RPMWFO
Parking Attendant
Posts: 8
|
posted May 05, 2003 09:39 PM
New '03 12 Down on Power- Altitude or Lemon?
Hello All. I have been a regular lurker here for quite awhile. I just bought a new 03 cosmic splendor red ZX12R after much debate between it and the GSXR 1K. I am happy with the bike and have just finished breaking it in. I have 1200 miles on it and no mods(yet). I followed the reccommended break in. I live in Colorado around 5000ft elevation. Everything I have read on the boards say that the 12 will pull wheelies in 1st on throttle alone no problem. I have tried this a few times, and all I get is rapid(real rapid) acceleration. The front end gets a little light, but doesn't come up. I weigh about 210lbs.
Is the bike down on power? Would the altitude affect it that much (I know it makes a noticeable difference on cars)? Or did I get a lemon? Does anybody else have any experience with the 12 at higher altitudes? Ihaven't gotten a chance to put the bike on a dyno yet. Does anyone know of a dyno center in Colorado that does sportbikes? There are several for Harleys (ahem, I know this because that is what I have been riding. Don't hold it against me. The 12 is another world. I am an equal opportunity rider...).
Thanks in advance for any help.
  
|
Zhooligan
Moderator
Post Whore Extraordinaire!
Posts: 3829
|
posted May 05, 2003 10:07 PM
I have not ridden an 03 12. But I can't imagine whacking a 12 in first gear and not have the front end come up. Give it some more time for break in and get used to it.
____________
To those who do not count their life in years, but in how life
has touched them in the past and how much it can hold in the
future; -- Youth is forever.
|
mrsantafe
Zone Head
Posts: 521
|
posted May 05, 2003 11:44 PM
Welcome aboard, I live in Albuquerque and the elevation is about the same. (5300 ft) I have an 02 model and it dynoed with a correction factor of 1.2-1.21 153 hp. stock. Take into consideration the 20% correction factor and the actual horsepower drops to around 123 hp. I also weigh 210 and have run my bike at the local dragstrip. Keep in mind im no pro but the bike ran 10.8-11.0 @130-132 mph with low 1.8 60ft's. (stone stock, no dropping tire pressure, slamming, gearing etc.) Many of our fellow members do not live in the higher altitudes like us and don't realize how much it effects horsepower. I raced the same bike in Phoenix at firebird raceway and the bike ran 10.3@136-137 mph.
The altitude at this track is approximately 1100 ft. My bike stock could not lift the front tire in 1st gear either at alt. However, once I added hindle step header, pc, geared the bike 1 tooth in front things changed quite a bit. My bike now makes 174 hp corrected. The front end will pick up slightly on throttle alone in 1st gear. With these mods my bike (in Alb) now runs a best of 10.57@136.5 with a 1.75 60ft. Hope this helps. As I get more money i'm going to try the muzzy big block 1317. Although expensive around 2800 plus install it should provide reliability and the much needed torque that we dont have right now.
____________
9.78@155.13 mph 1.71 60 ft @ a near mile high dragstrip
2006 ZX14 gone
2006 ZX10r (Wifes street bike)
2004 zx10r (her race bike)
2002 ZX12 (still kicking a--)
2007 gsxr 1k (race bike)
|
frEEk
Administrator
ummm... yeah
Posts: 9660
|
posted May 06, 2003 12:04 AM
yup, it'll be the altitude. down here in teh city and even in my second home at 2000ft, it comes up beautiful. but at about 5000ft (halfway along a beautiful 100km road starting near the second home), it's a fuckin slug. i did eventually find i _can_ get it up, but it takes much more precise timing & a good tug on the bars.
altitude sucks.
|
swft
Needs a life
Full throttle!
