Automotive

The Marco Simoncelli Foundation becomes a reality

2011-12-28T02:45:00.000-08:00

Thursday, 22 December 2011

A non-profit organization in memory of the late MotoGP rising star Marco Simoncelli has been realized through the efforts of his family and friends.

"The Marco Simoncelli Foundation" began as an idea of Carlo Pernat (Simoncelli’s manager) and was immediately embraced by the Simoncelli family, who worked quickly to make the foundation a legal reality.

"We completed all of the paperwork in a very short time," said Paolo Simoncelli, "and we are ready to start work." The president of the foundation will be Marco’s mother Rossella, while Paolo Simoncelli’s sister Angela and Dr. Arnaldo Cappellini will sit on the board of directors. Sister Martina and girlfriend Kate, with assistance from Carlo Pernat and Paolo Beltramo (Mediaset MotoGP journalist and friend) will offer their assistance.

"We already have several initiatives underway. For example, on January 20 an event titled 'Happy Birthday Sic' will be held at the 105 Stadium in Rimini, an evening designed for fun as my son would have liked. There will be comedians from the TV show Zelig on stage and many of Simoncelli’s friends from the GP paddock are also expected to show up. We are also working on an exhibition dedicated to Marco in the City of Coriano, managed directly by the Foundation. We are just getting started and we're surrounded by positivity that was so typical of Marco, positivity that affected everyone around him and made him an extraordinary person."

"The basic premise of the Foundation," explained Paolo Simoncelli, "is that through keeping the memory of Marco alive we can help alleviate suffering of those who are worse off than us. It is hard for me to say where and how the funds raised will be distributed, since I cannot assess how much we will have available as time goes by. One thing is certain; I will try and manage all this as a good father."

"We received a huge number of messages of affection for Marco" added Paolo Simoncelli, "and this has helped and continues to help us overcome the difficult times that we live with daily. Seeing how many people loved our son has helped us go on and we believe that ‘The Marco Simoncelli Foundation’ represents the best way to remember him in the future."

from http://www.motogp.com/

Pedrosa takes second win of the season at Valencia

2009-11-08T17:24:00.001-08:00

Dani Pedrosa doubled his race-victory tally for the season in the final race of the year with a win at the Ricardo Tormo Circuit on Sunday, as Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo completed the podium.

It was a victory on home soil for Dani Pedrosa at the Gran Premio Generali de la Comunitat Valenciana, as the Repsol Honda man enjoyed a start-to-finish win in the final race of the 2009 season.

The drama started before the race had even commenced, as pole position holder Casey Stoner’s high-side crash on the warm-up lap meant he was unable to take his place on the grid. That allowed Pedrosa to lead the charge from his position on the front row, and after taking the first corner in the lead the Repsol Honda rider never relinquished it, sealing third spot in the overall standings in the process.

World Champion Valentino Rossi followed the Spaniard home in second place, finishing 2.630s behind Pedrosa as he ended his title-winning season with his 13th podium of the campaign.
The Italian’s Fiat Yamaha team-mate Jorge Lorenzo, who did well to hold onto his bike when a moment on the opening lap almost threw him off, was a further 0.283s behind as he took third, having already sealed second spot in the Championship by virtue of Stoner’s non-start.

The Australian ended the season in fourth place overall, with Colin Edwards’ fourth place in the race allowing him to snatch fifth in the 2009 standings from Andrea Dovizioso.

The top five on the day was completed by Stoner’s Ducati Marlboro team-mate Nicky Hayden, who held off the challenge of Toni Elías as the Spaniard came in sixth in his final race with the San Carlo Honda Gresini team.

Wildcard rider Ben Spies rode to an impressive seventh-placed finish, and in depriving Dovizioso of that spot – the Italian finished eighth – played a direct role in helping his future Monster Yamaha Tech 3 team-mate Edwards take fifth in the Championship.

There were also top-ten finishes for Rookie of the Year Mika Kallio (Pramac Racing) and Alex de Angelis (San Carlo Honda Gresini).

from http://www.motogp.com/

Suzuki GSX-R1000

2009-11-08T17:05:00.000-08:00

2008-10-17T00:42:00.000-07:00

Yamaha Motor Company announces the debut of the new “YZF-R15“: a new model cooled endowed supersport of a 150cc to liquid, 4 times, single cylinder SOHC, 4 valves and Deltabox Chassis.

It will come introduced for before the time to New Delhi to “9° the Expo Car - 2008″, that the Confederation of the Indian manufacturers has organized for 10-17 January. It boasts a worthy character of a supersport and a design that recalls the sorellone of the R series.
In Yamaha it seems have taken the maxim seriously “Enjoy Ride“

source : www.yamaha-motor-india.com,www.xbhp.com,www.motoblog.it,www.2wheelsindia.com

Yamaha Tesseract

2008-02-20T08:45:00.000-08:00

One of the most eye catching bike in Tokyo Motor Show 2007 might be this one, Yamaha Tesseract. It doesn't like common motorcycle which only have two wheel, it have four wheels. Unfortunately, you look for it in Yamaha dealer for recent time. It’s just a styling concept and have not mass produced. Y

It’s not technically a motorcycle, and “Tesseract” sounds like something Scooby-Doo would say, but who cares? It looks incredible and has enough techno-jewelry to make the most jaded gearhead drool. Mounted in that spidery chassis is a V-Twin motor that’s the basis for a hybrid propulsion unit. Front suspension is something Yamaha calls “dual scythe,” and like the Piaggio MP3, the wheels lean with the chassis into the turns to impart that authentic motorcycle-riding feel. Like the Piaggio, the frontal profile is almost as narrow as a motorcycle, which would make this a fun and interesting street ride. The extra wheel will add stability, for sure, but also make this as likely to become DOT-legal as a Tiger tank.

Harley Davidson Legend Full Story

2008-02-20T08:41:00.001-08:00

Harley Davidson, a brand which become a legend, not only in US but also in entire world. The history 1 of the Harley-Davidson motorcycle began in Milwaukee in 1903. This motorcycle was initially built for racing and was powered by a one-cylinder gasoline combustion engine. Later that year the first Harley-Davidson dealership, C.H. Lang of Chicago, opened and sold one of three motorcycles manufactured that year. In 1906, due to increasing demands and need for a larger facility to fabricate their motorcycles, Harley-Davidson moved to a new factory measuring just 28×80 feet on Juneau Ave. Along with this expansion came more jobs. By now Harley-Davidson employed 6 full-time employees. Also this year the first Company catalogue was produced and distributed. In 1907, some big advances took place. The Harley-Davidson Motor Company was incorporated on September 17th, 1907, and the number of employees increased to a healthy 18. The size of the factory also doubled.

