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Message started by mako_308 on 02/25/11 at 08:10:01

Title: Need some advice
Post by mako_308 on 02/25/11 at 08:10:01

i just got my first motorcycle the other day its a 2001 ls650. it runs good and everything.

from what i have been reading they have a tendency to backfire, i only notice mine after i shut it off and about 2 sec later "bang". they guy i bought it from said he had the carb rebuilt could it be that the adjustment screw is not right? if not were would you all recommend adjusting it too?

my exhaust also make like a whistling noise like something inside the exhaust is loose.. here is a youtube vid..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWcQ5fp9wgQ

i am wanting to do some mods im just not sure which are good while maintaining good fuel mileage which is why i got it. the only exhaust i can find is the jardine slip on.. which im assuming you just take off the back part and replace with that one?

the raask sounds nice but im wanting something from the states, just less hassle to buy that way. i was planning on buying a k&n filter is there any other mods for intake? and i read that the carb need to be re jetted. which jet kits would you all recommend?

Title: Re: Need some advice
Post by spacepirates on 02/25/11 at 08:38:26

It is possible the adjustment screw is not right. I'd recommend adjusting it to where it no longer backfires! ;D

the quick and dirty way of tuning it is to turn the screw in until the bike dies or the idle starts to fumble, then to count the turns out until the bike idles funny again, and set the screw halfway between both.

Any intake/exhaust mods you do will negatively impact fuel economy, but will get you more power. That being said, putting a different exhaust on is a pretty strongly encouraged mod on these forums. I have the jardine and love the way it sounds. It is what the name implies, a slip on. unbolt the old one, slide it off, slide the jardine on and clamp her down. then check for leaks and adjust the carb if necessary.

there are two "K&N" mods: the drop in filter and the pod/cone filter. The pod/cone filter involves taking out the airbox and putting a pod/cone filter on the carb. the drop in filter just drops right in to the airbox.

There was a post a while back that had a comparison between air filters involving air flow and particle filtration. if memory serves me well, the K&N did poorly in both regards.

I'd recommend LANCER's jet kit. He has an ebay store (savage_performance maybe?) and is a well respected member of these boards. The kit I got from him came with three or four main and pilot jets, a carb bowl gasket, and a few washers for the white spacer mod.

use the search feature on the forum and look up carb jetting (you'll find volumes on the topic) and other mods for the bike. in the tech section look at the Table of Contents post which provides a quick and easy summation of all the popular maintenance and mods for the bike. BurnPGH had a post a while back that very nicely outlined the different "stages" of mods to the bike depending on how greasy you were willing to get.

Title: Re: Need some advice
Post by verslagen1 on 02/25/11 at 08:49:22

565A5054080B033B0 wrote:

from what i have been reading they have a tendency to backfire, i only notice mine after i shut it off and about 2 sec later "bang".

What SP said is totally correct.
However, you'll never get rid of the shutdown bang that way.
Slightly richen (CCW) the mixture screw about 1/8 turn till the bang is a poof.

I'll never forget when I lit up the '8802 for the 1st time. Big ol' grin, then shut down POW! oops :-[ then a number of the neighbors poke their heads out of the house, a true roflmao, nearly pulled the bike on top of me.

Title: Re: Need some advice
Post by T Mack 1 - FSO on 02/25/11 at 17:26:31

Whistle noise from exhaust .... just over idle? ... sort of like an old VW Bug noise?

Has to do with how the exhaust is tuned. A harley take-off muffler helps get rid of that.

Title: Re: Need some advice
Post by Boofer on 02/25/11 at 17:44:25

Mako, I don't disagree with the advice on here, but I can tell you what I did. I am very familiar with motorcycles. But those were 30 years ago. When I started riding again in 2009, I rode a bunch of miles without touching anything except the vacuum on the petcock because I had to. The more I rode the better aquainted I became with the nature of the little Savage. When I did decide to change a couple of things I had a good baseline to tell if I was helping or hurting. I don't like loud mufflers, because I think they are hurting our image. (Check California's latest muffler laws) I got a used, perfect harley muffler for $40. After cleaning the carb off the bike and adjusting it I still get 55 mpg and moved my roll on power from 50-80 mph. Bottom torque is less, but still have plenty. Be patient and listen to Verslagen, Justin Old Guy, Serowbot, Lancer, and several more I can't recall right now. Old guys move slowly and don't want you to mess up. The first question you need to ask is, "What do I want and why?" Then go for it. Welcome and have fun on one of the toughest bikes made. Sorry I left out many good mechanics, but you'll figure out who to listen to. Boofer :D