Had To Get My Bike Towed Last Night...

Last night, I road 30 minutes of stop and go traffic followed by 30 minutes of 60mph riding in 80 degree weather, a few hours later I was riding home about 70 mph for 40 minutes or so.  The temp light flashed on, I slowed down to 55, light immediately went off (my first real highway driving on the bike).  As I went to get off my exit, I pulled in the clutch, geared down, hit the throttle, and NOTHING.  Bike was dead.  As I am going around the blind exit, I pop her into neutral and try to restart.  I hear the starter, but she just isn't starting.  When she stop moving, I push her around the exit and to the side of the road.  Oil is dripping out from behind the rear right plastics underneath the seat.  Unfrotunately I didn't have a tool kit so I couldn't investigate.  Anyway, had to get the bike towed to the shop, we'll see what they say...


Any ideas?  I hope the engine isn't seized...

I ride a 2009 WR250X with FMF Pipe, FMF Programmer, Athena Big Bore, 4.7 gallon tank and all the Zeta caps, hoses, etc.  Was hoping to go on some 1000 mile 3 day rides this summer, but now I'm nervous.

Maybe I shouldn't have sold my V-strom :p

tomandjerry00 wrote:

 Oil is dripping out from being the rear right plastics underneath the seat. 


Athena Big Bore

These two things here....

motokid wrote:

tomandjerry00 wrote:

 Oil is dripping out from being the rear right plastics underneath the seat. 


Athena Big Bore

These two things here....

I know I know, you're scaring me here....

So the shop called and said the bike needs a complete top-end rebuild and quoted me $2300 to do it.  $2300?!?!  Does this seem a little ridiculous to anyone else?!

They quoted 10 hrs in labor at $88 an hour plus parts.

Anyone know if its possible to buy a factory rebuilt or a new motor from Yamaha?

Alternatively, anyone wanna make any offers on a complete bike with 4800 miles and a blown motor?

Any other ideas? 


Thanks!

Did they give any reason for the failure?

Look on eBay for a motor.

Is the head or valves damaged?

That can add a lot of extra cost to doing a top end.

Does the cylinder need replated?

If not you can get another piston from athena or thumper racing for the athena cylinder, they're a few hundred bucks.

If you need to replate.

The athena big bore is under a 1000 dollars, thats a complete top end kit, its probley cheaper than oem.

Another option would be the thumper racing 280 kit, its even cheaper and what I'd be putting in my motor, you'd have to check with TR to see if their sleave fits in the athena cylinder you have tho.

Where are you located?  There was a guy in central jersey selling a low mileage motor for a grand on craigs.

Thanks for all your help guys!! I decided to buy a used motor on eBay. Supposedly 3xxx miles on it. Was only $850 delivered. Once I get that installed, I'll break my motor apart more and see what is going on. Depending, I might try to install a 280 kit in it (great idea!) or get replacement parts from Athena of valves aren't destroyed.

Thanks again and let me know if you have any ideas.

Also, shop quoted me 5 hrs labor to install new engine, does that sound right?

Remove old and install new? Sounds about right.  If you can tear aperture the old motor you could take out the old and put in the new but maybe time is a problem?

tomandjerry00 wrote:

Thanks again and let me know if you have any ideas.

Also, shop quoted me 5 hrs labor to install new engine, does that sound right?

I would think 4-5 hrs to remove and install an engine. If they're willing to install an engine you found you can't really argue, a lot of shops won't touch parts that they didn't order new and add their markup to.

Thanks for all the replies, will let you know how it goes. I dropped the engine off last Friday, they said they'd get to it first thing Monday and here we are on Wednesday and said they'd probably get to it tomorrow. Not the happiest of campers losing a week of nice riding....

But anyway, I hope it all comes together. The PO of the bike replaced all the plugs and hoses with Zeta parts, worth moving over? Any functional/structural improvement with those parts?

Thanks!

My thoughts on Zeta parts are they are for looks. There may be claimed weight savings but really it is so minimal on a 300lb bike.

My $0.02