Monday, March 15, 2010

How To Increase Your Motorcycle Gas Mileage By Muna wa Wanjiru

Gas mileage refers to the energy efficiency of a particular vehicle. Gas Mileage is the output of ratio of range units per unit of gasoline. This ratio is measured as L/100 km, or miles per gallon. Gas mileage depends on engine of vehicle i.e. properties of engine, vehicle body weight, friction.




Most commonly used engine in motorcycles is the internal combustion engine or gasoline engine. It is used in motorcycles which are available commercially.




Types of fuels used in motorcycle:




Diesel: It has efficiency of burning 50% compare to gasoline.




Gasoline: It is used in sports cars. It reduces pollution. It is light in weight and performs at high speeds.




Alcohol is less efficient than gasoline. It can be used in combination with gasoline.




Tips to increase gas mileage:




Hasty acceleration and sudden use of break affects the mileage. One should skip these activities to prevent the damages of the system and wastage of gas.


To increase your motorcycle Gas mileage, you should keep constant speed of your motorcycle. Some 80cc four-stroke motorcycle's speed should between 85-90 mpg. Sports bike are superior in mileage than cars. It can achieve mileage above 35 mpg because of sport bike's system design and low weight.




* Avoid unnecessary trips using your motorcycle.


* Keep track on changes of your motorcycle mileage.


* Try to avoid traffic jams while traveling for your work on motorcycle. In rush hours, there are most chances of wasting mileage of your motorcycle.


* Do regular servicing of your motorcycle.


* In traffic jams or in case if you need to stay sometime at any place switches off your motorcycle's engine.


* You also have to take care about the fuel that you used in your motorcycle. It should be of good quality. Impure oil increases fuel consumption.


* You should take care of your motorcycle's engine by regularly cleaning it.


* Always check air pressure in the tires. The maintenance of air pressures in tires prevents friction of tires on the road. Therefore, power used for acceleration is reduced and increases mileage of your motorcycle.


* You should choose flat and smooth roads having fewer stops.


* Prefer to go by highway. As the roads are flat, there are fewer chances of acceleration, traffic jams, and rush. It will definitely increase your motorcycle's mileage.


* Do not keep your motorcycle idle. If you have set your daily tasks of using your vehicle, do not keep vehicle's engine cold because it will consume more fuel than warm engine.


* These are some ways to reduce fuel combustion and keep your motorcycle's mileage perfect.






Muna wa Wanjiru Has Been Researching and Reporting on Gas Mileage for Years. For More Information on Motorcycle Gas Mileage, Visit His Site at MOTORCYCLE GAS MILEAGE

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Thursday, March 11, 2010

Dirt Bike Track - Creating Your Own in 6 Trouble-Free Steps By Joshua Harding

Dirt Bike Track - Creating Your Own in 6 Trouble-Free Steps

Automotive,Sports,Hobbies


If you are thinking that constructing your own personal dirt bike track is too hard to consider, it's about time you did some further investigation. Making a dirt bike track is not as tough or time-consuming and doesn't require as much property as you might envision. You will be able to have fun perfecting your dirt biking skills even if you only have enough area for a berm and a jump or two.
Building dirt bike tracks is not as uncommon as you may imagine. Tons of individuals do it. It allows them a chance to sharpen and perfect their racing and jumping skills while not being in the spotlight at busier public tracks. The most common sort of track made on private land is motocross and it is also the simplest type to build. It's merely a matter of observing the terrain, noticing where the small hills and elevations are, and incorporating the natural contours of the land into the design of the track. In fact, the more elevation differences, slopes, and small hills you've got on your land the better your dirt bike track can be.

If you've got a lot of land you will have the opportunity to make your track any size you would like, however smaller areas might only enable you to make a couple of berms or jumps. But, it's not essential to own acres and acres of land; you still have an opportunity to build a tiny practice track on a half acre plot or less. Without having access to additional land you will be limited to creating an oval or horseshoe-shaped track, but it can still be exciting and educational. 5 acres of land is good and can enable you to style it almost any way that you can think of.

