My first bike, is this normal?

[lazyazn]

so i got my first bike a month back - 05' katana 600. So far the bike has been awesome! My buddy and I are working to change all the fluids in the bike. (it took a long time to get the stripped oil drain plug out, but we did it) While doing the oil change, we checked the air filter as well. And here comes my first question.

When we took the filter out, there was a strong gasoline odor in the air box. Is it normall? Also, the air filter seems a bit oily. The filter does not seem to be an aftermarket one(not 100% sure). So i dont think the oil is from oiling the filter like what you do to the K&N filters.

Second question. It seems that I can't cruise even on 6th gear. Even if i was going 35mph, I have to keep the throttle open, so the bike doesn't slow down. Is that normal? If not, what should i check?

If there are any experienced riders who live in/around Arlington VA. I would appreciate it very much if you can show a newbie how things work.

[steves]

So, as to gas in the airbox... did you drain the tube at the bottom of the airbox to see what comes out? An oily airfilter is not a good sign....

The bike will slow down in gear without any throttle input... not sure what you are trying to do exactly?

[Kreylyn]

so i got my first bike a month back - 05' katana 600. So far the bike has been awesome! My buddy and I are working to change all the fluids in the bike. (it took a long time to get the stripped oil drain plug out, but we did it) While doing the oil change, we checked the air filter as well. And here comes my first question.

When we took the filter out, there was a strong gasoline odor in the air box. Is it normall? Also, the air filter seems a bit oily. The filter does not seem to be an aftermarket one(not 100% sure). So i dont think the oil is from oiling the filter like what you do to the K&N filters.

Second question. It seems that I can't cruise even on 6th gear. Even if i was going 35mph, I have to keep the throttle open, so the bike doesn't slow down. Is that normal? If not, what should i check?

Did the fuel smell of oil?

If it did, then the most likely cause of the fuel smell on the air filter also would be a carb float needle leaking fuel past and flooding the airbox and crank case.

Cleaning and adjusting the carbs fixes this. I'd make sure that isn't the problem before you end up with fuel in the new oil you just put in.

As for cruise question, not sure I understand what you mean. There could be running issues though with fuel in the oil that could cause it to act odd.

Krey

[lazyazn]

So, as to gas in the airbox... did you drain the tube at the bottom of the airbox to see what comes out? An oily airfilter is not a good sign....

The bike will slow down in gear without any throttle input... not sure what you are trying to do exactly?

i have not drained the tube at the bottom of the airbox. How do i do that?

Let me try to clarify the cruise question a bit. I do understand that without throttle input, a bike will slow down when it is in gear, hence engine break. Since, this is my first bike, i dont really have a reference on this. So i am going with feelings and manual car experiences. (not the most scientific way of going about it. haha, but that's all i have). Anyways. it is to my understanding that it is normal when you are traveling at 35mph in first or second gear, without any throttle input, the bike will slow down significantly. However, this happens when i am in 6th gear traveling at 35mph as well. How fast the bike slows down is comparable to first and second gear.

A follow up question regarding the gears. Is it normal for the rpm to be at 5.5k in 6th gear traveling around 65mph?

[Slofuze]

i have not drained the tube at the bottom of the airbox. How do i do that?
Pull it off. It should be plugged at the end.....so just invert it to see what comes out.
Let me try to clarify the cruise question a bit. I do understand that without throttle input, a bike will slow down when it is in gear, hence engine break. Since, this is my first bike, i dont really have a reference on this. So i am going with feelings and manual car experiences. (not the most scientific way of going about it. haha, but that's all i have). Anyways. it is to my understanding that it is normal when you are traveling at 35mph in first or second gear, without any throttle input, the bike will slow down significantly. However, this happens when i am in 6th gear traveling at 35mph as well. How fast the bike slows down is comparable to first and second gear.
at 35mph in 6th, you're lugging the engine.
A follow up question regarding the gears. Is it normal for the rpm to be at 5.5k in 6th gear traveling around 65mph?

seems about right.

[LandoCommando]

Second question. It seems that I can't cruise even on 6th gear. Even if i was going 35mph, I have to keep the throttle open, so the bike doesn't slow down. Is that normal? If not, what should i check?

What you are expecting to happen (I'm guessing) is that you would get a very similar feel of a torque converter with an automatic transmission on a car. With any vehicle with a manual transmission as soon as you let off the gas while in gear you will slow down due to the road force of the gears slowing down the engine unless you are in neutral, in which case you will just coast and slow down at a much lower rate than if in gear.

[lazyazn]

What you are expecting to happen (I'm guessing) is that you would get a very similar feel of a torque converter with an automatic transmission on a car.

i expect my bike to slow down, but just not as fast as it is slowing down right now.

However, we may have found the reason for this "problem". After changing my oil with a buddy, my bike refused to start. I thought I have overfilled the engine oil, but the oil level is well below the line. Anyways, after running bunch diagnostics, we finally figure out that my petcock has failed. there is a possibility that my petcock has been restricting gas flow.

[uncltommy77]

I have 02 600. No matter what gear or speed ur in or goin, you let off gas it slows kind of quick. If running at 60mph should be 4.8-4.9rpm. So what yours does is bout right. I cruise in 5th at 35.

[PilotC150]

Remember, motorcycles don't have the giant flywheel that a car has. That alone will make the car slow down faster. Or to say it the other way, it will help keep the car going a little bit longer because of more rotating inertia.

[hart_57]

I also have a post98 and it slows down fairly quick in any gear I'm in, as for RPM's I run 5k at 60mph

[freqflyer]

Try letting off the gas in 6th at 11,000 and see how quickly it starts slowing down. You'll think you got the brakes on.