Maintenance Record - VIN RFBT 9H154AB210136 - FEB 2011

[Yager200i]

I'll be recording my maintenance and other events on my Kymco Yager GT 200i here. This will give me the incentive to ensure that all maintenance is done in a timely manner, and will allow others to glean ideas for maintenance on their own bikes.

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14 Feb 2011:
New 2010 Kymco Yager GT 200i delivered from Rock Ridge Scooters. $400 off listed price for last year's model. Mileage: 1
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16 Feb 2011:
Geico insurance switched from old Tank scooter to new Kymco scooter, $97.00 / year
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20 Feb 2011:
I'll be compiling a toolkit that'll stay with the scooter, and a toolkit that'll stay in the garage. I've already got a large collection of SAE and metric wrenches and sockets, so I need scooter-specific incidentals.

Got the following from O'Reilly (Kragen) Auto Parts:
Feeler gauge
Oil drain pan
Small funnels
Non-permanent, medium strength thread lock
Fuses (20A {x2}, 15A {x4}, 10A {x2})
Tire valve core remover
Oil 15W-40 SM Rated conventional
Antifreeze (O'Reilly Antifreeze and Coolant, Black Bottle)
RedLine Water-Wetter
Tire pressure gauge
Slime tire sealant (12 oz. bottle)
DOT 4 brake fluid
Extra Iridium spark plugs (ordered them, not in stock)
Foot-operated air pump

Got the following from Home Depot:
Snap-lock pliers
Large toolbox
Work light with clamp
Duct tape (small roll)
Multi-screwdriver (long)

Added 5 capfuls (1.25 ounces) of RedLine Water Wetter to coolant system.

First ride. Doing a hard break-in procedure as described here:
http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm
http://www.ntnoa.org/enginebreakin.htm
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23 Feb 2011:
Ordered 10 oil filters. HighFlo HF562, part number 304961 ($3.90 each) at DennisKirk.com
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26 Feb 2011:
Got two NGK DPR7Eix-9 Iridium spark plugs from O'Reilly (Kragen) Auto Parts.
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[Yager200i]

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01 Mar 2011:
1 oil filter delivered from 23 Feb 2011 order at DennisKirk.com. The other 9 are on back-order.
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07 Mar 2011:
Checked oil condition, looked good. Mileage: 26.8
Decided to forego the 25 mile oil and filter change, and ride instead.

Picked up Westward Flat Beam Torque Wrench from Grainger, Item 4RYK9, $38.95

Stopped in at my local scooter shop (Mini Motors CA), and talked to the owner about aluminum crush washers for the drain plugs, spark plug indexing washers and gapless piston rings.

After the ride, I drained the oil and checked the engine oil screen. The screen was clean with the exception of one aluminum fleck. The drained oil had many small flecks of aluminum, seen in the bottom of the oil drain pan when draining the oil into a waste oil disposal bucket.
ITEMS NEEDED: 17 mm socket, torque wrench, rags, low drain pan, new engine oil

I also changed the engine oil filter. It looked slightly dirty, and had a few aluminum flecks. I used a HF562 replacement oil filter.
ITEMS NEEDED: 8 mm socket, torque wrench, rags, low drain pan, new oil filter

I put in new engine oil. I used conventional oil (Rotella T 15W-40).

And lastly, I changed the gear oil. I used Lucas 80W-90 gear oil. The drained gear oil had quite a bit of metal in it, so much so that it was 'glittery'. So, I drained the gear oil, filled it, ran the bike on the main stand for a few minutes to spin the gear train, drained it, then filled it again.
ITEMS NEEDED: 12 mm socket, torque wrench, rags, low drain pan, new gear oil

THINGS I LEARNED:
1) The 1 gallon Rotella oil jug does not pour very well. The oil tends to want to slide down the outside of the jug, rather than pour into the funnel.

2) The Westward Flat Beam Torque Wrench works well enough for someone who uses torque wrenches every day and already has a 'calibrated hand', but for newbies, the torque increments might be too wide to help keep them from stripping threads. For them, it might be better to splurge for a digital readout torque wrench, so they don't have to get their head under the bike to read the torque wrench, and so they can get the torque values exactly right.

3) The oil filter cap (the aluminum cover with the three bolt-hole tabs) only fits one way, and you've got to get it right. There's a spring that pushes against the filter, so you'll have to figure out which way the cover goes, then hold the cover, spring and filter together and slide it all into place. Then hold it with one hand while you use your other hand to get those three bolts in. Hold the cover tight against the crankcase, if you let it go (or open too much of a gap between the crankcase and the oil filter cover), the spring falls out, and you have to start over.

4) If your garage floor is dirty or your wife tends to nag when you get the slightest bit of dirt or oil on you, lay down a plastic sheet, and wear thin rubber gloves. I don't do this, I just let her nag. :)

5) After filling the engine with oil up to the 'Full' mark, run the engine for a few minutes, then check the oil level again. Add oil to bring it back up to 'Full'.

6) When draining the gear oil, after it's mostly drained, rock the bike to-and-fro on the main stand to get a bit more gear oil out.

7) A dab of oil-impervious, low-strength, non-permanent thread-lock on the oil and gear oil drain plugs gives you more peace of mind.

8) The gear oil drain plug and fill plug may look the same, but they are not. The one with the thick washer is the drain plug. If that washer gets dinged up, use a fine-toothed file to smooth the flat surfaces of the washer. If that washer is unusable, try to find another aluminum washer.

