Q for Versys owners

[Kwasaki]

Wondering if anyone having the same problem or it's normal for Versys, I'm using oil about a 3rd litre at about 1000 km.

No leaks externally but noticing exhaust box outlet gets black carbon deposits after running.

Will get up to Kwacks at ChiangMai for a diagnostic, bike runs well, sounds good in all other ways.

[YipYipYa123]

Mine loses more or less no oil, if it's burning oil I would get it checked out

[shezasdad]

Yes mine uses about the same. I will be interested to hear of your outcome with Kawa C/Mai.

[Kwasaki]

Thanks for replies.

Only oil problem I had before was a leak from the oil pump housing, Nackered Swan Kawasaki's fix that.

I'm going Kwacks CM within the next couple of weeks so will get back with their repairs or report.

Edited July 6, 2014 by Kwasaki

[Kwasaki]

July 2011 Versys 23,460km.

Well got to Kwacks at ChiangMai and had a diagnostic computer check and a service check which did not include oil & filter.

Everything checked out OK the only thing was instead of oiling clutch cable they changed it for a new one.

The main question on my bikes oil usage ? was that they didn't appear to be surprised by it " They all use some oil some more than others."

Why ?...." Running in hard from new maybe one reason."

" Thrashing it from start up maybe ."

So after the maybe's what's to do ?........" If it get's too bad like down to the low oil mark before a next service, bring it in for a engine overhaul. "

Bikes goes well so I will just keep an eye on it over the 1 year interval service and go from there.

[ll2]

July 2011 Versys 23,460km.

Well got to Kwacks at ChiangMai and had a diagnostic computer check and a service check which did not include oil & filter.

Everything checked out OK the only thing was instead of oiling clutch cable they changed it for a new one.

The main question on my bikes oil usage ? was that they didn't appear to be surprised by it " They all use some oil some more than others."

Why ?...." Running in hard from new maybe one reason."

" Thrashing it from start up maybe ."

So after the maybe's what's to do ?........" If it get's too bad like down to the low oil mark before a next service, bring it in for a engine overhaul. "

Bikes goes well so I will just keep an eye on it over the 1 year interval service and go from there.

yeah as classic, they are throwing the ball to you by nearly sating, you rode it hard so that is why it uses more oil.

that is sure not true.

3 liters for 1000 km is ridiculous and at 23 k km a build up is too much.

just send an email to the kawa headquarters and see what they say.

[Beardog]

I'm with ll2 on this one at 13000 kilos on the ER6n (same engine) I have next to zero loss at service points. My Kawasaki 1000 in the states at 52000 Miles does not use that much oil. Something sounds like maybe a ring on the piston has cut loose. I would press Kawi about the issue. Did you run a compression test on it? That would tell the ring story if the do a wet test on it & it comes up in PSI.

Only speculating without seeing the bike but it does not sound right.

[wantan]

^
With "a 3rd litre at about 1000 km" i guess he meant 0.3 litre, not 3 litre. And thats (perfectly?) normal imo. Some bike use more some less, but all bikes use oil.

[ll2]

^

With "a 3rd litre at about 1000 km" i guess he meant 0.3 litre, not 3 litre. And thats (perfectly?) normal imo. Some bike use more some less, but all bikes use oil.

It is better than 3 liters for 1000 km.

Still at 6000 km, it makes 2 liters.

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[wantan]

Thats why you should check the oil level every now and then

Kwasaki, how much oil you need for 6000km? Is it really 0.3 x 6 = 1.8 litre?

[alanr1610]

2 versys and 1 er6n with no oil usage to mention. Number 2 Versys was second hand and had been seriously thrashed from new but ran sweet as you like. Are you getting any smoke from the exhaust?

[Kwasaki]

Thats why you should check the oil level every now and then

Kwasaki, how much oil you need for 6000km? Is it really 0.3 x 6 = 1.8 litre?

I don't do a lot of Km per year the previous owner ran most of the km on the bike.

I estimated a 3rd of a litre the bike was using per 1000 km aprox from my last check.

Now have done 600 km to CM and back to Suk and topped up when I got home the next day on checking and it took 7 measurements of 30ml of oil.

That's seems a lot to me.

[Kwasaki]

July 2011 Versys 23,460km.

Well got to Kwacks at ChiangMai and had a diagnostic computer check and a service check which did not include oil & filter.

