Mrs. 2LZ TT250. Into the Fire.... - Page 7

2LZ · 07-23-2016, 12:24 PM

Howdy. Got the exhaust wrap yesterday so I decided to fit the exhaust to the bike in preparation to mounting it...and I'm glad I spent the time doing so.

First, the head flange. Now I know that there's been different methods bantered about on how to make the more narrow CRF230 head flange fit the wider CG motor exhaust studs....and after much thought, this is what I came up with and why.

I decided that (for my brain), the best approach was to extend the bracket holes out the ends with a Dremel and then use washers on both sides. Reasons?

1- I felt that (for an open-holed design), it left the most mounting meat.
2- It would allow "center" so the pipe would have a good chance of mounting flush in the head.
3- I wanted to give "equal opportunity" to both exhaust studs for expansion and contraction as it's the hottest part of the motor and goes through the greatest temperature swings.

Anyway, I probably over-thought it but that's what I came up with.

Did anyone else have their head pipe sit on the clutch release arm? I had to reformat mine to a much flatter shape.

For those thinking of doing the "trash can mod", you'll need to cut a path for the mid-pipe. Since I wrapped the head pipe and the mid-pipe would be the first place for true heat to escape, I decided to go a little overzealous on how much inner fender I relieved to deter meltdown.

After I wet wrapped the head pipe and let it dry overnight, I sprayed it with DEI 1500' silicone coating. This helps bond the wrap material and fends off dirt, fraying, etc.. Also, the wrap came with cool little metal ties but I prefer hose clamps. They aren't near as attractive but they can be removed or relocated at the drop of a hat.

Why wrap?
1- There's no heat shield
2- Some thinks it looks cool
3- It's actually supposed to help performance. Keeping the heat inside the pipe longer and keeping the exhaust gasses hot, makes them less dense, allowing better scavenging to escape faster. I'm sure with the 500 HP the CG motor puts out, the power advantage will be obvious! ;-)

2LZ · 07-23-2016, 12:34 PM

I ended up picking on the same angle iron with a sawzall for the rear bracket. It's not the prettiest but it'll do and it's damn sturdy. I ended up finding a fat nut for a shim to hold the muffler out some so it won't melt the rear plastics.

One last thing. With the air box delete, you'll need to run your crankcase vent elsewhere. I got some regular hose and ran it down behind the swingarm pivot. I'll also end up running the battery drain hose and the tank vent line next to it and then loosely zip-tie all to the swingarm pivot to hold them in place and out of harms way.

I wanted to give another shout out to Ryan at CSC for yet another fast response and delivery. I emailed him about not being able to repair the fork cap due to red locktite....and the new cap arrived in the mail yesterday so I mounted it last night. Thanks Ryan!

That's it for now. I'm rounding the 3/4 mark. Just waiting on my pod filter and rear sprocket. Then after it's on its feet, bleed the brakes out with some good DOT 4, a wash and wax...and it's done.

Azhule · 07-23-2016, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2LZ

Then after it's on its feet, bleed the brakes out with some good DOT 4

Just remember it's a pain in the tuckus to bleed the brakes properly... you have to 'fully pump the brake 5 or more times, hold fully pressed, and then open/close the bleeder valve quick' the first dozen or so times... also having a 'one way check valve' on some hose that is attached to the bleeder valve helps a little bit too... but I'm sure you knew all this already

kohburn · 07-23-2016, 02:13 PM

get a spare reservoir cap. and build a small pressure bleeder. learned to do it with the old army deuce and a half trucks and it works really well on passenger vehicles too. much more reliable than vacuum bleeding.

2LZ · 07-24-2016, 01:05 AM

...and does she sound GOOD! :-)

I ended up finishing the exhaust today....and it took some "anal attention". The header pipe was still quite close to the engine case so it took me a while to get it all adjusted properly. Its fits snug but good so I'm happy with it.

The rear mount at the muffler took a lot of imagination to keep it away from the plastics but the mount finally ended up with something I could accept as good. Different thickness shims (nuts), tried a few different bolt lengths, etc...but ended up finding all Allen's and having to re-drill one hole....but it finally "went thru the uprights".

