The Ultimate Predator - 隼 Hayabusa

Is it time already?

2010-10-12T08:13:00.006+08:00

After more than half a decade, is it time that we'll part our ways?

You've taught me a lot and we went through even more together...

Memories of the time we spent together can never be erased...

As we part ways, I hope that you can look forward to a better companion who is able to take good care of you. To experience the freedom of the highway, giving a good workout to yourself as well as him.

Not longer is 200km/h the baseline for cruising... No longer is 100km/h achieved in a single gear... No longer is a twist of throttle like a jab of adrenaline into the body...

I remember the time I was still confused on how a simple change of exhaust will affect the power delivery. To the point where the engine was laid out in pieces for a major rework for the transmission to the cylinder block, to the cylinder head...

Having been with you for so long, with all the refinements that we worked through. It'll take a long while before something that will come close to what you are comes along as a stock production bike. It'll be quite hard to look at another Hayabusa without remembering how different you are.

Together, we experienced the hot, the cold, the dry, the wet, the dirt, the dust, the highways and the trunk road. You have even been there on the most important day of my life, my marriage and was featured in the video during the wedding dinner...

Go forth and spread your wing, Peregrine Falcon, or as what we know you as Hayabusa - 隼! Dominate the straights and the bends! Let no other bike show you otherwise. For the stronger and nimbler you; can dance like a butterfly and sting like a bee! Be that Ultimate Predator, my friend!

Good bye, Hayabusa K Spec II

Till we meet again!

Vapour Lock

2010-06-01T18:50:00.005+08:00

Owners of the 1999 and 2000 model of the Suzuki Hayabusa may face this problem when they were to increase the engine compression (in one way or another); resulting in higher ambient temperature under the fuel tank. Add to that equation a in line fuel filter, it's a very good recipe for vapour locking the fuel system.

According to wikipedia,

Vapor lock (also known as vapour lock) is a problem that mostly affects gasoline-fueled internal combustion engines. It occurs when the liquid fuel changes state from liquid to gas while still in the fuel delivery system. This disrupts the operation of the fuel pump, causing loss of feed pressure to the carburetor or fuel injection system, resulting in transient loss of power or complete stalling. Restarting the engine from this state may be difficult. The fuel can vaporise due to being heated by the engine, by the local climate or due to a lower boiling point at high altitude.

The 99-00 model of the Suzuki Hayabusa utilises the external fuel pump as opposed to the in-tank fuel pump from 01 model onwards. This provides the opportunity for vapor lock to occur. The external fuel pump runs 2 fuel lines, 1 inlet and 1 return line. The inlet is gravity fed and is not pressurized. This allows the fuel to vapourize when the engine compartment temperature rises too much due to heat soak.

The fuel pump when moved to the interior of the tank helps prevent vapor lock, since the entire fuel delivery system is under high pressure and the fuel pump runs cooler than if it is located in the engine compartment. Under high pressure the fuel will be harder to vapourize and thus vapour lock is almost unheard of in K1 models and above.

What are the causes of vapour lock?

A vapor lock is more likely to develop when the vehicle is in traffic because the under-hood temperature tends to rise. A vapor lock can also develop when the engine is stopped while hot and the vehicle is parked for a short period. The fuel in the line near the engine does not move and can thus heat up sufficiently to form a vapor lock. The problem is more likely in hot weather or high altitude in either case.

What are some solutions if you have a vapour lock issue?

Rerouting of the fuel lines away from heat generating components,
installation of a fuel cooler or cool can,
shielding of heat generating components near fuel lines,
and insulation of fuel lines.

Amongst the above suggested solutions, you can also consider swapping to an in-tank fuel pump which requires the replacement of the entire fuel tank, fuel pump some fuel line fittings. I have personally tried items 3 and 4 with good results.

If you have a fuel problem, do check if it is caused by vapour lock. You would want to be caught stuck in traffic with a stalled engine and unable to start due to the vapour lock issue.

Signs of not riding enough

2010-05-23T21:51:00.001+08:00

Doing long distance rides is an endurance sport. It requires a certain level of physical fitness as well as the mental alertness.

Physical fitness comes in the form of core muscle strength; to maintain in the fully or half tucked posture. Neck muscle to sustain the forces exerted by the wind on the helmet.

Mental fitness to concentrate and to react to the environment. Especially when things come hurling towards you at crazy speeds.

Just went for a relatively short touch and go trip today. Distance back and forth was barely 200km. But by the time I'm back. I could feel the ache on the back and neck. What used to be a ride in the park can really take a toll on you if you are not adequately acclimatized to it.

All in all it's the body's way of reminding me the importance of constantly riding to keep the physical and mental endurance in check. Not just the above, it'll also allow for the practicing of the skills essential for a safe ride.

Till then, have a safe and fun time on the road.

Shell's transparent car

2010-04-24T12:59:00.001+08:00

A rare glimpse of the interior of an engine as it is running and lubed by the engine oil. Real big budget production by Shell.

Finding time to ride

2010-04-24T12:04:00.001+08:00

What used to be an integral part of life, riding has since taken a step back in the long list of things to do in this hectic life.

Excuses for not riding includes tiredness, bad weather; too cold, too hot, non enjoyable route to ride, need to bring car out for ferrying large items, and it goes on and on.

Week in week out, the weekend objective is to ride my bike. To date, the success rate of meeting out the objective is 50% at best.

Today, after a week of rest for the bike, it out again. Hitting a short highway before reaching the Upper Thomson road prata shop. It has now become the futile attempt to put in some decent riding mileage.

As far as it goes, such short sprints like this, are still keeping the fun in riding until some decent trip comes along.

Till then, enjoy the freedom and breeze of the highway that riding brings.

BMW S1000RR

2010-02-13T15:29:00.002+08:00

One of the most challenging circuit in the world. Used as a benchmark for many automakers. The BMW S1000RR challenges the Nürburgring Nordschleife.

Exhaust Performance and Scavenging

2010-01-02T09:38:00.004+08:00

A very clear and concise explanation of the process of exhaust gas scavenging and how it's affected by exhaust size, length and cam timing.

The Basics

As are most things automotive, the exhaust system is a compromise. It must balance noise and performance. In addition, the exhaust system can be designed to increase performance in the low RPM range or at the top end. All of these aspects must be taken into account when designing the best possible setup for a given application. A larger pipe diameter typically will reduce backpressure allowing the engine to expend less energy pushing out exaust gas. If the system was being restricted, this will result in more power at a certain range of RPMs. The downside to larger pipes is a loss of power in other areas of the power band and increased noise.

Scavenging

At first glance one might think that a maximum pipe size would result in the best performance. It should provide the most flow. This is true for a steady stream of gas. An engine ejects exhaust gas out of the ports in pulses though. This results in a stop-go-stop-go situation as the exhaust valve opens and closes. A properly sized pipe will help to suck the gases out of the cylinder at certain RPMs. Since air has mass and velocity, it has momentum. When in the scavenging RPM, the exhaust charge exiting actually creates a vaccum for part of the exhaust stroke. This provides for a nice boost in power and torque. For ideal scavenging an exhaust speed of 240-260 feet per second is desired. Thus as engine speed increases for a given displacement so must the pipe diameter.

Below is a typical graph of exhaust port pressure vs. piston position:

NOTE: The exhaust pressure during scavenging nets out to be positive. Thus there is not an all around vaccum. Energy is still being wasted pushing exhaust gas out. The scavenging is not "free". Work is still done. Scavenging merely helps to aliviate what would be even more work being done by the engine. Also note that the psi values will vary from engine to engine, but the curve remains approximately the same. Values over 6 psi are generally considered excessive backpressure.

The graph above is a typical representation of what exhaust port pressure looks like as the engine rotates through almost a full revolution during the scavenging RPMs. Exhaust pressure builds as soon as the exhaust valve opens. This occurs before bottom dead center. Most of the torque the engine generates is produced by 90 degrees, thus it is not necessary to keep the exhaust valve closed much past 90. By opening the exhaust valve early, the high cylinder pressure helps to accelerate the charge in the exhaust manifolds. Pressure peaks before bottom dead center and then rapidly falls as the accelerated charge pulls the exhaust out of the engine. As the piston approaches top dead center, the intake valve opens. Pressure drops again and the exhaust gas actually helps to suck the intake charge into the cylinders.

These ideal conditions can only be met at certain RPMs. To do this one can vary the size of their piping to chose what will provide them the best performance. Smaller pipes will move an equal volume of gas at a higher speed. This typically comes at the expense of increased backpressure (resistance to flow) which inturn leads to poorer performance. A smaller pipe will help to maintain the ideal exhaust gas velocity when the engine is running in the lower RPMs. This provides for a torque boost off the line with improved streetability and driveability. For this reason many manufacturers size their pipes on the more conservative side. As the RPMs increase though, the backpressure builds due to the excessively small pipe size. This pushes the velocity of the exhaust gas out of the scavenging range and saps power on the top end, reducing performance in that spectrum.

A larger pipe will maintain ideal exhaust gas velocity on the top end. This will increase peak power. The downside comes with a slow exhaust charge on the low end. Their will not be enough suction to aid in the expulsion of exhaust gas. Torque will suffer in the low ranges for this reason. Too large or too small of a pipe will push the scavenging bonuses out of the useable RPM range and will result in diminished overall performance. It is important to size the piping correctly for the desired application: low end or top end. One should also consider how this will effect the rest of the car. For instance, if the car has an automatic with a stall speed of 1,500 RPMs it won't do any good to have all the power on the top end when off the line performance will suffer terribly. Likewise if the car is mainly driven in the city or through heavy traffic, a lack of low end grunt might make driving more of a chore.

On valve overlap scavenging also helps to draw in the fresh intake charge. The pressure in the exhaust port drops again and the exhaust flows more easily. It should be noted though that too much exhaust velocity on overlap can cause "over scavenging". This occurs when the exhaust vaccum becomes so great, due to overly small tubing, that it actually sucks the intake charge right through. This leaves spent charge in the cylinders and causes a loss in performance.

Common Views

A couple of commonly recommended modifications are increasing backpressure for lowend performance, and the use of equal length headers. Backpressure is almost always a bad thing. The higher velocity of a smaller pipe is what one wants on the low end. Unfortunately this ultimately chokes off the top end to an extent. Since these two go hand in hand (small pipes and top end back pressure), people often consider them the same. They are not. Putting a sharp bend in a pipe will cause high backpressure, but it will have little benefit for performance and scavenging. Backpressure is very useful for quieting an exhaust though and muffling the sound waves. As for equal length headers, companies often claim that they help with scavenging. They are used to line the exhaust pulses up. This can help during scavenging as the exiting charges will not try to occupy the same collector at the same time. Instead, the exhaust pulses will alternate and "zipper" there way into the collector. This results in smooth flow and optimal performance. Equal length headers, or headers designed to take advantage of scavenging in general are a plus. It is important to buy from a reputable company though as equal lengths will not guarentee optimal performance. Dynometer testing is the best way. Most reputable exhaust companies do make use of a dyno which gives some assurance as to what one is getting.

Summation

1. Choose a smaller pipe for better low RPM performance, a larger one for high RPM performance.

2. Remeber that peaks are not everything, as seen in Understanding Performance, thus a proper sized pipe will deliver better results than one that may give the highest peak low end or top end performance.

3. Back pressure is almost always a bad thing.

Article from: http://autolounge.net/tech/exhaust.html

On screen appearance

2009-12-23T10:28:00.003+08:00

Trailer for "Velocity" - A short film specially created for a newly-wed couple's Chinese Wedding Dinner.

Director/Director of Photography/Scriptwriter/Editor:
- Diana "Woddee" Lim ( http://woddee.deviantart.com | http://diana-lim.daportfolio.com )

Produced By:
- Swiftwing ( http://swift-wing.deviantart.com )

Shot on the Canon 5D MKII, courtesy of Swiftwing. Edited on Final Cut Pro 6, LiveType.

==============

This was my first attempt using the 5D MKII to shoot a short, without any prior knowledge to the camera and its settings (I only had a 5 minute crash-course on the day of the shoot by swiftwing himself on how to use the camera.)

By standards, it isn't exactly very stellar but nonetheless, a major feat for me who was almost running this on a one-woman show. From pre-production to post-production.

Someone we've gotten to help... The footage was re-cut into something totally different

The Peregrine Falcon in action

2009-11-15T20:23:00.001+08:00

Peregrine Falcon on National Geographic

Simply amazing... It's no wonder Suzuki wants to name their bike after this falcon.

Westfield vs Zonda

2009-09-26T11:02:00.001+08:00

Another one of the track oriented car running the GSX1300R Hayabusa engine. This one is so well designed that it beats the Pagani Zonda round Top Gear's test track.

The Ben Spies Method

2009-09-11T22:35:00.002+08:00

How Ben Spies does it? Let's listen to the man himself...

Anyone wants to try this method on Pasir Gudang Circuit?

5-6th Sept 09 KL Shopping Trip

2009-09-09T10:52:00.004+08:00

The new triple clamp cover from the GEN 2 Hayabusa, tested proven to work with no issues after this trip. (Note also the wristband was still around when we reached our destination, see next picture)

It's been a long while since I've got the chance to take the bike out for a ride. In midst of the many rainy days this month, I've decide to just go for a trip up to Kuala Lumpur. And who would have expected that the 2 days over the weekend was totally dry.

The ride up the KL was excellent, with minimum vehicles on the NSHW, the bike was riding great and the weather was wonderful. There were long stretches of empty road where the bikes were given a chance to rip the highways but gone are the days where maxxing out the bike's power was like a walk in the park. At the back of the head, it's already screaming, " That's fast enough!" when the meter just barely crosses the 300kph mark.

Picture was taken the following day, notice the wristband on the brake fluid reservoir is missing (curse the bugger who stole it.)

Sticking to our pump and go strategy for such trips. Reaching our destination was much faster than expected. We had gone up along with Bugsy (who was driving) and he has kindly agreed to be our logistics support. So the ride up was light and fast, no panniers no bags, just a set of rain coat and that's it.

Probably because it's been quite a long while since we last went to KL, I managed to just get ourselves lost right in the middle of the city. So there we were circling around the city for about 30mins before finding our way to the hotel. But still we manage to reach the hotel lobby in under 2 and half hour.Finally found, the hotel where the bike was given a place to rest over the night.

Returning back to Singapore the ride was quite straightforward as well. Ride pump and go. But probably the main hiccup was when I decided to push for a further fuel stop for our first stop out of KL. I had originally wanted to pump at Seremban or Ayer Keroh but pushed for Pagoh instead. Managed to reach Pagoh with another 2liters or so of petrol left in the tank, but it was kind of nerve-wrecking as the needle was already buried in the red zone and the reserve light has come on about 30km away from Pagoh. Still we cruised at about 190-200kph to the petrol station. From there on, it was smooth sailing all the way back to Johor Bahru for a bike wash and back across the customs (where there was no jam at all).

CBR 600RR ABS

2009-09-09T10:46:00.002+08:00

Honda testing ABS brakes on CBR600RR

by Jeremy Korzeniewski on Jun 14th 2008 at 11:39AM

Many motorcycles in today's market feature anti-lock brakes, including models from Honda like the Interceptor and Silverwing scooters. Now, though, the red-winged manufacturer of motorcycles has announced a new system which completely removes the rider's direct connection with the front and rear brakes. Instead of a cable connection, the system uses brake-by-wire technology and allows an on-board computer to apply pressure to both the front and rear brakes as it sees fit. This new system is expected to debut on sportbikes first, which raises some eyebrows in the cycle-riding community. The highest performing bikes have ridiculously powerful brakes which are capable of locking up the front tire very easily. Still, hardcore riders have proven very reluctant to give up any control to computers, especially on race tracks, where supersport bikes are expected to thrive. Being Honda, though, there is a prevailing sense that the technology will work. Expect the new combined ABS system to proliferate to all of Honda's two-wheelers in the near future.

[Source: Honda]

Honda Announces World's First Electronically-Controlled 'Combined ABS' for Super Sport Bikes

Honda has announced the world's first electronically-controlled "Combined ABS" for Super Sport motorcycles, aimed at combining ABS and CBS systems into one system that applies the basic advantages of both, while specifically addressing the requirements of a Super Sport context.

In order to achieve this, the particular characteristics of Super Sport bikes, such as short wheelbase, are taken into account. The system also operates without interference to sports riding, and with an emphasis on maintaining full rider control.

The system consists of an electronically controlled combined "brake by wire" system with an innovative stroke simulator. Direct motor control ensures precise operation of the ABS. The components are divided into several smaller units so there are more, but smaller units than in previous systems.

The system's effectiveness is due to four main factors:

1. Electronic control of the CBS, allowing more advanced control of brake force. This provides a more sensitive distribution of brake force over both wheels.

2. Measurement of rider input force on each lever. The ideal brake force on both wheels is generated accordingly, providing optimum distribution and minimising vehicle body reaction.

3. An "ABS modulator" which ensures late triggering of ABS, and smooth ABS intervention.

4. Small size meaning that the system's components can be well integrated in the motorcycle's package. Thus mass-centralisation, a key feature for Super Sport bikes, is supported.

All the basic ABS and CBS functions are provided, including the prevention of wheel lock, improved balance and easy operation. This is achieved without any compromise to stability during ABS operation. Pitching is minimised so that the bike keeps its normal position. Overall, sport riding performance is uninterrupted - cornering feel remains the same and controllability is enhanced.

Have read several good reviews on the application of ABS on track going sportsbikes. Apparently as it is now, Honda has gotten the idea right and gotten it to work quite amazingly. Throw in traction control and some other high tech gadgetry... riding like Rossi will soon be easily achievable by the average rider.

Dodge Tomahawk

2009-09-04T13:57:00.002+08:00

As mentioned in the earlier post, this is the Dodge Tomahawk. Running a 8.3litre V10 engine. This one though doesn't look like it can turn properly.

8 Litre V10 Bike

2009-09-03T19:12:00.002+08:00

When people think of large capacity engine bikes, a 8.0litre V10 engine will not like cross their mind. Here's one that's pushing out 500bhp with the engine taken off a Dodge Viper. Think this looks a lot more sensible than the Tomahawk.

Aiming the front headlight

2009-07-30T19:02:00.004+08:00

Here's a quick guide to adjusting your Hayabusa headlight so that it doesn't glare the other road users and at the same time provide you with the proper illumination of the road.

This is extremely useful for both halogen/conventional bulb and HID users.

Step 1 (requires a friend's help):
Sit on the bike and get friend to measure the height from the ground to the center of the headlight.

Step 2:
Mark on a line on wall (using masking tape) the same height you've obtained earlier.

Step 3:
Mark another line (using masking tape) 5cm below the 1st tape line, then remove the 1st tape line.

At this point there should only be one tape on the wall.

Step 4 (low beam adjustment):
Park the bike 5m away from the wall and switch on headlight to begin adjustment.

The aim is to get the top of the beam at just below the tape line. (For HID, it can be a tad lower {~10 - 15 mm}, use your own discretion)

The center of the beam should be centered directly in front of the bike.

*adjustments to be made when bike is fully settled and loaded (with the rider, rider + pillion or luggage)

Step 5 (High beam adjustment):
Using the knobs on the headlight assembly, adjust until the bottom of the high beam is lying on the top of the tape line.
(This could be a tad higher too {~10 - 15 mm}, for riders who often travel at extremely high speeds and require illumination to a further point)

Step 6:
Re-assemble everything back and celebrate a job well done.

24volt Start System Harness With Dual Battery Auto Charge Circuit

2009-07-22T18:47:00.003+08:00

Designed for those who need a 24 start system and don't know how to wire it up. Tiger Racing has just what you need. This custom 24 start harness has everything you need to hook up a second battery with all plug and play connectors. Both batteries will auto charge with bike is running. No switches to mess with.
If you have a big bore motor, you'll want one of these for sure.

