CSC/Zong TT250 break in experience

[TheChairman]

Good morning! In the process of breaking in my new TT250 and I have 2 questions.

Do you recommend any oil changes during the break in, or should I just go out to 500 miles?

I've been noticing a fairly pronounced clatter coming from the bottom end, particularly when taking off. My ears and experience tell me this is primary chain noise. It's been a while since I have owned a bike with a chain driven primary, so I may just be overthinking.

Just curious if it's normal for these engines, and if the primary has any periodic adjustment needs or if it is automatic. CSC didn't send a paper shop manual with the bike and I thought they came with one. Guess it's online only?

Thanks!

[JerryHawk250]

I would change the oil around the 200-250 range. It will be pretty nasty. That chatter is probably the clutch. I'm not sure what oil CSC put in before they shipped but probably a break in oil. Should go away on your next oil change.

[TheChairman]

I was reading somewhere that CSC found out that Zongshen uses Shell from the factory so they don't replace the oil. I should be around 200 by the end of the week so I'll dump it then.

I could definitely see it being nasty. Never had a bike's compression come up so much during the break in period before. When I first got it I was impressed on how easy the kickstarter was to turn over. Now at 100 miles, I realize the rings weren't seated very well. :D I would imagine the gears inside have a similar amount of seating to do, and I expect impressive swarf on the plug. My Ural used to spit out actual chunks lol.

[2LZ]

My TT250 chattered at certain RPM's when new. Then after the cheap license plate frame cracked off, the chatter went away.
I'd change oil now and see if it makes a difference. Go with some Rotella T4 15/40 diesel stuff. I didn't trust the stock oil in any of my China bikes. Heck,....it's only a quart. Cheap insurance.

[TheChairman]

T6 is usually my goto for the air cooled bikes. T4 may definitely be my choice here. I've got some time before work today, so I'll go ahead and dump it and see what comes out.

[duck9191]

oils cheap, wont hurt to change it early. These don't have a real filter outside of the screen and centrifugal separator so its good to keep it clean.

[TheChairman]

Done. It turns out I had a quart of Bel Ray 10w40 left from my last service on my Yamaha so I dumped it in with a splash of Wally World 20w50 to top it off. No regrets.

The oil looked like diluted Never Seez, so it definitely needed it.

I didn't pull the strainer because I don't have the wrench on me. It's at work. I plan to dump it again at 250, and I'll pull the strainer. It's been my experience that things big enough to get caught in a strainer generally stay there so I'm not overly concerned.

It definitely shifts better.

So does anyone have any idea about the service manual that CSC says is included? Do they send a paper manual or do they mean their online version? I don't want to call and complain just yet, because otherwise I really don't have any complaints.

[JerryHawk250]

You can download the manual from there site once you open it. https://www.cscmotorcycles.com/we-make-it-easy--maintenance-tutorials

[Biker_Andy]

My TT250 came with a DVD manual, which is just all the online stuff anyway but that was 4 years ago. Mine had a tinging sound until I figured out the cap on the end of the muffler was loose and I had lost a screw. Fresh hardware and loctite fixed her right up. Other then that nothing has worked itself loose on me. The engine will really loosen up after break-in.

[TheChairman]

Just an update on the noise.

~180 miles. I changed the oil again. Still a decent amount of metal in the oil. One small speck of something black and plastic-like in the strainer and nothing else, so that's good.

The rattling manifests itself only when slipping the clutch, but I don't believe it's chatter. I can feel it in my left foot. Beginning to wonder if maybe it's the crummy Chinese drive chain or something. Everything else seems to be OK.

Hopefully if something in there is exiting stage right, it does it in the first year. I have no problem fixing it if CSC supplies the parts.

[Mudflap]

Check the engine mount bolts for tightness.

[2LZ]

The chains on these and every CB I've had are junk. I swapped all mine over to Unibear chains. Inexpensive and excellent quality.....and according to Amazon, currently unavailable. Hopefully that's just a temporary supply chain issue..

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01ACMH8DM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

[JerryHawk250]

The chains on these and every CB I've had are junk. I swapped all mine over to Unibear chains. Inexpensive and excellent quality.....and according to Amazon, currently unavailable. Hopefully that's just a temporary supply chain issue..

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01ACMH8DM/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Ebay has them. https://www.ebay.com/itm/428H-Heavy-Duty-Motorcycle-Chain-136-Links-with-1-Connecting-Link/321968913185?epid=8005232097&hash=item4af6d7bb21:g:6tMAAOSwAaJaCi06

[TheChairman]

Defintely not a loose mount.

I did find that the shift level has a sloppy fit on the shaft, evem though the bolt is tight. It could be there. It could also be the drive chain.

The chain is still very new and the shift lever doesn't concern me as much. I may call CSC next week to see if they will warranty it, as my biggest concern is damaging the splines on the shaft over time.

If the rattle is internal, I don't know if it can really be addressed before a failure because engine disassembly is a fair bit of work and may not be worth it.

[2LZ]

I'd say see if you can cinch the shifter bolt a little more without snapping the Chinesium bolt. Other than that, your bike will change a LOT in the first 500 miles and will probably settle out as it breaks in.