XRL owners sign in.

[rokklym]

I didn't buy my bike new so I don't know how it was broken in originally, but I rebuilt the top end this year and I broke it in similar to the motoman way.
http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

I got my bike running and warmed it up to operating temps with varying amounts of throttle and once warm, I changed the oil. Then I rode the bike fairly hard for 30 min, going through all the gears and making sure to keep the RPM's at different levels and not lugging it. Then I changed the oil again, switching to synthetic and leaving that in for 100 miles or so.
There are so many different theories on breaking in a motor and who really knows who is right, but I sure wouldn't leave the original oil in for 600 miles like most people recomend.

The XRL's are somewhat tricky to get a good oil reading on. I've heard about the bolt your talking about but the only one I find on my 02 is real low, I'm not sure if thats the one.

My bike started to smoke and use about a half quart of oil every 300-500 miles or so, it turned out to be the valve seals. If your not noticing oil on the ground or bad smoking, then I think your getting a bad reading. drain all the oil and measure how much you take out.

[wheelnut46]

I agree with Rokklym...

Originally Posted by rokklym

If your not noticing oil on the ground or bad smoking, then I think your getting a bad reading. drain all the oil and measure how much you take out.

Then add the correct amount per the owners manual (2.2 qts?) and ride it. If you're not seeing smoke then it's not burning it at that rate. If you dont see a puddle beneath it then you're not leaking it. Ride it then stop and check it - observe. Ride it some more then stop and check it - observe. If iot's not too far away maybe it would be a good idea to drop by the dealer and have them take a quick peak. I definitely wouldnt add oil just because you're getting a false - low reading. Good luck. I'm definitely interested in hearing how this plays out.

[katbeanz]

A quart in 300 sounds a bit much for a bike that new, I find mine uses a bit depending on how hard I ride it. The last couple rides I've been on have been pretty mlld, but sustained high speed will make them use oil.
Look here, http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=136464

Does your air filter look oily? What weight oil are you using, dino or synthetic? I use castrol 20w50. I don't know how many miles would be consldered broken in. I don't think there are any experts here, just fellow enthusiasts speaking for myself.
What part of the world are you in Shair_Khan? Good job on snagging a manual!
There is also an xrl owners group on yahoo called xrlug with excellent info.

[Mr Kawasaki]

Originally Posted by Shair_Khan

The hole when you remove the crankcase oil level check bolt on the right side. 2oo6 owners manual page 89. (also has a picture too).

Well I'll be damned. I don't have the manual for mine. I was told to check it with the dipstick after it has been run. Learn something new every day.

[Shair_Khan]

Originally Posted by rokklym

I didn't buy my bike new so I don't know how it was broken in originally, but I rebuilt the top end this year and I broke it in similar to the motoman way.
http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

I got my bike running and warmed it up to operating temps with varying amounts of throttle and once warm, I changed the oil. Then I rode the bike fairly hard for 30 min, going through all the gears and making sure to keep the RPM's at different levels and not lugging it. Then I changed the oil again, switching to synthetic and leaving that in for 100 miles or so.
There are so many different theories on breaking in a motor and who really knows who is right, but I sure wouldn't leave the original oil in for 600 miles like most people recomend.

The XRL's are somewhat tricky to get a good oil reading on. I've heard about the bolt your talking about but the only one I find on my 02 is real low, I'm not sure if thats the one.

My bike started to smoke and use about a half quart of oil every 300-500 miles or so, it turned out to be the valve seals. If your not noticing oil on the ground or bad smoking, then I think your getting a bad reading. drain all the oil and measure how much you take out.

My first oil change was 300 miles. I have heard something about the oil pump problem in XRLs, where it will not pump oil up in the frame tube, however in that case the crank should be over-filled.

Here is the pic from the users manual. It explains how to check crankcase oil level.

