Blast is SLOW. What else to check?

[pierce]

Funny you said that Jetlee - after reading this post I did the same thing. Hadn't been out on the Blast in a while and was a warm day so I took it out for a spin. Tried shifting when he did and the bike just has no power. Usually I am having to slow down for the cars in front of me on the on ramp but this time I felt like I was barely going to make it up to speed - I must admit I chickened out and downshifted.

After you ride it for a bit you'll find the powerband. It likes to scream - sorry. People hear me coming from miles away - children run and hide and parents cover their ears and the Harleys give me the thumbs up. I have tried quieting it down, but its not that much of a concern for me at this point anymore.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4zy...DvjVQa1PpcFOXCP2ToHbZjSXjTOqse7caLUCW-qAuQZI=

and thats with a silencer in place ....

 

[pierce]

Adam - you have to take what Buell says with quite a bit of salt. After all, its the same company who cubed the bike. They also had beginners in mind, not performance. Their is a difference. Its nice and tame for the most part at stock (keep the rpms down, shift early), and they went to great lengths at keeping people thinking it was a beginners motorcycle and you wouldn't hurt yourself with it. Keep it slow and farty doesn't mean you cant open it up a bit and see for yourself. I sweat they deliberately suffocated the bike to keep it down. All you have to do is let it breathe a bit and suddenly its a different bike.

Looked at the chart again - thats the worst shifting advice I have heard to date. 5th at 45 - 50? 3500 you are just starting to hit the power band, no pull below. Ha ha - anyone else out there that reads that chart, please, dont shift like that, your bike will hate you.

 

[jetlee]

If you're running a V&H, get a 175 main jet ASAP!

There have been low end bearing failures. Ask around on BadWeb.

We're talking about Harley's suggestions here....HARLEY! 90% of Harley's are still on the road today, the other 10% made it home! I even come from a H-D dealer family and I despise them. Yet I ride a Buell, I know, no need to point it out.

Regardless, she doesn't need to wind it out, but she should be running it at higher rpms for reliability.

You wouldn't be hitting the brick faster (harder) at higher rpms, you'd be hitting it more often in a given time period. My analogy for was a single power stroke. You got my meaning though, so it served its purpose.

 

[adam728]

It sounds like the bike doesn't reach WOT. There's literally no difference from less than 1/2 throttle to wide open. No change in acceleration, no change in engine/intake/exhaust note, nadda.  I keep questioning if the CV slide is opening fully, but it appears to be in great condition and slides easily when the carb is removed.

Dumb dumb dumb

Should have listened to myself. Spent too much time making sure the cap and diaphragm were in place, and not enough time making sure the spring was in the right place in the cap! Sure enough, was only opening about 1/2 way. Test ride tomorrow.


Really feeling like an idiot. Used to work as a certified bike mechanic, now am an engineer that works on carbs for a living. Should have not made this mistake. [sad]

 

[brumbear]

Glad you got it sorted hey I spent 2 days on a loose condenser not to long ago no worries we all overlook stuff!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[jetlee]

I've forgotten to reconnect the fuel line. I even turned the petcock on before I took off. When it died down the road, I was dumbfounded till I looked down at all the fuel pouring out.

We all miss stuff once in a while.

 

[adam728]

Rev limiter, 1st thru 4th, no problem at all. Lifted at 90 in 5th. It's still slow for a bike, but it's twice as fast as it was![up]

 

[pierce]

Good to hear.

What do you ride normally?

 

[adam728]

What do you ride normally?

Dirt.

I've had a 77 CB750 Super Sport, 83 Nighthawk, then worked at a Victory dealer thru college and generally had a Vega's demo bike, or various used trade-ins to play with. Probably the slowest (and most fun) street bike I've spent time on was a Interceptor 500. Narrow, light, and nimble!

Right now I only have a 05 YZ250 in the stable. Started getting parts in this week to dual sport it. Plan is just to open up new trails, probably won't see much, if any, pavement. Wife gave me permission for a street bike, but no money.

 

[pierce]

Love the CB's. That used to be my goto cafe until I went on the hunt for a single cafe. Dual sports are cool too. I seem to own one bike for every function. However, the ballsiest bike I own is the blast. I have probably spent way too much on i (time and money)t, but I love wrenching.

Good luck on the street bike!

 

[ezblast]

I understand not lugging it and hammering bearings. I don't understand how running nearly 3,500 rpm in 2nd is "lugging" this bike. Seriously, am I supposed to tell my sister to never upshift until at redline? Heck, look at Buell's suggested shift points (for cruising, I assume).

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f346/adam728/Motorcycles/BuellBlastSpeedChart.jpg


The hammer/brick analogy isn't quite right. You'd be hitting the brick faster at higher rpms, not holding it looser. Unless the bearings somehow become elastic. Not that I can think of a better example, but I do know what you were trying to get at.

By the way, nothing to drill in the exhaust, it's a Vance & Hines (stated in 1st post).


Thats for break in =
EZ