Servicing the TTR250

I would change the oil and filter. The book talks about cleaning it but that
must be for if you're in a jungle or something. Just stick a new one in there.
They're pretty cheap, especially is you buy a pack of four. You'll be doing it
again and I'm guessing you'll get similar deals in Oz as here. (UK) Same goes
for buying a big tub of oil. You'll get through it. I wouldn't spit feathers
about exactly what of oil to put in there but others might disagree. Something
with the JASO motorbike spec and probably a 10/40 depending on your ambient
temperature.

You can clean the air filter and that can make a big difference if it's in need
of doing. You can buy special juice to clean it with or you can soak and scrunch
it in some petrol but don't set yourself on fire. Once it's dry you need to put
some new oil on it. Scrunch it up in a handful of engine oil or you can buy
aerosols for just that. You could also treat it to a new air filter. It won't
need cleaning but it will probably need oiling. They do wear out a bit with all
the washing and scrunching.

Bleed the carb. Just run it through into an aerosol lid so you can see what come
out and if its got any frogspawn in it.

Change the spark plug. That probably won't need doing as often as the oil and
the filters but that's about it for engine servicing until it's time to check
the valve clearances and I've not done that myself yet. I think it's reasonable
to get that done at the shop because if you check them and they're out you don't
know what shims you need until you've got the thing apart and measured the ones
that are in there.

Beyond that, you're probably going to take the tank off to do the plug so have a
little clean and check of the electrical connectors under there. A stitch in
time and all that. Pull them apart and check for the beginnings of corrosion put
back together with a bit of Servisol silicone grease or some of the new fangled
ACF50 spray. (Pricey)

And while you're there you can undo the throttle cables at both ends and get one
of those cable oilers that clamp over the end of the cables and have a hole for
sticking an aerosol straw in and blowing through the cable with some WD40. I
find a little squirt every few minutes while you do something else is the most
effective way of doing it. Once a squirt at one end coincides with squirt at the
other end, you're done. WD40 doesn't last very long in situ so you might drizzle
some engine oil down the end of the cable. Some people think that's a bit anally
retentive. Do the same to the clutch cable.

Brakes aren't any different to any other bike and are very simple. Check/change
pads, bleed system and clean the calipers. I find it can help to push the
pistons back in from time to time after a clean just to check they're still free
enough. Others may disagree. Plenty of people put a smear of copper grease on
the back of brake pads to prevent squeal. I've not had a problem but I still do
it out of habit.

What else needs greasing? Well, lots but I just use bog standard lithium soap
based grease. Brake pivot, stand pivot, lever pivots. Axles should have a smear
of grease over them on reassembly or they might prefer to stay put next time you
want them out. Likewise the spacers and the speedo drive needs to have grease in
there. Folk have had problems with that failing. You could pull the speedo inner
cable out and give it a clean and a smear of grease. Less friction acting on the
drive can only help prevent failure.

Then it's frame stuff and you'll need a lift-up stand. I've got a cheapo one
and it's fine. (Actually, you're going to have bother doing the stand or the
wheel stuff without one of these but when needs must you can just lean it over.)

I'd suggest taking the swinging arm, linkage and shock out and making sure all
the joints are plenty greasy. Again, just lithium grease. I think the Molybdenum
stuff they mention is the black stuff that gets used on CV joints on cars and
such. I have some but it's rarely used. I think there may be more use if you're
rebuilding an engine and it's going to start and run before oil gets fully
around the motor. Am I wrong there? Is this stuff better for infrequent
greasings like the stand pivot?

You could re grease the head bearings as well but sometimes it can be grief
getting them set properly again afterwards. I've not done mine yet but they seem
OK.

Avoiding all these greased bits with the jet washer can be very preventative.

I did change the fork oil. Something I regularly do on bikes I get. An oft
overlooked aspect of preventative maintenance. It's oil and it gets worn out.
New oil makes the bike feel plush again keeps all the fork repair jobs at bay.
I've found that Silkolene Factory Light is as close to the Yamaha 01 fluid, or
whatever it is, that the book says. You don't have to take the forks fully apart
but you will need to take the tops off and you will need to separate the plunger
from the tops to do a proper measured refill and getting the plungers
re-attached to the fork tops can be tricky. I used a bit of gardening wire. Turn
them upside down and drain them. Work the plungers and make sure (nearly) all
the fluid is out and leave them like that for a bit. Fill up as per the book and
refit.

Bolts that come off regularly get a bit of copper grease on the threads from
time to time. Actually most bolts do but some engineers I've spoke to say a bolt
with a torque setting shouldn't be greased but I think if it's going to be
easier to get the thing off later it can't do that much harm.

That's quite long. Sorry if it's all egg sucking lessons to people.

Andy