I sure wish I am getting the bad reading... though I will feel like a dummy afterward, but it is better than any serious engine trouble

--
Sincerely,
Shair

[Shair_Khan]

Originally Posted by wheelnut46

I agree with Rokklym...
Then add the correct amount per the owners manual (2.2 qts?) and ride it. If you're not seeing smoke then it's not burning it at that rate. If you dont see a puddle beneath it then you're not leaking it. Ride it then stop and check it - observe. Ride it some more then stop and check it - observe. If iot's not too far away maybe it would be a good idea to drop by the dealer and have them take a quick peak. I definitely wouldnt add oil just because you're getting a false - low reading. Good luck. I'm definitely interested in hearing how this plays out.

You and Rokklym have a good point! I will follow this procedure. However, I had already added about 3/4 qt oil... I knida panicked that I might damage the engine by running too low on oil.

Here is how I check the oil:

1. I start the engine and let it idle for 3 to 4 mins... or take a short ride of half a mile or so.

2. shut the engine and park it for 1 min or so

3. then I hold the bike upright and take out the dipstick... wipe it clean and put it back so that it seats (but not screwed back in) then I take it out and check the oil level.

4. It worked fine untill now! Sometimes I check the crankcase oil following the procedure (see my previous post) outlined in the user manual.

Am I not doing it correctly? How do you guys check the oil?

Thanks.

--
Sincerely,
Shair

[Shair_Khan]

Originally Posted by katbeanz

A quart in 300 sounds a bit much for a bike that new, I find mine uses a bit depending on how hard I ride it. The last couple rides I've been on have been pretty mlld, but sustained high speed will make them use oil.
Look here, http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=136464

Does your air filter look oily? What weight oil are you using, dino or synthetic? I use castrol 20w50. I don't know how many miles would be consldered broken in. I don't think there are any experts here, just fellow enthusiasts speaking for myself.
What part of the world are you in Shair_Khan? Good job on snagging a manual!
There is also an xrl owners group on yahoo called xrlug with excellent info.

I checked air filter last weekend. It was normal, not oily at all. I will check it again. I know this break-in contraversy is driving me nuts! Experience makes you expert and I am sure you all have spend more time with XRLs than I have

I am a couple of states south of you Texas!

I was just talking about the owners manual. I was unable to get the shop/service manual for 2006. Last I checked they only had a manual from 93-2005.

--
Sincerely,
Shair

[katbeanz]

Sounds to me like you are checking it right, I've never measured how much I put in on an oil and filter change. I'll dump in whatever I can get in the frame reservoir, 1 to 1-1/2 quarts, run it for 3 or 4 minutes, shut it down and add whatever it wants.
It's a dry sump engine but it does carry some oil in the crankcase, hence the oil check bolt by the rear brake pedal.
There are no signifcant changes other than color since the xrl came out in 93 so any manual you pick up will cover your new one. I think my 93 might be an inch taller in the rear end vs newer ones.
I need to get down to the garage, new michelin baja, oil change, etc.

[lewismedlock]

Originally Posted by Virgil Hilts

Is that a real Yoshi pipe or a fake? Looks like something out of the J. C. Whitney catalog.

My Virgi, but you have keen eyes. It's actually a factory second that I got at the Yoshimura shop in the Outlet Mall. PABSS

[rokklym]

Originally Posted by Shair_Khan

Here is the pic from the users manual. It explains how to check crankcase oil level.

Thanks for the pic! I've heard about that bolt but I thought somebody said it was on the other side..now i know!

There are a few ways you could figure out exactly how to get a good oil reading, one would be to drain the oil and measure how much you took out, the other, is after an oil change. Your motor should be almost completely out of oil and you put in 2.25 quarts or whatever with a filter change and then run it a few minutes, shut it off wait a couple minute and stand the bike up straight, take out the dipstick, clean it off then set it back in the hole and then take it out and check it. Whats it read? you know how much oil is in the motor at this point so wherever it is on your dipstick should be the correct level right? Mine always seems to be about halfway up the dipstick doing this, so if I check it a couple weeks later and its halfway up the dipstick I assume I'm about right on.

This last oil change I switched to Belray Thumper oil, a semi synthetic. I'll report back with my long term feelings on it. Right aways the bike seemed a littel quieter, but who knows.

[winterhk]

Rokklym - that oil is awesome BTW - I run it too.

Shair_Khan - This is one of the great mysteries of the ridiculously simple XRL. It is very easy to misread the oil level and freak out. To use a quart in 300 miles, I think it would have to be smoking and leaking. If it isn't smoking or leaking, don't worry about it. I just change my oil every 500-1000 miles and that's it. If less than 2 qts comes out, then keep an eye on it. If it's really dirty, change it more often and check your airt filter seal. If there is metal flake in it - get it checked out.

I always like to give this bike the benefit of the doubt. That is one of the things I love most about it. After a half-dozen Land Rovers, I was a nervous wreck about cars and bikes. I would carry tools everywhere and constantly be worried about some noise or symptom. Then I bought a Nissan and it has taught me to chill out again. 75,000 trouble-free miles.

As for bikes, I bought the XRL - same thing. This thing is tough! 10,000 trouble-free miles amd it's smoother and faster than new. It ruined my relationship with my ZX9R because the Kwak had so many miles on it, there was a new symptom every time I rode it! So, I sold it...

For me, motorcycling is supposed to be fun and worrying too much isn't fun. Unfortunately, the unreliable oil checking procedure on the XRL is a source of anxiety. Just remeber how tough this bike is and the odds of having engine trouble are small. Just make sure you change the oil often, treat her well, and she'll reciprocate...

The only logical next step seems to be to change the oil and measure it. It doesn't have to be exact. My guess is you'll drain more than 2 qts. Maybe even close to three. Remember, it takes a full tear down to drain ALL the oil.

[winterhk]

I just remembered a friend here in AZ who bought a new DRZ-SM and brought it to the shop to have the oil changed per the manual. What do you know - the oil was really, really low!

The shop immediately called him and he called me for a ride over there. They were starting to recommend tearing the engine down to find the source of this horrendous problem. When we got there, we told them to just fill it back up and we'd watch it over the next few days of riding (not too scary since it was still under warranty).

Of course, he puts in half a quart and it spills out all over the place. The dumb-ass never drained the downtube of the frame . One would think a factory-authorized Suz tech would have known to do so, but

[rokklym]

These XRL's are tough. You have to be on top of maintenance but like winterhk said, you just gotta chill out a bit and let it do its own thing.
I dropped mine last year and cracked the engine case cover.
Here I am after Freeflow pointed out my leak:


I rode it several hundred miles with less than a quart of oil in it and it really didn't hurt much, just the valve seals.

The best thing you can do is to give your bike a good mud bath every once in a while so you can spot those oil leaks better.

This was last weekend:


It wouldn't run right away due to either all the water around the plug or all the mud in the battery box. Kinda sucked cuz I was 80 miles from home but in true Honda fashion, I got it running and all was good. I wasn't going to let those things creep into my head about not making it home.

[onaXR]

[Shair_Khan]

Originally Posted by winterhk

I just remembered a friend here in AZ who bought a new DRZ-SM and brought it to the shop to have the oil changed per the manual. What do you know - the oil was really, really low!

The shop immediately called him and he called me for a ride over there. They were starting to recommend tearing the engine down to find the source of this horrendous problem. When we got there, we told them to just fill it back up and we'd watch it over the next few days of riding (not too scary since it was still under warranty).

Of course, he puts in half a quart and it spills out all over the place. The dumb-ass never drained the downtube of the frame . One would think a factory-authorized Suz tech would have known to do so, but

You will be surprized how little some dealers know about the product they sell / service. I and some of the people I know have had several bad experiences with car & Motorcycle dealers who were simply incompetant, and all they cared was how can they get your money!

--
Shair