9) The Lucas gear oil has a spout that fits perfectly into the fill hole. Keep the oil drain pan underneath, so when the gear train is full, the excess can run out. Yes, I filled it up to the oil fill hole.

Mileage for engine oil, engine oil filter and gear oil changes: 49.8 miles
Next oil change: 100 miles
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14 Mar 2011:
3 oil filters delivered from 23 Feb 2011 order at DennisKirk.com. The other 6 are on back-order.
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18 Mar 2011:
4 oil filters delivered from 23 Feb 2011 order at DennisKirk.com. The other 2 are on back-order.
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24 Mar 2011:
2 oil filters delivered from 23 Feb 2011 order at DennisKirk.com. This completes the order.
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29 Mar 2011:
Changed engine oil, engine oil filter, and gear oil.

Engine oil had barely any metal flakes in it. Gear oil was the same. Engine oil filter looked clean. Engine oil strainer was clean.

Engine oil - Rotella T 15W-40
Gear Oil - Lucas 75W-90 Synthetic
Oil Filter - HighFlo HF562

Mileage for engine oil, engine oil filter and gear oil changes: 100.4 miles
Next oil change: 200 miles
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31 Mar 2011:
My first fuel up (the bike came from the dealer with a full tank, so this is actually the second tankful).
I filled up with 91 octane fuel. After engine break-in, I'll test to see if it runs OK on 87 octane.

Miles:      120.3 miles
Fuel:      2.250 gallons
Price/Gal:   $4.139
Total Cost:   $9.31
Fuel Mileage:   53.02 MPG

Engine's still not broken in, so it's tight, and I've been riding it like I stole it, so the low MPG is to be expected.

Things I learned:
1) DO NOT top off the tank. Once that filler handle clicks off, you've only got about .125 gallons that you can fill before it's full to overflowing.
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[Yager200i]

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11 Apr 2011:
Changed engine oil, engine oil filter, and gear oil.

Engine oil had no metal flakes in it. Gear oil was the same. Engine oil filter looked clean. Engine oil strainer was clean.

Engine oil - Rotella T 15W-40
Gear Oil - Lucas 75W-90 Synthetic
Oil Filter - HighFlo HF562

Mileage for engine oil, engine oil filter and gear oil changes: 199.6 miles
Next oil change: 400 miles
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12 Apr 2011:
Checked valve clearances. Mileage: 199.6 miles

Exhaust valve was exactly 0.10mm. Intake valve was 0.08mm. I adjusted the intake valve clearance so that it was 0.10mm. I set the intake valve clearance such that the 0.10mm feeler gauge would slide with just slight drag, but the 0.12mm feeler gauge wouldn't fit. So, I'm within about 3/10,000th of an inch of perfect.

Time requirements:
1.0 hour - gathering tools, rags, lights, information (torque values, procedure, etc.)
1.0 hour - wrench work
0.5 hour - test ride

The wrench work would have taken less time if I'd had a valve clearance adjustment tool, or even the right wrench. In fact, I discovered my toolkit is missing the 9mm wrench (needed to tighten the locknut), so I had to make do with a 9mm socket. This meant that I had to make several tries of tightening the locknut, checking clearance, loosening the locknut, adjusting the center post, tightening the locknut, etc., until the clearance was just right.

This is Iker's procedure, broken down into distinct steps, with a bit of additional info:
1) Your engine has to be COLD to do this procedure. I let it sit unused for a day.

2) Remove seat (2 bronze-looking nuts at front of seat).

3) Remove Met-In Box (2 bolts in back above battery compartment, 2 in front bottom, one large flat-head screw in the front (look just below the nuts that hold the seat))

4) When taking out the Met-In Box, be sure to remove the light electrical connection before lifting the Met-In Box fully out.

5) Remove the front panel (the wrap-around panel right below the front of the seat). Start on one upper end, you'll see a small plastic hook that hooks into the adjoining body panel, bend it so that hook is outside the adjoining body panel, then carefully snap each tab of the front panel out of its hole, working your way down. Then do the same for the other side.

6) Remove the two hoses that are connected to the valve cover. Long-nosed pliers are needed to squeeze the hose clamps as you pull the hoses off.

7) Remove the 4 bolts holding the valve cover on, and the two cap nuts (look at the bottom of the valve cover, on the left side, you'll see two chromed nuts).

8) Remove the valve cover. Inspect inside it for dirt, wear material, etc. Clean if needed.

9) On the right-hand side of the bike, below the body panels, you'll see one large and one small cap that require a large flat-head screwdriver to remove. Remove those caps.

10) Now is a good time to check your timing chain. With a 19mm socket and extension in the larger hole on the right-hand side of the bike, turn the engine clockwise slowly and inspect the timing chain closely with a bright light. If you see any worn links or other damage, stop right here and get a new timing chain before proceeding.

11) With a 19mm socket and an extension, turn the engine clockwise until both valves are loose (the rockers are up, away from the valve stems), and the largest hole in the cam gear is pointed toward the top of the cylinder (NOT straight up, more like up at a 45 degree angle).

12) Check intake and exhaust valve clearances by sliding a feeler gauge into the tiny gap just above the round valve spring retainer. Test with several feeler gauges before making any changes, so that you know exactly what the existing clearances are. The clearances should be 0.10mm for both intake and exhaust valves.

