carb or injection?

[blownlt1]

I was just curious if there is a big difference between carb or fuel injection up here in colorado. I mean besides the obvious differences would it be a hassle to have a carbed bike versus a fuel injected bike?

[rybo]

Both styles have advantages and disadvantages.

Carbs have been around forever and tuning them is a known quantity that you can probably undertake on your own in the garage and have decent results.

FI requires a computer and a program to get the job done.

That being said the FI is much more able to adapt to changing altitude on it's own than carbs, so it is much less of a hassle. Push the bike out, start it up and go. No adjustment necessary. With carbs coming this way will make the bike run rich, which is usually not too bad for it but will cause a reduction in power (which you have regardless at altitude, you just loose more of it by running rich). The real problem happens when you take a bike that is adjusted for here back to a lower elevation. Then it runs lean, which can cause engine damaging problems.

If you want a no hassle ride that runs good in most conditions FI is the way to go.

Scott

[Lomax]

An injected bike should automatically adjust itself for fuel/air mixture when the altitude changes. This is an advantage but in my eyes not a huge one. If you get a carb bike jetted correctly it should give you no problems. Sure it will get a little to rich if you are up in the hight country but is probably not super critical unless you are racing it. If yo have a choice get the injected bike but don't panic if the bike you find is carb. Injected bikes stayed tuned better and are a little less maintenance but a carb one is much cheaper to repair if something does go wrong.

My $.02.

Marc

[blownlt1]

Cool, that is good to know. My next question would be if I get a carbed bike and have it jetted. Would I have any issues going back to nebraska where I am from? Where I grew up isn't to far from here and the elevation drop I don't think is much. I grew up just an hour east of Cheyenne so like I was saying I don't think the elevation drop is too bad.

[JT_42]

Not really sure what sea level is in either city you are going to, but when I raced at MAM in Iowa (Next to Plattsmouth Nebraska), I used my sealevel carbs. If the elevation changes more than 2000' I would adjust them. Like Lomax said it isn't that bad if you are only going to visit. If you stay for awhile and put a lot of milage on your bike watch the plugs. They will tell you what the engine is doing.
Ask a local shop that has a dyno what they would recommend. Call the city you are going to, they should help you out.
I would go to TK if you are in the Denver area.

Best of luck
James

[RAGrote]

so it is much less of a hassle. Push the bike out, start it up and go. No adjustment necessary. With carbs coming this way will make the bike run rich, which is usually not too bad for it but will cause a reduction in power (which you have regardless at altitude, you just loose more of it by running rich). The real problem happens when you take a bike that is adjusted for here back to a lower elevation. Then it runs lean, which can cause engine damaging problems.

I agree with the hassle statement....

I've owned FI and carbed bikes here in CO. I have driven both from 2500 ft to 14000+ ft and the current carbed bike I have is heads and shoulders better than any of the FI bikes I've owned.
@ 9500 ft+ the FI bikes refused to idle and lost much more power than my current carbs.
My current bike, compared to the FI bikes, doesn't even notice the altitude changes and loses FAR LESS power than my FI bikes did at altitude. This was before the advent of double butterfly throttle bodies and servo controlled exhaust valves in FI machines and I now believe they're getting MUCH better than before.

The difference in FI to carb.... One uses computers and the other uses air pressure to do the exact same thing. (that's as broad as I'll get)

I'd also say that 8 out of 10 people who program their FI don't have any REAL idea as to the cause/effect of those changes unless gas analysis and dyno work are integrated in the process AND that a simple plug check is all that's needed to accurately tune a carb. (as well as the desire/mechanical ability to dig into the carb internals)

BTW.... flat slides rock.

Just my opinion.... and a bit of experience...

BTW, if I had my druthers - FI all the way baby!! Plug and Play!!!

Moving between here and Neb shouldn't require rejetting.... (unless it's a race bike)

[blownlt1]

I just checked and it looks like the elevation that I would be going to is still a little over 4700ft. And where my fiance grew up just about 50 miles northeast from where I gew up goes down to about 3600ft. I am thinking that I should be fine?

[rybo]

I just checked and it looks like the elevation that I would be going to is still a little over 4700ft. And where my fiance grew up just about 50 miles northeast from where I gew up goes down to about 3600ft. I am thinking that I should be fine?

Should be no problem either way....pick a bike you like and RIDE!

[blownlt1]

Cool, just wanted to get a little info before I get my bike. I am looking to get a beginner bike and was curious which would be better. I am sure that it would be a good learning experience to get a bike that is carbed so I can learn how to work on them. With that said, anyone know of some good books that might be helpful to work on motorcycles? Or should I wait till I get a bike and just get the service manual for that bike in particular?

[Anonymous]

Get the service manual anyway, that thing is worth it's weight in gold! (Or the drive space it takes, if you can find one in PDF...)

If you aren't comfortable tuning it, TK does good work at a reasonable price.

[blownlt1]

THis is going to sounds dumb but what is TK?

[~Barn~]

TK is one of the preferred shops of the ole' CSC. They are "friends of the family" if you will, and very skilled mechanics.

Oh.... and F.I. is the way to go. I had a carbed 2000 R1, and riding it up in the mountains was a lesson in powerband failure.

With the F.I. on my 2004 R1, it runs like a champ whether I'm off the coast of CA. at +/- 0 feet, or looking at Mt. Evans at +/- 14,000 feet.

[blownlt1]

That is good stuff to know. Well for the most part it sounds like I don't have much to worry about either way with the distance that I would go and the elevation that would be traveled.

[blownlt1]

Does TK have a website?

[JT_42]

Here is the website for TK

http://www.tk-motorsports.com/

OR

You can call them at 720 904 9040


James

[rybo]

JT,

The tk link isn't functional because their site is under construction. The phone number is still good

Scott

[smobag]

carbs suck for bikes in my opinion, cant wait for my new bike! FI!!!

[BenDover]

carbs suck for bikes in my opinion, cant wait for my new bike! FI!!!