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COLORTUNE/CARBTUNE Review

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    COLORTUNE/CARBTUNE Review

    My buddy RenoBruce & I put our wallets together to purchase a COLORTUNE & a CARBTUNE syncronizer. Bruce forked up the bucks and made the purchase. I contributed to the health of Bruce's paypal account. I was also lucky enough to be the guinea pig, and play with the toys first!

    The COLORTUNE is a fantastic tool! Takes the guesswork out of setting the fuel mixture. No more plug reads, or chop tests. You could still do those things if you want to. I would recommend getting your hands on one of these tools first. For me, this will always be an essential setup procedure for my carbs. Followed by a sync.

    On my '78 GS1000, I had the pilot screw set at 1 1/2 turns. The COLORTUNE showed me a mostly yellow combustion color. Adding 1/4 turn to the pilot screw gave me a light blue burn at idle & a slightly darker blue when I advanced the throttle.

    On the "big bike", the '80 GS1100E has only one adjustment on the cv carbs. The fuel mixture screw just behind the intake boot. We weren't sure if the COLORTUNE would have a practical use with the cv carb setup. But just as it did on the hotrod, I got a good slight yellow to light blue combustion color. I dialed back each mixture screw about 1 1/2 turns just to see the reaction. Sure enough, the color lost it's blue and went to yellow. I put the turns back in, and wound up adding 1/4 turn to #3 only.

    Now for the CARBTUNE. Another quality tool. The best carb sync tester I've seen. No mercury, no dancing dial gages. This baby uses metal rods drawn through 4 graduated sight tubes. It's compact, & easy to set up.

    The carb sync on both bikes was slightly off. The adjustment procedure was so fast & accurate, I hardly had to worry about running the fans to cool the engine. I have never had more success doing a sync. And you can ask Bruce, I have little patience in this regard. Needless to say, I'm a happy camper.

    One flaw in the CARBTUNE kit is the plastic, yes plastic adapter tips to install on the inake manifold. Be prepared with some burn ointment for your fingers. I ended up using the brass rods that came with my dial gages. Two short & two long rods make installation a breeze.

    Now for the bad news. These baby's are not cheap. Be prepared to perform a little CPR on your wallet. Bruce can maybe give you the link to the ebay store. Bottom line, nothing beats having professional tools & equipment to help keep the classic bikes running like they're meant to!

    #2
    Man, I'm so jealous... every single review I've ever seen of these tools is positively glowing.

    Any riders in Indianapolis want to go in together on a Carbtune and Colortune?
    1983 GS850G, Cosmos Blue.
    2005 KLR685, Aztec Pink - Turd II.3, the ReReReTurdening
    2015 Yamaha FJ-09, Magma Red Power Corrupts...
    Eat more venison.

    Please provide details. The GSR Hive Mind is nearly omniscient, but not yet clairvoyant.

    Celeriter equita, converteque saepe.

    SUPPORT THIS SITE! DONATE TODAY!

    Co-host of "The Riding Obsession" sport-touring motorcycling podcast at tro.bike!

    Comment


      #3
      Hmmmm ...I have a Colortune kit from way back and never used. I just need to buy the plug adaptor to fit my bike. Thanks for the product review.

      Comment


        #4
        Good to hear the news.
        I purchased a carbtune last week and am just waiting for it to make it across the pond.
        Here in Maine, you can't get mercury synchronizers anymore so I decided to go with quality.
        Everything I have heard about them has been good.
        Only found it to be about $50 more than a mercury style:-D
        Doug aka crag antler

        83GS1100E, gone
        2000 Kawasaki Concours
        Please wear ATGATT

        Comment


          #5
          Wow... I'd heard good things about both in the UK.

          Sounds like someone needs to become a US distributor if you can't get them here...