13) If adjustments are needed, use a 9mm wrench and needle-nose pliers to adjust. Set it so that you feel the slightest drag on the 0.10mm feeler gauge when the locknut is tightened, and you can't fit the 0.12mm feeler gauge into the gap. You might have to try it several times, as the clearance changes as the locknut is tightened. DO NOT tighten the locknut with the feeler gauge in the gap, you'll ruin the feeler gauge.

14) Once you're satisfied that you've got the valve clearances correct, it's time to put everything back together and test run it.

15) Put the valve cover back on. Put the 4 bolts and two chromed cap nuts on and torque them to proper torque values.

16) Put the two hoses back on. Use long nose pliers to slide the hose clamps down the hose a ways, then slip the hoses onto their connectors, then use the long nose pliers to move the hose clamps back up so they're clamping the hose onto the connectors. Use the pliers to spread the hose clamp tabs apart (make them tighter on the hoses), to be sure they'll clamp properly.

17) Put the two caps on the right-hand side of the bike back in using a large flathead screwdriver. There's no torque value for these, but make sure they're tight enough to compress the o-rings.

18) Start the bike and let it warm up (if you're in a garage, open the garage door or take the bike outside so you don't gas yourself to death). Use a mechanic's stethoscope to listen for valve clatter. If you hear that, you've got your clearances too wide, and you'll need to start over and redo the valve clearance adjustments.

19) Shut down the engine.

20) Put the front wrap-around panel back in, in reverse order of how you took it out (start at the bottom, snapping each tab in, work your way up one side, then the other side), finishing by bending the hooks at the top of each side so they hook into the inside of the adjoining body panel.

21) Push the front wrap-around panel and the adjoining body panel together hard, to be sure all the tabs of the front wrap-around panel are seated (I had several that I thought had seated, but they snapped in after doing this).

22) Connect the electrical connector for the Met-In Box, and drop the Met-In Box into place. Put the 4 bolts and large flathead screw in to hold the Met-In Box.

23) Put the seat back. You might have to wiggle it a bit to get everything aligned just right. Once it's aligned just right, it'll drop onto the two bolts. Put the bronze-colored nuts on and snug them up.

24) Check to be sure the seat latches properly, and that the Met-In Box light works.

25) Start the bike, let it warm up, then take it for a test ride, listening for any noises that you've not heard before. It'd be a good idea to take the bike to its limits, so you can ascertain what changes (if any) the valve adjustment had on performance.

Torque values for various bolts and nuts:
GENERAL BOLTS AND NUTS:
5mm bolt/nut: 0.5 kg-m (43.4 inch pounds)
6mm bolt/nut: 1.0 kg-m (86.8 inch pounds)
8mm bolt/nut: 2.2 kg-m (191.0 inch pounds)
10mm bolt/nut: 3.5 kg-m (303.8 inch pounds)
12mm bolt/nut: 5.5 kg-m (477.4 inch pounds)
5mm screw: 0.4 kg-m (34.7 inch pounds)
6mm screw / SH bolt: 0.9 kg-m (78.1 inch pounds)
6mm flange bolt/nut: 1.2 kg-m (104.2 inch pounds)
8mm flange bolt/nut: 2.7 kg-m (234.3 inch pounds)
10mm flange bolt/nut: 4.0 kg-m (347.2 inch pounds)

SPECIFIC BOLTS AND NUTS:
Valve adjusting lock nut: 0.9 kg-m (78.2 inch pounds)
Cylinder head cover bolt: 1.2 kg-m (104.2 inch pounds)


Next maintenance (at 400 miles):
Replace engine oil & filter
Clean engine oil filter screen
Replace gear oil
Adjust valve clearance
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18 Apr 2011:
My second fuel up (the bike came from the dealer with a full tank, so this is actually the third tankful).
I filled up with 91 AKI octane fuel. After 1000 miles, I'll test to see if it runs OK on 87 AKI octane.

Mileage:   244.6 miles
Miles Ridden:   124.3 miles
Fuel:   2.138 gallons
Price/Gal:   $4.299
Total Cost:   $9.19
Fuel Mileage:   58.14 MPG
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[Yager200i]

I've created a spreadsheet that shows what maintenance needs to be done at each mile marker, if anyone wants it, let me know. It's in OpenOffice.org Calc spreadsheet .ODS format, but I can convert it to MS Office .XLS format, if that's what you need.

This schedule exceeds the manufacturer-recommended maintenance schedule:

Brake system - inspect at 600 mile intervals.

Engine oil & filter - replace at 50 miles, 100 miles, 200 miles, 400 miles, 800 miles, then at 600 mile intervals.

Engine oil filter screen - clean during each engine oil change.

Gear oil - replace during each engine oil change.

Spark plug - clean at 1500 mile intervals, replace as necessary.

Valve clearance - adjust at 200 miles, 400 miles, 800 miles, 1600 miles, 3200 miles, then at 2000 mile intervals.

Suspension - inspect at 2000 mile intervals.

Tires - inspect at 2000 mile intervals, replace as necessary.

Steering head bearing - first inspect at 500 miles, then inspect at 2000 mile intervals.

Air cleaner - inspect at 500 miles, then replace at 2500 miles intervals.

Fuel filter - replace at 3000 mile intervals.