Price: $159.95 USD

As I saw this product on sale, it actually amazes me the profit margin of such products. As mentioned in the earlier post, it's actually a rather simple circuit, and the cost of the components are not too high as well. Anyway, the same can be said for this circuit. I've already gotten the circuit diagram out for ages, just never gotten down to wire it up for my bike. I'll be staying with my manual switch for a long time to come I guess. Until the day my hand itches for some DIY project, this will be next in the list.

Top Clamp Cover Makeover

2009-06-27T17:21:00.004+08:00

Have been looking at the top clamp cover, it's all worn and old... And so comes the idea of having it made over...

Before - Top clamp cover with the metal emblem that says "Hayabusa"

After - Matt black with a metallic Suzuki logo (blocked by my VR2)

Ignition Key cover (which actually is the immobiliser antenna for the GEN2 Hayabusa)

With that fitted, it just adds to the list of useless but nice looking items fitted on the bike. Took about 20mins to remove the old and install the new. Since it's stock (from the GEN2 Hayabusa), once mounted everything simply falls back in place. No drama at all.

Wiring Schematic for 24V Start with Manual Switching

2009-05-22T10:49:00.003+08:00

As promised, the following is the wiring schematic for the 24V starting with manual switching as mentioned in the post here.

This is a crucial electrical wiring to the bike and carries high ampere current during cranking. I will not be held responsible if any problems resulting in injuries or damage to the bike occurs. Please do this at your own risk.

Beyond Superbikes: The Yoshimura Hayabusa Fujio Yoshimura talks about the Japanese built GSX-1300R Racer

2009-05-19T16:00:00.004+08:00

196 horsepower, 408 pounds, 200mph

"Racing Superbikes is okay, but there is no excitement," deadpanned Fujio Yoshimura as he began his explanation of why the roadracing planet's best known tuning firm is not competing in the Japanese All Japan Superbike championship in 1999.

"The (Suzuki) factory does their own thing, and there's no chance for a (satellite team). I decided to let (the factory) do the all-out war, and we'll do the X Formula class. I think that's more fun."

The Japanese X Formula class bears some resemblance to the AMA's Formula Extreme in that both classes are aimed at the bigger displacement bikes such as the Honda CBR900RR and the Yamaha R-1. There are three significant differences in Japan, and they are that the factories are barred from having in-house racing teams in X Formula, X Formula bikes can be claimed for 2,500,000 yen (~$20,000), and the X Formula bikes compete with the Superbikes on the track. These three significant differences combine to level the playing field between the factory teams and the privateers.

Well, level is a generous statement, as the factory supported superbikes still out-qualify and out-run the X Formula bikes. At least the difference in lap times between the shiny teams and the duct tape teams doesn't approach three to five seconds, as is starting to happen in AMA Superbike races.

"The factory system is so precise now, so efficient," the son of legendary Pops Yoshimura lamented. "Everything must be tested and done well. For a privateer team like us, we just don't have the resources." Yoshimura's claim of being a privateer team lacking in resources defies what is seen at the race track in America, but the purposes of Yoshimura USA and Yoshimura Japan are much different.

The factory wants to do their own development and things, you know," continued Yoshimura. "The U.S. side of Suzuki, they don't have any factory to do such an operation, so we're doing it for them. They have their own team for motocross, but they don't have anything for roadracing. (Suzuki U.S.) have their own team for motocross, but they don't have anything for roadracing. (The U.S. factory bikes) come directly from Suzuki-Japan to U.S. Yoshimura. I own the company, but I let the guys in California do the business."

Hence in Japan Yoshimura is completely on his own for turning the Hayabusa from a street bike to a race bike.

As for the modifications to the Hayabusa, the answer was classic Yoshimura:
"You can't do anything."

Uhhh .... Nothing? Fujio, come on.

Yoshimura then admitted to his Hayabusa having special pistons.

And a special camshaft.

And specially made close ratio gearbox.

And the Superbike kit GSX-R750 fuel injection system, with higher pressure and in-tank pump.

And the GSX-R750 Superbike kit swingarm.

"We're researching this bike for the people in America, Europe, and also in Japan. I know they love those things," Yoshimura explained. "These special parts will be available in another two months. I'm sure the people in the States will want a lot of tuning parts."

"Right now we're putting out about 196 hp. We began at 165. So we added another 30 hp without spending too much money, just changing the camshaft and the pistons."

Besides the swingarm change, Yoshimura has worked hard at reducing the weight of the Hayabusa. "It's down to 185 kg (408 lb.) now, about 100 lb. lighter. But it's still 50 lb. heavier than a Superbike. It's quite a handicap."

Even with the extra weight, the Yoshimura Hayabusa can accelerate to an impressive top speed figure. "I think we're the fastest on the track, 284 kph (176 mph). We're getting 10 kph on the Superbikes."

Suzuki race kit swingarm =$15,000Further weight reduction and further horsepower improvements can be realized, but at this stage in the Hayabusa development the concern has been transmission durability. "It comes down to the size of the motorcycle. The actual transmission gears are so heavy duty for the size of the bike. It will not shift as well as the racing one, because the gears are so heavy. I don't think there's so much we can do about that, we have to live with that. That's my concern though, how the transmission would hold up with that much horsepower and torque."

If Yoshimura had stayed with Superbikes, this kind the question of transmission capability would probably never come up. There lies the appeal of the X Formula class: the lack of technology creates opportunity for new technology more so than a situation where technology is plentiful.

"A lot of people ask me, 'Why you start racing the Hayabusa?'," Yoshimura admitted. "I keep telling them that I can't go back 25 years when the original Superbike racing started in the States with the Kawasaki Z-1. Those days are gone. Superbike is not like that anymore. The fans are a lot more enthusiastic about the out come of that bike (the Hayabusa) than Superbikes. With me, it's the same."

-- Images and text by Tracy Hagen. Copyright 1999, All Rights Reserved

SPECIFICATIONS POWER：142kw(193ps) / 10,000rpm
TORQUE：142.2Nm (14.5kgm) / 8,000rpm
WEIGHT:198kg (DRY) STD : 215kg

MOTORCYCLE GSX1300R 2000Model

ENGINE PARTS Tri-Oval Titanium Cyclone Exhaust System
Pipe : Titanium / Silencer : Carbon
φ81 High Compression PistonKit (12.0:1 Forged)
ST-1 Camshaft Set

TUNING UP
(ENGINE) Cylinder Head Porting
Valve Polished & Lightened
Dyno Tested
Re-assemblled by YOSHIMURA FACTORY
BMC Air Filter

TUNING UP
(CHASSIS) Original Oil Lock Piece,Piston Valve Shim & Oil Height

CHASSIS PARTS Aluminium Fuel Tank Capacity : 24Litter

Fairing Kit Upper,Lower, Carbon Front Fender, Seat, Screen, Tool Box, Seat Rail, Mirror, Head Light (High : Halogen / Low : HID),Turn Signal etc.

Fairing: Coloring YOSHIMURA Original Colour(Red & Gun Metal)

Magnesium Step Kit Adjustable Back: 19 or 31mm/UP: 49 or 61mm

Hydraulic Houses Front Brake, Rear Brake and Clutch Hoses

Digital Dual Temp Meter Set Water & Oil Temperatures,Voltage,time & Stopwatch

Chassis Protector

Brake Pad Set

OTHERS Racing Stand
Serial Number : Cylinder Head
Serial Number : Original Name Plate Yoshimura Hayabusa X-1 Book

MTV

2009-05-17T11:58:00.001+08:00

It's known that the Hayabusa was quite popular around the world. Didn't realised that people actually write songs about it...

Walk it like a Motorbike Fetti Feat C-Loc and Tank Jones

Hardly Ableson?

2009-05-04T10:08:00.001+08:00

Good Idea... Stunting with a Harley with skills

Bad Idea... Stunting with a Harley with no skills

1100cc 2-stroke triple Superbike

2009-04-24T06:41:00.007+08:00

Imagine the power to weight ratio of what the Superbikes are getting these days. Imagine adding 50% more to that! Imagine no more as there's a bunch of crazy enough people to build a 1100cc 2-stroke engine making more than 250hp.

One for the "Because We Can" file: What do you do when you're bored with the paltry horsepower from a garden-variety Japanese superbike? We've seen power output from the Japanese fours plateau around the 150-hp mark (at the rear wheel on a dyno) for a few years now, and the OEMs seem to be focusing more on rideability rather than the exponential increases in torque and horsepower we've grown accustomed to over the last three decades. If they can make 220 hp MotoGP bikes, they can make them for us. If they wanted to.

Stephen Rothwell of The Two Stroke Shop, located in Tropical North Queensland, Australia, decided to tackle this crisis by using tried-and-true technology: the two-stroke engine. Rothwell had heard enough of legendary two-strokes like the Yamaha TZ750, so he decided to build his own legend. Rothwell and partner Wayne Wright (who designed two-stroke motors for GP race teams in New Zealand) were already building complete top-end kits for Yamaha two-stroke motors, so they already had some of the parts and the know-how for such a project.

"What the world needed was an answer to the current literbikes, which we find anemic," Rothwell told me over the phone. "If a bike can't hoist the wheel in 4th gear off the throttle it's not a superbike." The 1100cc three-cylinder TSS1100GP should have no such problems; when completed, it should make 250 hp at the rear wheel and 160 ft.-lbs. of torque. A powervalve will keep things rideable, with a characteristic hit of power as the revs climb. The chassis will be a lightly-modded Kawasaki ZX-10R ("it's beefy enough") and Rothwell expects the wet weight to be under 340 pounds: "when you dismantle a literbike and see how heavy that four-stroke motor is, it's just sad, really." The next project? The 112-hp TSS500 engine installed in a Yamaha WR450 supermoto chassis. "There's nothing 'super' about a four-stroke supermoto," sniffed Rothwell.

Not crazy enough? Rothwell and Wright can build you a 2200cc four-cylinder that could pump out 500 bhp and 300 ft.-lbs. of torque (add 10% if you want to run alcohol), although he admits that would be "far too much for a motorcycle, even by our standards." But the goal of TSS isn't to crank out demented one-off specials for wealthy lunatics. Rather, it's to bring attention to the efficient, powerful, and even environmentally friendly (Rothwell says these engines could be Euro3 and CARB compliant with the use of direct-injection technology) potential of two-stroke motors. The hope is that the Japanese factories will return to the smokey, wheelie-ing ways of their youth (minus the smoke) and build light, fast and durable motorcycles that can scare the crap out of us.

For more information: click here

New Map Loaded

2009-04-23T19:31:00.002+08:00

Loaded a new map into the power commander just now. Made some adjustments based on all the rides I've been doing over the months.

Lean down some of the regions for fuel economy when going touring and chugging along in stop-and-go traffic. Also tried to keep a certain level of richness in that mixture to reduce the running temperature of the engine.

Overall throttle response have improved, toned down a bit of the torque at the lower end to help the engine rev up faster through the lower ranges. Pulling harder now with the faster revs. Shall do a separate dyno run to verify the results on the 2 maps.

Dyno will be posted at a later date when I get some time to go do the runs.

The Corbin Beetle Bags for GEN2 Hayabusa -in development -

2009-04-20T12:13:00.003+08:00

Here are some of the pictures taken from the corbin website detailing the development process.

It's gonna look real sleek when it hits the market.

Making time to ride

2009-04-19T20:04:00.003+08:00

24hrs a day seems insufficient recently. With an endless list of things to do, finding time to ride the busa seems like a gargantuan task. Not wanting to just chug along in traffic commuting in the busa as it's simply a waste of the power and capability of the bike. All too often commuting with the busa will eventually kill the fun of riding it altogether.

Therefore I've been making a point to enjoy every ride whenever I bring the busa out. It shall not be just crawling along in heavy traffic waiting just to reach the next traffic light. When it's out, it'll stretch its legs and clear its lungs; flying and roaring.

Took it out for a ride today, didn't get to max out the bike but it's definitely not rolling around near idling rpm either. It made me remember why I enjoyed so much about riding it, the big fat torque, the endless supply of power coupled with the sharp handling (which cannot be found on a stock busa) and the confidence inspiring brakes. All these make from a very enjoyable, spirited ride in the late afternoon.

Brought it for a bike wash while I grab a bite of late lunch with Eleen and Richter. Now the bike's clean and glossy. Shall go and put up the Thailand number plate that I made during the last trip. Looking forward to the next ride as well as the track session planned in June. Till then.

Williams Helical Camshaft

2009-04-14T09:09:00.003+08:00

Introduction

The Williams Helical Cam (WHC) is a new type of mechanical Variable Valve Actuation system (VVA). More specifically it is a camshaft which allows the valve opening duration to be varied over an extremely wide continuous, stepless, range – all the added duration being at full valve lift.

The WHC was developed in the early years of the 21st century and of all the competing types of mechanical (that is, not “camless” types - electromagnetic or hydraulic) VVA systems it would appear to be the most capable and promising. It is still little-known amongst the mainstream automotive engineering community. One of the surprising and little-known facts about VVA systems in general is that, almost without exception, they are not new ideas. Most were first heard of many years ago – some have their origins in the age of steam engines. That they are not in wide use is a reflection that they are all lacking in some aspect of variable valve actuation.

For example, probably the most widespread in use and the most successful is the Honda VTEC (and the essentially very similar systems from other companies). There is no question that VTEC is very effective – in the Honda S2000 the engine power is virtually doubled compared to a non-VTEC version of the same engine. Otherwise its capabilities are limited. Its operation is strictly a stepped process and this precludes its use in the more exotic forms of engine load control.

Current research into these forms of load control includes Early Inlet Valve Closing (EIVC), Late Inlet Valve Closing (LIVC) and Homogenous Charge Compression Ignition (HCCI). None of the existing available mechanical VVA systems can adequately allow any of these forms of load control. BMW’s Valvetronic probably comes closest to being able to perform EIVC but even here it is not wholly successful. At valve opening durations short enough to allow idle and very low load situations, the unavoidable very low valve lift (that must accompany short duration with this type of system) has a throttling effect – and that is exactly what EIVC is trying to avoid. With the Valvetronic the effect is more “throttling-by-low-valve-lift” than true EIVC. It would seem almost physically impossible to achieve sufficient valve lift at durations short enough to allow true EIVC – maybe not even with electromagnetic/hydraulic VVA arrangements. The BMW Valvetronic is an example of the “oscillating cam” class of mechanical VVA systems – there are many, many other members of this class in the files of the US Patent Office, all with the same limitations.

Details

The WHC is distinctly different from competing VVA systems in that it incorporates a new and unique mechanical principle. Genuinely new mechanical principles are almost unheard of – especially in the automotive world. The WHC very distantly belongs to the very numerous general “coaxial-shaft-combined-profile” class of cams as most recently typified by the work from Clemson University (whose cams are essentially identical in principle to many other cams in the USPTO files, first appearing as early as the 1920s, number 1527456 from 1925 being a good example). This class of coaxial cam varies the valve opening duration by moving the relative positions of two adjacent cam lobes on the one coaxial camshaft in a circumferential manner – the follower riding on the combined profile of both lobes.

The inescapable problem is that the duration range is not very wide. Not enough for power at really high RPM and certainly not enough to attempt engine load control by LIVC. The WHC importantly differs from other members of the general class by having a unique helical movement – a combined circumferential and axial movement of the two profiles. Surprisingly, because of this movement, the WHC in theory has no practical upper limit to its duration range. That is to say, the duration can be increased until the closing flank of the cam lobe reaches the opening flank – a duration of 720 degrees. In a typical application the WHC would have a continuous duration range from about average for a road-going general purpose engine (say, about 250 degrees measured at normal valve clearance) to about 100 or 150 degrees above this. That is, from 250 degrees to 350/400 degrees.

The duration range of the WHC is accomplished in what most car enthusiasts or automotive engineers would agree is the “traditional” or most desirable manner a VVA (or variable duration) system should operate. The valve is opened at normal rates of acceleration, jerk, etc, and then held open at its maximum lift for whatever duration is required before being closed at a normal rate. No matter how short or how long the duration, the opening and closing rates are always unchanged. Another surprising thing here is that this style of duration change over a very wide range has never, in the very long history of the internal combustion engine, been achieved before by a mechanical VVA system no matter how complex or expensive. The only other arrangement that can rival this for width of range is a system where the lobes on two closely-spaced separate camshafts are bridged by a pivoting lifter which operates the valve. The basic idea being that one camshaft opens the valve and the other camshaft looks after the closing of the valve. Changing the relative phase of the two camshafts has the effect of changing the opening duration of the valve. This works well enough but at long durations the lobe on one camshaft may reach full lift before the other even starts to move the follower. This has the effect of halving the full lobe lift (and rate of lift) of each camshaft, at long durations the valve lift (and rate of lift) is somewhat lacking. In most applications the valve lift needs to be at a maximum especially at long durations.

Needless to say this is another of the very old existing ideas which are at regular intervals dug up and proposed as a “new” idea. Recently it has been revived in an arrangement where the two camshafts are combined in the one coaxial shaft with a rocking follower acting on the separate cam lobes. Although more compact than the two separate camshafts layout it still has the same limitations – perhaps even more so.

Mechanism

Although in essence a quite simple idea, to describe the actual mechanism and its operation is almost beyond the power of the written word. Even when held in the hands and worked through its duration range it can be difficult to understand just what is happening and how the WHC generates its continuous range of profiles. The mechanism of the WHC is a coaxial shaft arrangement where the outer shaft carries the main body of the cam lobe. The main body of the cam lobe is in its maximum duration shape (or profile) form. Typically the main lobe body would have a duration of about 400 degrees. The lobe is very long axially, about 45mm, and its profile consists of conventional opening and closing flanks separated by about 170 degrees of constant radius over the nose of the lobe. The lobe has a helical slot machined into it that has a helix angle of about 35 degrees relative to the rotational axis of the camshaft. The width of the slot is equal to the angular extent of the closing flank of the lobe. One edge of the slot extends diagonally the full length of the lobe across the 170 degree constant nose radius. The other edge is ground so that it is all at base circle level. The slot in fact replaces the closing flank on the main body of the cam lobe. Bridging the slot is a segment of lobe (about 10mm in thickness) which is ground to the profile of the closing flank. The segment is attached to the inner shaft. One edge of the slot has a constant cylindrical radius, the same radius as the lobe’s nose radius. The other edge has the radius of the lobe’s base circle. A small region along each edge of the closing flank segment has the same constant radius as the edge of the slot that it is adjacent to. This means the segment can be positioned anywhere along the helical slot and there will always be a smooth transition for the follower to and from the segment. The lobe segment is fixed to the inner shaft so any relative axial movement has the effect of changing the valve opening duration. The follower is arranged so that it always remains aligned with the segment which remains stationary axially. As the slot has a helix angle of about 35 degrees, any axial movement of the outer shaft causes the segment to rotate, exposing more or less of the nose constant radius and thus changing the duration. Make sense? Maybe not. This somewhat tortuous and convoluted explanation disguises the fact that the WHC is actually quite a simple mechanism. This brief description is not the entire story and more details, drawings etc. are available online on the USPTO website – the patent number is 6832586. The slightly indescribable and mind-boggling way it operates probably accounts for the fact that the helical movement principle has never been suggested before let alone built and run in an engine. New mechanisms, even minor detail ones, are almost unheard of – the WHC is a distinct contrast to the literally thousands of VVA designs in the USPTO files alone.

Cam Profile

The base or shortest duration profile of the WHC system is almost identical to a standard production engine profile. The WHC base profile belongs to the general group of lobe shapes which are used with pivoting cam followers – especially those with a fairly high rocker ratio. This family of lobe profiles are characterised primarily by not having a very great actual lift directly at the lobe (usually referred to as “lobe lift”). The lobe lift is enlarged by the rocker ratio which often is around 2:1 resulting in quite high lift at the valve. As the duration etc. is as for a normal lobe this results in the nose of the lobe having a very rounded-off (or “snub-nosed”) appearance. The radius of curvature of the nose region (about the axis of rotation of the camshaft) is often very close to being a constant radius over an angular extent of about 20 degrees or so. The WHC principle requires that this 20 degree region is modified to make it a true constant radius. In some cases this requires as little as 0.25mm (or less) to be removed from the nose. The constant radius area is then blended - in to the curvature of the standard opening and closing flanks.

