biker pics .

The resort me and my friends stayed over was very close of Nohkalikai water falls, Cherrapunjee so the environment was absolutely pristine and the weather was simply awesome. Agreed there is a different kind of experience doing solo rides however, when you have like minded crazy friends the overall journey becomes even better. I would highly recommend any riders seeking good roads, beautiful landscape with an urge to scrape the footpegs, this is "the" state one must visit.








Pic: 5, 6 & 7: Our respective steeds parked in the allotted cottage in the resort, Cherrapunjee. The beautiful evening sky making the whole trip worthwhile.

The roads and the corners were simply too tempting to let go so your's truly went on a corner carving mission and thanks to the guidelines shared by Keath Code: A Twist of the Wrist i didn't end up getting wrapped around a tree. The Michelins and surprisingly the front MRF Revz FC held their ground and never once did i feel any loss in grip or anything. I did manage to finally get rid of all the chicken strips i could with my limited knowledge and riding skills and yes it was an absolute bliss while i was busy leaning my Honda CBR 250R on the corners in the beautiful state of Meghalaya. The stiffer suspension set up in the front with 20W fork oil did help a lot and the front didn't dive too much when applying brakes. As always the Brembo HH sintered pads were a complete boon when coming downhill and there is a need to apply brakes, the single finger action to drop the anchors and watch the nos. decend at a rapid pace was really something to experience. Totally worth it!!







Pic: 8, 9 & 10: Your's truly doing the deed. The Chicken Strips GONE!!

The return leg of the journey from Cherrapunjee, Meghalaya to Guwahati, Assam was also really a great experience. No wonder why my friends are always ready to make a dash to this state whenever i pay a visit to them. A total of 300 kms was done in this short trip. Now one can imagine that after a long sabbatical i was finally able to do what i always wanted to do and had bought this machine purely for the purpose of touring, this simple ride was not enough to satiate my thirst. My next unscheduled plan was to make it to Thimpu, Bhutan. However, thanks to my own stupidity i had left my voter ID card and Passport at home. Do remember riders, if you wish to pay a visit to the Royal Kingdom of Bhutan, one must carry a valid voter ID card or your Indian Passport with a minimum validity of 6 months. Anyways moving on, so Thimpu was out of question however while sharing my plan with my friends i came to know that the district of Samdrup Jongkhar, Bhutan was doable and in some way it would keep my mind busy. So without thinking too much the next run for Samdrup Jongkhar, Bhutan was initiated quickly.

One doesn't need to blabber a lot about the Royal Kingdom of Bhutan and how beautiful it is. The route via Rangia (Assam) and NH247D road was an absolute visual treat. The beautiful paddy fields ready for harvesting in a few weeks time and the view of the mountains of Bhutan simply took my breath away. It was definitely a good decision, unplanned but a good one While dining on the local Bhutanese cuisine, i came across a weird looking bottle. After closer inspection, i was in for a total shock!! Have you ever seen Red Bull in cough syrup like glass bottles? Apparently this type of packaging is only found in Bhutan. Not that i am into energy drinks but the curiosity got the better of me and i decided to have a go with it.







Pic: 11, 12 & 13: Beautiful scenery enroute Bhutan. Check out the Red Bull energy drink packaging.

I made my return trip to Guwahati rather quick and kept myself busy, sharing pics and making all my friends rather jealous. After resting for a day, i then made it back my place of stay bringing an end to this comparatively short but great ride. Though the original plan of visiting the Himalayas kinda got scrapped, in my mind this was just what i would like to call a test run. It allowed to re-affirm my faith in my body, mind and now on my trust worthy Honda CBR 250R that collectively i can go wherever i want to go and she will not fail me.


POST TRIP OBSERVATIONS:

* Total distance covered: 1,700 kms.

* Fuel Economy: on sane mode with combination of Double & Triple Digit speeds: 39 kmpl. While on "Insane WOT Mode": as low as 30.73 - 32 kmpl very typical of CBR FE territory

* Any Mechanical Issues: None. The front brake lever got damaged thanks to the antics of a friend of mine and was completely bent. I got a replacement OEM Brake lever and fitted it myself. Hardly took 5 mins. The right hand side bar end weight had become lose. Got it tightened and will get rid of them quickly as i intend to install the Lightech bar end weights soon.



