Sportbikes : What to know about Fuel Injection vs Caburation

As of recently I purchased a 2002 Honda CBR F4i. It's a nice step up from the 2000 Yamaha R6 I've currently owned, which was quite a bike itself!

The main reason I was so excited about the change was that I was going from a Carburated engine, to a Fuel Injected engine. They were both 600cc engines, and both sportbikes (although the Yamaha was red, and the Honda is yellow) and I had heard so much about Fuel Injection (FI) that I was extremely eager!

So let's get to it:

FI is a whole new beast. One of the most noticeable differences straight out of the gates is the ease of ignition. With my Yamaha I had to mess around with a choke, and letting the bike idle for about 3 or 4 minutes before I took it for a ride. And that was only when it was nice and warm outside. Starting that Yamaha up over the winter was borderline impossible on some extremely cold days! On the Honda there is no choke, everything is automated! The bike fires up immediately and is ready to go! Not too bad considering the previous model I had.

(As a side note, I want to make sure that I mention to you readers that it is highly recommended to let ANY motorcycle, regardless of the engine or fuel delivery method, idle for a minute or two before operation to allow lubricants and other fluids such as oil to move throughout the engine and get up to operating temperature!)

Moving on from starting, FI is a completely different animal over all. FI is controlled by an Engine Control Module (ECM) which tells and controls exactly how much fuel and air is allowed to be in the engine at once, giving the absolute mathematically correct explosions no matter how hard your running the bike. Carburation uses floats, and carb bowls, as well as gravity and suction to help it out. This is comparable to FI but not nearly as precise or controlled.

After learning these difference it's easily understable why track junkies would LOVE FI bikes because of the programmability. Nominally, there are electronic controllers that already have pre-tested and implimented "maps" for the ECM's on FI bikes. The most popular being a Power Commander which overriders the stock ECM settings and goes by what has been tested for specific bikes with specific common aftermarket accessories taking fine tuning to a whole new level.

My Experience

Switching from my Yamaha to the Honda was exhilirating. The bike fires right up and I hoped on and took it for a ride. However, after I got over the "new car smell" I realized I was hardly impressed at all. The difference to the "average Joe" was hardly noticeable. It almost felt more as a bragging right than an actual useful addition to the bike. There is a .5 second lag from throttle response to the whole process actually going. Something similar, I'm told, to the bikes that literally use jet engines to power them. I didn't notice any change in acceleration, nor did I see a difference in MPG (still averaging 55mpg).

What I can tell you is that when something goes wrong on a FI bike you're going to be paying more money than on a Carb'd bike. FI uses highly tempramental senors, injectors, extremely expensive spark plugs (Laser Iridium at about 15 dollars...EACH!) and a more expensive battery. Not to mention if the charging system acts up then you're really in for a treat. While I'm at it, Honda, you'd better fix that problem with the Automatic Cam Chain tensioners' because they all seem to be breaking. AKA- stop putting the same ones on the newer model bikes please and thank you!

For What It's Worth

Leave the FI at home unless you're a track junkie or professional racer. For the average street riders, such as myself, there will really be nearly zero noticeable differences. If you're someone who absolutely MUST HAVE the latest technology then by all means jump on it. When it's running as it should, it's a beautiful thing. However as the saying goes "The more technology on it; the more things that can go wrong with it."

Let me know about your experiences!

Vintage Microphones - Shure Unidyne III 545 SD

Today I'm going to write a little bit of a review about this microphone. I've actually found it in a box in my closet. I must have picked it up a while ago and then never really touched it since. While there are literally hundreds and hundreds of things floating around my closet (all of which most likely will never see the light of day again) this one stood out to me because I was about to set up a small make-shift studio for a harmonica playing buddy of mine to record a bit for a blues song I have created.

I've been working on something I like to call "Project: Blues" for about 2 weeks. The goal is to take a simple blues song and really see what it takes to make it sound professional, horrible, and mediocre all with the same song.

The harmonica comes into play for the "professional" sound. The Unidyne III is the older brother of the SM57 that the Shure company currently produces. I haven't found any Unidyne III's to be made to date new, however there are hundreds that can be found on eBay.

While using this microphone, especially for recording a Harmonica, you can instantly see why Shure is still in business to this day. For being a Dynamic mic, this thing rocked! It picks up absolutely everything with crystal clear clarity. It can be used for picking up anything from instruments to even vocal needs (although there is an SM58 for that!). When discussing this microphone with some professors of mine from Mercyhurst College (whom are professors for Music Technology) say that these mics literally run forever. I was told a story about how someone literally witnessed a Unidyne III fall down 3 flights of stairs into a puddle of water; then plugged back into the cable and used on stage. Not that I would suggest such a brutal test for a wonderful piece of electronics, but it IS durable.

Unfortunately there are a few issues, as are apparently common with these mics. The capsule around the coil is very easily removed. This causes the head joint of the mic to fall off easily, and to my discovery the only thing actually sealing it on is a small rubber gasket. Also of mention, the on - off switch was acting up quite a bit. Aside from that it was great; not bad for a 20 year old dynamic mic that I got for FREE!

I'd like to take this time to just say that someones trash may be anothers treasure. These old mics, and others useful yet aged equipment are continually thrown away by people who have no idea what they do, or if they even work still! Be sure to keep your eyes pealed because sometimes you can make the best discoveries ever!

All in all I'd recommend the Unidyne III for anyone who is looking to record anything. While it sounds a little better than the SM57, it is not that noticeable to the everyday listener. In other words, if someone recorded a midevil recorder with the Unidyne, and then again with the 57, not very many people would be able to tell a difference at all!

Feel free to leave your comments or stories about any SM57, or Unidyne III's (545 SD) that you've had!