Brake levers - inspect at 3000 mile intervals.

Brake shoes - inspect at 3000 mile intervals, replace as necessary.

Shock absorbers - inspect at 3000 mile intervals.

Radiator core - inspect at 3500 mile intervals.

Radiator cap - inspect at 3500 mile intervals.

Drive belt/variator - inspect at 4000 mile intervals, replace as necessary.

Nuts/bolts/fasteners - tighten at 4000 mile intervals.

Radiator coolant - replace annually or at 6000 mile intervals, whichever comes first.

Brake fluid - inspect during daily pre-ride inspection, replace at 7000 mile intervals.

[Yager200i]

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04 May 2011:
My third fuel up (the bike came from the dealer with a full tank, so this is actually the fourth tankful).
I filled up with 91 AKI octane fuel. After 1000 miles, I'll test to see if it runs OK on 87 AKI octane.

Mileage:   379.4 miles
Miles Ridden:   134.8 miles
Fuel:   2.143 gallons
Price/Gal:   $4.379
Total Cost:   $9.38
Fuel Mileage:   62.90 MPG
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06 May 2011:
Changed engine oil, engine oil filter, and gear oil.

Engine oil had no metal flakes in it, but looked much darker than when new. Gear oil looked new. Engine oil filter looked slightly dirty. Engine oil strainer was clean.

Engine oil - Castrol Tection 15W-40 Heavy Duty Diesel Motor Oil (Kragen was out of Rotella T 15W-40)
Gear Oil - Lucas 75W-90 Synthetic
Oil Filter - HighFlo HF562

Mileage for engine oil, engine oil filter and gear oil changes: 406.2 miles
Next oil change: 800 miles

THINGS I LEARNED:
If you fill the gear oil housing up to the top bolt, it will indeed suck some of the oil into the air cleaner housing (although it doesn't get into the air filter itself). There is a small plastic bulb on the bottom of the air cleaner housing, with a small hole in it that the oil will drip out of. I'm researching an oil separator that'll remove the oil before it gets to the air cleaner housing. In the meantime, I filled the gear oil up to the top bolt, then jacked the front wheel up about a foot off the ground, and let the excess oil run out of the top bolt hole. Hopefully, that'll mitigate this problem. If not, I'll get the oil separator.

I also checked the air filter (due to the gear oil being pulled into the air filter housing), and cleaned the air filter housing. Not a lot of oil in there, but enough to drip out of that bulb on the bottom of the air cleaner housing. The air filter still looks new.

And, while I had the air cleaner housing off, I pulled the drive belt cover (the air cleaner housing and drive belt cover are bolted together with one bolt, and you have to remove another bolt on the air cleaner housing to move it out of the way so the drive belt cover can come off. Since I was already doing the air filter housing, I decided to check the belt, which was in like-new condition.).

The drive belt has this imprinted on it:
Kymco 23100-LEA6-9000 Bando

I'll be doing some cross-referencing tonight, and will post if I find any common belts that'll fit the Yager GT 200i.

{EDIT}
Refer to this thread for drive belt info:
http://www.kymcoforum.com/index.php?topic=4160.0
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07 May 2011:
I bought an 11-piece metric combination wrench set, so I've now got the 9mm wrench required to make adjusting the valves easy. Nobody sells just one wrench (I only needed the 9mm), so I had to get the set.

I did the valve adjustment after letting the bike sit overnight (remember, to adjust the valves, the engine must be cold). Both valves were exactly where they should be, although when I slipped the feeler gauge in on the intake valve, it felt a bit tighter than where I'd set it, so that valve may still be wearing itself in a bit. Total time to do the valves: 40 minutes.

Mileage for valve adjustment: 406.2 miles

While I had the Met-In Box out, I also took the opportunity to take up the slack on the throttle cable. The throttle grip had 8 mm of play before, it's now got 3 mm. It's supposed to have 2 to 6 mm of play. Total time to adjust the throttle cable play: 10 minutes.

Took the bike on a test ride to see if anything had changed. Nothing had.

Next maintenance (at 500 miles):
Inspect steering head bearing
Inspect air cleaner
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21 May 2011:
Time for the 500 mile maintenance items:
Inspect steering head bearing
Inspect air cleaner

The air cleaner looked to be at the same level of cleanliness as when I pulled it on 06 May 2011, and there was no gear oil in the air filter housing this time. That tip I gave of filling the gear box with gear oil to the overflow, then raising the front wheel about a foot off the ground to let the excess oil flow out through the gear oil fill hole seems to work to keep gear oil out of the air cleaner housing.

The procedure for inspecting the steering head bearing is as follows:
Raise the front wheel off the ground and check that the steering handlebar rotates freely. Try to move the handlebar vertically.

If the handlebar moves unevenly, binds, or has vertical movement, adjust the steering head bearing.

Fortunately, my handlebars exhibited no uneven movement, binding or vertical movement, so nothing more need be done.

If any of those problems had been discovered, then the front bike covers would have been taken off to expose the steering head bearing, the handlebar assembly disassembled, the steering head bearing removed and inspected (replaced if necessary), then packed with grease, and the whole thing re-assembled.

Mileage for air cleaner and steering head bearing inspection: 505.2 miles

Next maintenance (at 600 miles):
Inspect brake system
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23 May 2011:
My fourth fuel up (the bike came from the dealer with a full tank, so this is actually the fifth tankful).
I filled up with 91 AKI octane fuel. After 1000 miles, I'll test to see if it runs OK on 87 AKI octane.