Pic 14: OEM Brake lever for my Honda CBR 250R.

POST TRIP OBSERVATIONS (Continuation):

* Any Electrical Issues: None. The vehicle performed flawlessly. I didn't witness any random engine shutdown or any sort of electrical failures. All lights and electrical components were working just fine.

* Engine & Overall motorcycle behaviour: Now here is the weird thing: i don't know whether it is the Shell Rimula R4 or simply high speed runs or engine harmonics, my vehicle has now transformed. The earlier weird vibrations have completely vanished. The engine feels unbelievably smooth, heck even the right hand side handle bar vibrations have vanished. I have so far done around 600kms (initial city+town rides before the ride) + 1700 kms(overall trip) + 550 kms (till present) = 2,850 kms and the gearbox is still smooth and no notchy gear shifts. Unlike earlier experiences with Shell Rimula R4, this time the engine is still smooth and vibe free even when i am inching closer to the 3,000 km mark. Based on observations i can safely state that Shell Rimula R4 has been tested to survive @3000 kms in a Honda CBR 250R without any issues. Now imagine for those riders who barely cover 3,000 - 6,000 kms per year, using Shell Rimula R4 @Rs. 300-350 per ltr compared to all other engine oils @700 - 900 per ltr: the overall cost of maintenance will go down drastically (at least in my case it is turning out to be true!! ) Also an important thing to note is that around 9,000+ kms on Shell Rimula R4 has been covered so far and my CBR 250R is running absolutely fine. I will definitely cover another 10,000 - 12,000 kms more on Shell Rimula R4 HDEO oil to confirm if with longterm usage there are any adverse effects on my CBR 250R: though the results so far have been absolutely positive other way round.

* FZ Oil Filter: My Honda CBR 250R while on highway did triple digit speeds at times consistently for almost 1 - 2 hours while keeping the rpm needle hovering @8,500 - 9,000 rpm. This was intentionally done to see if the engine oil starvation occurs and i end up running into a catastrophic engine failure/seizure. However, there were no sign of any problems. The vehicle performed well like it normally does and mind you now my CBR is @10,000+ kms (lost the count!! ) on Yamaha FZ/Byson engine oil filter: and so far everything is OK. Those who have followed this thread from the beginning, we now have a baseline of 10,000+ kms with Yamaha FZ/Byson engine oil filter on my Honda CBR 250R and all the engine components are still working fine. Even when the engine was consistently run at high rpms for a total 1,700 kms: no engine oil starvation, no unwanted weird noises or mechanical issues were witnessed unlike 'prophesied' by some. So based on my experience, it is safe to state that at least with my Honda CBR 250R a cheap (Rs. 40/-) Yamaha FZ/Byson engine oil filter does its work bringing down the overall cost of ownership by a huge margin. That being said, i will be covering another 10,000 kms with Yamaha FZ/Byson engine oil filter as promised and share the data here to confirm if my CBR 250R engine witnesses any problems in the long run or not.

To look from another perspective: 20,000 kms on OEM unapproved engine oil and unapproved engine oil filter is fairly a good baseline data for anybody to corroborate or get an idea from. Plus majority of CBR owners usually cover this distance in a period of @2-3 years and usually end up selling or upgrading to a higher CC motorcycle afterwards. Hopefully the current data provided and the future data committed will enlighten all of us to learn something new and also help in removing wrong notions about what is and is not possible with our respective steeds. The idea is to come to a conclusion while sharing concrete data to back it up, without becoming a "keyboard warrior" and sharing thoughts and comments without any data to prove otherwise: this especially goes for the thread starter!!

Anyways my Honda CBR 250R has now covered close of 33,000 kms on the odo and as mentioned earlier, i would like to thank the senior riders and my lucky stars that she has been performing fine without any mechanical noise or anything. I have decided to replace the Fuel filter and the respective hoses as a preventive measure and also for the fact that it costs peanuts compared to the important task it performs. I inted to get this done in the next upcoming service which will be scheduled shortly.





Pic 15 & 16: The Honda CBR 250R Fuel Filter kit with given hoses and clamps.

