rebuild intervals

[chump6784]

Hey guys just wondering at what intervals you do the top end rebuilds on your bikes. Different people I talk to and different internet sites say different things so I was interested to find out what people here are doing. I did a search but didn't come up with anything even tho I am sure this would have been asked before. Also things like oil changes and stuff. Basically your maintenece schedule

So what kind of bikes have you got and what type of riding do you do and how hard

[TMKIWI]

I do a top end every 50-60Hrs.
The last one was not really needed but I would rather put a new piston in then have something worse happen.
My bike runs a single ring as well so I am aways pulling the pipe off to check it.
My bike runs at 40:1 Avgas & Total 2T Synthetic. Piston runs clean.
I change the gearbox oil every 20 hours with Bel-Ray Gear Saver.
I don't see the point doing gear oil more often in my bike as being a 300 I am not on the clutch as much as a smaller bike.
I mostly trail ride but the bike gets revved to the moon when I am in the mood.
I like pissing off 450 riders that think it is easy to pass a 2 stroke.
07 TM300. Brrrp Brrrp

[chump6784]

how do you tell if the rings are worn when you pull the pipe off. i didnt think you would be able to see any difference looking from that angle.

i have pretty much got the idea that 50 hours on a piston and 25 hours on a ring for the 250, probably the same for my missus 125 as she doesnt ride hard at all. i have to keep telling her to rev it so it doesnt foul up

[George]

Gear box oil really often, every 3 race meetings usually, the handbook says 5 hours on rings and 10 on a piston, but I change the piston half way through the season and at the start of the season, and change rings once inbetween doing that. Not sure on hours. The bike is a 2011 rm250 and I race A class mx, and do the odd enduro for fitness

[MyckMcClung]

2007 KX250
60 hours on piston, 30 on rings, 32:1 Lucas semi synth. & 93 pump
Case oil : I keep an eye on the window, when it starts to look a little dark I change it, usually 20 hours, unless I get into wet conditions, them it gets changed immediately. Lucas 10/40
 I ride South Eastern woods, Harescrambles, Enduros.

[ACMX]

Yz125. Piston and rings every 35 hours. Fresh air filter every ride. Oil every 2-3 rides.. Depending on how long the rides were.

[TMKIWI]

how do you tell if the rings are worn when you pull the pipe off. i didnt think you would be able to see any difference looking from that angle.

The TM ring has a reputation for wearing because of the large exhaust port.
When the ring wears I can see it next to the centre exhaust bridge.
I have a good eye for tolerance's and by rocking the piston back & forth I can see how much movement the ring has in the piston.
It's also a good way of keeping an eye on the piston skirt.

[ford832]

I change them whenever I figure they need it-this typically works out to long before I need to-when I notice the power drop slightly or easier to kick over by a little bit.You sort of have to know your bike as this happens so gradually it's hard to tell sometimes.I do a ring change first and the next time piston and rings both.I change the gear oil every ride if it's hard,wet or long day.Otherwise,every two rides.Amsoil,gear saver or motul in the tranny.I haven't noticed any difference.

[Coop]

I don't keep track of hours. Maybe if I raced I would. I use ford's "play it by ear" technique. But I also do compression checks semi annually and usually ever winter I pull the top ends for inspection, even if they have been rebuilt recently. It's part of my winter maintenance regimen.

Like I said if I raced I would have a different approach. I was hoping to hit some D5 scrambles this year but my back and our finances just won't cooperate  .

[ford832]

It's hard to pick an interval.Same bike,one guy wrings the guts out of it at the track and the other putters in the woods.Or both ride the same place but one lugs it and one revs it.Too many variables to have a hard and fast rule.Like coop said,a compression ck would be your best idea to let you know when it's time-especially if you check your new reading first.

[SachsGS]

I approach maintenance intervals from a perspective similar to Coop and Ford.When you have been around bikes a long time they kind of tell you what they need and when.Subtle changes in jetting and clutch/gearbox performance etc. let me settle in on a maintenance schedule for a particular motorcycle.

[downonmonday]

I shoot for about 40 hours then I put a new top end in. I have an hour keeper on the bike that also has a function that keeps time for my oil changes, so I don't have to guess from the main time displayed. I just replaced the top end of my bike last month and the previous top end only had about 30 hours on it. It didn't need to be changed. I guess I wasted my money and time? lol
I run my CR250 hard at the track
50/50 AVGAS and 93
Maxima 927 32:1 (love the smell)

[metal_miracle]

Did 1 year of riding before i changed piston on my tm 85cc

[dk]

I picked up a used 2006 kx 250 showing 15 on the hour meter.

I just did the top end at 45 hours.  The piston looked great but I could tell that the rings needed to be changed after seeing how snug the new ones fit.  After doing the top end and breaking it in I noticed a big difference in performance. 

I was curious when people start thinking of rebuilding the bottom end?

Maxima MTL 85wt - I change the oil every 3 trips to pala, 1.5hrs a trip puts me at 4.5hrs an oil change. (Air filter every 2 trips)

Maxima Super M - 32:1 - 93pump

*I mostly ride just track days but when I can I like to race the local club stuff that Pala puts on.  I am a competitive Novice rider.

[ACMX]

I don't keep track of hours. Maybe if I raced I would. I use ford's "play it by ear" technique. But I also do compression checks semi annually and usually ever winter I pull the top ends for inspection, even if they have been rebuilt recently. It's part of my winter maintenance regimen.

Like I said if I raced I would have a different approach. I was hoping to hit some D5 scrambles this year but my back and our finances just won't cooperate  .

Yeah I see what you mean by that, but the 'play it by ear' doesn't make sense to me if you mean it literally. Because there are multiple factors that can manipulate the sound. When I start hitting 30+ hr mark I notice a small change in power (Jumps I usually hit in third gear tapped and land smoothly, I now have to give it a bit more throttle) that's about when I decide it's time.