I know this has probably come up time and again, but please humor me by reading this and then offering your best suggestions.
Coming from larger bikes, this is my first mini (Monkey) and I bought her brand spanking new with 0 Mi showing on the odo (though I know they probably put a 1/2 mile at the factory). I KNOW - like with any new bike - you're supposed to "baby" the engine a bit when new, but on this little bike it's difficult NOT to rev it. Worst of all, since it has no tach, so there's no way of keeping it below "such and such" RPM. I'm trying my darndest not to get overzealous, but I find myself switching gears when the engine is in the "sweet spot", which I'm guessing is somewhere in the middle to upper RPM range if I'm starting on an incline. I'm also finding that I peg the throttle quite a lot, especially to maintain speed on hills. I've got about 75 miles on the ODO now and have been bombing up the back roads of Kansas City, trying - and failing - to reign in over-enthusiastic revving. I'm not redlining it, but I'm certainly not granny shifting.
I've heard these little motors are pretty bulletproof, but am I risking damage? Should I just putter around my neighborhood for the first 600-1000 miles (so after the first oil change) before I sojourn all over the city again? It's so hard NOT to ride this thing enthusiastically.
Also - the clutch release point is near the top of lever stroke. Is that normal? I'm used to it being in the middle. I've stalled enough times than I'm sure people are thinking I'm a first timer (which I dont mind, really). Are there any adjustments anyone can suggest so I can maybe have it dialed more towards the middle? Also... there's very little in the way of feel. I just feed more throttle as I'm releasing the clutch until I start moving. Muscle memory kicks in after a few minutes of riding so it's, again, no big deal, but I'm hoping I didn't get a lemon.
Thanks in advance!
- E Razote
Coming from larger bikes, this is my first mini (Monkey) and I bought her brand spanking new with 0 Mi showing on the odo (though I know they probably put a 1/2 mile at the factory). I KNOW - like with any new bike - you're supposed to "baby" the engine a bit when new, but on this little bike it's difficult NOT to rev it. Worst of all, since it has no tach, so there's no way of keeping it below "such and such" RPM. I'm trying my darndest not to get overzealous, but I find myself switching gears when the engine is in the "sweet spot", which I'm guessing is somewhere in the middle to upper RPM range if I'm starting on an incline. I'm also finding that I peg the throttle quite a lot, especially to maintain speed on hills. I've got about 75 miles on the ODO now and have been bombing up the back roads of Kansas City, trying - and failing - to reign in over-enthusiastic revving. I'm not redlining it, but I'm certainly not granny shifting.
I've heard these little motors are pretty bulletproof, but am I risking damage? Should I just putter around my neighborhood for the first 600-1000 miles (so after the first oil change) before I sojourn all over the city again? It's so hard NOT to ride this thing enthusiastically.
Also - the clutch release point is near the top of lever stroke. Is that normal? I'm used to it being in the middle. I've stalled enough times than I'm sure people are thinking I'm a first timer (which I dont mind, really). Are there any adjustments anyone can suggest so I can maybe have it dialed more towards the middle? Also... there's very little in the way of feel. I just feed more throttle as I'm releasing the clutch until I start moving. Muscle memory kicks in after a few minutes of riding so it's, again, no big deal, but I'm hoping I didn't get a lemon.
Thanks in advance!
- E Razote