Super Sherpa thread

[tomatoe333]

Originally Posted by Pedro Navaja

Bummer, so the Sherpa has this plug also. My issue with having the pilot screw accessible is for altitude settings.

One thing I've been meaning to look into.

You can get a mixture thumbscrew from a couple of sources that will fit the Mikuni BST carb on a KTM 640 Adventure. I've been meaning to see if it'll fit the Mikuni BST carb on the Sherpa.

There isn't a huge amount of space to get to the mixture screw on the Sherpa, but you can loosen the carb boots and tip the carb sideways slightly to get to it. Easier to understand when you're actually looking at the bike than to describe it.

[ny-wolcott]

To answer the above questions, the SS cruises easily 60 -65 mph, and goes over 70. But hills and headwinds impede it some.

Regarding the plug over the carb screw - don't be put off by it, as it comes out REALLY easily.

[Rosie!]

Originally Posted by Pedro Navaja

Yep, I am actually leaning towards the Sherpa now. Just gotta do the seat test. What kind of top end speed are you seeing on asphalt with the Sherpa?

On the flat, without any wind, I can almost get to 120km/h (74 mph) if I'm lying on the tank.
It will sit at 100-110 ish ok (62-68 mph), unless there is a head wind, or a hill, then it slows down a bit.
The top speed thing isn't too bad, I just sit on the throttle stop in 6th, and it's like having cruise control
It can be a bit sluggish to accelerate towards the top speeds, so you need to be a bit strategic with overtaking.

[Randy]

Oh, so are we just talking about the brass plug? If so, then that isn't a big deal. Pretty much every street legal motorcycle has these and they are easily removed. I've removed a bunch of them over the years. From the original post on this subject I thought there was something new that prevented "tampering".

[hdgypsyman]

I've used the jet kit from Dr. Jeykle of the Yahoo Sherpa group and my 2001 Sherpa will do an honest top speed of 79 mph indicated on my GPS. Comfortable cruise speed with stock gearing is 50 to 60 mph. I am 6' 3" and weigh 210 lbs. The highest mpg i've gotten was 84.3, but that was running along on a river road at an average speed of 35 mph. I consistently get in the 65-70 mpg range. The bike is a hoot to drive, and has taught me that a smaller cc bike can be a great tool.

[mike21b]

Originally Posted by hdgypsyman

I've used the jet kit from Dr. Jeykle of the Yahoo Sherpa group and my 2001 Sherpa will do an honest top speed of 79 mph indicated on my GPS. Comfortable cruise speed with stock gearing is 50 to 60 mph. I am 6' 3" and weigh 210 lbs. The highest mpg i've gotten was 84.3, but that was running along on a river road at an average speed of 35 mph. I consistently get in the 65-70 mpg range. The bike is a hoot to drive, and has taught me that a smaller cc bike can be a great tool.

That sounds about right.

We got 92 mpg on one trip, which I had heard from other riders before, but didn't believe it since it usually gets about 70 mpg or so.

[mike21b]

Originally Posted by Pedro Navaja

Bummer, so the Sherpa has this plug also. My issue with having the pilot screw accessible is for altitude settings.

Jetted stock, or with Dr J's kit, the Sherpa will actually run better at 8500 feet altitude, as compared to sea level. You won't need to adjust the carb for elevation changes.

[Pedro Navaja]

Originally Posted by mike21b

Jetted stock, or with Dr J's kit, the Sherpa will actually run better at 8500 feet altitude, as compared to sea level. You won't need to adjust the carb for elevation changes.

Details please?

Thanks,

Mike

[mike21b]

Originally Posted by Pedro Navaja

Details please?

Thanks,

Mike

The Sherpa is jetted lean - very lean - from the factory. Dr J's kit makes it less lean at all engine RPMs at very little loss (maybe no loss) of fuel mileage.

As altitude increases, engines run more rich as they gulp that thinner air while using more fuel. Therefore, without any other changes, the engine is now running more rich - which means that the Sherpa - again, with or without rejetting - is running more like a well tuned one would be running at sea level.


