I bought this bike about a month ago, and it's been really good so far, aside from a clutch cable breaking after a week of owning it, and a headlight bulb burning out last night. A couple days ago I decided it was time to pull the right side case, and check the primary nut, and the cup washers. I couldn't get the primary nut any tighter, and the cup washers look to be fine. The left side bag filter did turn up lots of gasket material, and a few metal bits. My only complaint right now is, the gaskets and O-rings... this bike likes to leak a bit... Bag filter cover, smaller oil drain plug, oil fill port, valve covers... not massive, but just seeping, after a ride you can see a bit of oil. But I'm reluctant to put RTV on all the leaky bits, seems like I'd just make things a lot more difficult in the future. The previous owner said he put Motul oil in it, and I replaced it with the cheapest synthetic I could find, which was AMSoil 20w50, and the clutch no longer pulls me forward while idling and pulling it right to the bar. I had a lot of drag with the previous oil, so much that I had to rock the bike back and forth when it wasn't running to get the clutch plates to "break free". At least now it isn't pulling me forward while waiting for a red light. Hardest part was figuring out why the cover wouldn't go back on, then I realized the oil pump wasn't aligned anymore... oh and the valve are a pain to check, no room to get the covers off without (re)moving a lot of stuff. Two questions, what do your bag filters look like? and how loud is your transmission? Mine clunks pretty good through the gears, and I've only hit false neutral once, when I was going from 5-6 and not really pulling hard on the shifter, it didn't get angry and wack into gear like my DRZ would, just sounded like a normal gear shift. When the DRZ hit false neutral, I thought the transmission was going to explode when I put it into gear again. Attached in the link are some photos. https://www.dropbox.com/sh/n5xzxplyvfidquw/357xcpMKr1
Checking the valves is really not that bad. I've done mine in 45 minutes from running bike back to running bike again. Just pull the seat, tank, rad overflow, and you can get right in there. The angles are a bit awkward, but it's not that bad.
Anyone know if I can use an HF 563 in a 2007 TE610? I went and bought some spares today and even though I had the part number in my wallet, the dealer was quick to tell me 563 was the right filter, the one I have in the bike is a 154.
The transmission on my 07 SM is pretty quiet, aside from some expected high-mileage noise (2nd and 3rd are starting to get a wee bit whiney but not alarmingly so). I've never hit a false neutral, though I often don't tug quite hard enough to make it all the way through neutral from 1st to 2nd. All that said, in my experience with several 610's, it's not a particularly "quiet" engine. Replace the crush gaskets on your drain plugs, consider the drain plug set from Zip-Ty or 7602 Racing. I don't use the gaskets or o-rings on the rocker covers, rocker box, or side covers, I use the high-torque-application flavor of "Right Stuff" brand RTV gasket replacer and I have no leaks. Replace the o-ring on your bag filter cover. I used the aluminum oil filler cap (supplied with a slightly larger cross section o-ring) from UpTite and it doesn't drool like the stocker did. In addition to the magnetic drain plug, I highly recommend a magnet in your oil filter chamber, whether it be one (or more) that you add (I stacked them inside the spring) or a new oil filter cover from Zip-Ty or 7602 that has a magnet attached to it. I got a lot of crud out of the left bag filter the first couple of times that I serviced it as well, most of it was excess thermoplastic resin from the stator/reluctor chamber, I understand that's pretty common as I've read many people asking what it is (myself included). Happy 610-ing! You're gonna love it
I realized after posting, my filter box says 1997-2013 4 Stroke bikes. Next thing I should do, is gut that stock exhaust can and re-jet the carb. I like the look of the stock can, it's too bad it's so plugged up. Why the extra magnets in the filter?
I like to take any/every reasonable opportunity to catch floating metallics...The drain plug magnet is furry every time and can only hold onto so much. I use hose clamps to fasten cow magnets to the outside of spin-on filters. Catch that crap and throw it away with the filter! It might not make any appreciable difference in the long run, but I choose to believe that it does.
Makes sense. Previous owner had disconnected the low fuel sensor... and I reconnected it, lets see if it works now! Did a long highway ride to visit the dealer and get some spares... 180km on the trip meter, tank sounds like it has lots to go still... Maybe I can hypermile to 250km!
I can generally go 150 miles (240km) on my SM, but I'm looking for gas at that point. Farthest I've gone is 162 and I had .2 gallons left in the tank.
Nope, carbureted. That's why it can go farther on a tank. Also why it makes more power, and goes faster.
Interesting. I thought the FI bikes were getting 60+ MPG My Highway run netted about 57mpg... I used 8.3 litres of fuel with 201 km on the trip. Most of that was on the Highway doing 100km/h, and following large trucks. But like I mentioned before, I've put 11 litres in the tank with 185km on the trip... that's a hair under 40mph... Just need to get the engine to stop seeping its blood all over itself! That oil fill plug just sucks, and the valve covers... and... and... it's a greasy Italian bastard! But it's awesome.
Growing up on (and now owning) the working family farm is what makes me a good salesman in this area Perhaps the euro bikes do better. I know that the factory tune for US bikes is for emissions, certainly not for power or economy. I get an average of ten more miles per gallon than the FI SM610's I ride with. They're looking for gas at 120 miles.
Cool, and what is your mileage (around 50??) and jetting again? Is your bike a "Euro"? When I tune my TE for smiles I get 38-40. I leaned it out a bit for around 45mpg.
Yep it gets right around 50 mpg, it doesn't seem to like being "on cruise" as much as it likes when I beat on it like a rented mule. I don't get it, other than it just wants to be in its Happy Place. I don't think it's a euro model, that said, it was Bill's nephew's bike, and when I told Bryon about dramatically out-pulling a couple of FI 610s and not understanding why, Bryon said "Yeah the carbed bikes are faster." Bill won't say anything, but I get the strong feeling from riding with and on other 610s that more was done to my bike than the Leo pipe, desmog and jetting (I haven't ever had the carb apart, so I don't know what the jetting is).
