I'm picking up my fist dirt bike this week a 2003 Yamaha TTR125L and I was wondering if someone could point me in the right direction as far as oils and lubricants as well as general maintenance. I just need to know what kind of products to pick up from the store to keep the bike running on the trails and looking clean, thanks!
Oils and Lubricants?
- Thread starter FireRescue6
- Start date
For that bike, Rotella T 15w40 is all it will ever need for the engine.
Lucas has a product called slick mist that does a great job for making the bike shinny.
For a chain lube I like Kal Gard's chain kote but it's not a common brand, Yamalube's off road chain lube is real similar though.
On the air filter oil I would use all but PJ1, have not had good luck with it, it seems to thin and not nearly tacky enough IMO
Lucas has a product called slick mist that does a great job for making the bike shinny.
For a chain lube I like Kal Gard's chain kote but it's not a common brand, Yamalube's off road chain lube is real similar though.
On the air filter oil I would use all but PJ1, have not had good luck with it, it seems to thin and not nearly tacky enough IMO
You have a little bit of a balancing act when it comes to oil for your little 4 stroke. One is that the oil ends up working pretty hard. Heat on a small aircooled egine like yours in the head can be very high. It also has to work well with your clutch. I like higher viscosity oils and the Rotella above fits the bill there. If you can't find it by brand, any of the diesel rated oils, particularly the 15-40 will fit the bill. The NAPA branded oil is actually valvoline in disguise. Valvoline is what comes in the cummins bottles too. I get it at NAPA for 9.99 a gallon. Chevron Dello is a good oil as well. They are all equal in a big truck diesel or your bike. You can get them in synthetic as well, but I don't see a real benefit. Just avoid the automotive oils, because the EC rated ones have some additives that some bike clutches don't like. So far the diesel grade oils don't have enough of that to affect our clutches.
I like the yamaha branded chain lube on my oring chains, but on my non orings I use a cleaner/lubing rig that myasson made me 20 years ago that I just use the oil I drain from the crankcases in. Doing it the way I do has produced longer run intervals than using spray lubes did, it just takes a bit longer after a ride. Ir is a little messier too.
If you don't already have a penetrating oil you prefer you may want to try some PB Blaster. Some of us use contact cleaner for lots of things other than cleaning contact points too. If you like to brush stuff on to clean hard to reach and clean areas look into some of the diesel fuel additves like PowerServices. It works out to be pretty inexpensive if you look around, cleans good and cleans up easy. Fantastic for cleaning and keeping firearms lubed as well.
I like the yamaha branded chain lube on my oring chains, but on my non orings I use a cleaner/lubing rig that myasson made me 20 years ago that I just use the oil I drain from the crankcases in. Doing it the way I do has produced longer run intervals than using spray lubes did, it just takes a bit longer after a ride. Ir is a little messier too.
If you don't already have a penetrating oil you prefer you may want to try some PB Blaster. Some of us use contact cleaner for lots of things other than cleaning contact points too. If you like to brush stuff on to clean hard to reach and clean areas look into some of the diesel fuel additves like PowerServices. It works out to be pretty inexpensive if you look around, cleans good and cleans up easy. Fantastic for cleaning and keeping firearms lubed as well.
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