[gearbox]

So here's the video I had made right after I got the delivery, I could not sit down to compose the music, I did it today finally.

Sorry about the sloppy guitar playing

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhdUAMb-vPY

[rm_arjuna]

i ride a 09 UCE TBTS with 36k on the odo , was eagerly waiting for carb uce 500 thunderbird to release and i think it is just a pipe dream .I love my bike the way it is unlike current TBTS and want to increase the power by changing the bore & piston to that of 500 uce and also install rear disc brakes .

Is it possible and is there any downside to this ! need some suggestion

[man_of_steel]

Originally Posted by rm_arjuna

i ride a 09 UCE TBTS with 36k on the odo , was eagerly waiting for carb uce 500 thunderbird to release and i think it is just a pipe dream .I love my bike the way it is unlike current TBTS and want to increase the power by changing the bore & piston to that of 500 uce and also install rear disc brakes .

Is it possible and is there any downside to this ! need some suggestion

A friend of mine has done extensive performance mods on his RTR180 and has faced multiple problems associated with it. Now he says and I quote 'If you want a more capable bike. Buy one..' and forget about making it more capable.

I find this true if you are a touring kind of guy. For extensive touring, keep the bike as stock as possible.

[Shakensoul]

Originally Posted by gearbox

So here's the video I had made right after I got the delivery, I could not sit down to compose the music, I did it today finally.

Sorry about the sloppy guitar playing
https://www.Youtube.com/watch?v=vhdUAMb-vPY

Great attempt, it almost sounded pro. My suggestion would be to keep the video around 60 secs, edit the video with some cool effects and you have a winner

[kpraveenkr]

Hi,

I have just moved from hyderabad to bangalore and had a few queries.

1. Any good mechanic in bangalore? I heard there are some good ones in shivajinagar but can anyone point me some specifics.

2. There is some squeaky noise from the front of the bike when it runs over potholes. Have tried to replicate the problem while stationary but am unable to do so even when trying to compress the shocks fully. Any suggestions?

3. My engine keeps getting cut off when I am at idle or low RPMs despite keeping the idling significantly higher than usual. This happens throughout the day, not only in morning and regardless of the distance I have driven. As a result I have to keep revving the engine which I am sure is not a very good idea. My hyderabad mechanic said that the piston rings have to be changed and reboring was required when I had got it serviced a year back. But after going thorough the posts and checking the exhaust as suggested, I could find only black soot and no oil mix, so are the piston rings really out? Pointers?

I have a 2002 AVL Machismo. I stay close to CV Raman nagar in Bangalore (for suggestions for point 1).

Thanks a lot.

[ArizonaJim]

kpraveenkr

Check all of the nuts and bolts on the frame and mud guard to make sure they are all tight. Also check the mudguards attachment points and stays to see if any cracks have developed over the years.

Giving the engine a little throttle "blip" to rev the engine and keep it from dying won't hurt a thing.

If there is no sign of oil smoke in the exhaust (white or gray) and the engine has good compression there is no need to change the piston rings.

Black soot in the silencer is normal. If there was none, then I would be worried.

The idling problem is most likely due to the adjustment of the carburetors mixture screw(s). After 11 years it also has accumulated quite a bit of dirt and corrosion that can plug/foul the metering jets in it.
If you do anything, having the carburetor cleaned and adjusted would be the best thing to do.
Also it would be a good idea to have the valve clearances checked and adjusted along with the spark plug replaced if you haven't recently done that.

Happy riding.

[kpraveenkr]

Originally Posted by ArizonaJim

kpraveenkr

Check all of the nuts and bolts on the frame and mud guard to make sure they are all tight. Also check the mudguards attachment points and stays to see if any cracks have developed over the years.

Giving the engine a little throttle "blip" to rev the engine and keep it from dying won't hurt a thing.

If there is no sign of oil smoke in the exhaust (white or gray) and the engine has good compression there is no need to change the piston rings.

Black soot in the silencer is normal. If there was none, then I would be worried.

The idling problem is most likely due to the adjustment of the carburetors mixture screw(s). After 11 years it also has accumulated quite a bit of dirt and corrosion that can plug/foul the metering jets in it.
If you do anything, having the carburetor cleaned and adjusted would be the best thing to do.
Also it would be a good idea to have the valve clearances checked and adjusted along with the spark plug replaced if you haven't recently done that.

Happy riding.

Thanks ArizonaJim.

I had got a complete overhaul of the bike done in 2011. This was primarily due to the bike standing for a long time in Mumbai with my brother which led to a lot of corrosion. So, there is no dust or corrosion on the bike more than a couple of years old. Since I am now in Bangalore, the fear of corrosion is lesser. I have got the carburettor and the spark plugs checked/adjusted several times with no result!

I guess I should basically give up and just enjoy riding my bike, which I already do, these quirks seem to be the character of my bike!

