Quote from: jestercinti on September 11, 2012, 05:50:48 PM
I hear that these plugs turn typically leaner mitures into perfect ones.  Lesson learned...turn down pilot mixture screws, and install these plugs.

Hrrrm... So basically what you're saying is... with my drop-in k&N filter, I could have just swapped plugs, and I'd have been good.

Which has the implication that if I ever manage to actually finish the rejet, tuned for "normal" plugs... then if I put in the brisk ones, it'll be too rich? :-p
oh wait, screws and jets are different. So....  whaddya think?

The plugs have a different shape to the spark. It is more of a mushroom and deeper into the cylinder than the location of the standard spark.

That results in a better burn. Better burn means more power and it is more consistent so smoother running.

The plug doesn't affect the mixture. It makes whatever your mixture is burn better.

I have found better power and nice acceleration even with WOT. No dead area on the throttle or lag.

What you did improved performance. The Brisk plugs also improve performance. With both, you should have awesome power.

Just ordered a set from Amazon.........hopefully I will see MPG's go up to the 60's too   I commute 55 miles round trip 5 days a week and usually hit reserve near the end of my 3rd trip (165-170 miles).....It would be nice to stretch my fill ups to once every 4th, or even 5th! commute......


BTW, I have put almost 6,000 commuter miles on mine since April..........Loving it

Craigs...that's a lot of commuting miles.  Good to see I am not the only one with the GS500 commute killer.  Let us know how the plugs work out.

Quote from: jestercinti on September 12, 2012, 05:29:05 AM
Craigs...that's a lot of commuting miles.  Good to see I am not the only one with the GS500 commute killer.  Let us know how the plugs work out.

The fuel savings have already paid for the bike.....I paid $790 for it...2001 it had less than 15,000 miles on it when I bought it.....By my calculations, I have saved over $900 in fuel ($3.60/gallon comparing it to the 18 MPG that I get in my truck) in commuting mileage since April

Rain or shine, I ride........Frogg Toggs rain gear is the bomb!

wow. 
any rust issues?

Between parking and fuel bikes are free for me ...
To top it off I pay nothing for it cos I buy a mangled mess ... so its all profit ... 
Cool.
Buddha.

Craigs...that's a lot of commuting miles.  Good to see I am not the only one with the GS500 commute killer.  Let us know how the plugs work out.


   I see as well that I'm nit the only one who hops on the bike no matter what time it is. I've put over 10k on my 2005 In the year and half I've had mine. I do think 6k since April might me a little more ridding than me.


   Great find adidas! I will definately be investing into these plugs as a trial. I'll also let everyone know what they do for my bike.
   Thanks for the find!

Quote from: 05-500_F-aster on September 12, 2012, 10:45:03 AM
Craigs...that's a lot of commuting miles.

I'm unable to take the bike everyday, but my commute is 57 miles one way..

Quote from: GI_JO_NATHAN on September 12, 2012, 10:48:11 AM

Quote from: 05-500_F-aster on September 12, 2012, 10:45:03 AM
Craigs...that's a lot of commuting miles.

I'm unable to take the bike everyday, but my commute is 57 miles one way..

I put some cheapo saddle bags on mine, so there is no excuse for me not to ride everyday!

Quote from: adidasguy on September 11, 2012, 08:17:55 PM

Quote from: slipperymongoose on September 11, 2012, 08:15:26 PM
Just jumped on the Aussie site and no listing for the f800 

Email them with the plug you currently use. They will tell you what plugs they have that cross reference to it.
They did that for Thumper. TS-185 not in their list.

Yeah that's the thing I don't even know how to get my plugs out yet lol but I have received my Haynes manual so I'll look into it.

Quote from: craigs449 on September 12, 2012, 01:11:38 PM
I put some cheapo saddle bags on mine, so there is no excuse for me not to ride everyday!

Yeah I've got all that.
It's just that I have to take and pick up my daughter from daycare most of the time..

Back to the plugs...

