After using their unit for a long time, many owners think about how to increase the power of the motorcycle. This can be done at home at minimal cost. However, to significantly improve performance, a small budget and special equipment will be required.
Russian motorcycles differ in their piston system, its cooling methods and dimensions. To increase the engine's capabilities, it is necessary to increase the amount of compressed fuel in a short time, as well as reduce losses.
Quite a lot of power is spent on friction of parts in the engine. It is not possible to eliminate such a problem. The only thing that could be improved is the oil. If you filled in regular inexpensive oil, then you should focus on reputable manufacturers. Shell is perfect for Russian equipment. However, there are companies that have perfected the technology for producing their products. One of these companies is Motul.
It is also worth checking the tire pressure, chain drive, etc. Such modifications will not bring significant improvements in performance, but will help achieve better dynamics and reduced vibrations.
The best option on how to increase the power of a motorcycle engine would be to improve the engine efficiency by improving cylinder filling . To do this, it is necessary to completely clean all channels and components through which fuel and air enter. However, don't overdo it. A significant change in the trajectory of the supply of the fuel-air mixture can grossly disrupt the purge system and the exhaust system of combustible gases.
Do not install direct-flow mufflers under any circumstances. They will increase fuel consumption and make noise while driving. At the factory, the engine’s capabilities are accurately calculated, so excessive intervention will not increase the performance, but will only increase wear on the motorcycle’s mechanisms.
In addition to modifying the old motor, you can install new components in it, or replace the engine altogether. For example, by increasing the working volume, a significant increase in performance and turnover will be ensured. Also, replacing the carburetor may be an excellent option. Frequent contamination and poor adjustment interfere with the full operation of the engine. In such cases, it is necessary to clean all components of the carburetor, especially the needle that supplies fuel.
When used correctly, the operation of the motor should not be disrupted. The main thing is to promptly replace worn parts and consumables. For example, replacing air filters and oils is mandatory.
Exhaust processing and installation of a power control unit
Installing a tuning exhaust system and reworking the fuel mapping on the motorcycle will significantly reduce its weight (since parts of advanced systems are made of light alloys). In addition, such an upgrade will improve throttle response, add power, and increase torque. It will also make your motorcycle look more stylish, which will add a little more to the feeling of speed and power.
See also: The hottest new motorcycles of 2021
Additional engine modifications
In addition to the above methods of tuning a Ural motorcycle, there are several more secrets. It is possible to install a crankshaft from the K 750 on the Ural engine, which will increase the cylinder stroke to 78mm.
Thus, it is possible to significantly increase the working volume of the Ural engine. It's quite difficult to find, but it's worth it. Another problem with the motorcycle is the tight response to the throttle and slow acceleration. The reason for this is that the flywheel is too heavy, the weight of which is designed for riding with a stroller and for transporting heavy objects.
According to the drawing, it is possible to reduce its weight by a couple of kilograms. Due to the weight reduction, the inertia of the crankshaft will decrease, and the acceleration dynamics will significantly increase. To fully realize the power on the road, the gears of the gearbox must be replaced with 9 or 10 pairs. In conclusion, we would like to note that tuning the Ural motorcycle engine is justified only for racing purposes; for everyday use, such an engine will have a short resource and significant fuel consumption.
Suspension
If the motorcycle is not equipped with adjustable suspension, then it is worth installing it - it will completely change the way you ride. The ability to adjust compression and damping settings based on the driver's weight will help adapt to high-speed maneuvering.
You can buy a good suspension setup from the Race Tech brand. But if there is no money for this, you should pick up a set of equipment at a disassembly site and install it on the bike. The front part of the motorcycle deserves special attention here. Over time, the rear suspension can also be upgraded. So tuning will not require significant investments.
Cylinders and pistons
One of the most important parts in an engine is the pistons. They take on a huge load from expanding gases and temperature. Low-quality standard pistons do not withstand loads well, often have different weights, and the piston rings cannot provide high compression due to their outdated design, this significantly affects the power, and the massiveness and number of rings make the piston very heavy, which prevents the engine from spinning. It is recommended to install forged pistons with imported rings. A good solution would be to install forged pistons from the Ural Wolf motorcycle; they have a convex surface, which will increase the compression ratio and significantly increase engine power.
As for the cylinders, it is preferable to replace them with aluminum ones with a cast iron liner. The thermal conductivity of aluminum is much higher, and effective heat dissipation is ensured. A significant improvement in cylinders is relining. The standard internal diameter of the cylinder liner is 78 mm, and if the volume of the standard engine of 650 cubic meters does not suit you, by replacing the original cylinder liners with liners from Moskvich 412 with an internal diameter of 82 mm, you can significantly increase the volume and, accordingly, power. Select the pistons accordingly for the new diameter.
