Gas mileage problem + popping from carbs

[argonsagas]

If you have 160psi across all four there should be no problem with valves.

There is a definite problem with carburetors/fuel mixture.

[Steve]

I went just over 100 miles and the bike has less than a 1/4 tank left... No I didn't top it off to check the mileage. I didn't beat the crap out of the bike to bad either.

So what mileage should I expect from an 1150?

The only way to check mileage is by starting with a full tank, riding a bit (your 'just over 100 miles' is great) and filling up the tank again. Just watching the gauge on these bikes is an exercise in futility. After some time with the bike you will get to know that when the needle points to a certain mark you will put in about X number of gallons, but you can't read 1/4 on the gauge as 1/4 in the tank. My wife's 850L goes way over the full mark when the tank is full and it takes 30-40 miles to get it to the full mark. Another 50-60 miles and it's at half. About 30 more and it's at the red line. Definitely not linear response.

My answer to this problem will eventually be a set of direct lift carbs...
But I wonder if for now I can adjust the needle position? I don't want to waste money on re-jetting these current carbs.

Why the 'direct lift carbs'? If you are keeping the bike on the street, there is nothing wrong with a set of well-tuned CV carbs. Spending about $30 for a set of jets for these carbs will certainly be cheaper (and easier) than buying a set of carbs for ... how much? ... then spending more money to re-jet them.

My bike is running on all 4, it will pull the front wheel in first gear and has plenty of get up and go...

And there is a problem with this? Sure, when it's better-tuned you might get it up in second or third, but you can achieve that with your present carbs.

The bike is certainly overly rich, ...

You already know it's rich. Should not take much to lean it down. In fact, check the idle mixture screws. Unless you are acellerating or simply at high speed, the carbs spend a lot of time on the idle circuit. If they are running overly rich, it can really affect your gas mileage and overall driveability.

Sounds like a mixture problems to me. I'd pull the carbs and make sure they are clean and take an inventory of what jets are in there. From there you can make a more informed decision on what to do next.

If you read Nessism's sig line, it would make your job much easier. "To measure is to know."

Do these carbs have an adjustable needle position?

Stock ... no. But, do you know if they are stock? No. So far it sounds like you don't really want to know what's in there. You might already have a proper jet kit that simply needs to be fine-tuned.

Hopefully before the winter is over I will have some direct lift mikunis and I won't have to waste my time worrying about these CV carbs.

Hopefully, before the winter is over you can tell us how it turned out.

For what it's worth, I belong to the school that thinks CVs are sub-optimal unless running with the stock intake and 'proper slide carbs' are the way to go.

Everybody is certainly entitled to his own opinion. I belong to the school that thinks that CVs are great for general street use. They do have serious downfalls on the track where there is constant wide-open useage with intermittant closings followed by wide-open again. They just can't handle those transitions gracefully. With either system, you will need to be properly jetted to run well, and I happen to think you could do well with your current carbs, unless you are doing street drags for pinks.

.

[anthonygs1000]

Problem identified

this is a Honda guy that owns a real bike now with the old school Honda mentality just hold on bud to catch up to us Suzuki guys you have to crawl before you can learn to fly. seriously don’t be afraid of the carbs
they wont bite you can adjust a valve but worried about simple carbs take them off and take a look you have nothing to loose

[doctorgonzo]

Just a note I'll throw out there, be careful of popping/spitting carbs as the fuel can soak your air filter and cause it to catch on fire buring up the airbox and the parts of the harness nearby... ask me how I know.

[Nessism]

No doubt, the 1150 has power to be unleashed with the use of free flowing carburetors. The stock engine has plenty of power for most people but some thrill seeker types aren't happy until they have maximized the potential - moving the bike from scary fast, to crazy fast. Nothing wrong with that I suppose as long as you have the money to spend.

Guess this thread comes down to how much work does Mr. Honda want to put into his "slow" stock carbs. Only he can decide this. Personally, I'd work on the jetting in the stock carbs and see what can be done. After the bike is running right a more informed decision can be made relative to the need for more power.

[CB900SS]

Again, thanks for all of the replies. My initial post was basically and mainly concerned with the condition of my valves. Although the fuel mileage does seem to suck, even though I have not topped the bike off to confirm the fuel gauge is correct.

These carburetors do not scare me at all, but I do want direct lift carbs on this bike... So I don't see the point in wasting my time and money with the CV's. The bike doesn't have any flat spots or problems like that, they are just really rich. So at least I know the motor should be safe being rich... Except for the issue with a possible fire at the filters.

I just had the carburetors off the bike when I did the cam chain tensioner gasket, and valves. I also installed all new valve cover bolts and gaskets for the cover... Along with some new crinkle paint on the cover. It came out nice. I think all I did to the carbs was check the mixture screws, they are at 3.5 turns out... Maybe I will just go to 2.5 and see if that helps at idle and when cold with the popping through the filters.

