First oil change...love those screens

[corners]

I keep waking the horse up to beat it some more.

There is design, and there's execution. If you haven't read or gathered that these bikes are assembled somewhat more casually than those assembled in say Austria, Munich, or Hamamatsu, you're not operating with the same context as the rest of us. If you've not read of engine and transmission issues on other 390 forums, then you should. I suspect that when you refer to the 20 mile and 1200 mile guys, you're not specifically referring to RC390 owners.

Your assumption of "cleaned and run" is not one that is necessarily correct, at least not to the extent you're willing to believe. Were that true, I see no way that these engines would produce the amount of crap at the first (sub 300 mile) oil change. I say that with absolute conviction, based on breaking in Japanese, German, Italian, and British motorcycle engines from brand new. I have never seen that much crap in the oil. It might take a large defect or mistake to break an engine, but it takes a lot less to shorten it's life or reduce it's performance. You can't honestly think that having metal shavings, flakes, gasket material and other spooge circulating in a new engine is somehow good for it, OR part of the manufacturer's plan.

As to 600 miles being a "calculated" or "best" anything, I suspect that's one of those "it's the way we've always done it" numbers. Contrast that to today's Porsches. First service: 10K miles. The precision of manufacturing (in the Porsche) is an order of magnitude greater than these engines. That is a calculated interval.

Obviously YMMV. I have no expert training, but I do have a lot of motorcycle experience, and I'm at least as well read on the subject as the next guy. I am of the considered opinion that my engine will run and last better having changed the oil earlier rather than later.

Since beating dead horses is so much fun...

Both the 20 and 1200 mile bikes are RC 390s.

Would differences be found if the engines were torn down and examined in greater detail... perhaps, but until a report of a ruined engine appears its probably not worth the trouble.

The screens and magnet are great at collecting junk and perhaps if more bikes had them more material would be noticed on other bikes as well.

The amount of material on the screens must be acceptable to engineering as a cost trade off in the manufacturing process, otherwise one would think the engines wouldn't be released to the public.

 

[AirRsq]

Since beating dead horses is so much fun...

Both the 20 and 1200 mile bikes are RC 390s.

Would differences be found if the engines were torn down and examined in greater detail... perhaps, but until a report of a ruined engine appears its probably not worth the trouble.

The screens and magnet are great at collecting junk and perhaps if more bikes had them more material would be noticed on other bikes as well.

The amount of material on the screens must be acceptable to engineering as a cost trade off in the manufacturing process, otherwise one would think the engines wouldn't be released to the public.

Change yours at 600, i'll change mine before 100; we'll both sleep just fine. After seeing what was on my screens at 100, I'm certainly glad I followed my usual convention of flushing manufacturing slag out of the engine earlier rather than later. Question: do you follow, to the letter-of-the-law, every single recommended maintenance action by the manufacturer; or do you augment these 'recommendations' with extensive personal experience in the subject matter? Confession: I also don't always use the 'recommended' tire pressure, and despite most manufacturers recommendations, I rarely keep both tires on the ground at the same time...hoping these irresponsible actions don't void my warranty

 

[psych0hans]

Unfortunately I picked up my bike used and the idiot boy I bought it from was too cheap/thick/stupid to bother with even the first recommended service till about 1,000miles of use. That was the first thing I got done once I bought the bike. Dad got the service done, so I wasn't around to see what junk came out, will do my second oil change at 3,000 miles and see how it pans out.

 

[corners]

Unfortunately I picked up my bike used and the idiot boy I bought it from was too cheap/thick/stupid to bother with even the first recommended service till about 1,000miles of use. That was the first thing I got done once I bought the bike. Dad got the service done, so I wasn't around to see what junk came out, will do my second oil change at 3,000 miles and see how it pans out.

If the bike runs fine then why berate the person you bought it from or why even buy such a bike to begin with if it's such a "bad" thing to have changed the oil @ 1000 miles?

The difference in engine life / power / performance will be negligible if any at all.

Sure, it's better to change the oil early but not everyone cares/knows/has the time/money/knowledge/skill/tools/personality/etc....