Step 1 - Incorporate the natural shape of the property into your design

The initial thing you should do is get on your dirt bike and ride around the terrain. This will let you know where the natural flow of the track takes you. Let the property be your tour guide on how the track should be laid out. Employ a few existing mounds as jumps and the base of others as berms. Observe where the elevation differences are and the way they can be employed to your advantage.

Step 2 - Design the whole thing before building the course

Your goal should be to incorporate the natural lay of the land into the design of the track. Keep this at heart as you're riding around the land. Additionally, you will need to consider a few other important things. Drainage is one of the primary concerns. Low lying areas can be converted into tiny lakes or muddy swamps during wet weather conditions. It's best if you can steer clear of these potential mud holes when designing your dirt bike track since it can enable you to be able to ride more often and require less track maintenance. Also, all riding trails should be at a small angle, just enough to allow the water to run off quickly, which can keep the track drier.

Step 3 - Get the necessary permits and consent

Before beginning to construct the track there are some additional issues that should be thought about and obtaining an Okay from your friendly neighbors should be number one on the list. Without having their approval there is really no use in going any further. Some neighbors might not be quite as agreeable as others and you do not want to spend your time and money for a project that can later be closed down by the local authorities. As soon as you get their support you'll need to obtain any permits that may be required along with making certain you won't be breaking any local laws.

Step 4 - How much is your dirt bike track likely to cost?

Another factor will be the cost. If you've got many acres of land it could cost several thousand dollars to rent the Bobcat and purchase fuel and additional gear. Determine the whole cost before shelling out one dollar and make certain it's affordable to you. When you've got the necessary authorization, permits, and money it's time to rent the equipment and begin building the track.

Step 5 - Include safety into your design

When building a dirt bike track safety should be the foremost consideration. Racing dirt bike motorcycles is not the safest hobby on the globe, so position your jumps in wide open locations and not around massive rocks or trees. But, any rocks or trees that could come into play should have old mattresses, hay bales, or rubber tires as barriers. These cushions can avert injury. It is also a smart plan make use of these protective barriers around soft berms as these can be places where possible loss of control can occur.

Step 6 - Start creating the track

You might be shocked, but actual construction can normally be completed in a week or less depending on how massive your track is. Utilize the Bobcat to first layout the overall course of the complete track, remembering to create slight slants in the road for water drainage. When the complete course has been graded properly it's time to start creating individual berms and jumps. Use the Bobcat to grade mounds to your ability level and do not build jumps higher than you feel comfortable with. Within a few days you will be having fun using your track while increasing your racing skills at the same time.

Creating a dirt bike track can be practically as thrilling as racing dirt bike motorcycles. The main factor is to build your course with safety and low upkeep in mind.
The articles and reviews on this blog are totally or at least in part the courtesy of Motorcycle specialist Marvin Claridge and Vic Krause


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Monday, March 8, 2010

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Friday, March 5, 2010

A Quick Glance at Harley Davidson History By: Benicio Brown

The Beginning

Harley Davidson is one of the most well known motorcycle manufacturers in the world. They were born in America, deriving from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with the first motorcycle being produced in 1905. Believe it or not Harley Davidson was one of two major manufacturers that managed to survive The Great Depression, which actually destroyed the majority of companies in that time period.

Of course, surviving this Great Depression was an achievement in its own, and what the owners of HD didn’t realize at the time was that they had just been through the roughest patch of business they would ever experience. This certainly allowed them to be prepared for something in the future and also, to fend of any competitors that thought they could invade on their space in the market.

The company was developed by young entrepreneur William S. Harley. At the age of 21 he decided that he himself had the knowledge and the actual capacity to build a premium machine. He started to draw up plans for a prototype machine, starting with the motor and from there, Harley Davison was eventually born!

The Turning Point

The 50’s was an extremely big turning point for the company. The problem was that in 1952, the US Tariff Commission decided that they were not making enough on the sale of imported motorcycles. They put a 40% tax on the prospective machines, meaning that their image would eventually be cut back to what it was nearly a decade back. Of course, it was not long before the company were back on track and within a few years, the brand image produced by Harley’s being used in a range of gangster based films eventually restored their original image.

