two quick questions: power dip & oil burning

[WSM]

so i'm seven+ thousand miles into a summer long ride (thenextmile.tumblr.com) and have a couple questions:

one) the oil light has started coming on about 2k miles into an oil change. it'll only come on if i'm in traffic or flogging the throttle, and even then only for a couple seconds, going off after i hold a steady speed. after adding a quarter of a quart i'm good for another 2k, or until the next oil change.
i have never had to add oil between changes in the previous two years of owning this bike, and figure the constant (but not necessary hard) riding of this trip is causing it to burn a bit more?

two) i'm experiencing an ever so subtle dip in power when at speed. it's so subtle that i'm still half convinced its just the crazy winds down here in the southwest. but either way, i'll be cruising at a constant speed (most cases i'll experience it in the 80-85mph range) and it will feel as though i just let off the throttle just the tiniest bit, like less than a ten degree twist.
it's very similar to what running out of gas feels like, where it sort of shutters, but in this case, it's so subtle it could be taken for a change in headwind speed.
i'm betting it's a fuel delivery thing. the filter is fresh. and i haven't noticed any change in the sounds of the pump kicking in at start up.

any ideas fellas?

ps - i'm rolling through CO/UT/AZ/NV over the next two weeks, then from LA up to Seattle by early september.
let me know if any of you are in the area(s) and wanna do a days ride with me!

[_Will_]

My oil light does that too, if you weren't to add any oil you'd eventually burn enough for it to stay on permanently. Flogging the throttle into the upper rpm range does it to me, not sure how sitting in traffic plays into it. If I'm standing next to mine and rev it all the way up I can visibly see black smoke, yours may not be so bad just yet. Thicker oil has helped considerably, straight 30w is what I've been using.

As for the jumping feel, might be time to check your electronics. Mine did that where it was a quick small jerk forward when cruising down the interstate and it turned out to be the infamous VR. Running through the flowchart doesn't take long and lets you rule it out if it doesn't show up there. My VR was letting too little power through, not too much like it common.

[WSM]

as for the oil, looks like i'll just have to start carrying an extra quart on me.

but as for the VR... damn. not what i wanted to hear while 7,000 miles into a 15k+ mile trip.
i take it this is the type of thing to leave me stranded on the side of the road?

i just read up on the wiki conversion to the R6 VR (http://fzronline.com/wiki/doku.php?id=r ... conversion) and it doesn't exactly seem like a roadside conversion...
think i should try to find a used R6 VR, or just throw down for a new one?
i figure riding through the desert for a month cooked the original VR.

thanks!

[_Will_]

The VR change is easier than it sounds, and that may not even be it if you haven't run through the flow chart. I am on my phone but there should be a chart in the wiki for ruling out VR or stator. I'm not an electrical whiz and it was easy for me. Try the thicker weight oil to help with the burning, it shaves a hair off the power but not enough for me to switch back (minus a trip to the drag strip). Good luck on the epic ride, can't wait to see the photos

[DonTZ125]

The quickest, easiest way to check the VRR is to measure the voltage across the battery terminals at 5000 rpm.

If it's over 15.3vdc, it has failed high and is passing too much voltage. It will soon start killing electrical bits (if it hasn't already).

If it is below 14.3vdc, check the alternator output. Switch off, unplug the VRR, start up (you are now running off the battery alone). Measure the AC volts across each pair of white wires at the VRR plug: 1-2, 1-3, 2-3. You should have 30-60vac across each. A low leg means a bad stator winding; if all three legs are good, then the VRR has failed low and isn't providing enough voltage.


I sell an adaptor to make the VRR upgrade the work of minutes - see my sig below.