Making More Power - Comparisons

Making More Horse Power

Making horsepower and torque is all about moving air - intake and exhaust. To get the most out of your V*Star 1100 you will have to address both the front and back end of the air-fuel cycle.

This means you will need to:

1.) increase the air flow on the intake side (better air cleaners, removal of restrictions, etc)

2.) increase the flow on the exhaust side (better pipes)

3.) change the jetting to match and take advantage of your new, freer flowing system

For more general info on the process - here is a link to an excellent article, provided to the forum by hoghead63:

"Making More Horsepower - The Engineering and Mythology"

Performance Comparison - Various Mods:

Significant testing and dynoing by the early tuners and users of pod kits with various exhaust types has resulted in a ton of info -- and you can rest assured that if you follow the pod installation and jetting instructions for your kind of exhaust -- the results will be fairly close to what is portrayed below - for your modifications status!, There is no real need for you to spend your $$ on a Dyno run, unless you are getting unexpected results or problems.

If you decide on the Dyno route, the major item for tuning your bike after making fuel / air changes (jets, pods, etc) is the AFR - Air Fuel Ratio. This item is one of the 3 things you want to get recorded when you have your ride dynoed, the other ones being Horsepower and Torque.

"Perfect" AFR is 14.7 parts of air to 1 part fuel = AFR = 14.7. Comment: "As it is impossible for any carb to deliver perfect air/fuel ratios, you always try to be a little richer across the range - if you can. Running a LITTLE rich also improves drivability. Too rich and the engine chokes on the fuel and can't burn it all properly, and power drops off." (raymajor)

If you look at Dyno sheets, you will note that maximum HP is produced at Wide Open Throttle and AFR is in the 12.1 to 12.5 range.

NOTE: HP from dyno machines is sensitive to many factors: altitude, humidity, temperature and to the settings made by the dyno operator (the operator can skew the numbers by 3-4 HP) -- all these factors make comparison very difficult. Dyno are considered to be quite accurate - but, given these variables, the only way to truly compare is to get reading with the dyno smoothing factor set to a 5 - which adjusts real conditions to an "ideal" state for all the variables - making comparison easy, but not giving you the "real" HP under your "real" conditions.

THE TABLE BELOW IS OUR CURRENT BEST ESTIMATE OF THE HP TO BE EXPECTED FROM THE CONFIGURATIONS NOTED.

IT IS NOT A CASE OF "smoke & mirrors" to get the numbers, but IS a case of "too many variables (above)" for us to be dead accurate. Sorry, but you will have to deal with our best estimates - not perfection, but the best we have to offer. YOUR RESULTS MAY VARY!! If you get a wide variation, then post to the forum and see what the experts say.

Notes: Current list of "Performance" pipes includes: Cobra HP 2-1, PCS Monster Pro 2-2 (despite looks), Roadhouse classic 2-1, Pro-Race Pipe by S&S Custom Cycle 2-1 and . The Cobra 2 into 1 pipes, either the trumpet or the straight ended ones, have been turning out the best HP of all the "performance" 2-1 pipes - and you should expect to get an added 2-4 HP from them with the baffle plate drilled.

Any sort of intake kit that still retains the factory air-box (Hypercharger, High-V, BAK, Speedstar, etc.) will show a less far less HP than POD kit numbers until you start dealing with aftermarket cams then it will taper off more significantly than the numbers in the chart. POD kits are easier to tune, and tune well!

Dyno Sheets WANTED!!!

Link to Modifications - Carb and Intake - Click here to go directly to more information about carb and intake modifications. You'll get the biggest bang for your HP buck on this end.

Link to Modifications - Exhaust - Click here to go directly to more information about exhaust modifications

V STAR 1100 Riders Forum