Mileage:   521.8 miles
Miles Ridden:   142.4 miles
Fuel:   2.322 gallons
Price/Gal:   $4.099
Total Cost:   $9.52
Fuel Mileage:   61.33 MPG
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[Yager200i]

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11 Jun 2011:
600 mile maintenance items:
Inspect braking system

Been slacking a bit, so this maintenance item was deferred for 20.8 miles over when it was supposed to be completed. I'm doing a somewhat cursory inspection this time around for this maintenance item, since the bike is new. So I'll not be tearing apart the master cylinders and brake calipers to measure clearances. I'll do that when the bike is older.

I inspected the brake system. This consisted of the following:
1) checking the brake pads for wear
front brake new - 4.0 mm, replace - 2.0 mm
rear brake new - 4.0 mm, replace - 2.0 mm

Since I generally ride such that I minimize use of my brakes (keeping a good following distance, using engine braking to slow most of the way down, etc.), my brake pads showed nearly zero signs of wear.

2) checking brake disc thickness
front brake new - 3.8 to 4.2 mm, replace 3.0 mm
rear brake new - 3.5 to 3.8 mm, replace 3.0 mm

3) checking brake disc runout
front brake new - 0 mm, replace 0.30 mm
rear brake new - 0 mm, replace 0.30 mm

Since I didn't want to remove the front and rear wheels, I simply used a dial runout gauge from work, fastened securely to the bike and riding on the brake discs, as I spun each wheel. Runout on front and rear discs were zero.

4) checking all fasteners for proper torque.
These torque values were taken from the Kymco Dink 200 service manual:
brake assembly mounting bolts: 24.5 - 34.3 N-m (18.07 - 25.30 foot pounds)
fluid tube bolt: 24.5 - 34.3 N-m (18.07 - 25.30 foot pounds)
brake caliper bolt: 19.6 - 29.4 N-m (14.45 - 21.68 foot pounds)
master cylinder mounting bolts: 9.8 - 13.7 N-m (7.23 - 10.10 foot pounds)

Next maintenance items (at 800 miles):
Replace engine oil & oil filter
Clean engine oil filter screen
Replace gear oil
Adjust valve clearance
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13 Jun 2011:
My fifth fuel up (the bike came from the dealer with a full tank, so this is actually the sixth tankful).
I filled up with 91 AKI octane fuel. After 1000 miles, I'll test to see if it runs OK on 87 AKI octane.

Mileage:   653.1 miles
Miles Ridden:   131.3 miles
Fuel:   2.096 gallons
Price/Gal:   $4.049
Total Cost:   $8.49
Fuel Mileage:   62.64 MPG
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[Yager200i]

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01 Jul 2011:
My sixth fuel up (the bike came from the dealer with a full tank, so this is actually the seventh tankful).
I filled up with 91 AKI octane fuel. After 1000 miles, I'll test to see if it runs OK on 87 AKI octane.

Mileage:   788.4 miles
Miles Ridden:   135.3 miles
Fuel:   2.219 gallons
Price/Gal:   $3.949
Total Cost:   $8.76
Fuel Mileage:   60.97 MPG
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05 Jul 2011:
Changed engine oil, engine oil filter, and gear oil.

Engine oil had some very tiny metal flakes in it, but it wasn't aluminum, it looked gold in color. Not sure what components have gold-colored metal, but it wasn't a lot, so I'll monitor it to make sure the amount of metal doesn't increase.
The engine oil looked a bit darker than when new. Gear oil looked new. Engine oil filter looked clean. Engine oil strainer was clean.

Engine oil - Castrol Tection 15W-40 Heavy Duty Diesel Motor Oil
Gear Oil - Lucas 75W-90 Synthetic
Oil Filter - HighFlo HF562

Mileage for engine oil, engine oil filter and gear oil changes: 797.4 miles

I'll adjust the valves this weekend, as I've got to ride to work each day, and my wife's got the car. So, Friday night is the only night it can sit unused overnight in order for the engine to be cold for the valve adjustments.

I've also noticed that the bike isn't idling as smoothly as it did when new, it's got a kind of lumpy, slower-than-normal (1500 RPM vs. a normal 1800 RPM) idle when cold, which smooths out after warming up. I'm going to replace the sparkplug this weekend, and on the next fuel-up, I'll put some SeaFoam (or similar) into the gas tank.

Next maintenance (at 1200 miles):
Inspect brake system
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09 Jul 2011:
I adjusted the valves today (mileage: 830.9), after letting the bike sit unused overnight. The exhaust valve was exactly where I'd set it, the intake valve was just a smidgen tighter clearance than what I'd set. It wasn't a noticeable change, just a bit more drag on the feeler gauge than what had been when I set it. So I reset it back to what I'd had before.

I also replaced the spark plug. The original spark plug looked in good condition, with a light tan color and no burning or buildup. I noticed that it seemed to not have been torqued properly, it took slightly less than 10 foot-pounds of torque to break it loose and turn it. No evidence of exhaust gasses leaking past the spark plug washers, though.

