Post by createscript on Mar 12, 2024 1:47:47 GMT -5
Hi all,
I've just bought a low mileage '14 SR400 EFi as a runaround for us here in the Shropshire hills, mainly to spare our classics ('76 Guzzi T3 and '66 TR6) from the worst features of British roads in winter (salt, cow poo, loose gravel, dead pheasants etc.).
I also plan to tour it across Europe to Sicily in May '24 (and then back again a month later). So, I'm getting to know it a bit better meanwhile fitting it out for solo touring and making minor mods to make it a better fit for the trip. I hope to use tips I pick up here on the forum and share any findings in return.
I had a 500 back in the late eighties and it was my favourite bike of all time. It had popped an exhaust valve after a few months of ownership because it didn't have that essential exhaust oil feed upgrade and London in the summer soon showed up that particular frailty. So I carried out my very first total engine rebuild on it and it came out the other end miraculously turbine smooth, always a first kick starter and much more lively (mind you, never been so successful with engine rebuilds ever since, TBH - beginner's luck!). Honestly don't know why I sold it, and I've regretted it ever since. Will probably get another while they're still affordable.
First impressions of the 400: really gutless by comparison and needed serious winding up to get it to respond anywhere near what I was expecting and what it should. Whatever, it's still seriously stifled out of the box with all the emissions crap and the complexity of plumbing compared to the 500 has taken me by surprise.
One thing I have noticed when really giving it the beans (inasmuch as anyone can) is that in lower gears, it hits a rev limiter at about 5.5K if the revs rise too quickly: caught me out a coupla times when overtaking
. Still, with all the emissions stuff in Europe and some Police forces along my route really giving bikers a hard time over bike mods, the mission is to keep it as visibly standard as possible while quietly wringing what I can out of it without anything too obvious and not spending too much either (so I'm afraid a PC5 is right over budget). There are still a few things I'm managing to do and I will report my findings as I go in the SR400 section of the forum.
Glad to be here
Andy H
I've just bought a low mileage '14 SR400 EFi as a runaround for us here in the Shropshire hills, mainly to spare our classics ('76 Guzzi T3 and '66 TR6) from the worst features of British roads in winter (salt, cow poo, loose gravel, dead pheasants etc.).
I also plan to tour it across Europe to Sicily in May '24 (and then back again a month later). So, I'm getting to know it a bit better meanwhile fitting it out for solo touring and making minor mods to make it a better fit for the trip. I hope to use tips I pick up here on the forum and share any findings in return.
I had a 500 back in the late eighties and it was my favourite bike of all time. It had popped an exhaust valve after a few months of ownership because it didn't have that essential exhaust oil feed upgrade and London in the summer soon showed up that particular frailty. So I carried out my very first total engine rebuild on it and it came out the other end miraculously turbine smooth, always a first kick starter and much more lively (mind you, never been so successful with engine rebuilds ever since, TBH - beginner's luck!). Honestly don't know why I sold it, and I've regretted it ever since. Will probably get another while they're still affordable.
First impressions of the 400: really gutless by comparison and needed serious winding up to get it to respond anywhere near what I was expecting and what it should. Whatever, it's still seriously stifled out of the box with all the emissions crap and the complexity of plumbing compared to the 500 has taken me by surprise.
One thing I have noticed when really giving it the beans (inasmuch as anyone can) is that in lower gears, it hits a rev limiter at about 5.5K if the revs rise too quickly: caught me out a coupla times when overtaking
. Still, with all the emissions stuff in Europe and some Police forces along my route really giving bikers a hard time over bike mods, the mission is to keep it as visibly standard as possible while quietly wringing what I can out of it without anything too obvious and not spending too much either (so I'm afraid a PC5 is right over budget). There are still a few things I'm managing to do and I will report my findings as I go in the SR400 section of the forum.Glad to be here
Andy H