Generally speaking, the modified minimum duration profile is identical in appearance to the standard profile – at least to the naked eye. When measured very accurately, the rates of acceleration, jerk etc. in the nose region are slightly higher than standard but only marginally higher. The WHC expands the duration by adding to the nose constant radius area and removing an equal amount from the base circle constant radius. The 20 degree constant radius area on the lobe nose typically can have about 150 degrees added to it. The 150 degrees is the extra duration. In effect, the opening and closing flanks “open up” exposing progressively more and more constant radius on the lobe nose. As both flanks are unchanged, the rates of lift/acceleration etc. and the total lift are also unchanged – no matter how much constant radius is added to the nose.

A critical question– is this the best way of making a longer duration profile? With the WHC the question is not entirely relevant. The intention is not to use the WHC principle to obtain a “fixed” profile but to develop a minimum duration profile that best suits a cam with totally variable duration control – which is something quite different. If the profile was for a conventional non-varying cam the answer would have to be “probably not”. It would certainly make a quite useable cam but not a really good cam. Certainly in the past, some long duration cams were made exactly in this way – by “opening-up” a standard profile. Even at present many racing cams are made this fashion (or at least with a lot of constant radius on the nose) for some oval track competitions in the USA. In certain classes the valve lift has to conform to the “limited lift rule” – even some very long duration cams. This results in a very distinctive “flat” region on the peak of the lift curve graphs of the cams. These “lift rule” cams rev to high RPM as well (or better) than more conventional racing cams. Usually with a high performance cam the lift is increased, the point being to get more flow into the cylinder. High performance cams generally have greater lift and greater rates of opening and closing of the valve. The aim is to maximise the cylinder filling while keeping the duration as short as is feasible. Keeping the duration as short as possible assists in retaining the lower RPM performance. In a sense the amount of lift/rate of lift etc. can be “traded” against the valve opening duration. If, for a particular application, lower RPM performance is not very important the amount of lift etc. can be kept at moderate levels and the duration increased. That is; the lift etc. and duration are roughly inversely proportional to each other.

This is the situation to some extent with engines driving water or air propellers, the engine more-or-less running at constant speed. With wheeled vehicles, no matter what the application, generally there is some need to restrain the amount of duration to retain at least some lower RPM performance. Even in racing, most types of race are standing start or if not still require accelerating from rest after pit stops, slow corners etc. The situation with the WHC is totally different. Even with an engine that must retain a lot of low RPM performance the maximum amount of duration that can be used is not restricted – it can be literally whatever is needed to produce maximum power at the maximum RPM the engine is capable. The implication would seem to be that both the rates of lift and the total lift need not be so high with the WHC.

This is a situation that cam designers have never really had to consider – there was no point in thinking about what having total freedom of duration choice would mean to the required lift, etc, if there was no mechanism available to allow wide range variable duration. If the WHC was forced to operate at the one fixed duration setting it probably would not be quite as good in performance as the best conventional cam of the same duration – but it would be far from being bad.

However, the fact that the WHC has an almost unrestricted duration range really makes it far superior to any conventional “fixed lobe shape” cam. It is almost a case of “in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king”. Having unlimited variable duration is an enormous advantage to a camshaft. An interesting aside here is that the style of profile generation and variable valve opening of the WHC is virtually identical to that of most hydraulic/electromagnetic “camless” systems as is its range of full-lift durations. This would seem to imply that there would be little point in using a “camless” system. The WHC can do the same sort of things but is much simpler, cheaper, more reliable and is not rev-limited (and does actually exist in a more-or-less production practical form – unlike the “camless”).

Applications

The “traditional” application of VVA (especially variable duration) is to match the engine RPM to the valve opening duration (this is very roughly what the VTEC does). The general idea being to improve the high RPM performance without the associated problems of a long duration “racing” cam which are lack of lower RPM power, rough idle, etc. Engines typically need a roughly linear increase in duration as the RPM rises. The aim is to maximise the torque at every point in the allowable RPM range. This means that with the WHC the old concept of a maximum power point in an RPM range no longer applies. The WHC employs a totally standard pivoting (or “finger”) follower and the whole WHC system is not rev-limited – or at least no more than any other finger follower layout. As most Formula 1 engines use finger followers it would seem that this type of follower does not hinder high RPM too much. This is in distinct contrast to most other VVA arrangements – “camless” included. With the WHC the power continues to build until the “breathing” limit of the induction system is reached – or more likely, the mechanical strength limit of the engine’s connecting rods, etc is reached. The WHC’s typical 250 degree to 350 + degree duration range basically means that a suitably robust engine could “pull” strongly from about 1500 RPM to maybe 20,000 + RPM and still idle smoothly at, say, 500 or 600 RPM.

This is not just “in theory” speculation. If you have a VVA system with an unlimited duration range and the VVA system is not rev-limited, then the type of performance just described would be quite possible. It is probably not well-known that competition engines that are intended for ultimate power output at extreme RPM (like Formula 1 or MotoGP) are still slightly limited in how long a valve opening duration they can use – they could actually make more power with even longer duration cams. As with lesser engines, consideration has to be given to lower RPM performance and power delivery characteristics. In a word, the car or bike (bikes especially) must remain at least reasonably “driveable”. Most of these engines are right on the limit of manageability (- if you can call F1’s 3000 RPM idle and no power under 10,000 RPM even vaguely manageable by most standards). For an engine intended for competition only, the idea could be expanded to possibly even a rev limit of maybe 30,000 + RPM as there would be fewer worries about “driveability” with the WHC. (As a point of interest, some small capacity competition two-stroke engines can run to well over 40,000 RPM so astronomical RPM levels are not unknown).

To repeat what has been said above; there has never been a mechanical VVA system that had either the duration range at full lift or the high RPM capability to do anything like this. “Camless” electromagnetic/hydraulic systems do have similar duration/lift ranges to the WHC but at present their high RPM ability is strictly limited.

On a possibly somewhat more practical level, dynamometer testing of road engines has shown that even with the WHC limited to only about 30 degrees increase in duration, a typical road engine can increase its power by 25% to 30% at the same RPM power peak as the standard cam – and the idle and low RPM behaviour are totally normal (which, of course, is one of the main points of VVA and the WHC).

Efficiency

In these days of extreme oil prices, the application of the WHC in its fuel saving guise is possibly an even more important application than just to maximise the power output of an engine. Testing of a WHC prototype in a Suzuki GSX 250 cc engine has a shown a remarkable improvement in fuel economy at idle speeds. This particular WHC is arranged so that all the duration increase is on the closing side of the intake cam lobe, the opening point of the intake valve remaining as standard on a Suzuki GSX 250 engine. The object of this was to test the effectiveness of LIVC on the idle fuel consumption.

The basic aim of LIVC is to reduce the intake pumping losses. These pumping losses are greatest at idle, progressively reducing as the manifold pressure (and the power output) increases. The test Suzuki engine consistently recorded a slightly startling 40% improvement in economy at idle when compared to the same engine with the standard camshaft fitted. This may seem a little unlikely, but it should be remembered that it has been estimated that at idle about 80% of the fuel used is just to overcome the intake pumping losses. Any reduction in pumping losses thus has a major and direct effect on the idle fuel use. As the power output rises, the 40% would quickly drop away but for an engine in typical road/traffic use an overall figure would be probably between 10% to 20% improvement.

The Suzuki idled at about 55 or 60 extra degrees of late closing. That is; about 120 degrees after bottom dead centre. This means that the total duration required was around 320 degrees. Engine load control by LIVC needs very long durations. Usually a much longer duration is needed for load control by LIVC than would be needed for high RPM power, especially for a general-purpose road-going application. Importantly all this very long valve opening duration, when used for LIVC, must be at full valve lift. The valve lift must be at a maximum so as not to impede the flow into and out of the cylinder. Any restriction to the flow causes pumping losses which defeats the whole purpose of LIVC. Needless to say, the WHC is the only mechanical VVA system that exists (or has ever existed) that has a wide enough continuous duration range to properly allow LIVC.

Having discussed the use of the WHC to aid high RPM power and also for load control by LIVC it should be made clear that there is no reason why both functions could not be used in the same engine. Realistically the WHC principle can only be applied to twin cam engines. For maximising power output both the intake and exhaust cam would need to be of the WHC type. The increase in duration needed for high RPM performance needs to be roughly equal on both the intake and exhaust cams, and roughly a symmetrical increase about the base duration lobe profile centre line. For LIVC operation alone, only the intake camshaft needs to be a WHC. With a twin WHC arrangement and suitable controls, an engine could have both extreme power output and also be very fuel efficient.

There is also the possibility of even greater fuel efficiency at the expense of outright power. The WHC and the general principle of LIVC also allow the possible use of a very high compression ratio (CR). The idea here being to use a very high geometrical CR but limit the compression pressure by LIVC so as to avoid detonation. The expansion ratio after combustion still remains high. It is the expansion ratio that fundamentally converts the heat energy of the burning fuel/air mixture into useable mechanical energy. The more the hot gases are expanded by the moving piston the more the heat energy is converted into useful work and the higher the thermal efficiency is. This general principle is usually called the “Atkinson Cycle”. (Strictly speaking the Atkinson Cycle refers to an engine with mechanically different length compression and expansion strokes.

In modern practice, the compression pressure is limited by a fixed amount of intake valve late closing - this has exactly the same effect as the different stroke lengths). With the Atkinson Cycle the added efficiency is at the expense of reduced overall power. For example, if an engine had a geometrical CR of 18:1 it would have to be restricted to about half its full charge of air/fuel mixture to avoid detonation. The resulting effect would be that at full load the engine would use half the fuel but the power would be not half but roughly two-thirds or three quarters that of the equivalent “normal” engine – the net result being an increase in thermal efficiency. Such an engine would be economical but it would still suffer from intake pumping losses.

The WHC would allow both the Atkinson Cycle and LIVC to be applied simultaneously. The high CR would allow even greater amount of LIVC to be used at idle thus further reducing pumping losses and improving efficiency. The resulting engine would have a fuel economy very similar to (or better than) a diesel – and it could run on the cheaper LPG fuel. It would also be lighter in weight and cheaper to make than a diesel. A car fitted with such an engine would appear to be a much simpler and cheaper alternative to a “hybrid” car. (But a hybrid fitted with a WHC/Atkinson/LIVC engine would be more economical still).

One of the more recent “fashionable” areas of engine research at present is the Homogenous Charge Compression Ignition (or HCCI) engine. It amounts to running a spark ignition engine at light or part load in a similar fashion to a diesel engine. HCCI requires the compression pressure to be very quickly and accurately altered so that the more-or-less controlled compression ignition doesn’t suddenly blossom into full-blown detonation. One of the main strengths of the WHC is that it can do exactly that. However, it would seem that the easily-controlled LIVC (with or without Atkinson high CR effects) is a much simpler way to control an engine than the decidedly risky HCCI process – and it is doubtful that HCCI is more fuel-efficient than LIVC, etc.

Operation

The duration of the WHC is changed by moving the outer shaft of the coaxial arrangement in a lengthwise (or axial) direction. The helix angle of the WHC is probably always going to be around the 30 to 35 degree mark. This translates to a figure of around 3.5 (crankshaft) degrees per millimetre of axial movement. 30mm of movement would give 105 degrees of duration change. Although the WHC is capable of far more than this, it has been found in testing that this amount is sufficient for most purposes. Little force is needed to move the shaft axially so there is a possibility that when using the WHC for LIVC load control alone the axial movement could be connected directly and mechanically to the accelerator pedal. Similarly, if the WHC is used to improve high RPM power only a simple self-contained (that is; it does not need an additional power source) centrifugal controller/actuator could be used. Some prototypes have run very well using centrifugal controller/actuators. If it was desired to operate the WHC to use both the LIVC and the high RPM aspects of the cam it would probably require hydraulic actuators on each cam (of a twin-WHC layout) to enable the LIVC to be used. Each WHC would also need a phase-changing mechanism for the high RPM use. At low RPM and part-load the WHC would be all LIVC. At high RPM and full load it would still require long duration from the WHC but the phase changing mechanism would need to alter the all-on-the-closing-flank duration increase to something of a more symmetrical duration increase. All this possibly could be done mechanically but the sensible arrangement probably would be an externally-powered arrangement with a computer/microprocessor to sort out the required amounts LIVC and phasing. For HCCI operation the picture is less clear but the very short (and thus very fast) axial movement that would be needed to change the compression pressure would seem to make the WHC very suitable for this process.

Considerations

One slight drawback (and maybe the only thing that could be called a possible problem) would seem to be the cost of the WHC. Even though it is a fairly simple device it requires very accurate helical machining and very careful assembly. The WHC prototypes typically cost about $1500 in machining and materials. This figure would reduce greatly in production. The cost of the WHC is really only high when considered in comparison to a conventional camshaft which reportedly cost the manufacturers only a few dollars per unit to make. This fact does tend to make the WHC look more expensive than it really is. Having said this, the cost of the WHC (and associated controls etc.) is probably very similar to (or even cheaper) than other production VVA systems.

The various prototypes have never shown any wear or ultimate strength (breakage) problems in the many hours of testing (some at very high RPM) they have undergone. But as a production car camshaft must ideally last for the life of the vehicle, there must remain some doubt until really long-term testing is carried out. However, indications are that there would probably be no insoluble long-term problems.

It probably doesn’t come into the category of a possible problem but realistically the WHC must operate through a lift-multiplying pivoting follower. The WHC could not really be used with an inverted bucket type of follower. Even though the inverted bucket is still used, it is being increasingly replaced both in road and racing engines by the pivoting “finger” follower. As well as needing a pivoting follower, if the engine has four valves per cylinder (and there are very few newly-designed engines that don’t) then the follower must be forked so that the one WHC lobe operates two valves. This is more a characteristic than a problem. If a really wide duration range is required, because axial space is somewhat limited along the camshaft, usually only room for one WHC lobe (and its operating space) can be found.

Also in the category of “not really a problem,” is the fact that the WHC does not “do” very short durations or variable lift. Many companies and manufacturers have made it appear that it is something of a virtue that their particular VVA system produces very short durations and the linked low valve lift as they really have had no choice. Up until the appearance of the WHC there was literally no method of mechanically producing continuous, wide-range full-lift variable duration valve timing. So it was either try to promote the reasonably-easily achieved short duration/low lift (usually by oscillating cam systems like the Valvetronic) or nothing. The long duration/full lift characteristics of the WHC are the commonsense way a VVA system should operate. It should be noted that there is no physical reason why a WHC could not be the “driving” cam in a Valvetronic-type oscillating cam setup. (But it would be quite complex and the Valvetronic part of the arrangement would limit the WHC’s high RPM capabilities).The result would be an almost unbelievable array of possible duration/lift combinations. This could be very useful in research.

However, in the real world probably 95% of the combinations have no really useful relevance to the four-stroke cycle. This, of course also applies to the WHC to some extent. What possible use could a duration of, say, 600 degrees be? It is hard to imagine a use for more than about 400 degrees – and the WHC potentially has another 300 or so degrees in hand. This is also true of the “camless” types. They have even greater duration ranges than the WHC but again, most of the range is just for novelty’s sake – it is not actually very useful. Besides this, “camless” VVA doesn’t really exist in any useable production form at present and may never do so.

The Williams Helical Camshaft would seem to have a bright future (and deservedly so). Most of its capabilities could be used to produce very fuel-efficient, powerful and cheaper engines. Oil prices will almost certainly never be low again, and the WHC has appeared just when it is most needed.

The WHC has one main obstacle to overcome. This is to convince engineers and the general public that for the first time in the entire history of the internal combustion engine a really effective system of mechanical wide-range, full-lift continuously variable valve opening duration has been discovered.

The WHC principle is one of the cleverest examples of mechanical lateral thinking that has been seen in many, many years.

taken from: http://www.helicalcamshaft.com

If this camshaft makes it into production, the aftermarket camshaft manufacturers will have a stiff competition to match already. Imagine being able to change the duration as well as the lift to match your engine setup.

Though this technology is up and coming for stock production bike, eg, Kawasaki's GTR14oo. It'll be still exciting for the aftermarket to get a taste of it on older engines.

Mat Mladin's GSXR 1000 K8 for Sale

2009-04-06T11:15:00.003+08:00

This will be the final race weekend for Suzuki's 2008 GSX-R1000 in the hands of the Yosh lads. It can all be yours though ...

This just in:

Mat Mladin Race Bike for Sale
$59,000 USD
2008 GSX-R 1000
Mat Mladin Race bike:
Able to pick up from Road Atlanta after Race.

Engine Specs

AMA Superbike Spec Engine
Yoshimura camshafts
Yoshimura racing head gasket
Increased compression
Fully Ported and polished cylinder head
Yoshimura Race oil pan
Yoshimura Inner Rotor, Generator and Cover
Yoshimura Full Titanium Carbon Fiber R77 Exhaust system
EM Pro ECU with Race harness
BMC Racing air filter

Chassis Specs

Front Forks: Ohlins FGK pressurized internals
Brembo Mono-Block 4-Piston Calipers
310mm Brembo Front Brake Rotors
Braided stainless steel brake lines
Yoshimura Triple Clamp, Offset / Caster assembly
Ohlins Steering Damper
Sharkskinz Fiberglass Cowling
Zero Gravity wind screen
JB Power Forged Magnesium wheels
Front 17 x 3.50
Rear 17 x 6.00
Ohlins TTX Shock
RK Chain, 520 racing chain
AFAM Sprocket
Galfer Rear Wave rotor
Motec ADL 2 Data logger / GPS, and Harness

Crower's 6-stroke engine

2009-04-03T15:05:00.002+08:00

Briefly this is how a 6-stroke engine works:

The Crower six-stroke engine is a high-efficiency variant of an internal combustion engine under development by Bruce Crower.

Two extra strokes are added to the customary internal combustion engine four stroke Otto cycle, which makes a six stroke engine. A third down-stroke is a "steam stroke" and a third up-stroke exhausts the expanded steam while venting heat from the engine.

The engine cold starts on the Otto cycle, coasting through the fifth and sixth strokes for a short period. After the combustion chamber temperature reaches approximately 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 °C), a mechanical operation phases in the fifth and sixth strokes. Just before the fifth stroke, water is injected directly into the hot combustion chamber via the engine's fuel injector pump, creating steam and another power stroke. The phase change from liquid to steam removes the excess heat of the combustion stroke forcing the piston down (a second power stroke). As a substantial portion of engine heat now leaves the cylinder in the form of steam, no cooling system radiator is required. Energy that is dissipated in conventional arrangements by the radiation cooling system has been converted into additional power strokes.

In Crower's prototype, the water for the steam portion of the cycle is consumed at a rate approximately equal to that of the fuel, but in production models, the steam will be recaptured in a condenser for re-use. Heat will be available from the condenser to provide interior heating of the vehicle, much as a conventional heater core works in cars and trucks today.