I also thought that the blacked out wrap of the header pipe running across...and almost disappearing against the black motor ended up rockin'!....especially with the aluminum pipe heading out the back after the center bolt joint. Nice contrast. I'll get a pic of the complete bike when it's done. Looks cool.

Thanks to our fellow China Rider and friend "pcspecialist", I took his advice from a post and opted for the Unibear chain to replace the stocker. I have to say that it seems a very nice chain! As opposed to most chains, instead of being peened at just 12 and 6, this chain is peened at 12-3-6 and 9 on each pin. Very nice! That's usually just for the high priced spread. It says it's "pre-stretched" and "hardened" so....for the $$, this could be a very hard chain to beat. Thanks for the lead, pcspecialist.

Well, I got all the plastics, seat, etc...on and fired it up tonight. I can tell you, the improvement in throttle response is dramatic...and the exhaust sounds awesome! Like others have said, it's not too loud....but it has a much deeper tone. I'm kind of surprised as it's straight though design....but so far, so good.....and it also looks really cool!
Mrs. 2LZ came out and said "The gold band matches the "TT's" on the tank!" Lucked out on that one. ;-)

Come on sprocket and air filter! DAMMIT!

Azhule · 07-24-2016, 01:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2LZ

for the $$, this could be a very hard chain to beat. Thanks for the lead, pcspecialist.

Pssst... it was me who lead pc to my trusted Chain source called Unibear... so... your welcome!

2LZ · 07-24-2016, 01:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Azhule

Pssst... it was me who lead pc to my trusted Chain source called Unibear... so... your welcome!

No kidding!? Oh man....once again I "open mouth, insert keyboard!" My humble apologies, Azhule!

This is the post I was thinking of. Thanks to you both! :-)

http://chinariders.net/showthread.ph...hlight=unibear

pcspecialist · 07-24-2016, 02:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2LZ

This is the post I was thinking of. Thanks to you both! :-)

http://chinariders.net/showthread.ph...hlight=unibear

I didn't even remember mentioning the chain.

hertz9753 · 07-24-2016, 02:48 AM

That bike is looking great! I demand more pictures and a wife that likes motorcycles.

Azhule · 07-24-2016, 02:54 AM

No need for all that 'humble apology' stuff... but if you said "A thousand Pardons" instead I would have accepted your apology

All joking aside and on a serious note, that TT is looking mighty fine with a new exhaust, can't wait to see some pics of it out on the road and hear some reports on how the Mrs. is liking all the 'upgrades'

Also let us all know if the Unibear quality ever goes downhill, I (so far) have yet to have a problem with any Unibear branded Chain and hope that continues at the price they currently are

2LZ · 07-24-2016, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeffrey

2LZ...Did you remove the rear shock completely from the frame. Did you notice the size of the upper mount compared to the lower mount. I ask because I think the shock works better with the resivore at the bottom. So could you flip the shock over. Just an idea.

Off the top of my head, the mounts appeared to be the same. Same bolts. I had it all apart and just put it back he way it was. May try this later though. Thanks for the heads up! I remmeber as a kid we used to flip the shocks....especially after Yamaha came out with "that funny external reservoir".

2LZ · 07-24-2016, 11:20 AM

Ok gang, here's my completely unscientific, with little or no government sponsored study for any kind of back-up,.....weigh in.

Now, before I get started, I told Mrs 2LZ that "If I can lose a solid 6-8 pounds out of the deal, I'll be happy. If I can get 10 pounds, I'll be ecstatic."...but again, the main reason I deleted the air box was to simplify things and gain access to the shock adjuster, plus I like pod filters for the breathing and ease of maintenance.

Shameless disclaimer: The pics had to happen at separate occasions due to the project moving along and as parts arrived (or have yet to arrive).

The weight does include the same waste basket to hold the objects so that's about as close to even as I can get. Plus, I used the same, "non-approved, not legal for trade" bathroom scale sitting in the same spot. The same one that Mrs 2LZ says lies...so obviously it's woefully inaccurate.

