Carbs on long trips
 

I've been think'n of doing some long runs when I finally get to CO... and most are gonna take me through mountain passes and down into vallys... I'll be living at the feet of the Rockies... and I wonder...

What kinda issues am I gonna run into (if any) with power loss with a carbed bike? I know with EFI it auto adjusts and obviously I'm not gonna stop and adjust my carbs for every elevation change :lol:

will it even be that big a deal? just kinda wondering what to expect.

I'd say minimal, but OTB and No Worries would know more. The higher compression a bike makes should offset any loss you'd see in a cage... Diesel semis with superchargers don't see any loss that I know of.

it shouldnt be to noticable if you're just cruising.

when i was down in tenn last summer, the elevation might have fuckered up my bike a bit tho. for some reason after goin up the skyway, and back down, my bike just quit on me. Engine would NOT run. i think it was mostly user error, but just in case make sure you've got a way to reach someone or a way to get your ass off the mountain if worst comes to worse.

so what ened up being the issue?

still dont know to this day.

I think i was messing with the engine idle too much, that was part of the problem. but at the time it was the ONLY way i could get my engine to run for more than 2 seconds (was to raise the idle speed)

My guess was the fuel pump had some debris or something that got worked out.

For that reason, i plan on replacing it before i head to deals gap this year.

yeah fuel filter is something I'm gonna change before I leave for Indy


oh... and SeaFoam is great stuff for cleaning your carbs... you can pour it in the carb (I did on my truck) or put it in the gas... you can even spry it (comes in a spray and normal liquid form) in the intake to help clean the intake track...

You will prolly not notice much, as long as your bike is in good running order to begin with. You can figure out the appoximate horsepower loss with this calculator. http://www.webcalc.net/calc/0757.php Less airflow means less mixture, means less power.

That should be the only really noticable result.

ok... I was figure'n the only thing I'd loose was a bit of HP just wasn't sure how much... and if it'd be that big a deal...

Thanks!

uh... when I use that link and set it to


Elevation 14000
BHP at sea level 100

Brake Horsepower loss : 420


shit! :lol:

even setting at 1500 feet it says I loose 45hp...

somethings wrong

I have a 96 CBR600 F3 with 32,000 miles on it. I took a 800 mile weekend trip a month ago(By myself and 100s of miles from anyone I knew). Which I went from Atlanta, GA to Augusta Georgia in which you go down in elevation. Then I rode from Augusta to Deal's Gap and ran the dragon in the same day. Then the Cherohola (which does reach over a mile at one point) the next day and back to Atlanta including riding in rain the entire way back.

Infact here it the route from Augusta to Deal's Gap that I took...
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=e...108643&t=p&z=8

I didn't notice any problems with the bike nor a performance loss(even with my carbs tuned for Full exhaust and having stock exhaust on it). I felt like the exhaust got quieter when I went in up in elevation fast but my friends with their EFI bikes(Not at the gap but another mountain) noticed teh same thing with theirs.

Of course comparing my mountains to your mountains would be like comparing Paris Hilton's breasts to Dolly Parton's breasts. You just can't.

I think your bike would be fine but maybe do some test runs up a very tall mountain to see how it really feels. Also my buddy's GF just got a brand new ZZR600 and those things are freaking sweet. Even though they are carbed.

Oh yeah. If it hasn't already when you clicked on it put it in "Terrain" mode when you go to the Google Maps.

the "new ZZr600" is what I have... yeah the carbs are awesome... I've ridden several FI bikes that weren't any smoother...

I am hoping to get an internship out in CO this summer up in the mountains a little bit so I'll have to check out what it will be like. When are you planning on being there?

this time next year... I WILL be in place no later than 30 march. I'll be in the Colorado Springs area

I just like how smooth the bike shifts. Which when she first got it she let me ride it for a while to help break it in. I put 50miles on it and fell in love with it. Of course I stalled it out and almost had it fall over at a light. No thanks to the RC51 in front of me with FMF pipes that thunder so I couldn't hear the bike(Nor could I feel it).

