Search results for:

I wouldn't touch a 750....they're not very fast even as 900s, you wouldn't want to loose a chunk of midrange. Mine has hi-comp pistons, flowed heads, FCRs and a full system and still is what I would describe as entertaining, rather than fast.

That said, they are very straightforward to work on, so I suppose you could always stick a 900 top end on if you wanted. It will always be worth less as a 750 though.

almost looking forward to the winter strip down.

Deviant.

Dunno really - lots of other factors involved, liner material, cast or forged pistons, etc. I'm fairly clueless, aside from a soupcon of knowledge on 2 strokes, which cool a much larger amount through the charge anyway. Head design, squish and porting wouldn't really change for an air or liquid cooled engine of similar output. You can go further on LQ though, more compression and timing before you get towards detonation, you can run leaner as well.

Air cooling can be incredibly effective though, Aluminium wicks heat like you can't believe. In theory it kind of doesn't matter that it gets hotter sat stuck in traffic. If everything expands at roughly the same rate, the important clearances are maintained. For 4 strokes, the head and underside of the piston are getting splash cooled by oil in the head and crankcases, cool charge coming in, and big time radiation through the cases and fins. The combustion temps are not hot enough to burn anything down anyway (or shouldn't be...)

Water gets cooled in the radiator, oil doesn't hence the difference in temps for the most part. Running temps are pretty similar at cruise. Even if you have an oil cooler, it's generally smaller as boiling point of oil is so much higher than water, and it's not really the oil that does the cooling in an air-cooled bike.

I went over Galibier and a few others years ago on a K5 GSXR thou and was amazed at how hot and asthmatic they get as you get up there.

Can you stick up a pic?

Any way you can cut it out and plumb a new one in? You can buy aftermarket filters.

@chak - Assuming EFI? If they're sealed, you have to replace them. There's often two elements, a steel mesh for larger particles, and the gauze one for the fine, suspended gunk. The latter of the two, isn't cleanable usually.

I bet they're little rippers. A mate had one of these (SDR200) back in the day and it was the absolute tits for b-road mayhem. Hilarious. Little screaming two stroke motors are so much fun, even if you're used to far faster stuff.

Excellent job!

@BrickMan
That sounds awesome. Probably not what you want but they make /made a little Kawasaki 150cc two stroke Z bike in that part of the world that they have tuned to the moon in various applications. I think they're dead cool - amazing little engines.

https://www.bikebound.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Kawasaki-Ninja-150-Tracker-2.jpg

Ha - there's definitely a lively traffic scene over there. My Mrs has always been OK, aside from the occasional vicious pinch. The worse pillion I ever took, was my old man. He was so awful and obnoxious, I nearly dropped him off altogether. We each swore that we'd never do it again.

They entered 3 almost stock bikes into Dakar and they all finished, same in Sonora I believe. No tougher test of a bike than that. Apparently Jimmy Lewis (legendary CA fast man) was at the touratech rally and ragged one 1500miles back from Washington to Nevada, without touching a spanner. I reckon on what I've seen I'd trust one at least as much as a KTM/Husq etc, maybe more. 5000 mile service interval is more like DRZ territory.

Whip the stickers off and wrap it in a nice Gaulloise suit....job done.

I really fancy one of these - looks a lot of cycle for the money....no frills, attractively priced. (I have totally failed to post a pic, but I think they look great too.)

https://www.motorradkonnection.com/products/kove-450-rally

@Chak - February, not a lot of greenery in evidence.

That looks so lush and green. I don't think I've ever ridden a dirtbike somewhere so green! Nice.

My Aunt lives near Abbeyfeale and sends video of the rain from time to time. Most impressive. Has the same, coming from every direction, quality that we get here with the winter storms.

I think more 'off meds, only'...

Good choice!

Doubt you’d ever lose money on it. I think they’re incredibly charming and with some tweaks, great to ride. Here’s mine - it’s quite a long way from standard but is ace. Sounds incredible.
They’re also straightforward and satisfying to work on too, not that I’ve had to do much.

Good work! I’ve not really found the 80/20 type tires confidence inspiring. They’re subtly better that street rubber but proper knobblies are a different world. You can get along ok but avoid anything steep or sandy. Don’t load up the front.

That's a bugger mate. It is amazing here, even if you have to drive 100 miles or so for the good stuff. Too hot for it at the moment though!

Haha - I'll give you odds that went in a van from downtown to the desert. I can testify that riding a dirt bike (any dirt bike,) from Echo Park to the Mojave National Preserve is the motorcycle equivalent of being waterboarded. If waterboarding makes your arse catch fire while the rest of your body turns blue from vibes.

DR650s are alright though, bit sluggy but handle nicely like all the Suzukis do and are appealingly rugged.

This one is big fun in the desert….

Yeah - a full on enduro is overkill for green lane pottering.

I go on about them ad-tedium in any off road related discussions, but also consider a DRZ400E. They're absurdly competent, same sort of weight as the CRF and more poke. Fun handling, dead reliable. Would work fine for some adventure touring too I reckon.

Yup. I’ve had 4 over the years. I don’t ride it often these days so spend the first twenty minutes muttering ‘fuuuuuucking hell’ to myself. They really are astonishingly fast. It’s an indescribable sensation.

My mate has a V4 Tuono - equally bonkers. Glorious noise.

11k, 4th gear, tiny bump in the road and up she comes……batshit. My eyeballs are all spun around.