Running rough at 85

[Mad Dog]

I have a 2006 RSV that I am learning to love, partially thanks to everyone here. Anyway, she idles fine, takes off fine, cruises fine ... nothing wrong with the acceleration either from what I can tell ... well for the most part anyway. Seems that when I'm cruising along around 80 and want to get faster she kind of craps out a little. I can speed up, but not as powerfully or smoothly as it was up to that point. She goes, no popping or anything, but she feels and sounds a little "farty" if that makes any sense...

 

So I've read a lot on here about plugs and coils and a few other things, but I'm speculating that the previous owner neglected to do the 25000 maintenance (if there is one??) since he was selling the bike. So with that in mind, along with some stuff I read ... I'm thinking a new set of plugs could very well be the answer.

 

What do you think?

 

Thanks as always!

[XV1100SE]

Couple suggestions and questions....

- run a 1/2 can of Seafoam thru the gas as a starting point

 

When was the last time you sync'ed your carbs?

What gear are you in when you are doing 80 and trying to accelerate?

What is your favourite colour ? (had to throw that in for the Monty Python fans)

[bongobobny]

Yes, plugs may be the answer. Spring for the iridium NGK's, they will last longer. Any motorcycle will eat plugs faster than a car...

[spike13]

If you have that many miles it is time for a valve adjustment

[djh3]

+1 on the valve adjustment. Not that it would cause the problem, but you could burn a valve if they are out. Also while your that far along (you would be surprised how much you have to take apart to do valves) you might as well put plugs in it. Seafoam is a goo dplace to start on the miss/slow acceleration.

[Mad Dog]

Thanks for the input..

 

I'm in 5th while doing 80.

The bike has 26k on it and I've never sync'd the carbs... I just picked it up new to me about 2 weeks ago. I have seafoam... so I'm starting there! and I seems like the plugs aren't too bad ... so there too....

 

Thanks

[Mad Dog]

Thanks for the input..

 

I'm in 5th while doing 80.

The bike has 26k on it and I've never sync'd the carbs... I just picked it up new to me about 2 weeks ago. I have seafoam... so I'm starting there! and I seems like the plugs aren't too bad ... so there too....

 

Thanks

[MikeWa]

Try it in fourth and see what happens.

 

Mike

[XV1100SE]

If you haven't sync'ed the carbs, possible previous owner didn't either.

 

As a suggestion, you should check your steering head too - won't affect the issue you posted about but will affect handling.

[Rick Haywood]

You need your carbs color tuned (air fuel ratio set). Mine ran fine but not great in my opinion I tried everything plugs, carb sync, sea foam, diaphragms different air filters and it helped but when I had my carbs color tuned it completely changed the bike. It ran smoother, had the power it lacked at 75-90 mph and I picked up a couple miles to the gallon. I didn't look to see where you lived but you will find a few members on here that have the carb tune to do it with. I know a member in NC and Ohio have them. Good luck

 

Also the plugs on these bikes need changed ever 8-10 thousand miles. Guys will tell you they have 25,000 miles on there's and it runs fine but until they change then they don't realize it doesn't. You can pull the plugs and think they look good but spend the $10 you will be glad you did. As for valve adjustment IMHO you don't need to spend guy the money yet. If you ask most you will find most wait a little longer I didn't do mine until around 90,000 and only had 1 exhaust valve that was a little tight

Edited April 24, 2014 by Rick Haywood

[djh3]

I think the first valve check/adjustment is important to get by say 35K. Here is my reasoning. Yamaha says 26K. We all know that most specs set by manufacture are on safe side to prevent liability. Same as the oil change interval, I think that can be pushed out to 5-5500 miles. So within reason checking the valves by 35K would give them time to "seat" so to speak and would give you a good indication of where your at. You could go longer but if they are bad it could result in a burned valve. Just my thoughts.

[buddy]

Old school hook up a vacuum gauge and watch the needle a steady needle your OK a jerkin needle you have valve issues also see what your vacuum reading is ? Guessing here but I say 12-14 needle reading for a cycle it may be different if so someone chime in

 

Buddy

[JohnT]

What on earth is a "color tune"?

[frankd]

It is a spark plug that lets you see what color the flame in the combustion chamber is. THe color changes as you adjust the idle fuel/air mixture, allowing you to set each cylinder accurately. I don't have one, but I set mine for maximum idle speed, and then move it a little to the lean side. I can hear the idle speed change slightly as I adjust the mixture, but last time I used a digital counter connected to the alternator stator to actually measure the idle speed.