Post completion of the ride, it was observed that both front and rear tires are now losing air pressure and settle @22-25 psi. Physical inspection of the tires have yielded nothing so i suspect either the tires will have to be reseated or else the valves will have to be replaced in order to stop this problem from cropping up again.

Until then watch out more on this space.

Cheers,


@Samuel : i would request you before posting a query, kindly read the thread from the given post related to earth wire mod and subsequent discussions that have taken place on this thread. Everything that you are looking for has been already answered and discussed and explained in the simplest manner yet catering to the technical side of why and how this "earth wire" mod works. Once, you do a thorough read, everything will be clear to you.

All the best...

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

Jumbo post this one! Congratulations are in order sire, mechanically as well as photo-graphically.
Your test run indeed was awesome and better than what most of my rides. It's a dream of mine riding to NE and prolly Bhutan some day.
I'll just re-iterate what you have been saying in the thread(s) from day 1 - maintenance is not just oil change and washing the bike. It needs time, patience and trial runs to check for errors, fix those and go on repeat mode.
It's easy to go careless on a new bike because most components are fresh and one makes it a habit of not paying attention even after the bike gets older. Everytime one goes in to unknown territory, he should have done the appropriate homework on his vehicle of choice, regardless of the number of wheels.
Few of my golden rules before any long ride are:
1. Ride at least 100 km in city post oil change and keep an eye on leaks/oil level.
2. Ride a minimum of 200 km in city post brake pads change and observe the bite and rotors condition.
3. Tank up the previous day and fill air on absolutely cold tires. I have a petrol bunk 600 meters from home.
4. All electrical mods should pass a 500 km test in city before venturing out (bulbs, battery, earth wire mod etc).
5. Valve clearances must be always in limits, irrespective of city or highways.
6. Tires. No playing with worn tires.
7. Greased chain all the time.
8. Finally, sleep well for atleast a full week (6-7 hours on an average daily) before the ride.

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

@shv18...another useful post from you..the pictures of your trip are so good to see, wish I was there.

It is good to note that the R4 oil is holding up well.. In my opinion ,I guess the reason for this and also for the engine becoming smooth is the Long trip with consistent mid to higher RPM run..This kind of riding clears the carbon deposits from the Valves, Exhaust outlet,and tubes and the Cat con is cleaned of deposits....The Heat stress on the oil is comparatively low, as compared to running in city stop and go traffic, and the combination of both had helped the engine perform well after the trip.
I had compared the CBR250 OE oil filter and FZ oil filter and found that there is only 1~2mm of height difference , but the FZ filter had more pleats.ie., more filtering surface area. So I was sure the FZ oil filter will not only fit in place but will do the job.But as they say the proof of the pudding is in eating it.......your Experiment had just confirmed it..

I don't know if any one will ever do the kind of Experiments that you are doing ,on your CBR250, and will openly share in the forum for all to see and benefit .

Thanks for the tech., and picture share .


@ Divya Sharan, your guide for a long trip and the preparation towards it is to the point. Most riders do not maintain the bikes beyond cosmetic needs, and end with troublesome vehicle and paying the ASC a lot of money.. I feel what you have mentioned in maintenance of the vehicle, is also applicable to every rider , even for city riding...Thanks for the Heads up..

Good Luck Ride Safe.

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

@ PSR, sir I have a few doubts

- more pleats on the filter might lead to slower oil circulation.

- Why Honda imports the OEM filter if an Indian one can do the job just as well.

- Yamaha has recommended a service interval of 3000 kms for the Fz, in which oil filter must be changed every service. Is there an explanation for that?

Tia for the answers.

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

Guys I am new to the forum, had been following it passively though for the past one year. I bought the CBR250 8 months ago, extremely happy with the bike, but I have thus far failed to find a single ASC in Pune which would do more than just oil change, oil filter change etc.

Can anyone suggest where to find a good CBR mechanic in Pune? I have already tried Shanti Honda, Gagan Honda and Pashankar, but got disappointed. Planning to try out Kothari Wheels, Tilak Road? Any suggestions?

