[Oregon_6R]

This is off their Website:
[q]Q: Can I use a Gtech on a motorcycle?
A: You can use the Gtech for a straight line drag race on level ground. If you don’t pop a wheelie, the Gtech will accurately measure all the quarter mile and braking statistics. Currently we do not have the Gtech firmware programmed to measure RPMs. This means you will not be able to look at Torque, HP vs RPM graphs, or use the shiftlights. We are working on firmware for motorcycle RPMs and should have firmware available after summer 2003 which will enable the current Gtech hardware to measure RPMs on motorcycles as well as cars.[/q]

Now this will be a true measure of aftermakert performance parts on bikes.
i.e. Flow Commanders, Bolt on Cans, etc.

Being able to measure Hp and Torque while actually using the ram air, should take care of any arguments about what is good and what should be sold on infomercials.

It really blows me away that no one has designed a dyno attachment that simulates the ram air effect. If fact bikes are really behind the times on performance tuning.

Where are the wideband Lambda meters and computer controlled diagnostic equipment??

Can anyone fill me in on why the 1960's tuning by ear is still popular/normal?







"Arguing over the internet is like competing in the special olympics;
you may win, but you're still retarded." ~Marine 1/26/03~

 

[Dave Leonard]

Oregon_6R,
Actually there was at least one extensive test with pressurization of the air box. It was in either Cycle World or Motorcyclist magazine, can't remember which, but it was done with a stock ZX-9. They simply installed a manometer to indicate the actual pressures inside the airbox at various speeds right up to 170 mph. Then they fashioned an adjustable blower setup mounted to force air directly into the airbox permitting them to simply dial the pressure to match what they observed on the bike. At the same time, of course, results were recorded on the Dyno. The tests didn't suggest anything shocking or contrary to popular belief. The ram air contributed almost 10 hp at max velocity, as I recall. It also revealed that the system doesn't contribute much at all until some really high speeds are achieved. Even 100 mph only resulted in 1 or 2 hp. A little disappointing, I thought, but all pretty logical in the final analysis.
There are actually a few downsides to all the sexy little devices to measure and monitor performance as you describe. Most of these things are subject to calibration error. One is never quite sure if what he's reading is a problem with the bike or the instrumentation. The more of this stuff you use the greater the risk of misinformation. It can be done, but you may spend almost as much time testing the tester as you do using the equipment. No one wants to go along testing 40 or 50 machines and then discover that the tester equipment is reading 10% high. Another concern is that the people doing the work may become overly confident in the gadgets and loose the ability to do it manually or at least be able to confirm what they’re seeing.

 

[Cambridgezx6r]

Ram air may not increase HP at peak by a huge amount, but don't forget it increases HP all along the HP curve.

I check some of the Honda boards now and then. One of the big threads were about why Kawi's are fast straight line -- the reason? Ram air. Even the new 954 which is lighter (by quite a bit, 40 lbs?!) and makes more HP on a dyno with 55cc more than the old school ZX9 (899cc) can't realy pulla way hard from the 9 straight line.



'00 ZX6R silver

 

[Dave Leonard]

Cambridgezx6r'
I wish I'd held on to that test. As I recall there is a point where the air box actually hinders or negatively affects performance, but it’s at the low end of the scale, where it doesn't matter very much. In other words, when the bike’s velocity is low the demand for air from the engine can be greater that what is supplied by the vehicle's speed / ram air effects. Again as I remember it was something like up to 40 or 50 mph before the ram air begins to actually create pressure to the carbs. Of course, as you know, getting cooler air is another considerable advantage. Its easy to forget the 'good ol days' when a bike ran like crap in downtown stop and go situations when the air entering the carbs would by significantly preheated by the engine's heat. Extrapolating at the high end I calculated something over 15 hp contributed for my own bike which translates to just over 185 hp for a streetbike with 120,000 miles. Not bad. I can almost keep up with the Harleys.

 

[Cambridgezx6r]

Originally posted by Dave Leonard

... Extrapolating at the high end I calculated something over 15 hp contributed for my own bike which translates to just over 185 hp for a streetbike with 120,000 miles. Not bad. I can almost keep up with the Harleys.

'00 ZX6R silver