Thanks for the replies and making fun of Hondas. I still have a DOHC F I am building, and it will be pretty sick... I have a full titanium exhaust for that bike.

[Nessism]

Thanks for the replies and making fun of Hondas.

Sorry, couldn't help it.

Coming to a Suzuki site and using a Honda derived screen name is analogous to going to a Chevy car show while wearing a Ford hat and tee shirt. Or maybe being out on a date and taking about your ex.

[anthonygs1000]

speed is a ?

Speed is a question of money how fast do you want to go ?
How about 125mph in the 1/8 mi Seven pounds of boost ( it would go up to 20 lbs boost)3/4 of the throttle
That was breaking the bike in wait until spring all for under 10 grand
for all you honda guys money talks and you know the rest

[CB900SS]

Or maybe being out on a date and taking about your ex.

That gave me a good chuckle! I am just known as that SN in many different places, it doesn't really bother me, I can handle the ribbing I will get.

Speed is a question of money how fast do you want to go ?
How about 125mph in the 1/8 mi Seven pounds of boost ( it would go up to 20 lbs boost)3/4 of the throttle
That was breaking the bike in wait until spring all for under 10 grand
for all you honda guys money talks and you know the rest

That's my kind of bike Anthony! But certainly beyond my budget, I was thinking some RS's and the kerker exhaust I have will get me by for a while. I also want to get the fairing off for the sping, but am having a real hard time finding the stock parts.

I really like the seat, was it just a stock unit cut down and re-covered?

[anthonygs1000]

yes it was taken apart then cut with a meat knife then the stock cover put back on with staples what I was trying to say my dad's friend bought a 1150 in 1985 did a jet kit pipe and filters and ran low 9's after he rode the bike a hour and twenty minutes to get to the track and then the same home every weekend for two years you can make the stock carbs work great. if it was me I would spend my extra money on the clutch springs and a welded clutch hub to get rid of the week link. then you can hammer on it for many years here is my street version I have a bassani and a set of K&N’s and a jet kit for it but I don’t know it want to f it up yet

[anthonygs1000]

I would be interested in buying your fairings if they were for sale

[CB900SS]

I hear you Anythony, thanks for the advice.

That EF looks good dude, I wish I would have realized they made two version of bar end weights. I ordered a complete new set for my bike but got the smaller E versions. If I had realized I would have ordered the longer (heavier?) ones that you have.

I will be keeping the fairing, for cold weather riding. I need a bunch of parts for it and its not in that great of shape anyway. I need the right side lower inner metal bracket, and the large black plastic insert that wraps around the top inside of the fairing... Someone cut holes in it for speakers and a deck.

Where in NY are you? And that's your son on the bike right?

[Mysuzyq]

If you cannot return the bar-ends for heavier ones, simply make a couple slugs from steel/ss bar, from scrap available at your local machine shop, turned down to the appropriate dia. to press-fit your bars. I turned a 4" length of steel to .688", if memory serves (the I.D. of my Superbike bars is .690), cut the piece in half, and pushed the slugs about an inch into the bars. Then topped it off with a sweet pair of carbon fiber bar-ends. Not sure what the heavier stock 1150 ends weigh, but apart from the Manic Salamander ends, none of the aftermarket items have any significant heft to them, and are more for cosmetic than vibration-damping purposes. I didn't feel like shelling out $80 for MS ends, and the steel slugs out-weigh them, and do the job beautifully for free. This mod, coupled with the Carbtune have made bar vibes largely a thing of the past on my 1100.

Tony.

[anthonygs1000]

No that is me on the bike I will be 18 in january I have 9 old suzukis (from gs1000's to 1150's) my dad and i build and I race. the red bike was my christmas- birthday present this year we are building another drag bike now as my dad says it is better than watching TV I live in Endicott outside of binghamton it is where IBM started P.S. does your 1150 vibrate bad in your hands

[CB900SS]

No that is me on the bike I will be 18 in january I have 9 old suzukis (from gs1000's to 1150's) my dad and i build and I race. the red bike was my christmas- birthday present this year we are building another drag bike now as my dad says it is better than watching TV I live in Endicott outside of binghamton it is where IBM started P.S. does your 1150 vibrate bad in your hands

That is so sweet dude, your dad is a smart man! Building a drag bike is certainly better than watching TV.. TV makes you brain dead.

So your pretty far upstate then?

My 1150 did vibrate pretty badly when I got it, but it had no bar end weights at all. The weights I added pretty much cured that, but I am sure when I get the bike running a little smoother it will be even better. But like I said its very slight.