Bought A Boom Vader Motorcycle; Now What?

I see this question a lot in the groups and forums. You just bought a Boom Vader and now want to know what to do when it comes in. Now these tips apply to any Grom Clone motorcycle since they are all basically similar in their engine type. A carbureted 125cc Honda Grom Clone type.

For Your Information: I only cover the steps you take to prepare the bike for the easy break-in period.

I am not covering your Boom Vader bike’s performance or reliability upgrades. The motorcycle break-in period is gentle on the bike and shouldn’t stress any parts immediately.

However, one reliability step you can do without doing upgrades is any bolt/nut you tighten; you should check all fasteners and use a thread locker. Must Have Motorcycle Tools

The Boom Vader/Grom Clone Crate

Like the majority of us Boom Vader owners, we will get our bikes in a crate.  

The nice thing about the Boom Vader verse other Chinese motorcycles, like my TBR7, the Boom Vader motorcycle is almost complete.

Just bolt on the front wheel and handlebars, connect the battery, and the bike is almost whole.

I would tell you to follow directions, but my motorcycle didn’t come with any, but I was able to figure it out quickly. Just glad the stock Chinese motorcycle battery is a sealed type, and that alone will save you some hassle.

Bike Is Assembled; What Are The First Things I Do?

This is where most people are when they are asking about their new Boom Vader motorcycle.

It’s built and sitting in their garage, and the new owner is asking, how do I get my motorcycle ready to ride?

Now I opted not to do any upgrades until after the break-in period( Boom Vader Gen 2 Will Stay Stock, For Now ), so here are my steps to prepare the bike for the first ride.

Steps I Take For New Boom Vader Motorcycle.

All these steps can be and should be done before you even start the Boom Vader engine. 

1.- Change That Grom Clone’s Oil.

I believe there was a miss understanding when the first Grom Clone motorcycle was received. Someone overheard something about Break-in Oil coming with the bike.

I believe it was said that “Breaking Oil” was sent with the motorcycle. So if you use that oil, you are breaking your motorcycle engine. 😀

Face it, the oil that typically comes with these Chinese bikes of this quality is poor. FortNine did a good video here with some name-brand bikes; if you still want to ride with the shipping oil, please watch this first:

Now the Boom Vader motorcycle doesn’t take much engine oil( What Is The Boom Vader 125cc Oil Capacity? ), so buying good quality motorcycle oil is cheap( Boom Vader Oil Type ) and lends to the bike’s life. Just keep your bike maker’s regular motorcycle oil-changing schedule afterward.

Note, I know engine oil changes are better with the oil pre-warmed, but this shipping oil is such low quality, and the first oil change is pretty soon after running the engine; I do the oil change asap, and cold.

I do not pre-warm the shipping oil; I drain and refill it with clean new oil before the first engine starts.

2.- Check and Adjust That Motorcycle Chain.

There are horror stories of the stock Chinese motorcycle chains breaking, flailing around, damaging the bikes, and potentially injuring the rider. ( Stock Boom Vader Chain Good or Bad? )

I’ve not personally run across this, but from my observations, it’s possible the bike was upgraded to pump out more power, and the chain needed to be correctly adjusted.   

Waiting after the break-in to do upgrades, and with proper chain adjustments, the stock chain should be suitable for our easy-riding break-in period.

Follow the manufacturer’s advice on how to adjust the motorcycle chain. A little advice I received, the bike is ridden with weight on the seat, your weight, so check the motorcycle chain adjustment while putting weight on the rear.

It is common for an adequately adjusted chain to become too tense once the rider places their weight on the bike, and riding an over-tensed chain can lead to premature failure.

So adjust the motorcycle chain properly. How To Adjust Your Motorcycle Chain.

3.- Check Your Valve Clearances.

Compared to the typical Chinese Dual-sport motorcycle, the Boom Vader valves are more difficult to adjust. The space you have to work in is smaller, and the feeler gauges have to be bent to fit without compromising the thickness of the gauge.

So take your time, and adjust the Boom Vader valves.  

I’ve seen this, and others have complained about it online; the valves come too tight, and running the bike with tight valves can lead to poor performance and damaged valves.

Take your time, and adjust the intake and exhaust valve precisely as the manufacturer states.

DONE!

I took these three steps I did with my new Boom Vader Gen 2 motorcycle when I received it, and I am pleased I did so. All based on mistakes and advice I collected from others.

If you complete these initial steps, it takes almost no time, and you will add to the bike’s potential, lasting years and years.

My Boom Vader 125cc is into the second year, a handful of Boom Vader upgrades( carburetor, chain, exhaust, etc.), and I beat the crud out of the bike. Check out my latest post on what reliability upgrades I recommend for the Boom Vader motorcycle: Boom Vader Reliability Upgrade Parts List.

I am cruising 9k+ RPMs with my weight, 200#, riding the bike at 55mph usually.

I am comfortably beating up the Boom Vader( Boom Vader 125cc Top Speed, Pushed More! ) since I use good oil( Where To Buy Good Motorcycle Engine Oil? ), do my regular maintenance items( Boom Vader 125 Oil Change (Stock Motorcycle Exhaust) ), and, more importantly, did the above steps before even starting the motorcycle engine.

Boom Vader or Grom Clone Owner Feedback?

What did you do when you first got your motorcycle? Did you do the above steps? What would you add?  

How is your bike riding, mileage, and what upgrades have you done? Leave a comment below.

Thank you,