Hi all, I am in search of some independent information regarding Top end engine tuning and hopefully some of you knowledgeable people may be able to offer some help. From what I have read elsewhere, top end engine work will give extra performance particularly in mid-range without noticeably increasing overall bhp. By top end work, I mean Gasflowed cylinder head gaskets Kent camshafts adjustable cam sprockets valve shims Obviously, the above costs a few bob and what I would like to know is this - would the difference be noticeable ? My bike has been quite heavily modded with the usual performance items, such as full titanium exhaust, PC5, dyno tuned, lighter wheels, gearing change, pair valve, etc and weight reduction. Bike is a keeper, top end speed not that important to me and although I have 82.5 Torque, after two years I would like a little more acceleration BTW, more than happy with bike so not looking to change, would just like to continue improving my riding experience on it. Thanks in advance.
tbh your looking at few grand there,if all bits new then over 3K!!!! if your purely road riding,then just drop a tooth on the front,or go up on the rear but 2 or 3 teeth.depending on what gearing you have now you might need a new chain,or if it's newish,then just add a link or 2 (rear wise at least). 200 quid,compared to 3k for what difference you'd actually notice is a no brainer imo.
the other thing,if your going down that route,a head skim to give better comp,would be good,but then your looking at high comp pistons aswell.once you start it gets into seriuos oney
Adjustable cam sprockets will only give you a power increase depending on how far out the cam timing is from standard. If they are a long way out and you set them to standard, you should see a difference at top end speeds. If you reduce the cam lobe overlaps you could get more midrange and slightly better mpg. Beware of changing cam timings significantly or you may risk the valves touching the pistons. Skimming the head for more compression will give more power and you won't necessarily need high comp pistons. Different cams should help and you will need to reset the clearances. A gas flowed head will only help once you have done all the other mods and is an expensive item to have done properly.
Thanks scooby. The gearing route was my first change and I have tried the gearing in the combinations you mentioned but I am looking for a little bit more than the gearings give. If at the end of the day there would be no real difference then it obviously would not be worth it. Thanks Megawatt, that was helpful, if I went that route though, would the increased performance be noticeable ?
Don,t fit a turbo!!! Your bike will be off road more than it,s on. If you do all the mods, you should feel a difference, but not a lot. I,d concentrate on handling. One of the best mods is lighter wheels?
HRC headgasket? BSD had one in and it managed around 180 at the wheel I think. I'd just ring them if I was to go down that route as you're talking about a race spec build to make any noticeable difference and its not going to be much or worth it unless you're racing. I used to do all the above to cars but its apparently not quite the same with bikes. Have you done the QS and ingnition module? That can give up to 5hp more peak power delivery
Thanks Megawatt, wheels already done and brakes upgraded and suspension all upgraded.....it just needs a little more acceleration, but it sounds like there is not much more to have lol. Apart from bolts there is not much more weight to shed. Thanks Navvy, yep I have spoken to Mark at BSD several times, he does my tuning, well all my work actually ! It is hard to try to pin down any actual facts about head work and the difference it makes ie 0 to 100 time etc. Although I do not race , having a bike that accelerates fast is probably just as important to me as it is to a racer, just someting I like to have.....but not at any expense.
Can you buy an ex BSB or race engine which has been refreshed or in need of refreshing?Maybe cheaper than having yours modified and you have a spare engine.
Not what you want to hear I know, but the most cost effective route is to px against a newer bike like an S1R, RSV4 Factory or a late model ZX10R Any money spent on an older Blade will never be recouped come sale time and in fact a heavily modded Bike is a Twat to sell on in most circumstances.
Sideways, that is a possibility I had really not thought about, although having to refresh it regularly may turn out a little expensive, thanks. Sinewave, yes you are right on all counts and it makes total sense. My Blade though is so good in all other aspects it seems a shame to throw the baby out with the bath water. Thanks to everyone for all of your replies. It seems top end work will cost much more than the benefits gained.