To combat overheating, a cooling system in the form of installing an oil cooler and by forcefully spraying oil onto the bottoms of the pistons will be useful. To connect the oil cooler, an additional oil pump is needed, since the standard one is very weak. To pump oil through the radiator, it is advisable to install an oil pump from a Dnepr motorcycle. Drive the second pump through an adapter from the standard Ural pump. In order for the additional pump to fit in the crankcase, an enlarged sump is required, which will also have a positive effect on cooling. By slightly increasing the amount of oil in the system, it will be possible to distribute the thermal load, and the new aluminum pan will remove heat even better.
By connecting to the new oil pump an oil line made of a copper or steel capillary tube, which must first pass into the radiator, then cooled oil from it must flow to the inside of the pistons. To do this, the line from the radiator enters back into the crankcase and bifurcates so that the oil supply is directed to the bottom of the piston from the inside. An oil cooler can be purchased at a Japanese motorcycle dismantling shop, and an automatic transmission radiator of the size you need from any car is also perfect.
Professional suspension tuning
Regardless of the cost of a new suspension, after installing it you may be left with the feeling that it doesn't work well enough. And the point here is not in materials or manufacturing defects, but in the need for professional tuning. This is what allows us to get the most out of modernization. Therefore, you should not save money on the last step towards the coveted speed and dynamics, but you need to look for specialists who will help you do it.
See also: What novice motorcyclists need to know
Important! Suspension tuning should be entrusted to specialists with a proven reputation and qualifications.
Carburetors and ignition
Tuning a Ural motorcycle engine affects all engine systems, including ignition and carburetors. It is recommended to read the information: how to properly configure Ural carburetors. The standard ignition is so outdated that it is not even suitable for everyday driving, let alone anything else. It is desirable to install a microprocessor ignition with the possibility of an automatic advance angle. This article will help you set up the electronic ignition system. Ideally, such an ignition would be installed with a programmable controller with the ability to adjust the firmware. Such ignition systems have another useful feature - speed cut-off. This will prevent over-torque of a heavily boosted engine. Well, for maximum spark strength, in combination with a new ignition, you can use a coil from the Oka or Gazelle. Branded high-voltage wires with silicone insulation and internal resistance are required, for example from Tesla from VAZ 2108. They will ensure an uninterrupted spark in any weather and eliminate the possibility of spark breakdown to ground. As for carburetors, you will need to install Japanese vacuum carburetors with a diffuser diameter of 32 to 36 mm, followed by selection of jets, synchronization and adjustment with a gas analyzer. Tuning on a dynamometer is highly advisable, where you can test different settings and ignition timing and get the most out of your motorcycle tuning!
Replacing rims
Wheels are a piece of equipment on which many manufacturing companies save money. Heavy wheels are an irreducible mass that will not allow even the most advanced and fantastic suspension to reduce the negative impact on driving characteristics. If you install a good set of wheels, the difference will immediately become noticeable. There are many great options in the market at different price points.
The most common tuning methods
First way. The most common method is to replace the stars. If you install smaller ones instead of the standard ones, then it will be possible to increase the maximum speed (there is a special formula for calculating the speed increase). And thanks to the formula, it is possible to calculate the number of teeth needed (to gain a higher maximum speed).
Second way. A very effective method is to adjust the carburetor; this will help increase the speed of the Minsk motorcycle and more powerful models. In certain cases, adjustment helps a lot, but there are many nuances associated with the carburetor model and its characteristics. Sometimes it is enough just to raise the throttle needle (up a couple of positions), which will give an increase of 5-10 km/h (in this case it will not be possible to avoid excessive fuel consumption). You can also increase the engine displacement by boring the cylinder. This will help increase both top speed and traction performance. It is also worth considering the high cost of this improvement and a large amount of time. Some procedures will require the work of specialists (for example, boring a cylinder), and after tuning, the motorcycle will need to be run in and only then checked for efficiency.
Third way. Most motorcycles with an engine capacity of 1000 cc or more have a factory-installed speed limiter that causes the engine to rev more slowly once the designated speed is reached. By turning off this limiter, you can increase the maximum speed (up to 1000 cc - no more than 280 km/h, more than 1000 cc - up to 335 km/h). Additional methods to increase top speed
Tire selection
Now that your bike has light or ultra-light wheels, you need to put some really good tires on them. But you should understand that tires have different characteristics - some provide excellent stability, others are good at extreme leaning while cornering. Almost all online forums dedicated to motorcycles have a separate section where tires are discussed. So it's worth spending time learning about people's experiences. But this can't be done without trial and error. Otherwise, you will not be able to find the tires that are ideal for the driver and match his driving style.