- article taken from wikipedia

The following is an article taken from Autoweek of an interview with Bruce Crower:

Bruce Crower has lived, breathed and built hot engines his whole life. Now he’s working on a cool one—one that harnesses normally-wasted heat energy by creating steam inside the combustion chamber, and using it to boost the engine’s power output and also to control its temperature.
“I’ve been trying to think how to capture radiator losses for over 30 years,” explains the veteran camshaft grinder and race engine builder. “One morning about 18 months ago I woke up, like from a dream, and I knew immediately that I had the answer.”
Hurrying to his comprehensively-equipped home workshop in the rural hills outside San Diego, he began drawing and machining parts, and installing them in a highly modified, single-cylinder industrial powerplant, a 12-hp diesel he converted to use gasoline. He bolted that to a test frame, poured equal amounts of fuel and water into twin tanks, and pulled the starter-rope.
“My first reaction was, ‘Gulp! It runs!’” the 75-year-old inventor remembers. “And then this ‘snow’ started falling on me. I thought, ‘What hath God wrought…’”
The “snow” was flakes of white paint blasted from the ceiling by the powerful pulses of exhaust gas and steam emitted from the open exhaust stack, which pointed straight up.
Over the following year Crower undertook a methodical development program, in particular trying out numerous variations in camshaft profiles and timing as he narrowed the operating parameters of his patented six-stroke cycle.
Recently he’s been trying variations of the double-lobe exhaust cams to delay and even eliminate the opening of the exhaust valve after the first power stroke, to “recompress” the combustion gasses and thus increase the force of the steam-stroke.
The engine has yet to operate against a load on a dyno, but his testing to date encourages Crower to expect that once he gets hard numbers, the engine will show normal levels of power on substantially less fuel, and without overheating.
“It’ll run for an hour and you can literally put your hand on it. It’s warm, yeah, but it’s not scorching hot. Any conventional engine running without a water jacket or fins, you couldn’t do that.”
Indeed, the test unit has no external cooling system—no water jacket, no water pump, no radiator; nothing. It does retain fins because it came with them, but Crower indicates the engine would be more efficient if he took the trouble to grind them off. He has discarded the original cooling fan.
So far he has used only gasoline, but Bruce believes a diesel-fueled test engine he is now constructing—with a hand-made billet head incorporating the one-third-speed camshaft—will realize the true potential of his concept.
Potential…and Questions

Crower invites us to imagine a car or truck (he speaks of a Bonneville streamliner, too) free of a radiator and its associated air ducting, fan, plumbing, coolant weight, etc.
“Especially an 18-wheeler, they’ve got that massive radiator that weighs 800, 1000 pounds. Not necessary,” he asserts. “In those big trucks, they look at payload as their bread and butter. If you get 1000 lb. or more off the truck…”
Offsetting that, of course, would be the need to carry large quantities of water, and water is heavier than gasoline or diesel oil. Preliminary estimates suggest a Crower cycle engine will use roughly as many gallons of water as fuel.
And Crower feels the water should be distilled, to prevent deposits inside the system, so a supply infrastructure will have to be created. (He uses rainwater in his testing.) Keeping the water from freezing will be another challenge.
But the inventor sees overriding benefits. “Can you imagine how much fuel goes into radiator losses every day in America? A good spark-ignition engine is about 24 percent efficient; ie., about 24 cents of your gasoline dollar ends up in power. The rest goes out in heat loss through the exhaust or radiator, and in driving the water pump and the fan and other friction losses.
“A good diesel is about 30 percent efficient, a good turbo diesel about 33 percent. But you still have radiators and heavy components, and fan losses are extremely high on a big diesel truck.”
Bottom-line, Bruce estimates his new operating cycle could improve a typical engine’s fuel consumption by 40 percent. He also anticipates that exhaust emissions may be greatly reduced. It’s all thanks to the steam.
“A lot of people don’t know that water expands 1600 times when it goes from liquid into steam. Sixteen hundred! This is why steam power is so good. But it’s dangerous…”
The danger of a boiler explosion has long been a factor in engineering—and in operating—steam powerplants of all kinds, and Crower is properly wary of the miniature boiler he has conjured up inside his test engine. That’s one reason he chose to use one originally manufactured as a diesel, for its inherent strength, though he installed a carburetor and ignition system so it could burn gasoline at first.
The original diesel fuel injector system now supplies the water spray to generate the steam-stroke.
In addition to producing extra power, the injected water cools the piston and exhaust valve, which suggests to Crower that he could raise the compression ratio. “I’ve done this many times on regular engines: 15-to-1 on gasoline for the first five seconds works pretty good until you get some chamber heat and then suddenly it gets into pinging. But with the chamber being chilled, I bet 12-, 13-to-1 will be no problem on cheap fuel.
“So what we can maybe do is have fuels that aren’t quite as good…It’ll save a nickel a gallon not having to keep three grades going.”
As for his hope of lowering emissions, Bruce speculates the steam might purge “cling-on hydrocarbons” out of the combustion chamber. “This thing may turn out to be so clean that you won’t have to have a catalytic converter.
But he admits that’s unknown, saying “there’s a lot of experimenting still to be done.” Which prospect makes him smile. He thrives on this kind of challenge.
Bruce’s Background

“You’ve kinda got to be in the cam business and know the dynamics of engines,” Bruce Crower says about how the idea occurred to him. And he certainly has that background.
He was building and racing hot rods (and hot bikes), manufacturing speed equipment and operating his own speed shop in his home town of Phoenix when he was still a teen.
After moving to San Diego in the 1950s, among other exploits he dropped a Hemi into a Hudson and drove it to a 157-mph speed record at Bonneville.
Inevitably, the inventive and inexhaustible Crower built up a major equipment business in superchargers, intake manifolds, clutches and, especially, camshafts. He’s also credited with first suggesting a rear wing to Don Garlits—in 1963, three years before Jim Hall’s winged Chaparral. Bruce Crower is now in Florida’s Drag Racing Hall of Fame.
Crower actually had introduced a wing two years earlier, during practice on Jim Rathmann's 1961 Indianapolis car—five years before Jim Hall’s winged Chaparral. Bruce had been crewing at the Speedway since 1954 (Jimmy Bryan, second place), and had been part of Rathmann's 1960 victory effort. He was likewise on the winning teams in 1966 (Graham Hill) and 1967 (AJ Foyt). Three decades later, in 1998, Eddie Cheever won with Crower cams.
Bruce even produced his own complete Indy engine, a flat-8 that didn’t quite make the field in 1977 and then was rendered obsolete (due to its width) by the advent of ground-effect tunnels. But the Crower 8 and its automatic clutch did win an SAE award for innovation.
Today, Crower Cams and Equipment Company employs about 160 people in five facilities, and manufactures not only cams but crankshafts and connecting rods—including titanium rods for (unnamed) Formula One customers.
Bruce Crower can’t be called retired now, but he’s happy to let the company he founded “roll along” while he “plays with cars.” That’s how he looks at the intensive R&D work he carries out in the privacy of his 13-acre horse property near the rural community of Jamul.
One of several projects is building up Honda S2000 engines for the Midget raced by his granddaughter, Ashley Swanson. (“I think she’s on par with Danica Patrick,” says the proud grampa.)
But his prime focus is proving his six-stroke engine is as revolutionary as he believes it is. “I’ve been trying to find something wrong with the whole basic idea for almost a year,” he says, “but I think we’re going to have a very marketable item.”
Then he adds philosophically, “If it turns out to be great, fine. If it doesn’t, it’s just another year out of my life that I’ve had a lot of fun doing something.”

If this engine makes it out onto the market, it'll be really exciting to see it running in front of you.

Man vs Car

2009-03-26T08:07:00.003+08:00

A man capable of holding back the Lamborghini Murcielago for 7 seconds speaks alot about the humans' capacity when properly developed.

A bit about the Murcielago

Manufacturer	Lamborghini
Parent company	Volkswagen Group
Production	2001–present 3,066 built (2001–2007)^[1]
Assembly	Sant'Agata Bolognese, Italy
Predecessor	Lamborghini Diablo
Class	Sports car
Body style(s)	2-door coupé 2-door roadster
Layout	Mid-engine, four-wheel drive
Engine(s)	6.2 L V12 426 kW (579 PS; 571 bhp) 6.5 L V12 471 kW (640 PS; 632 bhp)
Transmission(s)	6-speed manual 6-speed E-Gear semi-automatic
Wheelbase	104.9 in (2,664.5 mm)
Length	2002-06: 180.3 in (4,579.6 mm) 2007-Present: 181.5 in (4,610.1 mm)
Width	2002-06: 80.5 in (2,044.7 mm) 2007-Present: 81.0 in (2,057.4 mm)
Height	44.7 in (1,135.4 mm) 2007-Present Roadster: 44.6 in (1,132.8 mm)
Curb weight	1,650 kg (3,638 lb)
Related	Lamborghini Reventon
Designer	Luc Donckerwolke

19th - 21st March Hatyai Trip

2009-03-24T08:56:00.003+08:00

Went on a short getaway to Hatyai, Thailand during the March holidays. Surprisingly able to catch a good ride up for most part of the journey. Nice and dry.

Below are some highlights of the pictures taken.

Spark Plugs - Some technical information

2009-03-10T18:19:00.004+08:00

The following article is extracted from NGK's website. It explains quite clearly the different types of plugs and its applications. It's a good read for those considering making modifications to their engines. And also good to know for those who does their own plug changes.

Spark plugs are one of the most misunderstood components of an engine. Numerous questions have surfaced over the years, leaving many people confused.

This guide is designed to assist the technician, hobbyist, or race mechanics in understanding, using, and troubleshooting spark plugs. The information contained in this guide applies to all types of internal combustion engines.

Spark plugs are the "window" into the engine , and can be used as a valuable diagnostic tool. Like a patient's thermometer, the spark plug displays symptoms and conditions of the engine. The experienced tuner can analyze these symptoms to track down the root cause of many problems, or determine air/fuel ratios.

SPARK PLUG BASICS:
The spark plug has two primary functions:

Ignite air/fuel mixture
Transfer heat from the combustion chamber

Spark plugs carry electrical energy and turn fuel into working energy. A sufficient amount of voltage must be supplied by the ignition system to spark across the spark plug's gap. This is called "Electrical Performance."

The temperature of the spark plug's firing end must be kept low enough to prevent pre-ignition, but high enough to prevent fouling. This is called "Thermal Performance", and is determined by the heat range selected.

It's important to remember spark plugs do not create heat, they only remove heat. The spark plug works as a heat exchanger
by pulling unwanted thermal energy away from the combustion chamber, and transferring the heat to the engine's cooling
system. The heat range is defined as a plug's ability to dissipate heat.

The rate of heat transfer is determined by:

The insulator nose length
Gas volume around the insulator nose
The materials/construction of the center electrode and porcelain insulator

A spark plug's heat range has no relationship to the actual voltage transferred through the spark plug. Rather, the heat range is a measure of the spark plug's ability to remove heat from the combustion chamber. The heat range measurement is determined by several factors; the length of the ceramic center insulator nose and its' ability to absorb and transfer combustion heat, the material composition of the insulator and center electrode material.

Heat rating and heat flow path of NGK Spark Plugs

The insulator nose length is the distance from the firing tip of the insulator to the point where insulator meets the metal shell. Since the insulator tip is the hottest part of the spark plug, the tip temperature is a primary factor in pre-ignition and fouling. Whether the spark plugs are fitted in a lawnmower, boat, or a race car, the spark plug tip temperature must remain between 500C-850°C. If the tip temperature is lower than 500°C, the insulator area surrounding the center electrode will not be hot enough to burn off carbon and combustion chamber deposits. These accumulated deposits can result in spark plug fouling leading to misfire. If the tip temperature is higher than 850°C the spark plug will overheat which may cause the ceramic around the center electrode to blister and the electrodes to melt. This may lead to pre-ignition/detonation and expensive engine damage. In identical spark plug types, the difference from one heat range to the next is the ability to remove approximately 70°C to 100°C from the combustion chamber. A projected style spark plug firing tip temperature is increased by 10°C to 20°C.
Tip Temperature and Firing End Appearance

The firing end appearance also depends on the spark plugs tip temperature. There are three basic diagnostic criteria for spark plugs: good, fouled and overheated. The borderline between the fouling and optimum operating regions (450° C ) is called the spark plug self-cleaning temperature. The temperature at this point is where the accumulated carbon and combustion deposits are burned off.

Keep in mind the insulator nose length is a determining factor in the heat range of a spark plug, the longer the insulator nose, the less heat is absorbed, and the further the heat must travel into the cylinder head water jackets. This means the plug has a higher internal temperature, and is said to be a hot plug. A hot spark plug maintains a higher internal operating temperature to burn off oil and carbon deposits, and has no relationship to spark quality or intensity.

Conversely, a cold spark plug has a shorter insulator nose and absorbs more combustion chamber heat. This heat travels a shorter distance, and allows the plug to operate at a lower internal temperature. A colder heat range is necessary when the engine is modified for performance, subjected to heavy loads, or is run at a high rpm for a significant period of time. Colder spark plugs remove heat quicker, reducing the chance of pre-ignition/detonation. Failure to use a cooler heat range in a modified application can lead to spark plug failure and severe engine damage.
Below is a list of external influences on a spark plug's operating temperature. The following symptoms or conditions may have an effect on the actual temperature of the spark plug. The spark plug cannot create these conditions, but it must be able to cope with the levels of heat...if not, the performance will suffer and engine damage can occur.

Air/Fuel Mixtures seriously affect engine performance and spark plug operating temperatures.

Rich air/fuel mixtures cause tip temperature to drop, causing fouling and poor driveability
Lean air/fuel mixtures cause plug tip and cylinder temperature to increase, resulting in pre-ignition, detonation, and possibly serious spark plug and engine damage
It is important to read spark plugs many times during the tuning process to achieve the optimum air/ fuel mixture

Higher Compression Ratios/Forced Induction will elevate spark plug tip and in-cylinder temperatures

Compression can be increased by performing any one of the following modifications:

a) reducing combustion chamber volume (i.e.: domed pistons, smaller chamber heads, mill ing heads, etc.)

b) adding forced induction (Nitrous, Turbocharging or Supercharging)

c) camshaft change
As compression increases, a colder heat range plug, higher fuel octane, and careful attention to ignition timing and air/fuel ratios are necessary. Failure to select a colder spark plug can lead to spark plug/engine damage

Advancing Ignition Timing

Advancing ignition timing by 10° causes tip temperature to increase by approx. 70°-100° C

Engine Speed and Load

Increases in firing-end temperature are proportional to engine speed and load. When traveling at a consistent high rate of speed, or carrying/pushing very heavy loads, a colder heat range spark plug should be installed

Ambient Air Temperature

As air temperature falls, air density/air volume becomes greater, resulting in leaner air/fuel mixtures.
This creates higher cylinder pressures/temperatures and causes an increase in the spark plug's tip temperature. So, fuel delivery should be increased.
As temperature increases, air density decreases, as does intake volume, fuel delivery should be decreased

Humidity

As humidity increases, air intake volume decreases
Result is lower combustion pressures and temperatures, causing a decrease in the spark plug's temperature and a reduction in available power.
Air/fuel mixture should be leaner, depending upon ambient temperature.

Barometric Pressure/Altitude

Also affects the spark plug's tip temperature
The higher the altitude, the lower cylinder pressure becomes. As the cylinder temperature decreases, so does the plugs tip temperature
Many mechanics attempt to "chase" tuning by changing spark plug heat ranges
The real answer is to adjust air/fuel mixtures by rejetting in an effort to put more air back into the engine

Types of Abnormal Combustion

Pre-ignition

Defined as: ignition of the air/fuel mixture before the pre-set ignition timing mark
Caused by hot spots in the combustion chamber...can be caused
(or amplified) by over advanced timing, too hot a spark plug, low octane fuel, lean air/fuel mixture, too high compression, or insufficient engine cooling
A change to a higher octane fuel, a colder plug, richer fuel mixture,
or lower compression may be in order
You may also need to retard ignition timing, and check vehicle's cooling system
Pre-ignition usually leads to detonation; pre-ignition an detonation are two separate events

Detonation

The spark plug's worst enemy! (Besides fouling)
Can break insulators or break off ground electrodes
Pre-ignition most often leads to detonation
Plug tip temperatures can spike to over 3000°F during the combustion process (in a racing engine)
Most frequently caused by hot spots in the combustion chamber.
Hot spots will allow the air/fuel mixture to pre-ignite. As the piston is being forced upward by mechanical action of the connecting rod, the pre-ignited explosion will try to force the piston downward. If the piston can't go up (because of the force of the premature explosion) and it can't go down (because of the upward mo-tion of the connecting rod), the piston will rattle from side to side. The resulting shock wave causes an audible pinging sound. This is detonation.
Most of the damage than an engine sustains when "detonating" is from excessive heat
The spark plug is damaged by both the elevated temperatures and the accompanying shock wave, or concussion

Misfires

A spark plug is said to have misfired when enough voltage has not been delivered to light off all fuel present in the combustion chamber at the proper moment of the power stroke (a few degrees before top dead center)
A spark plug can deliver a weak spark (or no spark at all) for a variety of reasons...defective coil, too much compression with incorrect
plug gap, dry fouled or wet fouled spark plugs, insufficient ignition timing, etc.
Slight misfires can cause a loss of performance for obvious reasons (if fuel is not lit, no energy is be-ing created)
Severe misfires will cause poor fuel economy, poor driveability, and can lead to engine damage

Fouling

Will occur when spark plug tip temperature is insufficient to burn off carbon, fuel, oil or other deposits
Will cause spark to leach to metal shell...no spark across plug gap will cause a misfire
Wet-fouled spark plugs must be changed...spark plugs will not fire
Dry-fouled spark plugs can sometimes be cleaned by bringing engine up to operating temperature
Before changing fouled spark plugs, be sure to eliminate root
cause of fouling
- article taken from: http://www.ngksparkplugs.com

Showa's Big Piston Front

2009-03-02T16:20:00.003+08:00

Previously mentioned on the blog of Project Radial Front, I've showed that it's possible to swap out the aging Hayabusa front end for one that is of newer technology. And as technology goes, it's never stagnant. 2 years after the project, the GSXR 1000 K9 is now launched featuring a new fork technology again. Behold, the SHOWA Big Piston Front (BPF).

All those who's still considering of a front end swap, there's new and better goodies in town.

Below is an article that explains what this BPF is all about. The bike in the example will be ZX-6R but the technology in its fork is exactly what the Gixxer1k is using.

We’re used to big pistons making us go faster, but on Kawasaki’s new ZX-6R it’s big pistons which are designed to slow the bike down more effectively. The Showa front forks are appended BPF, which stands simply for Big Piston Forks, and Kawasaki claims improved stability and better damping because of it, especially under braking when the forks are working their hardest.

Most other sports bikes are fitted with cartridge forks, where a piston moves up and down through the damping oil within a sealed damper cartridge. As it does so, the oil is forced to pass through orifices into a stack of flexible shims. When the pressure is low, which happens in gentle fork movement such as over long undulations in the road, just one or two shims bend apart to let the oil through. At very high pressures, such as when the front wheel hits the edge of a pothole and the forks compress very quickly, all of the shims bend apart and more oil passes through more quickly.

This system is superior to simpler forks where the piston, instead of having a shim stack, has a series of fixed size holes in it. As it moves along the fork leg the oil passes from one side to the other through the holes. It’s cheap to make and easy to understand, but the problem here is that fluids resist this sort of thing in proportion to the square of the speed they’re being asked to flow. So at low damper speeds there’s very little resistance, but at high damper speeds (hitting a kerb is the extreme, but bumps and ridges are normal) the fluid refuses to flow through fast enough, so you get hydraulic lock and the forks don’t compress at all, just when you need them to the most. the consequence is a very harsh ride and poor grip as the tyre stops following the road surface accurately. You get reasonable damping in the mid ranges of the suspension’s speed (not the same as the bike’s speed, we’re talking about the speed of suspension compression and extension) but it’s inadequate at low speeds and too strong at high speeds.

BPF forks gain advantage by reducing the speed range over which the damping fluid has to flow. Instead of having an internal cartridge, the whole of the fork leg effectively becomes the cartridge, so the piston can be much bigger: 37mm diameter on the new ZX-6R instead of 20mm diameter on the old model. This increases the area of the piston by almost three and a half times, and in turn that means it can flow more oil at lower pressures. Effectively the whole operating range of damping oil speed is reduced, and its rate of increase is decreased too, meaning the damping control is substantially improved in particular at lower suspension speeds, such as when the front end is beginning to compress under braking. There’s also a reduced danger of hydraulic lock, which reduces harshness on poor surfaces.