The second pic is the stock muffler and piping, the air box and all its hoses, the smog pump, purge can and all it's lines and hoses, plus whatever clamps were included....plus waste basket.

The third pic I fudged on. My pod filter has yet to arrive so I grabbed the like unit off the Rhino...plus its dirt. This includes the new exhaust system and hardware....plus waste basket.

Of course, I didn't weigh the inner fender from the "trash can mod" or the zip ties I used everywhere.

Long story short, The TT250 lost an inaccurate 9 full pounds!...so I'm somewhere between happy and ecstatic. This doesn't include losing three teeth off the rear sprocket, of course. ;-)

2LZ · 07-24-2016, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jeffrey

My STORM 200 has the shock mounted upside down and it is spongey. The mounting eyes are different widths on it. I like the adjustable shock on the TT250.

Just went and looked. Different widths, for sure.

Azhule · 07-24-2016, 01:13 PM

If you still have the original battery... here is a way to drop another 3 - 4 or more lbs off the bike

This WPS battery barely weighs 1 lb and has 130 CCA (although it's only really rated at 2aH... not 7aH like the stock batteries)

https://www.amazon.com/WPS-Featherwe.../dp/B00DX891FG

And don't forget the 'special charger' that Lithium Batteries need

https://www.amazon.com/TecMate-TM-47.../dp/B00Y38X7WI

I can run out to the motorcycle and grab actual measurements of the battery if needed... the ones listed online are wrong

it's a bit smaller than listed online

Jayman77 · 07-24-2016, 01:41 PM

How do you like the sound of the one lung beast from the volcano after you put that lighter than air exshaust on

07-23-2016, 12:24 PM	#91
2LZ Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Volcano, Ca Posts: 7,102	Exhaust Fitment Howdy. Got the exhaust wrap yesterday so I decided to fit the exhaust to the bike in preparation to mounting it...and I'm glad I spent the time doing so. First, the head flange. Now I know that there's been different methods bantered about on how to make the more narrow CRF230 head flange fit the wider CG motor exhaust studs....and after much thought, this is what I came up with and why. I decided that (for my brain), the best approach was to extend the bracket holes out the ends with a Dremel and then use washers on both sides. Reasons? 1- I felt that (for an open-holed design), it left the most mounting meat. 2- It would allow "center" so the pipe would have a good chance of mounting flush in the head. 3- I wanted to give "equal opportunity" to both exhaust studs for expansion and contraction as it's the hottest part of the motor and goes through the greatest temperature swings. Anyway, I probably over-thought it but that's what I came up with. Did anyone else have their head pipe sit on the clutch release arm? I had to reformat mine to a much flatter shape. For those thinking of doing the "trash can mod", you'll need to cut a path for the mid-pipe. Since I wrapped the head pipe and the mid-pipe would be the first place for true heat to escape, I decided to go a little overzealous on how much inner fender I relieved to deter meltdown. After I wet wrapped the head pipe and let it dry overnight, I sprayed it with DEI 1500' silicone coating. This helps bond the wrap material and fends off dirt, fraying, etc.. Also, the wrap came with cool little metal ties but I prefer hose clamps. They aren't near as attractive but they can be removed or relocated at the drop of a hat. Why wrap? 1- There's no heat shield 2- Some thinks it looks cool 3- It's actually supposed to help performance. Keeping the heat inside the pipe longer and keeping the exhaust gasses hot, makes them less dense, allowing better scavenging to escape faster. I'm sure with the 500 HP the CG motor puts out, the power advantage will be obvious! ;-) __________________ "Light a fire for a man, and you heat him for a day. Light a man on fire, and you heat him for the rest of his life." 2007 Suzuki DRZ400S (SM convert) 2009 Q Link XP 200 1967 BSA B25 250cc Starfire 2022 Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 2023 Royal Enfield Scram 411 1948 Royal Enfield Model G 350 Last edited by 2LZ; 02-07-2018 at 12:06 PM.
	2