I installed an NGK Iridium IX DPR7EIX-9 spark plug. I noticed a difference right away. The rough idle when it's cold isn't as bad, the throttle response is a bit crisper, and I got 2 mph greater speed on the top end. So now my bike tops out at 79 mph (although I'm way over the redline at that speed).
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19 Jul 2011:
My seventh fuel up (the bike came from the dealer with a full tank, so this is actually the eighth tankful).
I filled up with 91 AKI octane fuel. After 1000 miles, I'll test to see if it runs OK on 87 AKI octane.

Mileage:   911.7 miles
Miles Ridden:   123.3 miles
Fuel:   1.942 gallons
Price/Gal:   $3.939
Total Cost:   $7.65
Fuel Mileage:   63.49 MPG

For this tankful, I added 2 ounces of Lucas Upper Cylinder Lubricant with Injector Cleaners and Fuel Conditioners. I want to see if that helps the slightly rough cold idle by cleaning the injectors.
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[Yager200i]

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05 Aug 2011:
My eighth fuel up (the bike came from the dealer with a full tank, so this is actually the ninth tankful).
I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel.

Mileage:   1038.4 miles
Miles Ridden:   126.7 miles
Fuel:   1.969 gallons
Price/Gal:   $3.739
Total Cost:   $7.36
Fuel Mileage:   64.38 MPG

The 2 ounces of Lucas Upper Cylinder Lubricant with Injector Cleaners and Fuel Conditioners I added during the last fuel-up seems to have done the trick. It now starts like new (just a slight touch of the starter button gets it fired up, not the 3-4 second grind like before), and the cold idle is smoother (although not as smooth as when new).

I'll alternate adding Lucas Upper Cylinder Lubricant with Injector Cleaners and Fuel Conditioners every other fuel-up, to keep things clean.
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31 Aug 2011:
My ninth fuel up (the bike came from the dealer with a full tank, so this is actually the tenth tankful).
I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel.

Mileage:   1172.4 miles
Miles Ridden:   134.0 miles
Fuel:   2.055 gallons
Price/Gal:   $3.779
Total Cost:   $7.77
Fuel Mileage:   65.21 MPG

I added 2 ounces of Lucas Upper Cylinder Lubricant with Injector Cleaners and Fuel Conditioners.
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[Yager200i]

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05 Sep 2011:
NOTE: I'm largely doing a cut-and-paste from the 600 mile maintenance item, as nothing has changed in regards to the braking system. My riding style is very easy on the brakes, so they wear very slowly.

1200 mile maintenance items:
Inspect braking system

This maintenance item was performed at 1201.7 miles. I'm doing a somewhat cursory inspection this time around for this maintenance item, since the bike is fairly new. So I'll not be tearing apart the master cylinders and brake calipers to measure clearances. I'll do that when the bike is older.

I inspected the brake system. This consisted of the following:
1) checking the brake pads for wear
front brake new - 4.0 mm, replace - 2.0 mm
rear brake new - 4.0 mm, replace - 2.0 mm

Since I generally ride such that I minimize use of my brakes (keeping a good following distance, using engine braking to slow most of the way down, etc.), my brake pads showed nearly zero signs of wear.

2) checking brake disc thickness
front brake new - 3.8 to 4.2 mm, replace 3.0 mm
rear brake new - 3.5 to 3.8 mm, replace 3.0 mm

3) checking brake disc runout
front brake new - 0 mm, replace 0.30 mm
rear brake new - 0 mm, replace 0.30 mm

Since I didn't want to remove the front and rear wheels, I simply used a dial runout gauge from work, fastened securely to the bike and riding on the brake discs, as I spun each wheel. Runout on front and rear discs were zero.

4) checking all fasteners for proper torque.
These torque values were taken from the Kymco Dink 200 service manual:
brake assembly mounting bolts: 24.5 - 34.3 N-m (18.07 - 25.30 foot pounds)
fluid tube bolt: 24.5 - 34.3 N-m (18.07 - 25.30 foot pounds)
brake caliper bolt: 19.6 - 29.4 N-m (14.45 - 21.68 foot pounds)
master cylinder mounting bolts: 9.8 - 13.7 N-m (7.23 - 10.10 foot pounds)

Next maintenance items (at 1400 miles):
Replace engine oil & oil filter
Clean engine oil filter screen
Replace gear oil
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20 Sep 2011:
My tenth fuel up (the bike came from the dealer with a full tank, so this is actually the eleventh tankful).
I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel.

Mileage:   1313.7 miles
Miles Ridden:   141.3 miles
Fuel:   2.079 gallons
Price/Gal:   $3.849
Total Cost:   $8.00
Fuel Mileage:   67.97 MPG
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22 Sep 2011:
I've complained here on KymcoForum.com in the past about the seemingly weak clutch on the Yager GT200i. My clutch was slipping so much that the engine had to hit 5000 RPM before I felt any clutch engagement.

After reading about how some others had a similar problem, I tried their solution. I 'de-glazed' the clutch.

Here's how I did it:
I put the bike on the center stand with the engine running. I locked the rear brake and ran the engine up to full throttle, holding it there for 5 seconds. After a 15 minute cool-down period for the clutch, I did the same procedure again, and let it cool down again for 15 minutes. Then I took it out for a test ride.

The results:
I now feel the clutch starting to engage at 3500 RPM, and at 4000 RPM, it's pulling hard. At about 4250 RPM, it's fully engaged.

So, if you're having a similar clutch-slip problem, this de-glazing procedure appears to fix it.

