| Author | Message | ||
     Impulse_101 |
I rode for a few hours today and was really starting to get the hang of my newly aquired S3T. I noticed that the bike didn't seem happy when the engine was running steadily around 2800 RPM. This is a little annoying since this is exactly where 35-40 MPH sits in third gear. So as I was tooling down Wisconsin Ave, past Marquette University the bike felt like it wanted me to rev it or downshift and let it run faster. It didn't want to die, it was just rough. The phenominon abated as the bike got warmer and warmer. In fact, after another hour on the road everything felt smooth and I really started to fall in love with the engine's powerband. I realize that some of this may be because the bike wasn't as warm as she wants to be, but I had been on it for at least 15 minutes. What I want to know from you guys is if this is common in the tubers and what you think is the best RPM range for steady riding? JT | ||
| Doughnut |
If I can find a nice area where I can simply cruise with no shifts, I'll let it get as low as 2000 - 2200 rpm. If I'm city riding, I prefer about 3000 area. | ||
| Bomber |
they're kinda cold blooded . .. . have you rejetted? that helps some | ||
| Mikej |
The S2 with the heavier flywheel seems content at a lower rpm than the M2 does. 25mph is another dead spot that you'll find is hard to find a happy rpm zone in, rev it in first or lug it in second, annoy the neighbors, or risk a speeding ticket, or annoy the tailgater behind you doing 20mph in first. Cold weather wants a slightly higher rpm, 15 minutes in sub-40°F weather is not really warmed up yet at city speeds. | ||
| Bluzm2 |
John, You might want to check your intake seals. My S2 acted that way before I changed them. It was sucking a little extra air until it fully warmed up. Brad | ||
| Sarodude |
Also, if it's an injected S3 it may have had to re-learn some AFV thing... -Saro | ||
| José_quiñones |
4000 rpm, it lets the rubber mounts do their thing, you can get off the throttle and use engine braking or gas up while you are in the meat of the powerband. Remember the S3 has the X1 cams, so it likes to be revved a little more than an M2. Try riding around one gear lower than normal and see how you/the bike likes it. edited by josé_quiñones on March 23, 2004 | ||
| 2bbuell |
My S1W likes 4000+ too. If you try to ride it like a sporty, it just will not feel smooth, even though it has the torque to respond without lugging. It tkes a while to get used to it. | ||
| S3t |
Sweet spot on the S3T (DDFI) is definitely 3G+. Mine is an 02 - it hates 2400 RPM and below. The bike has "long legs" and likes to get out and run. IMO - This is NOT a good crusing-in-town bike. | ||
| Road_thing |
My S1 and my S2 both like to run north of 3,000. r-t | ||
| Soundman |
Mine bucks like a bull at 2400. In town, it stays between 3800 and 4200 in 2nd gear. It is noisy but a hell of a lot smoother. Soundman 99 x-1 | ||
| Bomber |
I realized last summer when riding with my wife (on her own Blast), that the Y2K MaDeuce just flat out disappears at about 75-80mph . . . . vibes lessen, the exhaust noise (Wileyco) is barely there . . . .if I hold my head so I don't see the clocks, it's like skimming along the pavement . . . . . . the reason I noticed this is that my wife (and her balst) are just not quite comfy cruising at 80 . . . . . | ||
| Court |
4,000 They like 80 and 115 | ||
| Lake_bueller |
Impulse...my bikes run like that when they're cold. I'll run higher rpm to keep 'em smooth. Once up to temp....they run the best between 3000-4500. But it will go as low as 2K without getting too fussy. | ||
| Impulse_101 |
My bike is a 97 so it's carbed. (I want to get rid of the CV and go to a Mikuni 42mm.) I'm actually suprised with the powerband of the bike. It's strong, but it's no where near as arm stretching as I expected it to be. In fact it feels kinda tame. I suspect that a new carb and different heads would make a world of difference. I will probably keep it as is for this season and then make changes during the winter months. I don't need the extra horsepower when I'm just getting used to the bike and how it behaves. As for the RPM issue, I'm glad to see that mine is typical of the breed. It's good anywhere above 3000 but it's better around 4000. JT | ||
