Highway speeds?

borjawil · Posted: October 29, 2009, 11:42 am Post subject: Highway speeds?

Ok so apparently the bikes wont get past 70ish and vibrate a lot. I've checked out specs on these bikes and the top speed is 110 or something or other. above 70 none the less. So im wondering how to make this bike ok to ride at 75-85 with killing it.

need something that isnt just a ride around town. Different engine maybe?

xsjohn · Posted: October 29, 2009, 12:02 pm Post subject: Re: Highway speeds?

Geared mine 18/29 and reduced the compression to 8-1 .........now 65-70 is good on the vibe thing......... before it wasn't........have to give some to get some on these.......

xsjohn

borjawil · Posted: October 29, 2009, 12:08 pm Post subject: Re: Highway speeds?

right i remember ya telling me about chainging it to 8-1.what are you asking now a days to change the ratio?

xsjohn · Posted: October 29, 2009, 12:29 pm Post subject: Re: Highway speeds?

60 beaners plus some shipping to move the cam...........then you can double the head gasket per the instructions in the vault........or have a copper base gasket made (.40 thousands thick) and also use 1 base gasket with it......that would be the best way..........maybe even a .040 head gasket and the second headgasket to save lifting the barrels......

xsjohn

borjawil · Posted: October 29, 2009, 1:15 pm Post subject: Re: Highway speeds?

sounds like a good deal of work. Havent taken apart the engine too much on the 650 any special tools needed besides a torque wrench for reassembly?

nj1639 · Posted: October 29, 2009, 4:46 pm Post subject: Re: Highway speeds?

Get an impact wrench and the proper size phillips heads to go with it. Absolutly neccesary.
ikesxs sells 'em.

acbanks · Posted: October 29, 2009, 4:50 pm Post subject: Re: Highway speeds?

Just changing the sprockets helped mine a good bit. I have the 18" rear wheel and dropped down to a 30 tooth in the rear. It likes to cruise at around 65mph, faster than that and the vibrations return but that's good enough for me. Kind of the nature of the beast.

Of course you could rephase it, and plenty of people do, but it's a bit pricey.

tacoswild · Posted: October 29, 2009, 4:58 pm Post subject: Re: Highway speeds?

Maybe mine is just old, or maybe I'm just old, but I don't cruise over 70 on it. I changed the gearing so vibes aren't the problem, but I don't feel like hitting a frost heave at 80 with that suspension. Not having a windshield also makes going much above 70 pretty tiring. It will surely go above 70 if you ask it though, hell my rd250 will do 75 if you lay on the tank and wring it's neck.

xsjohn · Posted: October 29, 2009, 6:51 pm Post subject: Re: Highway speeds?

I seldom ride over 70 myself...........but do like it smooth on the express.......

All I lost with the 8-1 was some power on the high revs which I never used anyway....(some of that may be the stock exhaust I'm sure)..pulls better now at the reasonable rpms that I have always used.........with the timing a bit retarded it starts off strong at 1800-2000 and kinda flattens at 5000....probably the stock exhaust causing some of that.....riding now is just riding like it should be instead of being anoyed by the engine......

Another bonus is that there is no engine noises at operating temperature.......which is also lower...

Turned 75 thousand miles today...... Very Happy

xsjohn

borjawil · Posted: October 29, 2009, 10:33 pm Post subject: Re: Highway speeds?

hmmm...well since im your here you mind explaining other mods, parts that need to be replaced/changed, etc. when i take out the cam?

nj1639 · Posted: October 30, 2009, 5:29 am Post subject: Re: Highway speeds?

Easy peasy. John can walk you through.

aybe the next improvement to the 8-1 would be head porting and more free flowing exhaust.

Need more TIME and money, HA!

4th gear through the hills and hollers is cool, 5th for the highway, no vibes and all under 4k rpm.

xsjohn · Posted: October 30, 2009, 6:08 am Post subject: Re: Highway speeds?

8-1 is much easier on the engine........I changed to the new DID chain 50K ago and I didn't even have to adjust the chain this summer...lots of adjustment left too......the engine stock can ratchet badly which causes the cam chain to stretch and crap much earlier than a smooth engine...everything else tears up sooner too...on a XJ 4 cyl the chains last well into 50 thou and more........

more spinning mass would be better for the XS.......like a larger heavier flywheel to help smooth it out...(but then shearing key could become a problem)......as far as porting and pipes goes ....I wouldn't want to spoil the way it runs now by loosing any bottom.....reving these way up to me is pointless and damaging to longivity..........

designing these to be a smooth workhorse from 2-5k only makes since........if I needed more power which I don't I would 8-1 mikes kit...retard the timing and gear it up higher and also use the wings.........temperature plays heavily against longivity too......

BS34 8-1
Finally using....
50 pilot (2 turns or so)
134 MJ
custom R/L needles slightly lowered (like 4 thou)
.168 thou retard from F mark........
cooling wings
Autolite 64 plugs

can't get any better than this......pulls as good as ever and cool and smooth......and quiet and 55 mpg............when driven sanely

xsjohn

borjawil · Posted: October 30, 2009, 9:44 am Post subject: Re: Highway speeds?

sonewcam chain, size 50 pilot, 134 main, your custom needles, retard the timing, and what are cooling wings?

xsjohn · Posted: October 30, 2009, 10:26 am Post subject: Re: Highway speeds?

Should read this post that pete started.........50 pilot on the BS34 is great but the needles have to be "right" and in the "correct" position.....I dicked with that enough to know......

Well here is how I did the wings for mine.....I don't even notice them now........kept mine conservative......one of those things that the bigger the better....but becomes more obvious..........

hot rodding the engines.....I know how to do all of that but building a great smooth running cruiser is more interesting to me and real fun to ride and it makes more since............considering what these things are.......and it will last a bunch longer too....

This should keep the chain guides in there longer..........smoothed my chain (and link) 50 K ago when I changed the front guide.......raising the head also takes some chain pressure off the front guide....where raising the barrels wouldn't........

xsjohn

borjawil · Posted: October 30, 2009, 4:40 pm Post subject: Re: Highway speeds?

how did ya smooth out the cam chain? the wings are an interesting idea. I'm guessing they arent absolutely necessary but help with the temp by directing the air? and stability?

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