The company has always prided itself in producing fabulous machines, so much so that there are hundreds of groups and clubs dedicated to the ownership and riding of these ultimate cruisers. This is mainly due to the fact that they have provided customers with a unique selling point, with all their machines being heavy weight cruisers over 750cc.

Of course, things were not always so cut and dry for the motorcycle manufacturing giant. At one time it was like there would be an invasion from the Japanese motorcycle market. Japanese companies were offering a huge range of machines at a fraction of the price. Luckily for Harley Davidson, the quality of the machines being imported was far inferior to what was rolling off their production lines.

As mentioned previously, people that ride these motorcycles are not people that enjoy the freedom of using a motorcycle. In fact, it is so much more than that, they are people that are loyal to the Harley Davidson brand and enjoy the fact that they own such a premium machine. Their brand is so huge that licensing their logo brings in around 5% of the companies annual revenue, which is extremely impressive!

Harley Davidson wind deflectors are just one of the reasons why so many people follow the brand so closely. Unlike most other main stream motorcycle manufacturers, HD ensure that their customers needs and wants are completely for filled. Harley Davidson wind deflectors ensure that both the rider and the bike stay cool on a hot summer’s day, meaning optimum comfort is always going to be achieved.

So, What Bikes do They Produce?

Over time, Harley Davidson have chopped and changed their range to ensure that only the best motorcycles are available from their dealerships worldwide. Some of the most popular models include the Street Glide, Electra Glide Classic, Electra Glide Standard, Ultra Classic Electra Glide, Electra Glide Ultra Limited, and Tri Glide Ultra Classic. Of course, it does depend on what the rider is after, as the different machines are all designed for different purposes.

Enthusiasts of the HD brand all know that this is certainly not a brand to be confused with speed and adrenaline. Instead, this brand focuses on producing customer’s machines to their exact specification, allowing them to enjoy the freedom of a motorcycle but at the same time, be incredibly proud of the machine that they own.

Harley Davidson - The Conclusion

So it has been proven that HD has stood the test of time by producing machines that are specifically catering for their customers’ needs and wants. They have been around for a long time and it looks like they will be producing premium motorcycles for many years to come!


For Harley Davidson leather accessories, such as wind deflectors (also known as "wind guards") please check http://www.beckinnovations.com/
Support for this publication is due in part to big bore kit and sprocket experts Kustom Kraft and Sidewinder

Citrus County Saltwater Fishing Reports

Thursday, March 4, 2010

A Leather Motorcycle Jacket - A Necessity Above All By: Susan Dean

Ok, you can call be boring if you like but am I the only person that cannot understand why motorcyclists do not wear good protective gear when riding either on the road or off road? I'm not that old fashioned to realize that looking cool means a lot to people but I also thought that a leather motorcycle jacket was cool. Well it was when Fonzie wore one! He, plus actors like Marlon Brando and James Dean for instance certainly made the leather motorcycle jacket very marketable indeed.

Sometimes I think more people who do not ride bikes wear these jackets for fashion than riders do for safety. I have seen guys in particular riding on the road without helmets or jackets, in fact they weren't even wearing shoes. Obviously they have not ever come off or they are just plain stupid.

In many countries and states wearing a helmet when riding is mandatory but wearing protective clothing such as a leather motorcycle jacket is not. Obviously the helmet can save lives by preventing fatal head injuries and clothes do not but they do help prevent permanent scarring and injuries that can become infected.

There are many different styles of jackets that can be purchased for protection. You can buy a very basic one to a fully padded style for racing or off road riding. You even have a wide choice of colors these days including motifs of your favorite brand such as Honda or Yamaha for example. If you are a Harley rider then nothing but black will do for you.

I do understand how expensive it is to buy a good bike and often people do not have enough money to spend on good protective gear to wear. But this should be thought about and added into the budget before purchase. Even if you start out with a jacket from the bottom of the price range until you can afford a dearer version. The fact is that even a cheaper leather motorcycle jacket is more protection than none at all.