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

Let me try. Spares division is as big if not bigger than the automobile division. Profit margins are huge. Companies are here (and elsewhere) to make profits.
More spares sold = more profit.
Alternatively, spares cost a bomb.
Alternatively, both! 😯

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

Thanks for bringing up doubts about the use of Yamaha oil filters in CBR 250..

The use of Yamaha Byson/FZ oil filter was initially suggested as a stop gap arrangement due to non availability of OE oil filters...and the use was with caution.Over a period of time and many Kilometer's of use, it seems to be doing it's job .but it is still experimental and if you had read previous pages, you will be aware of the caution .

Regarding more pleats, what does more no of pleats in any filter mean ? In simple terms more the number of pleats, more the surface area for filtering, and more the surface area ,larger the volume that can be filtered, and dirt loading blockage will take longer time to restrict the flow through the filter..

Indian made Filters are no less efficient compared to those made in Foreign countries..Otherwise there will not be so many auto companies starting their manufacturing with Indian collaboration with Indian components...in fact few CBR 250 owners had lost their engines due to wrong markings on the foreign made oil filter.So it is not about where it is made but how much care is taken during manufacturing...here is a report on the same..

Motorcycle blew up because of a faulty labeled oil filter by manufacturer : motorcycles




Honda also sources CBR 250 oil filters from India, apart from Thailand and Malaysia...


Yamaha recommends oil change at 3K Kms and Oil filter Change at 10,000 Kms , for the Byson/FZ.

I look forward to hear from you of the many things you are doing ,and your hands on experience ,to make your CBR250 less

problematic, and your understanding of the engine and the bike .

Good Luck..Ride Safe.

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

@imtiaz12 i understand your concern. You may try Rohan Honda: Rohan Automotive/Contact us as an alternate SVC. I have heard good things about the SVC as recently the new smart and educated shop manager and some good old mechanics have returned to the workshop. Take the name of senior rider @gopakumar s pillai with the black CBR and i am sure the shop manager and the mechanics will recognise him immediately..


Alternatively, you may also connect with a local mechanic called: Lakshman. His shop is fondly known as "Lakshmanvilla" in Wakdewadi, Pune. Contact No.: +91-9921416446. Majority of Pune CBR and SBK owners i know of visit his little shop regularly. He has one of the fastest hands i have ever seen when dismantling and re-assembling things and the guy is extremely humble so i am sure you will have a good time over there. However, as wise men say: always carry the spares required at his shop so that he can get the work done at record time and to your satisfaction.

Hope this resolves your query..


Cheers,

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

Thank you [MENTION=32641]shv18[/MENTION] for the detailed information, will surely try out both these places tomorrow itself..just a clarification needed , you are referring to Rohan Honda Dapodi or the one at Nashik Highway, Chakan?

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

Rohan Honda at Dapodi. Ask for CBR technician Sachin Adhav.

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

QUICK UPDATE:

Hi all,

work load is piling up even more so not able to do much ride except local pottering around. And thanks to the new demonetisation scenario, i will have to put on hold the upcoming service schedule by a few days till the financial thing normalises across the country. Being in the remote part of North East, the SVC guys here don't accept electronic payment so my options are limited.

My CBR 250R is still working just fine. Engine cranks up at one go and the gears are still smooth. I have barely covered 30 kms since, the last 1 week so not expecting to hit the 3k kms mark anytime soon. Anyways moving slightly away from my CBR: this time while i went for my little touring escapade, i did it so with my Alpinestars TGP-R Plus Air riding jacket which had the CE rated armour for shoulder and elbow however both the chest and the back protector were not there instead it came with foam inserts which would provide no protection whatsoever in the event of the unthinkable ever happens. While doing my ride, in the back of my mind i was always feeling slightly uncomfortable if you know what i am saying. It became a full blown panic when i witnessed a few two wheeler accidents on the highway and the 4 wheeler morons who don't like sharing the road with two wheelers and the way they would try to overtake at the worst possible time was terrifying at times. After completing my ride, this concern kept on pestering me for a while.