A better question is how were the valve clearances? Unless the oil was too low/high, they would have a much greater effect on the engines performance at that point in time.

 

[psych0hans]

If the bike runs fine then why berate the person you bought it from or why even buy such a bike to begin with if it's such a "bad" thing to have changed the oil @ 1000 miles?

The difference in engine life / power / performance will be negligible if any at all.

Sure, it's better to change the oil early but not everyone cares/knows/has the time/money/knowledge/skill/tools/personality/etc....

A better question is how were the valve clearances? Unless the oil was too low/high, they would have a much greater effect on the engines performance at that point in time.

Honestly, he was supposed to do the first service as a part of our deal, but he didn't. Also I was too eager to buy the bike and this was the best available deal with the lowest miles. So I'm just venting, pretty much, and yeah, it runs ok... And I'm berating him because he bought the bike having no knowledge of the costs of ownership, riding dynamics attached to owning such a bike and then cheaped out...

 

[AirRsq]

Made a marathon day out of Columbus Day - rode 350 miles of VA/NC back roads to reach my 600mi service interval. Amazing weather, great roads, all on an sexy Austrian (errr, Indian...?) Supermodel. I pretend she's Austrian. Surprisingly, this track star was very enjoyable and comfortable enough for an all-day marathon ride. I was expecting to be limping to work on Tuesday. I did throw my Alaska Leather sheep skin cover on the seat for good measure, though.

Valve check: I was one of the lucky ones. All were in spec. The left exhaust was borderline...the 0.13mm feeler had a bit more 'drag' than I would have liked but I was comfortable as it was. It still went in without force < that not what 'she' said either. The rubber bib was round filed immediately...along with some of my finger skin. The tank had an arachnid attached to the bottom and although I tried, I realized my wiener is not the capable third hand that I needed at that moment. The fasteners and holes they go into are garbage and not even close to 'Austrian' KTM standards. I cussed a lot, cried a little, and drank more than I do during a game of golf. The oil screens were almost perfectly clean (a far cry from my 100 mile oil flush). My hands are too big and my patience is too small to wrench inside the frame rails on this hot rod. Lastly, I replaced the air filter with a K&N. I left the cover alone until I can pair it with a tune and/or exhaust to balance the inputs/outputs of air and go-juice.

 

[rick]

Just did my break-in service this weekend.
The owners manual read 1.6L of oil but, I needed ~1.8L too. Although, that matches Corner's post about 1.8L with filter. There was a disturbing amount of junk in there but, I'm working under the assumption that the screens/filter did their job so, all is well.

I had two cross-threaded body work bolts. Chased 'em and all seems well. That body was more of a chore to remove than I expected. Multiple different fasteners to keep sorted out, etc. Maybe it's just the California model but the canister and what not not hanging off the left panel seemed like too much work to remove. I hung the panel off the handlebar and out of the way with an old shoelace. It almost makes me wanna plug it up and remove the vapor recovery system.

 

[HFD1 Tuner]

KTM RC 390 cup bike brand new out of the crate engine was started ran at dealer long enough to say it starts less than 1 minute. Back at shop drained oil after 2 brief warm up cycles. Drain oil and screens had the same junk everyone is seeing. Installed Dino oil in it and straight to the dyno ran it in with increasing rpms wot with coasting down no eddy loading for 20 mins after it was at operating temp. Then drained oil found very few RTV boogers. the reason the Jap bikes and others with out washable screens is the oil pick up is were all the same junk gets trapped you just never see it. Every race bike I prep gets the same treatment on the dyno and after that the oil pan gets pulled and oil pump pick up screen gets cleaned or replaced. Like the KTM they let you do this with out pulling the motor Many engines I tear down the pick up screens have rtv stuff clogging up a good part of the screens the oil pump makes a good vacuum cleaner.

 

[OldVet]

I have owned three KTM's prior to my RC390 a 07 450 EXC, a 2013 200 XC-W and my current dirt bike a 2015 350 EXC-F. All had/have the screens and none of them had the junk in them the 390 did.