Low end is sluggish

[Guest]

Hi all,

So, it seems to me like my low end is sluggish. Honestly, I have zero reference for this as this is my first bike. I've been riding her for about a month now. It seems to rev appropriatly in the proper gear.(according to the manual). However, I feel like it has no pick-up in 1st, 2nd, and sometime 3rd gear. I get beat off the line by every car. I'm not trying to race, but I'm riding in the city and I have to stop and go every 20 seconds, so I tend to notice. I realize it's not a rocket, so perhaps this is the nature of the 26 yr old, I just want some re-assurance


Mechanically, everything seems to be in nice working order. She idles at 1100, Pulls well and is fast from 3rd gear on....no backfiring, or sputtering.

So far I've only changed the oil and checked the air filter (which was in good shape. well oiled, etc).

Is the answer going to be "carb re-build"? or are there other things I can check before this?

[nabrams]

The bike may have non-stock sprockets. This was (and still is) a common way to reduce cruising RPM. So when you set up a sprocket ratio that's good for the higher gear cruising, the acceleration in lower gears suffers. Personally, I prefer the low RPM cruising - I'm not racing anyone. If you're doing 90% of your riding in stop-and-go city traffic then this would obviously be a poor choice.

[chef1366]

Your 650 should beat almost any car off the line. Count the teeth on the front and rear sprockets and post them. I'll see if they are stock sizes.

Have you checked your valve clearance? Is your air filter good? Is the airbox sealed? Are you running with an in-line fuel filter? Are you experiencing a surging or high idle? Are you fouling plugs? Ect..........

If you have stock sprockets and my questions check out then I'd clean the carbs. I would do it anyway for piece of mnd.

http://www.thegsresources.com/gs_carbrebuild.htm

http://www.cycleorings.com/

[JTsGS650]

Our 650 shafties have plenty of torque so you really shouldn't be sluggish down low. How do your plugs look? Are you shifting too early?

Edit: Maybe dirty carbs. Try running a can of Seafoam through the tank...

[chef1366]

Ahhh, shafty. Strike the sprocket comments.

[maro]

Haven't checked the valve clearance yet. I'm a newbie, not sure of the level of difficulty on that, though I've seen plenty of posts. The filter looks ok, but I'm oredering a new one today. The airbox is shut using the sliding brackets. I don;t know anything about the inline fuel filter. I pulled my plugs and the tips are white. Guessing I'm running lean. Does that have anything to so with being sluggish.

I'll order some sea foam. thanks for the suggestions!

[chef1366]

White is lean. Check and make sure the airbox is sealed and your intake boots are good with new o-rings between the head and intake boots.