> From: "Jim & Shannon Morehead"
> Subject: Re: NKLR Direct Hit
> The RPI dyno engine sure would be fun to play with. I guess we'll just
> have to wait for Big Cee to hit it big. In the mean time, I hope you
> get the time to evaluate the DH's on your lab equipment.
You know, this got me to thinking (which is never a good thing)... I
brought home the computer we originally used for data acquisition on my
experiment, a Mac IIfx. It's slow as a Hog

, but it does still have
the acquisition boards and software on it. An effective dyno could be
made by simply jacking the rear wheel up, and then using the computer to
aquire the wheel rpm during a throttle whack. Read pulses off the
spokes with an optical sensor or something. Say, let out the clutch and
hold rpm at 2000, then smoothly go to WOT and cut out when you hit
redline. Use 5th gear to slow the process down a bit. This wouldn't
give torque or HP, but you could plot wheel speed vs time, and also
differentiate to get acceleration vs. time. Even though they wouldn't
be familiar units like torque and HP, they would still give you
something to compare mods with. Heck, if you knew the rotational inerta
of the wheel, you could back calculate torque and HP. Or, make some
kind of flywheel weight to run back there.
>
> BTW, I don't know about the older KLR's, but my A13 came with a non-resistor
> NGK plug as OEM.
Geez, I hadn't even considered it. I just replace the plug with what's
in there! But, since I don't have a stereo on the bike, I should check
to be sure...
> Did you live in Troy or the Albany area when you went to RPI? My
> sister-in-law and her family live in Voorhesville.
I lived in Troy, first on 15th street, and then Detroit Ave. Isn't
there a park in Voorhesville with a hiking trail called the "Indian
Ladder" in it? Ah, the fall days...
Chris
http://www.galcit.caltech.edu/~stingray/klrsharkfin.html