 

Yamaha dealers adjust the idle mixture by measuring the CO and hydrocarbons in each cylinders exhaust and adjust the mixture so they are at the correct level. This requires an exhaust gas analyzer.

 

Because Ventures use so little throttle opening to go down the road, the idle mixture affects gas mileage and smoothness more than you'd think. I don't think it would affect the smoothness at 80MPH much though. When you open the throttle this much, you're mostly on the power circuit. Have you checked the carb. diaphrams for holes? Are the air cleaners clean? As suggested by others, spark plugs and/or weak spark could easily cause misfiring during high power demands.

[Rick Haywood]

It affected mine at all speeds, it ran like a vtwin rough and such but i had one carb burning light yellow while the others were burning bunson burner blue.

[bongobobny]

What on earth is a "color tune"?

To add to Frank D's explanation, the reason most of us use a color tune plug instead of an exhaust gas analyzer (just a tad more accurate) is the color tune is a whole lot cheaper than an analyzer...

[Mad Dog]

So.... that colortune thing is a real thing? [ame=

]

[/ame] It really works? Wow thats unbelievable... never heard of it before. Thats pretty neat! So using that is different than syncing the carbs? or that is syncing the carbs?

 

I'm going to try and change the plugs, is there anything I need to know? Special tools? Easy? Hard?

 

Thanks!

[Mad Dog]

Try it in fourth and see what happens.

 

Mike

 

Thats not too fast for fourth?

[Flyinfool]

You can hit almost 100 in 3rd.

 

Use your rev limiter. It will tell you when you have to shift.

Bumping the rev limiter occasionally will not hurt this engine at all.

[MikeWa]

Thats not too fast for fourth?

 

 

Third is good to a little over 90 mph. I have never maxed out forth but I know it is good to well past 100.

 

Mike

[Rick Haywood]

I had mine about 115 in 4th chasing EUSA1 down a hill trying yo keep up on a road in northern illinois

[Pegasus1300]

Thats not too fast for fourth?

 

The rational behind this is that the 5th gear in the RSV/RSTD is an overdrive and not really meant for acceleration. It will do it because there is a good bit of power there but it doesn't really like it. Couple that with a tall final drive ratio and you have bog situation when you try to accelerate.

 

Color Tunes have been around since the early 70's and are a proven tuning tool. Color Tune then sync your carbs.

 

If you are running on 25000 mile plugs you are due. When you pull them they will look new and you will think you have wasted your money, but they need changing and should be done at 15000 mile max preferably 8-10000.

 

Valve adjustment when I got my 1st Venture in 83 I used to have the valves adjusted at the recommended mileage but it just got too expensive.Then I learned how to check them myself and discovered that they didn't change very much over time so I went to an "as needed" interval and found i could go thousands of miles before adjusting,60 to 70000. I learned on Brit bikes and I was adjusting them every week,this is a different design and better materials.

 

Carb Sync. Do often.

[Mad Dog]

As always, thanks for all the info! I did drop her down into 4th at 80 and tried it, and it was way better! I dont think that will be a regular practice... cruising above 80 .. but dropping it down into 4th , or even 3rd, seems to be the answer.

 

Truth is, I dont know when anything was done last, I just got the bike... but it is in great shape, and I believe it was well taken care of. Still I'm going to get plugs and get some Seafoam in the tank.

 

I've searched and gotten a ton of results, but are there any comprehensive instructions on changing spark plugs? Syncing carbs?

 

Thanks

[bongobobny]

OK it's RPM related which points to the carbs...

 

EDIT: After thinking about it for a while, it could be related to a plug or two being weak. I'm thinking try a set of iridium NGK plugs first before you start tearing into the carbs just to prove it is indeed a carb adjustment issue first. But, before you do that, dump a whole can of seafoam into a full tank (double dosage) and drive it like you stole it. If there is a lot of crud to be burned off, it can and will foul the plugs even worse so you may as well totally wreck the old plugs...

Edited April 26, 2014 by bongobobny

[MikeWa]

If the bike checks out, carbs,valve adjustment etc. and if you still want a little more umph when you stomp it at speed. You might consider the v-max differential swap. How to is in the tech section. There are several posts on the subject. I did it and have been pleased with the result.

 

Mike