[gearbox]

Originally Posted by Shakensoul

Great attempt, it almost sounded pro. My suggestion would be to keep the video around 60 secs, edit the video with some cool effects and you have a winner

Hey Thank You Shakensoul. Glad you liked it.

I shall work on making a short video too, I wanted to infact make a full review of the bullet once I complete 500kms on it, I am short with about 75 more kms.

I do music for short films and stuff like that, so have a little home studio where I record and do these things. I am new to videography, hence there was a lot of shake etc in the video.

[(Alok)]

Originally Posted by ArizonaJim

Black soot in the silencer is normal. If there was none, then I would be worried.

Dear Jim,
Why black soot is normal? I also often think about it. AFAIK this should be imperfect combustion (because the timing got out due to wear of cam lobs/ rockers/ wear of vale/lack of perfect ignition timing etc). If there is no soot, what is the matter of worry?
Thanks

[ssingri]

[quote=

Thanks ArizonaJim.

I had got a complete overhaul of the bike done in 2011. This was primarily due to the bike standing for a long time in Mumbai with my brother which led to a lot of corrosion. So, there is no dust or corrosion on the bike more than a couple of years old. Since I am now in Bangalore, the fear of corrosion is lesser. I have got the carburettor and the spark plugs checked/adjusted several times with no result!

I guess I should basically give up and just enjoy riding my bike, which I already do, these quirks seem to be the character of my bike! [/QUOTE]

I have an avl too the problem with idling points to the push rods adjusted too tight this could also result in soot in the exhaust. Please check if you are using the correct plug bosch w5dc or ngk bp7es. Lastly check if oil has entered you air filter as this is a recurring problem in avls.
I had a similar problem as my carb mixture screw had jammed. Once you identify the problem you can find a solution.
PS my bike now idles comfortably at 750rpm.

[kpraveenkr]

Originally Posted by ssingri

I have an avl too the problem with idling points to the push rods adjusted too tight this could also result in soot in the exhaust. Please check if you are using the correct plug bosch w5dc or ngk bp7es. Lastly check if oil has entered you air filter as this is a recurring problem in avls.
I had a similar problem as my carb mixture screw had jammed. Once you identify the problem you can find a solution.
PS my bike now idles comfortably at 750rpm.

Thanks for the suggestions. Will check these up ASAP and give you an update.

[ArizonaJim]

Originally Posted by (Alok)

Dear Jim,
Why black soot is normal? I also often think about it. AFAIK this should be imperfect combustion (because the timing got out due to wear of cam lobs/ rockers/ wear of vale/lack of perfect ignition timing etc). If there is no soot, what is the matter of worry?
Thanks

The gasoline (petrol) engine is far from a perfect device.
Even one that is in perfect condition with a perfect air/fuel ratio does not completely burn all of the fuel which is available in the combustion chamber.

This is not a bad thing as long as almost all of the fuel is burned.
Such a condition creates a nice, relatively cool yellow/orange flame that won't overheat things like the exhaust valve and the exhaust valve seat.
It does leave a tiny bit of carbon behind though.

Parts that would be adversely effected by this small bit of carbon like the spark plug, where the carbon can short out the electric charge that creates the spark, are designed to become hot enough to burn away the carbon deposit. (This explains why the metal end of the spark plug often has a small amount of black carbon on it but the center insulator is white/brown with no black carbon adhering to its surface.)

If the air/fuel mixture is too lean, all of the available fuel will burn creating a much hotter blue flame. Being much hotter, this blue flame can overheat the exhaust valve and its valve seat causing a failure of those parts.

On a automobile or motorcycle with a catalytic converter, this excess carbon is usually burned so there is very little carbon in the tailpipe.
Older vehicles without some form of emission device almost always show some light carbon deposits in the tailpipe.

Hope this answers your question.

[(Alok)]

Originally Posted by ArizonaJim

The gasoline (petrol) engine is far from a perfect device. ...
Hope this answers your question.

Very clear and technical explain Jim. Thank you very much.
This explained not only black soot but the cash bad effects of overheating/no black soot. This also explained why black soot is only in bike and not in cars (of course because of catalytic converter).

[Fullrevs]

Hi guys! Picked up a desert storm 500 about 20 days ago. Have covered 500km. Few of my friends are recommending that I use Synthetic Oil in the bike for smoother and better running. Are any of you taking this route? Any suggestions or recommendations on how I should go about it.

[harishpr]

Originally Posted by Fullrevs

Hi guys! Picked up a desert storm 500 about 20 days ago. Have covered 500km. Few of my friends are recommending that I use Synthetic Oil in the bike for smoother and better running. Are any of you taking this route? Any suggestions or recommendations on how I should go about it.

Fullrevs, the delivery of DS for me is slated in Feb or Mar. I'm eagerly looking forward to own this. How has been your experience so far with the new machine. Are there too many niggles or major issues. I was always told that a niggle free RE is a myth, do you see that as well.
How has been the first impression and initial 20days.