Engine performance enhancements - best bang for buck $?

[GuyM]

Yeah - I did the pipes, airbox, and carb tuning with the dyno run... Picked up a whopping 5 hp or so for the first $1,000 and decided to stop there.

If I want to go a lot faster, I can buy a good used sport bike... But I really don't feel any need to go a lot faster, so I think my otherwise stock Triumph and I are in for the long haul together, with the engine living happily pretty much just the way it is.

Shhhhh.... I'm trying really hard to suppress the hot-rodder who still lurks in my soul! HR keeps whispering things about cams, carbs, big bore kits...

Build it your way - to keep yourself happy. I decided enough was enough with the NH pipes and a little intake work.

Regards, Guy

 

[MES]

MES.....since 03 over doubled.....and proud of it.....
For me I'd rather be doing this than have another bike.....
I'll never sell the bike so not worried about investment return....
:cheers:

yeah about that cam thing, I'm on a 790.
I was just pointing out that it gets expencive fast.

If I had the money 'de be doing the same.

 

[Deano]

Yeah - I did the pipes, airbox, and carb tuning with the dyno run... Picked up a whopping 5 hp or so for the first $1,000 and decided to stop there.

If I want to go a lot faster, I can buy a good used sport bike... But I really don't feel any need to go a lot faster, so I think my otherwise stock Triumph and I are in for the long haul together, with the engine living happily pretty much just the way it is.

Shhhhh.... I'm trying really hard to suppress the hot-rodder who still lurks in my soul! HR keeps whispering things about cams, carbs, big bore kits...

Build it your way - to keep yourself happy. I decided enough was enough with the NH pipes and a little intake work.

Regards, Guy

Far f...n out. Yep I can see both sides now. It makes sense about having a really good think about which way to take this. Have just the one bike (which by the way, I do really like to ride) and pour the money at it, having fun with each upgrade. Or get a Vmax to rip my arms out. Theres one for sale here for around $4k, and I cant see myself wanting to upgrade that for speed.
So....tell me this. Why did triumph build a bike that has an 865cc engine that is producing about the same poke as a 1961 650 Bonny. I cant work that out, it would have been so easy for them to put a hotter cam in it first up, instead of us doing the work with after market parts and us all lusting after those extra ponies. I guess it does make these motors indestructable in such a soft state of tune. Is that it????
One possibly cheap option for us all might be the guy on the scrambler thread who is busy making a bolt on turbo charger. He is serious.

 

[strokerlmt]

MES....luckily business was great in 04.....
I had my engine done........but with what I have done in the past few years and the great resources here and stack of resource material....I think I would try to do the engine myself.....
Sorry not trying to high jack this thread apologies.......
LMT

 

[Aussie_T100]

The cheapest way to do this is all external mods first. Therefore your next step would be carbs. Then cams and headwork/bigbore all at once so you don't have to keep removing the head or paying to have it done and for gaskets etc. etc.

Cams are cheaper than carbs and it is no more difficult to fit cams than it is to change shims when doing valve clearances. Cams are the one "internal" change that can be done easily because the head does not have to come off just the cam cover. The cams on 865's are a weak point and in my opinion should be the first priority for a performance upgrade once you have done the airbox and pipes.

I suspect that on a stock 865 with airbox removed and free flowing pipes a good set of cams would give a similar increase in power to a set of FCR's and for less money. For about the same cost as a set of FCR's you could buy a set of cams and have your ignitor reprogrammed which would give a combined increase greater than a set of FCR's on an otherwise stock engine I suspect.

Of course, if your budget will allow, the best course of action is to do cams, ignitor & FCR's together however my argument is about priority of modifications if your budget is limited and you are making changes one at a time.

Different strokes for different folks I guess.

 

[GuyM]

I suspect you're right about the cams. My Scram does seem to run out of power at a point - from there as the revs climb it just revs higher without seeming to make any additional power. Am certain that a good set of cams and tuning the carbs to handle those cams would make more grunt.

As said, a fairly easy mod too.

 

[Sal Paradise]

So....tell me this. Why did triumph build a bike that has an 865cc engine that is producing about the same poke as a 1961 650 Bonny. I cant work that out, it would have been so easy for them to put a hotter cam in it first up, instead of us doing the work with after market parts and us all lusting after those extra ponies. I guess it does make these motors indestructable in such a soft state of tune. Is that it???? - Deano

Maybe they wanted to make it ride the same as the original. Thats the only thing that makes sense, even though it has 50% more power. go too far and it becomes a different bike.

I think its great that people make them faster, but mine just has some intake and exhaust work and its plenty fast. If I need a little more speed I just wring it's neck. As I say,it's fast enough - it can get your license taken away in about 6 seconds, which doesn't seem fair after 26 years of safe perfect driving, but thats the way it is.

 

[buckstoy]

Guys yall are killing me, I've been wanting to do some engine work on my bike but I'm trying to be responsible and SAVE money. But would saving money feel as good as new carbs, cams and ignitor?:mad2:

 

[Thruxtonian]

Because it's more fun to ride a slow bike fast, than to ride a fast bike slow...

 

[grumpy_1944]

My 2008 Bonneville is basically stock, removed AI and CARB crap. I waffle between opening up the exhaust (for sound) and rejetting the carbs. One day yes, the next day no. I find it to be enough bike for me as is. If I wanted more HP, I'd grab a street triple.
Bill