More HP from Vulcan 500 EN500 ?

Message

flw · #1 Unread post by **flw** » Wed Mar 14, 2007 1:09 pm

Kawa Vulcan 500 LTD/EN500 bike

How can I get a extra 10 mph on the top end. I'm not mechanic and I need it for Interstate rides? This is just to keep from being run over in urban traffic at 85 mph plus.

What would get me this small increase for the least money and keep the engine in good order for the long run?

I assume that changing the gearing is not going to do it since its already pushing as hard as it can in 6th gear.

Thanks for your help

intotherain · Wed Mar 14, 2007 2:32 pm

ill go look. i remember seeing a website where with 50 bucks to buy some type of engine additive, you can add 1-3 HP.

where the heck do you have 85 + MPH interstate traffic???

#3 Unread post by **Koss** » Wed Mar 14, 2007 3:39 pm

Changing the sprockets for top speed would affect acceleration, and no additive would increase your top speed. I couldn't see an additive helping you gain any horsepower, unless of course... its like a fuel injection service or throttle body/intake cleaner or something alot those lines which just cleans up all the junk thats built up. But thats restoring power that you've lost from carbon build up or whatever.

You'd be amazed at how much dealerships charge people to do these services for a customers car (I guess those who sell the products think that most people are to afraid to hook up a tube to a vacuum source. And technically if you have fuel injection and stupid enough to smoke while hooking up to your fuel rail... that may cause PR problems). And you'd be amazed at how much junk a car can burn off if its never been done before on a high milage engine. I've seen a few thats almost as bad as having a blown head gasket... put that in your pipe and smoke it.

An alright additive to use without any special equipment is BG's 44k. It kinda cleans... but its still the type that you just pour into a tankfull of gas. An induction or even an air cleaner service would be much more useful. If anything, all these different types should be used all at the same time. And changing that dirt old fuel filter from 1994 would help too.

I've never ridden the 500LTD... I wonder if the gearing is vastly different than that of my ninja... 85mph is nothing

intotherain · Wed Mar 14, 2007 4:07 pm

http://www.easyriderimports.com.au/militec.asp

there. found it."
'

koss whats the top speed on your 500? top speed on mine is 83ish

Wed Mar 14, 2007 4:11 pm

Change the sprockets. George Jetson makes them, you need them. I can replace both of them on my vstrom for $50 so it's not expensive. There's really nothing else to do...

#6 Unread post by **Koss** » Wed Mar 14, 2007 5:02 pm

Top speed of the 500r? Hrm... I think I remember reading its more or less than 120mph... I don't know if thats uncorrected or not. I've only ridden up to what my speedometer tells me is 110.

You'd be going 35mph faster than the people at 85mph. It'd be like going 60 mph and someone flys past you going 95mph.

NorthernPete · Wed Mar 14, 2007 11:57 pm

Ive had my 500LTD up to 145 Km/hr (checks conversion) thats 90 MPH, and it still had some left to go. Change out the sprockets though, itll help.

gsJack · #8 Unread post by **gsJack** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 4:07 am

Thinking I may have to "lower" myself to a cruiser one of these days, my interest in the Vulcan 500 is increasing, my kinda engine.

I've put my last 120k+ miles on a couple GS500s and find them bikes that will go anywhere and do anything within reason. I have run with all types of bikes in the mountains as well as on the freeways.

I have about the same HP and performance figures as your EN500 has. Rather than changing the gearing with a sprocket change, have you tried a simple gear change with the left foot? When running with big twin friends on the freeways, I used to just leave it in 5th gear rather than 6th. Gave rollon speeds similar to the big twins and I could drop to 4th if necessary, a GS500 redlines at over 100 mph in 4th, not sure exactly where yours tops in each gear. That's why we have 6 speeds, use them.

Here's an old Cycle World comparo that has performance info for ten bikes that includes the Vulcan 500, Ninja 500, and GS500:

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v443/ ... sOnWheels/

Vulcan 500 dyno curves from Motorcycle Cruiser comparo, looks like it'll go to 10k rpm which is unusual for a small cruiser. Has about same hp with a little more torque than my GS500:

http://motorcyclecruiser.com/roadtests/size-dyno-lg.jpg

http://www.motorcyclecruiser.com/roadte ... index.html

I'm gonna be awful dissappointed if you can't keep up with freeway traffic on that little Vulcan.

gsJack · #9 Unread post by **gsJack** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 4:26 am

Koss wrote:Top speed of the 500r? Hrm... I think I remember reading its more or less than 120mph... I don't know if thats uncorrected or not. I've only ridden up to what my speedometer tells me is 110.

You'd be going 35mph faster than the people at 85mph. It'd be like going 60 mph and someone flys past you going 95mph.

Measured top speed for the 500r is around 115-120 mph, I've recorded road test data published for the GS500 over years and where it came from a GS/EX500 comparo I included both:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v443/ ... 0tests.jpg

#10 Unread post by **Koss** » Thu Mar 15, 2007 6:31 am

gsJack wrote:
Koss wrote:Top speed of the 500r? Hrm... I think I remember reading its more or less than 120mph... I don't know if thats uncorrected or not. I've only ridden up to what my speedometer tells me is 110.

You'd be going 35mph faster than the people at 85mph. It'd be like going 60 mph and someone flys past you going 95mph.
Measured top speed for the 500r is around 115-120 mph, I've recorded road test data published for the GS500 over years and where it came from a GS/EX500 comparo I included both:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v443/ ... 0tests.jpg

Quite a nice data sheet you have there!