Deon, did you receive the battery pack yet and if so does it work for you and your dad?
Yes I did. We received a prototype battery from the factory team at the worlds, arranged by the Australian Distributor. They did promise me two of them on that day and I only have one but this is not a huge issue because we can make the battery now we know what it consists of.
The kit was not as plug and play as expected. I received the battery pack which consists of 10x AA 1.2v 2000mAH NiMH batteries welded together. Stacked there is 4 batteries on bottom row, then two rows of 3 batteries. Height and size is about equal to the capacitor.
Battery pack was held together with heat shrink and had bare leads comming out of it. Also included was a switch with three terminals on it.
I've cut the connector from my capacitor to use with the battery kit and I've run the earth wire from the switch up to the bolt on the kill button on the handle bars - meaning the electrical modifications are minimal.
The battery pack replaces the capacitor, it is not in addition to.
When you flick the switch, the lights turn on and you hear the fuel pump prime. Even the smallest prod at the kick starter has the fuel pump running for a few seconds. When you hear how long it takes to prime from dead cold you will understand part of the starting issue. It took 6 seconds, given that a kick is about 1 second of power if that, you can guess where the first 6 kicks go in my case.
Ok so, battery connected, lights on, fuel pump primed. Dead cold, 3 easy kicks. Once warm, even the laziest kick starts the bike, I'm not going to start it with my hand but it would no doubt be posible because very lazy kick - I mean about 1/3rd of the way through the kick and the bike is already running. I presume a solid kick might fire it up first or second kick from dead cold.
I havn't ridden yet because I need to make a bracket to mount the battery. I don't know how long the batteries will last. I can only presume there maybe some durability issue given that they still havn't officially released this as after market kit but anyway for the time being I am super happy.
The hardest bike in the paddock to start just maybe now maybe the easiest.
I will report more information after field testing.
I got to ride a 2012 Gas Gas TXT Pro 300 on the weekend, nice bike but I much prefer the Ossa. Ossa feels much more responsive and a lot lighter, the Gas Gas did have a flywheel weight on it and it felt like a tractor but not as zippy and light feeling as the Ossa.
One benefit on the Gas Gas is that it was much easier to start, even my father who struggles with the Ossa had no problem starting the Gas Gas.
Starting aside which is not a problem for all riders, only for some - the Ossa is a sweet ride.
First oil change I used GRO 10W/30, the clutch dragged a bit when cold but it improved as the bike warmed up, clutch feel was good.
I've just done the 2nd oil change, you need to loosen the clutch cover even on the 2012 bike if you want to get most of the oil out. Oil was very dirty even though its only done 3 or 4 hours since the last change. The manual says to do the first change at 5hrs and every 20hrs after that - I'll be doing it a lot more regularly until it cleans up.
I've changed the oil to GRO 75w, immediately the clutch drag was reduced cold and the feel for me was better. I'd say the GRO 75w maybe the oil used from new, I feel its nicer than the 10W/30 so will be sticking to the GRO 75w even though it wasn't so easy to source in Australia but I know where to find it now.
Ok - is there any guide to understand at which bore measurement do you goto the next piston size? Or do you just change to the next size up each time the piston is replaced?
The manual says to do the piston and rings at 60hrs, has anyone done a pull down at 60hrs and if so, was it worth changing?
Thanks for the information. I think I'll hold out some hope and hold tight until we can test the battery kit.
My father can kick the bike over, he's not a whimp. But he can't kick it as hard as someone taller and heavier.
It just doesn't start for him in few enough kicks that he's not worn out by the time it does actually start.
I believe the units the importer is arranging for me will probably be prototype version.
I've seen whats inside one and its just 8x 1.2v AA batteries packaged together with a switch - there doesn't appear to be anything high tech in the photo I've seen which leads to the question, why have they taken so long to release this product? You could make it in 30 minutes with parts from an electronics store.
Mcim - on your bike do you still have the coil or did you replace the coil with the battery kit?
I am concerned that there maybe some other issue with the battery kit as I do not understand the hold up in supplying this item. I know they are saying they are using them all on the factory and explorer bikes and have no spare stock to sell after-market but that has to be rubbish - you could mass produce these things in minutes and for very little cost. Its 8x batteries, some shrink wrap, few leads, a switch and a plastic box to package it (from the photos I've seen), very simple.
I will bring the Ossa fitted with the battery pack to the Bognor Club Trial this coming Sunday 27 May at South Harting West Sussex.
If anyone is coming to the trial please ask me for a test ride and try starting it as well.
I also agree with Deon, in the original state some 280is are harder to start than any other recent bikes and that includes new 300 Gasser Pro's and 290 Cabestany style Shercos.
Sorry South Harting is a bit of a run from Oz.