| Thunderboltloon |
My '98 S3T is currently completely stock. It seems happiest above 3000 revs, though the other day I was bimbling around eastern England in the rain and found 2,500rpm fine except for when I wanted instant acceleration. Motorcycle Online had a long term test '97 S3T and IIRC they found that a stage one tune moved peak torque way down the rev band. I'm thinking of aiming for that myself - I enjoy low down torque, though I wouldn't want to lose that mad rush you get over 4000rpm. | ||
| Buelliedan |
All my bikes want to be at 3,000rpms and above. My X1 and S1 are not happy until they hit 3,500 and above | ||
| Captainkirk |
My M2 likes 3K. It slips into the groove about 65mph and just floats, this is a tad above 3K but I try to keep it around 3. If I'm in a, say 40 mph zone ,I'll stay in a lower gear to keep it in the sweet spot. | ||
| Pangalactic |
1998 S3, and ditto...I bought mine from a guy who had a S&S super e carb on it, and I'm not sure I like it. Everything I've read says that's not the best option for it, and I tend to agree...I just don't feel right below 2800. My old S3 had the Mikuni, and I think I'm gonna go back to that. | ||
| Mower_jockey |
What Court wrote. My S3 at 80 is so smooth like riding on glass. I can tell i'm doing 80 just by the feel of the bike. In town I usually keep her wound up in a lower gear. | ||
| Aesquire |
One of the wild things about Buells is the "faster is smoother" thing. Speed down the road is more a factor of wind blast than engine rpm's. My M2 likes over 2500, 3000 is better.( I keep it @ 3000 riding through the warm up ) I usually have a choice of 3 gears, chugging along, purring nicely, front ends light & tiger is roaring. My biggest issue is riding home through the tract @ 12:30 am. keeping it quiet & under 30 is hard. | ||
| Captainkirk |
I can see where that could be a problem....  | ||
| Impulse_101 |
Aesquire, You should try leaving for work at 3:15am like I had to this week. I'm lucky that one neighbor works third and isn't home and the other is deaf as a stone. My wife on the other hand isn't so lucky. I've been letting the bike warm up for ten minutes each morning and she's been awake for every minute of it. JT | ||
| Bads1 |
My tuber likes to run in tight places.  | ||
| Impulse_101 |
Sheeesh....   Maybe we should call you BadPun1  | ||
| Bartimus |
My S1 is fine throughout the RPM range, plenty of power, no surging. My older S2 with stock motor and carb also runs great throughout the RPM. My newest S2 though, with a Nallin kit and CV carb with thunderslide does hesitate and surge between 2500 and 3500 RPM. I figure I still needed to tweak the jetting. | ||
| Leftcoastal |
My RS is a 91, so the motor is basically a stock XL 1200 (I could be wrong here - Court, did BMC do anything to up the performance of these bikes?, cams, headwork etc.?) It's pretty sedate up to around 3500, where the turbo starts to work. Then it really pulls HARD to the rev limiter at 6200. The bike is real smooth at all rpms, but it's "sweet spot" is right at 3400-3500, and it is unfortunately right at about 85 mph, which will get you very noticed by the CHP. But it will keep your right thigh from frying. Summer riding in traffic will cook yer leg 'n ass, big time. AL | ||
| Doughnut |
My 96 S2 seems comfy thumping along on the highway at about 2200 rpm. Am I doing any damage by not having it cruse at a higher rpm? | ||
| Buellbob |
I agree, higher rpm is good. When I first got my s3t I found my self lugging the bike driving around town. Now I usually stay in first & second gear around town and 75-80 mph is a nice spot for the highway. Bob | ||
| Court |
