First "Solo" Ride on a TU250...

[WowWhoaWeeWa]

Hey Everyone,

I saw a post by Geezer the other day about the TU250x. I thought I would share my experience being on the road today for the first time since passing my MSF riding course 3 weeks ago. I have to say, it was intimidating at first. I rode around a parking lot for some time getting used to the bike and doing basic maneuvers. I did ok with shifting gears but I still need practice. I thought there was too much "clunking" when I changed gears.

Like a bird leaving it's nest for the first time, I decided it was time to mingle with traffic on a "high speed" road. By "high speed," I mean 35MPH. I looked at the speedometer, I was only doing 25! Holy cow, I had to speed up. I kicked it up a few notches. The perspective of speed on a bike feels so different than in my truck.

I ultimately got the courage to hit 50 MPH on another road (a little over the speed limit of 45) and what a thrill! The scene was picturesque; grassy country fields passing by with the setting sun glowing a bright but gentile orange in the horizon. I see why we ride. I could have kept going but I had to get home and wrap up my day.

All in all, a great ride. Fuel injection allowed the engine to start up with a simple tap of the starter button. Although I don't have experience with other bikes, the TU250x felt great. The ride was smooth and despite its small size, it handled average road imperfections like a champ. By the of the 16 miles I rode, I found myself shifting better. I learned I don't have to squeeze the clutch all the way to shift smoothly. There is no tachometer so I can't be certain what the RPMs where when I approached 50 MPH. I hope it was less than 5k as I still have to break in the motor. Fortunately, I wasn't at that speed for very long. Does any one know the approximate engine RPM in 5th gear at 50 MPH?

Thanks for letting me share.

Howard

[blaine]

There is no tachometer so I can't be certain what the RPMs where when I approached 50 MPH. I hope it was less than 5k as I still have to break in the motor. Fortunately, I wasn't at that speed for very long. Does any one know the approximate engine RPM in 5th gear at 50 MPH?

Thanks for letting me share.

Howard
Glad your first ride was a success.At 50 mph,you would be getting very close to your 5000 rpm.Ride safe.
:2tup: :)

[Water Warrior 2]

Excellant first ride report. Glad everything went so well for you. Shifting will become even smoother with time and really get better after the first oil change. As a newbie on the road PLEASE do not get over confident. Go play in more parking lots and practice your turns, U turns and emergency braking. This is crucial to surviving the streets and avenues. Ride safe, ride often.

[alanmcorcoran]

Take it easy until you get used to it. Speed, curves, shifting etc. will come naturally with time. In about six months you'll be 100 times better and won't even need to think about any of it. But don't rush it, because you *are* thinking about it now, and so going slow is advisable. A lot of us on here like Proficient Motorcycling by Hough. Lot's of good "best practices" in there.

Welcome and have fun.

[WowWhoaWeeWa]

Excellant first ride report. Glad everything went so well for you. Shifting will become even smoother with time and really get better after the first oil change. As a newbie on the road PLEASE do not get over confident. Go play in more parking lots and practice your turns, U turns and emergency braking. This is crucial to surviving the streets and avenues. Ride safe, ride often.

Hey WW,

I'm most definitely still practicing those vital skills. Most of my time yesterday was behind a supermarket where I had no cars to content with. I'll be back there today as well.

Thanks!

[WowWhoaWeeWa]

Glad your first ride was a success.At 50 mph,you would be getting very close to your 5000 rpm.Ride safe.
:2tup: :)

Is that right? Hmm... I have to reconsider using my bike during my commute until the motor is broken or at least wait until 300. While most of my trip is in traffic, there are two stretches where 50 MPH would be needed to keep up. That's fine. I'm sure 600 will come pretty quick while practicing. :-)

Howard

[blaine]

Is that right? Hmm... I have to reconsider using my bike during my commute until the motor is broken or at least wait until 300. While most of my trip is in traffic, there are two stretches where 50 MPH would be needed to keep up. That's fine. I'm sure 600 will come pretty quick while practicing. :-)

Howard
I wouldn't worry about it as long as you don't go over the 50 mph mark for any amount of time.IMO a vehicle is best broken in at various speeds and rpm's.
:rawk: :2tup:

[alantf]

I don't know for sure, but people on here have said that in 5th gear, it's 10MPH for every 1000 RPM. :)

[WowWhoaWeeWa]

I don't know for sure, but people on here have said that in 5th gear, it's 10MPH for every 1000 RPM. :)

If that is true, that would be a huge help to gauge RPMs.

[geezer]

i belive that its not good to baby a new engine. you want the piston rings to properly seat themselves againts the cylinderwalls. and to do this you need high cylinder pressures and to get that you need more throttle. no need to nail it everywhere you go but babying during break in is way over rated

[WowWhoaWeeWa]

i belive that its not good to baby a new engine. you want the piston rings to properly seat themselves againts the cylinderwalls. and to do this you need high cylinder pressures and to get that you need more throttle. no need to nail it everywhere you go but babying during break in is way over rated


So would you say during a 30 minute commute, 15 minutes just under or slightly above 5000 RPM is ok? I'm convinced a motorcycle engine much more "delicate" than a car for some reason. When I bought my truck, I was "gentile" with it but I did drive at highway speeds with out thinking twice. I guess I should do the same with the bike.

[jonathan180iq]

There are also varying theories about break-in periods.

I always ride the bike the way I would normally ride, from scratch. I mean, if those rings and heads aren't broken in within 100 miles, I don't see how they ever would be... but that's just me.

You can read up more on break-in theories just by google searching. Manufacturers have to cover their bases so they slap a generic sticker on ever single bike they produce.

Congrats on your first ride, BTW. :)

[Water Warrior 2]

I went with the recommended break in procedure from Suzuki. I have a theory that the various parts must mate properly over a period of time without high stress loads and high RPM. The 5000 RPM thing does seem to be a generic number as suggested and it worked for me. Some folks just ride em like they stole em and it works for them. Choices, choices and more choices. Pick one and be happy.

[alanmcorcoran]

I don't know about the Geezer, but some cars used to have "break-in" oil and some mechanics used to claim there was more metal/junk in the first 100 miles or so, that would be taken out with an early oil change. Could have been marketing bullshit for all I know. I rode mine (GZ) at the speed I was comfortable with, which was certainly more than 50 mph after the first 100 or so miles. I still haven't reached 5000 on my Geezer (at about 4750), but I'm closing in on 15K on the Strat. I didn't go slow on the Strat at all (not really feasible out here - you got to go at least 70 unless you want to be the cause of a chain reaction pile-up. I usually go 75-80 depending on the speed of the other traffic. I try to make sure there's at least one dude going faster than me so he gets the ticket [theoretically.])

[geezer]

dude running at different speeds and different rpm is what you need to do to avoid the cyinderwalls from glazing over. im sure it says right there on the bike somewhere no to do a constant speed (RPM) for to long, and this is the reason. just ride it man, just ride it

[jonathan180iq]

I don't know about the Geezer, but some cars used to have "break-in" oil and some mechanics used to claim there was more metal/junk in the first 100 miles or so, that would be taken out with an early oil change.


After changing the oil early on in several new vehicles, I can at least attest to the metal shavings part being accurate. All engines have some machining/honing scraps left in there that have to be flushed out with use. From lawnmowers to Mercedes. It's just part of the process. Filters will catch most of it. Early oil drains should remove the rest.