Adidas, did you say you found some for thumper?  I may have missed something, but curious to see how they handle in a 2 stroke. Probably the same as a 4 stroke, but my curiosity lies in the added oil mixture.

I am probably over analyzing as usual. 

HUH?  First real test of what?  67 MPG...yeah....I commute 180 miles just about every Saturday and every Sunday......That is pretty much my average over the last 2 years and 29,000 miles on the longer rides.........(I get as low as 50 MPG on my weekly short commute with trips of less than a mile, up to 20 miles.

Are you saying that conventional spark plugs would not give you the same mileage?  If so you need to test that too, in order to come to some conclusion.

Gas mileage on a GS500 varies so wildly due to many factors, ( temperature, humidity, wind, hills, riding style) that one long ride is hardly indicative of anything.  (Comparison)

Listen, I do appreciate you  going out and trying these plugs, and reporting back.  But so far, the evidence of any meaningful improvement is not there IMHO.   Starting without choke is interesting, but I'm not sure what benefit that offers.  Improved mileage is not yet shown.  Improved HP is not yet shown.  "performing better" is simply subjective. 

So far you have shown that the fancy plugs give the same mileage as stock...

"better is more expensive"

"expensive doesn't always mean better"

I find it interesting that the same company makes a variety of plug designs...some quite conventional.  Don't they believe in their own special design?

Whenever anyone makes claims of "well the bike just feels better".....whether due to spark plugs, high test gas, dyna beads, motor treatment in a can, etc......I always make the same challenge.....do a "blind taste test"...that is take a closed course of considerable length...run the bike with stock parts, then with the miracle device.....but with the rider not knowing which is installed.....but you have to do like 20 runs or more...and mix it up...and see how many  times the rider can identify which way the bike is set up........

Of course nobody ever takes the time to do this....they all just give you the subjective..."I know my bike and I know it feels better"..........OK if it makes you happy go for it....but this is not a "test".

So anyway...keep testing...keep us informed.....it is interesting....I am not in the least convinced (yet)...My bike starts fine, runs fine, is capable of speeds far above what I want or need, gets good mileage....hard to top that!


Cookie

Quote from: adidasguy on September 11, 2012, 01:48:28 PM
First real test.
200 mile day trip to Mt. Rainer last Sunday.
230 miles since fill up.
3.438 gallons.
66.9 mpg.
Pretty good mileage and I still need to do a valve adjustment and carb sync - been 2000 miles since last checked by the dealer (RMC out of business so I will do it myself now that Suzi's at about 7000 miles and out of warranty).

I cannot argue with that Twocool.  The experiences and results of the posts in this thread are unofficial.

I am an auditor by trade, and the president of a local auditing group in Cincinnati (http://www.isaca-cincinnati.org).  You need proof, and you need data.   Having a bone stock bike (the control) compared to a bone stock bike with these plugs as the only change would be a good test for fuel economy for instance.  You'd also need to make sure that the engines are in equal mechanical abilities, such as brand new.

Overkill for this forum IMO, but if someone is willing to do this, I'll independently verify the results.   

Regardless of the unscientific results, I'm installing these based on good reviews from the community.   

If I had the dough, I'd independently test this myself.  I don't have the attention span, however 

Quote from: twocool on September 12, 2012, 07:57:03 PM
.but you have to do like 20 runs or more...and mix it up...and see how many  times the rider can identify which way the bike is set up........

pfft.

It should take 1 really bored person, either 2 hours, or 4 hours, to have pretty authorative proof.

First off, it needs to be someone who has a "commute" type long run, and usualy gets fairly standard milage from his bike.

First, fill to exactly a particular level.
Do the "standard run", for X amount of miles, where "X" is ideally a gallon's worth, and it is a run where there are virtually no stop signs, lights, etc.
In other words, a freeway run of some kind is probably the idea.

Come back at end, record milage, record fuel required to get back to set level.
Do standard run with new plugs.
Come back, record milage, fuel.
Replace original plugs.
Do run again, etc.
Replace new plugs, do run for fourth and final time.

