I'm noticing that riding my bike in first gear, it doesn't have as much acceleration and power as I think it should have, or as I'm used to from very different bikes I rode in the past. Usually, when I stop and start moving on 1st, acceleration is not linear, sometimes a little bit jumpy even. As I'm opening the throttle, it doesn't accelerate smoothly. From 2nd gear upwards it's much better, opening throttle gradually accelerates bike forward. Is this something I should expect from this bike or is it not normal? I have '99 Ryca, unknown mileage. Many thanks for your responses and sorry for the dumb question  

Dave wrote on 08/22/16 at 12:00:45:

If the bike surges and doesn't accelerate smoothly at low throttle settings - but the acceleration smooths out when you open the throttle over 1/2 throttle - that is an indication that the bike is running too lean at lower throttle settings.  The cure for that is normally to replace the white spacer on the slide needle with 3 washers that are #4 Machine Screw size (sometimes 2 washers if 3 doesn't cure the problem).

[this is directed at the OP, not Dave]

The easy way to determine if lean jetting is causing performance problems is to engage the choke while accelerating and see if performance improves.

[of course, Dave knows this]

Dave wrote on 08/22/16 at 12:00:45:


I have Suzuki 10w40 (4-Cycle Motorcycle Engine Oil)

I remember playing with a choke a little bit some weeks ago, and if I recall correctly bike was running a bit better (in 1st gear, that is)... I will need to try again to be 100% sure.

I think part of the problem in 1st is that the power isn't spread over a wide range making acceleration short. 1st ends so quickly the bike doesn't have much time to spend in the powerband whereas in 2nd it does. Of course past second the gutless bike will have a hard time spreading the low amount of torque over the gear ranges.

If you're not getting a giggle either you're spoiled by having a seriously quick bike, or yours is not running right.
With mods real close to a six second zero to sixty is totally doable. Stock, IDK, but they aren't gutless. First gear is done quickly. If you're Riding in first you should be in a parking lot.
If you want acceleration you should be grabbing second no more than a couple of seconds after leaving the line. I'm in fourth by about ten seconds out. Not trying to run each gear all the way out, just feeling the torque.