Exhaust smoke on acceleration

[Metricman]

Hello there.  I recently let a friend ride my '04.  He wanted on idea on how quick it is. I told him to put it in 2nd and wrap it out to 9K then shift to third.  Since I was behind him I noticed that when he shifted there was a pretty good amount of exhaust that came out.  It didn't look blue to me but it got me a little worried.  Bike only has 10K on it and I maintain it very well with fresh oil changes every 3K, etc.

Any thoughts ?

Thanks, Mike

[BiG-T]

Did you let it warm up before he jumped on?

How long did the smoke continue?

[Metricman]

Yes it was warmed up. Just a puff out the back but looked like it was a pretty good puff. It didn't continue.

[Over_Easy]

You running a TRE (runs more rich in lower gears)?

OE exhausr or aftermarket?

Sounds pretty normal, however.

[Metricman]

I have the original exhaust.
I have also notice that the bike seems to use about 1/2 quart of oil every 1500 miles (Castrol GPS)

[Sloto200]

using that much oil cant be good... mine is still fairly new with 5500 miles on it but it donsnt burn any oil at all that i've noticed. I check it regularly and the level never drops...

[Mr Brown]

The smoke is prolly just carbon deposits, the appetite for oil isn't good though........

[Quasar]

(Metricman @ Sep. 25 2006,14:08) I have the original exhaust.
I have also notice that the bike seems to use about 1/2 quart of oil every 1500 miles (Castrol GPS)

You just answered your own question. If your bike isn't physically leaking oil, then your 1/2 quart oil consumption per every 1,500 miles is the smoke you see coming from your exhaust. When oil is consumed in lesser quantities, it doesn't always appear blue, as it isn't concentrated/dense enough to give off the blue color just as humidity in the air isn't visible until it is also concentrated/dense enough to be seen as fog/misty rain.

P.S. Castrol is known for its burning. Try switching to Quaker State 10W40 and you just may see an improvement. I used 20W50 Castrol in a newly built engine 25 years ago and it smoked as well. I merely dumped it and the oil filter and went back to Quaker State 10W40 and the smoking instantly vanished. Castrol sucks and I never used it again for that reason!

[black954]

My engine builder, Alex Fornarelli featured in the turbo busa series in Two Wheel Tuner magazine, says it's perfectly normal when riden HARD. I had the same concerns after my buddies noticed it coming from my muffler. Mine only does it when I get on it real hard so now it doesn't bother me.

[Metricman]

I may have exagerated a bit on the 1/2 qt per 1500 miles. It is probably more like 1/4 qt over the last 1300 miles just by looking at my mileage. It is also difficult to get a real good measurement on oil usage based on looking at the site glass, how warm your engine is when you check and how long you wait to check, etc.
I have tried 3 different oils. I started with Honda GN4 then Mobil 1 semi/syth and now this Castrol GPS based on what the dealer recommended. Of the three oils I believe the Honda burned less oil and also shifted smoother even though it is not a synthetic.

[Quasar]

(Metricman @ Sep. 25 2006,17:40) I may have exagerated a bit on the 1/2 qt per 1500 miles.  It is probably more like 1/4 qt over the last 1300 miles just by looking at my mileage. It is also difficult to get a real good measurement on oil usage based on looking at the site glass, how warm your engine is when you check and how long you wait to check, etc.
I have tried 3 different oils. I started with Honda GN4 then Mobil 1 semi/syth and now this Castrol GPS based on what the dealer recommended.  Of the three oils I believe the Honda burned less oil and also shifted smoother even though it is not a synthetic.

1/4 of a quart every 1,300 miles is all the more reason it wouldn't appear as blue smoke since that's an even lesser amount of oil being burned.

While I feel it's nothing to fear at its present rate of consumption, try changing to another brand of quality petroleum based oil next time around. (Almost anything but Castrol)

I’ve had literally dozens and dozens of high mileage engines that exclusively used Quaker State 10W40 that didn't burn a drop of oil nor did they become noisy engines (remained quiet as new). I wouldn't recommend the 10W40 Quaker State petroleum oil if it didn't yield such great results through the past 3 decades I've been using it.

Also, it is generally thought best not to use synthetic oil for at least the first 10,000 miles of an engine's break-in. The purpose being, to allow a certain amount of wear during the use of petroleum based oil for greater ring/cylinder seating hence greater compression. Synthetics would in theory require a significantly longer seating time as they are supposed to provide superior protection against wear.

Naturally, the choice is yours to make. I merely offer that which has proven itself in my case time and time again...

[Busa Bill]

I use the Mobile 1 motorcycle oil and I have used the Amsoil oil also both great oils .My bike has 16500 miles on it and it has never used oil like that ,Hmmmm... I will agree the puff of smoke you are seeing is most likely
carbon , I get that when I really romp on it in the lower gears and high rpm's.

Hey Quasar/ Johnny Cheese gald to see you on the the board .