07-23-2016, 12:34 PM	#92
2LZ Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Volcano, Ca Posts: 7,102	Other Items I ended up picking on the same angle iron with a sawzall for the rear bracket. It's not the prettiest but it'll do and it's damn sturdy. I ended up finding a fat nut for a shim to hold the muffler out some so it won't melt the rear plastics. One last thing. With the air box delete, you'll need to run your crankcase vent elsewhere. I got some regular hose and ran it down behind the swingarm pivot. I'll also end up running the battery drain hose and the tank vent line next to it and then loosely zip-tie all to the swingarm pivot to hold them in place and out of harms way. I wanted to give another shout out to Ryan at CSC for yet another fast response and delivery. I emailed him about not being able to repair the fork cap due to red locktite....and the new cap arrived in the mail yesterday so I mounted it last night. Thanks Ryan! That's it for now. I'm rounding the 3/4 mark. Just waiting on my pod filter and rear sprocket. Then after it's on its feet, bleed the brakes out with some good DOT 4, a wash and wax...and it's done. __________________ "Light a fire for a man, and you heat him for a day. Light a man on fire, and you heat him for the rest of his life." 2007 Suzuki DRZ400S (SM convert) 2009 Q Link XP 200 1967 BSA B25 250cc Starfire 2022 Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 2023 Royal Enfield Scram 411 1948 Royal Enfield Model G 350 Last edited by 2LZ; 02-07-2018 at 12:06 PM.
	3

07-23-2016, 02:13 PM	#94
kohburn Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Coastal NC Posts: 537	get a spare reservoir cap. and build a small pressure bleeder. learned to do it with the old army deuce and a half trucks and it works really well on passenger vehicles too. much more reliable than vacuum bleeding. __________________ -whatever you do, just be awesome. - 2008 Kawasaki Versys - 2016 CSC TT250
	2

07-24-2016, 01:05 AM	#95
2LZ Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Volcano, Ca Posts: 7,102	Got 'er Runnin'! ...and does she sound GOOD! :-) I ended up finishing the exhaust today....and it took some "anal attention". The header pipe was still quite close to the engine case so it took me a while to get it all adjusted properly. Its fits snug but good so I'm happy with it. The rear mount at the muffler took a lot of imagination to keep it away from the plastics but the mount finally ended up with something I could accept as good. Different thickness shims (nuts), tried a few different bolt lengths, etc...but ended up finding all Allen's and having to re-drill one hole....but it finally "went thru the uprights". I also thought that the blacked out wrap of the header pipe running across...and almost disappearing against the black motor ended up rockin'!....especially with the aluminum pipe heading out the back after the center bolt joint. Nice contrast. I'll get a pic of the complete bike when it's done. Looks cool. Thanks to our fellow China Rider and friend "pcspecialist", I took his advice from a post and opted for the Unibear chain to replace the stocker. I have to say that it seems a very nice chain! As opposed to most chains, instead of being peened at just 12 and 6, this chain is peened at 12-3-6 and 9 on each pin. Very nice! That's usually just for the high priced spread. It says it's "pre-stretched" and "hardened" so....for the $$, this could be a very hard chain to beat. Thanks for the lead, pcspecialist. Well, I got all the plastics, seat, etc...on and fired it up tonight. I can tell you, the improvement in throttle response is dramatic...and the exhaust sounds awesome! Like others have said, it's not too loud....but it has a much deeper tone. I'm kind of surprised as it's straight though design....but so far, so good.....and it also looks really cool! Mrs. 2LZ came out and said "The gold band matches the "TT's" on the tank!" Lucked out on that one. ;-) Come on sprocket and air filter! DAMMIT! __________________ "Light a fire for a man, and you heat him for a day. Light a man on fire, and you heat him for the rest of his life." 2007 Suzuki DRZ400S (SM convert) 2009 Q Link XP 200 1967 BSA B25 250cc Starfire 2022 Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 2023 Royal Enfield Scram 411 1948 Royal Enfield Model G 350 Last edited by 2LZ; 02-07-2018 at 12:06 PM.
	5