These jackets are versatile in the way that you can wear them when you are not riding your bike as well as when riding. They are warm and very strong wearing. Yes they are expensive so that makes it even a better idea to wear them on and off the bike. Another good idea as well as a jacket is leather riding pants along with boots and gloves. There are so many positives to wearing this type of gear compared to the negatives.

If you ride off road you will know only too well how important this type of clothing is. But if you ride only on the road you may not and yet it is just as important for you to do so. You need to forget about looking cool and about playing safe. In fact if you do it right you will look cool and play it safe!


About the Author:
Susan Dean is a successful webmaster and publisher of http://www.bestwinemaking.info She provides lots of handy hints and advice on wine making at her web site. Support for this publication is due in part to Big Bore and Sprocket experts Kustom Kraft and Sidewinder Sprockets.

Thursday, August 21, 2008

Sidewinder Sprocket King Shows His Stuff


While walking the flight line at the annual EAA AirVenture Convention and Fly-in at Oshkosh’s Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, Better known as EAA Oshkosh, who did I run into, but motorcycle tech wizard “Mr Know It All” AKA. Vic Krause. Vic was the original “Mr. Know It All” that authored a monthly advice column in the pages of Hi Torque Publication’s Dirt Bike Magazine. His motorcycle technical articles were a must for thousands of readers every month.

Vic was giving rides to friends and acquaintances when he wasn’t participating in the daily shows flying his fully restored 1941 SNJ -5B, the Navy’s equivalent of the AT6 trainer. Among the hundreds of the passerby’s were movie stars John Travolta and Harrison Ford.

Vic’s day job is managing his own motorcycle specialty companies Krause Racing and Sidewinder Sprockets. Sidewinder Sprockets has just released a new version of it’s Titanium Sprocket. It’s a Lifetime Guaranteed, Never to Wear Out, lightweight rear sprocket for all models and types of motorcycles and ATV’s. He calls it Titanium II and is available now in standard and custom sizes. You can visit his website at http://sidewindersprockets.com/ or call 630-513-1000 for details. Be sure to check out next years fly-in, I’m sure he’ll be on the flight line.

Monday, October 29, 2007

Smart Chain


Press Release
Sidewinder “Smart Chain” for Sport Bikes

Sidewinder is introducing a “smart”, new concept for reducing friction, drag, and horsepower loss in sealed Sport Bike racing chains. The idea is to provide the longest lasting, sealed-for-life chain, with very high tensile strength ratings and yet achieve the N.Z.D. (near zero drag) of an unsealed type chain. Sidewinder has achieved this goal with their new “Smart Chain.” This revolutionary new, intelligent chain will satisfy the demands of the racer/rider seeking maximum horsepower without compromising life and durability. After a five year research program, Sidewinder engineers devised a method to impregnate O-rings with patented, temperature and pressure sensitive synthetic lubricants. As the chain operates, it heats up. In moments, the thermally sensitive V-series “Smart O-Rings” react to the temperature rise and trigger the release of the embedded, slippery synthetic lubricants. The pressure points where the “Smart O-Rings” are squeezed between the sideplates are instantly lubricated. The friction and drag are reduced to near zero resulting in the transmission of maximum power to the rear wheel. You go faster.

These clever, little O-rings are pretty “smart.” Besides being self-lubricating, the circular, round-cross-section, O-style ring provides a much longer lasting seal than the X, D, T, and Z rings. This extended life will translate into big savings for the rider by minimizing replacement costs. The new Sidewinder “Smart Chain” has also demonstrated a greater resistance to damage inflicted by harsh solvents, chemicals, and UV exposure. Running a “Smart Chain” that delivers more power and saves you money will also prove that you are a lot smarter too. Now available from Sidewinder Racing Products in 428, 520, 525, and 530 pitch in four increasing tensile strengths from 7,000 to 16,000 lbs. Riders also have the choice of double-gold or triple-nickel plating in the full range of Smart Chains. Pricing begins at $109.99. For additional, detailed tech info, contact Sidewinder Products at 630-513-1000 http://www.sidewindersprockets.com/

Yamaha YZ85 Big Bore KIt


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
-------------------------------------

Of interest to editors and journalists covering: Motorcycle products, motosports, motocross, enduros, off road sports, and general business

Glenwood Springs Colorado – October 17, 2007 Marvin Claridge of Kustom Kraft Performance Inc. has announced the release of their 2007 Yamaha YZ85- 110cc Big Bore Kit.