Expect to see more BPF forks, with their characteristic compression and rebound (also known as tension - see the image above right and in the gallery) adjusted from the top of the forks.

article by Kevin Ash taken from http://www.ashonbikes.com/node/389

How not to do a burnout

2009-02-26T07:26:00.000+08:00

Seriously, this is not the way to do a burnout...

Hayabusa goes 4 wheels

2009-02-25T21:45:00.002+08:00

Step 1: Take a Smart car dismantle its engine
Step 2: Take a Hayabusa engine and replace the engine
Step 3: Do some minor modifications

and this is what you get...

Next you realise you want more power out of the engine... Drop in a turbo... and now this is what it becomes...

Finally, find a Ferrari and put it to shame...

24V Starter Setup

2009-02-24T09:40:00.005+08:00

Just gotten my 24V starter setup done yesterday. This following was a setup suggested by APE. It was however not adopted as the 2nd battery does not get charged.
And the following was what was being sold for USD$159!! No way i'm paying so much for some wires and a switch.
So I went out shopping for the parts and with a circuit diagram in hand. Went to this shop in Sim Lim Tower and asked the shop owner for recommendation for wires to use. And to my surprise, he recommended a wire only 10% the thickness of a 8AWG wire. I emphasized that it'll be used to carry up to 30A of current and he stands by his suggestion with good faith. He states that the wire is US Military Grade approved and went ahead to demonstrate the effectiveness of the shielding by burning it with a blow torch. Still, at the back of my head, there's a doubt that such a thin wire can carry such high current. Simply because high school physics teaches us that, R=p(L/A). The cross sectional area of this is significantly smaller than the 8AWG so surely the resistance of the wire must be quite high.

Backed by the confidence of the shop owner, I bought about 10m of the wire and headed back to start on the installation yesterday. Clifford took over the tedious work of crimping and soldering the wires while I just check the connections.

Moment of truth came when we just fixed up the 24V section of the circuit and decided to test the stability of the wires I've bought. As I turned the ignition on, pulled in the clutch, made sure that the switch is switched on, gingerly I pressed on the starter button. "Click," the starter relay went, I pressed a few more times, "click, click, click" was the reply from the starter relay and nothing else happened.

"Crap!" I thought to myself. As Clifford told me to double check the circuit diagram, I was quite certain the switching circuit was correct. It's the 24V connection part that I'm not too certain. So immediately, I went online and checked the wiring sequence. Turns out, indeed the wires are installed in the wrong order. And so, a simple swap was done and the next trial was up.

Once more, I turned on the ignition, pulled the clutch in and pressed on the starter switch. "Wheezzz" and the bike sprang to life. Never have I heard the starter turn with such ease and speed before. The sound was almost as exciting as it gets. Immediately I killed the engine and started it up again to hear the start again. "Wheezzz," effortlessly, the starter just jumped the engine to life.

This time round, we left the bike running till the fan came on. Just so that we can test the hot start capability of the 24V setup on a high compression engine. As the fan came on, I killed the engine and proceeded to crank it up again. And just like clockwork, the starter spun up with ease and the engine sprang back to life. Ok! Mission accomplished! Sort of...

The rest of the installation is just to wire up the parallel 12V part of the circuit and install back the bodywork. With that, I can safely say good bye to hot start nightmares!

Kids Stunting?!

2009-02-22T10:34:00.001+08:00

Oh man! Boy they start real young... Are they training for the Olympics or what?

Female Bikers - 17 out of 20 are butches?

2009-02-20T17:45:00.001+08:00

This video seems to be presenting a really one-sided opinion on the situation in Singapore...

Slipping and Sliding and Still in control

2009-02-19T14:36:00.002+08:00

Looking at how these riders manage to control their bikes to such high levels of precision, it's really amazing! It takes an extra high level of skill and feel for the bike and not to mention a real big pair of balls.. 2 thumbs up to them!

Milk Gets In Your Eyes

2009-02-19T08:13:00.001+08:00

Have a break after a ride... Have a milkshake... Don't forget to take off the helmet..

The WTF video

2009-02-18T14:34:00.001+08:00

After watching the video, it just leaves a big WTF hanging in the air..

Squid on Suzuki

2009-02-14T00:12:00.001+08:00

This guy is what you can call a joke... Enjoy...

Status update: Operation in Progress

2009-02-11T21:04:00.003+08:00

Notice some blowby happening with the bike. That should justify the purchase of the 2 items featured in the earlier post.

A familiar picture as usual. Think I'm seeing the internals of my engine too frequently already. Hope this will be last one till a very long time later.

Things to be replaced this time round:

Piston Rings
Headgasket
Base gasket
Engine oil
Oil Filter
Coolant
Crankshaft position sensor

Things to be done:

Smoothing of the edge on the pistons
Washing up the internals

The pistons awaiting the ring change

The same old view again. Ain't it getting old.

Little known facts about the Hayabusa funny

2009-02-06T10:26:00.003+08:00

The person who wrote this must be really "high" from smoking the exhaust of the Hayabusa... haha..

The hayabusa motor has been outlawed from NASCAR, Formula 1, and CART, due to the unfair advantage any team using the motor would have.
The weakest part of the hayabusas drivetrain is the driver’s neck, which is typically the first thing to break during hard launches.
The 16 cylinder, quad turbocharged engine in the bugatti veyron is bugatti's strongest attempt at replicating the power generated by the turbo hayabusa.
If you see the rider of a turbo hayabusa walking with a limp, it is not because he hurt his back - it's from getting laid several times a day.
The movie "Terminator" is actually a simulation of what could happen if the hayabusa was to become sentient.
There is no material/element in existence that would be strong enough to be used for the engine block of a hayabusa with a turbo and nitrous.
When filming Fast and the Furious, to get the cars to do wheelies they just swapped in turbo hayabusa motors .
The amount of power generated by a turbo hayabusa with only 3 spark plugs and mixed wires with 3 gallons of gas could power the entire Vegas strip for a week.
NASA recently announced that all future rocket launches will be powered by turbo hayabusa motors
If the turbocharged hayabusa had a penis it would be the biggest in the world.
It is possible to roast coffee beans with just the exhaust coming from a turbo hayabusa a block away.
To make a time machine you do not need a flux capacitor, just a turbo hayabusa. "Back to the Future" was actually based on a true story involving a hayabusa, but was disguised as a delorean so as not to give away any big secrets.
The land speed record is held by a hayabusa with a turbo kit on highway 9.
It is physically impossible to be late to anything anywhere EVER if you are driving a turbo hayabusa.
Scientists around the world are petitioning to include the hayabusa motor in the periodic table of elements.
Other than diamond itself, the only other known element which can cut diamond is a hayabusa motor.
If you ever run out of gas in a hayabusa, chances are your moving fast enough to coast to your destination.
The turbo hayabusa has been determined to be the most significant cause of global warming, simply due to the heat radiating from the exhaust because of the sheer amount of hp the engine generates.
If you have ever driven past a turbo hayabusa, it was either on the brakes hard or parked.
If a gay man rides a hayabusa, even once, he comes out of the experience a homophobic straight man with a wife and 3 kids.
99% of kawasaki and honda guys have never driven a turbocharged hayabusa. This is a good thing, because if they did, kawasaki and honda would instantly go out of business due to a huge slump in motorcycle sales.
The nobel prize was awarded to the suzuki assembly manual.
The earth is being thrown off it's rotational axis by a man that mounted a slick on his turbocharged hayabusa and punched it from a stoplight.
The only WMD that needs to be sent to Iraq is a turbo hayabusa.
On the 7th day, when God was pretending to rest, he designed the hayabusa
Lumberjacks use a turbo hayabusa to uproot 300 year old redwood trees.
Freight trains are powered by turbo busa motors - however they need to be detuned to prevent the train from welding its wheels to the track.
If a turbo hayabusa motor was retuned to utilize its maximum capability, the engine would suck in so much oxygen that earth’s atmosphere would collapse and all humans would cease to exist.
Hurricane Katrina was caused by the turbulent exhaust flow of a sidewinder driving down the highway at 11000 RPM.

Timely arrival on CNY Eve

2009-01-26T01:52:00.004+08:00

Unexpectedly, the post office actually operates on a public holiday. The parcel came to the doorstep on Chinese New Year's Eve. And here's how it looks like.

Stickers that came along with the products... It should tell you directly what I've bought...

The items themselves... Some new year goodies... :P

Some stuff for the new year

2009-01-22T17:30:00.002+08:00

Shipping Information
	Item No.: CJ256316678US Service Type: Speedpost Air Parcel Origin Country: U.S.A. Origin Exchange/Post Office: Shipment History			Other Reference No.: Destination Country: SINGAPORE Destination Exchange/Post Office: SINGAPORE Recipient Name:

Date and Time	Location	Status	Reason
20/01/2009 11:07	SPEEDPOST SERVICE CENTRE	Acknowledged Item at Speedpost Processing Centre
20/01/2009 11:07		Despatch Received at Speedpost Processing Centre

Shall go and collect it when I'm free..

Engine Cylinder Bore Honing

2009-01-18T11:39:00.003+08:00

Below in an interesting read for those who have the intention of changing pistons/piston rings be it for high compression or big bore. The process that people then to neglect when dropping in piston is the honing/preparation of the cylinder itself. Read on for the process of engine cylinder bore honing.

When an engine is rebuilt, the cylinders usually need attention. Wear tends to create taper in the upper part of the cylinder that can reduce ring sealing and increase blowby and oil consumption if not removed. The cylinder may also be out of round, scored or have other damage that requires correcting before a new set of rings will seal properly.

The main objective when refinishing the cylinders is to make the walls as straight as possible (no taper), the bores as round as possible (minimal distortion, which is especially important with low tension rings), to have the right amount of crosshatch for good oil retention and ring support, and to produce a surface finish that meets the requirements of the rings. This is done by boring and/or honing the cylinders in one or several steps with various types of abrasives (vitrified or diamond).

After honing, the cylinders need to be cleaned remove residual abrasive and metallic debris that is left in the bores. Washing and scrubbing with warm soapy water will remove most of the unwanted material. But washing alone does not loosen or remove surface "swarf" such as torn or folded metal that can wear rings and delay ring seating. The only way to get rid of this material and smooth the bores is to "polish" the bores after honing with some type of flexible abrasive brush.

Brushing after honing not only helps clean the bores, but can also plateau the surface depending on the characteristics of the abrasive used. Brushing sweeps away the torn and folded metal as well as the sharp, jagged peaks leaving a much smoother surface. The result is a better bore finish with little extra effort. Another way to plateau the surface is to use very fine #600 grit stones or cork to polish the bores after honing.

One of the advantages of a plateau bore finish is that it preconditions or breaks-in the cylinders. This reduces the time it takes to seat a new set of rings as well as initial ring wear, blowby and oil consumption. The engine delivers good compression right away, there is no blue smoke in the exhaust, emissions and oil consumption are reduced, and the rings last longer because they have not had to wear to conform to the bores. A plateau bore surface also provides increased bearing area to support the rings while retaining enough depth in the crosshatch for good oil retention and lubrication. That is why the original equipment engine manufacturers (OEMs) favor this type of bore finish and use it in many new engines (see sidebar on how to plateau hone a Ford 4.6L V8).

CYLINDER HONING CHALLENGES

One of the concerns expressed by OEMs who have engine reman programs is that many aftermarket engine rebuilders may not have the know-how or right kind of honing equipment to reproduce an OEM type of cylinder bore finish. With emissions testing a fact of life for many motorists in many parts of the country, the worry is that a rebuilt engine with cylinders honed the "usual way" may not pass an emissions test. The challenge here is to develop procedures that allow aftermarket engine rebuilders to duplicate an OEM bore finish.

Ring manufacturers are concerned that some engine rebuilders may not be using the proper honing procedures or stones for their rings. Too rough a bore finish will produce a lot of scrubbing when the engine is initially fired up. With prelapped rings, this is not good because it creates unnecessary wear. The challenge here is to use honing procedures that produce the best possible bore finish for a given set of rings.

RECOMMENDED CYLINDER BORE FINISH

Most ring manufacturers specify a #220 grit honing abrasive for finishing the bores when using cast iron or chrome rings because the recommended bore finish for these rings is 28 to 35 RA (roughness average in microinches). A #280 grit stone is generally recommended for moly rings because moly rings like a somewhat smoother finish of 16 to 23 RA. But these recommendations are for conventional vitrified abrasives, not diamond. Diamond cuts differently from a vitrified stone, so higher numbers are generally required for an equivalent finish. A #325 to #550 grit diamond stone may be required for the final honing step to achieve an RA finish in the desired range. One manufacturer says a 500 to 550 grit diamond honing stone will produce a surface finish in the 13 to 15 RA range.

To add to the confusion over which honing stones may be required to produce a certain kind of finish, some vitrified honing stones with identical grit ratings will produce different finishes that may not always agree with the reference charts.

For example, one #220 grit vitrified stone may produce a surface finish of 28 to 35 RA while another may leave a much rougher finish of 35 to 60 RA, which is too rough for most prelapped rings. The difference in actual surface finish is due to the bonding agents and fillers that are used to hold the abrasive particles together. The type and quality of lubricant used during the honing process can also make a difference, too.

The third challenge is profitability. Cylinder bore refinishing is a time-consuming and expensive step in the engine rebuilding process. So anything that can be done to reduce honing costs and streamline the procedure while also improving the bore finish is a step in the right direction.

CONVENTIONAL HONING ABRASIVES VS. DIAMOND HONING STONES

Many shops bore or rough hone cylinders to within .003 inch of final oversize (.010 to .030 in. depending on the application), then finish hone the last .003 in. of the bore with #220 or #280 grit vitrified abrasives. Most shops do not have a profilometer to measure surface finish parameters such as RA, RK (core roughness), RPK (average peak height) and RVK (average valley depth), bearing area and so on, so they rely on stone grits along with the right honing pressure, head speed, stroke rate and lubricant to achieve the desired bore finish. Consequently, there's no way to know if the bore finish actually meets the requirements of the ring manufacturer or the OEM, unless someone complains about excessive ring wear, blowby or oil consumption. But even if you have not experienced any ring problems, it does not mean the cylinders are as good as they could be or should be.

One of the limitations of vitrified abrasives is that they wear rapidly. Depending on the grade of stones and the hardness of the block, a set of vitrified honing stones might do three V8 blocks (24 cylinder bores) before they are worn out and have to be replaced. And with each cylinder that is honed, the operator or equipment must compensate for stone wear to keep the bores straight. If you fail to compensate, you can end up with taper in the bores.

By comparison, metal bond diamond honing stones wear very little. A set of diamond honing stones might do 300 V8 engine blocks (2400 cylinder bores) before they have to be replaced. The slower wear rate means the stones tend to cut straighter (less taper) than vitrified stones.

The slower wear rate of diamond versus vitrified abrasives helps to more than offset the much higher initial cost of diamond stones. Using the above figures, a set of $14 vitrified honing stones cost about 58 cents per hole if they do 24 cylinder bores. A $300 set of diamond honing stones cost about twelve and a half cents per hole if they set does 2400 cylinder bores.

For these reasons, many production engine rebuilders (PERs) have switched to diamond honing. Diamond lowers their honing costs per cylinder, saves labor (fewer stone changes), and gives better overall bore geometry (straighter and less distortion).

RECON RESULTS

"We have had excellent results with diamond honing," said Tom Wilson of Recon Automotive Remanufacturers, Philadelphia. Wilson says Recon uses diamond stones in Sunnen CK-21 honing equipment.

"The type of stones we use is dictated by the type of rings that are going into a motor. We have tried various stones before we came up with the best combination. For an RA of 20 to 25 with moly rings, we use #325 grit diamond stones. For a finer finish in the RA 15 to 20 range, we sometimes use #500 grit diamond stones.

"Diamond cuts differently from vitrified abrasives. It rips the metal out and leaves a lot of microscopic fuzz on the surface. So after honing, we brush the bores with a hand drill eight to ten strokes. Brushing does a good job of cleaning the debris off the surface and eliminates any break-in period. We have also found that it improves the RA, too, getting it down around 18 or so."

Wilson says Recon uses a water-based synthetic lubricant with the diamond stones, which he says runs "clear as water." He says the lubricant is filtered to take out the dirt, and monitored constantly to prevent any bacteria growth.

FRANKLIN POWER

"As an OEM supplier to Navistar, the only way we can meet their cylinder bore specifications is to follow a three-step diamond honing procedure, says Jim Ormsby of Franklin Power, Franklin IN.

First, we rough hone to within .005 of final size with coarse grit #200 diamond stones, then final hone to size with find grit #600 diamonds. The last step is to brush hone the bores eight strokes with a plateau honing tool.

"We believe we actually get a better finish and maintain closer tolerances than the original OEM bores because we pay close attention to every bore we do. OEMs are not set up that way. They turn on a production line and let it go."

Ormsby says it is easy to be consistent with diamond honing, provided you have the proper equipment.

Honing Hard Engine Block and Cylinder Liner Materials

In recent years, Nikasil coatings have provided a challenge for engine builders. Nikasil is a hard coating of nickel and silicon carbide about .0025˝ to .003˝ thick that is applied to cylinder bores to improve wear resistance. Invented by the German firm Mahle, Nikasil was originally developed for the Mercedes Wankel rotary engine. It has been used by BMW and Porsche in some of their engines, and is also used in many chain saw engines, some motorcycle and marine engines, and even many NASCAR Winston Cup engines.

Goodson's Jensen says PERs have had success honing Nikasil treated cylinders with diamond. But for smaller shops that have only portable honing equipment, you canï¿½t exert enough pressure with diamond to hone Nikasil. The best advice here is to use #220 silicone carbine and just do a couple of strokes to deglaze the cylinder. If a cylinder has to be bored to oversize, cut it out with a boring bar and then hone in the usual manner to achieve the desired dimensions and finish.

Ed Kiebler of Winona Van Norman in Wichita, KS, says new harder coatings on cylinder walls are forcing shops to change to diamond honing and to upgrade their equipment.

"I see a lot of shops who are interested in diamond but who don't fully realize what is involved in the diamond honing process. Diamond takes a lot of pressure to cut. Some people use diamond on portable hones, but realistically you can't get enough pressure to make the diamonds perform well. Having said that, I truly believe the new harder cylinder coating materials are going to force people to go to diamonds," says Kiebler.

"The two-cycle stuff is all Nikasil. Now the outboard engines are going to Nikasil, too. All the NASCAR Winston Cup shops are using Nikasil cylinders. If it is good for NASCAR, it won't be long before you start seeing it in OEM engines," Kiebler explains. "The time is coming when you are going to have to use diamonds if you are going to hone Nikasil cylinders."

Kiebler says all most shops do is slightly roughen Nikasil cylinders. "You don't really remove much material. The Winston Cup shops are running some of these motors five races before they redo the cylinders. The Nikasil coating really extends ring life and cuts down on ring wear."

taken from: http://www.aa1car.com

48 Cylinder Bike

2009-01-01T19:16:00.001+08:00

The nightmare comes when you need to check the valve clearance.

The Irony

2008-12-26T16:22:00.003+08:00

Anyone who's a fan of Top Gear or just happen to catch an episode or 2 from BBC will know Jeremy Clarkson. And it's interesting how he would bash bike riders comparing them to S&M individual or homosexuals who goes around donning "full leather wardrobe".

Here's Jeremy Clarkson spotted on a Vespa scooter.

Here's one more of his quotes: 'Some parents say drugs are the biggest threat to youngsters. I disagree. Every weekend, everyone under 25 takes crack, smack and E and very few are harmed. Bikes are far more dangerous.'

Piston, Cylinder, and Ring Operation

2008-12-18T12:10:00.006+08:00

Small little rings make a gigantic difference in your engine's power output. Experiencing a loss of power on your aging engine? This small leak could be the cause of all your headache.

Image taken from: http://www.reycomotor.com/Reyco/Images/Ksmotor/Ring2.gif

The way that pistons, cylinders, and rings work together to create engine power is often misunderstood or mysterious to enthusiasts.