07-24-2016, 02:48 AM	#99
hertz9753 Join Date: May 2016 Location: Bismarck, ND Posts: 868	That bike is looking great! I demand more pictures and a wife that likes motorcycles. __________________ 2015 and 3/4 RPS Hawk 250. Most people would call it a 2016 but the MCO didn't.
	1

07-24-2016, 02:54 AM	#100
Azhule Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: CO Posts: 1,525	No need for all that 'humble apology' stuff... but if you said "A thousand Pardons" instead I would have accepted your apology All joking aside and on a serious note, that TT is looking mighty fine with a new exhaust, can't wait to see some pics of it out on the road and hear some reports on how the Mrs. is liking all the 'upgrades' Also let us all know if the Unibear quality ever goes downhill, I (so far) have yet to have a problem with any Unibear branded Chain and hope that continues at the price they currently are __________________ "Think as you like... but this self proclaimed Professor is always right" - Buckshot "You never know what someone is hiding beneath their smile..." - NinjaTom - R.I.P.
	1

07-24-2016, 11:20 AM	#102
2LZ Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Volcano, Ca Posts: 7,102	The Weigh In! Ok gang, here's my completely unscientific, with little or no government sponsored study for any kind of back-up,.....weigh in. Now, before I get started, I told Mrs 2LZ that "If I can lose a solid 6-8 pounds out of the deal, I'll be happy. If I can get 10 pounds, I'll be ecstatic."...but again, the main reason I deleted the air box was to simplify things and gain access to the shock adjuster, plus I like pod filters for the breathing and ease of maintenance. Shameless disclaimer: The pics had to happen at separate occasions due to the project moving along and as parts arrived (or have yet to arrive). The weight does include the same waste basket to hold the objects so that's about as close to even as I can get. Plus, I used the same, "non-approved, not legal for trade" bathroom scale sitting in the same spot. The same one that Mrs 2LZ says lies...so obviously it's woefully inaccurate. The second pic is the stock muffler and piping, the air box and all its hoses, the smog pump, purge can and all it's lines and hoses, plus whatever clamps were included....plus waste basket. The third pic I fudged on. My pod filter has yet to arrive so I grabbed the like unit off the Rhino...plus its dirt. This includes the new exhaust system and hardware....plus waste basket. Of course, I didn't weigh the inner fender from the "trash can mod" or the zip ties I used everywhere. Long story short, The TT250 lost an inaccurate 9 full pounds!...so I'm somewhere between happy and ecstatic. This doesn't include losing three teeth off the rear sprocket, of course. ;-) __________________ "Light a fire for a man, and you heat him for a day. Light a man on fire, and you heat him for the rest of his life." 2007 Suzuki DRZ400S (SM convert) 2009 Q Link XP 200 1967 BSA B25 250cc Starfire 2022 Royal Enfield Interceptor 650 2023 Royal Enfield Scram 411 1948 Royal Enfield Model G 350 Last edited by 2LZ; 02-07-2018 at 12:06 PM.
	1

07-24-2016, 01:13 PM	#104
Azhule Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: CO Posts: 1,525	If you still have the original battery... here is a way to drop another 3 - 4 or more lbs off the bike This WPS battery barely weighs 1 lb and has 130 CCA (although it's only really rated at 2aH... not 7aH like the stock batteries) https://www.amazon.com/WPS-Featherwe.../dp/B00DX891FG And don't forget the 'special charger' that Lithium Batteries need https://www.amazon.com/TecMate-TM-47.../dp/B00Y38X7WI I can run out to the motorcycle and grab actual measurements of the battery if needed... the ones listed online are wrong it's a bit smaller than listed online __________________ "Think as you like... but this self proclaimed Professor is always right" - Buckshot "You never know what someone is hiding beneath their smile..." - NinjaTom - R.I.P.
	1

07-24-2016, 01:41 PM	#105
Jayman77 Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: coastal SC. Posts: 206	How do you like the sound of the one lung beast from the volcano after you put that lighter than air exshaust on __________________ 2016 TT250 2014 NSS300 FORZA 2014 UN200 BURGMAN
	0