>>>(I could be wrong here - Court, did BMC do anything to up the performance of these bikes?, cams, headwork etc.?) The only change, to allow Erik to use an already gov't certified motor, was the SuperTrapp exhaust. I think the air cleaner element was unchanged, but that was the first thing I changed on mine. Court | ||
| Leftcoastal |
Thanks Court! That's what i thought from looking into the motor - everything looked real similar to Penny's old '91 XL. I really don't know all that much about my RS, I don't have any manuals or other data, but use the 91 XL book for motor/tranny work. "Reverse order of disassembly" (to quote H-D) is my usual way of sorting things out. Also, it has a lot if parts that are like S2 stuff, so I use that S2 manual you sent to Penny late last century. The turbo system is an utter mystery as my good buddy Skeeter who built the bike has been slow in sending me the accompanying paperwork that was with the kit. My air cleaner, pipe too, have obviously been changed - similar to the XB12's, my muffler has moving parts in it too! AL | ||
| Madgaz |
Dunno how some of you blokes do the low rpm thang. The X1 hits a very sweet and smooth spot at 3000. Below that all its lashing about and quite uncomfortable, but sounds good. If you are labouring, it hurts. Be gentle on the beast and let it run smooth. 3000 to 5000 works perfect for me. Mad Gaz | ||
| Court |
Al: E-mail me a mailing address and I'll be happy to send you manuals for the RS. Give my best to Penny. Court | ||
| Jon |
My performance kitted X1, seems to be content at at about 3500+. | ||
| Thunderbolt_dad |
My '01 S3 will cater to my around town travels, but only if I take her out and totally thrash her once in awhile....not that I'm complaining....around town is always one gear lower than you'd think....she likes to stay revved. | ||
| Buellkowski |
How about deceleration? I'm trying to decide if the rubber mounts on my '00 S3T are OK. Decelerating from above 3,000 rpm causes a LOT of shake in the 2,000 area until it settles down. It's a different-feeling shake than that from acceleration. Any opinions/stories? | ||
| Davefl |
Buellkowski, check the front exhaust mount and the front isolator. My S3 will shake like that if either of those mounts are loose or broken. I just had to replace the front isolator, it had a small tear in it. | ||
| Boatz |
I was just asking about this subject elsewhere on the site. JUst got an 01 M2L with cams/pipe/Mikuni this week. The engine seems tuned by a master, so wasn't sure if the low rpm vibes were characteristic of the engine/cam on all of them. Mine likes 3k and up, by 4k she's really sweet. She really smooths out and Pulls Hard all the way above 6. SHe's not as much an arm straightener as I expected. I've noticed that decelerating she seems to need a few secs to come down like Buellkowski mentions, I guess that's the flywheel effect. Will check my mounts tonight. But overall, my particular bike seems to have the same characteristics as all of yours, which is reassuring. | ||
| Rotchcrocket51 |
A couple of years ago, due to an injury at work, I couldn't ride for two months. I asked a friend to come by and ride my 99 M-2 just to keep it loosened up. When he came back he was all aglow and praising the bike. He said he went out in the country and was just cruising and everything just "felt right". When he looked down he was going...and I finished the sentence for him...80 mph. The bike just WANTS to run 80. | ||
| Rammons |
My '02 X1W just loves running at 80Mph also. It's completely stock, mostly because I just bought it last month (brand new)! Dealer had one left over he couldn't sell thanks to the XB12's, so he sold the X1W to me at 50% off!  Almost time for the 2500 mile service. Bob | ||
| 97s1 |
Mine runs about the same as everyone's. Not to happy below 3K. It confuses me though why. This bike is made for twisties and what not. I don't know if its just me but I like to keep low rpms around certain corners and areas. I don't like to keep on down shifting and up shifting all the time but I still love the trq! I rode my friends 2002 R1 and in 6th gear at 2K and a twist of the throttle it takes off! |
