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Going to the XR from the RT

satxbiker

New member
I wanted a lighter bike and I also love an inline 4. So I am getting a 2019 with the HP colors and lowered suspension. That being said I am looking for some advice on a couple of things.

1. It has been quite a while since I have had a bike with a chain drive. How often do you guys clean the chain (how many miles). I know riding in wet conditions makes you need to clean it sooner.
2. What do you use to clean the chain. Back in 2007 I used kerosene. Is there something else I should be using.
3. What is your lube of preference?

I plan on adding some bags (probably the Givi medium aluminum bags, I am tired of side loading cases where stuff tends to fall out), sw-motech engine guards and foot stand enlarger. I want to ride it a while before I decide i need a different windshield, footpeg lowering kit or seat. I will most likely get a new standard seat from Sargent (had one on my RT) because the combo of lowered suspension and standard seat still had me flat footed but with less knee bend and I am getting the low seat with the bike.

Any feedback is appreciated. I am excited and can't wait for it to get in within a couple of weeks.
 
I use WD40 to clean the chain. If I am in the desert here where we live in the Big Bend (come see us) that is it. Keep it clean. Don't attract sand or dust. If I am riding in the Pacific North West or even the hill country where dust and sand are not an issue I add some generic brand chain lube. BMW (for our G310s) said every third gas stop would be OK. That equates to about 500 miles. So think in terms of 500 miles or so for a chain cleaning and lube. In the hill country I would clean with WD40 and lube with a chain lube from Auto Zone or O'reilley's Then plan on a new chain every 20K to 24K. And above all else, do not stress about it.
 
cleaning chain

I'm using the BMW brand chain cleaner and chain lube. I've read you should clean and lubricate the chain every 500 miles, and I am doing that. You might want to buy a 'Grunge Brush' to help scrub the chain.
 
I found that using Kerosene to clean the chain works great, and, since I am mostly in a dry climate, use the Dupont Chain wax.
 
Bags, Lube, etc.

Howdy Sat,

Kerosene is still a great cleaner. I just keep an eye on it as far as cleaning interval, as conditions can change the attention needed. I use AMSOIL chain lube. Goes on easy, lasts a long time, good protection.

I use soft saddlebags (Adventure-Spec Magadan Panniers), and I think that you'll find that you need to replace the stock racks with something else that gives you more tire/wheel clearance, as the stock racks sit way too far in. Plus, SW Motech makes some that are quick release, so they come off with a 1/4 turn of the fasteners. Really cleans up the look if you don't need bags right then! Same goes if you want other than stock hard cases: You'll very likely have to replace the racks.

Heated Corbin seat for me and the missus, but it took a full 5000 miles to break in. Most people don't seem to like the shape for the XR, but it works fine for me. Tallest windshield for me, as I'm 6-1, and can flat-foot the stock XR. Oh, mirror extenders are nice so you don't fill half of your mirrors with your shoulders. And finally, one of the first things I did was add radiator and oil cooler guards. They're like big catcher's mitts, and very spendy to replace. I wanted some highway pegs, so added the engine protection bars for an easy mounting location.

Really the only thing you should look into pretty soon is the rad/oil cooler protection. Not expensive, and it takes an hour to add them yourself.

You're going to love it. Oh yeah.
 
I know guys that swear the only O-ring chain maintenance they do is to spray it down with WD40 once in a while and wipe off the excess with a rag. They claim some real miles for chain life.
 
I wanted a lighter bike and I also love an inline 4. So I am getting a 2019 with the HP colors and lowered suspension. That being said I am looking for some advice on a couple of things.

1. It has been quite a while since I have had a bike with a chain drive. How often do you guys clean the chain (how many miles). I know riding in wet conditions makes you need to clean it sooner.
2. What do you use to clean the chain. Back in 2007 I used kerosene. Is there something else I should be using.
3. What is your lube of preference?

I plan on adding some bags (probably the Givi medium aluminum bags, I am tired of side loading cases where stuff tends to fall out), sw-motech engine guards and foot stand enlarger. I want to ride it a while before I decide i need a different windshield, footpeg lowering kit or seat. I will most likely get a new standard seat from Sargent (had one on my RT) because the combo of lowered suspension and standard seat still had me flat footed but with less knee bend and I am getting the low seat with the bike.