An effective way to understand the concept is to visualize engine power divided into into two functionally interrelated components. The first functional aspect is the movement of the greatest possible volume of air and exhaust through the engine. A second, but equally important, functional aspect of maximizing engine power concerns the integrity of the air flow system.

By increasing air volume, (i.e. moving more air in and out of an engine), you increase the potential for more power, since oxygen availability is a limiting factor in the combustive process. Typically, performance engine builders focus on this aspect, and make multiple modifications designed maximize airflow volume. These modifications include cylinder head work, increasing camshaft size, improving carburetor intake/exhaust, running the engine at higher RPMs, etc.

In addition to maximizing airflow volume, airflow system integrity is the less obvious component that contributes to maximal power. Think about it. Let's assume you have made every possible modification aimed at pulling large quantities of air into your engine. How much improvement will you see if an equal or significant amount of air is escaping via leaks in the air flow system? It's comparable to trying to fill a leaky bucket! Where the air goes and doesn't go once it's inside the engine compartment is just as important as getting the air in there in the first place.

A proven method for increasing engine power is to pay careful attention to the piston/cylinder/ring seals. Even if you only focus on this aspect independently, and don't make any airflow volume modifications, you will successfully increase engine power and efficiency! A time investment in properly prepping the piston sealing area will pay excellent power related dividends.

If the pistons/cylinders/rings are not doing their job (sealing), you have a problem called "Blow-by". Blow-by occurs when hot combustion gasses leak past the rings and into the crankcase. Besides the obvious loss of power and efficiency, many people aren't aware of another consequence, which is the damage caused by hot exhaust and flames into the crankcase! You are literally heating your engine's oil with a blowtorch. Yet another complication is the contamination of the lubricating oil with exhaust and gasoline. Based on these negative side affects alone, blow-by should be avoided - the added incentive of increased engine power will be a bonus!

Obvious signs of blow-by are carbon build up (nasty hard, black chunky stuff) and/or heat discoloration on the piston land (between the top and second ring). Bad cases of blow-by will even discolor the piston skirt to a black/brown color.

Let me explain even further, so you'll be totally convinced. Ideally, as the piston is beginning to move upwards on it's compression stroke, the air/fuel mixture is compressed above the piston and rings. The rings are sitting on the bottom of the ring lands as the piston drags them upwards. As the pressure increases, the rings (especially the top one) are pushed downwards even more against the ring land. The combustion pressure spreads across the upper ring surface and down behind the ring, and forces the ring out against the cylinder wall. The radial pressure of the ring tension is only used to START the sealing process, and cylinder pressure is what really pushes the ring outwards against the cylinder wall. For this to occur, the ring gap and piston to ring contact surface must be perfect.

There are multiple problems that can result when the piston and ring mating areas are ignored. Excessive clearance between the backside of the ring and the ring groove in the piston results in pressure building too slowly behind the ring, and leakage occurs because the ring is not being pushed out against the cylinder. This gap should be as small as possible.

Also, if the ring is not sealed against the bottom of the ring land, the pressure will leak past this area. Once the ring is leaking, the hot gasses from the chamber are like a torch to the metal surface of the piston land and the ring itself. This excessive temperature bakes the oil in that area and turns it to carbon, which reduces ring clearance to nothing and grabs the ring solid. Can you say, "ring replacement"? You don't want to have to replace those on a regular basis! Although there is a second ring, it is primarily an oil scraper ring, not a compression ring, and if the top one leaks for any reason, your engine loses power.

So, now you know why it's important, and you understand the power advantage that your engine will enjoy when you've minimized blow-by. You are likely anxious to find out, how do I do it? Most engine builders focus on prep work done on the cylinder wall, and have a tendency to overlook the contact areas of the piston and piston rings. Well, that's the ticket! A properly prepped piston and ring contact area effectively creates an internal pressure system that is a self-sealing force. No more blow-by!

Now for the nitty-gritty:

The top and bottom surfaces of every ring groove must be completely smooth so the ring has something to seal against. The vertical clearance between the ring and the ring land should be between .002-.004", preferably on the tight side. More than this, and the rings will leak. Less than this, and the ring will not float in the groove freely. Piston rings are designed to rotate in the groove during engine operation, and they must be able to rotate freely so that any carbon particles are cleaned away and out of the groove. (It's kind of like brushing your teeth regularly so that plaque never has a chance to build!) Also the ring must be free to move so it can easily push out against the cylinder wall as combustion pressure falls behind it, and it can make an effective seal.

Piston rings also play an integral part in two other aspects of engine operation. The rings transfer heat from the piston to the cylinder, from which the cooling system can carry it away. The rings are at the top of the piston, where it is hottest. The rings are the PRIMARY contact between the cylinder and piston, since the piston is floating on a layer of oil. If the rings don't properly seal against the cylinder, the piston temperature will increase, and you have even more overheating! You can see now how even just a little blow-by can become a runaway train of lost power and cooling!

The third piston ring is responsible for scraping oil off of the cylinder wall, and returning it to the crankcase (via the small oil return holes in the piston behind the ring). If the compression rings are leaking, then those nasty hot combustion gasses are reaching the oil scraping ring and turning the oil to carbon. Of course, carbon build up leads to ring seizure. When the oil ring seizes, it can no longer effectively keep the cylinder free of excess oil. That excess oil now can reach the compression rings, turns to carbon and causing their failure too. This excess oil can also bring the engine into detonation. How many people considered that a bad piston ring could cause a rod bearing to go bad? It can.

Phew! Don't you wish you could forget all this? Well you can if you "prep" the piston for the rings you are going to install on your engine.

PREPPING THE PISTON-RING SEALING AREA

Many a "mechanic" can be seen scraping the carbon out of the ring grooves with an old ring (cringe!). I assure you that using this makeshift "tool" will result in the ring land sealing area being far from ideal, and will virtually ensure excessive leak down regardless of cylinder condition. The piston should be chemically cleaned (for example with an immersion style carburetor cleaner). Or, even better, go hog wild and buy new pistons! (They only range in price from $120-$200. Volkswagen piston sets are very inexpensive compared to other cars).

Next, ring end gaps must be kept within specifications, which vary according to cylinder bore size. Engines built to run very hot, i.e. for racing, should set end gaps on the loose side, since ring gap will tighten up as engine temperature increases. This ensures that the gap will not go to zero, which would result in binding, and "scoring" of the cylinder (goodbye ring seal).

During assembly, stagger your ring gaps. If you line all of the gaps up, you are creating a leak! I recommend staggering each ring gap by 120 degrees, but don't be too particular about placement because the rings will rotate and move from their original placement during engine operation.

New rings are made too tight, and the builder should set the piston ring gap during engine assembly. Remember, you can always make the ring gap larger by filing or grinding, you CAN NOT add material if you take off too much or if your cylinders are too big (worn). Set the ring into the cylinder, and use a piston to push it square to the bore. Measure the gap with a feeler gauge, and increase as necessary. You can always increase the gap, but you can not make it smaller! Measure, and re-measure. Then as you are grinding the ring gaps, you should aim to make the ring gap ends perfectly parallel. Since some combustion pressure can and does leak down through this ring gap, it must be kept as small as practical. Too small and the rings can seize when hot, too large and the blow-by through the large gap is excessive.

There are other piston rings on the market that offer an engineering solution to the problem of a large ring gap. The gap is "eliminated" by using two thin rings that fit in one groove, staggering the ring gaps. These "gapless" rings are available in a Top or 2nd ring version. Aircooled.Net recommends the Total Seal gapless 2nd ring for street use, and the Total Seal gapless Top ring for racecars. Never ever use gapless rings in BOTH the Top and 2nd position in the same engine! The Total Seal gapless ring design definitely helps in ring sealing, but don't expect it to eliminate all the other cylinder preparatory work! If you're just replacing your rings (and not buying a piston set which includes rings) the best quality replacement piston rings are Deves brand. They are really easy to install and break in quickly, without headaches.

The cylinders should be round and groove free (not groovy!). If you are reusing cylinders, "honing" them will prepare them for a good ring seal. Be SURE to clean them with lots of Comet (or similar) and a Scotchbrite pad, along with liberal hot water -- and lube them up with a teaspoon of oil immediately after drying to prevent rust. A light coat of black paint (high temperature, of course) on the outside of the cylinders will aid in cooling.

Once the cylinders are clear, I prefer to oil the piston skirts with just a touch of engine oil, leave the rings dry! The use of Quickseat Ring Powder will also aid in ring break-in.
Be sure to read our Engine Break-In article for the proper break-in steps when you first run the engine. The cam and rings need to be broken in as quickly as possible for optimal engine life and performance.

article taken from http://www.aircooled.net/gnrlsite/resource/articles/pcrops.htm

Hayabusa - At places where you least expect it

2008-10-27T09:37:00.001+08:00

This goes on to show how well the publicity and marketing of the Hayabusa has permeated into areas that people would least expect it. It is what you would call a cult bike with cult like followers. Feel free to email me pictures if you find them in the least expected places.

Clutch Pump Installed

2008-10-27T09:26:00.003+08:00

This is a view of the entire dash area. The new clutch pump fits in nicely and inconspicuously. All steathily black.

A closer look at the pump installed.

As the pump I bought doesn't come with the reservoir, I had to buy a new one from Motoworld. Not cheap for a small little plastic container. And the dumbest thing is that there's actually a more expensive one, simply because the other one come in different colours.

Overall, the clutch feel is a lot softer now. Foresee that it'll save me from cramps in the left hand after long periods of clutching-in in jams. The engagement of the clutch now also feels more linear and the adjustment in the half-clutch distance actually does work better now. As a whole, I would say that its a must have for people who are using heavy duty clutch springs. The stock clutch pump is crap, well, unless your forearms are as big as most people's thighs.

An accidental buy

2008-10-11T12:09:00.002+08:00

This is the Kawasaki ZX14 clutch master cylinder. It's supposed to have a better ratio than the one I'm using and it's radial in construction. Supposed to give a linear feel in the clutch control. Saw it on ebay, and for the fun of it, made an offer to the seller and who knows, there and then the deal was closed. So much for cutting down the expenses.

A lightbulb moment

2008-10-10T09:34:00.002+08:00

Suzuki refines Hayabusa engine

When Suzuki developed the GSX1300R (which was launched in 1999), it set out to build the fastest mass-production motorcycle on the market, complete with a 1,299-cc liquid-cooled in-line 4-cylinder engine capable of producing 156 hp and with a top speed of 189.6 mph. The bike later gained the name "Hayabusa" (Japanese for "Peregrine falcon"), and set the foundation for a horsepower race later joined by many other German, Japanese and Italian bike makers. As competitors gained ground in the power war and regulators passed more stringent emission regulations, Suzuki engineers studied whether to reinvent the 'Busa for 2008 or to improve upon its already formidable foundation. A keen eye on the balance sheet and die-hard fan base quickly led the engineers to understand that rather than starting from a blank page, they'd be better off tweaking the basic engine architecture in order to gain more power and to meet new emissions regulations.

They decided to leave the cylinder bore at 81 mm but to increase the stroke 2 mm to 65 mm, boosting overall displacement to 1,340 cc. Redesigned forged three-ring aluminum-alloy pistons provide weight savings of 1.4 grams each, while the revised shape of the piston crowns, combined with the use of chrome-nitride electro-plated coating, allows an increase in the compression ratio to 12.5:1 from 11.5:1, provides a smoother surface, and increases durability. Connecting rods are chrome-molybdenum steel-alloy and undergo shot peening in order to increase their strength.

Engineers modified the Hayabusa engine's crankcase breather system to include reed valves to prevent pressure waves generated in the airbox from reaching the crankcase itself, thus reducing mechanical losses.

Moving from steel to titanium valves cut the weight of each intake valve by 14.1 grams and each exhaust valve by 11.7 grams. This allowed engineers to increase valve lift to 9 mm versus 8.8 mm on the intake side and 8.6 mm compared to 7.5 mm on the exhaust. The cam chain tensioner is now hydraulically operated, resulting in improved timing accuracy and reduced mechanical noise.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

In order for Hayabusa's engine to meet the Euro 3 and U.S. Tier II emission requirements and live up to the motorcycle's performance roots, Suzuki developed a digital fuel injection and advanced engine management system, controlled by a 32-bit, 1,024-kb ROM processor. Twin tapered 44-mm double-barrel throttle bodies with two butterfly valves in each barrel help improve combustion efficiency and provide linear throttle response at low- and mid-range torque. Fuel is delivered via two compact fine-spray injectors (each with 12 holes) located in each throttle body barrel--the primary aimed at a 30[degrees] angle down the intake port and the secondary aimed at the secondary throttle valve to add fuel at higher rpms--for improved fuel atomization, combustion efficiency, and fuel economy. The engine management system features an idle speed control that automatically regulates the volume of fresh air fed into the throttle body idle circuit, for improved cold start performance and greater idle stability under changing conditions. The 2008 Hayabusa is expected to produce 179 hp at the rear wheel, and thus continue to set the benchmark for high-performance bikes.

Kevin M. Kelly

As I read this article, it had struck me that the idea I had earlier for reducing the crankcase pressure using a reed valve was exactly what Suzuki engineers used in the new Hayabusa. It now serves as a very good reference on where to start of the project and its likely benefits. Updates on this to come.

Airbox Mod (New)

2008-10-09T17:33:00.003+08:00

To date, the 3 most common airbox mods to help the huge displacement engine of the Hayabusa breathe better includes

Airbox flapper mod
Small airbox mod
Large airbox mod

This is a relatively new idea which is an improvement over the brute and crude large airbox mod. Making use of the new K8 Hayabusa's air filter, the floor of the airbox is cut to match the filter. This allows a larger volume of air to be passed to the intake of the engine and in theory increase the power of the bike.

A show of power

2008-10-06T10:18:00.003+08:00

Not many Hayabusas in the world can hit the speed record of 259mph (414.4km/h), let alone lift the front wheel up at that speed. This a show of brute horsepower at work. Power wheelies at that speed is unimaginable.

Charlies 636HP Turbo Hayabusa

Here's the bike being tuned by Dave Owens on a dyno machine. 636hp (474.3kW) and 330ft/lb. of torque.

More bling...

2008-09-29T22:16:00.003+08:00

Was contemplating whether to respray my hump or not after a stupid incident whereby I left the hump on the seat and lifted the tank up. Dropping to the tarmac and having some scratches on the hump. Those scratches are really irritating the hell out of me. Then came the opportunity to swap the hump with a fellow busa rider with top up of course. And here it is.

Tribute to Dave Owens

2008-09-28T18:02:00.006+08:00

Rider/Tuner Bio of Dave ‘DaveO’ Owen

Born: October 16, 1959 in Taunton, Massachusetts
Height: 6’ 0”
Weight: 185 lbs. in his shorts
Nickname: DaveO

Riding Accomplishments

ECTA 200 MPH club member April, 2004

ECTA All-Motor Class World Record 220.312 MPH May, 2006

2006 Super Streetbike Top Speed Challenge Unlimited All Motor Class Winner

2007 Super Streetbike Top Speed Challenge Unlimited All Motor Class Winner

Tuning Accomplishments

2005 AMA Dragbike 1000 SuperSport National Championship - Team Brock’s Performance with Rider, Rickey Gadson

2006 AMA Dragbike 1000 SuperSport National Championship - Team Brock’s Performance with Rider, Vince Woska, Jr.

Worlds Fastest All Motor/Non-streamline bike owner and tuner at 222.123 MPH - Team Brock’s Performance with Rider, Rick Stetson

Most important lifetime accomplishment as tuner OR a rider?

DaveO: "Definitely removing the bodywork from my Busa so that my son Josh could set an official naked bike record and be admitted into Maxton’s 200 MPH club. Josh did a great job. You know that holding onto a bike at 200 MPH is hard enough, especially at 19 years old, but to do it without a fairing is really tough. I literally couldn’t hold back the tears, I was so proud of him."

DAVE OWEN 214.7 MPH PASS at MAXTON

_________________________________________________________________

Though he's someone I know over the Internet, his knowledge and expertise and the willingness to help is second to none. He's sort of the icon of engine tuning in the busa community. Sadly, he passed away during a topspeed run in Maxton. The news came as a shock to me somehow. Words can't really describe. RIP DaveO.

SW-Motec & H&B Side Panniers: Ride Review

2008-09-28T12:02:00.007+08:00

Took the bike out for a ride last night, mainly to test the stability of the bike at speed. Had a smooth ride from home all the way to the 2nd link. Overall at legal speeds, the bike handles pretty much the same, predictable and flickable. Probably a bit soft on the back end as the additional weight does show a bit when powering out of the turn. (May need to tweak a bit of the preload for the additional weight).

Upon reaching the second link bridge, I gently rolled the throttle on till the bike was at about 200kph. Nothing to suddenly while paying close attention to the road as well as the side panniers. Nothing unusual there again. Everything was pretty much the same, bike was very stable and manageable probably with a slight hint of buzziness in the handles. Nothing unexpected.

Next, I proceeded to the Gelang Petah Esso station to top up fuel and just before that when leaving the toll booth, I tried rolling on the throttle hard and shift at around peak power. It was probably then I realised that the rear is squatting a bit more than I liked; making the front end feel light. (Mental note to self: re-adjust the preload when back.) Had a brief moment hitting third gear before braking hard to slow down and entering the R&R.

Re-fueling was a fast event, took less than 10min to pump and pay. Again I was heading off onto the highway. This time round again I tried rolling on the throttle hard in the first 3 gears, and it still presents the same lightness in the front. Once the front settled, I simply rolled the bike to around 240-250kph and cruised on. Surprisingly, the handling did not really suffer much with the installation of the panniers. Maybe it'll show at higher speeds, that another test for another time.

One thing I noticed, when taking a bend, and attempting to power on the bike, there's a mild hint of slight wobble at the rear, suggesting that the suspension settings are off. Then I headed off to the Pasir Gudang/ Johor Bahru exit, taking the bend at slight over 140kph, and gingerly holding the throttle so as not to unsettle the bike. The bike is able to hold the line quite neatly throughout the turn.

Once out of the turn, it's back to trying out the straight line stability. As again, predictably stable and manageable to 250kph. And the stretch ended off at the toll booth leading to Perling. And to add to the drama, there was a police road block right at the exit. There the thought went across my head: "damn, there goes the money again..." Funnily they simply waved me off, probably thinking how fast this bike could have been travelling carrying that 2 gigantic boxes. Ha ha! To think I accidentally blew the throttle at them just before leaving...

The last part was simply the test of the weavability of the boxes under slightly heavy traffic. I guess it's a matter of getting used to it. When drivers see such a massive object coming up their rear view mirrors, they seem to react quite promptly clearing a gap good enough to pass through.

Eventually I took the first link back at the Woodlands checkpoint. There was where my main complaint for the panniers. The gap for the road leading to the Biometric checkpoint was barely wide enough for the bike with the pannier, I was scrapping the panniers left and right as I passed through the narrow channel. Can't imagine if those panniers were a bit larger.

Stay tuned for the next ride where I'll try to see what the bike will do in top speed when lugging these 2 crates.

It's a bird! No, it's a plane!

2008-09-24T21:29:00.003+08:00

No... It's a bird that's as wide a plane... Wonder how stable it is at high speed and how it will affect the handling. Soon all these questions will be answered.

Random photos?

2008-09-21T15:28:00.005+08:00

"Criminal Law and Criminal defense also states that you have a right against self incrimination. You have the right to remain silent during and after arrest and don't have to say anything without an attorney present. You can decline to answer any questions that will incriminate you and have the right to take the stand in your own defense.".

:P

Arai Side Pod

2008-09-21T15:16:00.002+08:00

Do a search online and you'll find tonnes of people in different forums in different parts of the world cursing Arai design for the visor catch. There has been numerous complaints with regards to the fragility of the catch of the side pod. Well, recently I've fallen victim to this design flaw. Replacement of this part is a pain, especially when 1. it's not cheap; 2. the wait is forever if you happen to own a helmet with design. (I was told the wait could be as long as half a year for mine).