I have now decided to slowly but steadily invest in upgrading to good riding gears as per my little experience: it is one of the first thing most us riders don't or rarely invest much on and unfortunately some of us have paid heavy price in return when a good ride suddenly becomes a bad one. "Personnel Protection Equipment"is the key mantra for me, so once the OCD started kicking in and finally after i couldn't take it anymore, i logged onto DSG's site: PlanetDSG : Motorcycle Riding Gear, Accessories, Apparel and.. and placed an order for the CE level Alpinestars KRCi chest protector inserts



Pic 1: Alpinestars KRCi Chest Protector Inserts: CE Rated.


Planet DSG was very prompt in responding to my order placement and quickly got the item delivered at my doorstep in less than 7 days. I also intend to procure the KR2i back protector at a later date as a part of completing the process of upgrading my jacket's armour. Hopefully if personal monetary scenario improves in the near future, i will be looking at investing in good riding boots and riding pants as well. Hopefully besides having a good and reliable machine, good protective riding gears will also serve the purpose and complete the circle of being a responsible rider while out on the street.


Anyways, once the next service is initiated will put up a new post on the findings, hopefully we all will have something new to learn from.


Cheers,

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

Members are requested to adhere to forum ,subject and not deviate. Posts regarding bikes to choose at what price, etc., have to be posted in respective threads meant for the same...

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

[MENTION=32641]shv18[/MENTION] [MENTION=32286]psr[/MENTION] superb thread friends... that's a lot information from a single thread.... completed whole 42 pages in 3 days and now eagerly waiting for your next road to recovery process..... Keep it up....

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

GENERAL SERVICE & PERIODIC MAINTENANCE:

Hi all,

So after waiting for a little while to let the present demonetisation and currency issue get resolved, my OCMD didn't let me rest one bit so called up my SVC mech and told him that i would be landing up today to get general service and periodic maintenance done. As always, thanks to previous "chai-paani" stints it was really funny to find my mechanic already waiting along with two of his assistants for my bike. Even before i could open up the job card, the mechanic simply ran with my motorcycle and got it ready and took the lead informing the staff that this bike is to be done on priority and until my motorcycle's work is complete, he will not take any other job for the day! call it VIP treatment!! Anyways, i would would like to put forward this suggestion to all the xbhp members: building up good relations and small tips to the work force can help one to get jobs done while special attention being paid to your motorcycle at all the times. Your's truly is currently enjoying the benefits if you know what i am saying..


Moving on, the mechanic drained the engine oil and then took out the engine oil filter. If one looks at the image below, what i am consistently witnessing with FZ engine oil filter is higher amount of particle retention when compared to OEM filter. Though mind you this is merely visual inspection i don't have any special tools or chemical labs to get my hunch proven by extensive scientific tests but so far the results are positive. When the engine oil was drained and we inspected the oil, it still had good amount of life left in it. By now i had already covered around 3,200 kms with Shell Rimula R4 HDEO oil. I feel may be this oil can be pushed to 3,500 kms in an LC engine with ease provided one does more highway rides then stop and go though until actual tests are done i would still like to stick to the earlier claim of 3,000 kms.



Pic 1: Condition of Yamaha FZ/Byson engine oil filter after 3,200 kms. Note the higher particle retention by the filter.

This time i decided to get rid of the old stock of Shell Advanced Ultra 10W 40 FS oil which was lying around for quite a while in my garage. I am thinking of doing another round of Shell ultra after this one and then will revert back to Shell Rimula R4 to continue my experiments in order to achieve the 20,000 kms of on-road tests and confirm whether a CBR engine will happily survive using a non-OEM approved HDEO oil or better: would provide better feedback and engine reliability as we have seen with @psr sir's post(http://www.xbhp.com/talkies/general-...ml#post1255736) composition wise Shell Rimula R4 HDEO oil seems to have all the major ingredients minus the FS oil tag. Personally, i have not witnessed any reduction in FE readings or performance. Other way round My CBR seems to be liking the overall pampering it is getting, being fed exclusively on a high ZDDP & detergent based HDEO engine oil diet!! But then again proof is in the pudding so would like to reserve my judgement until then.



Pic 2: Shell Advanced Ultra 10W 40 FS oil getting prepped to be poured into the engine.

Looking at the positive results i have been getting so far, it was decided to continue using the budget Yamaha FZ/Byson engine oil filter this time with Shell Advanced Ultra 10W 40 FS Oil. Mind you readers this time i am using motorcycle specific engine oil and Shell Advanced Ultra is very popular with CBR owners in India.

