Lack of top end power/speed

[Anonymous]

She just doesn't have much pull past 6000 rev's.

At 110km/65m per hour I'm running about 5000 in 5th gear.
Other users on this site have posted 160km/100m with plenty power left on not-so-much-bigger bikes.

What's your best guesses at the cause of this? She pulls like a mule until 6000 rev's, and then she'll just creep upwards on the speedo. Throttle doesn't make a difference at this point. I can gradually increase it or open it up with the same result - minimal power/speed increase.

If Suzi has ability that I haven't tapped yet, let me know! I love her dearly, but I want more grit out of her. I'd be the happiest guy if I could get a 200km/125m top speed out of her.

If you need more detail about how she runs, please ask.

Thanks in advance!

[Bill + Karen]

Curt it sounds like maybe she isn't breathing right. Hows the air filter, mufflers in good shape? Also condition of points, and has she been shot with a timing light lately? Do you have a manual? Hope to help, Bill

[Anonymous]

No manual yet (I know that's the cardinal sin). I'd been saving every penny I came across to get the bike, and now that I have it, the girlfriend's demanding that we stop living off of soup and Kraft dinner! 8O

I barely have money for gas, let alone the manual, but it's next on my list.

I promise.

The mufflers appear to be in great shape, ?points?, I'll check the air filter, and I don't have a clue if she's been shot with a timing light(or even what a timing light is) recently. I've only had her for three weeks and I've been a biker for the same amount of time. Given some time, I'll be able to strip and rebuild her. I'm a quick study so I should be able to follow any instructions that you give. Thanks for your time.

[Anonymous]

I hate to ask you this, but how much do you weigh and how tall are you? A 650 isn't a very big engine for a big guy.


Tim

[Anonymous]

5'10", 185lbs and growing(wider, not taller).

The bike is a little small for me(my 5'4" girlfriend can stradle it and stand flat-footed) but I'm not a big guy by any(except mabey a miget's) standards.

[Bill + Karen]

Curt on the right side of the bike on the end of the crank there is a cover with three screws holding it on. If your bike has points they are underneath the cover. The points control when the plugs spark so if they are not adjusted right the engine isn't hitting when it should. First you set the points where they belong and then the timing light is used to get the whole shebang working as it should. I'll look for some links for illustration purposes. Bill

[Bill + Karen]

Points,(http://www.crc2onlinecatalog.com/Index_Main_Frame.htm)..... Bill

[argonsagas]

I've only had her for three weeks and I've been a biker for the same amount of time. Given some time, I'll be able to strip and rebuild her. I'm a quick study so I should be able to follow any instructions that you give. Thanks for your time.[/quote]


Curt:

If you don't know what a timing light is, you definitely won't have one lying around, so giving instructions on its use won't help you. You need it to tell at what point in the movement of the pistion the spark plug fires. The exact timing varies with different models.

I know the larger engines after 1981 have electronic ignition and yours is 82, so you may also have electronic ignition, thus no points to adjust.

It seems more likely your problem is carburetion, as the carbs do a switch to the main jets at about 4500 and if the carbs are off a bit the bike will not run to its potential. You might try the In the Garage part of this site and look for the carburetor section. The work is not difficult..just be sure you have a clean area to work in and on, and take your time.

Small hint...an egg carton works well for keeping small parts from getting lost, and it gives enough compartments that you can use separate ones for each area you work on.

More serious stuff.....

I agree that a 650 carrying a heavy load will not perform as well as a larger engine, but even if you are over 200 pounds, it should not bog down at 100k/65 mph.

Also, if you have only a few weeks of riding experience then you do

N O T want a larger or faster bike until you gain more experience.

I disagree completely with the idea that a big displacement is OK for a starter bike and you already have a 650, which is a big bike for a beginner.

There are two simple and unavoidable truths that all motorcyclists eventually learn:
When things go wrong at speed, they go wrong fa
st.
and
The faster the bike can get you to speed, the faster things WILL go wrong.


No matter how fast your reflexes are, if you don't know what to do, and exactly how to do it, AND KNOW WHAT VARIABLES WILL APPLY, the most likely thing you will learn faster by getting a bigger or faster bike is how much it hurts.

You might be an exception, and learn without pain, but please remember that every other rider who went up too fast, and got hurt, had exactly the same expectation.


All of us who ride do so for the pleasure, and there are very few who do not love the rush of speed. If you asked long=experienced riders about falls, I seriously doubt you would get any to honestly say they have never fallen and, for most of them, the circumstances of the falls (usually more than one) were not of their choosing.


You may want to go fast, but what you need to learn fastest, is patience.

Lesson for the day:

Go fast when it's safe, go slow when you must, and learn the difference.

Good luck

[Anonymous]

What will need to be done to the points(in terms of adjustment) to have the plugs fire correctly? Do I just adjust with the bike idling and go by sound?

On that note, I don't even think I have points. That link to the online catalog didn't have my year of bike in it's selection.

I do have an electric starter(electric ignition?).

