Starting bike for first time in years

[JoyRiding]

Bike has 97 miles on it, the person I bought it from had it sitting in the living room lol. Given age (2014), I siphoned the gas and bought Motul 15W50 semi-synthetic to do oil change. The bike is technically still in break-in period, which is ridiculously strict on these bikes (very frequent oil changes, no revving over 50%, riding below 60 kmph). Can anyone think of anything else I'll have to do to get this up and running, given the last 4 years of stagnation?

 

[NewEnglandHimalayan]

Bike has 97 miles on it, the person I bought it from had it sitting in the living room lol. Given age (2014), I siphoned the gas and bought Motul 15W50 semi-synthetic to do oil change. The bike is technically still in break-in period, which is ridiculously strict on these bikes (very frequent oil changes, no revving over 50%, riding below 60 kmph). Can anyone think of anything else I'll have to do to get this up and running, given the last 4 years of stagnation?

That sounds exciting. I cant think of anything. Take the gas out and maybe the oil before starting it. Be open to the possibility of dried out seals in the carb bowl that may cause it to flood and not start or leak fuel through the carburetor. I would probably try to spin the engine by pushing the bike in gear and the spark plug removed just in case the rings have stuck to the cylinder. Other than that, I cant think of much. Inspect the tires for any rotting and even make sure the joints are smooth. good luck and enjoy.

 

[Kiwiscoot]

Previous post pretty much on the button, only thing I'll add would be to take the spark plug out and put a squirt of oil down the hole and let it sit a while to soak into the rings, then push it in gear to turn the engine over. Then run the starter with no spark plug with a cloth over the spark plug hole to the catch the oil slung out. That way you know the engine turns freely before trying to start it with spark plug and compression.

 

[Ace]

Tires have a 5 year life. Change them soon.

 

[JoyRiding]

Thanks all!!!!

Tires have a 5 year life. Change them soon.

Whoaaa, great call on the tires, you're right. I'll change them at the end of this season. Engine is turning no problem. Bike is EFI (I don't think I'll miss carbs), so really only things left to worry about are the seals. I'll post pics if I can get to it this weekend.

 

[JoyRiding]

Just serviced the bike myself and got it running. Test rode with a grin on my face for a couple hours. I love the engine note.

I'm still getting my sea legs with servicing these, but overall not too bad. A question: I did see some black coloration in the oil (surprising for having only ~100 mi) and there were A TON of metal shavings stuck to the magnet in the secondary drain plug (picture). Is this normal or a sign of inadequate oil?

 

[JoyRiding]

Correction that picture's the primary magnet. Saw the same on the secondary.

 

[Landsurfer74]

Bear in mind that the spikes are thousands of tiny particles arranged by magnetic field .... not lumps of hard steel ...

 

[NewEnglandHimalayan]

The magnet is doing its job. The engine will likely shed a lot of metal as the parts reach their final mating to each other. It is not surprising to me. As @Landsurfer74 said, this is an accumulation of what can be described as "metal sand or metal dust" all held together by the magnet. I am nearing 300miles on my 2019 and I will check mine as well. Im happy to hear that the bike is running. Good luck and enjoy.

 

[Ace]

This is typical of the UCE engines in all 350/500/535 models at the early stages of breaking in.

It is one reason that recommended oil change intervals are short during break in.

A majority of the magnetic parts are from the iron cylinder bore, where the rings are bedding in to the crosshatch hone in the bore. The hone leaves a pattern of high sharp ridges that eventually wear down to smooth over many miles of running. In the very early running, the sharp peaks of the ridges can fold over or break off and fall into the sump.it is part of establishing a good ring seal.

It is also one of the reasons that the engine runs hotter during break in, because of higher friction, not only in the cylinder but in all the moving parts.

As mileage builds higher, the friction will lessen, and metal debris will also be less, and the engine will run cooler.