          Dan

          P.s. Tom - Bruce promised to show me a carb sync in July so I'm glad to hear they work great...
          1980 GS1000G - Sold
          1978 GS1000E - Finished!
          1980 GS550E - Fixed & given to a friend
          1983 GS750ES Special - Sold
          2009 KLR 650 - Sold - gone to TX!
          1982 GS1100G - Rebuilt and finished. - Sold
          2009 TE610 - Dual Sporting around dreaming of Dakar.....

          www.parasiticsanalytics.com

          TWINPOT BRAKE UPGRADE LINKY: http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...e-on-78-Skunk/

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by salty_monk View Post
            Wow... I'd heard good things about both in the UK.

            Sounds like someone needs to become a US distributor if you can't get them here...

            Dan

            P.s. Tom - Bruce promised to show me a carb sync in July so I'm glad to hear they work great...
            I talked to the Morgan people about being a distributor. No dice. "Factory direct" only.

            Dan, I'd be happy to synch up your carbs!
            85 GS1150E May '06 BOM
            79 GS1000S Wes Cooley Beast





            Comment


              #7
              Here's the link:

              Carbtune motorcycle carburetor synchronizers;polycarbonate tool pouchs;for motorcyclists


              Get yours before the exchange rate gets worse! I ordered a couple months ago... One carbtune with pouch, and the colortune with two plugs (12mm and 14mm). I paid $217.62 with freight, and my bank charged me $6.53 for the money echange.
              85 GS1150E May '06 BOM
              79 GS1000S Wes Cooley Beast





              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by renobruce View Post
                I talked to the Morgan people about being a distributor. No dice. "Factory direct" only.

                Dan, I'd be happy to synch up your carbs!
                Perhaps you need my English Accent when you ask...

                Thanks, looking forward to meeting all you guys.

                Dan
                1980 GS1000G - Sold
                1978 GS1000E - Finished!
                1980 GS550E - Fixed & given to a friend
                1983 GS750ES Special - Sold
                2009 KLR 650 - Sold - gone to TX!
                1982 GS1100G - Rebuilt and finished. - Sold
                2009 TE610 - Dual Sporting around dreaming of Dakar.....

                www.parasiticsanalytics.com

                TWINPOT BRAKE UPGRADE LINKY: http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...e-on-78-Skunk/

                Comment


                  #9
                  Scratch that... they're Irish

                  You need a different accent to mine
                  1980 GS1000G - Sold
                  1978 GS1000E - Finished!
                  1980 GS550E - Fixed & given to a friend
                  1983 GS750ES Special - Sold
                  2009 KLR 650 - Sold - gone to TX!
                  1982 GS1100G - Rebuilt and finished. - Sold
                  2009 TE610 - Dual Sporting around dreaming of Dakar.....

                  www.parasiticsanalytics.com

                  TWINPOT BRAKE UPGRADE LINKY: http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...e-on-78-Skunk/

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Aww,
                    My bike really needs to be morganized.... since no one here in Maine wants to look at it i need to take the bull by the horns and learn how to do this myself.
                    But first i need to learn how to do a valve adjustment. Anybody have any advice?

                    Guy

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Originally posted by tallyhoe View Post
                      Aww,
                      My bike really needs to be morganized.... since no one here in Maine wants to look at it i need to take the bull by the horns and learn how to do this myself.
                      But first i need to learn how to do a valve adjustment. Anybody have any advice?

                      Guy

                      Guy, when I get my Carbtune in and a good idea of how it work maybe I can come up and give you a hand.
                      You're not that far away from Wells\\/
                      Doug aka crag antler

                      83GS1100E, gone
                      2000 Kawasaki Concours
                      Please wear ATGATT

                      Comment


                        #12
                        That would be really nice of you. I am really considering the purchase, just dont know if i have the ability....

                        Wells may as well be a stone throw from me, Maybe we could colaborate on our bikes tunes up some. I would like to contribute some?

                        Guy

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Guy, where do you live?

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Im located in Gorham, Maine...

                            Guy

                            Comment


                              #15
                              I've got two (2) of the 12mm colortune plugs and one(1) of the 10mm coloturne plugs... if anyone is interested in buying them.

                              Charles...

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