How easy is it to start with the LSS fitted? Does it start like a normal bike with the LSS? Will a soft kick or a non "jump on it with everything you've got" get it going consistantly when warm? Does it ever give any starting issues with LSS fitted?
I've had two guys ask if I'd be interested in selling my 2011 bike. If the LSS will resolve my woes then I want to keep it, my father enjoys the power, suspension and light weight nature of the bike. His, well, our only real gripe is starting.
If it will still be tricky to start with the LSS, still needs big hard kicks, still sometimes can be tempremental when you can't get a serious kick into it - then I'll probably let these guys know I'm interested to sell.
If we do get rid of it, I'll get my father a Beta 200 which is what I should have bought him in the first place.
Your own statement is that if you are on flat ground or can prop the bike and get over it, it starts 1 or 2 kicks. I've also read through all 217 posts thinking that Ossa had a problem but it's really only you that still requires 10-30 kicks. It's true that some had problems before new mapping but not any more. This should tell you that it's not the bike, it's you. Your technique possibly combined with the fact that your not a big guy. I'm not trying to be a smart ass here but if a 280 is too much for you to start maybe a 125 or 200 would suit you better. Hopefully the LSS will work out, Ossas seem to be really good bikes and it would be a shame if you had to sell the ones you just bought.
If there was no issue, this thread wouldn't exist.
Ossa wouldn't have made the LSS kit if there was not an issue.
I can start other brands of big capacity bike no problem, Gas Gas, Sherco and Beta are all very easy for me to fire up, sure they have a lot of compression just like the Ossa but they seem to fire up a lot easier.
My 2012 bike is back to its pre-dealer inspection, 10 kicks cold starting. I am wondering if the ECU does some "Self learning" that was re-set when the dealer connected his laptop to the bike?
With my revised "soft kick" starting technique it is not exhausting to start like it was before.
If I am flat footed I will jump on it once and it'll normally go, if it doesn't I'll give it one more kick before pushing it to a tree because jumping on it for a small guy like me is a lot of energy. In most cases if I can lean on something to get a solid kick it'll go first or 2nd kick hot.
At one point waiting at a section I had no trees nearby, just a rock to stand on and the bike was on an incline so I couldn't get a really solid kick into it - it took about 30 kicks to start. The next day I stopped in the same spot and it wouldn't start again, this time I pushed it down the hill until I found a tree and it went in a couple of kicks.
I should have our LSS in the next week or so, I dearly hope this device works as advertised.
We were already using 100 RON fuel to begin with but the importer advises to use low-octange fuel.
I don't think the fuel is making any difference but we've tried a few different mixes.
I now have Shell standard unleaded fuel mixed at 110:1 using Motorex Cross Power 2T synthetic oil. I have the same fuel in both bikes as I syphon it out and replace the fuel. The 2012 is going first kick. The 2011 is intermittant. Sometimes 3 kicks cold, sometimes more than 10. The 2011 is not yet consistant so I think there is some other issue but so far I am not getting any suggestions.
For the clutch, I have some GRO 75W oil to test in the clutch, if I don't like this then I will order some Belray. I tested 10w/30 GRO and it is OKAY but the clutch drags when cold. Once warm it is working normally.
Apparently (my wise dealer told me) jitsie took several attempts to get the air filter right so that it wasn't restrictive and didn't mess up the starting and mixture.
Meanwhile my bike is still starting first kick hot or cold. I'm sorry that I haven't gone through lots of angst and tuning it to feel solidarity with the group but mine runs well from 4-8000 ft asl.
How could it possibly be more restrictive than the rubber cap that is there at the moment?
The computer should adjust the fuel based on the air-flow for small changes. If anything it might make the bike run a little lean which probably isn't a bad thing. Based on the plug colour from my bikes they are running very rich. More air could be just the thing to correct this.
I think it would be in addition to the existing filter, but it would mean you'd almost never have to clean the origional.
2012 started 1st kick cold today, thats 2nd day in a row its started 1st kick cold. I did stall it at one point and it took about 6 kicks to start but otherwise it was starting 1st kick hot.
2011 with fresh iridium plug and fuel started 3rd kick today cold which is good. When left sit it took my Dad about 10 kicks and it didn't go but I got on it and it went in 3 kicks. Jury is still out on the 2011 but 2012 is starting 800% better since the dealer connected the computer (and claimed to do nothing).
2011 - still terrible. I have just fitted Iridium plug tonight and fresh fuel, bike started 1st kick after this but it had been started a few hours before so I won't get too excited yet.
Also found the spark plug on the 2011 was only hand tight, also the plug was very black.
Tommorow will do a cold start on the 2011, I'm optimistic that the computer changes combined with the iridium plug and fresh fuel may do the trick.