By now, the word of Harley-Davidson was spreading rapidly. Their motorcycle was breaking many records, including a fuel economy record in 1908, which was now set at 188.234 miles per gallon by the Harley-Davidson.
In 1909 the first 1000 cc V-twin powered motorcycle was introduced. It produced a modest seven horsepower. The 45-degree V-twin would become one of the more recognizable images of the Harley-Davidson motorcycle.
1910 brought the legendary "Bar and Shield" logo that was placed on their motorcycle. This would become the defining symbol of Harley-Davidson to this day. Numerous first place winnings in races, endurance contests and hill climbs give Harley-Davidson more recognition. The "F-head" engine is introduced in 1911. It will be the power workhorse until 1929, when the "Flathead" engine is introduced.
The year 1912 saw further growth of the Harley-Davidson Company. Construction began on a new 6-story factory. Harley-Davidson also became an exporter this year and their first overseas sale was made in Japan. In the states there were now over 200 dealerships.
1914 saw the addition on the sidecar to the Harley-Davidson. The Company also formally put their hand in the ring of motorcycle racing this year and would soon dominate the sport and become known as the "Wrecking Crew".
1915 saw the emergence of the three-speed sliding-gear transmission. In 1917, one-third of all Harley-Davidsons were sent overseas to the U.S. Military to fulfill their patriotic call and to aid in the war effort. The following year, roughly half of the motorcycles produced were sold to the U.S. military. In the end, about 20,000 motorcycles were used in the war, most of them Harley-Davidsons. By this time Harley-Davidson was the biggest motorcycle factory in the world with nearly 2,000 dealerships worldwide.
The 1920's saw some changes to the appearance of the motorcycle, which are more recognizable today. One such change was the identifiable teardrop shape gas tank. In 1926, single-cylinder engines were once again available, having been discontinued in 1918. In 1928, the first twin-cam engine and front wheel brakes were available on the Harley-Davidson. With this modification, the motorcycle could reach speeds in excess of 85 mph.
The 1930's and subsequent years saw more record breaking and award winning Harley-Davidson's. In 1932, the three-wheel Servi-Car was introduced and would become a familiar commercial and police vehicle. Along with appearance changes such as the "eagle" design, which was painted on all Harley-Davidson gas tanks, changes were also made to the engine. In 1936, an overhead powered 61 cubic inch engine called the EL was introduced and became very popular earning the nickname "Knucklehead."
In the 1940's, the Harley-Davidson once again answered the patriotic call and sent its motorcycles overseas to aid in the war effort. In 1941, civilian production on the motorcycle was mostly suspended as the company turned out motorcycles for the war. Because of their commitment and excellence, Harley-Davidson received the Army-Navy "E" award; this wouldn't be the last time. In November of 1945, civilian production once again started. In 1947, Harley-Davidson purchased the old A.O. Smith Propeller Plant and used it as a machine shop. The parts made here were shipped back to the old factory on Juneau Avenue for final assembly. In 1949, hydraulic front brakes were introduced on the Hydra-Glide models.
In 1952, the Harley-Davidson introduced an integrated engine and transmission motorcycle to compete with motorcycles from Great Britain. In 1953, there were only two American motorcycle companies, and one would fall. The Indian motorcycle company, which competed with the Harley-Davidson, went out of business as a result of Harley-Davidson's success. 1955 saw the beginning of what would be seven-year consecutive victories at the Daytona 200. The King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley, was pictured with a 1956 Harley-Davidson on the cover of the May edition of Enthusiast Magazine. In 1958, more improvements were in store for the rear of the motorcycle. These improvements included the first rear breaks and a hydraulic rear suspension on the Duo-Glide model.
Recognizing the importance of fiberglass in motorcycle production, in 1962 Harley-Davidson bought 60% of stock on the Tomahawk Boat manufacturing Company. Fiberglass components then could be made for the Harley-Davidson. In 1964, the three-wheel Servi-Car was outfitted with an electrical starter. This was the first Harley-Davidson to embellish this luxury. The Electra-Glide models replaced the Duo-Glide models and were given an electric starter. In 1969, Harley-Davidson merged with American Machine and Foundry Company (AMF).
The beginning of the 1970's saw a revolution of the Harley-Davidson. In 1971, the cruiser was born. This machine united a sporty front end with the frame and power train of the FL series. 1973 saw the move of assembly operations to a new 400,000 square foot plant in York, Pennsylvania. The year 1975 was the first of four consecutive years that the Harley-Davidson won the AMA Grand National Championships in dirt track racing. In 1977, the FXS Low Rider and the FLHS Electra Glide Sport were introduced to the public. The FXS featured a special lower seat position (hence the distinguishing term Low Rider…). The FLHS was a low cost base line FLH Electra Glide with modifications intended to make the model sportier.
The beginning of the 1980's saw another change in the partnership of the engine and transmission. In 1980, the FLT model was born with a 5-speed transmission hard bolted to the engine. Also this year, the drive train was replaced with a Kevlar belt. In 1981 senior members of Harley-Davidson bought back Harley-Davidson Motor Company from AMF.
In 1982 Harley-Davidson enacted the Materials as Needed (MAN) application in their production. This would cut production costs and improve the quality of the parts. In 1983 the group H.O.G was founded and became the largest factory-sponsored motorcycle club in the world. By the year 2000, the club had over 500,000 members. In 1984 the 1340 cc V-twin engine was introduced, seven years in the making. Also this year, the Softail model became available. The Softail was most primarily distinguishable by hidden rear shock absorbers.
In 1987 Harley-Davidson began its "Buy Back Program" which offered full trade in value within two years on certain models. Also at this time, the Harley-Davidson Company obtained a place on the New York Stock Exchange for those interested in taking a financial stake in the company. In 1988 Harley-Davidson celebrated their 85th Anniversary in Milwaukee, an event that brought forth 60,000 aficionados of the Harley-Davidson. At the end of this revolutionary decade for Harley-Davidson, the FXSTS Springer Softail model was introduced into the lineup. The FXSTS Springer Softail was a modern day recreation of the 1940's Harley-Davidson. It had the classic biker look with the 1340 cc engine symbolizing the new era of Harley-Davidson.
In the early 1990's the Fat Boy design was introduced and quickly caught on. It was destined from the start to become a Collector's item among biking enthusiasts and definitely achieved that status throughout its existence. Also in 1990, Construction on a 31 million dollar state of the art paint facility began in York, Pennsylvania. It was finished the following year.
In 1991, The Dyna line of Harley-Davidson's was introduced with the FXDB Dyna Glide Sturgis. 1994 saw the jump of Harley-Davidson into the Superbike racing with the VR1000. The VR1000 featured a dual overhead cam and a liquid cooled engine and showed that Harley-Davidson was not fully averse to manufacturing a race inspired sport bike.
In 1996 a state of the art Parts and Accessories distribution plant was opened in Franklin, Wisconsin. The following year a new Product Development Center opened in Milwaukee. Also in 1997, a 330,000 square foot plant in Kansas City made its first Sportster. In 1998, assembly operations were taking place in another part of the world, Brazil. In the year 2001 Fuel injection was available on the Softail models.
The Sound
Throughout all of Harley-Davidson's history, the Harley-Davidson has been known for its unique characteristic sound. This sound is unique to the Harley-Davidson because of the way that their engines are designed.
In a standard engine, the piston goes through the intake, compression, combustion, and exhaust strokes every two revolutions of the crankshaft. Thus, when the exhaust valve opens and the compressed gases in the cylinder escape you hear a 'pop' denoting that it has gone through a crankcase revolution cycle. On standard twin cylinder engines, the pistons are timed so that one fires on one revolution of the crankshaft and the other fires on the next, each firing on individual strokes of the crankshaft.
What makes a Harley-Davidson special is that the pistons are connected to the crankshaft in such a way that they both fire with 45 degree offsets before and after a full 360 degree revolution of the crankshaft, thus giving the sound of two 'pops' and then a pause … the unmistakable 'pop-pop' sound of the Harley-Davidson.
The Culture
What is a history of a machine without talking about the people whose lives it has affected? In the case of Harley-Davidson, this question could take many books to answer. The Harley-Davidson has spawned an entire biker culture and style, with its motorcycles providing the roots, and has very literally changed the course of American history.
The Harley-Davidson was there for every major war of the past 100 years and received four Navy "E" awards for excellence in wartime production. Some believe that it was the war veterans who started the Harley biker culture. Veterans came home from war and went out and bought Harleys because they fell in love with the bike and the company when they were at war. These bikers would ride their Harleys with strong American pride and to some it would be a remembrance of their fellow soldiers whom they fought side by side with but who perished for our freedom.
From these bikers evolved the rough and tough breed of bikers with their leather jackets, tattoos, and long hair. These bikers may look hard as nails, but they are always there to help others in need. When was the last time that you saw a stranded biker on the side of the road? There aren't many. When a fellow biker is in need, other bikers passing by know that this person is a friend and are almost always willing to help out.
Other functions associated with the biker culture are mass gatherings at organized events (such as those that are organized by H.O.G. and the Harley-Davidson Company itself), partaking in Harley cruises and just hanging out with fellow Harley riders.
Aside from the typical image of a biker, there are many other varying types of people who enjoy the allure of a Harley-Davidson. Musicians, artists, businessman, politicians, students, women, men, senior citizens, teenagers, Americans, Asians, Europeans, anyone who answers the 'call', are all examples of the types of Harley riders you will see.
The Harley does not discriminate, and that fact alone is what makes the Harley culture so widespread and legendary.
Source:
http://www.harley-davidson.com/

Review of Yamaha MTR01 and YZF R1

2008-02-15T00:37:00.000-08:00

Yamaha MTR01 and YZF R1

Yamaha has launched its two bikes in India MTR01 and YZF R1.The Japanese Company’s spokesperson said that the company will be coming up with new products in the Expo held in January 2008.Both the bikes will initially be launched in major cities like Ahmedabad, New Delhi, Bangalore and Chennai.

The launch bikes will be imported from European countries. The MTR01 has a 1,680 cc engine and YZF R1 is powered with a 998 cc engine. The bike may cost up to 10.5 lakhs when bought through an ex showroom in New Delhi and initially only five dealers will be given to sell the bikes. The dealers will increase to 50 by the end of the decade. The YZF-R1 is one of the most technically advanced bikes introduced in India by Yamaha that is one of the foremost Open-class production motorcycle.

Sporty Look of the Bike

The new bike has been improved with redesigned stylish head lights and a LED taillight. The design is fixed with a bigger ram-air intake and has got a screw less windscreen. The bike is attached with a multi-functional digital gauge that includes the adjustable shift light, dual trip meters, full-time clock, odometer, lap timer, temperature reader and a big 15,000 rpm analog tachometer.

The radial tyres are 120/70-ZR17 and 190/50-ZR17 that have great grasp on the roads and can be handled accurately by the biker. The foot pegs are also durable and light weighted. The hollow bolts and fasteners are helpful in reducing the overall weight of the bike. The toolkit is located conveniently and has a good storage space under the passenger seat of the bike. The drive chain is also a durable on having sealed O-ring. The bike is fixed with 8.6 AH battery light and compact battery.

Engine, Power, Torque

The bike is fixed with short stroke 4 cylinder (liquid cooled inline) powerful 998cc DOHC engine having 16-valves.The Yamaha’s Chip Control Throttle can also control the 32 bit ECU fuel injection system that helps it in giving a smooth power delivery .and it takes electronically adjusted funnel length between 65 or 140mm for a broad and immediate power liberation.

The fuel tank is located in the rear and the front has the Ram-Air-fed air box to increase power. The cylinder design helps in weight distribution and strengthens intake for improve cylinder filling and has a strong narrow engine and a narrow chassis.

The bike is equipped with high power and reduced frictions.MTR01 is strapped with a 1680 cc engine, YZF R1 has a 998 cc engine.

Comfort and Ride

Many changes have been made to the previous models of Yamaha as the earlier models were criticized for the power band and for it being out powered by other bikes like suzuki GSX-R1000 and kawasaki ZX-10R.The bike was inefficient in a crowded street due to the lack of low-end sound and the speed in mid ranges.

The new YZF-R1 bike is an advanced open class production motorcycle and all the 4 cylinders are powerful. The bike has the electronic variable length intake tunnel system and the throttle system has the YCC-T fly-by-wire system to provide control on the bike and the torque-limiting clutch is effective to slow the high speed of the bike. R1 has a very effective braking system. The bike has six-speed gearbox that makes it a compact bike that goes to higher velocities in less time

Engineering and Styling

Ramp-type slipper clutch helps it to stop with much ease and makes it fast on braking. The under seat exhaust system has a stainless steel midpipe and corner clearance is great. The radiator capacity on the new bike has been increased by 13% from the previous model and the aluminum liquid cooled oil cooler keeps the temp. stable of the bike. The ignition coils and dual-electrode spark plugs give an easy ignition as Deltabox frame is made up of aluminum.

The Open-class handling new truss-type swingarm improves the performance for the bike. The front brakes are 310 mm discs to give more braking power to R1.A new fully adjustable inverted KYB telescopic front fork has been added to the chassis. The calipers are also new that are six-piston radial-mount type and 5 –spoke wheel makes the bike to be easily brought in action and to be stopped immediately.

Special features

* MTR01 is a 1680 cc engine; YZF R1 has a 998 cc engine.
* Bike has 4 cylinder powerful 998cc DOHC engine having 16-valbes
* Bike has a Titanium underseat exhaust system having stainless steel midpipe
* Dual-electrode spark plugs system
* Dual 310mm front disc brakes
* High- and low-speed compression adjustable in the rear shock
* Five-spoke wheels
* 8.6 AH battery light
* Radial tyres are 120/70-ZR17 and 190/50-ZR17

Some positive and negative specifications of the bike

Positive features of the bike

* The bike has huge power and easy control system
* The gearbox functioning and brakes are powerful
* Grin factor is high
* Looks are just fantastic and stylish.
* Narrow bike with 8 headlights
* The bike is light and very fast.
* Replacement of exhaust is good.
* Road control is high

Negatives features of the bike

* At high speeds the bike makes sound and has vibrations
* A few bikers are complaining of uncomfortable riding position
* The seat gets heated on speeding the bike for some time due to the under seat pipes.
* Corner gets a bit wider and you need to put your weight to the front
* High wear factor

Review of Bajaj Pulsar 200cc

2008-02-15T00:22:00.000-08:00

Bajaj Auto Ltd unveiled 200 cc Pulsar DTS-i. The company hopes to sell 50,000 units of Pulsar per month from June, which will be available in 150 cc, 180 cc, 200 cc, and 220 cc engine capacities. In January, Bajaj Auto sold 43,000 units of Pulsar. Bajaj Auto will be unveiling its new platform of motorcycles in July-September this year. The company had last week announced exit from the 100 cc motorcycle segment.

The new Pulsar has many firsts to its credit. It comes equipped with an Oil cooler, which helps control engine oil temperatures at sustained high speeds and rpms, thus ensuring more stable engine oil viscosity. The 200cc DTS-I engine generates 18 Ps of raw pulsating power to provide riding excitement to performance hungry bikers. This makes the Pulsar 200 the most sporty and stylish powerhouse on two wheels to pace the Indian roads.

It’s also the first bike in India to feature both front and rear tubeless tires, which besides offering superior stability are safer than conventional tube types and in sync with the offerings abroad for similar applications. The rear tire is the broadest in its category to ensure better road grip and stability.

The new digital console is an advanced version of the latest Pulsar family. Apart from the Digital Odometer, Digital Speedo Meter, Digital Fuel Gauge and two Digital Trip Meters, the console on the 200 cc Pulsar DTS-I has indicators for Air filter condition, Engine temperature, Battery voltage and Oil level, all of which contribute to enhancing rider info for trouble-free riding.

Latest Technology in Bajaj Pulsar:

DTSi - Digital Twin spark ignition: This technology helps the motorcycle a phenomenal performance augmentation and its being introduced for the first time in Bajaj Pulsar. Twin Sparkplugs for better and faster combustion in Bajaj Pulsar: As per convention there is only one spark plug at one end of the combustion chamber. This somewhat results in slow burning of air fuel mixture. 2 spark plugs at the either end of the combustion chamber helps in better and faster combustion Ignition handled by Digital C.D.I: A digital cdi powered by 8 bit microprocessor chip handles the spark delivery thus gives maximum efficiency to the bike. Constant velocity carburetor in Bajaj Pulsar: The CV carburetor provides high level of performance.

Bajaj Pulsar 200cc Test Ride

I took a test ride & I enjoyed the ride. Seating is not cushy but it took the bumps & pot-holes with ease. The foot pegs are not commuter style & I didn’t like it as i ride commuter bike. but to my surprise my posture was upright. It is even balanced but i was not able to do quick turn maybe because the bike is heavy or i didn’t have the confidence on my riding on a new bike. But vroom it & it literally flied over pot-holed road. It loves to be man-handled but note it on a straight road! The mid-range power just surges & makes you want more. But in slow speed she doesn’t responds well.

About oil cooler its utility as i read is to keep the performance at same level at ideal temp. Gear shift is good but not totally devoid of false neutrals albeit less than previous ones. About top speed they say it goes to 120km/hr but i feel it is exaggerated, plz comment on this. I believe it will go to max 115km/hr. About mileage they tell it will give 45 km/. The styling is a bit of this & that i expected at least a modified tank with new styling but what we get is an attached tank attachment. Yes if you see value 4 money it is good. With 124 kph showing on the orange-lit LCD speedometer of the new Bajaj Pulsar 220 DTS-Fi I’m on, I really should be doing other things. Like figuring out how to get the motorcycle to slow down for the uphill left turn that is coming up quickly.

It really isn’t a concern, as the brakes are the best I’ve used. If my visor were dry and my raincoat was still in my kit bag, I’d probably be seeing closer to 135 kph on the speedo right now. On my umpteenth fast-but-not-pushing-it lap of Bajaj’s Chaka plant test-track, I’m impressed with the motorcycle and what it represents. we haven’t had this classy, this fast, this good a performance motorcycle at all. It takes corners with a delightful, eager poise, is accurate like a surgeon’s scalpel and can brake hard with easy confidence. The throttle is superlight and crisp and I can already see all sorts of careless riders using it to scare themselves silly. More importantly, I can see hordes of serious riders grinning in delight. Bajaj’s design brief for the DTS-Fi was to create a no-compromise machine for the performance motorcycle enthusiast. This, they have achieved.

Bajaj Pulsar 200cc Road Test

The DTS-Fi isn’t intimidating, too heavy or bulky for a 220cc bike. Its front fairing is larger than the older Pulsar, packs better weather protection and mounts a pair of attractive and angular mirrors. The fairing additionally supports a unique brace of vertically stacked headlights, which offer chaste white light. We haven’t yet taken the DTS-Fi out at night, but the twin 55W projector low beam and 70mm parabolic high beam assemblies scream potency — with Pulsar trademark twin pilot lights also offering white illumination.

The switchgear on the Pulsar DTS-Fi is backlit and contact-free. Positive to the touch, they go a step further, offering self-cancelling turn indicators. Instruments on the new Pulsar intelligently vary intensity to offer bright visibility during daytime and a more subdued, less obtrusive effect at night. Speed can be read off an electronic speedometer, which also employs a contact-free digital pick-up. The handsome, large rev counter is analogue and rider-friendly. Meanwhile, the array of warning lamps is astonishing — all those little bulbs have been replaced by LEDs and you get a fuel gauge with reserve warning flasher, twin trip meters, air filter choked, battery low, oil low, fuel low, engine redline flasher and engine overheating/malfunction lights, apart from the usual neutral, indicator and high beam indicators. And you would do well to not lose your new Pulsar’s pilfer-proof keys; these are virtually non-duplicable.

Thoughtfully, there’s a tank pad on this Pulsar to protect from belt/zip scratches as you sit on a lightly stepped seat surrounded by sporty two-piece grab bars. Flank panels and an exquisite tail fairing are all-new, as are a duo of flush LED break lamps. Adding meaty substance to this bike’s proportions is a stainless steel silencer that ends in a substantial alloy canister. This alloy theme is tastily extended to various other bits including the wheels, clip-on handlebars, triple-clamp, footrest mounts and fuel filler.

Bajaj has packed a whole lot of innovation and hard work into the Pulsar’s 220cc Digital Twin Spark-Fuel injected (DTS-Fi) engine (see ‘Technology - Fuel Injection, p118). Though it’s a single-cylinder mill that still runs twin valves, that’s about where the similarities with the other Pulsars end. Firstly, this self-started engine has shed its kick lever. Next, this air- and oil-cooled engine features an oil-radiator and a capillary of internal oil galleries that circulate and cool oil to disperse excess heat. As the name suggests, fuel injection and twin spark plugs work in tandem towards obtaining the best possible combustion in any situation.

The fuel injection system is computer-controlled — here, complex computation algorithms factor in a plethora of data including intake air mass, crank position, intake air temperature, throttle position and engine speed before deciding and delivering a precise air-fuel mixture at the intake tract. The sequence in which the twin plugs deliver their sparks also varies all the time, and is perfectly controlled to match every individual condition. And then the DTS-Fi motor enjoys some regular Bajaj features like roller bearings for the rocker arm pivots and camshaft interfaces, as well as an exhausted resonator that bumps up torque lower down in the power band.

A counterbalance negates crank vibes, while the bike puts out a vigorous 20bhp power at 8500rpm. And 1.95kgm of torque is obtained at 6500rpm. The new Pulsar preserves its battery by tripping a circuit and pausing its engine-start sequence if the self-starter is engaged continuously for too long. It also automatically cuts the headlamp when the starter engages.

Fuel injection, like in any car today, translates into easy starts at any altitude or temperature. It also means cracking throttle response and an uninterrupted, flowing power delivery right through the rev band. In addition, you also can be assured of critical, behind-the-scenes benefits like good fuel efficiency and lower emissions. A five-speed, one-down-four-up gearbox does duty on the Pulsar DTS-Fi. Yet another significant feature is the exposed and ‘O’ ring sealed drive chain that comes with all links pre-lubricated and separately sealed for corrosion fortification caused by moisture and dirt. Expect this bike’s drive chain to offer minimal maintenance, increased reliability and good life in spite of running exposed to India’s harsh conditions.

We got to ride the DTS-Fi on Bajaj’s Chaka test track, and straight off we can tell you the bike sounds exciting and feels even better. Thumb the starter and its motor cracks in, immediately settling into a quiet and steady idle chatter. Clutch feel is spot on, with each gear clicking home with a positive shift action. Initiated Pulsar riders will immediately identify with this machine’s character-rich DTS-i whir as it fluently stretches stationary into fast-forward mode. The exhaust note, though soft and unobtrusive, also manages to offer a throaty tone.

Performance is smooth, linear and torque laden, a light throttle delivering responsive power low in the band. It’s near-impossible to go easy on this bike as it piles on the revs with the furious feel of a far smaller and lighter machine. Smooth, vibe-free power coaxes you to push hard, slam home quick-shifts and ride silly speeds all the time. It took only one lap to feel at ease and start pushing the DTS-Fi for all its brawn. Chaka’s back straight is long and allows opening up and getting up close and personal with all those 20 horses. This new Pulsar feels perky, swinging smoothly from one end to the other of its rev-band, instruments flashing out an approaching redline and signaling time for each new gearshift. The bitumen was wet under a light drizzle, but we did comfortably nudge 124kph, with some power still in hand.

The DTS-Fi is composed at high speeds, with ample room to snuggle under its large front fairing and peer through its tinted fly screen. Bajaj claims a 135kph top speed and 50kpl as fuel economy — but we will get the complete picture only after a comprehensive road test. Riding position on the Pulsar DTS-Fi is unashamedly sporty, with damped clip-on bars, footrest pegs and stepped seat, all falling neatly into position. This is a bike that doesn’t feel its 150kg — it feels light and even nimble while cornering on its 17-inch wheels. While 37mm, pinched clamp telescopic forks bring up the front, the rear uses adjustable, dual gas-charged shock absorbers and an elliptical swing arm that mounts on slick needle roller bearings. The new Pulsar surely promises sparkling ride and handling, although our brief and wet ride forces us to reserve comment till later.

Meanwhile, for the first time in Indian motorcycling history, tyres have gone tubeless and have been specially developed by MRF for the DTS-Fi. Which brings us to the brakes — you get hydraulic discs, both front and rear. The front 265mm disc offers progressive and sure braking, and although we were initially worried about the 230mm rear disc possibly being too powerful, both ends actually are reassuring when braking hard through the gearbox at the end of the long, wet straight. Our few moments with Bajaj’s Pulsar DTS-Fi reveal that it surely has the goods to take forward the performance baton from the 180 DTS-i. This is clearly a no-compromise bike that’s going to have the competition curling their toes and breaking into a cold sweat. With undeniably good looks, a more-than-generous helping of features and clever engineering, the important questions now revolve around the DTS-Fi’s performance, price and the reliability of all the new technology. We feel Bajaj will slot this one in well under Rs 100,000 – good value for money in India, and if the bike reaches out further, a bargain abroad.

Engine and Transmission:

Pulsar 200cc features India’s first oil cooled engine which delivers a maximum power of 18Ps@8000rpm making it most powerful engine offered by Bajaj. It’s an air cooled single-cylinder with an alloy barrel and head as well as twin valves. Oil cooler placed just below the fuel tank helps in further cooling of engine lubricant and keep the large 198.8cc motor cool. Digital twin spark ignition (DTS-i) and torque expansion chamber — ExhausTEC ensures the pulsar to provide sufficient levels of torque at low engine rpm levels and is optimized to provide torque distribution in the mid and higher range rpm levels. Pulsar 200cc features a five speed gearbox with one down and four up pattern.

For the face lifted Karizma the engine remains the same. Karizma scores over the pulsar when comes to torque, the bigger engine provides a healthy 18.35Nm@6000rpm against the pulsar’s 17.17Nm. The progressive feel, multi-plate wet-type clutch and the smooth five-speed gearbox are again the same as in the previous version. Pulsar 200cc clocks a top speed of 121kph against the 125kph offered by Karizma 223cc. Pulsar 200cc is not quicker as Karizma 223cc and it cruises to 60kph from rest in 4.73 seconds. The pulsar 200cc offers an impressive mileage of 38.3kpl in city and 42.4kpl in highway against the Karizma offers only 30kpl in city and a decent figure of 45kpl in highway. Performance figures are taken from auto car India.

Bajaj Pulsar 200cc Design

When comes to cruiser bikes power and style is the deciding factor but with proven engines style occupies the centre stage. The two bikes derive their styling from their previous version and have added some interesting features. Pulsar 200cc derives its identity from 180 and 150. Bajaj’s new additions in Pulsar 200cc are:-

*Black paint theme carried over to the front fork legs, the rear shock absorbers, and the swing arm, in addition to the engine and six spoke alloy rims, for deadly looks.
* A lowered Headlamp/Fairing assembly along with a high tail-end, giving it an aggressive, ready to pounce stance.
* An all Stainless Steel silencer with an aluminum muffler can for genuine sporty looks and long life.
* Sleek, Twin row, Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs) derived from the upgraded pulsar 180cc along the split grab rail perfectly compliments the new rear chiseled looks.
I have seen many Bikers love to alter their Pulsar 150cc, 180cc and other bikes with modern diffuser, more powerful horns, replacing rear tyres with bigger tyres, raising the rear suspension to give a racing look and exposing the drive train which demands higher price . For those relief comes in the form of pulsar 200cc Bajaj has offered some of these as standard features
* It’s the first bike in India to feature both front and rear tubeless tyres, which besides offering superior stability are safer than conventional tube types and in sync with the offerings abroad for similar applications. The rear tyre is the broadest in its category to ensure better road grip and stability. Another first is the use of split seats in pulsar 200cc for styling and comfort.

Handling and Engineering

Pulsar 200cc is lengthier than new Karizma but its wheelbase is shorter than new Karizma which means you have to be careful with the Pulsar 200cc while negotiating a turn. Both the bikes offer disc at the front and drum brake at the rear as a standard feature. With the MRF tubeless tyres at the front and the back Pulsar gives excellent traction control. Even though Karizma features a 276mm disc at the front a little larger than 260mm offered in pulsar, the massive 150kg Karizma comes to halt in 18.36m from 60kph as against 16.47m taken by pulsar 200cc from the same speed. Both the bikes offer a commanding position for riders. But with split seats and carefully placed foot rest the pillion in the pulsar 200cc gets better visibility. The split seats are not only meant for the sporty look, but also resides a modest lockable and cable released storage under it.

Special features

In addition to the features mentioned in design section both these bikes have special features which increases their practicality Pulsar 200cc also leaves its drive chain exposed with O’ ring sealed, which is pre-lubricated to help it stay reliable inspite of running open without protection is one such example. Similar to its sibling Pulsar 220cc-soon to be launched, the pulsar 200cc bike throws away the kick lever and makes you to crank the engine only with your thumb unlike the Karizma which offers both self and Kick mechanism for cranking.

Both these bikes use best instruments and unheard features in any Indian bike. Both Pulsar 200cc and the new Karizma have Digital odo Meter, Digital Fuel Gauge and Digital Trip Meter. Pulsar 200cc features a digital console which uses only LEDs and intelligently varies its amber backlight intensity for viewing in either day or night. The new Karizma features a night vision in the digital console, which illuminates the console to bright neon yellow and makes the speedometer stand out in the dark, forming a stunning contrast. It also features powerful multi-reflector trapezoidal headlight with two pilot lamps for that added beam, an integrated clear-lens lamp tail light for better visibility at the rear. Real time clock is found only in the console of Karizma. Both these bikes use 15 liter reservoirs and bar end weights - which keeps off the vibration. Karizma has safety switch for clutch which actuates when the vehicle is started in gear.

Honda Unicorn 150

2008-02-15T00:12:00.000-08:00

Honda Unicorn is the first motorcycle by Honda Motorcycle and Scooters India Pvt. Ltd. in the Indian market. It is attractively styled and incorporates many cutting-edge technologies.

Honda Unicorn is equipped with extremely refined and responsive 150cc engine. This smooth revving engine has been infused with a high torque characteristic that makes the Unicorn one of the most fuel-efficient in its class. The high torque available at low rpm levels also reduces the necessity of frequent switching to a lower gear in city riding conditions. The Unicorn's 150cc engine develops a peak torque of 1.3 Kg-m at an astonishingly low 5,500 rpm.

Honda Unicorn has been loaded with a host of technological features such as a constant velocity carburettor, a two-way air jacket, roller rocker arm, multi-mapping, pulse exhaust system and an offset crank. These features result in excellent pick-up and a smooth delivery of power in all speed and rpm ranges. Unicorn also has a digital CDI ignition with multi-mapping for better engine performance.

Honda Unicorn is the first motorcycle in India with the hi-tech Mono Suspension that enables riding comfort and control. Mono-suspension is better than the traditional twin shockers as it provides better handling and more consistent cushioning at the rear.

Honda Unicorn's other useful features include a puncture resistant Tuff-up tube and tyre combination at the rear; storage space under the seat; and sturdy, thickset winkers for better visibility and roadworthiness.

http://www.iloveindia.com/bikes/honda/unicorn.html

Testing 2008 - Rossi sets Sepang pace

2008-02-14T18:31:00.000-08:00

Valentino Rossi saw his name at the top of the timesheets for the first time in 2008 on the opening day of Moto GP testing at Sepang in Malaysia.

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The five-time world champion has struggled so far this winter with Yamaha’s updated M1, crashing last time he visited Sepang and taking time to adapt to Bridgestone tyres after eight years on Michelins.
But Yamaha clearly found something speed-wise since the last round of testing at Phillip Island, as the 28-year-old Italian set the pace in 2:00.300.
Today was a positive day for us and I really enjoyed myself,” said Rossi. “We started to work more on the bike and to adjust the suspension and balance to suit our tyres.
“I have a very good feeling and the lap times have improved compared to last time, both with race tyres and with the qualifying tyre. It’s a big deal changing tyres - not as big as changing bikes but all the same I have needed time to understand how to ride the bike differently and now I’m learning more and more how to get the best from the Bridgestones.
“My fitness has also improved compared to last time and this is also helping me to ride better, so I think that we’re in good shape at the moment.
Former world champion Nicky Hayden was Rossi’s nearest challenger - a massive 1.6 seconds slower on his Repsol Honda.
Proof that the team still have a lot of work to do to be competitive for the season-opening Qatar Grand Prix came as his poor time was achieved despite lapping 12 more times than Rossi.
Shinya Nakano was third quickest for Gresini Honda, but was lighting-quick initially as he found more grip than anybody else on a damp track.
Jorge Lorenzo on the second Yamaha was fourth while trying to get more feel from the front-end of his Michelin-tyred bike.
Rookie Alex de Angelis and Kawasaki test duo Olivier Jacque and Tamaki Serizawa brought up the tail end of the field.
Jamie O’Leary / Eurosport

Honda CBR1000RR Test Drive

2008-02-13T20:03:00.000-08:00

Honda’s top-dog sport bike has undergone a fierce protein diet for 2008. Its engineers trimmed weight, added horsepower and wrapped it all around an aggressive new design. Clad with shorter overhangs and cleaner lines, the flagship liter bike’s mass is also more centralized for nimbler handling. We tested the CBR1000RR at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, and its blistering performance made us nearly forget that this monster is actually intended for street use. Midrange power is significantly improved over the 2007 model. And revs above 7000 rpm manage to shrink Laguna’s straight-aways with third-gear wheelstands that don’t quit until the 13,000 rpm redline. It’s insane.