Shifting on my old F3 requires muscle work. Especially getting from 1st to 2nd(Don't even consider power shifting in there). I guess 32k on the odometer doesn't help either.

Which I have to say Kawasaki has it going on this year.

psst... the 05-08 ZZr600 is the 00-02 Zx6R just renamed :dthumb:

I may be there next summer too. I will be in a small town halfway near grand junction.

halfway from where? :lol:

where's grand junction? I'm not real familiar with CO yet...

Its like northwestern CO

just means a fun ride to and from! over the Rockies! :rockwoot:

Pretty much. I can't wait to get out there. Great riding all of the time.

lol.. new bike.. As old as it is.. I love the bike.. Mine isn't that old.. only 1 year... but its really 6 yrs old at heart..

I agree with the rest.. you won't really lose enough hp to really notice..

It's about how much hp I gained with all my mods.. not really enough to notice.. :lol:

screw those cheap paper OE filters... spend $30 on a Pingle. Just pull, clean and re-insert.

http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l3.../Pingel001.jpg
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l3.../Pingel003.jpg

As far jetting... as OTB said... maybe some lack of power at higher elevations... but nothing bad.

i knew i loved the rc for a reason, vtwin thunder for the mother fucking win!!!!!!!!!!!

I figured that. I was speaking in general. When I went to the Atlanta Motorcycle Show I was most impressed with Kawasaki. Infact even in Atlanta and right next to the Suzuki booth Kawasaki got the most people.

Just curious but do you know how much a stock ZZR600 puts to the wheel? Also the girl who owns the bike wants some new exhaust so she can hear the bike(Since her boyfriend rides the RC51). What would be a good slip-on. I'm pretty sure she doesn't want to rejet the carbs(Nor does she need them jetted with her being a newbie).

Drewpy
My group is pretty much becoming nothing but V-twins. 1 has a DL1000, another just got an 08 SV650s today, an RC51, and buddy will be getting a SV1000 pretty soon. And our guy with the Hayabusa is considering a V-strom 1000 also. However the RC51 sucks donkey balls for coke when it comes to the comfort department. My ass sticks up so high on it I feel like I could be violated at any moment(Won't be riding that during gay pride week. Atleast not in my tutu)

My poor little inline 4 doesn't stand a chance(except I can outride them). Well I can outride everyone except the guy on the RC51 but he use to race bikes before I had my learners permit for a car.

nice... I'll defiantly be looking into that! thanks Gman!

Plus its Pingle. They don't know how to make junk!

how do you clean it?


oh and where did you get yours?

Plus I think your bike should have the fuel filter in the same place as my 9R was...

Here is what you are looking at. The fuel line from the tank to the carbs. Both wrapped in wire.
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l3...gTime009-1.jpg

Lower left corner
http://i99.photobucket.com/albums/l3...gTime011-1.jpg

Just simply replace with the pingle. MUCHO better!!

You just clean it with like brake or carb cleaner.

I got mine from a chopper shop. You can get them alot of places. Everybody knows Pingle. They're high flow. used in cars, and bikes.

looks like it should be lower LEFT hand corner... not right... or am I confused... the tube with wires around it are leading me to my conclusion

Yeah... brain fart... yes lower left...

ok... yeah I just wanted to make sure... :lol:

thanks man... this has made my to do list before I leave for Indy

Schweet!!

Same problems as any natural-aspirated, internal combustion engine. Doesn't matter if it's carbed or FI. The air is less dense, so there's less power. Super charging and turbo charging can ram more air in, but it doesn't matter in the real world. The slow cars and trucks clog the interstate at high altitude, so the best thing is to take back roads and enjoy the corners.

Work on FI bikes as well?
Or a different model for that?

I would think they would. They use them on everything. The only catch would be ensuring a good clamp to the filter body.

didn't know if that would restrict fuel pressure at all or not.

No its high flow... believe me... I'm running 117 cubic inch or about 1950ccs motor on it