thinking of going back to I-4's.

[Gixxus Christ!]

Sorry Scotty, I'm never going back to carburated bikes. If you maybe had an efi zx7r or gsxr750 or 1000 I'd probably trade you.

[TheBrown57]

My bikes not a liter bike but I love my I4

Edited July 10, 2012 by TheBrown57

[2talltim]

This............

Not only do they make more torque. They make it over a much broader RPM range.

Wish I knew where to find a dyno graph of a TL on the computer and overlay it with one of a gsxr 1000 of the same year. The comparision just might surprise you.

Do you have mine saved from dyno day?

[2talltim]

here is a shitty photo of mine.....

[Mary#17]

I'm a convert. I'll never go back to an I4.

I'm not sure about the smoothness comment. My bike has a smooth powerband and is much less jerky than any I4 I've ridden. It did take me a good 2 to 3 months to get used to riding it properly though so maybe you just need more time.

Mary

[Kritz]

I prefer the character of twins as well.

[Gixxus Christ!]

Maybe its the fuel injection characteristics that make it feel less smooth. It's very on-off. Very hard at low speeds to go from no throttle to just a little, bike gets very jerky unless you clutch back into first from 5mph or so. Makes turning the corner onto my street and pushing the garage door opener in my jacket pocket at the same time a challenge. I do like the bike, its got great power and all that, just don't know if I'm in love with it. Tim, what mods do you have on yours?

[Disclaimer]

Twins suck, I'll reluctantly take the POS TL from you for a Chipotle gift card, and rid you of that paint-shaker plague so you can get a buttery smooth i4.

You're welcome.

[Bad324]

Maybe its the fuel injection characteristics that make it feel less smooth. It's very on-off. Very hard at low speeds to go from no throttle to just a little, bike gets very jerky unless you clutch back into first from 5mph or so. Makes turning the corner onto my street and pushing the garage door opener in my jacket pocket at the same time a challenge. I do like the bike, its got great power and all that, just don't know if I'm in love with it. Tim, what mods do you have on yours?

sounds like exactly why I didn't like the VFR at first. Once it became my only bike and I got used to it its not a big deal at all. Well at least it wasn't to me

[magley64]

if you think a twin is choppy, try a single cylinder 600...

VERY ON/OFF

[jschaf]

My 1000rr doesn't seem particularly low in torque or peaky.

[2talltim]

Maybe its the fuel injection characteristics that make it feel less smooth. It's very on-off. Very hard at low speeds to go from no throttle to just a little, bike gets very jerky unless you clutch back into first from 5mph or so. Makes turning the corner onto my street and pushing the garage door opener in my jacket pocket at the same time a challenge. I do like the bike, its got great power and all that, just don't know if I'm in love with it. Tim, what mods do you have on yours?

Performance mods...Full Yoshi RS3(was already on it when I bought it), smart TRE, k&n filter, barnett clutch springs... that's it

Comfort mods...manual fan switch, zero grav double bubble screen, throttle misester, rounded foot pegs, adjustable levers, heli bars(already on it)

Upkeep mods,,,RK x-ring gold chain, driven sprockets, spielgler braided brake lines

Bling/rebuild/protect mods...clear cutch cover and billet preasure plate, front led turn signals, mirrors with built in led turn signals, custom frame sliders

I think that's is absolutly everything ever done to mine

Mine is real jerkey under 3000 revs too, you just learn how to handle it

Edited July 10, 2012 by 2talltim

[cOoTeR]

I got a hold of my rc51 and was super stoked to see why they are all the rage right now. I honestly was let down and had expected more from it. The Zx10r I just bought is crazy smooth and quick. I haven't gone over 6k rpm yet due to the break in but the advances in technology on the modern sport bikes and the suspension make the v-twins seem like antiques. My rc pulls but it doesn't seem to pull as hard or long as my old cbr 1000rr.

[Rctaylor]

if you think a twin is choppy, try a single cylinder 600...

VERY ON/OFF

Hah! Had to laugh at this.

My Pig is either wheelie or engine brake, I know what you mean!

[Mary#17]

Maybe its the fuel injection characteristics that make it feel less smooth. It's very on-off. Very hard at low speeds to go from no throttle to just a little, bike gets very jerky unless you clutch back into first from 5mph or so. Makes turning the corner onto my street and pushing the garage door opener in my jacket pocket at the same time a challenge. I do like the bike, its got great power and all that, just don't know if I'm in love with it. Tim, what mods do you have on yours?

