Running rich?

[D-Fuzz]

I am trying to find out if my Tiger is running the way it should.

I've put on about 600 miles on my Tiger so far this spring.  The bike ran a bit crappy for the first tank of fuel, which I expected given the "high quality" gasoline left over from the winter.  With each tank, it has been running better and better.  At the beginning of the spring, I noticed a bit of black soot around the tailpipes, but that has since disappeared.  I do notice though that the exhaust smells rather rich.  When I go out for a ride and stop at a light, I can smell it.  I also notice a slight pop in the exhaust around 3000rpm on deceleration, but from reading on here, that is normal, so I am not concerned about that.

I have been getting around 35mpg for fuel mileage, so I'm not sure where that falls into things.  The weather for most of my rides has been pretty chilly as well (low 30s - low 40s Fahrenheit), so maybe that has an effect on things.  I am hoping someday the weather is going to improve and our little Ice Age will come to an end.

[CoolHandLuke]

Yep, Mikunis will deliver around 35-40MPG as standard.

[Mustang]

you need to get them mikunis off the bike and undo what the previous owner did to them .

although Mikunis suck more gas than the keihins , unless you are running around at 80 mph all the time you should be averaging approx 40-45 MPG (US gallon)
well setup miks will deliver mid 40's consistently. but at steady 80 -100 mph stuff you will only see 35-40 mpg

[dave NL]

My tiger is doing 37,63 mpg (U.S.) that would be 16 km per liter for me. And im not easy on the throttle  :roll:

Almost forgot, 94 tiger so mikuni`s here

[D-Fuzz]

On my last tank of fuel, I got 13km/L, running at about 120km/h (70mph).

I posted this info before, which I found while looking through the service records that came with the bike.

At the 6000 mile service, the work order says:

- #110 main jets installed
- needle raised 2 positions (would not run properly on richest position)

Mustang, you recommended #105 mains, the needle put in the middle notch and 1 1/2 turns of the pilot screw.  Is that still applicable?  Is that 1 1/2 turns out?  Should all three carbs be the same?

My understanding of carbs is pretty basic, but when the PO changed the mains to #110 it provided more fuel, but the needle had to be raised to lean things out.  Is that right?  Is there any advantage to setting the carbs up like this?

[Mustang]

- #110 main jets installed
- needle raised 2 positions (would not run properly on richest position)

Mustang, you recommended #105 mains, the needle put in the middle notch and 1 1/2 turns of the pilot screw.  Is that still applicable?  Is that 1 1/2 turns out?  Should all three carbs be the same?

My understanding of carbs is pretty basic, but when the PO changed the mains to #110 it provided more fuel, but the needle had to be raised to lean things out.  Is that right?  Is there any advantage to setting the carbs up like this?

you are too rich with 110 mains in there if you are running stock air box with 1 snorkel open

your mikunis would have come stock with a 39 pilot jet
105 mains and needle in mid clip
the pilots would have been set by triumph at whatever CO2 reading they chose (1%) and then sealed

your bike should run awesome with decent mileage if you have
1 1/2 turns out on pilot screws with #40 pilots
the mains should be 105 with needle in the middle notch
it should run fine and get decent mileage
syncing the carbs helps gas mileage also

[D-Fuzz]

The carbs were synched last fall after they were cleaned and had new o-rings put in.  I am running the standard airbox with 1 snorkel open.  When I got the bike, the cap was off the RH side of the airbox, I presume because it was likely running too rich.

So, my next question is, where is a good source to buy the parts I need for these carbs?  Is there a decent place to get them online?

[Mustang]

scott
if you have 39 for pilot jets just open the pilot screws up to two turns and a quarter  out .

but you may have 40's in there as that s what bike bandit lists for stock

bike bandit is where you can get the mains and pilot jets online
they are pricey though
http://www.bikebandit.com/1995-triumph- ... #sch561509 (http://www.bikebandit.com/1995-triumph-tiger/o/m17543#sch561509)
the mains are $7.86 each and the pilots are $9.42 each

ouch 50 bucks + shipping for 6 little pcs. of brass with holes in them .


you need the 105 mains for twenty some odd bucks
what ever pilot jets you already have will work fine
see above for what to do if 39's
and if 40's set the screws at 1 1/2 turns out .