If runs with "standard plugs" are within 1-2 mpg of each other.. and runs with "new plugs" are within 1-2 mpg of each other... but there is significant variation between standrad and new plug runs.. then its pretty conclusive .

The key here is doing them all back to back on same day, at times where temp is relatively set as well.
Some reproduction of results is desirable, sure. But claiming it requires 20 times is just silly.
If there are external variables, then the doubled runs with standard plugs should show it up.

Phil,

Yes, this is called the "scientific method".......many ways to set up the experiment...one bike is the "control".....

Trouble is, even in your scenario below, there are too many variables..........

The "swing" on gas mileage is 10 to 20 MPG.....so trying to get down to 1 or 2 is difficult on a real world course.   In fact, our racer friend says he gets like 13 MPG running on the track at full throttle.
I have gotten over 70 MPG on my long ride...so that is a swing of over 50 MPG due to factors other than spark pugs.

Bigger point....If gas economy is the goal....spark plugs are not the answer.  I think most GS500 riders are happy with he 50 plus MPG...an extra 2 MPG is not significant....

But what I would like to address is the riders who claim..."the bike just feels better".....how do you argue with this?  You need to make up some mythbusters, blind taste test.....results would be enlightening!

But you're right...it would require several people with way too much spare time....

Cookie

Quote from: Phil B on September 12, 2012, 10:34:31 PM

Quote from: twocool on September 12, 2012, 07:57:03 PM
.but you have to do like 20 runs or more...and mix it up...and see how many  times the rider can identify which way the bike is set up........

pfft.

It should take 1 really bored person, either 2 hours, or 4 hours, to have pretty authorative proof.

First off, it needs to be someone who has a "commute" type long run, and usualy gets fairly standard milage from his bike.

First, fill to exactly a particular level.
Do the "standard run", for X amount of miles, where "X" is ideally a gallon's worth, and it is a run where there are virtually no stop signs, lights, etc.
In other words, a freeway run of some kind is probably the idea.

Come back at end, record milage, record fuel required to get back to set level.
Do standard run with new plugs.
Come back, record milage, fuel.
Replace original plugs.
Do run again, etc.
Replace new plugs, do run for fourth and final time.

If runs with "standard plugs" are within 1-2 mpg of each other.. and runs with "new plugs" are within 1-2 mpg of each other... but there is significant variation between standrad and new plug runs.. then its pretty conclusive .

The key here is doing them all back to back on same day, at times where temp is relatively set as well.
Some reproduction of results is desirable, sure. But claiming it requires 20 times is just silly.
If there are external variables, then the doubled runs with standard plugs should show it up.

To hell with the mpg.  I ordered the plugs and replaced them in my 08 and I can feel and hear a difference immediately.  The throttle is much more responsive.  Thanks Addidas

I know everyone is skeptical about the "miracle potions", but I would think that the amount of people on here relating that they noticed a difference should account for something.  As for the testing, i will swap mine out when i get them and take note of the mileage at fill ups just like I do with it now.  Most of the time I get 47-48 MPG during the hot weather, as of lately I am getting 50-51 MPG since the temp has cooled.  I am shocked at the MPG's that some get out of their GS's on here! 

Adidasguy, when you posted that you got to really give them a test and recorded 66 MPG, had you taken that route before with the old plugs?, And if so, what kind of mileage were you logging then?

BTW, mine are ordered and waiting to be shipped

I'm not siding either way on this, but I've been following along. So I figure I'll add an element I haven't seen mentioned.
When I first got my bike, it only had 2500 miles on it.  But I went ahead and replaced the plugs after a couple weeks of riding even though they seemed fine and were hardly discolored at all.  I immediately noticed a difference with the new plugs.  It started easier and it warmed up faster.  I replaced them with the exact same stock plugs... 

For some of you, could this be just a case of fresh plugs? or is my experience with new plugs not normal?

- Bboy