Ups and downs...

[Koala63]

Greetings. I introduced myself in the new boys forum section a short while back and am still very much in love with my '98 Trixie which I purchased back in September.

I've done about 1600km of recreational riding since putting new tyres, oil, chain/sprocket on shortly after I got her home. She was a gamble, with no service history and a number of previous owners, but seems to be a big win for me and my mechanic raves about how, "not even the sump nuts have been abused!"

She is booked in for her first full tune up tomorrow. I'm just about to clock turn over 60,000k on the odo and the heads never been off so I'm real keen to get the valve clearances checked and air filters and other bits and bobs replaced or adjusted.

Setting out for a run up the coast yesterday morning I noticed the level in the oil window was down, so I stopped in at my mechanic who put a little over 250ml of Motul (?) to bring it up. He gave it a good rev and detected no burned oil smoke, said it seems OK in all respects but that he will do a compression test when he's got her apart. My riding mates have confirmed that they have never seen any smoke blowing. She has heaps of power.

So my question... how much oil consumption is normal for a 16 yr old TRX? Some, a lot, none? I've read that the engines are pretty indestructible as long as the oil level is maintained. So I check this regularly. Any advice appreciated.

But... did I tell you how much I love my Trixie? She is one very big "up" in my life. Shame I got the sack on Monday... that's a "down". Especially when your the wrong side of 50 with kids and mortgage and Christmas just around the corner... Still, more time to ride when the Sunday drivers are back in their boxes for a while and to polish up me girl, who never fails to put a smile on my face.

I attach a wee pic. taken after yesterday's 160km run.

Cheers

K

[Snod Blatter]

how much oil consumption is normal for a 16 yr old TRX? Some, a lot, none? I've read that the engines are pretty indestructible as long as the oil level is maintained. So I check this regularly. Any advice appreciated.

A difficult question, it depends on what oil you put in, how fresh it still is and what roads you ride. Mine won't touch fresh oil but after a couple of thousand miles it becomes a very thirsty bike on the motorway at 70MPH and long runs, yet pottering to work and back on country lanes it barely touches it, or hammering along a "private road" at 90-100MPH. Bizarrely I used it on a few very short runs a month ago to the shops and back (it was raining too much to go further) and it almost emptied the sight glass in around 60 miles, so really no idea on what makes it become thirsty or not. I once talked to a chap who'd owned a TDM850 and he had the same experience - "Check it and it's fine, fine, fine, still fine.. Then all gone!". So true.

[Koala63]

Hiya Snod Blatter. I lived in the UK for 5 years once, and always wondered how such a cold and wet place could possibly be home to such rich motorcycling heritage. Loved the UK, but except for a few lovely summer months, a damp and slippery proposal for two wheeled creatures for most of the time. True dedication required to be a UK biker for sure!

Thanks for your feedback. My riding over the last few months has been purely recreational and on back roads chosen for corners and sparseness of blue lights. No commuting. Its fair to say that I've been giving her a brisk workout, not red-lining but regularly accelerating into the 6500 - 7500 rpm range. About 200km each run. In all honesty some of my gear changes and control inputs are a bit harsh from time to time - all part of the learning curve as I strive for a smoother riding style. I'm not sure if this might contribute to oil consumption. Just trying to establish what is "normal" and what may point to some looming need to spend money.

Thanks again and here's hoping that this year's northern winter is not too unkind to TRX riders.

Cheers. K

[Snod Blatter]

You may need to spend money if it is constantly drinking a lot of oil, say a litre every 500 miles or so without fail, otherwise just keep topping it up and if you're going on a multi day trip be sure to take some with you - The sudden and desperate hunt for bike oil is a game I have now played a couple of times and it never seems to be much fun! Expensive too..

[Koala63]

1L per 500miles = 1L per 800km. Yesterday's top-up was 0.25L for over well over 1000km which to my mind is well under one quarter of the consumption rate you suggest as worrying. Thanks for the feedback mate. I'm off for a ride now feeling reassured

[Snod Blatter]

That sounds totally normal, I wouldn't worry at all. It only seems to become a problem when the owner decides it needs to be sorted anyway, the engines seem to run well regardless of how much oil they're burning.

Carry on

[Con Rod]

That sounds totally normal, I wouldn't worry at all. It only seems to become a problem when the owner decides it needs to be sorted anyway, the engines seem to run well regardless of how much oil they're burning.

Carry on

yes pretty much, certainly in my case the inlet valves closing up was more a driver to refurbish the top end than the oil consumption. I was using about 1ltr per 1000km when riding hard but very little for normal riding

a hone, rings, new inlet valves and valve stem seals fixed it. Does not use oil at all now

[QuickDraw]

As Snod' says, there isn't really a 'normal'. Rather more, a wide range of differing experiences.

The only real universal rule is; Check the window before and after every ride. Because yes, is can disappear quite suddenly and without reliable reason or expectation.

When you lose pressure, the bottom end will be gone in a heartbeat... speaking from experience.

Do TRX's like Motul? Yep, they love it... Mine drank heaps! My 1st motor was similar age to yours, but had led a much harder life. In hindsight, for an old mill, I would have stuck to the heavier shell advance blend I had before and just changed it more often.

Oh, and when you do your own oil change, re-fill by measured volume and go for a 10min ride to get a true level before checking the window. The dry sump likes to play mind games!