I'd still like the clutch to start pulling in at 2500 to 2750 RPM and be fully engaged at 3500 RPM, so I'm going to be looking into heavier clutch weights or weaker clutch springs, or perhaps an aftermarket clutch if I can find one.
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29 Sep 2011:
Changed engine oil, engine oil filter, and gear oil.

Still have the very tiny gold or bronze metal flakes in the engine oil (although not as much as last oil change), along with a few small aluminum flakes.
The engine oil looked very dark, which is not surprising, since it's been 600 miles since the last oil change. Gear oil looked new. Engine oil filter looked slightly dirty (although no metal flakes). Engine oil strainer was clean.

Engine oil - Royal Purple 15W-40 Fully Synthetic Motor Oil
Gear Oil - Lucas 75W-90 Synthetic
Oil Filter - HighFlo HF562

This is the first time using synthetic engine oil in this scooter. I've use synthetic gear oil since 100.4 miles.

Things I learned:
1) The Royal Purple one gallon jug is the worst design I've ever seen for an oil jug. It's hard to tip it up with one hand because the handle is small and at the top of the jug (some jugs also curve the handle around the back vertical edge of the jug, making it very easy to pour), the jug opening is set back from the edge of the jug such that the oil slides right down the side of the bottle preferentially, rather than going into the funnel, and when first pouring from a full jug, it chugs (making a mess, since the jug doesn't quite fit in the close quarters of our scooters' oil fill). A long funnel and several rags are highly recommended items.

2) Royal Purple 15W-40 Fully Synthetic Motor Oil is purple. The only other colored oil I've ever seen was the red oil I drained out of the Yager GT 200i at the first oil change. I'm not sure how this will affect me when draining the oil... it's already dark-colored, so how do I gauge how dirty it is? Will I be able to see the metal flakes in the old oil if it's even darker from usage than it is now?

Mileage for engine oil, engine oil filter and gear oil changes: 1392.6 miles

Next maintenance (at 1500 miles):
Inspect / Clean / Replace spark plug
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[Yager200i]

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07 Oct 2011:
My eleventh fuel up (the bike came from the dealer with a full tank, so this is actually the twelfth tankful).
I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel.

Mileage:   1455.0 miles
Miles Ridden:   141.3 miles
Fuel:   2.175 gallons
Price/Gal:   $3.759
Total Cost:   $8.18
Fuel Mileage:   64.96 MPG
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24 Oct 2011:
I've been slacking a bit, what with overtime at work, sick kids at home, catching the kids' cold, etc.

So, the 1500 mile service (Inspect / Clean / Replace spark plug) was delayed until 1548.7 miles.

The spark plug looks great, a light tan color, no deposits, no burnt spots. The spark plug has 717.8 miles on it now.

The spark plug is an NGK Iridium IX DPR7EIX-9. It's one heat range cooler than the OEM spark plug, so I was expecting to see at least a little bit of buildup on the plug, but there's none.

Next maintenance items (at 1600 miles):
Adjust valve clearance
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30 Oct 2011:
Checked the valve clearances this afternoon (mileage: 1608.3), after letting the bike sit unused since Friday evening. Both the exhaust and intake valves were exactly where I had adjusted them to, so no further action was necessary.

I also went around and checked bolt tightness and cleaned the bike up a bit, it seems to accumulate a bit of dust on top of the engine under the Met-In box.

Next maintenance item (at 1800 miles):
Inspect brake system
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31 Oct 2011:
My twelfth fuel up (the bike came from the dealer with a full tank, so this is actually the thirteenth tankful).
I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel.

Mileage:   1614.0 miles
Miles Ridden:   159.0 miles
Fuel:   2.306 gallons
Price/Gal:   $3.759
Total Cost:   $8.67
Fuel Mileage:   68.95 MPG
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[Yager200i]

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19 Nov 2011:
My 13th fuel up (the bike came from the dealer with a full tank, so this is actually the 14th tankful).
I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel.

Mileage:   1754.9 miles
Miles Ridden:   140.9 miles
Fuel:   2.105 gallons
Price/Gal:   $3.659
Total Cost:   $7.70
Fuel Mileage:   66.94 MPG
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[Yager200i]

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03 Dec 2011:
I inspected the brakes and braking system today for the 1800 mile service interval. Still nothing new to report in this regard, as I generally only use the brakes when the bike is down below the speed at which the clutch disengages (approximately 12 MPH).

Next maintenance items (at 2000 miles):
Replace engine oil & filter
Clean engine oil filter screen
Replace gear oil
Inspect suspension
Inspect/Replace tires
{EDIT: Sorry for the advertising link... apparently a new 'feature' of the forums.}
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13 Dec 2011:
My 14th fuel up (the bike came from the dealer with a full tank, so this is actually the 15th tankful).
I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel.

Mileage:   1903.5 miles
Miles Ridden:   148.6 miles
Fuel:   2.231 gallons
Price/Gal:   $3.499
Total Cost:   $7.81
Fuel Mileage:   66.61 MPG
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30 Dec 2011:
Changed engine oil, engine oil filter, and gear oil.

The engine oil looked somewhere between brown and purple. It started out new as a very deep purple, and I was concerned that the dark color would prevent me from seeing any metal flakes, but it doesn't, since I put a bright light above the pan as I'm pouring the oil into the waste oil container.

