Got 2nd servicing done today of my RTR-ABS. Was quite surprised to see the SVC guys using MAK4T engine oil.

If they are using non-TVS oil is it good if I change to some other semi-synthetic oil? Which one will be a good option?

Also noticed the guys at SVC spray the chain lube without cleaning the chain. when asked them they said its not a problem

Carb tuning is not easy,it takes either lot of trial and error and plug checking ,or you are very experienced to do it.
There's a optimum setting,this setting will make your bike run neither lean nor rich.That in other words means,your carb might be running lean yet could be giving pathetic mileage,because carb setting is setting per bike ,per condition.Lot's of things makes one bike vary from the other,like the weather,altitude,the fuel,air filter state,electrical performance ,riding style/condition etc etc.
So in other words,there's a reason as to why ECU and FI tech are used on bikes,where sensors are used and settings automatically varied.Were as in carbs,you are the ECU and you have to sense and get the settings right.
So if a setting works for your friend say in mumbai,it will not work in your bike which is ridden in bangalore.
The carb selected along with the jets etc are designed for a bike to suit it's engine character and if someone changes it and makes it run lean at a rev range where it needs more fuel etc.Then it will make the performance go down and so will the mileage.
So get the carb tuned at a good mech who has a digital tacho or go to a Sc where there's co machine with someone who knows how to set it.

Coming to ZEN TVS,yes they have a CO machine but it's display has been out of order from some time.So for that you would have to go elsewhere.But for any technical issue that you might have,i'd suggest ZEN TVS and Mr Murthy.Yes it's the same situated in chamrajpet.

^
Lot's of info there bro, guy's like me are learning stuff the proper way now And we could share it as you are doing now.

Today, the rear slipped away @ <5kmph Just left my home and was turning towards the gate of the colony gate just after riding about 20-25m from my home The bike was at less than 45degrees to the ground at the moment I got my foot down. TVS tyres + wet loose gravel can make an almost STATIC bike fishtail

Did you mean that your lean angle was close to 45 degrees or about 40 degrees? At that much lean the rear will tend to loose the traction( this will happen with any Indian bike, because of thin tires ) and also because of wet surface the friction would have been very less and hence the rear slipped away. I once slipped on a wet surface at a speed of around 10kmph, it could have also been because of that particular road patch, because most of the time I have driven in rain, bike never felt shaky, even when I had braked from 60kmph or above.

didn't I said it was <5kmph and I just went 20m from my home (static position)? Does this give you an image of leaning <45degrees while negotiationg a turn?

The bike was "almost" straight when it slipped and just in the time I put my foot down for support, it was on <45degrees. Just to give you people an idea of the skid.

At speed less than 5, only slick tires on oily surface could skid. The surface where u had skid must have oil patches and if not then u have to brake very hard to make the bike loose control. I dont see any other reason for the bike to skid, definitely its not the quality of tires.

P.S. Also try braking slowly and a little press on the brakes will stop the bike when riding at a very very slow speed.

Thanks for such an insight I'll try riding accordingly now

garry- please look my spark plug pics and tell me weather its running lean or rich!!

You surely should.

Deleted what?

IMO, its just a bit lean or nearly okay Well, thats what I can guess by those pics because the insulating tip is white and the condutor is black/brown (though the insulator should also be a bit brownish, hence, saying a bit lean).

The new Shell SS seems to be pretty good. The engine revs very freely though the gearshifts have become notchy. Unless I shift at correct rpm bands, the gear shifts are very hard and uncomfortable. (But it can be that my clutch plates are near the end of life @ 17k kms.)

yeah even i have achieved such phenomenal speeds in the rain...apparantly i was hardly doing 80

if u want a good semi sythetic oil u should check out the motul ester 5100 10w40...i have recently upgraded to one and giving me good results ...
and d less said about tvs svc the better....they just want to avoid extra work...tell them to clean the chain before lubing it...or your chain will get royally dirty



+1 mate!!! seriously xbhp is teaching noobs like me more than what i learn in college

@white.warrior
Bro, stick to mineral oil for atleast 3000kms, better if li'l more. After that you can switch to a good SS oil as sid137 suggested.

@Sid137 & RTRlover83 Thanks a lot guys.

I've learn't it from X-bhp too and mainly because my bike stopped being stock long time back itself.So i had to learn about the things being done.No choice really as you guys know how knowledgeable local mechs are, or for that matter the ASS ones. So most of the things i've mentioned here,especially like the ones about spark plugs,i had to try those out.For you folks you can easily plonk the one suggested by NGK for the RTR.But my bike is not stock.