Hit the power limit of the Kat or just of my old bike ?

[wittymonkey]

Here is how :

going uphill on the way to Mount Washington on Route 16 ( I believe). I have a passenger ( about 130 pounds) myself ( 160 pounds) and my old bike ( '89).

And in 6th gear at about 70 mph I tried to pass a truck while going slightly uphill. And I opened the throttle all the way (there was about half left to be opened I would say) and the kat .... well.... did nothing.

And also on the way back we hit about 90 mph for a short portion. I didn't wanted to go faster, but it seemed possible if it's flat enough.

The question is : am I loosing power or is it normal for the Kat ?

W.

[TemtnF8]

with that much weight you should probably downshift to pass... hell, I downshift to pass when it's just me.

[The CyberPoet]

with that much weight you should probably downshift to pass... hell, I downshift to pass when it's just me.

x2... At 60 with a passenger, you should have at dropped down two gears to do the pass on an uphill section -- possibly even three gears. You want the bike to be just shy of it's peak output when you start to execute the pass under load going uphill, and it peaks between about 8k and 9.2k RPM...

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

[wittymonkey]

It's just vibrating soooooooo much I hate doing more than 6k rpms. The fairing starts vibrating like hell and the handle bars too.... I think it's because of the engine. Is there any way I can reduce the engine vibrations ( equilibrate .... ? )

Thanks Cyber,

George

[The CyberPoet]

It's just vibrating soooooooo much I hate doing more than 6k rpms. The fairing starts vibrating like hell and the handle bars too.... I think it's because of the engine. Is there any way I can reduce the engine vibrations ( equilibrate .... ? )

Use a better oil, get the valves adjusted, get the rotational engine masses balanced (engine balancing), and have the cam chain tensioner checked. Usually handlebar vibrations are speed related (unbalanced tires), or because of an unbalanced bar extensions (such as one bar being bent further than the other due to a spill, making the whole assembly above the triple-trees unbalanced and more prone to vibration).

You might also want to increase the bar end weights or the total bar weights (use of a BarSnake is advisable, or fill the bar with BB's and silicone).

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

[wittymonkey]

) I just called the Suzuki dealer close to me ( Parkway Cycles owned by GBM in Boston) and they :
- don't know what a engine balancing is
- don't do valve adjustment
- dont do cam chain tension check ( too old a bike they said)

Is it me or they are just a bad dealer ?

George

[wittymonkey]

And any ideas about how much these things cost ?

Thanks Cyber

w.

[The CyberPoet]

) I just called the Suzuki dealer close to me ( Parkway Cycles owned by GBM in Boston) and they :
- don't know what a engine balancing is
- don't do valve adjustment
- dont do cam chain tension check ( too old a bike they said)

Is it me or they are just a bad dealer ?

George

I can believe they don't do engine balancing, and may not know what it is. Normally it's handled by high-end shops that specialize in advanced services (balancing requires special hardware to literally balance the rotating masses of the cams, crank, etc).

I have a serious problem believing they don't do valve adjustments... this is a standard maintenance chore and should be done every 7.5k miles or so as part of the standard service. Thus, I beleive whomever you spoke with is full of shite.

The cam chain tension check can be done at the time of the valve adjustment if they know what the specifications are for it. More often, simply replacing the tensioner assembly is common -- if the bike has the symptoms of a bad/worn one (causes the bike to sound like a sewing machine when running if the cam tensioner isn't working right or the cam chain is beyond it's service limit).

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

[The CyberPoet]

Standard 15k service (includes valve adjustment, oil change, etc): $289 - $325, depending on hourly shop-rate.

Carb Sync (a cheap form of power balancing): $60 - $100 by itself, or often free in conjunction with the 15k service (up to $25 in conjunction with the 15k service).

Rotational mass balancing: pricing varies heavily. Cheapest I've ever heard is about $250, more commonly $500 - $700 because of the labor involved in tear-down.

Cam chain tension check: $30 in conjunction with the standard $15k service, probably about $150 without.
Tensioner assembly, part number 12830-27A08, $60.71 at RonAyers.com, usually about $75 at a typical dealer.

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

[wittymonkey]

Thanks I will keep this in mind. Maybe my bike only needs the standard 15k service.

w.

[The CyberPoet]

Thanks I will keep this in mind. Maybe my bike only needs the standard 15k service.

w.

If you go the other route (DIY):

Carb sync to do carb balancing - $40 to $130, depending on brand/type.

Valve adjustment feeler gauges - $4 - $10, any automotive parts shop

Valve adjustment tappet tool - $7 for Suzuki brand, $40 for Motion Pro (comes with the complete solution), or fudge it with a small adjustable wrench and a socket wrench.

Factory service manual - $25 (eBay on CD) to $65 (?) at the dealership.

Torque wrench: Beam-type, $20, Sears. Click-type, $12 Harbor Freight.

Then you'll never have to pay someone else to do it for you.

Cheers
=-= The CyberPoet

[KAT6]

when do you need to replace the cam chain?

[SweetLou]

when do you need to replace the cam chain?

A new cam chain, and some tools.

Seriously, it is a pain. You have to pull it all apart, the valve cover, the head, all that crap.

[The CyberPoet]

when do you need to replace the cam chain?

When it's stretched beyond it's service limit. That information is in the factory service manual on how to check the limits. With normal use and timely maint, the cam chain should last the life of the bike (100k miles?).

Cheers,
=-= The CyberPoet

[illinoiskat]

How do you maintain the cam chain? Just change the oil?