Posts: One MEEEEEELLION
|
posted May 06, 2003 04:38 AM
Mr. SanteFe - That's what makes Bonneville such a challenge, the altitude.  RPMWFO - A good pipe will certainly help your motor breath better. An interesting question would be what works better at altitude, a stroker or a big bore?
|
zx12zx11
Expert Class
Posts: 471
|
posted May 06, 2003 05:29 AM
I live near Salt Lake City, elevation at my place is 4900' I'm at 230lbs now and getting fatter by the day. My experience has been the same. I have the Muzzys ti, K&N, and a PCIII, Dynoed at 175.4HP. I have had the bike up to an altitude of 9400' several times and then it really becomes a slug. Don't worry it's not the bike. Just the elevation.
|
Zhooligan
Moderator
Post Whore Extraordinaire!
Posts: 3829
|
posted May 06, 2003 01:08 PM
It will be like christmas morning when you take it down to sea level and discover what air does!
____________
To those who do not count their life in years, but in how life
has touched them in the past and how much it can hold in the
future; -- Youth is forever.
|
jonwright
Needs a job
Posts: 2416
|
posted May 06, 2003 02:45 PM
quote:
***snip*** i did eventually find i _can_ get it up, but it takes much more precise timing & a good tug on the bars.
One word, frEEk: Viagra.
Works every time.
|
VincentHill
Needs a life
Posts: 6520
|
posted May 07, 2003 08:37 AM
 Edited By: VincentHill on 7 May 2003 09:38
When Rickey G was in South Africa and was at 6,000 feet and geared 16 / 44, it would not wheelie and the Drag strip which had traction compound sprayed on the surface. Buy a ZX11 D Front sprocket (17 tooth) and the Bike will act like ours and Big fun!
I forgot my Manners! Congrad on the Bike and your first post!
____________
Made History @ Daytona and still one fast old man!!
|
dougmeyer
Needs a job
moderated
Posts: 2713
|
posted May 07, 2003 09:04 AM
Altitude. You are down 20% on power. This cannot be regained with tuning,(PC) but the driveability can be cleaned up. As said above, a 17 tooth C/S sprocket will help a little. Keep in mind that dyon figures are nearly always "corrected" and tell you what you engine would be making IF it was at sea level, not what it IS making at the altitude you are at.
Doug
|
Zhooligan
Moderator
Post Whore Extraordinaire!
Posts: 3829
|
posted May 07, 2003 11:02 AM
I seem to recall Doug posting something about a year ago saying he had milled his head a scooch to up his compression a tad to make up for the altitude there in Bend!
____________
To those who do not count their life in years, but in how life
has touched them in the past and how much it can hold in the
future; -- Youth is forever.
|
swft
Needs a life
Full throttle!
Posts: One MEEEEEELLION
|
posted May 08, 2003 04:44 AM
If you live in Bend, does that mean you got bent, or does that just apply to people passing thru?
|
Hawkman
Zone Head
Posts: 747
|
posted May 09, 2003 03:10 PM
It's hard to imagine the 12 not wheelie-ing in 1st gear, but it's true. I was up in Big Bear a couple times and that's when I whacked it and nothing happened. I was flabbergasted!
Take it down to under 1k, you'll see the light. If you keep it twisted, you'll stop seeing the light and start seeing the asphalt!
|
PhillyBoy
Parking Attendant
Posts: 3
|
posted May 12, 2003 11:02 AM
'03 Down on Power
RPMWFO,
It's definitely not your bike. I too live in the Mile High City, and whereas the physical alt is 5,280ft. The corrected altitude out at the track is often between 7200ft(good air day) and 9500ft.(not so-good airday)
I remeber when I bought my ZX-11, I wondered the same thing. Then I took it to Kansas City to race one time and nearly looped it riding it exactly the same as I did in Colorado. It will run like a dream when you get it off the mountain. In the meantime, nothing like a small shot of juice to take away the altitude blues.
Bring it out to Bandimere sometime for the streetbike class on Saturdays.
Goodluck,
Philly
|
|
|
HOME
NEW TOPIC