Actually most newer (carburetor) bikes will behave this way. It's not something unique to the Sherpa, or say, my west coast KLR, which spends a lot of time at 7,000 to 9,000 feet. It runs fine up there. I really don't feel any difference.

Back in the "old days", 2-stroke engines would blubber and foul plugs more quickly up in the mountains.

People who are up there full time sometimes alter their carb settings, which involves more than just turning a screw, but others don't bother and have no problems.

The Sherpa is well known for being "cold blooded". Start the engine, adjust choke, and it will often stall immediately if you attempt to ride off right away. That's at sea level. My wife is usually on the Sherpa and likes to warm it up for a couple minutes before riding it, but when I ride it, I can immediately ride away with the choke opened about 1/2 way, and push the knob down gradually as I ride.

[Pedro Navaja]

mike21b,

Thanks for the info. I'm still catching up on the "new" technology, and the even "newer" (EFI) technology.

I remember as a kid witnessing the changing of timing on cars and bikes when getting up to higher altitudes, and then later learning to do this myself. Here's a link that will bring back some memories, check out the ignition timing section. http://www.performanceindian.com/Timing.html

[Twinsteel]

Originally Posted by hdgypsyman

I've used the jet kit from Dr. Jeykle of the Yahoo Sherpa group and my 2001 Sherpa will do an honest top speed of 79 mph indicated on my GPS. Comfortable cruise speed with stock gearing is 50 to 60 mph. I am 6' 3" and weigh 210 lbs. The highest mpg i've gotten was 84.3, but that was running along on a river road at an average speed of 35 mph. I consistently get in the 65-70 mpg range. The bike is a hoot to drive, and has taught me that a smaller cc bike can be a great tool.

Thx for the report. Did you see that top speed with stock gearing? Not bad. I have the Dr. J kit and also went up a tooth on the front gear so I guess a might see a bit better than 79 mph on the top end.

[roninwva]

Has anybody dropped the counter sprocket to give it more bottom end and removed some of the junk on it to get a little trials type attitude? My local dealer is waiting for it's arival so I haven't seen one up close, but it does seem narrow in the pics and seems like it would make a good trials type trail bike.

[Twinsteel]

My Sherpa came with a 13-tooth front sprocket (stock is 14) and it definitely gave the bike a more 'agricultural' feel that would probably be well-suited to trials-type riding. I switched to a 15-tooth sprocket because most of my riding is on the street and the gearing was just too low with the 13-toother.

The bike is very narrow and could probably be lightened a bit by removing whatever you didn't need for trials riding (cosmetic plastics, pillion pegs, lights, mirrors, etc.).

[tomatoe333]

Originally Posted by roninwva

Has anybody dropped the counter sprocket to give it more bottom end and removed some of the junk on it to get a little trials type attitude? My local dealer is waiting for it's arival so I haven't seen one up close, but it does seem narrow in the pics and seems like it would make a good trials type trail bike.

My Sherpa actually came with an _11_ tooth front sprocket on it when I got it. You could put it in first gear, let out the clutch, and walk along beside it. It was worn to the point of being hooked when I got the bike, so I replaced it pretty quickly.

I don't think I'd got below a 13 tooth countershaft sprocket, though a 12 tooth is easily available (Moose M602-26-xx, where xx is the number of teeth, 12-15 available). I have a KLX250 case saver and sprocket cover installed on my Sherpa. They're less bulky than the stock cover, and don't hold the mud in as much.

For the rear sprocket, you'd probably have to go to someone like Sprocket Specialists to get something larger than stock.

Also, if you want to put a trials tire on the rear, you'll want to put a chain on that's long enough to have the adjusters all the way out. The tire will hit the swingarm if you don't.

If that's the kind of riding you like, the bike will probably work decently well for it. Be careful of banging up the stock skid plate too much, though. It's not very thick.

[dlow]

any of you guy's or gal's have a 2009 super sherpa?