Kustom Kraft Performance classifies this kit for expert riders only. This is a huge increase, 30% more displacement for a massive increase in low end and mid range. If you need more power but aren’t ready for a 125 or 250 this is a viable alternative to spending thousands of dollars to step a class or two. With this package your YZ85 will rocket off the line and out of the corners like a 100 on steroids.

The 110cc big bore kit is a straight forward modification. KK machines your cylinder and installs a special hardened moly/steel sleeve. They then hand match and port your cylinder for the new configuration. The cylinder is bored and finished to precisely fit the new piston and rings.

Your head is re-shaped to accommodate the 54mm bore and squish band is adjusted to provide the optimum combustion. The entire combustion chamber is polished to a mirror finish. To be sure of good head gasket seal the sealing surface is machined smooth and flat.

The kit is supplied with a brand new piston, rings, and clips. Plus the entire top end gasket set. Kits are done using your cylinder and head in about a week.

Because of the huge 54mm bore size case modification is required. It’s not a big machining job, but because you don’t want to get any shavings in the crankcase it’s recommended that you completely disassemble the bottom end and then do the cutting or grinding to allow room for the larger piston.

Kustom Kraft will do the machining for you at a reasonable cost, or they can do the complete tear down and re-assembly if you prefer. Call and talk to Marvin about your needs toll free 888-697-4343

Kustom Kraft Performance has been around for almost 40 years repairing, sleeving, plating cylinders and designing big bore kits.

Kustom Kraft Performance has other kits and other sizes for the Yamaha YZ80 and YZ85’s at http://kustom-kraft.com/YAMAHAKITS.html

For more information about Kustom Kraft visit their website at http://kustom-kraft.com/ or call toll free 888-697-4343.



Lifetime Guaranteed Sprockets




“Lifetime Guaranteed…Titanium II Sprockets”....For 2008, Sidewinder Sprockets and Chains brings you the sprocket you’ve been waiting for….A Guaranteed-For-Life “Titanium II.” Building on the highly successful “Ti-Moly” line, Sidewinder engineers have now enhanced the already legendary strength & durability of their exclusive Ti-Moly material by the addition of molecular Boron. The result is “Titanium II”….the only sprocket in the world that comes with a Lifetime Guarantee against wearing out. You won’t get that with any aluminum or multi-piece aluminum/steel sprocket from any other manufacturer in the world, period. Sidewinder is first again with a product no one else can match. Also, if you are an American – check this out….Sidewinders are not made in England, Czechoslovakia, Lower Slobovia, Taiwan, China or anywhere else – Sidewinders are made in the USA. Call today for “Ti-II” availability and price for your make and model. 630-513-1000 (24/7) or go to www.SidewinderSprockets.com/titanium_sprockets.html

Kawasaki KLX250S Big Bore Kit


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
-------------------------------------
New 330cc Big Bore Kit for the 2006 and 2007 Kawasaki KLX 250 S.

A Monster bolt on improvement for the KLX 250S.

Glenwood Springs Colorado – October 15, 2007 Kustom Kraft Performance Inc. has announced the release of their KLX 250S Big Bore Kit. It is a fairly simple bolt on cylinder kit. The kit increases the piston displacement by a whopping 30% over stock. That’s 80cc more displacement for increased power throughout the power range. Most owners of the KLX 250S would agree that the bike is in dire need of more power. If you want more power to lift the front wheel, roost out the corners, or climb the dunes then this is for you. Be sure to check out the test done by “Adventure Motorcycle /Dual Sports News”, link is at the end of this article.

