Service

Service

RAY NIERLICH

MONSTER ENERGY

Q: After looking over schematics and part numbers, it appears that the only difference between engines on the Ducati Monster 1200 versus 1200 S is the ECU, which gives it an additional 10 hp (albeit some of this power may come from the Termignoni exhaust as well). Is the 1200S ECU able to be swapped into the base 1200, or are other modifications needed to accommodate this modification? If extremely cumbersome to switch the computer, is there an aftermarket ECU flash that would accomplish the same thing?

TYLER WIEBE CYCLEWORLD.COM

We 10-hp assume difference you are in claimed talking power about 2016 that models year but since not in there 2017. was In any a case, getting more power from a 1200 Monster is work since they are highly tuned from the factory. Your best bet is to fit a high-flow air filter, sport exhaust and get the ECU reflashed to suit. We haven’t tried this combination but expect you’d see real gains. OE parts price new for the ECU is more than $1,800. Used would be cheaper, but it’s hard to know what you’d be getting. Start with a reflash and go from there.

LUBE THE ONE YOU’RE WITH

Q: called up the Triumph T120 owner’s manual online and here’s what they say about chain maintenance: “Lubrication is necessary [note the word ‘necessary’] every 200 miles (300km) and also after riding in wet weather, on wet roads, or anytime that the chain appears dry... Apply lubricant to the sides of the rollers then allow the motorcycle to stand unused for at least eight hours (overnight is ideal). This will allow the oil to penetrate to the chain, O-rings, etc.” Eight hours of downtime every 200 miles? I’d never be able to get anywhere I wanted to go, let alone home again; clearly, this is absurd. So here is my question: What are the practical, real-world requirements, limitations, and concerns of modern drive chains on powerful, heavy modern motorcycles?

BILL HUSTED BARR, MA

Nobody, except perhaps a lawyer from Triumph corporate HQ, is lubing their chain every 200 miles and letting it soak in for eight hours. Modern “O-ring” chains are so good that it isn’t a big issue anymore. What little lube they require is mostly to lube the sprockets and keep things from getting rusty. The lube doesn’t penetrate down past the seals between the plates on these chains. Whatever grease inside the seals is there from the factory. As soon as the seals get hard and let water in or grease out, the chain is done. Lube every day when on a trip, whenever it looks dry. It only has to sit a minute or two until the spray lube solvent evaporates. With typical around-town use, it may only require a squirt once a month. Something is better than nothing. WD-40 or such will do in a pinch, but the motorcycle-specific spray lubes

are better. Typical life span on these chains is 20K miles. If you're easy on it, it may go farther; if you neglect to lube or clean at all, it could be much less.

LEFT-LEANING LEFT-LEi HOGS

The last couple of Harleys I've had-a 2001 and now a 2012, both of them being FLHTCs-do the'same thing. When on cruise, they drift to the left when you take your hands off the bars. Thinking wheel alignment, I’ve checked the rear wheel many times, without success. I don’t remember the older Harleys I’ve had doing this. Any thoughts?

CARY KULICH MCKEAN, PA

"They all do it, sir." The left side is heavier on a Harley, and in addition most of the heavy rotating stuff is on the left too. The centrifugal forces generated will drift it left. I think the older Harleys you rode drifted left as well. If it seems more than a slight drift, then there might be an alignment issue.

MILEAGE MYSTERY

I have a 2014 Honda CB500F on which I put a Two Brothers slip on. Dividing the gallons used into the miles traveled comes out around 70 miles per gallon. That seems lean to me. Is there a way to enrich the fuel intake short of getting a Power Commander? I was hoping the onboard ECU would compensate for less backpressure.

DOUC WHEELOCK HOT SPRINGS, NC

The typical complaint we get is "my mileage is bad," but now I you complain "my mileage is too good.” Your ECU has compensated as much as it can. If you haven’t noticed any drivability issues, you’re golden. If you want to make it the best it can be, a Power Commander dyno session is the next step.

DRAGON SMOKE

I have a 2008 Kawasaki Con cours with 13,000 miles. I I the bike new and it is completely stock. I haven’t been on it since a ride to the Tail of the Dragon in October, a weekend trip of about 600 miles of pretty hard riding. After

that, it had been parked in the garage until I decided to take it out on a warm January day. It started immediately but began smoking as soon as it began to warm up. I noticed the smell of burning oil, and smoke was coming from under the fairing. The exhaust was also much smokier than normal. The smoke was white. I cut it off, checked the oil level, and looked for any leaks, but it looked fine. I turned it back on, and after a few minutes the smoke from the exhaust diminished and it stopped smoking from under the fairing.

I decided to take it for a short ride to see if it had any loss of power or any other noticeable problems. It did not. The temperature remained in the normal range as well. I also checked the oil again to see if it smelled burnt or looked dark. It did not on either count.

I let the bike cool off for an hour or so and restarted it with no abnormal smoking. Is there any reason for me to take the bike in for a check-up? It seems like the problem corrected itself, but I don’t want to take a chance on harming the engine.

JACK COBB SPARTANBURG, SC

You probably pumped a wee bit I of oil out the breather into the I airbox on that last ride. Or maybe a little water got into the airbox during storage or cleaning. When it fired back up, that cleared it out.

POPPING THE QUESTION

In Don Canet's piece on after`market slip-on mufflers (Evalua 1tjQfl, "Yoshimura Signature Series Alpha Slip-On,” Jan./Feb.), he mentions: “...the annoying deceleration popping sound that can occur after modifying a bike’s exhaust.” What actually causes this? Is it because there is a leak? Even so, what makes the sound? Are the popping sounds miniature backfires?

DAVE WILSON MCLEAN, VA

Hey, Dave. Ask questions, don't •answer them! Yes, the popping I sounds are small "backfires," which is really uncontrolled combustion that is occurring in the exhaust pipe. Anything that reduces backpressure will allow this to happen. A crack at the head pipe is the worst.