Any motorcycle modders here?

[bennelson]

I was just doing a little work on my motorcycle and realized that everyone on this forum is tweaking an economy car or carpooling and riding bicycles.

Is anyone else here playing with motorcycles, to start with good economy and improve it from there?

Feeling a little lonely here

-Ben

[MetroMPG]

I know we've got a fair number of motorcycle owners, but no modders that I'm aware of.

But I'm a regular checker-inner at CraigVetter.com

[dcb]

AHEM!

P.S. Just had my first 100+ tank

[bennelson]

Originally Posted by dcb

AHEM!

P.S. Just had my first 100+ tank

Who-hoo!

Pix? Mods? Do you have a thread going that I completely missed?

[Coyote X]

I will actually be modding my bike for better mileage in a week or so. Installing a small aerodynamic windshield and going to a larger countershaft sprocket. I am right in the mid 50's mpg wise and I am hoping this will get it up into the 60's without affecting it's capabilities on or offroad

Most people are reporting the windshield I am getting usually gains them 6mpg so that seems like good deal to me. The CS sprocket with the windshield will hopefully get it closer to 10mpg gain.

On a side note we need a motorcycle category on here

[dcb]

I Just have the garage entry, not really much mods different gear ratio, lowered suspension, rudimentary instrumentation.

pimp mobile

[MetroMPG]

I agree we need a motorcycle forum. Will do that in the AM.

Sorry about forgetting the old pimp mobile, dcb!

[bennelson]

Fossil Fuel Free Forum? Motorcycle Forum?

Where do I go!?!? I feel so split!






That pimp mobile is looking good!

[Coyote X]

I have a bike almost exactly like the pimp mobile it is an 81 Suzuki GN400X. It has been sitting so long and parts are hard to find for it so there is no way I would actually put it on the road and try and drive it any real distances like I do my DR. I've put 9400 miles on it since buying it new one year ago

As far as instrumentation don't forget to go to the bicycle dept at walmart or wherever and get a bike speedometer. They can usually get up to around 75mph reliably and give lots of info like top speed and avg speed. I got a little speedometer for $9 at walmart and it is pretty nice.

[dcb]

I'm just playin Darin

Coyote, I have the reed switch (ugh!) off of one of those bike computers in my toolbox. I actually had the computer on my bike for a short while, but it was trying to keep track of fuel, but the carbs started leaking so I quit that rig:


I'm hoping with a throttle sensor and the vss and rpm signal I can teach a duino to make a good guess at mpg on the bike.

[Coyote X]

A MPG computer for a carb bike or car would be tricky. I have stuck my wideband sensor in the exhaust of my bike to see how it was tuned from the factory and the tuning seems to be off in a few places. So assuming a 14.7: ratio is not going to work well for a lot of bikes.

It seems like a map sensor might give more information than a tps. A lot of bikes have a CV style carb and the airflow through them doesn't have that much to do with the throttle position a lot of the time. If there is a big vacuum diaphragm on the top of the carb it is a CV(constant velocity) carb and measuring the slider position would be a lot more accurate than throttle. You prob have a CV carb since you are only getting 5 inches vacuum all the time. That is typically how they work. You can change the vacuum amount by adjusting the spring pressure on the diaphragm or drilling out/filling in the vent holes.

[Coyote X]

CVK40

how a cv carb works They are a pain to get performance out of but they are pretty good at mileage.

After thinking about it I think if there was a way to measure slider position that would relate really well to fuel flow for everything except wide open/idle. And for that A good guess would probably be close enough.

[Greenblazer]

I have a motorcycle: 2002 Suzuki DRZ 400 K (K is for kickstart other models have Electric start) It is a Dirt bike that I modded to be street legal(Arizona allows this).

It gets around 50MPG, but the cost of maintenence offsets much of the money saved on gas. I have been daydreaming about making a 3 wheeled aero bike powered by a small motorcycle engine.

I would welcome a Motorcycle forum.

Later,

Allan Greenblazer

[bennelson]

yep, a motorcycle forum would have to cover all these aero-trikes we are all dreaming about.

A motorcycle forum might also be another thing to ATTRACT people to this site as well.

[MetroMPG]

OK - motorcycle/scooter forum made. I've had a quick go through and moved relevant threads over; if you see any I missed in your travels around EM, let me know.

[ac7ss]

Besides a windscreen, what other mods are considered for motorcycles?

I have a Vetter fairing on the front, and am working on keeping speed down to the speed limit (Made a big difference already, 45mpg vs 38mpg) and learning to keep by knees in. I will try it without the trunk in a week or so when I have a new baseline from keeping the speed down. I have tried Power off coasting, but as mentioned earlier, you tend to shed speed too quickly, it does work well downhill (cutting the rpm in third has got to mean something right?)

One mod I am considering is a fabric "Sock" running from the fairing on each side to the rear of the bike, I would place my legs inside the sock and I think this will lower the CD over the lower body. Any thoughts on this?

[bennelson]

Have you every seen one of these before?


:::Mueller Windwrap XT Fairing and Body Sock :: January 2006 :::

It is a stretchy fabric used by rebumbent bicyclist to improve aerodynamics.

Seems like the same idea would work great with a scooter or motorcycle.

[Mr_C]

Woo hoo, finally found others thinking the same things I am...

I have a 99 ninja 500. I have been trying to coax the most miles posible out of it. So far I haven't done a lot but work on driving skills (and tucking). I have been able to average about 63mpg out of it over the last few tanks.

I tried pulling the lower fairing off due to recommendations that the scoop on the front did more harm than the sides did good. I saw no noticable difference from that and put it back on last night.

I have switched to synthetic oil and have no front turn signals (due to damage before I bought it). I also have a broken front fairing, which makes me want to improve it with something better. I am very seriously looking into a "dustbin" style fairing. I am not a huge fan of how they looked on older bikes, but my photoshop of what mine could look like isn't as bad as I thought.



It isn't all that expensive ($575 + shipping new) and if it would fit it should make a big difference. If I could break the 100mpg mark with something like this I would be happy, and I think the potential is definately there.

I also want to regear as I have plenty of power and wouldn't mind bringing the RPMs down a little at highways speeds (where most of my commute is).

Does anyone know someone who has tried this (other than vetter)?

-Mr_C

[ac7ss]

It was that type of thing that gave me the idea. I read somewhere about trailing fairings (on the trailing edge) make more difference than leading fairing. So maybe just an oversized shirt stretched over the trunk?

[bennelson]

I love the photoshop job of your cycle with the "dustbin" fairing on it.

I think one of those combined with some sort of "tailsock" would have to be a good improvement in aero.

I would like to do some more work on my cycle, but not until I finish the electric car conversion.