Do you have any slop in the throttle? I had that issue and my husband adjusted it and it works a lot better. Maybe you'd be happier with lower gearing? Just a thought.

Mary

[magley64]

Hah! Had to laugh at this.

My Pig is either wheelie or engine brake, I know what you mean!

i know, right?

dad just got a 83 XL600R... it is the most rediculous thing to try to ride... WAY fun... but completely absurd... don't let it backfire on kickstart or it will chuck you over the handlebars...

[Gixxus Christ!]

Mary, throttle cables are adjusted to factory spec.

[SpeedTriple44444]

That's the nature of Suzuki liter sized twins. They do a very poor job mapping them in general, and the low range always sucks. Also, is it piped? Relieving some back pressure tends to make engine braking less severe. I noticed a big difference on my 650 twin when I piped it, and more so with the baffle out. I'll bet that getting it to somebody who knows how to tune would improve it quite a bit, but it's never going to be inline 4 smooth, because they make more torque down low, so really it is "on and off" from open to closed throttle.

You really should try a Triumph 1050cc triple. They don't have the top end of an inline 4, but they are insanely smooth all the way down to idle and the torque is everywhere- looks like a nearly flat line on the dyno graph.

[Gixxus Christ!]

Factory headers, aftermarket bolt on cans. I thought about getting a pc3 and having it dyno tuned but hesitant to drop $600 for what may be a meager hp gain. I'm sure a re map would smooth it out but not sure it would be worth it. Aftermarket headers are expensive as hell and hard to find for the tl.

[Bad324]

holy hell they want $600 for a pc3 for those things?? Or are you including the price of a full tune too

[SpeedTriple44444]

Factory headers, aftermarket bolt on cans. I thought about getting a pc3 and having it dyno tuned but hesitant to drop $600 for what may be a meager hp gain. I'm sure a re map would smooth it out but not sure it would be worth it. Aftermarket headers are expensive as hell and hard to find for the tl.

Well, if it's not getting it for you in horsepower, you definitely need an I-4. If it's a smoothness issue, you might be shocked what the right dyno guy can do for you. Unfortunately, owning a liter Suzuki V-twin usually means correcting things the factory did wrong. Ask any V-strom owner about that mess. Once they're sorted, they are excellent motors, but it takes some effort. I'm not sure what they have available as far as cams, but camming it up a little might get it closer to what you're looking for- more top end and less bottom, so smoother with a stronger hit.

Edited July 10, 2012 by SpeedTriple44444

[SpeedTriple44444]

You don't map a bike for horsepower. You map it for smooth throttle response and proper air/fuel mixture. Horsepower is just the bonus that sometimes occurs with a properly tuned engine.

It doesn't need more power. It needs a more user-friendly power band. That's what the tuning is for. Forget headers and all that bullshit. If you want to keep it' date=' then tune it. If you don't think you'll keep it, then sell it.. but how will you know if you like the bike if the bike is a bitch to ride? I think $600 is worth paying to have a motorcycle that is a pleasure to ride.[/quote']

Geez, man. You sound like you own a shop or something! Seriously though- excellent advice. NO bike is ideal from the factory, thanks to the EPA.

[Bad324]

You don't map a bike for horsepower. You map it for smooth throttle response and proper air/fuel mixture. Horsepower is just the bonus that sometimes occurs with a properly tuned engine.

It doesn't need more power. It needs a more user-friendly power band. That's what the tuning is for. Forget headers and all that bullshit. If you want to keep it' date=' then tune it. If you don't think you'll keep it, then sell it.. but how will you know if you like the bike if the bike is a bitch to ride? I think $600 is worth paying to have a motorcycle that is a pleasure to ride.[/quote']

woah woah who asked for sense and logic?

[Gixxus Christ!]

Brian, $600 includes dyno tune and gas to Cbus and back. Issac, I keep my r's above 3500, actually I cruise right around 3500-4000. I know where the rough spots are and where the power is, after all I ride the bike daily. I don't like having to avoid the rough spots and shitty factory mapping. I don't like that my bike stalls sometimes if I'm not feathering the clutch at low speeds (a problem I never had on 4's). Excuseme for assuming that tuning was to increase hp, I was mislead by every dyno slip I've ever seen and product names like "power commander".

[SpeedTriple44444]

I know the tune is a lot, but if the bike is generally good for you other than the low speed issues, it will be worth it. If it's still using a factory map with a slip-on, that could be some of your problem. I understand what you're saying. It's not fun riding a bike that responds like that.