nklr mileage/power

[dalberts@claypark.com]

Ask any mechanic that "knows" how to properely jet a motorbike, and he'll tell you with the right carb jetting, air supply and aftermarket exhaust you will easily increase bhp and torque 15% - 20% over stock. That is substantial. Jon at ufo cycles in Ohio has proven this with his v gas set up for stock V max jockeys. Almost 140 no bs bhp at the rear wheel, on a stock v max with his tuned carb manifold, and pipe.

[Bogdan Swider]

> Ask any mechanic that "knows" how to properely jet a motorbike, and > he'll tell you with the right carb jetting, air supply and > aftermarket exhaust you will easily increase bhp and torque 15% - 20% > over stock. >

Could be; don't know. I have noted how this notion applies to klrs. Countless listers have played with aftermarket cans and jetting. If anyone has gotten close to a 15-20% increase let us in on it. All I've heard about was marginal power increase with a decrease, often drastic, in mpg. One senior member of our collective, who shall remain nameless, managed to tweak his mpg down to the mid-thirties. For those of us who adventure tour or take long off road rides that's a significant compromise. It seems more and more listers are ditching their floozy Super Craps and Big Guanos and are returning home to mama. Bogdan

[RM]

On Thu, 11 Oct 2001, Bogdan Swider wrote:

>Countless listers have played with aftermarket cans and jetting. If >anyone has gotten close to a 15-20% increase let us in on it. All I've >heard about was marginal power increase with a decrease, often drastic, >in mpg.

Who here has dyno-ed a jetted, piped, and air box modded KLR? Didn't somebody do this and see 42hp (vs 36 stock)? 6hp is significant but if that means MPG in the 30's plus making a sh!tload of racket, I'll stay stock, thankyouverymuch... RM

[Bogdan Swider]

> Who here has dyno-ed a jetted, piped, and air box modded KLR? Didn't > somebody do this and see 42hp (vs 36 stock)? >

Could be wrong but I seem to remember someone hopping/planning on arriving at 42. It didn't materialize. If I am mistaken perhaps someone will straighten me out. Bogdan

[Stu]

> > Who here has dyno-ed a jetted, piped, and air box modded KLR?

Didn't

> > somebody do this and see 42hp (vs 36 stock)? > > > Could be wrong but I seem to remember someone hopping/planning on

arriving

> at 42. It didn't materialize. If I am mistaken perhaps someone will > straighten me out. > > Bogdan

Mine is all of the above, and with the Big Gun race core, sure felt a lot more torquey off the line, but nowhere near 42 hp. I think a lot of the "loud pipe horsepower increase" is just imagination. I fell into that trap... But remember this! If noise was power, Dale Johnson's bike would be turning 7 second quarter miles. 42 hp is a fairy tale that will never come true without head work, maybe an overbore kit, and different cams and carb IMHO. Then you head towards the edge of the power vs. reliability and durability envelope. The sacrifices you will suffer in the latter two don't make up for the miniscule power gains you will see. I suggest leaving your bike's motor and exhaust stock, and sinking theat money into the suspension, brakes, tires and tankbags/luggage in that order. My mileage has gone straight to hell, too. On CA gas, I get 36-40 mpg, but oddly enough on our June Utah loop this year, on Utah gas I got a consistent 50mpg. Of course that was a lot of steady 50+ mph cruising, not the 0-65-0 type stuff I subject my bike to around home. I must add that I have "seen the light and returned home to mama", in that I have dumped the Big Gun and got a Laser Produro. 2000+ miles in one week with a Big Gun, you've got 2 problems; 1) needs repacking (not feasible in the middle of a long trip) 2) the racket from the pipe, especially after you burn out the packing, will be really annoying. CA Stu

[k650dsn@aol.com]

--- In DSN_klr650@y..., "Stu" wrote:

> that I have dumped the Big Gun and got a Laser Produro. > CA Stu

\ Stu, How are you liken' that Pro Duro? Gino

[monahanwb@yahoo.com]

--- In DSN_klr650@y..., "Stu" wrote: On CA gas, I get 36-40 > mpg, but oddly enough on our June Utah loop this year, on Utah gas I > got a consistent 50mpg. Of course that was a lot of steady 50+ mph > cruising, not the 0-65-0 type stuff I subject my bike to around home. > Stu and all, I have experienced the same thing while KLR-ing in Idaho and other altitudinous places. I am not entirely sure that it is the gas....maybe partly. But at altitude my bike gets a nice 50 mpg (my R1100rs does the same thing when it is in CO or UT or ID) and sometimes in fact usually a little more. One tank went over 60, easily, while riding long distance dirt roads in Idaho on the KLR. I have wondered about this and have had people tell me they think it has to do with air density at altitude - less density, less wind resistance. Not entirely unbelievable, given that at speeds over about 45 a motorcycle engine's energy is being spent on overcoming wind resistance. The same thing happened on my last weekend's tour down to the Southland. Going along fast enough to get a speeding ticket on the BMW, whereas at the altitude I live at it usually gets 40 or less mpg, out in the desert and 3-5000 ft it was doing much better, over 50 again in some tanks. At my home altitude (approx. 100') if I go fast like that for extended periods the mileage drops into the high 30's. Bill Unemployed as a Rocket Scientist

[Kurt Simpson]

> Ask any mechanic that "knows" how to properely jet a motorbike, and > he'll tell you with the right carb jetting, air supply and > aftermarket exhaust you will easily increase bhp and torque 15% - 20% > over stock. >

Could be; don't know. I have noted how this notion applies to klrs. Countless listers have played with aftermarket cans and jetting. If anyone has gotten close to a 15-20% increase let us in on it. All I've heard about was marginal power increase with a decrease, often drastic, in mpg. One senior member of our collective, who shall remain nameless, managed to tweak his mpg down to the mid-thirties. -------- And that would be....? Kurt

[RM]

On Thu, 11 Oct 2001, Kurt Simpson wrote:

>>in mpg. One senior member of our collective, who shall remain nameless, >>managed to tweak his mpg down to the mid-thirties. >And that would be....?

I think he has a PhD and is some kind of rocket scientist... He also has legendary 3rd world camping gear, because his mid-30's MPG KLR has driven him to poverty. RM

[k650dsn@aol.com]

> > that I have dumped the Big Gun and got a Laser Produro. > > CA Stu \ > Stu, > > How are you liken' that Pro Duro? > > Gino

I like it just fine, Gino. No re-packing necessary (ever), sounds healthy without being loud, fit and finish is great, I just bolted it on and forgot it. I can see it outlasting my bike. Thanks for the heads up on that pipe. CA Stu