I'll check the garage section for carb info, but I just(last week) had new seals put on the carbs and new jets installed. The power hasn't changed a noticable amount from before to after.

As for the still learning/show some restraint portion of the last post, you're right Ron. I want a bigger/faster bike but, for my own safety, I should stick with the 650. I hope I'll be the exception to the rule that "If you ride a bike, you'll crash a bike", but I don't expect it. I won't be getting a more powerful bike this year anyway, so I have some time to learn yet.

I appreciate your concern Ron
"There are no old bold riders"

[TheNose]

Curt,

Don't know what parts you need or might need, but try this site - http://www.crc2onlinecatalog.com/Index_Main_Frame.htm . Do a search for Suzuki and it will show you categories of parts. I have trouble getting the search to work from the main page, so I click one of the categories to the left and then use the search on that page. Sometimes it is at the bottom. I have not ordered from them, so I can tell you anything else about them. I found they have more parts for older bikes that any other site I have found to date. Good Luck!

Terry

[Anonymous]

I don't think my year had points. I found where the list of Suzuki models with points is and my model isn't there. '79 is the youngest year there.

[Bill + Karen]

What will need to be done to the points(in terms of adjustment) to have the plugs fire correctly? Do I just adjust with the bike idling and go by sound?

On that note, I don't even think I have points. That link to the online catalog didn't have my year of bike in it's selection.

I do have an electric starter(electric ignition?).

I'll check the garage section for carb info, but I just(last week) had new seals put on the carbs and new jets installed. The power hasn't changed a noticable amount from before to after.

As for the still learning/show some restraint portion of the last post, you're right Ron. I want a bigger/faster bike but, for my own safety, I should stick with the 650. I hope I'll be the exception to the rule that "If you ride a bike, you'll crash a bike", but I don't expect it. I won't be getting a more powerful bike this year anyway, so I have some time to learn yet.

I appreciate your concern Ron
"There are no old bold riders"

Curt I was going by what I know from Karen's bike which is a 78 550E, you may have electronic ignition. The reason I gave you the address was so you could pop that cover off the right end of the crankcase and see. If you look in there and you see somthing that looks like the points in the illustration then you have points. I have never seen the electronic ignitions on these bike so I don't know what they look like. If there are no points in there it is electronic. If it is electronic this is a good thing, way to much messing around with the points. Rons right about the timing light thing.He is also right about the take it easy thing. I like your sense of humor and it would be a real drag to have your old lady come on with bad news. Enough preaching for this week. On the timing light thing do you have any mechanic type friends you could
check with? Bill

[earlfor]

I have ordered a lot of stuff from them and they are great people.
I had one order that when I received it, they had left out an item.
I called them on the phone, asked about the missing item and the owner apologized for the mistake and sent it Fed Ex overnight at no charge. Cant ask for more than that. :-)

Earl

Curt,

Don't know what parts you need or might need, but try this site - http://www.crc2onlinecatalog.com/Index_Main_Frame.htm . I have not ordered from them, so I cant tell you anything else about them. I found they have more parts for older bikes that any other site I have found to date. Good Luck!

Terry

[earlfor]

Well Curt, I'm not going to jump on a soapbox here, but I just want to comment that Ron is giving some really sound advice.
His last line says it all and it takes some time to learn what that difference is.

Earl

[quote="argonsagas"
Also, if you have only a few weeks of riding experience then you do

NOT want a larger or faster bike until you gain more experience.

I disagree completely with the idea that a big displacement is OK for a starter bike and you already have a 650, which is a big bike for a beginner.

There are two simple and unavoidable truths that all motorcyclists eventually learn:
When things go wrong at speed, they go wrong fast.
and
The faster the bike can get you to speed, the faster things WILL go wrong.


No matter how fast your reflexes are, if you don't know what to do, and exactly how to do it, AND KNOW WHAT VARIABLES WILL APPLY, the most likely thing you will learn faster by getting a bigger or faster bike is how much it hurts.

You might be an exception, and learn without pain, but please remember that every other rider who went up too fast, and got hurt, had exactly the same expectation.


All of us who ride do so for the pleasure, and there are very few who do not love the rush of speed. If you asked long=experienced riders about falls, I seriously doubt you would get any to honestly say they have never fallen and, for most of them, the circumstances of the falls (usually more than one) were not of their choosing.


You may want to go fast, but what you need to learn fastest, is patience.

Lesson for the day:

Go fast when it's safe, go slow when you must, and learn the difference.

Good luck[/quote]

[Anonymous]

Well I'll live for now, as my bank account will not acomadate a trip to the bar let alone a GSX-R 1000. Riding extremely fast may be alot more fun than riding slow, but riding slow in still infinately more fun than being crippled or maimed.

Now Earl, if I rode a 1979 GS750EN that would be parted out, should I crash, I'm sure you'd be egging me on! 8O
"Now Curt, when you do a 9 grand clutch drop, lean as far back as you possibly can." 8O "Naw, you'll never lift the front" :twisted: