Superclean09 wrote:
It might be a good idea to remove the fairing first and then go on a ride to get the oil up to temperature. Very quick process getting the hot oil out at that point. I think I might put a glove on being under the engine loosening that bolt though.
+1 Running the bike down the road with the fairing off will make it run hotter faster. There's no danger, it will just not have the directed airflow over the engine
Superclean09 wrote:
One quick question about switching to the synthetic oil you mention. I was told to wait until about 10,000kms to switch to synthetic on my 2003 CBR954RR. Is there a similar mileage to wait on a little bike like the 125? I was told it had something to do with breaking the bike in 100% before switching.
I've been all through the engine on this bike and I can't see any reason not to go to straight synthetic. I suspect a lot of this theory comes from the automotive trade where it's important not to run synthetic oil in some engines during the break-in procedure. This will have a whole lot to do with ring seating and the friction modifiers that are present in automotive oils.
Thing is, if you are using the right synthetic, those friction modifiers are not present in your motorcycle oil. Most better new cars comes with synthetic pre-installed before the engines are broken in. This all ultimately comes back to the finish on the cylinder walls and getting the rings to seat in - which hasn't been an issue since somewhere around 1955 or so
I think a lot of these synthetic rumors are just that. There was a basis of truth to them at one point but it was long ago and it would have been more accurate in the automotive trade where the oils have excellent friction modifiers that are not present in synthetic motorcycle wet clutch oil.
The rings/cylinder/piston on the 125 is very robust
I've had mine torn down 4 times now at various mileages and all I do is a quick clean-up hone on it. Cylinder/rings/piston are not a problem area. I would suggest an early change on a new bike anyway due to the machine oil and bits & pieces that are present from when the factory machines the side cases. I have two new cases here and there's machining oil left in them along with sundry bits of aluminum shavings from the manufacturing process.
Maybe a happy medium for those concerned is put 500k on the engine and then a hot oil change and move it to synthetic?