Honda dropped nearly 5.5 pounds from the new CBR1000RR’s hollow, fine die-cast frame , and reduced it from nine pieces to only four main castings. Despite its weight loss, the bike’s lateral rigidity increased 13 percent, and torsional rigidity is up 40 percent. The frame is now 30mm slimmer, and the revised geometry enables the handlebars to stand 6.5mm higher for better ergonomics.

Last year’s hydraulic clutch operated smoothly, but the CBR1000RR’s new slipper clutch is engineered for the racetrack. While a back torque limiter enables clutch slip for reduced wheel-hop, cam thrust assist also enhances tension during clutch engagement. The use of lighter springs helps keep clutch pull effort low, while reducing overall weight as well.

Lightened and moved out of sight for better weight distribution, the CBR1000RR’s MotoGP-derived Electronic Steering Damper monitors speed and acceleration in order to improve stability. The unit allows for low handlebar effort at parking lot speeds, while stiffening during riding dynamics that stress the chassis and create steering wobble.

The CBR1000RR’s engine underwent major surgery in order to become lighter and more powerful. Honda increased bore and decreased stroke; the net change results in a slight displacement bump from 998cc to 999.8cc. The engine’s more compact proportions necessitated the elimination of cylinder sleeves, which involved the use of a Nikasil cylinder coating for enhanced cooling. Dual ram-air intake was added, with ducts positioned underneath the headlights. Lighter cams shave 1.1 pounds, a 15mm-narrower cylinder head trims another pound, and lighter, forged pistons bring the grand weight-loss total to 5 pounds. The higher compression engine produces another 10 hp, too. Powerful bikes often produce unpleasant dog gear lash during on/off throttle application, but the CBR1000RR copes with a new Ignition Interrupt Control System. A computer monitors the change from deceleration to acceleration by keeping tabs on throttle position, engine speed and countershaft speed. Between 2500 rpm and 6000 rpm, ignition is interrupted as necessary in order to eliminate unwanted harshness.

While the new CBR1000RR is 17 pounds lighter, Honda went a step further to aid maneuverability by repositioning a number of components closer to the bike’s center. They lowered the fuel tank, and ditched the 2007 CBR’s underseat exhaust for a new 4-2-1 system that tucks just aft of the rear wheel. Plus, the battery was relocated and brakes and rotors were lightened and repositioned—all of which results in quicker direction changes at speed.

The CBR1000RR’s stubby exhaust may be aesthetically controversial, but its all-new design enhances performance. The patented system uses two valves that reroute air into one of three chambers of varying size, depending on engine rpm and gear. Greater midrange power is produced, and the system also modulates exhaust flow to meet noise and emissions standards.

The 2008 CBR1000RR is smoother at speed than the outgoing model, with more precise turn-in and higher limits all around. While most of its competition has added pounds in order to cope with increasingly stringent emissions standards, Honda’s lean-and-mean approach has made it a potent force, both on the track and off. Since we value our licenses as well as our lives, we’re saving all that speed for the raceway. —Basem Wasef

What is the Proper Nitro Engine Break-in Procedure?

2008-02-13T18:23:00.000-08:00

Proper nitro engine break-in is critical for long-lasting performance of your RC. Every new nitro engine should undergo a break-in procedure. Breaking in a nitro engine takes anywhere from one to two hours and about 3-5 tanks of nitro fuel. If you do the nitro engine break-in properly, the up-keep on your RC vehicle is less costly than if the procedure is done hastily and incorrectly. Be patient.
A. For your nitro engine break-in, choose a clean, flat, paved or smooth surface. You'll be doing the initial break-in with the body off so you don't want to be kicking up dirt or doing flips during break-in. During the first couple of tanks of fuel focus on varying and limiting your speed. Don't run your engine past half-throttle. Don't run at a constant speed.
During break-in deposits build up and can foul out the glow plug so your engine might seem like it's stalling or not running properly. This is normal. Proper break-in alleviates these symptoms. Do have an extra glow plug or two handy in case you need them.
Operate SafelyHere are simple safety checks you need to do before starting:
Turn on the Controller First Turn your transmitter/controller on first followed by the receiver on the RC. When finished running your RC, turn the receiver off first, then the controller. This sequence will keep your nitro RC from running amok if someone nearby is running on the same frequency. Do yourself a favor though and check frequency before running your RC.
Put The Engine in NeutralMove the throttle forward and reverse to ensure your nitro engine is in neutral and is in the idle position when the throttle is released.
Check Your SteeringMove the steering controls from side to side. If steering seems sluggish or hesitant, replace the receiver's batteries before proceeding.
Prime Your Nitro Engine Start up your RC. Watch to see if fuel is moving through the lines. If fuel doesn't reach the carburetor after 3-5 seconds place and release your finger over the tip of the exhaust for a couple of seconds to help the engine start. This is known as priming the engine. Be careful when doing so because if too much fuel goes into the engine when priming, it will flood causing the engine to lock up.
If the engine does flood use your glow plug wrench to remove the glow plug. Place a rag over the engine head. If equipped, use your electric starter. Start the engine to get the remaining fuel out and wipe off the head with a dry towel to remove any remaining fuel. Reinstall the glow plug and start on the first tank of the break-in process. Your nitro engine shoudn't be primed for more than 1-2 seconds at a time to avoid flooding.
Do Five Tank Nitro Engine Break-inWith each tank of fuel you'll increase the amount and duration of throttle. Use these tank-by-tank guidelines for your nitro engine break-in.
Tank 1Give the engine one-quarter throttle slowly for 2 seconds. Apply the brakes. If you pull back on the throttle too fast you may cause your engine to stall.
When there is a nice trail of blue smoke coming from the exhaust it means your fuel mixture is properly set and the engine is being lubricated. If no smoke is present, richen the fuel mixture by giving the air/fuel mixture needle a quarter turn until smoke is present.
Continue running the first tank of fuel, repeatedly giving it one-quarter throttle then braking until it is almost empty. Do not run the tank dry because this will result in a burned out glow plug from the fuel mixture being too lean and can also lead to damage from high engine temperatures.
Shut off the engine by pinching the fuel line to the carburetor and let it cool down for about 10-15 minutes before you start on your next tank of fuel.
Tank 2Advance to half-throttle for 2-3 seconds for the second tank of fuel. Remember to accelerate smoothly through the entire break-in process. Do this repeatedly as long as you have fuel. When the second tank is done repeat the shut-off and cool-down steps as you did in the first tank of fuel.
Tank 3On the third tank of fuel you will run for a 3-second count at half-throttle then brake. By this time the engine begins to loosen up and the idle may need to be adjusted down.
You will know an idle adjustment is necessary when your nitro RC won't sit still when idling. Use your tuning screwdriver to turn down the idle by turning the idle adjustment counter clockwise to reduce the idle speed. From this point forward you don't have to let your engine cool down between tanks.
Tank 4 For the fourth tank give your nitro RC full throttle for a count of 3 seconds and then brake. If your nitro RC is equipped with a multi-speed transmission and tries to shift into another gear let off the throttle and then brake. When doing a 3 second count on tank 4 remember to accelerate smoothly to avoid doing wheelies or flipping the RC over.
Tank 5For this final tank of fuel you will repeatedly accelerate to full throttle in 3 seconds and hold for 2 seconds then brake. After this tank is done you will have completed the break-in process.
Maintain Your Nitro Engine After Break-inAfter break-in and after each session with your nitro RC you'll need to perform after-run maintenance. For a nitro engine this includes:

New Engine Break-In

2008-02-11T02:05:00.001-08:00

Any rebuilt or new engine has to go through a break in process. Each piece of moving metal must get to know and fit with the piece of metal it is moving against. Usually, the manufacturers put a sticker on the speedometer or tachometer telling you to take it easy for 600 miles or so. Your buddy says "If you want to run it hard, break it in hard." As you might expect, the truth is not on the right hand or the left but, in the center.
The problem is this. All this rubbing produces heat, which can cause oil to fail, which can cause a piston to seize to a cylinder wall. On the other hand, if there is not enough rubbing, the piston rings will not seat right with the cylinder walls. If this happens the engine will not reach it's full power potential. If the only new parts are piston and rings, as in an engine rebuild, we only have to worry about heat build up from the new parts. If the entire engine is new, the heat built up is even greater, because all the parts are new.
Yes, it is true that we have much better machining and quality control on new motorcycle engines, then we did in the past but, moving parts still have to wear in. If you have better, harder metal, it will take longer then if you have poorer, softer metal. Years ago I decided to bore my BMW motorcycle to the first oversize. After a hundred miles of break-in I started to ride normally, which is to say FAST ! Well, the bike just was not running right. I re-jetted the carb and it started to run OK. Another hundred miles passed and I had to rejet again. This went on for over one thousand miles. After the last re-jetting I realized I had just put the stock jets back in ! It took better then 1100 miles for those rings to break-in. The steel used in BMW motorcycles is very hard !
On one hand, if you run the bike too easy, you run the risk of the cylinder walls glazing over and then, maybe, never seating properly. On the other hand, if you run the bike too hard, you run the risk of engine seizure. I suspect, that even if you do glaze the cylinder walls over, if your run the engine hard enough and long enough, the rings will seat. However, this may take a thousand miles, or more, to do.
So what's a biker to do ? Well, a compromise is in order. This is what I do with a freshly rebuilt engine. It will work on new engines too. On a straight, deserted road, I put the bike in second or third gear and accelerate with wide open throttle to about one or two thousand RPM BELOW red line. I then shut the throttle and coast down, in gear, to two thousand RPM or so. I then do it again. I do this about ten times. Then I ride around for a while at an easy pace. I do this several times, if possible. This seats the rings without overheating the engine.
I would continue to do this during the entire break-in period. If you are doing any freeway riding. That is, running long periods of time at a steady throttle setting. I would also add this. Shut the throttle off and then on again, very quickly, every three or four miles. This tends to draw more oil up on the bottom of the pistons, lubing and cooling them. On a freshly rebuilt engine, I like to change the oil and filter at about two hundred miles and then every thousand miles thereafter. On a totally new engine, I change the oil and filter at one hundred fifty miles, three hundred miles, six hundred miles and twelve hundred miles. After that, change the oil and filter every one thousand miles.

Break In the Engine

2008-02-11T01:43:00.000-08:00

1. An engine's initial run should be used to bring oil and coolant (air,oil, and/or water) up to operating temperature only, with little or noload, then shut down and allowed to cool to ambient temperature.2. This time give the engine light loads at relatively low rpm and stayout of top gear. This second run should last only 10-15 minutes beforeanother complete cool down3. The third run should see slightly higher rpm with light to mediumpower loading using short bursts of acceleration to help seat therings. Again 10-15 minutes of running should do it and again avoid topgear.4. A forth run should consist of light to medium engine loads with a fewmore bursts of medium-high rpm, and lasting just 10-15 minutes varyingthe engine load and again avoiding top gear.5. Next while the engine is still warm drain the oil and change thefilter. This gets out the new metal particles that are being worn
away. Most of the metal particles will break away within the first 50-75 miles. 6. To ensure the rings seat well, use the same high quality oil and don'tbe shy about short duration high rpm blasts through the lower gearsafter the oil has been changed.7. A few more 15-20 minute sessions should be used to work up to theengine's redline gradually increasing the engine loads. 8. After some definite hard running and 250-500 miles it's a good idea tocheck the valves. 9. After 500 miles re-torqueing the head is suggested.10. Switch to synthetic oil but not before 500-1500 miles.Most of the engine experts warned of the danger of breaking in theengine too easily and ending up with an engine that will always runslow whether it is from tight tolerances, inadequate ring seal orcarbon buildup. Engine load is more detrimental than rpm because ofthe head created internally, so avoid lugging the engine but rev itfreely especially in the lower gears. Basically, be sure not to get ittoo hot but be sure to seat the rings properly.

A recommended engine break-in procedure.

2008-02-11T01:32:00.000-08:00

This is a summation of many articles on the subject found on the internet. Some of the information is from MOTORCYCLIST Feb. 1991, titled GIVE IT A BREAK-IN (How to make your bike run stronger and live longer), and some is from a Textron Lycoming "Key Reprint" article.
The first few hundred miles of a new engine's life have a major impact on how strongly that engine will perform, how much oil it will consume and how long it will last. The main purpose of break-in is to seat the compression rings to the cylinder walls. We are talking about the physical mating of the engine's piston rings to it's corresponding cylinder wall. That is, we want to physically wear the new piston rings into the cylinder wall until a compatible seal between the two is achieved.
Proper engine break in will produce an engine that achieves maximum power output with the least amount of oil consumption due to the fact that the piston rings have seated properly to the cylinder wall. When the piston rings are broken in or seated, they do not allow combustion gases to escape the combustion chamber past the piston rings into the crankcase section of the engine. This lack of "blow-by" keeps your engine running cleaner and cooler by preventing hot combustion gases and by-products from entering the crankcase section of the engine. Excessive "blow-by" will cause the crankcase section of the engine to become pressurized and contaminated with combustion gases, which in turn will force normal oil vapors out of the engine's breather, causing the engine to consume excessive amounts of oil.
In addition to sealing combustion gases in the combustion chamber, piston rings must also manage the amount of oil present on the cylinder walls for lubrication. If the rings do not seat properly, they cannot perform this function and will allow excessive amounts of oil to accumulate on the cylinder wall surfaces. This oil is burned each and every time the cylinder fires. The burning of this oil, coupled with "blow-by" induced engine breathing, are reasons that an engine that hasn't been broken in will consume more than its share of oil.
When a cylinder is new or overhauled the surface of it's walls are honed with abrasive stones to produce a rough surface that will help wear the piston rings in. This roughing up of the surface is known as "cross-hatching". A cylinder wall that has been properly "cross hatched" has a series of minute peaks and valleys cut into its surface. The face or portion of the piston ring that interfaces with the cross hatched cylinder wall is tapered to allow only a small portion of the ring to contact the honed cylinder wall. When the engine is operated, the tapered portion of the face of the piston ring rubs against the coarse surface of the cylinder wall causing wear on both objects.
Each tiny groove acts as the oil reservoir holding oil up to the top level of the groove where it then spreads over the peak surface. The piston ring must travel up and down over this grooved surface, and must "hydroplane" on the oil film retained by the grooves. Otherwise, the ring would make metal-to-metal contact with the cylinder wall and the cylinder would quickly wear out.

