So we've all heard/seen the 650 xchallenge...let's see your XCOUNTRY!

how did you end up with that?!

Just realize that blue loctite turns liquid when you add heat--like the heat from engine oil. You'd have to use red loctite, and that stuff is of course a bitch to get hot enough to loosen. But I'm thinking, I will never need to loosen those bolts so why not? If I ever NEED to open up the engine, I'm taking it to the dealer!

not gonna use red. oh jeez, now what am i gonna do?!! i probably need a new gasket, i should order that. ill give tightening them one more shot, this time ill loosen them all up and then alternately tighten them in a star pattern, the way i should have done it the first time. see if that does the trick. in the meantime i can wait for the gasket to come from germany like im guessing it will have to.

i clean my chain every week
i tighten my bolts every week as well
all engine area bolts, oil pan bolt, and of course the under the seat rear subframe bolts.

I trust nothing. seems safer and it only takes a minute or two.

Thanks you all for your answer.
Snooker, glad you're here to clarify! It's been already 10 years since I last walk and ride a bike on your ground (and pracitice english).
Well, as you said my concern is a tubless to remove while on road. Is it a pain to remove this tire alone with only a pair of tire lever. Do you advice me to better wait for the dealer to sale those TT heidenau's type tube tire.
(Heidenau has already release the K60 scoot in Type tube in 140/80-R17).
Any of you have ever experience a flat tire and have to fix It on a side of the road?

I'm not normally a person who uses a torque wrench on EVERYTHING but, would probably be a good idea to actually use a torque wrench. Make sure you are definatly getting them tight enough without overdoing it due to frustration.

Had another thought, put blue Locktite on the threads and try putting some red up by the flange of the bolt head.

Well i am about to finally build our first 2 sets of prototype aluminum luggage so my current set up needs to go. Thought i would offer it to my fellow X Cons first sin e luggage/fuel options are pretty thin for us.




Check the flea market for details.

A pity you're over the pond, as I'd def be interested!

Ive heard that the seat height was lower on the 09s from the previous years. True? Is this due to a change in the suspension or a lower seat?

Any other differences (besides color) to consider when comparing model years?

I've tried searching the forum and this seems to be the major thread. But I can't go through all 341 pages.

Thanks.

just did a little googling, loctite 246 blue is stable up to 450 degree F continuous.

2009 model comes with adjustable hand levers, too.

Can somebody with experience/knowledge on tubeless type tires comment on whether you think they are much stiffer and therefore more difficult to change a tube in than a comparable brand/model tire that is a tube type?? Of course the K60 scout tubeLESS type is really what is in question here, but what is the thinking in general?? I don't think anybody commented on that yet...

i have had the stock rear metzler tourance on and off with tire levers alone.
dont know if that is tube specific tire or not though. but someone did comment that they are stiff.

i have a set of kenda big blocks waiting to be mounted, and they are tubeless compatible, but i am not really worried they dont seem any stiffer than the metzlers. i did read somewhere though to leave them in the sun for a while right before you mount them to get hot and a little more pliable. i think im going to do that.

Good point... I've found that most blue threadlockers in hardware and even auto stores (at least in the U.S.) sell Loctite or Permatex brands that are based on the 242 by Loctite, but this is NOT always what we need for hot engine (oil) environments. There are other, better "blue threadlockers".

I'm no expert but when I installed my used Rekluse clutch they provided Loctite 243 which is oil and heat resistant. I needed more but none of my local auto stores (and I'm in a decent sized city of 200,000)... well nobody had 243 and were confused trying to order it as they could only get big sizes, so I finally ordered Loctite 243 from amazon.com. Online was the only way I could find smaller sizes as I'll never use the bigger expensive bottles.

It's possible 246 is even better but I too read the application description on both of the tech data sheets on each, and only the Loctite 243 data sheet said: "The product offers high temperature performance and oil tolerance."

That's what I'd use, but of course I already have some. Guess I better check my drips now... :eek1

Needed a new chain and sprockets.



Under acceleration in 1st and 2nd I could feel and hear the chain slipping over the rear sprockets' teeth.
Chain and front sprocket lasted 25 K kilometers, rear sprocket 17 K.
I mounted a steel one from Stefan Scheffelmeier this time, I'm curious if it will hold up better/last longer.
What's your mileage??

My husband mounted these tires two weeks ago with a portable tire changing station (Moose Racing). I got 130/80-R17 on the rear. These are very stiff tires and was not easy to mount them, especially the rear. He did change Kenda Trackmasters using only tire levers but those are much softer tires.

Speaking of sprockets has anyone tried a 17 tooth front sprocket? Going a long trip with quite a bit of freeway.

Thanks dieselwolf,
Hum, That's a bad news. I guess I'll have to wait for the Type Tube k60 scout to be released or go for the TKC80...

I did. It sucked.