I was critical of the Iridium plug initially as it didn't improve my starting, but now whatever is changed in the 2012 computer and that bike seems to be very easy to start now and maybe the Iridium plug is helping this??
Tommorow we are having a ride in preperation for a 2-day trial next weekend which will be the real test.
2012 started first kick after it had been sitting for about 2hrs (dealer says he changed nothing on the 2012 bike???) - I wasn't there with him but its never started 1st kick after sitting for so long.
2011 bike started 2nd kick.
I went back a few hours later and started the 2011 again, 1st kick.
Looking very positive. The test will be tommorow once they are left sit overnight.
I just got a call from the dealer who confirms, both bikes were already on Map 13. He has made no changes to the 2012 bike and feels it will get easier to start with more usage, it has 8hrs on it at the moment.
The 2011 bike he has increased the idle speed and that bike was always easier to start than the 2012, one time it went in 3-kicks cold. I expect it might be a little better to start with the increased idle.
For the 2012 though, I am no better off so still waiting for LSS to resolve starting issue.
The dealer did start the 2012 bike in 5-kicks from cold which is better than my personal best of 8-kicks on that bike. I will put more hours on it and hope the situation improves. I have noticed it getting a little easier to start but still a long way from being acceptable.
That is not very good service from the dealer if he was trying to show you up, you have just spent a considerable amount of money on not one, but two of the products he sells, he should be doing everything in his power to ensure you are a satisfied customer.
I think the attitude came from the importer who I still think is convinced we arn't holding our face the right way when we kick them rather than admitting something is not right and taking the issue more seriously.
Needless to say I am not feeling like a particularly important customer to either party.
They know now how hard the bikes are to start and this was in a nice workshop standing on a stool with a young mechanic much stronger than me doing the kicking. Not out in the sun standing flat footed with riding gear on....
All is well that ends well so lets hope they start easier after I get them back tommorow. If we can sort the starting I'll be nearly 100% happy with the bikes.
If I can start them in 3-kicks from cold without LSS which was my expectation at time of purchase then I will be satisfied with this until the LSS becomes available.
This thread seems to have died a death.......I am sure it will become resurrected once the LSS system finally hits the market.
For those of you that do have issues, if you haven't already, you should try a BPR5EIX Iridium plug, seems to make a difference to me, although part of my problem was my crappy starting technique which I have been working on.
I found the Iridium plug made no difference to starting, power does seem slighly more agresssive with the iridum plug though.
Both my bikes are in at the dealer for computer checks at the moment.
The dealer I think thought he was going to show me up when I dropped them off, it took their mechanic who looks stronger than me about 15 kicks to start one bike. He did start the other bike in 5 kicks which is 3 kicks better than my personal best.
They tried to tell me that 5 kicks was normal and they'd leave that bike as it was! I told them to please check them both and ensure both are on latest map, 0.6v tps and 1400rpm idle which he said they would do.
Ossa TR 280i hard to start
in OSSA
Posted
Yes I did. We received a prototype battery from the factory team at the worlds, arranged by the Australian Distributor. They did promise me two of them on that day and I only have one but this is not a huge issue because we can make the battery now we know what it consists of.
The kit was not as plug and play as expected. I received the battery pack which consists of 10x AA 1.2v 2000mAH NiMH batteries welded together. Stacked there is 4 batteries on bottom row, then two rows of 3 batteries. Height and size is about equal to the capacitor.
Battery pack was held together with heat shrink and had bare leads comming out of it. Also included was a switch with three terminals on it.
I've cut the connector from my capacitor to use with the battery kit and I've run the earth wire from the switch up to the bolt on the kill button on the handle bars - meaning the electrical modifications are minimal.
The battery pack replaces the capacitor, it is not in addition to.
When you flick the switch, the lights turn on and you hear the fuel pump prime. Even the smallest prod at the kick starter has the fuel pump running for a few seconds. When you hear how long it takes to prime from dead cold you will understand part of the starting issue. It took 6 seconds, given that a kick is about 1 second of power if that, you can guess where the first 6 kicks go in my case.
Ok so, battery connected, lights on, fuel pump primed. Dead cold, 3 easy kicks. Once warm, even the laziest kick starts the bike, I'm not going to start it with my hand but it would no doubt be posible because very lazy kick - I mean about 1/3rd of the way through the kick and the bike is already running. I presume a solid kick might fire it up first or second kick from dead cold.
I havn't ridden yet because I need to make a bracket to mount the battery. I don't know how long the batteries will last. I can only presume there maybe some durability issue given that they still havn't officially released this as after market kit but anyway for the time being I am super happy.
The hardest bike in the paddock to start just maybe now maybe the easiest.
I will report more information after field testing.