New (to Me) 2000 Kawasaki W650

[MattSR500]

Might I invite people to chuck up a nice photo from their latest ride whenever they get out on their W?



Here's a few of mine from some recent rides.

This is from a 2000km trip to Broken Hill, NSW:




This is from a 500km back roads ride to my hometown, Nyah, Vic. The bike and I later got caught in a dust storm and I've never quite got all the dust out:




And this is from another 2000km trip, this one through the Victorian Alpine region, here near Omeo. From my mate's camera with some fancy effect:

[Scrivens]

This one may have been up before - 800 in the Hills:



Nice bike for dirt roads.

[Pigford]

Originally Posted by Scrivens

All carb tuning does is to adjust the air/fuel ratio to maximise the burn efficiency of the fuel at a given rpm and load.

Adjusting the needle height, pilot jet, air screw, effects the air:fuel at a respective throttle opennings - irrespective of revs!

[ORexpat]

Originally Posted by Scrivens

The air screw smooths the idle, maximises the fuel efficiency at idle and nothing more. It has no effect on the bike once the carb is running off the pilot circuit and the slide and needle are rising. To adjust it properly get the bike fully warmed up, set the idle at the correct rate - 1000rpm - and *very slowly* turn the screw in until the motor stumbles. Then turn it out until the engine revs go up to their fastest point, and keep turning it past that until the motor just starts to stumble or hunt, then turn it back in 1/2 a turn. Do one carb only to this point and then do the other side the same. Adjust the idle speed (if it has changed) back to 1000rpm and do the whole thing again until you get the idle at that 1/2 turn back point and idling at the correct speed. You need to make each turn of the screw very slowly and in tiny increments and wait for the carb to adjust to the new mixture before you move it again. Take about 10 mins per air screw and do it in a quiet place where you can really hear what the motor is doing. If it still isn't perfect after 10 mins per side, take the bike for a short run to cool it off and do the final tweaking. On a multi cylinder bike you can do the same with a set of air gauges, but you still need to balance the dials at that same point where the idle is at the fast point on each carb as the screws are turned.

Tried that. Never could get a change in revs. Suspect the vacuum is already raising the slide a touch at 1000 rpm, overcoming the air screw.

[Barnone]

Originally Posted by ORexpat

Tried that. Never could get a change in revs. Suspect the vacuum is already raising the slide a touch at 1000 rpm, overcoming the air screw.

Also tried that technique with no success. My W650 is running just fine with the only carburetor modification being three turns out.


Just got back from a nice ride here in the mountains of Western North Carolina. The color is just about at it's peak.
In the background is the Santeetlah hydroelectric dam finished in 1928.

[ORexpat]

Nice photo, Barnone.

[Scrivens]

Originally Posted by Pigford

Adjusting the needle height, pilot jet, air screw, effects the air:fuel at a respective throttle opennings - irrespective of revs!

Yep, the A/F ratio is what the carb is all about, and notice that I said rev range and load. At 5000rpm in 5th on a flat road the throttle may be 1/8th open, at 5000rpm going up a hill in 4th with a pillion it might be wide open.

[Barnone]

Still nice riding here in the mountains of Western North Carolina.



Took the gravel forest service road 81 ( map from http://www.tailofthedragon.com/other...wartcabin.html )
which runs kinda parallel to the Cherohala Skyway and stopped at the old Stewart Cabin about halfway up for a photo. Lots of bear hunters out for the season which started October 15th.
Got on the Cherohala Skyway at Stratton Meadow and took it back home. The fall colors are just about gone above 4000 feet.

[tonymorr]

Barnone; I'm jeleous that you live in such a great riding area. Sorry if it's been discussed but are those Distanzias on your bike?

[Barnone]

Tony,
Yep, great riding here in WNC but in two weeks I will be in flat Florida for the winter.

They are Avon Distanzias. They seem to just be ok in the gravel. They probably would be better if I dropped the psi when on the gravel but I would need to have an air compressor to pump then back up for pavement.

[Duelsporter]

Originally Posted by MattSR500

Might I invite people to chuck up a nice photo from their latest ride whenever they get out on their W?

Took the W for a nice 120 mile ride today. Beautiful early fall day in Georgia.

[Duelsporter]

Originally Posted by Barnone

Still nice riding here in the mountains of Western North Carolina.



Took the gravel forest service road 81 ( map from http://www.tailofthedragon.com/other...wartcabin.html )
which runs kinda parallel to the Cherohala Skyway and stopped at the old Stewart Cabin about halfway up for a photo. Lots of bear hunters out for the season which started October 15th.
Got on the Cherohala Skyway at Stratton Meadow and took it back home. The fall colors are just about gone above 4000 feet.

Hey - I've been there! But on the DR650 -- not the W.

[zwish]

I blocked off the KCA with a marble today. This is a HUGE improvement. I shouldn't have waited so long to do it. First off, there is zero popping when I clutch in or decelerate, but more importantly, everything feels much smoother now; accelerating, engine braking. Thanks for the assistance.

[Barnone]

Zwish,
Glad the marble mod helped but in theory it should only reduce the popping and maybe make the engine run a little cooler.

The air is injected downstream of the exhaust valve to increase the burn of any exhaust gases to reduce emissions. Some W650 owners here have had improvements when removing the entire air injection system and capping off the vacuum port at four way fitting that is used to drive the air pump. The theory in that situation is there was an air leak in the hose or pump causing a lean condition.

[zwish]

Originally Posted by Barnone

Zwish,
Glad the marble mod helped but in theory it should only reduce the popping and maybe make the engine run a little cooler.

Man, I thought the same thing and I had read the Jerk's post a ways back about how when he actually removed the system instead of just blocking it off, it caused a 300rpm rise in his idle (probably curing an air leak). But there is a definite, noticeable improvement in the way the bike accelerates and engine brakes now. Maybe I'm crazy, but either way, I'm pleased with the results.