Tires III SilverWing 600

I have now put 300 miles on new IRC front, 100 in town, 200 in mountains yesterday.

Tire makes me feel secure again at parking lot speeds, pointing bike where I want to go.  Fine on highway.

With square wearing HOOP on rear---feeling can get "funny" in some cornering situations-----nothing new here common knowledge rear as they wear "square" have affect on feel on some cornering as tire moves up on edge.  Solution: mount new tire.  

Have fresh IRC rear to mount   Following that may return to Michelin Power Pure SC rear-----reason: based on 4  rears on both SilverWing and Burgman 400---they wear "round"---handling stays same for life of tire  AND they last at least 10,000 miles in my use----and they are much cheaper than Bridgestone or IRC.

Note: SilverWing now enjoyable to ride----bad front made me feel I was starting to lose safe feel for riding----old farts sickness. Not so.

John,
What does it feel like going around curves at slow speed with square rear tires? I have the original IRCs with 8k miles. The wear indicators are not visible yet. Once in awhile the tire seems to slip when accelerating around a curb. Bike is a left over new 2013 Swing purchased December of 2014.

You actually feel the rear start to "climb" on square edge. It can come on and off edge, too, depending on lean and speed. Car tires feel this way, too. In once watched Yamaha Rider to rear car tire unable to turn around smoothly in giant truck stop----lots of feet down/stopping starting.

As older rider,77, I find SilverWing set up right ok/fine to right. Stuff like tires wrong/high load/steering head bearings not right-----stuff like that can turn it into top heavy/overweight pig.

Iam about to fit a new rear tyre, just done the 16000mls service and fitted new belt and Dr pulley sliders. I usually get 8000 mls out of the Bridgestone hoops. I asked about I R C tyres but my tyre place don't fit them .At what mileage do you normally fit new brake pads in the rear brake John? Mine look like I should get another 3-4000ml. Making about 20,000mls in total.

I have 8900 miles on my 2011 Swing. The stock rear looks like it should make it to 11000. Time ( and distance) will tell. It doesn't look square.

Question asked----rear brake pads---mine seem ok---should last at least 40,000 miles. Front based on inspection when I had wheel off should make the 50,000 miles I am planning on keeping this SilverWing.

Still on original plugs/air filter and think they will make the 50,000 mile mark---belts every 16-20,000 miles and tires are what I spend on....and oil, from WalMart housebrand 10-40 every 60 days and oil filter everyother oil change.

Glad to hear that you're going to keep your Silverwing. For a while there I thought you might be leaving us for one of those silly Chinese scooters, or maybe an Enfield.

Tim

There's quite an appeal to the latest Royal Enfields, they're light, mechanically simple, and the quality is much improved. If you just want to meander along at your own pace they're ideal, and they're a popular hire choice for touring in Spain's Picos De Europa mountains.

The addition of a few more accessories for the range would be welcome, apart from that they're a welcome change from wall to wall crotch rockets, adventure bikes, and cruisers

Not leaving---Royal Enfield....had a new one as 1957 Indian Woodsman-----shook itself apart, didn't start well when wet.

New Bikes--Yamaha SR400 fine with me----had newSR500 1978---ok bike.

Want my SilverWing to be around another 20,000 miles-----used value dropping to almost nothing as bigscooter market dead in US!

john grinsel wrote:

Question asked----rear brake pads---mine seem ok---should last at least 40,000 miles.   Front based on inspection when I had wheel off should make the 50,000 miles I am planning on keeping this SilverWing.

Still on original plugs/air filter and think they will make the 50,000 mile mark---belts every 16-20,000 miles and tires are  what I spend on....and oil, from WalMart housebrand 10-40 every 60 days and oil filter everyother oil change.

Thanks, John, for the info on brake pads, and I agree as I use the brakes as gingerly as possible, but never forsaking safety. And, I think I will also get 40K miles out of my pads.

However, I think that plugs and air filter should be changed a bit oftener than 50K miles, maybe at 30K. No? Yes?

And, my very good mechanic (a retired Mercedes tech.) convinced me to use Amsoil full synthetic oil, which I change every 10K miles along with the filter. What's your opinion of synthetic oils & change frequency?

Finally, I always try to change my belt (and rollers) at 16K miles or a bit before. How many miles do you think an OEM belt is really capable of getting without pushing the "breakdown" factor?

Thanks for your help.

Tom

Had plugs out at 36,000 miles---cleaned, gaped, never seize on threads. Air Cleaner should go 50,000 miles---gas mileage still great.

john grinsel wrote:

Had plugs out at 36,000 miles---cleaned, gaped, never seize on threads.  Air Cleaner should go 50,000 miles---gas mileage still great.

So, what about your thoughts on Full Synthetic oil, and Maximum belt life? Or, am I asking too many questions?

For me, I use WalMart 10-40 and have for the past at least 500,000 miles, in my Miatas, two---but believe in frequent changes-----last big trip I went over 4,000 miles on change......and real crap came out in the drain. Been years since I blew up an engine----last BMW R-27, 1961, that was the year they went from straight weight oil to multi grade and piston and cylinder came from different suppliers, I went thru 4 engines in the first 10,000 miles----BMW paid and I think they knew the problem. I was living/riding in Germany.

