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What did you do to your dirty bike today?

I installed my new N8RW needle and all new carburetor vent lines and reassembled the bike. I need to get her out for a test ride.
 
Can't wait to hear a report! Hope you can dial it in more to your liking with brass.
 
elemetal said:
Can't wait to hear a report! Hope you can dial it in more to your liking with brass.
Click to expand...

With a 42 pilot, 168 main and the stock needle in the 3rd position, the plug came out shiny/wet. I could have dropped the stock needle, but it appears others have had good luck with the leaner needle and the hope is that it will run a bit leaner while being in the middle of its adjustability than near the end.

At this point it is an experiment. I'm hoping to get it out this weekend for a jetting run and at least get an idea of how it reacts to jetting changes.
 
Have fun with it, remember when you run on the leaner side with a 2t they have more snap and less lug. Typically you want the low end to be a little rich (0-1/8 throttle) then go to neutral (1/8-1/4+) then a little lean to 1/2 then back towards rich at WOT.

You get less wheel spin off idle (technical stuff) then let it transition to max power at the mid. High end you want a little rich so you don't seize and rich low helps when you let off from high end not to starve it of oil and seize after a high rpm run.

Some of the dez guys will put a handlebar choke on and put the choke on after a high speed section to keep it from seizing, then turn the choke off. Also blipping the throttle will get some extra oil in there too.

I used to tune the pilot/off idle neutral to barely lean to get snap but found better control with it a little rich. Put in a main that is a couple steps above what you think is right and it will blubber at WOT. Drop it down in steps to get rid of the blubber, whatever that size is run the next step above that as your final. It will give you a little buffer. Lean is Mean, rich is phat.....
 
Rode my xr400 at carnagie today. It was my first ride since I broke my clavicle in sept. I’ve definitely lost more strength than I thought and my confidence is pretty low. Going to need to put in some time strengthening my arms, shoulders and core before Baja. Also will need to ride a bunch to get it back. Still was fun to get back in the dirt and looking forward to riding more ASAP.
 
I dropped Wayno's Italian lover off at the adoption center for a little this and that.
While at the Italian adoption center I purchased a nifty rack that will simplify Giant Loop attachment and a couple oil filters.
Monday I will order tires. He gets a Kenda Parker I get a MAxxis Desert IT.
 
EDIT: I don't even know how that's possible.... I definitely hit the reply button from another thread... anyhow...

I finally got around to prepping the bike for a hopefully fun day tomorrow :D
 
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elemetal said:
Have fun with it, remember when you run on the leaner side with a 2t they have more snap and less lug. Typically you want the low end to be a little rich (0-1/8 throttle) then go to neutral (1/8-1/4+) then a little lean to 1/2 then back towards rich at WOT.

You get less wheel spin off idle (technical stuff) then let it transition to max power at the mid. High end you want a little rich so you don't seize and rich low helps when you let off from high end not to starve it of oil and seize after a high rpm run.

Some of the dez guys will put a handlebar choke on and put the choke on after a high speed section to keep it from seizing, then turn the choke off. Also blipping the throttle will get some extra oil in there too.

I used to tune the pilot/off idle neutral to barely lean to get snap but found better control with it a little rich. Put in a main that is a couple steps above what you think is right and it will blubber at WOT. Drop it down in steps to get rid of the blubber, whatever that size is run the next step above that as your final. It will give you a little buffer. Lean is Mean, rich is phat.....
Click to expand...

I took the RM to Carnegie today to check the jetting and really ride it. The new needle changed everything. Where it had a black shiny wet plug in the past, it is now dark tan though out the entire range. I marked the throttle at 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 and would run at those throttle settings then pull in the clutch and hit the kill button. I then pulled the plug to check the color under those conditions. I had to back the air screw out to 2 3/4 turns to clean up the transition into the needle, but it runs well. I could go down one more size in pilot (40), but as it gets colder I'm sure it will be even closer. Between the jetting and getting the throttle position sensor set correctly (correct resistance with the throttle closed and wide open) the huge hit in the middle has been tamed and she rips. She still pulls super hard in the middle but it is more manageable. She will also bog down and carburet well on hill climbs. The bulk of the power is made by half throttle.