There were NO metal flakes in the pan. None. I looked for a long time trying to find any in the bottom of the pan after I'd poured the oil out, with a bright light, and they just weren't there. So either they were so small that they remained suspended in the oil as it was poured out (although I didn't see any as I was pouring), or the engine didn't wear much with the synthetic oil. With the conventional oil, I could plainly see the flakes in the bottom of the pan, but there's none this time with the synthetic.

There was a small amount of metal flakes in the gear oil, but not a lot.

The engine oil filter looked darkened (probably from the oil color staining it... see below) but otherwise clean. The engine oil strainer was clean.

Engine oil - Royal Purple 15W-40 Fully Synthetic Motor Oil
Gear Oil - Lucas 75W-90 Synthetic
Oil Filter - HighFlo HF562

Things I learned:
1) The Royal Purple one gallon jug works ok with one of those long, skinny funnels. I bought one from Kragen for a couple bucks, it's small enough to fit in the dipstick hole, and is oblong at the other end, so pouring into it is easier. I only spilled two drops, total, this time (before, using the old round, short funnel, oil tended to slide down the outside of the jug, rather than going into the funnel).

2) Royal Purple 15W-40 Fully Synthetic Motor Oil is purple, but it stains the dipstick brown. Before, the dipstick was very clean and white. Now it's a light tan color.

3) I might be mistaken here, but I believe Royal Purple 15W-40 Fully Synthetic Motor Oil has some sort of additive that dissolves glue. The HighFlo HF562 oil filter has a small rubber bung in the center, and when I took the old filter out, that bung stayed on the little protuding tube inside the motor. The glue on the filter looked like it'd been dissolved. Not a real problem, since getting that rubber bung out was easy, and that additive may be there to keep deposits out of the engine. I just wonder if it's dissolving anything else.

Mileage for engine oil, engine oil filter and gear oil changes: 2012.4 miles

I also inspected the suspension and tires for this maintenance cycle. The suspension looked fine. I found a cut on the rear tire, across the width of the tire tread contact patch, as though I'd run over something sharp. It wasn't deep, though, and it'll disappear as the tire wears. I'm just wondering what I ran over that would cause that.

Next maintenance (at 2400 miles):
Inspect brake system
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[Yager200i]

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06 Jan 2012:
My 15th fuel up (the bike came from the dealer with a full tank, so this is actually the 16th tankful).
I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel.

Mileage:   2053.3 miles
Miles Ridden:   149.8 miles
Fuel:   2.172 gallons
Price/Gal:   $3.539
Total Cost:   $7.69
Fuel Mileage:   68.97 MPG

Added 2 ounces of Lucas Upper Cylinder Lubricant with Injector Cleaners and Fuel Conditioners.
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31 Jan 2012:
My 16th fuel up (the bike came from the dealer with a full tank, so this is actually the 17th tankful).
I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel.

Mileage:   2202.4 miles
Miles Ridden:   149.1 miles
Fuel:   2.274 gallons
Price/Gal:   $3.639
Total Cost:   $8.28
Fuel Mileage:   65.57 MPG
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[Yager200i]

14 Feb 2012:
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Exactly one year with my Yager, and no problems so far. It's a rock solid machine that runs great. By this time with my old Tank scooter, my left-hand mirror had fallen off, the fork downtube weld had broken, the rear brakes went mushy, the blinkers stopped blinking, the headlight burned out, the rear tire developed a slow leak, and the battery only lasted about 8 hours before requiring a charge when the bike sat unused (the alarm system drained it).

So all in all, I'd say the Yager is a HUGE step up for me. It's big enough for me, it's comfortable, it's maneuverable, and it's troublefree.
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24 Feb 2012:
My 17th fuel up (the bike came from the dealer with a full tank, so this is actually the 18th tankful).
I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel.

Mileage:   2348.5 miles
Miles Ridden:   146.1 miles
Fuel:   2.143 gallons
Price/Gal:   $4.039
Total Cost:   $8.66
Fuel Mileage:   68.18 MPG
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[Yager200i]

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14 Mar 2012:
I inspected the brakes for the 2400 mile service. It's a little late at 2492.3 miles, because it's been cold and rainy here, and I've been putting it off, hoping for a sunny day to do the inspection. Alas, the forecast is for rain and more rain. Still no change in the brake pads, since I'm extremely easy on the brakes.
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15 Mar 2012:
My 18th fuel up (the bike came from the dealer with a full tank, so this is actually the 19th tankful).
I filled up with 87 AKI octane fuel.

Mileage:   2501.5 miles
Miles Ridden:   153.0 miles
Fuel:   2.468 gallons
Price/Gal:   $4.249
Total Cost:   $10.49
Fuel Mileage:   61.99 MPG

The apparent mileage went down, because I learned something new... as you're filling the tank, just as the fuel fills up the filler neck, if you rock the bike back on the main stand, a bubble of air will come out that was trapped at the top of the tank, allowing you to get more fuel in the tank. The fuel mileage will go up again next fill-up, and this momentary downturn in fuel mileage will eventually be averaged out over many fill-ups.

I also checked the steering head bearing again, per my maintenance schedule. This is accomplished by moving and pulling on the handle bars, to see if there is any binding or free play. There was none, so nothing further need be done. If there had been any, a tear-down to the steering head bearing would have been done, and the bearing inspected, serviced, and replaced if necessary.
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