The kit is supplied with a brand new 83mm cylinder, a high performance JE piston with rings, pin and clips, plus the cylinder head gasket and base gasket. Kits are made to order in about two weeks.

The price for the KLX 250S kit is $769.00 plus S&H

Hold-on want even more? How about 28+ horsepower (dyno tested), that’s 11+ horsepower, 70% more than stock? If you do KK recommends adding cams, pipe, carburetor, and cylinder head porting. Call toll free 888 697 4343 for prices.

What if you have a KLX300 and you want more fun too. Kustom Kraft Performance will do a 330cc kit for your KLX 300. This kit doesn’t require a new cylinder, just send your old cylinder (it doesn’t even have to be in working condition) and they will machine it to accept the 83mm bore and re-plate it like new. The kit is also supplied with a high performance JE piston with rings, pin and clips, plus the cylinder head gaskets and base gasket. Kits are made to order in about two weeks.

The price for the KLX 300 kit is $440.00 plus S&H

KK recommends for even more fun add the cams, pipe, carburetor, and cylinder head porting to the KLX 300.

Kustom Kraft Performance has been around for almost 40 years repairing, sleeving, plating cylinders and designing big bore kits.

To read the complete test of the KLX250 330 Big Bore Kit by Adventure Motorcycle/ Dual Sports News visit http://kustom-kraft.com/klx250bb.html

For more information about Kustom Kraft visit their website at http://kustom-kraft.com/ or call toll free 888-697-4343.

Motorcycle Cylinder Repair

Small Engine Maintenance
Motorcycle-ATV-Snowmobile- Personal Watercraft-Outboard Cylinder Repair
Cylinder Sleeving VS. Cylinder Plating
By Thomas Schueneman founder of Kustom Kraft Performance http://kustom-kraft.com

Modern small displacement engines use a variety of cylinder types. There are iron type cylinders and plated type cylinders. Original equipment manufactures (OEM) produce many variations of both types and all are excellent performers and very reliable. The only real issue is how do I repair my cylinder after a failure? You may think you’ll never have to face that problem, but if you keep your vehicle or toy long enough you will eventually have to make this decision. In the following article I’ll try to make that decision more enlightened.

Recent History of Cylinder Types

The oldest and most common method of cylinder design is a cast iron block that is machined with a cylindrical bore directly from a solid casting. There is also a cast iron block that incorporates a sleeve that is pressed into the iron block. Generally iron block motors weren’t very successful in small engines. Most small engines were used in vehicles and equipment that needed to be light and mobile. This made cast iron blocks undesirable for this purpose. There were a lot of single cylinder motors used in lawn mowers, construction equipment, scooters, small tractors and small motorcycles that used cast iron block motors in the early years. These began to disappear in the 60’s and they were replaced by aluminum block motors with cast-in iron liners. This opened the door for new lightweight motors that could be used in many more applications and in bigger displacements than ever before. This was accomplished by placing a cast iron sleeve into the mold before the molten aluminum was poured into the mold. This made the sleeve an integral part of the cylinder block. The sleeve usually had locking rings or flanges around the outside to prevent it from slipping in the casting as the engine expanded from the heat generated by the combustion process. A major problem occurred often when air pockets would develop during the casting operation around the sleeve. This caused hot spots and often caused premature engine cylinder failure.
There is another type of aluminum block with a cast iron sleeve that wasn’t cast-in; it is installed in the block after casting. The cylinder bore of the aluminum block is machined to 3-5 thousands of an inch less than the sleeve diameter, block is then heated to around 600 degrees Fahrenheit, and the sleeve is dropped in. When the block cools the sleeve is held in place by the interference fit and the flange at the top or bottom of the cylinder. This cylinder can be rebuilt by simply re-heating the block to 600 degrees and removing the old sleeve and replacing it with a new one. Of course the finish bore will have to be machined to size and honed.