I can't wait to get more time on it. It has been years since I've spent a bunch of time on a 2T. They are just so different than a 4 stroke. If you want to get in Moto shape, go hang on to a screaming 250 2T and hammer those whooped out trails at Carnegie. I think my arms are 1/2" longer. :teeth
 
elemetal said:
Have fun with it, remember when you run on the leaner side with a 2t they have more snap and less lug. Typically you want the low end to be a little rich (0-1/8 throttle) then go to neutral (1/8-1/4+) then a little lean to 1/2 then back towards rich at WOT.

You get less wheel spin off idle (technical stuff) then let it transition to max power at the mid. High end you want a little rich so you don't seize and rich low helps when you let off from high end not to starve it of oil and seize after a high rpm run.

Some of the dez guys will put a handlebar choke on and put the choke on after a high speed section to keep it from seizing, then turn the choke off. Also blipping the throttle will get some extra oil in there too.

I used to tune the pilot/off idle neutral to barely lean to get snap but found better control with it a little rich. Put in a main that is a couple steps above what you think is right and it will blubber at WOT. Drop it down in steps to get rid of the blubber, whatever that size is run the next step above that as your final. It will give you a little buffer. Lean is Mean, rich is phat.....
Click to expand...

Thanks for the detailed technical information! I think I will go up to a 170 on the main (168 now) for a little insurance. Muscle memory is so strange. I always would blip the throttles on my 2T after long hill climbs to introduce a little more oil into the engine, I found myself doing the same thing yesterday without even thinking. I owned my last 2T, IT-490, 16 years ago.
 
Remember when you use a needle that has a larger diameter straight section, it's almost like using a smaller pilot.

What did I do to my bike today? Nothing. But I ordered some new pants to replace the threadbare old Moose pants that are held together with a zip tie and have an exhaust burn hole in them. Sweet $67 pants, but then I had to buy more stuff to get the $99 minimum order. Ahem, decent $106 pants. Prolly coulda got some Klim Dakars for $125 shipped from Germany or Italy.
 
Glad you got it dialed in Tom. Now just spend some time on it....
I have always like 2ts over 4ts, don't know why. Maybe it's just the suspense of that power delivery and how it ramps up.
 
elemetal said:
Glad you got it dialed in Tom. Now just spend some time on it....
I have always like 2ts over 4ts, don't know why. Maybe it's just the suspense of that power delivery and how it ramps up.
Click to expand...

I'm sure everyone is tired of hearing about the RM, but here is a picture of the plug after a mid throttle run. The insulator appears a bit lighter in the pic than it does in real life.
 

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I rode it. That is a valid post, yes?
 
That plug looks pretty good Tom. They say look at the root of the ceramic mainly and use a new plug, do a throttle chop and kill, etc. Just a good double check of the base but hard to use as a diagnostic.

Read up on the wet-line test; that's supposed to be the best way. Pulling the pipe is a PITA so I just use my ass...to test.

Rip it up on the RM, looks like you have it set up for a really good shake out ride!
 
elemetal said:
That plug looks pretty good Tom. They say look at the root of the ceramic mainly and use a new plug, do a throttle chop and kill, etc. Just a good double check of the base but hard to use as a diagnostic.

Read up on the wet-line test; that's supposed to be the best way. Pulling the pipe is a PITA so I just use my ass...to test.

Rip it up on the RM, looks like you have it set up for a really good shake out ride!
Click to expand...

Never heard of the wet line test, but I'll look into it. That color ran all the way to the root. I went up on the main from 168 to 170 last night as a bit of insurance as you suggested. I also changed the transmission oil. It is getting close. I can't wait to get it out for a full day of riding!
 
Since I don’t ride anymore, I figured I would pull the forks to have them rebuilt. While I was at it, I pulled the trigger on the Lectron carb that has been in my shopping cart for a week. :laughing
I can’t let Tom’s smoker get more love than mine, dammit! :rofl
 
I can’t let Tom’s smoker get more love than mine, dammit!
Click to expand...

You may be too late already... : )

I have the lectron on my 550 but still need to tune it. We should head to Carnegie for a jetting day when you get your forks back on.
 
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