How to increase motorcycle engine power
Many motorcycle owners know firsthand how to increase the power of a motorcycle engine. Today the driver can be satisfied with the speed of his iron horse, and tomorrow he will already be planning to increase its speed as much as possible.
Having done a number of works, you can increase the power of a motorcycle engine at home at minimal cost, but the presence of special equipment and a small budget will significantly increase the performance of the engine.
Buy or make your dream bike
To save time on tuning, you can immediately buy a powerful motorcycle of the latest modification. But if you don’t have the funds to purchase such a device, you need to buy a cheap, low-power motorcycle and gradually, on your own, turn it into a two-wheeled dream.
See also: These new motorcycles will be sold in 2021
It is important to choose the right basis for creating a powerful, exclusive model - it must have an impressive modernization resource. To solve this problem, it is necessary to use the experience of other people and study the advice of professionals.
Outdated spare parts and consumables
The first thing that is required, logically, is the replacement of outdated and “dying” units. Inspect the motorcycle if you notice fatigue in the seals, bearings, too much play where there shouldn’t be any... You’ll have to spend a lot of time in the garage or take the “old man” to a mechanic. These costs will clearly be less than buying a new motorcycle, but you will still have a season in the saddle and the opportunity to save up money over the coming year for the next youthful motorcycle.
Even a simple steering column bearing will noticeably improve the handling and ride feel if it was previously worn out and crunchy when cornering.
Driving skills
Riding a motorcycle is dynamic, so a lot depends on the skills of the driver. If you want to be dynamic and fast, you should focus on your abilities instead of worrying about how to reduce weight or add power to the bike. A rational solution here would be to take professional courses that teach:
• hold your body correctly, • control the power of the motorcycle, • take turns.
Here you can also gain other important knowledge, skills and abilities that will be useful both while riding and when upgrading the bike.
Author: Sergey Vasilenkov
Boosting foreign cars
If you can’t really work with Soviet motorcycles, then modern foreign bikes are quite suitable for modification. For example, Japanese models, due to economic, environmental and other influences, do not use the maximum capabilities of their devices. On such bikes, the question of how to increase the speed of the motorcycle arises in two ways. On the one hand, achieving an increase in power is not a problem, but at the same time there is a significant loss of resources.
Let's look at an example. The first thing to note is that all Japanese brands have a very small gear ratio. This was done for the safety of the driver, since high gear ratios will provide strong jerks and positioning of the maximum speed, which in fact will differ from the real one.
Increasing the gear ratio is the fastest and most economical way to improve motorcycle performance. Surely, during the trip, everyone noticed that when moving around the city, the 3rd or 4th gears are mainly used, while the 5th and 6th are almost never used. So, by setting the gear ratio so that it includes all 6 gears, you will provide the bike with new dynamics. It will be very different from the standard one and you will have to get used to it at first. After changing the gear ratio, be sure to install a speedometer corrector. It will provide improved ratio shifting ability.
Gift for the motorcycle and yourself
Why can a motorcycle look bad even if its engine is alive?
— Poor condition of plastic, scratches and chips; — A tattered seat that catches your eye; — Worn bald tires.
New tires will please you in any case, because they are more pleasant and safer to drive than bald and old ones. At the same time, with fresh tires, a motorcycle, even an old one, is perceived as “wow,” ready to fight.
“Motor tires - what is the difference with a car tire?”
The old seat can either be hemmed, reupholstered, or replaced. Any of these options will already indicate that they are trying to get involved with motorcycles, rather than abandoning them to die in old age without a glass of gasoline.
“I tore my motorcycle seat, what should I do?”
It's more difficult with plastic. If you know how to work with painting and restoration yourself, good. Repainting a broken tank is a matter of calamity, sometimes the dents are so bad that it’s better to look for a new one. If you want to completely update the color, you will have to have it painted. Easiest with scratches and chips. You don't need to be a painter from birth to do this. It is enough to clean the area around the scratch, treat it in accordance with the surface material - plastic or metal - and buy a marker with paint that allows you to spot paint over small scratches.
“I want to paint the motorcycle “stock”. Where to begin?"
Another small thing is to replace the grips on the steering wheel. Replacing the handles on the steering wheel is a simple procedure, but how nice it is when you are driving and you have brand new, fresh grips: the steering wheel has not yet been stuck into the ground, has not been scratched on other people’s cars, has not been kissed on the asphalt... They are always in sight and in direct contact with hands, so why not install new ones? By the way, you can also replace the levers if they also don’t look so good.
