Steve p's bike

[steve p]

think iv sorted how to post pics.

2011-09-10 11.32.36 - Copy.jpg (143.69 KiB) Viewed 12992 times

2011-09-10 11.32.47 - Copy.jpg (91.83 KiB) Viewed 12992 times

2011-09-10 11.32.36 - Copy.jpg (143.69 KiB) Viewed 12992 times

just finished the lens covers, made from fibre glass and rattle canned.

[paul24]

nice clean bike you got there!

[Stars and Stripes]

Unusual colour, I like it alot, really like all the gold bits, your real registration number??

[sp1Dave]

Lovely looking bike Steve

[steve p]

gets cleaned and tinkered with more than ridden. Never really seen a problem with posting number plate pics, if its to do with identity theft this bike is clearly not standard visually and is kept locked away under close CCTV at my mates shop to prove usage, and its on plane view to anyone while im out riding.
If i was starting again i would leave the engine and airbox , flapper alone and concentrate on handling , light weight wheels and braking mods.

[wild01]

Now thats different, and very very tasty!

[Sppete]

She's looking lovely Steve but?
Steve p said

If i was starting again i would leave the engine and airbox , flapper alone and concentrate on handling , light weight wheels and braking mods.

Why not the engine mods? I thought the big air box was the way to go if you were after more power? What sort of gains did you get from yours or was it losses in other parts of the rev range you don't like?

Pete

[steve p]

Hi Pete, my advice to anyone altering the fuel/air system and engine would be to get professional advice first. The first step i took three years back was to put in the new airbox, remove the flapper, remove the pair system and machine out the snorkel to remove all the excess plastic. I had the bike re dyno'd with an increase to 125bhp from the 120 ish stock, but the bike didnt zing to the red in the higher gears like it used to but maybe had a little more mid range. The following year i fitted Wiseco high comp pistons taking it from 10.8 up to 12.5 as i had been informed this would add power and torque through the range. This done and dyno'd again the results showed 130bhp, however the bike seemed worse towards the top end. Finally this January i contacted Roger Ditchfield at Revolution Racing and he gave me some very honest advice. Firstly the Wiseco pistons were too high a compression which can retard the flame path in large pistons unless a twin spark plug conversion is done. Secondly the new airbox and baffle less exhaust was ineffective as this new big air charge couldn't get into the cylinders quickly enough and out again to do any good. long story short he gas flowed, ported and reprofiled the cams keeping the valves open longer not higher lift. That journey back from Cumbria was the best ride id had for years, the bike flew once again pluss a little. The longevity of the engine has not been affected but it does rattle a bit due to the removal of the quietening gears. So about £1500 down the line on engine/airbox mods and i have my old bike back
Roger is brilliant, he didnt try to sell me the £2500 work, the race exhaust but was honest with his advice. The SP1 and 2 have more than enough guts all they need is money spending on the suspension and some decent light weight wheels, and maybe a radial front master cylinder.

p.s. when Roger dyno'd the bike prior to his work it showed 116bhp not the 130 done by others. when finnished it was up to 135 bhp

[Sppete]

Thanks Steve.
You hear so many tales about "how great my air box mod is" it's difficult knowing what to believe. It's good to have an honest opinion from someone who's actually gone out and done it rather than "I've got a mate" tales or certain, ahem! US forums.
I know what you mean about dyno figures, I'm with you on the before and after ones are the only ones that count. We keep hearing widely different reports all on the same model of bike depending what day of the week it is

Thanks again
Pete

[steve p]

even putting high flow filters (K&N) or others seems to be detrimental in the standard airbox. The RC51 was developed for WSB but had to be dumbed down for road use and emissions so there is allot that can be done to them but the work has to be ballanced. It is not a top end bike and is best used riding the torque and most enjoyable at this.
I will say ,however, that the induction noise that comes from the big air boxes is awsome