Well, as I needed the helmet for usage quite frequently, I bought a single colour (silver) replacement and gotten into the Arts n Crafts mode to set it looking like the original. Above is the result. Did some patching up of some minor scratches as well. Now, the helmet looks as good as new!

New Toy arriving

2008-09-16T10:12:00.004+08:00

Morgan CarbTune II.

It gives four simultaneous readings so you can balance the throttle valves on carburettor or fuel injection bodies. (In the instructions the term “carb” refers to both fuel injection throttle bodies and carburettors.) Stainless steel rods indicate the vacuum on the scale. The clear tubes are made from high impact plastic. Damping is by a small airflow restricter in the rubber connecting tubes.

I believe I can fly!

2008-09-15T10:12:00.002+08:00

2006 Isle of Man TT. 100 plus mph, 2 wheels off the ground. If you think you ride hard, think again.

Bling

2008-09-06T22:53:00.001+08:00

It's official now... The Busa is now known as K-SpecII

The Operation

2008-09-04T20:34:00.005+08:00

As previously diagnosed, the bike suffered from a case of blown headgasket. The one shown below is taken from the bike.
A close up shows the material between the cylinders is no longer there. That sums it up all, the damage. Combustion gases was able to escape through there into the cooling system thus resulting in the coolant temperature not being able to reach the point of activation for the fan.

New parts that went in with the headgasket. Heavy Duty Cylinder Head Bolts.

Heavy Duty Cylinder Head Studs. Hopefully it'll be strong enough to keep the compression in. As a comparison, this HD head studs are torqued down using 60lbs of force as compared to the stock 35lbs.

Mileage on the clock after the repair was done. Kept as a record. Also done during that time was the installation of the Gixxer 1k shock.

Fuel Cell Motorcycle

2008-08-27T07:10:00.002+08:00

Ask Neil Saiki why he designed an all-electric motocross motorcycle and he'll tell you EVs are the future, dirt riders must be more environmentally responsible and the sport faces a shaky future because dirt bikes are so loud they'll make your ears ring. That's all true, but push him a little and he'll confess the truth.

"I love to ride. That's the real reason I did it," he told us with a laugh. "I wanted to make a product that's crazy fast and fun to ride."

The Zero X from Zero Motorcycles is an EV you can actually buy right now for $7,450, and it's a real motorcycle. It weighs a bantamweight 140 pounds with the lithium-ion battery, and with a 23-horsepower motor it'll hit 57 mph and leave a fat streak of rubber on the pavement getting there.

Saiki says the street version coming next year will be even quicker.

Saiki started developing the Zero X five years ago after participating in a NASA round table analyzing transportation technology. He became convinced electric drivetrains are the best way forward and motorcycles the logical place to develop them. They're smaller and less complex than cars, and the regulatory hurdles to getting them on the road aren't as high.

Off-road bikes lend themselves to electric power because they're typically ridden short distances, so range isn't that big an issue. Electric motors also provide gobs or torque, a big plus in motocross riding. The Zero X produces power instantaneously, and it'll catch you off guard because the bike is all but silent. Snap the throttle too hard and you'll lift the front wheel. "The throttle is like a light switch," Saiki says. "It's on or it's off."

A low-speed mode limits the bike to about 30 mph and is good for tooling around. Switch to high-speed mode and you get unfettered acceleration to about 57 mph. The Zero X will hit 30 mph in under two seconds and 57 in about twice that. Juice comes from a proprietary li-ion battery that weighs 40 pounds and provides about two hours of riding time. It recharges in about two hours using any household socket, and you can get a spare for $2,950.

The Zero X has hydraulic disc brakes and fully adjustable suspension with about 8 inches of travel. It looks a bit like a big mountain bike, which isn't a coincidence. Saiki, who holds a degree in aerospace engineering, has designed bicycles for Santa Cruz, Haro and Mountain Cycles.

He worked through seven prototypes and designed most of the 300 or so components himself. The bikes are built in a factory near Santa Cruz, and Saiki hopes to turn out 300 a month by next summer. He's sold 127 since April (Google's Larry Page bought three) and has a waiting list of 77 people, including two guys who signed up after seeing the bike outside our office.

Saiki says about 75 percent of buyers are seasoned motocross riders, which speaks to the bike's dirt cred. Saiki had motocross hall-of-famer Jeff Emig flog a prototype at a track in Las Vegas last year, and Emig says it's the real deal. "I'm expecting the production version to have a huge impact on the motor sports industry," he says. We probably won't see James Stewart or Ryan Villopoto racing them anytime soon (although Saiki says the AMA is interested in racing e-bikes) but the guys at Dirt Rider (.pdf) called an early prototype of the Zero X "the inevitable sound of the future of off-road motorcycle riding."

As for Zero Motorcycle's future, it includes a street version good for 70 mph and a range of 60 miles. Look for it in January with a sticker price of $9,000.

Source: Wired.com

Larger carrying capacity

2008-08-26T14:14:00.001+08:00

Hepco Becker side panniers.

Finally...

2008-08-21T09:29:00.003+08:00

Shipment Summary:
		Item No / Ref No	Origin	Destination	Status	Date and Time
	1.	CJ292536291US	U.S.A.	SINGAPORE	Acknowledged Item at Speedpost Processing Centre	20/08/2008 14:46

	Shipping Information
	Item No.: CJ292536291US Service Type: Speedpost Air Parcel Origin Country: U.S.A. Origin Exchange/Post Office: Shipment History			Other Reference No.: Destination Country: SINGAPORE Destination Exchange/Post Office: SINGAPORE Recipient Name:

Date and Time	Location	Status	Reason
20/08/2008 14:46	SPEEDPOST SERVICE CENTRE	Acknowledged Item at Speedpost Processing Centre
20/08/2008 14:46		Despatch Received at Speedpost Processing Centre

Late Shipment...

2008-08-19T17:53:00.002+08:00

The shipment should have reached on Monday, it's going Wednesday already. WTH. This is what I got from USPS:

Label/Receipt Number: CJ29 2536 291U S
Status: International Dispatch

Your item left the United States from ISC CHICAGO IL (USPS) at 1:47 PM on August 14, 2008. Information, if available, is updated every evening. Please check again later.

and this is what I got from Speedpost Singapore:

Shipment Summary:
		Item No / Ref No	Origin	Destination	Status	Date and Time
	1.	CJ292536291US			Information Not Available

	Shipment Information
	We are sorry, Item No. CJ292536291US is either Not Found or its status Not Available at this moment. Please check the item number and try again. Alternatively, please contact our Customer Service Hotline at 1800-222-5777 (toll-free for callers within Singapore only) or +65-6222-5777 (for callers outside Singapore). You may also email to sinems@singpost.com (for Speedpost Express & Courier services), g-parenq@singpost.com (for Speedpost Air & Speed Surface Parcel services) or pickup@singpost.com (for Speedpost Islandwide services).

WHERE IS MY PACKAGE?!?!?

Heavy Duty Cush Drive Rubber

2008-08-12T15:25:00.002+08:00

This is one of the few items that came in the mailbox last week. It'll outlast the stock cush drive rubber. Mine came in Red, wanted the blue but there's no stock. Ha. Ha.

Interesting joke

2008-08-06T16:14:00.002+08:00

A mechanic was removing the cylinder heads from the motor of a car when he spotted the famous heart surgeon in his shop, who was standing off to the side, waiting for the service manager to come to take a look at his car.

The mechanic shouted across the garage, "Hello Doctor!! Please come over here for a minute."

The famous surgeon, a bit surprised, walked over to the mechanic.

The mechanic straightened up, wiped his hands on a rag and asked argumentatively, "So doctor, look at this. I also open hearts, take valves out, grind 'em, put in new parts, and when I finish this will work as a new one. So how come you get the big money, when you and me is doing basically the same work?"

The doctor leaned over and whispered to the mechanic,"Try to do it when the engine is running."

Rear shock upgrade

2008-07-24T22:47:00.003+08:00

Age seems to have taken its toll on the rear shock. It's time to retire the going to be decade old shock for something younger. Cue the 2004 GSXR 1000 rear shock, comes with better valving and a spring of spring rate closer to my weight. This shock would fit the hayabusa with minimal hassle. Looking forward to a more stable and smooth ride. This will be fitted up along during the next time the bike goes into the workshop

Maintenance and Upgrade

2008-07-18T10:59:00.006+08:00

HEAVY DUTY CYLINDER HEAD NUTS

HAYABUSA "PRO MOD" STUDS

Running a higher compression engine comes at a premium. This time round it has claimed its price. A leaking head gasket. Luckily its not blown yet. Just bubbling into the cooling system resulting in the fan not being activated by the thermostat.

Here's the skinny on the 2 items that's going to make a difference:

Hayabusa "Pro-Mod" Studs

The Hayabusa engine uses head bolts instead of the preferred stud arrangement. When engines are subjected to bigger bores, higher compression ratios, nitrous oxide, turbo, etc. the stock head bolts are not up to the task. Blown head gaskets are the result.

APE is the leading manufacturer of heavy duty cylinder studs for motorcycles. The Hayabusa studs are made from ultra high heat treated premium 8740 steel and feature rolled threads for maximum strength. Torque to 60 lbs. APE head nuts are machined from billet stock and heat treated to prevent threads from stretching. This set up is a must for all serious go fast motors. Extra thread on the nut end allows them to also be used with no plate when using APE CHN10125-10 cylinder head nuts.

Please note that the cylinder head can not be removed with engine bolted in place when using studs.

Heavy Duty Cylinder Head Nuts

Super heat treated cylinder head nuts are a must for high output engines.

Help prevent blown and leaking head gaskets caused by the threads in the soft stock nuts stretching. APE nuts are machined from alloy steel and fully heat treated for maximum strength. Nuts are .150" taller than stock to prevent the nut from bottoming out on the stud when the head has been milled.

Last but not least to replace the leaking gasket. All these with no added performance gain, just a peace of mind and more robust engine.

Riding Talents

2008-07-09T15:40:00.001+08:00

Train them young and the possibilities are endless...

How I wish I had talents like them...

Terry Martin

Crash and Back

2008-07-09T15:20:00.004+08:00

Imagine crashing off a bike...

Imagine crashing off a bike at high speed...

Imagine coming back on the same bike to try for 200mph again...

Imagine no more...

Conquering 200MPH & Disaster on a Naked Hayabusa

It's coming...

2008-06-24T14:44:00.003+08:00

Coming next month, looking forward to the improved accuracy of tune.

Ridiculous Product

2008-06-19T19:19:00.002+08:00

The kind of weird things you see people come up with that'll just leave you dumbfounded.

Fast Woman

2008-06-12T18:40:00.001+08:00

World's Fastest Woman on a Motorcycle?

Guys, are your egos taking a bruise?

Track Practice Session on 6th June

2008-06-09T21:23:00.009+08:00

Supposed to meet Weiqiang for a session at PG. His bike ran out of fuel and couldn't make it for the 1st session. By the time he reached, I'm done for the session and was resting in the pit area. However his bike was plagued with some fueling issue and his session ended after 2 laps.

On a lighter note, Richter was there as the track photographer. Here's some pics he took.

Down the back straight. "Hmm.. the long road ahead..."

The following are the tyres after 2 sessions on track with slightly over 1ooo km of mileage on it..

Rear tyre

Joke

2008-06-05T11:00:00.002+08:00

Taken off the internet, Audi Forum

Hey guys, I've got a 98 1.8T. I've had a k04 and chip for a while and wanted to get more performance. I was recommended to port and polish the intake and exhaust. We found out they used abrasive material to do it like gritty sand. So I got with my friend that tunes Hondas and we decided to try it ourselves. We got a bag of sandblasting sand and hooked up into the intake and started the car. We had to hold the gas so it would run. He wanted to let the engine suck in the sand through the intake so it would port it out and then push it out the ehxaust so it would port the exhaust manifold.
I was worried that it might cause problems but he figured it'd be OK as long as we didn't make boost and it get sucked in the turbo. After running the car and letting it suck in sand we got about half way through a 25 lb bag. The check engine light was on and the engine was bucking and kicking and sounding really weird. We stopped and hooked the car back up normal and took off the sand supply. We tried to start it again and it was really hard. Once started it couldn't idle and kept making weird noises. We took it out and drove it and it started to make scraping and knocking noises.
Help! Can anyone tell me what to do! My buddy only does Hondas so he doesn't know much about Audis.

http://www.audiforums.com/m_693578/mpage_1/key_/tm.htm

Doesn't take a lot of technical knowledge to appreciate this joker...

Fast

2008-06-02T16:29:00.003+08:00

When you thought you were going fast with your Superbike down the highway in full throttle maxing out the engine revs and clearing the meter. This is what defines "fast"

The Fastest Mile- 256.79 MPH on a Turbo Hayabusa

Bling

2008-06-02T00:13:00.000+08:00

Gotten a bit bored of the orange backlight of the dash. Therefore took the opportunity to swap in the blue LEDs when QuizeSilver did a mass order on it. Here's the before and after. Installation courtesy of QuizeSilver at a small fee.

Before
After

Determination

2008-05-26T07:41:00.002+08:00

Where there's a will there's a way. How far do we actual stick to chasing our dreams and interests? Many of us just seem to fall short of what this guy is capable of, where it comes to pursuing our dreams. The main limitations always lies within ourselves.

Interesting Stunt

2008-05-19T21:21:00.000+08:00

Unbelievable..

Kossan.se

Top Speed Comparisons

2008-05-16T07:32:00.003+08:00

The Australian Motor Magazine (November 1999) has done some interesting Speed and Performance comparisons.

Make	Engine	Weight	Power	Top Speed	0-60mph	0-100mph
Suzuki Hayabusa	In-line 4, 1.3 ltrs	474 lbs	*176.8 hp	193.2 mph	3.15 secs	5.44 secs
Lamborghini Diablo	V12, 5.7 ltrs	3373 lbs	492.3 hp	183.3 mph	4.90 secs	9.37 secs
Robnell SC 429	V8, 7ltrs	2800 lbs	421.6 hp	146.6 mph	5.29 secs	13.23 secs
HSV R8 Holden	V8 5.7 ltrs	3767 lbs	340.0 hp	156.6 mph	-	12.72 secs
Porsche 911	Flat 6, 3.4ltrs	2910 lbs	300.0 hp	163.4 mph	4.99 secs	10.95 secs

MotorTrend Tests (2002)

Porsche GT2.........	6cyl,3.6L,turbo	3175 lbs	456.0 hp..	195.0 mph..	3.77 secs	8.91 secs.
Corvette Z06	V8, 5.7 ltrs	3118 lbs	405.0 hp	171.0 mph	4.07 secs	9.48 sec

Viper GTS Coup....

v10, 7.99 ltrs....

3415 lbs

450.0 hp..

177.0 mph..

4.00 secs

9.20 secs.

Variable Geometry Turbocharger

2008-05-10T11:57:00.005+08:00

Turbochargers works on the simple principle of increasing the intake air density by compression. Being able to fill more air into the combustion chamber will allow more fuel to be added to produce more power.

However the operation of the turbocharger relies solely on the exhaust gas velocity to drive the compressor. Thus the compressor will be at optimum operation range when the engine is under heavy load. When the throttle is opened, it will take a certain period of time (depending on the turbo's characteristic) for the turbine to spin up to it optimum rpm and the engine intake does not see as high a pressure as it would want thus this delay in the power delivery is known as "lag".

To reduce lag, one of the direct way is to simply use a smaller turbocharger as the turbines are smaller and lighter, it has lesser inertia and thus takes a shorter time to spool up. However due to the smaller size, the volume of air that it can take in for compression is restricted at high end and thus the performance is choked. Vice-versa to allow more air to be compressed and thus more power to be produced a bigger turbocharger is normally chosen. However this will directly increase the turbo lag. Thus its often a dilemma for engine builders.

This lag is not desirable as it creates an suddenly surge of power after a period of lower power... thus this non linear power delivery will affect how the vehicle have to be driven/ridden.

It is this problem that led to the development of the Variable Geometry Turbocharger. It is simply a turbocharger with an additional set of fins which regulates the flow of exhaust gas into the turbine. This additional set of fins are controlled by an electronic actuator. The opening and closing of the actuator varies according to the engine's load (ie. rpm).

At low rpms, the fins are closed to a small gap allowing the slower exhaust gases to accelerated into the turbine region (theory based on fluid dynamics, for the same volume flow, the small the cross sectional area will result in a faster fluid flow)

At high rpms, the fins fully open allow the full flow of exhaust to spin the turbine. Giving the turbo its full potential in performance.
The VGT technology was previously more commonly found in turbo diesel engine due to the lower exhaust gas temperature. Only until the recent years with the use of space age metal technology where the fins that are constructed will be able to take the high temperature (about 1200 degree Celsius and above) of petrol engines.

Recent application of the VGT can be found in the 2007 Porsche 911 Turbo.

UK Police on Hayabusa

2008-05-09T12:07:00.000+08:00

You would have to twice before thinking of outrunning this police bike...

Cylinder Head Porting and Polishing Myths

2008-05-07T12:20:00.002+08:00

It is popularly held that enlarging the ports to the maximum possible size and applying a mirror finish is what porting is. However that is not so. Some ports may be enlarged to their maximum possible size (in keeping with the highest level of aerodynamic efficiency) but those engines are highly developed very high speed units where the actual size of the ports has become a restriction. Often the size of the port is reduced to increase power. A mirror finish of the port does not provide the increase that intuition would suggest. In fact, within intake systems, the surface is usually deliberately textured to a degree of uniform roughness to encourage fuel deposited on the port walls to evaporate quickly. A rough surface on selected areas of the port may also alter flow by energizing the boundary layer, which can alter the flow path noticeably, possibly increasing flow. This is similar to what the dimples on a golf ball do. Flow bench testing shows that the difference between a mirror finished intake port and a rough textured port is typically less than 1%. The difference between a smooth to the touch port and an optically mirrored surface is not measurable by ordinary means. Exhaust ports may be smooth finished because of the dry gas flow and in the interest of minimizing exhaust by-product build-up. A 300 - 400 Grit finish followed by a light buff is generally accepted to be representative of a near optimal finish for exhaust gas ports.

The reason that polished ports are not advantageous from a flow standpoint is that at the interface between the metal wall and the air, the air speed is ZERO (see boundary layer and laminar flow). This is due to the wetting action of the air and indeed all fluids. The first layer of molecules adheres to the wall and does not move significantly. The rest of the flow field must shear past which develops a velocity profile (or gradient) across the duct. In order for surface roughness to impact flow appreciably, the high spots must be high enough to protrude into the faster moving air toward the center. Only a very rough surface does this. - Wikipedia

In conclusion the conventional wisdom of hand porters of big, shiny ports are not necessarily true when it comes to increasing the performance of the engine. Bigger is not always better, though shiner will look nicer - you don't go staring at your intake port everyday, do you?

Engine Profile

2008-05-05T13:55:00.004+08:00

We can describe the engine's configuration in several aspects, be it from the head where people speaks of DOHC (dual overhead cam) or SOHC (single overhead cam) or the cylinder layout - parallel twin, V-twins, inline four, V-four, triples, boxer, etc. There is also the other which relates to the engine capacity - bore and stroke.

There is a bore to stroke ratio which can describe the characteristic of the engine.
For the Hayabusa with a bore of 81mm and 63mm stroke,
the bore/stroke ratio is 81/63=1.285

This number is more than one. This is known as an oversquare engine or a short stroke engine.

For those with ratio that is less than one. That is known as a undersquare engine or a long stroke engine

For bore/stroke ratio of 1 (or commonly, from 0.95 to 1.04) it is also referred to as square engines.