Everything checked out OK the only thing was instead of oiling clutch cable they changed it for a new one.

The main question on my bikes oil usage ? was that they didn't appear to be surprised by it " They all use some oil some more than others."

Why ?...." Running in hard from new maybe one reason."

" Thrashing it from start up maybe ."

So after the maybe's what's to do ?........" If it get's too bad like down to the low oil mark before a next service, bring it in for a engine overhaul. "

Bikes goes well so I will just keep an eye on it over the 1 year interval service and go from there.

yeah as classic, they are throwing the ball to you by nearly sating, you rode it hard so that is why it uses more oil.

that is sure not true.

3 liters for 1000 km is ridiculous and at 23 k km a build up is too much.

just send an email to the kawa headquarters and see what they say.

Yep seems like Kwack HQ is the way to go with this and wait for there reply, Honda HQ were very good when having a problem with a CB400 here, so hope Kwacks are just as helpful.

[Kwasaki]

2 versys and 1 er6n with no oil usage to mention. Number 2 Versys was second hand and had been seriously thrashed from new but ran sweet as you like. Are you getting any smoke from the exhaust?

The bike runs great and I really like the twin, never had one before.

My friend riding with me said no smoke from exhaust but the exit of the oem exhaust is very sooty, much more so than his Ninja 650 which doesn't appear to use oil.

There's good reports on CM kawasaki dealer so I may take it back there, that said I know a guy in Phitsanulok who works on all types of bikes, so I will go and see him first.

[alanr1610]

My thoughts would be that oil getting past the piston either via rings or bores. Could be a crack piston but very doubtful. Emission breathers can throw a wobbly sometimes but I guess a damaged oil ring. Probably best to get an internal inspection so how do you feel about Chiang Mai doing that? Is the bike still in warranty by the way?

[ZigZagMan]

Normally I would recommend pulling the head and inspect but this is Thailand and the mechanic could screw up 10 different things during the procedure.

Sell.

[yankee99]

1 litre every 3000 kilo is excessive. You need to push for a compression and leak down test.

[alanr1610]

1 litre every 3000 kilo is excessive. You need to push for a compression and leak down test.

The OP has said it is running as normal so I am guessing not down on power so a compression test may not provide to much info.

[yankee99]

1 litre every 3000 kilo is excessive. You need to push for a compression and leak down test.

The OP has said it is running as normal so I am guessing not down on power so a compression test may not provide to much info.

It may appear to be running normal to the op but may not be running to specification. I am assuming the op hasnt dynoed the bike. Since there's no site of a oil leak and assuming its not entering the coolant system logical troubleshooting dictates to test the cylinders. The oil has to be going somewhere!

[alanr1610]

Thats why an internal inspection would provide the answers where a compression test may not. Oil ring could be damaged but compression rings and bores ok. Lifting the cylinders is not that big of a job and any good Thai mechanic is more than capable if you don't have these skill yourself. We know the OP has a problem of excessive oil usage. A Dyno or compression test may or maynot provide some more information to back up a problem that is already known which will then probably result in lifting the cylinders. If it were me I would go straight to the problem which appears to be in the cylinders which would save time and money.

1 litre every 3000 kilo is excessive. You need to push for a compression and leak down test.

The OP has said it is running as normal so I am guessing not down on power so a compression test may not provide to much info.

It may appear to be running normal to the op but may not be running to specification. I am assuming the op hasnt dynoed the bike. Since there's no site of a oil leak and assuming its not entering the coolant system logical troubleshooting dictates to test the cylinders. The oil has to be going somewhere!

[Kwasaki]

Thanks for replies.

Suspect oil ring would be my guess and it must be smoking a bit at times, it's a mistery to me where the oil is going.

As for Chiang Mai Kawasaki doing the work, I'm not too sure, they said they checked everything and said the bikes OK so maybe the loss of oil is to small at the moment for them to detect.

The bike is 3 years old, July 2011.

Wouldn't sell it, it is not that much of a problem that cannot be fixed, in the UK I would have done it myself but my son has my tool kit now.

I disagree about Thai mechanic's there are some really knowledgeable guys about that's why I mentioned the mechanic in Phitsanulok.

Compression and leak down test, yeah I would of thought they would have done that their service check maybe they did maybe they didn't.

As I said the bike runs well plenty of power and can keep up with my mate's Ninja no problem except his top end.

Thanks for your input lads and have decided to go Phitsanulok first to see the guy I know and trust to dismantle my baby, I'm in no rush but will get back with what it was and what was done, for those interested.

Regards K.

[Kwasaki]

Well some browney points for ' alanr ' the guy in Phitsanulok had a run around and checked it over and said much the same (about it being cylinders but it's OK at the moment ) we have found some Versys use oil and some not so much, seemed he can only guess it is the way it is used that why the difference with bikes with the 650 even if the same model.

He said if it starts to smoke much more noticeably from the exhaust or runs rough we will sort it for you then.

[wantan]

It will be interesting to see how much oil you need in the long term, eg. over 5000km. Then you will get a more precise picture about the oil consumption. And of course there is no real need to always top up to the top level mark. You can savely run it near the lower level if you keep an eye on the oil level every now and then. Too much oil isnt good either and can also cause problems.

Keep us informed and have fun

[Kwasaki]

It will be interesting to see how much oil you need in the long term, eg. over 5000km. Then you will get a more precise picture about the oil consumption. And of course there is no real need to always top up to the top level mark. You can savely run it near the lower level if you keep an eye on the oil level every now and then. Too much oil isnt good either and can also cause problems.

Keep us informed and have fun

Cheers for the interest anyhow I don't do a lot of Km's the bikes purely for pleasure.

I will of course keep a eye on it and as you suggest let it go to the low level and record km's and measure the amount I put in.

When carefully filled to the correct level between the high and low marks, upright on the back stand it is level with the low mark so that's handy.

Hope I don't come back with another update for a long time.

[AJS 7R]

I think you have to much oil in the engine.

[Kwasaki]

I think you have to much oil in the engine.

I have worked on bikes for many years and do know quite a lot about them but even with the new technology in bikes today they all have what their oil levels should be at and mine is spot on.

From the workshop manual Versys engine oil level is between the upper and lower marks of the circular glass gauge.

[AJS 7R]

I think you have to much oil in the engine.

I have worked on bikes for many years and do know quite a lot about them but even with the new technology in bikes today they all have what their oil levels should be at and mine is spot on.

From the workshop manual Versys engine oil level is between the upper and lower marks of the circular glass gauge.

It's OK to have experience, but you don't check the oil level when the bike is on a stand.

[Kwasaki]

I think you have to much oil in the engine.

I have worked on bikes for many years and do know quite a lot about them but even with the new technology in bikes today they all have what their oil levels should be at and mine is spot on.

From the workshop manual Versys engine oil level is between the upper and lower marks of the circular glass gauge.

It's OK to have experience, but you don't check the oil level when the bike is on a stand.

Yes you can if you have experience, surely any numb-nut knows you don't check on the side stand.

e.g Bike upright on level ground held by someone, check level is correct, put on a rear paddock stand and check the where the oil level is then.

[casualbiker]

I think you have to much oil in the engine.

I have worked on bikes for many years and do know quite a lot about them but even with the new technology in bikes today they all have what their oil levels should be at and mine is spot on.

From the workshop manual Versys engine oil level is between the upper and lower marks of the circular glass gauge.

It's OK to have experience, but you don't check the oil level when the bike is on a stand.

Yes you can if you have experience, surely any numb-nut knows you don't check on the side stand.

e.g Bike upright on level ground held by someone, check level is correct, put on a rear paddock stand and check the where the oil level is then.

Is that after the engine has run or from cold? The Cbr250 had to be run then left to stand for 3 minutes before checking oil!

[Kwasaki]

I have worked on bikes for many years and do know quite a lot about them but even with the new technology in bikes today they all have what their oil levels should be at and mine is spot on.

From the workshop manual Versys engine oil level is between the upper and lower marks of the circular glass gauge.

It's OK to have experience, but you don't check the oil level when the bike is on a stand.

Yes you can if you have experience, surely any numb-nut knows you don't check on the side stand.

e.g Bike upright on level ground held by someone, check level is correct, put on a rear paddock stand and check the where the oil level is then.

Is that after the engine has run or from cold? The Cbr250 had to be run then left to stand for 3 minutes before checking oil!

I usually check level after a run but it doesn't matter that much hot or cold.

Yep usually recommendations are run the engine and wait to check levels.

The waiting I am sure you know is for all the oil around the engine to settle into the sump, especially important after a filter change..