Near the end of the last century it was discovered that you could make a mold pattern using a computer aided molding system out of Styrofoam. This made it possible to have precise duplicate patterns of a particular cylinder that you wanted to mold of aluminum.
These are placed in a mold made of sand, molten aluminum is then poured slowly into the mold melting and replacing the Styrofoam pattern. This process is called total loss mold casting. Now all they have to do is a little milling and drilling, plate the bore and hone to size. For the two stroke market the best part of this is the finished product is an identical copy of the original. The factories love this because it just eliminated a whole lot of assembly line workers. No more absenteeism, no health insurance or pensions, and no coffee breaks. As far as the consumer goes they get a cylinder that doesn’t need a lot porting before they can be competitive.

There are a lot of four stroke motors that use aluminum blocks and aluminum sleeves that are plated a variety of hard finishes. These sleeves can be removed and replaced. The replacement sleeve can be either iron or aluminum. If you want an aluminum sleeve it will have to be plated after installing otherwise it won’t be true and round.

There are several types of plating that has been used over the years, and the companies doing plating guard their formulas carefully. The finish in the early years was a simple chrome or hard chrome electro-plating. The plating was generally only a few thousands of an inch thick. If it was more than about ten thousands of an inch thick it was prone to chipping or flaking because of heat expansion and contraction. In the early seventies Electrofusion became popular. Electrofusion was different from electroplating in as much as it was a fusion process instead of electroplating. Next came ceramic composites and Boron. All of these perform in about the same way as far as wear and durability. Then came Nikasil. Nikasil was a new plating formula of nickel-silicon-carbide. It was harder than the others that came before it. For years you couldn’t get a cylinder re-plated when you damaged one, the only way to get going again was to buy a new one. Now you can choose from many companies doing their own version of Nikasil.

Now lets look at a persons choice of repair or rebuilding methods for their Motorcycle, ATV, Snowmobile, Personal Watercraft, or Outboard. You can have your Nikasil or other plated cylinder re-plated (or some called it re-coated). This includes the composite types.

Or you can have it sleeved with a hardened alloy steel or cast iron (when you add alloys to iron its considered steel). If your cylinder has an iron sleeve already, whether it’s cast-in or not, you’re only real choice is replacing it with another sleeve or a sleeve liner.

Lets assume you’re an avid racer and race 25 weekends a year, you’re going to need a rebuild of your cylinder by the end of the year no matter what type cylinder you have. If it is a plated type cylinder you have three choices. 1- buy a new cylinder for $500-600 for the top end and expect to do the same next year. 2- re-plate it for about $300-400 with piston kit and gaskets and figure on doing it again next year. 3- have it sleeved for about $250-350 with piston kit and gaskets and next year have it bored (most models) to the next size for about $55 plus piston kit and gaskets.

A properly sleeved cylinder will perform as well as any plated cylinder. A properly sleeved cylinder is one that has the proper interference fit, proper pre-sleeve bore finish, accurate flange machining, and sleeve made from the proper alloys. The most popular sleeve is the Moly 2000 chrome-moly iron. The proper boring and honing to match the piston clearance requirements goes without saying.

Pros and Cons

Re-Plated Cylinder Bore
Pros
*Small advantage in heat transfer
*Slightly better wear factor
*Somewhat lower co-efficient of friction
*Weighs a few ounces less
Cons
*Costs slightly more
*Can’t be bored when damage occurs
*More fragile
*Can flake and peel

Iron Sleeved Cylinder Bore
Pros
*Costs less
*Bore able for future over sizes
*Hone able to keep bore true and proper ring seal
*Can be worked with common tools
*Can be replaced when needed
Cons
*Slightly slower heat transfer

The Bottom Line
Both systems perform equally well when professionally done, so it really comes down to economics. You can expect a sleeved cylinder to give more life for the money. Re-plated cylinders are as close to original as you can get. So if your happy with your OEM plated cylinder you should have it re-plated. If not have it sleeved by a company that has the reputation, experience, and warrantees to protect your investment.


Thomas Schueneman is the founder of Kustom Kraft Performance of Glenwood Springs Colorado. KKP was established in 1969 and specializes in Motorcycle, ATV, Personal Watercraft, and Outboard cylinders and Big Bore Kits. http://kustom-kraft.com