Any feedback is appreciated. I am excited and can't wait for it to get in within a couple of weeks.
If you decide you want to add sargent seat, let me know. I have a brand new one, regular height available.

Sent from my BBF100-2 using Tapatalk
 
I never bother to actually clean my chains, I just keep adding lube quasi regularly as needed. Never had an issue on my KTM's.

As for bags I would check out Mosko Moto. There gear is absolutely top quality and their customer service is excellent plus super nice people. They sell direct to try to keep the cost down. The two guys who started the company led out with a thread on ADVrider and use that to get ideas and feed back in designing products etc. I'm waiting for th R80 v3 throw over bags to come out to run on my 640 & 525. Arguably the best bags you can buy.
https://moskomoto.com
 
Agree with the radiator and oil cooler guard. Just be careful removing the middle fasteners for the lower fairing. It is easy but should be done correctly. Just google it.

Will be attaching SW Motech engine guards when I receive mine.
 
Very interesting video about those cleaners. I guess Ipone is the one to get if your chain has o-rings in it...

I'm betting it's pretty hard to find a motorcycle chain for non-competition uses that doesn't have an O,X,etc. these days as that seems to be the dominating technology.
 
I was in the market for an RT after doing extensive research and ready to buy especially after reading all the accolades about the new 1250 engine and such but as fate had it they also had a low suspension XR at the dealer and they offered me to try both (I'm 5'9" so that always deterred me from the GS or XR before since the standard of these are too tall for me). Well I had previously tested the R1200GS and was excited to see the difference of the R1250RT but was somewhat disappointed since I could really not tell the difference. Halfway through my ride my salesperson(who was riding the XR) switched with me and OMG that was it. The difference in ride and acceleration, excitement, maneuverability, even the sound ... was just so much better and that sold me. Most non-S1000 owners who own the boxer engines will tout that the S1000's are too powerful and will get you in trouble but I chose to let that be my decision not a governor on the bike or a limitation of a weaker engine. We wouldn't want our cars to be limited to 70mph to keep us from getting a ticket would we? Anyway the fun is getting from 0-60 fast which should not be a problem with the law. Anyway you can always put your bike in "Rain" mode if you wish to simulate the R engine.

As for the chain maintenance, the bike comes with a center stand and spraying 10 seconds every 500 miles is all I do with a once a year kerosene brush cleaning while I change the oil is all the maintenance I do. You should get 25,000 miles or more on the chain which can cost you a $200 or so I would guess. I change my own chain which costs under $100. Some may say to change the sprockets too but I didn't and my Kawasaki is over 35k with old sprockets that still look good (no visible shark teeth on the sprockets).

Good luck with your S1000XR!
 
I think the XR is one of the most interesting new bikes to have come along in decades. There's quite a good write up on it by Mike Green in this month's MOA News.

IIRC correctly, there are several seat height options, so you must have lucked on the one that works for you.
 
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I had a 2018 RT, and 2019 XR in the garage together for a year.

Sold my RT last week.

VERY surprised to not see any reference in this thread to Dupont Chain Saver - Teflon based chain lube... you couldn't pay me to not use it.
 
Obviously the RT and XR are very different bikes, built for very different purposes.

For my purposes, I use my XR for 1-up/solo out of town riding with my buddies (think cherohala skyway. Blue Ridge parkway, foothills parkway). My recently acquired used RT is for touring/sport-touring with my wife - it's just perfect for that. Enough power to not be boring and great handling for a larger bike and all the creature comforts imaginable.

Now for you guys that love the XR, and I agree it is a great bike, you should really try an older (2014-2017) yamaha FZ/MT-09. It really is a junior XR in my opinion. I use my 2015 09 for around town riding. No bike I have ever ridden puts a bigger smile on my face every time I throw a leg over. No way it keeps up with the XR on open roads (or maybe anywhere), but damn is it fun. At 414 lbs and lots of hp and torque and ZERO electronic gizmos (mine is before abs/TC/etc) it is an absolute hoot. And don't bring cost into the consideration...you could buy a small fleet of 09s for the price of an XR and a real fleet of them for the price of an RT.

This is to say, that I really don't think there is a perfect bike out there. However I do think there are perfect bikes for certain uses/needs....In the end, they are all fun and whatever floats your boat on a given day is the one to go with. Just keep getting out there as we riders are a dying breed....
 
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