As you know mate it's all the little tweaks that add up. Problem with tuning is the gains are small, they are advantages over another bike of the same build if they are on the grid together, when out on the open road you can argue it's waisted as longevity and reliability are more of a factor, stacks, cams and flow work DO give stronger midrange power I know of a guy who has a tuned RR6 that makes 184 bhp, on the other hand full spec motors of that year were making 205-210BHP at top level, HRC pistons and rods also give strong gains! BUT cost money, when tuning no one talks about money it's a budget free zone! Same as racing at top level. I continued on the path of weight reduction as acceleration is also effected by reduction in mass, so more Ti bolts, ERSM, LiPO battery and so on, plus keep your own weight in check! All for fun, hell yeah! Quickshifter is a must if your into acceleration and does give a strong advantage over the next man who does not have one, it's also relentless acceleration as does not let off. Your wheels are super nice mate but Mag or Carbon would up the game a little more, BSTs offer the best of both worlds as not effected by the environment like Mag but offer gains matched to that if not better, sadly sometimes you have to go over old ground to get the best of the best. Good question re new bike, is a new bike a better bike, maybe power wise and possible chassis wise? Hard to say I like to say end of the day most of them are just standard new models and they can be improved, so the game begins again! I'd argue some of the new models although better numbers are hindered by rider aids of some older models..but then I would say that...Ha Ha... however I HAVE seen this to be the case when say S1000RR 2012 v GSXR1000 K6!! Yes TRUE of the line! On a good note parts value seems to level out unlike bikes, performance parts appeal to a wide range of owners who are looking to gain something somewhere, tbh I think 99% of superbikes from the last 20 years are good enough for the most of us as they were from day one...lol So where does it end, well easy, at MGP, but we don't have the budget of the big factory teams so chipping away is the only option to get a taste of the good stuff
What gains would head gasket and trumpets get? Also how hard is cam timing to do? Thirdly is gas flowed head a benifit? Should they all be done together or can u do them separate with a decent gain Thanks
HI , look my bike introduction on this forum. I ve already done reprofiled cams ( better than hrc specs, more top end without losses in mid ), hrc 0,15 base gasket and hrc 0,55 head gasket, long a rata system, and a good fuel and ignition mapping. before that, ive just a slip on with pc5 mapped which gave me 157 bwhp, after i bump to 170 bwhp and a lot of midrange more than 10m.Kg from 7k to 12k ..... SInce last week my engine is open to get : wiseco 13;5 piston and new cylinder block CNC head porting and CNC multi angle valve job with news valves and we rebuild it checking P2V and P2H to go with a minimum of 13,5 comp and a 0,7 squish. I ll let you know the result but i think around 180 to the wheel and a very good midrange.....
Thanks Arthur, good advice as usual. Going back over things is all I seem to do lol. Had the suspension all done and then having the wheels/brakes etc done altered things and I had to get it done again. The wheels will have to be re-visited later on, once I have used these a while. The quickshifter is something that I should do, I just have this 'thing' about rider aides. It makes me sort of feel I am cheating lol, probably an old age thing, plus I love doing fast clutchless upshifts and seeing just how fast and slick I can get them. Yep, sad I know but I guess the quickshifter will have to come soon. As for weight reduction, I think I need to shed weight first and then put the bike on a diet.I could remove all my crash protection, that would save a few kilos ! Foenix, let us know how you get on, I have a full Arata system on mine, great for power gains.
Please don't take this the wrong way, its not ment as a dig. 1. loose weight, best value for money perormance gain, full stop......not to mention other health benefits. 2. Are you really using every last horse power that you currently have?.......I very much doubt it..........not a dig at your riding, its just 99.9% of us don't because we haven't the balls or the skill to do it. So some tuition / trackday type stuff will make a massive performance increase for relatively low cost compared to tuning costs. Recently a member raised a valid point....Michael dunlops 160 odd bhp superstock blade still beat zx10's and s1000rr's with 20-30 bhp more at the Ulster GP and he's a couple of stone lighter and four tt wins better than last year......food for thought.