Regardless, for the sake of information sharing, while doing extensive research, looking for a replacement filter for my CBR along with the help of senior rider @psr sir, i found that it was not just me who was routing for such an option. If one follows the international thread of Kawasaki Ninja 300, 400, 500, 650R, ZX6R, ZZR600, ZX10 & ZX14 things are not what they seem: we have experimenters all across the globe. So the list starts from baby 300cc all the way to the top SBK line up and believe it or not, there are tons of riders who are using cheap alternate engine oil filters, some even designed specifically for cars!! (Thread Link: Oil Filter List for the Ninja 300, 400, 500, 650, ZX-6R, ZZR600, ZX-10, ZX-14 & more - Kawasaki Ninja Forum) So it is interesting to observe that riders worldwide are doing the same experiment successfully just like this puny little CBR 250R rider in India.

Coming back to the topic, the mechanic then pre-lubed the FZ/Byson engine oil filter with Shell Advanced ultra FS oil. Once the lubing was completed, the mechanic then installed the FZ/Byson oil filter back into the designated spot, tightened the engine oil drain nut after replacing the crush washer and then started pouring in Shell Advanced Ultra 10W 40 FS oil into my CBR 250R.





Pic 3 & 4: Fresh Yamaha FZ/Byson Engine oil filter getting pre-lubed with Shell Advanced FS oil before installation. Shell Advanced Ultra 10W 40 FS oil(motorcycle) getting poured inside the engine.

Post completion of engine oil change, the mechanic then started the bike and let it idle for about 2 mins to see if there are any leakages from any of the orifices of the engine. Once, it way okayed by me we then proceeded with the next set of work to be completed on my CBR. The rear set foot pegs rubber steps were showing signs of ageing and tears. So the mechanic was instructed to replaced the old ones with fresh pieces. If one wishes to follow my footsteps, this merely costs about 39 bucks per piece. The whole job took about 10 mins and was completed very promptly by the mechanic.







Pic 5, 6 & 7: Rear Foot pegs rubber steps getting replaced with new ones as the old ones were showing signs of ageing. Costs about Rs.39/- per piece.

My CBR 250R has now clocked 33,000+ kms, so considering it as a part of preventive maintenance and also based on the suggestion of senior riders the fuel filter was the next thing which had to be replaced. Plus costing barely Rs. 175/- this wouldn't hurt my wallet that much so being a cheap fix, the mechanic was instructed to get the thing going as quickly as he can. The mechanic first started assembling the new filter fuel kit. If one notices the fuel filter, both ends are plugged with a rubber cork. One needs to remove these and then install the lines while tightening them with installing circlips.







Pic 8, 9 & 10: Honda CBR 250R fuel filter kit post assembly.

The mechanic then went on with removing the fuel tank from the motorcycle and with the help of his assistant began the process of removing the old fuel filter. If one looks at a series of pics below, the fuel filter is covered with a rubber jacket which can be removed from the old filter and needs to be inserted on top of the fresh fuel filter. Also the new Fuel filter only comes with a pair of circlips which clamp the rubber hose to the fuel filter. However there are another set of circlips which clamp the other end of fuel filter hose with the fuel inlet and outlet of the fuel pump below. This is not supplied along with the new fuel filter kit. So i ended up using, the old circlips from old hose. They seemed to be in good shape hence, i didn't bother pestering SVC spares shop.

NOTE: One has to ensure that the circlips clamp the fuel hose properly as the when the system is primed the overall fuel pressure is extremely high. I am sure one wouldn't want to let petrol spray around on top of a hot engine in the event the fuel hose slips out from it place so one small thing to bear in mind while installing a new fuel filter.









Pic 11, 12 , 13 & 14: Old fuel filter below the fuel tank getting removed and the new fuel filter getting installed in place.

Once, the fuel filter was installed, the mechanic then put the tank back in its place and we primed the fuel pump 2 -3 times and then started the motorcycle. Interesting thing to note was that compared to earlier, this time my CBR 250R started in half a crank so may be there were some particles blocking the fuel filter. The engine also sounded much more smoother and better. I was very happy with the way things were progressing so far with my bike.