However the ring will only ride on this film of oil if there is sufficient surface area to support the ring on the oil. When the cylinders are freshly honed the peaks are sharp with little surface area. Our goal when seating the rings on new steel cylinders is to flatten out these peaks to give more surface area to support the rings, while leaving the bottom of the groove intact to hold enough oil to keep the surface of the cylinder wet with oil. See illustration. At the point where the top of the peaks produced by the honing operation become smooth and the tapered portion of the piston ring wears flat break in has occurred.
When the engine is operating, a force known as Break Mean Effective Pressure or B.M.E.P is generated within the combustion chamber. B.M.E.P. is the resultant force produced from the controlled burning of the fuel air mixture that the engine runs on. The higher the power setting the engine is running at, the higher the B.M.E.P. is and conversely as the power setting is lowered the B.M.E.P. becomes less.
B.M.E.P is an important part of the break in process. When the engine is running, B.M.E.P. is present in the cylinder behind the piston rings and it's force pushes the piston ring outward against the coarse honed cylinder wall. Piston rings are designed to take advantage of the pressure and us it to push the rings out against the cylinder wall. Therefore, as pressure builds during the compression stroke, the rings are pushed harder against the cylinder wall which aids in seating the rings.
The higher the B.M.E.P, the harder the piston ring is pushed against the wall. The surface temperature at the piston ring face and cylinder wall interface will be greater with high B.M.E.P. than with low B.M.E.P. This is because we are pushing the ring harder against the rough cylinder wall surface causing high amounts of friction and thus heat. The primary deterrent of break in is this heat. Allowing to much heat to build up at the ring to cylinder wall interface will cause the lubricating oil that is present to break down and glaze the cylinder wall surface. This glaze will prevent any further seating of the piston rings. If glazing is allowed to happen break in will never occur. Also, if too little pressure (throttle) is used during the break-in period glazing will also occur.
Most people seem to operate on the philosophy that they can best get their money's worth from any mechanical device by treating it with great care. This is probably true, but in many cases it is necessary to interpret what great care really means. This is particularly applicable when considering the break-in of a modern, reciprocating engine.
For those who still think that running the engine hard during break-in falls into the category of cruel and unusual punishment, there is one more argument for using high power loading for short periods (to avoid excessive heat) during the break-in. The use of low power settings does not expand the piston rings enough, and a film of oil is left on the cylinder walls. The high temperatures in the combustion chamber will oxidize this oil film so that it creates glazing of the cylinder walls. When this happens, the ring break-in process stops, and excessive oil consumption frequently occurs. The bad news is that extensive glazing can only be corrected by removing the cylinders and rehoning the walls. This is expensive, and it is an expense that can be avoided by proper break in procedures.
We must achieve a happy medium where we are pushing on the ring hard enough to wear it in but not hard enough to generate enough heat to cause glazing. Once again, if glazing should occur, the only remedy is to remove the effected cylinder, re-hone it and replace the piston rings and start the whole process over again.
We asked four top motorcycle engine builders what they do to ensure peak power output and optimum engine life. Here is a capsulation of their responses.
"If the wrong type of oil is used initially, or the break-in is too easy, rings and cylinders could (read will) glaze and never seal properly. A fresh cylinder wall needs some medium to high engine loading to get the piston rings to seat properly for good compression but make sure you don't lug or overheat the engine. Use high quality, low viscosity oil (Valvoline 30 weight), no synthetics, too slippery. If synthetics are used during initial break in the rings are sure to glaze over.
An engine's initial run should be used to bring oil and coolant (air, oil, and/or water) up to operating temperature only, with little or no load, then shut down and allowed to cool to ambient temperature. This is important. After each run the engine needs to completely cool down to ambient temperature. In Texas, especially in the summer, that's still pretty hot. After a cool down period, start it up again and take the motorcycle for it's fist ride (you hope).
This time give the engine light loads at relatively low rpm and stay out of top gear. Lugging the engine, i.e., low RPM with a lot of throttle (manifold pressure), is more detrimental than high rpm. Another key is too constantly vary engine load during the entire break-in period. A constant load is not ideal for breaking in bearing tolerances. This second run should last only 10-15 minutes before another complete cool down.
The third run should see slightly higher rpm with light to medium power loading using short bursts of acceleration to help seat the rings. Again 10-15 minutes of running should do it and again avoid top gear. A forth run should consist of light to medium engine loads with a few more bursts of medium-high rpm, and lasting just 10-15 minutes varying the engine load and again avoiding top gear. Next while the engine is still warm drain the oil and change the filter. This gets out the new metal particles that are being worn away. Most of the metal particles will break away within the first 50 -75 miles. To ensure the rings seat well, use the same high quality oil and don't be shy about short duration high rpm blasts through the lower gears after the oil has been changed.
A few more 15-20 minute sessions should be used to work up to the engine's redline gradually increasing the engine loads. After some definite hard running and 250-500 miles it's a good idea to check the valves. After 500 miles re-torqueing the head is suggested. Switch to synthetic oil but not before 500-1500 miles. Most of the engine experts warned of the danger of breaking in the engine too easily and ending up with an engine that will always run slow whether it is from tight tolerances, inadequate ring seal or carbon buildup. Engine load is more detrimental than rpm because of the head created internally, so avoid lugging the engine but rev it freely especially in the lower gears. Basically, be sure not to get it too hot but be sure to seat the rings properly.
So that's it, sure a lot different than keeping under 4000 rpm for 500 miles then under 5000 rpm for 1000 miles. Maybe bike manufacturers are being super cautious at the expense of your motor's performance? I think that they take the cautious route that works over time (1000 miles, or about 20 hours of break in) versus a faster route that can be more easily screwed up."

ENGINE BREAK-IN LIKE THE PROS

2008-02-11T01:31:00.000-08:00

Engine Tempering & Engine Breakin Reprinted From S-Grid with Stephen Bess's permissionIf you are still idling at least a tank through during break-in, you're using the old-school accepted method (still works well for some!) but it's not the method that the top engine guys (Ron Paris, Dennis Richey, Rody Roem, Michael Salven are just a few I've spoken personally with about this) recommend anymore. From the very 1st time you start your engine, plop the car on the ground & begin running it in a parking lot in 2-3 minute intervals, tuned only *slightly rich* getting the temps up in the 200F range on a normal day. Every 2-3 minutes, shut the engine down & let it cool completely with the piston at BDC, and then fire it back up; continue this cycle until you've run 15 min or so, and then bump up to 3-4 minute intervals. Vary the RPM and don't be afraid to get the temps in the 200's. What you want is heat cycling of the components without the incredible stress that comes with breaking an engine in when it's overly rich & cold. After cycling the engine in this manner for about 20-25 total minutes, it'll be ready for the track and race tuning. I realize this method goes against the old-school "idle on the box" routine, but you'll be amazed once you've completed this break-in routine, your engine will still have amazing pinch w/out sticking at the top AND your engine's compression will last far longer than it will with the "old school" method. You say you run the engine at "factory settings" for the first FIVE tanks? That alone causes lots of stress, as the factory engine settings are very rich on every engine I've ever owned or tuned. The piston & sleeve haven't expanded to operating temps, and every time the engine turns over, the piston slams into the pinch zone at TDC. The not-so-surprising result can be a cracked con-rod at the crank pin--that's where the majority of the stresses occur as the engine turns over. I've only heard of about 6-8 engines breaking con-rods, and they're ALWAYS during the first gallon...and almost every time it's because the guys have performed the break-in procedure you described. Doesn't seem like a mystery as to why it's happening. Drawing out the break-in routine really stresses the engine & actually wears away compression along the way. This method I've outlined will feel weird at every step, but after you try it once, you'll notice a big difference in your engine's performance & lifespan. Rick Brake RB Mods Hope this helps; give this break-in method a shot--you have nothing to gain except longer life & more power Use a MC 59 or the hottest plug you can get and burn 30% nitro. Keep your cool and be patient, It will come in to It’s own after about a gallon of fuel. The tolerances are so far out because of the extreme modification that until it is broke in it will not act right. You will cuss the engine and me for selling it to you. So do not start turning needles to try to get it to run right, just enough to keep it running for as long as you can. Then when it starts to break in it will stay running longer and longer. Then one day you will praise the engine and me. Give it a good ½ - ¾ galloon and if you need us to break it in for you. William Copley my National drive does this for 45.00 – 55.00 and any questions as far as I can’t get it to run call William losmosis@losmosis.com Remember the engine is still not broke in until you have about 1 gallon through it so only make 1 hr on the clock adjustments.