New Katana 1100 carbs installed.

[skids]

Re: bridge

Yeah, I go fast like that on straight roads when there are obviously no cops available for my protection!

Originally posted by snowdog51
when on a bridge i go as fast as i can,
[less time on less chance of bridge breaking when i'm on it.
as ever bill

[AlanB]

Hi Dan,

I am sure that the 34mm carbs can shift all the air any XS needs, but I am equally sure that my (more) modern carbs will produce a much more accurate fuel mix, and respond far better to throttle input; something which "traditional" CV carbs are famously poor at doing.

My XS rides more like a bike on slide carbs than CVs; This is definately a modification with no downside- More power, better response, and parts which are far more reliable than standard.

I am also sure that properly installed mapped injection would offer further gains, but the rollers I used in the past are now gone, so I will stick with the carbs I have.



AlanB

[Dan Hodges]

Carburetors

Originally posted by AlanB
Hi Dan,

I am sure that the 34mm carbs can shift all the air any XS needs, but I am equally sure that my (more) modern carbs will produce a much more accurate fuel mix, and respond far better to throttle input; something which "traditional" CV carbs are famously poor at doing.

My XS rides more like a bike on slide carbs than CVs; This is definately a modification with no downside- More power, better response, and parts which are far more reliable than standard.

I am also sure that properly installed mapped injection would offer further gains, but the rollers I used in the past are now gone, so I will stick with the carbs I have.

AlanB

You have a nice unique looking XS and the dual headlight & mini-fairing treatment is very modern looking. My V-Max and all V-Maxes have 35 mm Mikuni CV carburetors that function the same way as the ones on my 81 XS.The stock carburetors on an 81 XS are a little lean in the idle and midrange but can be made perfect.The stock XS carburetors if in good shape and tuned properly work fine but that is not to say there is not another combination out there that will work fine also.

[skids]

AlanB of Scottland, what sort of pipes are those?

[79XS11F]

If better throttle response is wanted including mechanically operated slides would it not be easier to just get some smooth bores and tune them properly?
Rob

[AlanB]

Hi Dan,

Thanks for the kind comments on my bike (Originally an SG from Colorado!) I have recently removed a European Sport (5k7) fairing, and had not yet colour-matched the twin-lamp fairing when the pic was taken; that is just primer.

I used up a lot of dyno-time to get the stock carbs working well before changing to these; the difference is striking. The bike now goes like it is fifteen years younger.

Hi Skids,

Pipes are home-brewed hybrid; The front half was on a chopped XS which I bought a couple of years ago; Brand unknown. The back half is a "Harris Endurance" Pipe. (Harris are a small, UK-based frame-building company!)

The baffles, end-plates and a link-pipe were all made in Stainless by me and a couple of friends; It works real well, but hangs VERY low!

Hi SF,

I have run "Proper" Mikuni RC smoothbores on a couple of bikes, and had AMAZING power results, But they are seriously expensive to buy and to set up. They are designed as "race" carbs and I have never really managed to get a set-up which really felt like a "Road Bike"..... they were always slightly tempramental.....

These carbs cost me £60.....($120?) went straight on, and idled nicely, on the original Suzuki settings. Power and response were better than the stock carbs straight away.

I felt they might be a little weak, so I upped the jets a touch, and lifted the needles. A couple of weeks later it went on the dyno and within an hour, it was all buttoned up; Mains up a hair more, and needles back down a 1/2 groove..... Dynojet do Shims for fine adjustment!

Not the same type of experience as setting up smoothbores; They caused me to spend so long at the shop, that the dyno-man is now still a real good friend, although the shop closed a few years ago!

Hope some of this helps!

AlanB

[Dan Hodges]

Carbs And More

Originally posted by AlanB
Hi Dan,

Thanks for the kind comments on my bike (Originally an SG from Colorado!) I have recently removed a European Sport (5k7) fairing, and had not yet colour-matched the twin-lamp fairing when the pic was taken; that is just primer.

I used up a lot of dyno-time to get the stock carbs working well before changing to these; the difference is striking. The bike now goes like it is fifteen years younger.

Hi Skids,

Pipes are home-brewed hybrid; The front half was on a chopped XS which I bought a couple of years ago; Brand unknown. The back half is a "Harris Endurance" Pipe. (Harris are a small, UK-based frame-building company!)

The baffles, end-plates and a link-pipe were all made in Stainless by me and a couple of friends; It works real well, but hangs VERY low!

Hi SF,

I have run "Proper" Mikuni RC smoothbores on a couple of bikes, and had AMAZING power results, But they are seriously expensive to buy and to set up. They are designed as "race" carbs and I have never really managed to get a set-up which really felt like a "Road Bike"..... they were always slightly tempramental.....

These carbs cost me £60.....($120?) went straight on, and idled nicely, on the original Suzuki settings. Power and response were better than the stock carbs straight away.

I felt they might be a little weak, so I upped the jets a touch, and lifted the needles. A couple of weeks later it went on the dyno and within an hour, it was all buttoned up; Mains up a hair more, and needles back down a 1/2 groove..... Dynojet do Shims for fine adjustment!

Not the same type of experience as setting up smoothbores; They caused me to spend so long at the shop, that the dyno-man is now still a real good friend, although the shop closed a few years ago!

Hope some of this helps!

AlanB

Horsepower is where you find it.I left no part overlooked when I redid mine and I am very pleased with the results.

[Dan Hodges]

Re: Carbs And More

Originally posted by Dan Hodges
Horsepower is where you find it.I left no part overlooked when I redid mine and I am very pleased with the results.

[AlanB]

Hi Dan,

Beautiful bike! Strange to think that both will have looked very similar when they first went to the USA!

A good friend (another bike-shop owner!) gave me an IOU (a promissary note?) for a Wiseco kit as a wedding present a couple of years ago; once the rest of the bits I want for my monster motor are all obtained, I intend to collect it and follow you into the world of the big bore.

AlanB

[79XS11F]

Thanks for smooth bore carb input Alan. The smoothies are in deed very costly at somewhere around 600 bucks. However unless one hits a good deal any set of carbs in good shape will likely cost 1/2 that and I would not know what I was getting on used carbs until they arrive. I have already had some less then perfect experiences buying used carbs. So far as tuning any carbs goes I must admit that now that I have these color tune plugs I fear no carb setup / tuning job.
My current bike is running like a top. On warm day i don't even have to chock her. She idles very nicely from about 900 to 1100 RPM depends on how hot she is. Throttle response is very good. Very touchy in 1st gear like a new bike.
Rob