We then started with getting the old brake fluid bled with fresh bottle of DOT4. Knowing my OCMD condition, this time the mechanic took no chance and personally vanished from the SVC shop floor for about 10 mins and came back with a fresh bottle of Bosch DOT 4 brake fluid!! Now this is what i call prime service.. Anyways, we first started with bleeding the front brake. Being a Combined-ABS model, one has to keep in mind that the front Nissin Brake caliper has two bleed nipple valves. The front alone can be only bled by inserting the drain pipe on the top bleed nipple valve while filling in fresh brake oil into the front master cylinder reservoir. My bike had done close to 13,000 kms with the brake fluid replaced last time almost year and half back. Though the old brake fluid's colour was still good, i decided to drain it: considering it as one of the most critical safety components and the brake fluid bottle costing barely 90 - 100 bucks, i didn't bother going stingy on it.











Pic 15, 16, 17, 18 & 19: Front brake getting bled while fresh bottle of Bosch DOT 4 is being poured from the top of the reservoir. For front brakes in an ABS model one has to bled from the top nipple valve of the front brake caliper.

After the front brake work was done, the mechanic then inserted the bleed line onto the front bleed nipple valve which is found in the middle of the caliper. Being a combined-ABS system the middle bleed nipple valve can be actuated only by pressing the rear brake lever. To ensure that we don't end up overdoing it, the mechanic with the help of his assistant, removed the rear brake fluid reservoir and kept topping it up with DOT4 brake fluid while the assistant intermittently pumped the rear brake lever to bleed the brake line. After, we were satisfied with the process, the bleed nipple valve was closed and the rear reservoir was topped up as per the requirement.

We still didn't put the rear reservoir back in its place as now we had to start bleeding the rear caliper. So the bleed hose was installed onto the rear caliper bleed nipple valve and we then started the process of bleeding the rear brake line while pressing the rear brake lever intermittently. Once, we were satisfied with the completion of the bleeding process the rear bleed nipple valve was closed and the vehicle was taken out for a spin by the mechanic. Once, he was satisfied he let me take the bike to inspect if the bleeding work was to my satisfaction. If i may, post the completion of 1,700 kms of ride, i did observe that off-lately, the front brake travel with the stock lever was becoming more and more. I am not sure what might have been the reason behind this but it was really annoying and made it difficult to brake progressively especially if one is on the highways doing good speeds. Post the bleed work, braking was exceptionally sharp and the two finger action was back online. With Brembo HH sintered pads doing duty, the two finger action is sufficient to drop the anchor and the bike responding instantly to rider inputs.







Pic 20, 21 & 22: Center nipple valve and the rear nipple valve getting bled while engaging the rear brake lever. The rear brake fluid reservoir was getting topped up constantly while the bleeding process is on.

For the sake of easy reference and how brake bleeding is done, below is a simple video for noobs related to inspection and overhauling of Brake System:




Now happy with the way the pending tasks were completed rather quickly, the payments were made to the SVC, the mechanic was tipped liberally and i went on heading back home. My CBR is smooth as ever and i am sure i will be rewarded with her undying loyalty and trouble free ownership in kms to come. There is only one important task which is remaining: to inspect front and rear tires which are constantly loosing air pressure by 2 - 5 psi and then stabilise afterwards. Prime suspects are: tire sidewall leakage or the valves which may have micro leaks. hopefully once i get free the next time: this too shall be taken care.

Until then..


Cheers,


Thank you for your kind words... though this merely just sharing my little un-important experience with a used motorcycle i am really happy that other riders are also getting benefitted by it. i will try to keep on updating whenever time permits and of course as kms continue to clock on my CBR 250R

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

Shv18...another good posts with pictures . I am surprised that the R4 had lasted till 3000+ Kms...I would have guessed no more than 2.5K Kms max. I guess your engine is getting a good cleaning by the detergents , and the inner of the engine should be looking like new.. The fact that no new noise or,rattling from engine had started after such lengthy usage of R4 , means the inner moving parts are in good close tolerance . So your CBR with minimal service had managed to survive through the lack of proper attention ,and speaks volumes for the Honda quality...
Good Luck
Ride safe