A few questions after the first real ride

[MattK]

So I finally waited long enough and paid all the money enough to be legal to ride my bike here in Oregon! Took her out for a real nice ride through the country back roads yesterday, and I have a few questions: First, does everyone use the clutch? I am a truck driver and we never really use the clutch except to start out, and the only other bike I have had, I rode the same way - match RPM and slip it from gear to gear. Question is, does this hurt anything to do this? Second, I was on a straight stretch at about 45 mph, cranked the throttle and it got about twice as loud and took off like a bat out of hell. It was like in the old days when I had a four barrel carb in a car and stomped on it. Does this bike (83 VR TDK) usually run on two carbs and open up all four on demand?

 

--Matt

[Patmac6075]

Good questions....

 

There are are no secondaries on our bikes, so maybe there are other reasons for your surge in power. One thing I can tell you is these bikes really like the higher rpm range! On a well tuned XVZ12 have no fear of the redline! Maybe you have a stuck slider?

 

As as far as clutchless shifting... I've never really felt confident enough to do it with any regularity. I did once snap a clutch cable about 75 miles from home....I did make it home, but.... upshifts were much easier than downshifts,

[MAINEAC]

I'm a ex trucker and didn't use the clutch for shifting but trucks have a non synchronizing tranny.. The bike has syncros and you risk damaging those.. So I've been told... but I'm not an engineer...

 

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[CaseyJ955]

I'm a ex trucker and didn't use the clutch for shifting but trucks have a non synchronizing tranny.. The bike has syncros and you risk damaging those.. So I've been told... but I'm not an engineer...

 

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When I shift on the bike I can do it clutchless, and I do sometimes when short shifting but I give it just enough clutch to unload the gears, so a gentle partial quick tug as I kick the gear and it's smooth and quiet. I find that I like the way it shifts more with the Rotella 15-40 non-synthetic oil.

 

The carbs are all the same, synched and tuned to do the same thing at the same time. I do notice that it's really happy at 3500-4500 rpm, really eager to pull right there.

 

I'm old enough to remember kicking in the secondary barrels.

[snyper316]

Are you talking about the sluggish 1000-to 2500 or so RPM and you hit that 3000rpm mark and its like a scalded mule. I love that , I believe that is supposed to happen, its like a sleeper you awaken the bear and your gone...

[BlueSky]

I rode home from work one day on my 2004 Kawa Concours when the clutch release wasn't working. I let the fluid get too low.

There was a slight incline that enabled me to get the bike rolling before putting it in gear. It was easy to shift gears by matching the rpms of the engine and the gears. I was lucky that I was able to roll through the 3 stop signs and made a left turn without having to stop. If you are careful, I don't think it hurts anything.

Edited April 17, 2017 by BlueSky

[camos]

Second, I was on a straight stretch at about 45 mph, cranked the throttle and it got about twice as loud and took off like a bat out of hell. It was like in the old days when I had a four barrel carb in a car and stomped on it. Does this bike (83 VR TDK) usually run on two carbs and open up all four on demand?

 

--Matt

The carbs are simple and do not work like a 4 barrel. Above 3000 RPM is where these engines develop their horsepower so depending on which gear you were in at 45 mph you might get a burst or a bog. Another thing, when opening up the throttle the main jets cut in and pour in the gas. It's possible the pilot jets are not completely clear so could be limiting output at other than WOT. When cruising at 3-4 k the main jets are not, or very, open. At that speed, when the throttle is cracked open the bike should leap ahead.

 

Sounds like the bike has not been ridden for a while so there could likely be some crud in the carbs that still needs to be worked out. Due to ethanol the carbs can get crudded up even when used regularly. Seafoam is good at cleaning that up. Every 3 months I like to put about 1/3 of a can in a half tank of gas, go for a short spin to get the treatment into the carbs then park it overnight. Then run it normally until it gets to the reserve. The combination of sitting/soaking and running seems to optimize the cleaning properties. Letting the treated gas work through the choke/enricher system is also a good idea so keeping it on longer than normal should keep that cleaned out as well.

[MattK]

Sounds like the bike has not been ridden for a while so there could likely be some crud in the carbs that still needs to be worked out. Due to ethanol the carbs can get crudded up even when used regularly. Seafoam is good at cleaning that up. Every 3 months I like to put about 1/3 of a can in a half tank of gas, go for a short spin to get the treatment into the carbs then park it overnight. Then run it normally until it gets to the reserve. The combination of sitting/soaking and running seems to optimize the cleaning properties. Letting the treated gas work through the choke/enricher system is also a good idea so keeping it on longer than normal should keep that cleaned out as well.

 

 

I just bought it a few weeks ago from a local shop. I don't know anything about the history of it, so it very well could have been sitting for a while. It fires right up and runs like a raped ape, tires are in so-so condition (new ones going in on Wednesday), oil was pretty clean when I changed it, etc. I did run a half a can of Seafoam in the gas that was in it because I didn't know how old it was. Ran it almost empty and filled it up, with the rest of the can of Seafoam. Maybe it is just working out the gunk. It really only seemed to do it that once, and then not again that I noticed.

 

--Matt

[Jayceesfolly]

I shift both up and down all the time without using the clutch. Only use it for stopping and starting. I have been doing this on the two bikes I have owned for eight years (an 83 & 89). It takes a bit of co-ordination, but as a retired truck driver, I found it was easy to do. To upshift, I accelerate and then when ready to shift, I close the throttle and as the gears relax I toe the lever up to the next gear. Downshifting is a little trickier, because you have to match the RPMs very closely. But again same technique, back off the throttle and when the gears relax, downshift. I may sometimes use the clutch for downshifting into first gear due to my speed and the high RPMs, if a sudden stop is required. If you can shift a 10, 13, or 18 speed without the clutch, you should not have a problem with the bike. I put 40 K miles on my first bike and have almost 50 K on my current bike and have not had any problems with the trans or clutch. I also pull a trailer and shift without the clutch and the bike doesn't seem to operate any different. Of course, I am not an aggressive driver, so all of my shifts are done in an easy manner and no WOT and trying to "speed shift" .

 

Your style may be different but I ride like an "old man", it just takes me five minutes longer to get there than most riders!

 

Jim

[camos]

I just bought it a few weeks ago from a local shop. I don't know anything about the history of it, so it very well could have been sitting for a while. It fires right up and runs like a raped ape, tires are in so-so condition (new ones going in on Wednesday), oil was pretty clean when I changed it, etc. I did run a half a can of Seafoam in the gas that was in it because I didn't know how old it was. Ran it almost empty and filled it up, with the rest of the can of Seafoam. Maybe it is just working out the gunk. It really only seemed to do it that once, and then not again that I noticed.

 

--Matt

Yeah, you probably got it. Seafoam is not an instantaneous solution and does take a little time to work its magic. After your comment, I paid attention while riding and there is quite a roar that comes with a wide open throttle and the bike does really take off if the RPMS are at 3000 or more. Seems that your bike is running well.