So, ladies and gentlemen, after years of stalking everyone here I've decided to join.
I have a 97 gs500, I'm wasting my time on tuning the hell out of it, so far I've ported a spare head to 36mm, checked if I can advanced the inlet cam, seems possible, done the timing advanced, doesn't seem to make much difference, Ive checked the jets and it seems like I've been using the 400? jets, as when I looked they read 115 instead of the standard 122.5, so I changed them to standard and now have a bog on long throttle openings, feels like fuel starvation, but..... yet to explore. Have ordered a set of 36mm carbs to see if that makes an improvement, again, yet to be tested.
The biggest question I have is : can you fit a gsx 400 head on the gs500 barrels? Only had the bike 2 months or so, got it as a project so am playing with the performance
The 400 4 valve 2 cyl head is supposed to be a direct fit. However I believe it was called the GS400EX (not a GSX if I recall) and only sold a few years in Europe.
The GS can get improvements form head work, however you're likely to find the best benefits pushing that redline if you're looking for outright power.
Here is a much cheaper, easier and I should say far fat better idea ...
Buy a bandit 400 if you want the high revving naked. Or a Honda CB1.
If you want low revving power - get a MZ 660 skorpion. I have 2 and they are if anything even lighter, better handling and better all around than a GS, night and day. Imagine a bike that made more power and torque with less weight and the same form as a GS.
41 mm paioli's, standard, 150 rear wheel - standard, Brembo brakes standard, steel braided lines - standard, plastic tank - standard, a lot of other crap.
It has carb issues but 5 valve Yamaha motor and will respond to all the standard raptor motor mods.
Anyway, my .02.
Cool.
Buddha.
The ignition timing myth.
The more efficient the combustion space is (along with related elements), the LESS ignition advance is needed (to a point).
Often, a more advanced ignition works in an engine where the combustion space and related things cause an inefficient, slow flame-front, so a more advanced timing is needed to give a thorough burn. But the advance is just compensating for a problem, plus, the more advanced the timing is, the more the risk of detonation.
Often a highly efficient racing engine will have a slightly more retarded ignition, because the flame-front travels quicker and will burn completely in less time, producing more power.
But I think that the key to it is that the timing needs to be matched to a particular engine. All else being equal, changing the ignition timing won't improve performance.
The Buddha, Joolstacho, thanks for the input, after some playing around neither mod works, the cam advance or the timing advance, the problem I have with getting a bigger bike is my 47bhp licence limit, I cba with getting a restrictor kit either, so I'm just wondering what I can do to it now to get more power than the 37/38 it's at atm, what I'm more confused about is my dad's gs500 is identical, yet its got far more go to it, such as it wheelies above 5k yet mine only wheelies above 7, stunts aside I just can't figure out the difference....... Thinking of giving the gsx400 8v head a shot, I've got a complete gs400 engine that's in better nik and the head is identical so will keep playing, other thing is I'm looking at aftermarket exhausts and I've found the delkovic and black widow, can't find the v&h or any others that are recommended on here, any ideas /thoughts on the aforementioned?
Cheers :cheers: