Initial "Break-in" service for 157QMJ, seeking wisdom and recommendations.

seafer · Yesterday, 05:00 PM

I purchased a Cougar Vogue 150 off the showroom of the dealership I work at on Saturday and I've done nothing to it but clamp a milk crate to the rear rack and put 176 miles on the clock. This is my only vehicle and will be for the foreseeable future. And because of that I'd like to do my utmost to ensure it's well taken care of. Soon the clock will strike 300 miles and since purchase and until then I've been slow on the acceleration and not letting it go past speedo indicated 45 mph. Once I reach that milestone I intend to perform a full service on the bike and I'm making this post to ask for recommendations on what I should look for besides my usual routine. Here's everything I currently plan on doing:
>Changing the oil for 26oz of 10w40 full synthetic
>Changing the spark plug out for a high quality NGK branded one
>Replacing the oil in the reduction gear with full synthetic 80w90 gear oil
>Adjusting the valve shims to 0.05 on both intake and exhaust sides
>Tightening down the exhaust bolts and four cylinder stud nuts a quarter turn
>Adjusting the throttle cable (it's so lose i think I'm only getting 80% of the throttle)
>Richening the fuel mixture a quarter turn
Beyond these things, are there any other standard procedures you guys like to undergo when assembling a bike or doing your first service? Also, here's a picture of the machine on her first outing getting groceries for the month. Her name is Cuurian.

danklyrides · Yesterday, 11:28 PM

Welcome to the club and congrats on Cuurian, Seafer!

Your list looks pretty good for a first service but I do have a couple of notes. This is all just my personal opinion. YMMV!

-I personally wouldn't use synthetic engine oil until your second oil change. There is still break-in going on for 1000 miles or so and I think that synthetic is too "slick" to allow that.
-I would check the specs for the valve clearance. There are a few different numbers out there but I'd recommend going with what it says on the metal plate that should be riveted to your engine...usually on the fan cover, but may have to look around for it.
-The cylinder head nuts should only be tightened with a torque wrench. The spec is 10-15 ft/lbs. I use 13 ft/lbs or 156 in/lbs on mine.
-The exhaust bolts seem to loosen up frequently so I definitely support checking them and making sure they're tight. I wouldn't just turn the bolts 1/4 turn as a rule, feel them and don't go too tight.

For other checks I'd remove the seat bucket so you can inspect the engine area:
-Take a look at the routing of all hoses and wires to make sure nothing is getting melted or pinched
-Check for oil or fuel leaks
-Look for any lines of rust on all parts of the frame that you can see. This could indicate cracks or faulty welds
-Check your tire pressure. I set mine to 30 front / 32 rear

I hope this helps a little.
Cheers!
Dankly

Yesterday, 05:00 PM	#1
seafer Join Date: Nov 2024 Location: Florida Posts: 2	Initial "Break-in" service for 157QMJ, seeking wisdom and recommendations. I purchased a Cougar Vogue 150 off the showroom of the dealership I work at on Saturday and I've done nothing to it but clamp a milk crate to the rear rack and put 176 miles on the clock. This is my only vehicle and will be for the foreseeable future. And because of that I'd like to do my utmost to ensure it's well taken care of. Soon the clock will strike 300 miles and since purchase and until then I've been slow on the acceleration and not letting it go past speedo indicated 45 mph. Once I reach that milestone I intend to perform a full service on the bike and I'm making this post to ask for recommendations on what I should look for besides my usual routine. Here's everything I currently plan on doing: >Changing the oil for 26oz of 10w40 full synthetic >Changing the spark plug out for a high quality NGK branded one >Replacing the oil in the reduction gear with full synthetic 80w90 gear oil >Adjusting the valve shims to 0.05 on both intake and exhaust sides >Tightening down the exhaust bolts and four cylinder stud nuts a quarter turn >Adjusting the throttle cable (it's so lose i think I'm only getting 80% of the throttle) >Richening the fuel mixture a quarter turn Beyond these things, are there any other standard procedures you guys like to undergo when assembling a bike or doing your first service? Also, here's a picture of the machine on her first outing getting groceries for the month. Her name is Cuurian. Attached Thumbnails
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Yesterday, 11:28 PM	#2
danklyrides Join Date: May 2024 Location: Idaho, USA Posts: 35	Welcome to the club and congrats on Cuurian, Seafer! Your list looks pretty good for a first service but I do have a couple of notes. This is all just my personal opinion. YMMV! -I personally wouldn't use synthetic engine oil until your second oil change. There is still break-in going on for 1000 miles or so and I think that synthetic is too "slick" to allow that. -I would check the specs for the valve clearance. There are a few different numbers out there but I'd recommend going with what it says on the metal plate that should be riveted to your engine...usually on the fan cover, but may have to look around for it. -The cylinder head nuts should only be tightened with a torque wrench. The spec is 10-15 ft/lbs. I use 13 ft/lbs or 156 in/lbs on mine. -The exhaust bolts seem to loosen up frequently so I definitely support checking them and making sure they're tight. I wouldn't just turn the bolts 1/4 turn as a rule, feel them and don't go too tight. For other checks I'd remove the seat bucket so you can inspect the engine area: -Take a look at the routing of all hoses and wires to make sure nothing is getting melted or pinched -Check for oil or fuel leaks -Look for any lines of rust on all parts of the frame that you can see. This could indicate cracks or faulty welds -Check your tire pressure. I set mine to 30 front / 32 rear I hope this helps a little. Cheers! Dankly
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