[D-Fuzz]

I looked at BikeBandit.  The prices are what they are, I guess, but their shipping rates to Canada are a bit steep, mostly because they use the Brown Truck folks.  Not much I can do though.  Probably a good time to order an airbox and a couple other things to make it worth my while.

[Colonel Nikolai]

Mustang, you need to write a book on Tiger carburation. You seem you have a deep acquaintance with the big cat and her lungs that I can't penetrate, but is clearly of great value to the community.

[nightrunner]

Save Bike Bandit for the expensive and hard to find parts.  Jets are not factory parts; they just get marked way up if you buy them by make/model of bike.  Every bike shop will have a selection of jets in those flat boxes with all the tiny little compartments.  Just take a pilot and main in so you can match the series of jet and buy the 40 and 105.  They will be much cheaper than Bandit.

[CoolHandLuke]

Save Bike Bandit for the expensive and hard to find parts.  Jets are not factory parts; they just get marked way up if you buy them by make/model of bike.  Every bike shop will have a selection of jets in those flat boxes with all the tiny little compartments.  Just take a pilot and main in so you can match the series of jet and buy the 40 and 105.  They will be much cheaper than Bandit.

+1

Here is a UK seller of cheap jets for Mikuni & Keihin on eBay.  Each jet is £1.99: (http://myworld.ebay.co.uk/cyril.motorcyclemailparts)

Keihin (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BRASS-MAIN-JETS-KEIHIN-CARBURETTOR-RANGE-SIZES-/220769114320?_trksid=p5197.m7&_trkparms=algo%3DLVI%26itu%3DUCI%26otn%3D5%26po%3DLVI%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D8837505356206188656)

Mikuni (http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/BRASS-MAIN-JET-HEX-MIKUNI-CARBURETTOR-RANGE-SIZES-/270735446426?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts&hash=item3f0917119a)

[Mustang]

I don;t know what century you guys last bought those little brass jets in .............but the last bike shop I got a set of 105 keihin mains at cost me 9 bucks apiece (well cost the owner of the bike ). bandits prices are not that far out of line with reality ..........they are RETAIL......just sayin

metal prices have gone thru the roof lately , rifle brass for reloading is ridiculous , aluminum billet has gone up about 15% just this year alone
(hmmmmmm that reminds me of something I need to do )
manufacturers don't eat this cost consumers do !

never ever buy USED main jets ............they could have pear shaped holes from wear , someone like me :twisted: could have shoved a reamer thru them etc etc

New is the only way to go with jets then you at least know the size stamped on the jet is what you are getting .


and the other thing I have noticed lately is EFI only at the bike shops not to many left who actually have carb parts ON HAND, at least thats the scenario here in New England USA


edit**** found some cheap genuine Mikuni 105's at Rocky Mtn ATV
but you still need to pay 7 bucks shipping to US address so yo are still looking at almost 20 bucks for 3 little  pcs. of brass

http://www.rockymountainatvmc.com/produ ... 04&ref=sho (http://www.rockymountainatvmc.com/productDetail.do;jsessionid=08BDFACD56829B98A29878DB0A792D30?webCatId=16&webTypeId=80&navTitle=Intake/Fuel&navType=type&prodFamilyId=25091&stockId=204104&ref=sho)

and if you do a little checking you will find that a TTR125 yamaha uses round 105mains for mikuni same as tiger Mikunis
as well as a DRZ 125 Suzuki
Kawasaki KLX 125

[nightrunner]

True I have not bought jets in a few years.  But the motorcycle manufacturers buy the jets (all third party parts) and mark them up further.  So my point is you save the mark-up by not buying them under a manufacturer's part number.  Just buy the jet directly.  The best reason to use the shop is to match the style/series you need.  

Yes metal prices have gone up but what fraction of the cost of a jet is in the brass bar stock as opposed to the machining?

But if $9 ea is really the bargain price, I may have to reconsider getting that Benelli SEI   :lol:

[D-Fuzz]

Around these parts, if I go into a dealer and ask for a part for a 1996 Triumph Tiger, the guy on the other side of the counter looks at me like I have an extra head growing out of my shoulder.  If I were to take in a jet to use as an example, the first question asked would be, "What bike is it?"  If they can't find the bike in their catalogue, then it must not exist.  Now, being able to go in and ask for a main jet for a Suzuki or Yamaha dirtbike, I am reasonably confident I can get that part.