[dicky]

Oh, and when you do your own oil change, re-fill by measured volume and go for a 10min ride to get a true level before checking the window. The dry sump likes to play mind games!

I can't emphasize this point enough.

[Koala63]

That's all gold. Particularly:

"The only real universal rule is; Check the window before and after every ride. Because yes, is can disappear quite suddenly and without reliable reason or expectation."

Thanks a heap gentlemen.

I was wondering if you don't mind... What revs to you guys like to sit at when stuck behind traffic or in a highly policed zone? She seems to hum along in the 4500 - 5000 rpm range quite happily with heaps of everything either way, but I've found that she'll also chug along at very low revs (sounding a bit like my old Bonny), seeming happy, as long as I drop a cog to do anything. Is low rpm cruising in anyway bad for the bike?

And while I'm at it... how clunky is a TRX gearbox normally? (Yeah, there's that "normal" thing again.) Mine's been seeming a bit loud between 1st and 2nd. But it could be my sloppy style or just my paranoia....

Anyway thanks again for the really helpful oil information. I had a nice little burst this morning. I was pretty messy on some corners but the bike was sweet. 250km in two days and dropped off at the shop on the way back for valve clearances, general service and tune. Looking forward to riding afterward in the knowledge that critical maintenance has been attended to. If a blokes suddenly finds himself with unexpected time off at the beginning of summer... there are worse things than having a sweet running shiny Trixie needing to be ridden, I suppose.

Cheers K

[TRX 850 #87]

There's a thread on here about how to check your oil level after a change, I suggest reading it because it's a trick peculiar to Trixxies. Mine used to burn about a litre between changes (5000km) on the road. Now that she's a race bike it won't really matter as I'll be changing oil after every meeting. I also ran Motul in mine and again she liked to burn it without notice (ie no smoke etc just down when you checked it before a ride)

I personally use Penrite now but any good quality oil is fine. Be aware that the recommendations from Yamaha are for a cooler climate than here so a heavier grade oil is a good move.

[cobbadiggabuddyblooo]

I have no issues running down to 60kph in top gear and just roll on the throttle from 1700rpm and pulls away sweetly.
4000rpm is 100kph in top with a 16/41 gearing.(200kph -8000rpm and still pulling)
Uses the same 110link chain as std and I have a 17 tooth front sprocket if I need to go up as an option. (max torque of the TRX is around 6200rpm)
Chain adjusters sit pretty much where the std 17/39 gearing sits and the only change needed was 1 click up on the rear compression to stop any squatting with the lower gearing and gains in acceleration out of corners.
Programmable ignition clears up a lot of the clunky gear changes and allows me the pleasure of a smoother power curve especially down in the lower/mid range.

[Koala63]

Thnx #87. I'll search for the oil check thread.

G'day Cobba. I just read through your thread on programmable ignition timing systems. Seems like a bit of a must-have and top of the list for any improvements I want to make on my stock bike, but the technical talk about TCPs and FCRs etc. lost me. Is this the sort of thing a friendly bike mechanic can install on behalf of an mechanical know-nothing like me?

[Rubes]

Mine has 145,000kms on it and uses very little oil when used for daily commuting around Sydney. When I go all out on weekend jaunts she will use up a bit. On the trip down to Phillip Island and back she needed a few top ups. Didn't keep an accurate record but used most of a bottle so say 1000ml for 2000km roughly. Some was pretty spirited riding Lots was stick to the speed limit as crossing the border brought a biblical plague of road blocks, marked cars, unmarked cars, marked bikes, parked camera cars, fixed cameras etc etc.

I run original carbies and 16/39 gearing (but going to try out 17/42 at the next change just for a little bit of variety). I find that I don't like sitting around 2500 - 3500rpm. It's better lower down on Staintunes than standard or standard debaffled but is never happy down at 1700 like Cobbas and certainly not in top gear. Mine would be indignant and be sure to let me know. I can putt putt at lower rpm but it just feels better above 3500 so I stick there where I can. Also sounds a whole lot better and I like to think it subtly broadcasts my presence to other road users who don't seem to change lanes on me so often. I'm w-a-y overdue for a chain/sprockets so probably a fair bit of this is related to that.

Keihin FCRs are aftermarket carbies. Turn up second hand infrequently and not sure if you can still purchase new. Never had a pair but by all acounts they are really terrible. Massive amounts of howling induction noise, drink lots of fuel, makes wind noise increase for unknown reasons and generally just encourages completely antisociable behaviour. If you find a pair pack them up and send them straight to me for safe disposal.

TCPs? Not sure. TPS is Throttle Positioning System or somet like that. No expert here.

BTW schweet looking original bike.

[Koala63]

Yep TPS it was. Throttle Positioning System, got it. I'm still a mechanical "numpty" though and have little clue about these things:).

Those FCR carbies do sound terrible. I might have to look into them some more (so I know what to avoid) after I save up for one of Cobba's magical black boxes if they're still available. Sounds like they'll cure most of what makes me nervous with me girl.

Thanks for the compliment too. Its marvellous what that old tube of Autosol still left over from my Bonny can do to dull unloved metal! And nice to see another TRX closer to home (I was starting to think all the Aussie Trixies might live in Queensland. Perhaps catch you in the Nasho one day.