Oil is cheap. Engines are expensive. Small price to pay for so much fun.
Change oil and filter every 600 miles (1000km) and forget about the colour.
Just use quality oil.

 

Ok, will do. What does Kawasaki recommend? I read the exhaust glowing is normal, my mean running lean. I will check my plug tomorrow and change the oil.

 

This bike should handle a 100 mile commute NO PROBLEM! If it couldn't they shouldn't sell it! Very sorry to hear about your problem. I hope it can be resolved without much trouble. Good luck!

 

I get that too. It's very intermittent. I only notice when I've started the bike up and let it warm up. I'm usually too tired and happy to remember to listen at idle when I'm parked again. I think I've heard it's normal.

 

Seriously! To the guy saying 100 miles is too hard on this bike-if that's true then sorry but this bike is a huge POS if its 2 gallon tank can't be ridden to 1.5 gallons.

 

Thanks for all the opinions and advice. I want to be armed with all the info possible when I take it to the dealer. The purchase didn't do so hot at first. They told me one price that I agreed to, then when it came to paper time it was 500 more. Because of "Freight Fees" they forgot to add. So I walked out. I got a call when I was almost home from them telling me to come back and they would "give" it to me for the original price. But now every time I go back the have attitudes.

 

I have never seen my exhaust glow, nor does it make any noises while "cooling". I ride it pretty hard on the streets to and from work, and it's usually in the 90's here every day. Is there another dealer you could take it to? It doesn't seem right to me, from what you are describing.

 

Sounds like KACR (Kawi Auto Compression Release) or valve/s problem.

Either way, I would take it into the dealer. Too bad these guys have attitudes, because that might be a sign of incompetence, but I'd still bring it in and push the issue with them.

If the sound is hurting your ears, I doubt it's anything as benign as timing chain slack.

 

Does anybody have a clip of the timing chain slap noise anywhere,, im goin to do mine this evening cuase ist starting to rattle loudler,, dont think its as loud as the other guys but still wanna make sure what it is..

 

Well EXCUSE me.. I thought it was 100 miles one-way, which in my opinion, a 200-mile round trip every day is too hard on this bike, especially at highway speeds. Once clarified, yeah, 50 miles one-way in traffic isn't too bad.