The official XT225 thread!

[Fire Escape]

Originally Posted by KamperBob

I'm preparing a TLC parts order for my 06XT225. Going on 24k miles and a lot of rain exposure the OEM chain got kinky and started chewing sprocket teeth. The price difference between O-ring and standard is many fold. Enough to consider new strategy. Forget O-ring. Buy two standard chains. Leave the spare soaking in 30W. Swap chains with every oil change. Thoughts?

I'm sticking with stock gearing, and chaparralmotorsports.com seems to have the best price on sprockets:

The part number for the sprockets are: JT1263-15 for the front price: $7.99. The part number for the rear is JT1842-45 price: $18.99 The shipping under $100 is $7.99 to get to Michigan

Bob

Being well old enough to remember when all chains were 'non O-ring'.... I never want to go back to that! An O-ring chain comes lubricated for life, all the oil/grease it needs is already inside there, you just have to clean the grit and junk off the outside and keep it from rusting so that the O-rings can do their job. You will find almost as many opinions as to what to use to clean/lube chains as there are riders.... and they are all right! That's because it doesn't matter all that much what you put on the outside (or how often) as long as the O-rings remain intact. Once you go to a non O-ring chain, it will become much more critical that you stay on top of chain maintenance. Do you really want to have to lube it every couple hundred miles and EVERY time it rains? O-ring chains do use up a fraction of a horsepower in extra friction, racers frequently don't use them, but they also don't run all that many miles at a time and the top level riders will start each day with a fresh (as in NEW not just cleaned and lubed) chain. O-ring chains are a little wider than non O-ring chains, some antiques don't really have the clearances to fit them. For everyone else, O-rings just make sense. Think about our XT 225s, Yamaha installed many of the cheapest components they could find (especially the tires) but even they figured out that O-ring chains were worth the cost. You can of course run any type of chain you wish on your bike but I bet you can't get more than 8,000 or 9,000 miles from a non O-ring chain on it and you will put in a lot more time and lube to get close to that than you did for the original.



Bruce

[TTRPaul]

I have used both types of chains. ORing chains are not suppose to need lubed. If you feel you must lube your chain get a non oring. Just my 2 cents.

[GI_JO_NATHAN]

Originally Posted by TTRPaul

I have used both types of chains. ORing chains are not suppose to need lubed. If you feel you must lube your chain get a non oring. Just my 2 cents.

Really? I didn't know that.

[243Win]

Originally Posted by Wilder

So the XT I'm riding is almost completely stock and its never given me a bit of problems until two weeks ago. Since then I've gotten stranded twice. Luckily one was at work so no biggie but the other (first time) I was in the woods and was missing a couple tools needed to get to the jets (I had a pretty good idea what was wrong with it)

Anyways, I'm gonna be out in the garage cleaning the carb now.

I guess I'll order a fuel filter but just wondering why this happens? is it because of the metal tanks are prone to rusting? Only other bike I've had that did this was a Gas Gas 300 trials bike and i think it had a metal tank as well..

Mine did that to me the other day as well. Surprising amount of grit in the bowel. I'm installing fuel filters on all bikes now to prevent it going forward. I just put a new clarke tank on it and on the first fill I could see dirt swimming around in the tank from the pump. Same deal on a DR with a brand new (and properly cleaned before installation) IMS clear tank. Filled up at a different gas station and looky all the grit settling to the bottom of the tank.

[texasadv]

Ok - heading to the mountains soon and wanted to confirm jetting specs:

For riding up to 13K ft. -
115 Main jet
35 pilot
Snorkel pulled out

Does this sound right? It's the best Ive gathered from searching this site and others. I don't want to drill holes in the airbox etc. My bike is completely stock; which is the way I like it. Any other recommendations?

I saw this as well, but there's no mention of changing the pilot jet:
http://www.formtechservices.com/dirt...com/Rejet.html

Thanks!

[Speedo66]

Originally Posted by 243Win

Mine did that to me the other day as well. Surprising amount of grit in the bowel.

Guess you're an ass man.

[Tom S]

Originally Posted by 243Win

Surprising amount of grit in the bowel.

Well, nuts!

[Tom S]

Originally Posted by GI_JO_NATHAN

I've been running Dupont Teflon Multi-purpose Dry Wax lubricant in a spray can forever ...

Likewise. Good stuff!

[Crazy Canadian]

Originally Posted by 243Win

Mine did that to me the other day as well. Surprising amount of grit in the bowel.

Now that's what I call recycling... TP becomes sandpaper!

[TTRPaul]

@GI_Joe Instead of trying to get an on line arguement started begin a discussion on the best oil for a motorcycle. You'll get alot more responses.

[TTRPaul]

Or ask what is the best dual sport tire for motorcycle in question.

[OldGypsy]

Hi Bob,

Thinking back to my dirt bikes of the '70s & '80's, I would never go back to non-O or X ring chains. They constantly needed adjustment, lubing, and cleaning. And, they didn't last that long. Comparing that routine with getting 17-20k on either a KLR650 or a 100+ hp FZ1. Can you tell which way I'm leaning?

[KamperBob]

Originally Posted by OldGypsy

Hi Bob,

Thinking back to my dirt bikes of the '70s & '80's, I would never go back to non-O or X ring chains. They constantly needed adjustment, lubing, and cleaning. And, they didn't last that long. Comparing that routine with getting 17-20k on either a KLR650 or a 100+ hp FZ1. Can you tell which way I'm leaning?

Hi Rich! Hard to say on the KLR but on the FZ you're leaning forward. LOL

Thanks for all the feedback. Many good points that I agree with. Here's a bit more context.

One third of the miles (~8k) on the stock chain were put on this past year. I rarely adjusted the chain in four seasons prior. I commuted rain or shine and kept it garaged at home and work. What's different now with full time RVing is the bike is in the elements almost always. Carrying it across the front of my truck soaks the bike good driving rain. I bet that's when rust snuck into chain links. Once it started kinking I could hear sprocket teeth being gnawed. I have to lube the chain often to slow down rust. Even a glorious O ring chain, so it's value is limited. (O rings may work against spray lube getting where it's needed.) If I have to replace one or two chains a season, I'd rather sacrifice standard not premium ones. If replaced when kinking first started and before stretching follows, hopefully that'd spare the sprocket teeth from abuse. Alternating two chains dovetails that thinking. Any flaw in the logic?

[GlennR]

Bob,
You might as well go ahead and try it. It won't cost much to try, and maybe you will like it. If you don't like it the experiment was cheap, and you gained the knowledge. Otherwise you'll keep on wondering....


Now, if you really want to do an experiment....
Get an O-ring "and" a regular chain, and make a 50/50 hybrid chain made of 1/2 a length of each. Then you can test both of them at the same time, and under the exact same conditions.

That's what ol' Ben Franklin would'a done, if he was a biker.

[KamperBob]

Originally Posted by GlennR

Bob,
You might as well go ahead and try it. It won't cost much to try, and maybe you will like it. If you don't like it the experiment was cheap, and you gained the knowledge. Otherwise you'll keep on wondering....


Now, if you really want to do an experiment....
Get an O-ring "and" a regular chain, and make a 50/50 hybrid chain made of 1/2 a length of each. Then you can test both of them at the same time, and under the exact same conditions.

That's what ol' Ben Franklin would'a done, if he was a biker.

Glenn, high marks for creativity. I doubt a hybrid chain would've ever occurred to me.

Ole BF was a frugalitarian. Surely he would've appreciated the XT225.