Characteristics

Oversquare

Pros - Less stress on crankshaft, more reliable, better for high speed, less wear
Cons - Lower torque at low end compared to the counterparts, cannot run as high compression ratio, poorer fuel economy, tendency to overheat, wider in engine dimension

Undersquare

Pros - Higher low end torque, can have higher compression ratio with the same octane fuel, lesser tendency to overheat
Cons - Greater friction and stress on crankshaft, smaller bore results in smaller valves thus restricting gas exchange, lower redline

Stock Hayabusa Gearing

2008-05-01T19:21:00.005+08:00

Due to some fiasco in the local bike forum thus decided to put out the specification of the stock hayabusa gearing.

Sprockets:
Front: 17
Rear: 40

Gear Speed at redline (10800RPM)/ kph

129
174.1
221
262.4
296.8
323.3

The above are actual landspeed for the gearing assuming 0% tyre slippage.

Signal Modification

2008-04-27T23:42:00.006+08:00

This modification was done quite sometime back. The original concept was found in Hayabusa.org forum. Pictures were also taken from there. I've decided to go that way as I was utilising an aftermarket undertray thus there was no proper place to mount the signal lights.

I, personally was not a fan of small "invisible" flush mount signal lights. Screw the so-called "sleek" looks; the signal light was mounted for one function and one function alone - to indicate to the other road users the intentional to change lane/turn. What's the point of mounting a signal light if the other road users still have to guess if you are intending to change a lane? You're better off with no signal light mounted, also that'll be real sleek.

Therefore, the first thing I did when I've gotten my bike back then was to remove the flush mounts and replaced it with a much more prominent signal light. Subsequently, I got hold of a pair of clear cover K6 signal lights from the States. And I got on to doing this mod and mounted it up.

1. Remove the rubber stem from the signal light unit by unscrewing a screw behind the clear cover.
2. Check and confirm the mounting position of the signal
3. Grind off the excess plastic using and electric grinder or saw.

4. Using a piece of sandpaper, smoothen the finish of the signal mount

5. Mark the location for drilling the holes for the wire
6. Connect up the wires and drill a hole in the undertray for mounting the screw

7. Tighten the screw and fix up the clear cover

8. Repeat the steps for the other side

9. Check if the signals work. And voila! Nice and sleek signal light mounting.

Land Speed Record Attempt with VR2 (FL Racing Team)

2008-04-21T09:33:00.005+08:00

Racer Susan Robertson used a VR2 with the SportVue Heads Up Display option while chasing speed records in the Utah desert earlier this month. The famous “Speed Week" took place at the Bonneville Salt Flats as Robertson attempted to surpass 215 mph on the Makita-Suzuki Hayabusa fielded by the FL Racing Team.

Robertson got two runs in, clocking 178 mph while using the VR2 and HUD, before the course was hit by torrential rains and wind. A team from National Geographic taped the whole thing - including a portable toilet going 30 miles an hour across the Flats! The effort was scrapped by the storm – and torrential rains cancelled the World Finals in October. Team owner Rod Falkner says the team’s on track to make another attempt in 2006.

Robertson was the first woman ever to go over 200 mph on a conventional motorcycle, last month at the El Mirage desert course. Her motorcycle and helmet are equipped with a Veypor VR2 with SportVue HUD. For more product and purchase information check out the product section.

Saw this on veypor.com. Quite interesting that this product was actually used in such a reputable event. Speaks quite a lot about the quality of the product. Interesting.

Check out the HUD on the helmet.

Review of Bazzaz ZFI by Chip of KWS

2008-04-17T18:31:00.002+08:00

First comment…..Excellent!!! The Bazzaz Z-Fi is basically a simplified version of much more complicated stand alone engine control systems like the Motec. We have been talking with Bazzaz about this box for over a year and we are very excited about it finally making it to production. Units are shipping now, but the vast majority are going to fill backorders. I will state my bias up front because we are sponsored by Bazzaz for the 2008 AMA season. We will be testing these units extensively over the course of the year.

There are four basic functions to the Z-Fi TC unit.

1.) Fuel control and mapping -

This works just like the PCIIIUSB stuff we have all been using for years. Basically you build a map based on throttle position and rpm. The big differences are that you can trim the map for each gear and you can store two separate master maps.

2.) Self Mapping or “Closed Loop” –

The closed loop function works very well, but it is not the be all – end all like a more advanced system. The system works very well, but does require a fair bit of knowledge of how to build a map and a dyno or race track to build a complete map. The system does not run all the time and does not work in real time. You have to turn the system on and then run the bike on a dyno or race track at all the various throttle positions and rpm ranges. Once you have hit all your points, you have to hook the bike back up to a lap top, save the data, and then apply the map. You will need to check the map for outliers before you apply it. We have seen cells that contain fairly random readings like + or – 50 (max value) that need to be corrected manually before being applied or the bike will not run correctly. It would be very difficult and or illegal to try to build a complete map on the street and if you do not map for 100% throttle at 13,000 rpm then it is not mapped. When or if you do get 100% throttle at 13K then the bike will not run correctly.

3.) Traction Control -

Very, very cool. You build your traction control map just like a fuel map based on throttle position and rpm. There are 10 positions for TC sensitivity. This is a “rate of rise” system that detects spikes in the acceleration of the engine. The engine will accelerate at a given value for each gear, if the value is exceeded (wheel spin) then the box will retard power until acceleration is consistent. When setting the values (1 – 10) you are telling the box how sensitive it is to those spikes or how much you want it to spin (or not spin) before it starts to cut power. You can also globally set (1 – 5) how hard/softly you want the power cut. Once you have built your basic traction map then you can trim for each gear. You can also control (again globally) how much traction interference you want by a 10 position handle bar switch. The handle bare switch is set up for + 5 and – 5. This will allow you to change your TC settings on the fly. In a race situation you might want to change it as the tire goes off.

Note: You will see a FI light and get Coil Codes from the traction control on the dash. It does not effect performance.

The most difficult part for people to figure out will be
a. If the traction control comes on, that means you are going slower.
b. It is not a “anti-crash” device and you can still highside yourself to the moon!

4.) Quick Shifter –

The quick shifter allows full throttle up shifts with out using the clutch. It uses an inline pressure sensor in the shift linkage and when you compress or pull the sensor it cuts the ignition for a fraction of second allowing you to change gears without the clutch or backing off the throttle. Cut times are adjustable for each gear.

taken from: http://www.gixxer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=175639

Pneumatic Valve System

2008-04-15T19:50:00.003+08:00

The workings of a pneumatic valve system

The pneumatic valve system is the improved version for closing the engine valves from the conventional coil spring system. This system was introduced by Renault in the F1 engine.

The conventional coil spring system will have problems with coil binding when used with higher lift camshafts. Metal fatigue will also set in, causing valve float and often leading to a catastrophic engine failure of valve impacting the piston.

The pneumatic valve system consists of a air pocket holding the inert gas nitrogen at constant pressure which will return the valve when the cam timing retards.

The pneumatic valve system will allow a faster rate at which the valve is closed, allowing the engine to rev to higher limits (along with other considerations such as piston speeds). This is a better alternative than the coil spring system as to have the spring close the valve at such high rpm, the springs need to be very stiff. A too stiff spring will sap power from the engine.

The system is slowly replacing the conventional system in MotoGP bikes. This is due to the successes that the different teams are slowly getting. However not this system is not all perfect as it adds additional weight to the engine, also there is a problem of gas leakage. This system is also more complicated than the coil spring system.

Think it'll still be a long way till this will be found in the production bikes. An interesting design concept though.

Bike Geometry

2008-04-11T16:47:00.006+08:00

Every enthusiastic biker will at one point or another come across terms such as rake, trail and wheelbase.

These terms are used to describe the geometry of the bike, varying one or the other can dramatically affect the handling of the bike.

First we need to know what the terms actually refer to.

Wheelbase

This is the distance between the two points of contact with the ground by the bike (i.e. the tyres). Wheelbase affects the longitundal stability of the bike. Effectively a bike with shorter wheelbase has a tendency to wheelie or stoppie (given the weight of the rider remains constant).

Rake angle

This is angle measured from the the axis perpendicular to the ground to the steering axis ending at the centre of the wheel.

Trail

This is the angle measured from the contact of the wheel to the ground to the steering axis.

The following part is taken from an article by James R. Davis

We will look at two things that result from the fact that your front forks
are not pointing straight down - that is, there is a rake angle to those forks:
how counter-steering is initiated and how weave and wobble are diminished.

The diagram above represents your front tire pointing to the left. The
diagonal dashed line represents your steering stem as if it were extended to the
ground. Please note how this defines ground trail. (The diagram exaggerates how
far forward of the contact patch the steering axis point is for clarity.)

When you turn the handlebar you are attempting to turn the tire about the
steering axis at ground level, not about the contact patch. For example, if you
turn the handlebar to the right you are trying to get the tire to turn as shown
above. However, as the contact patch is touching the ground and the axis is not,
the contact patch CANNOT simply slide off to the left as shown. Instead, the
body of the motorcycle moves in that direction via force at the triple-tree. You
have, in effect, steered the front tire out from under the bike by steering the
bike away from the tire. [At a dead stop turn your handlebars all the way to the
right and observe how the top of the bike has moved to the right.]

As a result, gravity now tries to pull the bike down towards the left and
that drags the front wheel with it and our travel direction has begun moving to
the LEFT. (For the purists out there this is not arguing that gyroscopic
precession didn't play a part - only that because there is a rake angle
counter-steering would work even without gyroscopic precession.) [Note that
because of the huge difference in mass between the relatively light front-end
and the rest of the bike, when traveling at less than about 6 MPH you actually
CAN make a significant turn of the handlebars and there is not enough
centrifugal force to push the top of the bike away from the direction you are
pointing to. Instead, the bike falls INTO the turn at these slow speeds and THAT
is why counter-steering does not work at such slow speeds.]

Wobble and weave are diminished because when the wheel is pointing at an
angle other than straight ahead the contact patch is not in alignment with the
direction of travel of the bike - that is, a slip angle is created. A restoring
force is applied to the contact patch by the ground which attempts to force that
alignment. Thus, because of trail, the front wheel tries to go in a straight
line. [This restoring force, sometimes called a 'righting moment' or 'castor
effect', is a function of the length of trail. The longer the trail, the
stronger it is. It is also a function of traction. The higher the traction, the
stronger it is. Thus, braking increases the restoring force. This is primarily
what 'dumps' a bike when the front brake is applied during a slow speed
turn.]

Nitrous Backfire

2008-04-11T16:19:00.002+08:00

Saw this video quite a few years back. Now when reading one of the Brock Davidson's article did I realise that it was actually him who's riding this bike. "Ouch" would aptly describe the video. Enjoy!

An interesting quote

2008-04-07T13:52:00.003+08:00

"I spend money I don't have, on things I don't need, to impress people I don't know."

How many of us are actually guilty of this statement? Looking back at the money spent, I cannot say that it does not spell a hint of truth in several of my purchases. But as a whole, I'm glad that a good 95% of my purchases are NOT reflective of that statement.

Sometimes we would like to pamper ourselves with a little expensive something which at the root is explicated by the above statement. Therefore most of the purchases are done will many hours of research, planning and calculation before committing to action.

Let's all just enjoy what we buy, using the money we have ready, buying the things we truly need or want (yes, wants too..)

Motty AFR Tuner

2008-04-04T18:12:00.005+08:00

The Motty AFR Tuner is an all in one package tuning system for providing all the necessary features for automatically custom mapping a typical naturally aspirated fuel injected motorcycle engine.

The Motty AFR Tuner is aimed at the motorcycle engine enthusiasts and offers a never before seen flexibility and level of control over the fueling of the engine.

Modifying motorcycles for racing or street riding was always popular with their owners. Installing aftermarket performance components such as exhaust systems, air filters or even internal engine modifications are very common. However the stock engine management systems found on the motorcycles of today do not compensate for the improved air flow of these aftermarket components which leads to the engine being operated out of its optimum air-fuel mixture range. In most cases this only means that the output power is below what the given modification would be capable of with correct mixture ratio, but in extreme cases it can lead to engine damage from internal overheating or detonation.

The Motty AFR Tuner was created to solve this problem. It automatically controls the air-fuel ratio of the intake charge according to the user defined target air-fuel mixture ratio map and it continuously maintains this even if new modifications are made to the motorcycle or slow changes like air filter clogging or engine wear take place.

Main features

Digital wideband lambda sensor controller for high precision air-fuel mixture ratio measurement. The wideband oxygen sensor technology allows measuring the air-fuel mixture ratio accurately in all possible engine conditions from idle to full load.
Fuel injection control with two high resolution 14x73 cell fuel injector control maps. Off grid map values are calculated with 3D interpolation and the map resolution is especially detailed in the low throttle regions to deliver the smoothest off throttle engine response.
Automatic fuel injection self mapping for providing the engine with user defined air-fuel mixture ratios in all engine conditions. The two fully user editable target air-fuel ratio maps share the same 14x73 cell resolution and sophisticated interpolation algorithms as the injector maps allowing optimizing the engine for different goals in different engine conditions. For example a rich mixture for best power in the high load areas, a leaner mixture for good fuel economy in cruising conditions and a richer mixture for good throttle response in the low throttle regions.
The automatic self mapping feature utilises the real-time wide band lambda measurement and the fuel injector control capability of the Motty AFR Tuner to progressively reach the target air-fuel ratio by simply riding the motorcycle.
Integrated data logger for recording the most important engine parameters: air-fuel ratio, engine speed, throttle position, gear position (on models equipped with the sensor), coolant temperature, vehicle speed and an external 0-5V user input.
Top speed derestriction for Suzuki GSX-R1000 and GSX1300R Hayabusa motorcycles. The maximum engine revolution of these motorcycles is limitted to a lower value in top gear by the ECM. The Motty AFR Tuner can overcome this restriction by enabling the full RPM range also in the 6^th gear.

Supported motorcycle models

The Motty AFR Tuner can be installed on most naturally aspirated fuel injected motorcycles. The engine can have up to four cylinders, has to be equipped with high impedance injectors, and the design of the exhaust system should route the exhaust gases from all cylinders into an exhaust collector pipe where the wideband lambda sensor can be installed.

These requirement are met by all current Japanese inline motorcycles with either the stock or an aftermarket exhaust system with lambda sensor bung.

The Motty AFR Tuner is sold with a generic wiring harness which requires custom installation to the wiring harness of the vehicle.

Price: €459.90

This seems a lot better that the WEGOII I'm looking for, full access to the setting of the AFR (air/fuel ratio) to allow for custom power delivery and fuel economy. Direct driving of the fuel injectors means that the response time of the system should be quite good. It also offers the logging of the AFR (which will be quite redundant after it auto corrects for itself).

The downside I can see is that the degradation of the lambda sensor over time needs to be monitored closely as it will severely affect the tune of the engine. Some thing to consider in the shopping list definitely. When this unit comes, I'll be saying good bye to the old Power Commander.

Samco Silicon Coolant Hoses

2008-03-30T13:22:00.000+08:00

The Samco Sport hose kits are designed to replace original equipment in a wide range of motorcycles both in motorsport and fast road use. Superb integrity and superior performance reduces the risk of component failure and enables higher temperatures and pressures to be maintained with complete confidence.

With superlative quality proven on race and rally circuits worldwide, Samco Sport silicone hoses are the first choice of engineers demanding total reliability under competition and fast road conditions.

HOSE SPEC
Standard Colour: Blue
Colour Options: Black/Red/Green/Purple/Yellow/Orange
Standard Hose Max Temperature: ~ 170ºC (338ºF)
Size Tolerance: ± 0.5mm

COLOURS
All Samco Sport hoses are produced in a high gloss finish and are available in the standard Samco Sport blue or optional black, red, green, purple, bright yellow and orange.

PRICE
200 SGD inclusive of installation at K&T Accessory Pte Ltd

This hose will be available for the Hayabusa within the month. It'll be a great replacement for the stock rubber hoses which have a tendency to degrade over time and in time the rubber hoses if not replaced will actually burst and scald the rider.
The additional advantage of colour choice lets you customise even the part that you can hardly see.

SPECIFICATIONS	POWER：142kw(193ps) / 10,000rpm TORQUE：142.2Nm (14.5kgm) / 8,000rpm WEIGHT:198kg (DRY) STD : 215kg
MOTORCYCLE	GSX1300R 2000Model
ENGINE PARTS	Tri-Oval Titanium Cyclone Exhaust System Pipe : Titanium / Silencer : Carbon φ81 High Compression PistonKit (12.0:1 Forged) ST-1 Camshaft Set
TUNING UP (ENGINE)	Cylinder Head Porting Valve Polished & Lightened Dyno Tested Re-assemblled by YOSHIMURA FACTORY BMC Air Filter
TUNING UP (CHASSIS)	Original Oil Lock Piece,Piston Valve Shim & Oil Height
CHASSIS PARTS	Aluminium Fuel Tank	Capacity : 24Litter
	Fairing Kit	Upper,Lower, Carbon Front Fender, Seat, Screen, Tool Box, Seat Rail, Mirror, Head Light (High : Halogen / Low : HID),Turn Signal etc.
	Fairing: Coloring	YOSHIMURA Original Colour(Red & Gun Metal)
	Magnesium Step Kit	Adjustable Back: 19 or 31mm/UP: 49 or 61mm
	Hydraulic Houses	Front Brake, Rear Brake and Clutch Hoses
	Digital Dual Temp Meter Set	Water & Oil Temperatures,Voltage,time & Stopwatch
	Chassis Protector
	Brake Pad Set
OTHERS	Racing Stand Serial Number : Cylinder Head Serial Number : Original Name Plate Yoshimura Hayabusa X-1 Book

The Ultimate Predator - 隼 Hayabusa

Is it time already?

Vapour Lock

Signs of not riding enough

Shell's transparent car

Finding time to ride

BMW S1000RR

Exhaust Performance and Scavenging

On screen appearance

The Peregrine Falcon in action

Westfield vs Zonda

The Ben Spies Method

5-6th Sept 09 KL Shopping Trip

CBR 600RR ABS

Dodge Tomahawk

8 Litre V10 Bike

Aiming the front headlight

24volt Start System Harness With Dual Battery Auto Charge Circuit

Top Clamp Cover Makeover

Wiring Schematic for 24V Start with Manual Switching

Beyond Superbikes: The Yoshimura Hayabusa Fujio Yoshimura talks about the Japanese built GSX-1300R Racer

MTV

Hardly Ableson?

1100cc 2-stroke triple Superbike

New Map Loaded

The Corbin Beetle Bags for GEN2 Hayabusa -in development -

Making time to ride

Williams Helical Camshaft

Mat Mladin's GSXR 1000 K8 for Sale

Crower's 6-stroke engine

Man vs Car

19th - 21st March Hatyai Trip

Spark Plugs - Some technical information

Showa's Big Piston Front

How not to do a burnout

Hayabusa goes 4 wheels

24V Starter Setup

Kids Stunting?!

Female Bikers - 17 out of 20 are butches?

Slipping and Sliding and Still in control

Milk Gets In Your Eyes

The WTF video

Squid on Suzuki

Status update: Operation in Progress

Little known facts about the Hayabusa *funny*

Timely arrival on CNY Eve

Some stuff for the new year

Engine Cylinder Bore Honing

48 Cylinder Bike

The Irony

Piston, Cylinder, and Ring Operation

Hayabusa - At places where you least expect it

Clutch Pump Installed

An accidental buy

A lightbulb moment

Suzuki refines Hayabusa engine

Airbox Mod (New)

A show of power

More bling...

Tribute to Dave Owens

Rider/Tuner Bio of Dave ‘DaveO’ Owen

Riding Accomplishments

Tuning Accomplishments

Most important lifetime accomplishment as tuner OR a rider?

SW-Motec & H&B Side Panniers: Ride Review

It's a bird! No, it's a plane!

Random photos?

Arai Side Pod

New Toy arriving

I believe I can fly!

Bling

The Operation

Fuel Cell Motorcycle

Larger carrying capacity

Finally...

Late Shipment...

Heavy Duty Cush Drive Rubber

Interesting joke

Rear shock upgrade

Maintenance and Upgrade

Little known facts about the Hayabusa funny