What? No slams? Somebody suggested that "heat cycling" an engine affects it, and nobody cracked up and screamed at them? Ok. Well. Here's my two cents. Heat cycling is an backboneless myth that was invented by someone that thinks 300 degrees will affect steel that has been hardened and treated more than anything you've ever laid hands on. I don't know why anyone would let their engine cool between break in "sessions". The only thing I think it might do is let some oil run off the moving parts so when you start it up again it does more damage than good. What an engine really needs is high combustion chamber pressures, which force rings out into the fresh hone marks in the cylinder wall, "machining" them to a perfect fit. This can be done by applying moderate throttle surges during break in, after it's warmed up. (NOT revving it to death) Partially synthetic oil was unfortunately put in my 250 by a dealer, which caused the engine to rev directly after a shift. At the time, I was new to the ATV world. My experienced self now realizes that what i was experiencing was clutch slip, as a DIRECT RESULT of the use of a partially synthetic oil in my ATV. I now run GN4, with no problems except for an empty wallet.

 

one of the honda oils (i think the semi synthetic) contains molly which is bad for clutches. synthetic oils designed for cars are bad for quads. maxima and the others silkolene etc. that are designed to be used with a wet clutch will not harm any part of your trans or engine. its the people that use mobile 1 and the other auto synthetics in quads are the ones that give it a bad rap. i think it was maxima that was working with a 0w oil. basically water that lubricated parts just as well as a traditional 10 40, but it had longterm breakdown problems. if they could make it last i would run it.

 

Heat cycling is also recommended if breaking in an engine on a dyno as you don't have proper airflow to the motor/radiator to keep it cool like you do when riding it out in the open. In THAT instance, it is just to allow for proper cooling to assure that the motor does not overheat. Otherwise I agree with you. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img]

 

RIDE IT LIKE YOU STOLE IT !!!!

 

I wouldn't ride a yamaha like you stole it you'ed get caught[img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]

 

You guys that believe in Honda oil...by all means buy it. It's made by Exxon/Mobile to Honda specs but who the heck knows what those specs are. I ran Honda GN4 in my Rancher and Yamalube in the Bruin until 3 weeks ago. The Bruin was smoking on start-up and since I switched it to Amsoil 0w-40 synthetic for atv's and snowmobiles, the smoking has stopped. All three machines are on Amsoil and it has caused the idle speed of all machines to come up slightly.
The Amsoil is rated for wet clutch use and being a synthetic, it is more shear stable and it clings to the upper valve gear, and the tranny gears when the machine is shut down, thus protecting better on start-up.

Follow the owner's manual as for breaking it in....I did on my Rancher. No where in the manual does it state that you must use Honda oil to protect the warranty. Your warranty is as good as your dealer and how far they are willing to go to "bat" for you if something goes wrong.

As for oil talk....go to bobistheoilguy.com...click on the forums and look in the motorcycle lube section. Lots of great info on oil there.

 

well i broke my 250 in like i was going to ride it.....wide F in OPEN. mine ran fine too. did 58 on radar down a hill slightly i dunno how it did but it did. it beat a piped dg blaster that my freind owns a thousand times from the start to finish and the kid knew how to drive. i never once changed my oil and i had it for 2 and a half years. always started and ran like brand new. and i beat the P!ss outta it. i went through more stuff on my 250 than my cousin did on his craptor and my other cousin did on his z400

so what im saying is ride it like you stole it. it worked for me and i didnt even change the oil not once. i cant imagine how much better it would have ran if i woulda changed the oil every month or 2.


p.s i even sunk it in the lake by my house once.... let it dry out for 2 hours tipped it strait up took my head pipe off n tried starting it it wouldnt fire.....let it sit for another hour went back out full choke and wide open throttle n she fired.....now everyone knows why i love honda....realiablility

 

Why is your 250ex RIP now then?

 

well its not technically rest in peace.... but i traded it in towards my 400 ....lol im gonnna miss it tho lot of good memories on that