Change filter every other oil change---Fram from WalMart, when they have them in stock, otherwise Honda filter.

Don't believe in high priced oil-----clean oil is the secret. I have not used 10-30 yet in SilverWings but maybe should----When I lived in Japan,1990, Helix Japan market used 10-30, I think----ran smoother than my kept in US Helix on 10-40 as I recall.


Belt Life----No way to extend it. But I stick to OEM belts. When I first bought rubber band drive scooter in 1990, I knew belt was weakest link and have been very careful about changing belts at recommend time-----but last belt on SilverWing did try 20,000. Was going for 20,000 miles on my last Burgman 400......but rear clutch/pulley gave up at exactly 20,000miles----trashed belt, Suzuki paid for all repairs and new belt-----14,000 miles is Suzuki recommended change time.

I believe 250cc engine should be limit for this type of belt drive. Note: new Vespas have 10,000 mile limit.

Only one broken belt with scooter in near 400,000 rubber band drive scooter miles---Helix in VA, belt at near end of service miles.

While living in Korea---had Daelim 125 scooter----belt life not issue, even for the many scooters in commercial service.

I carry spare belt.

Thanks. This is the information I was looking for.

Re: OIL. I definitely agree with you that clean oil is the "Key" to a long engine life, and before I switched to synthetic I changed oil & filter every 3,000 miles.

However, I now have over 5,000 miles on the last oil change using Amsoil synthetic oil, and the dip-stick show absolutely clean oil. Level is down a very slight amount. As I mentioned earlier, my mechanic swears by Synthetic Oil for reasons I am not expert enough to provide. But , I trust him implicitly. As mentioned before, he is an American who retired from Mercedes (Germany) as a Mercedes Technician in the U.S.

As for expense, the cost of synthetic is about $13.00/quart x 2 = $26.00. However, I can wait to change oil three times longer than before. I change my own oil BTW, as you probably do too. So, laziness at my age is also part of the reason I use synthetic. I'm not on a Soap Box trying to convert anyone, but if everything I've heard about synthetic oil is "True", then it's a win-win for both the scooter and me.

RE: Belts. I am in complete agreement with you. Just thought you might suggest being able to use the belt for another 2K to 4K miles without a problem. I will stick to my rigid schedule of changing belt at 16K miles as recommended. I also carry a spare belt, the Universal Tool to hold Drive Pulley Face, and 17mm socket just in case.

Thank you again for the valuable information.

Tom

I know I know, oil dino vs dino syn vs syn syn, BUT all recommend following MFG change intervals, some which includes me rarely if ever go the full mileage they recommend. Just for giggles I decided to follow the vehicles " magic dash lights " on our CRV, no oil change so far has come earlier than 8,500 miles. I questioned this vs the warranty, quote them " as long as you do that you are covered. Interestingly I see where the oil FILTER is changed every other oil change > John < for one why not just change the filter, get the trapped crap out use a new filter and top up with new oil, then next time change both. Just curious.

Simple on filter----waste of money, as oil with 2,000 mile change interval I have been following for years.....the oil is usually quite clean.

I read somewhere that the only true synthetic oil in the US is Mobil-1. Not sure how old this information is.

oldwingguy wrote:

I know I know, oil dino vs dino syn vs syn syn, BUT all recommend following MFG change intervals, some which includes me rarely if ever go the full mileage they recommend. Just for giggles I decided to follow the vehicles " magic dash lights " on our CRV, no  oil change so far has come earlier than 8,500 miles. I questioned this vs the warranty, quote them " as long as you do that you are covered. Interestingly I see where the oil FILTER is changed every other oil change > John < for one why not just change the filter, get the trapped crap out use a new filter and top up with new oil, then next time change both. Just curious.

You're CURIOUS? I'm CURIOUS to know what you're talking about??? Ya don't make much sense.

So, what are ya trying to say regarding dino vs synthetic oil??? magic dash lights at 8,500 miles??? Changing the filter only???

Tell me (us) what ya really know about engines.

Or anything, for that matter.

Nothing magic, truck at 5,000 miles oil and filter regular dino, usually once a year. I'm going by the computer generated oil change interval on the CRV, Mobil 1 oil and filter 8,500 miles. Two of my mowers I go by engine hours, oil and filter after mowing season is over. Older I-H tractor, oil and filter once a year probably 30 to 40 hrs use yearly. S'Wing once a year oil and filter regardless, Shell oil, T6.
I could get by on the tractor with an every other year oil change as the filter on that one is cartridge type and holds almost two quarts, depends on how much snow we get and how many hours combo with mowing.
No synthetic blends, either regular or full synthetic, the blends aren't worth the extra $$$ mainly because there is no industry standard for percentage of synthetic vs dino used.
I have never had an engine failure from anything let alone oil related so the plan seems to be working. I only asked about just changing oil and not filter vs just changing the filter and topping up with fresh oil. Either way with short intervals one should work as well as the other.