Motorbike Question

[Dr_Phibes]

RIP Van.

Any gearheads in here have opinions on velocity stacks on the carbs vs. airfiltres? This regards a 1971 Bonneville.

Sam? Rooster?

[Dr_Phibes]

The worst part is I'm selling it. The potential buyer is worried that it has velocity stacks rather than stock air filtres. Thinking of just keeping it.

[Dinsdale]

Stacks typically don't offer much air filtration (depending on the type/setup). And without making other parts of the engine more free-flowing, won't give much, if any performance gain. But they will make it louder.

[Dr_Phibes]

Got indignant because the stacks were stock on this Bonneville, they're rear facing and when you're at idle, the slide is almost closed so I don't see how much could get in the engine. Mind you, he wants to do a lot of country roads often times gravel so.. hmm. An air filtre on a Bonneville seems like whitewalls on a funnycar.

[smackaholic]

It's an old British bike. It will break down from a million different things before it does from ingesting something. Cant you get some sort of screens? They won't stop dust, but they'll stop larger crap without losing the look. And face it, you don't have an old Triumph for performance or reliability. It's all about the look. I have an old FJ1100 that I bought from my friend. He had it for years and tried to get it to run well in individual carb filters, but his mechanic never could get it quite right. He went back to a single airbox and it was fine. It's been sitting in the basement now collecting dust for about 8-9 years. I really do need to get off my ass and put it back on the street. It's a fun bike and pretty quick for something 30 years old.

[Dr_Phibes]

This is no bag of old bones. The original owner was an ex-pat and he found it in New York and brought it up here. It was his baby, he spent fifteen years working on it and meant to leave it to his daughter when he got too old to ride - but she was too short to handle it. It's close to better than new condition. The only thing missing is the '71 Triumph colours. Under my watch, this bike has never spent a night outside or in a cold garage. It is flawless and impeccable.

And face it, you don't have an old Triumph for performance or reliability. It's all about the look.

Well no. Everyone gets their own thing from riding, you liked speed and Japanese plastic. I like handling, Nortons, BSA, Triumph. I think the more you have to interact with the machine, makes you a better driver, it gives you more understanding of what you're doing.

The stacks have screens, that's not the issue.



I never thought about it because I'm not about to question Triumph or Amal Carbs. The proof is in the pudding, I got pissed off because these bikes run these mods and don't have issues. Dins nailed it:

(depending on the type/setup)

It works and it's always worked.

[Diego in Seattle]

Sam, did you hear about Victory?

[smackaholic]

I'd say as long as you keep it away from dust storms, you'll be good.

You are right about jap bikes and plastic. Elderly brit stuff is wayyy prettier. Actually all the old bikes are prettier. As for handling, pretty sure the FJ would win that category. I am sure that Triumph may have been one of the best handling bikes made in 1971, but the following decade brought an awful lot of improvement. The FJ was one of the earliest monoshock bikes....I think. It was pretty damn sophisticated shit....for 1985.

If that thing is as cherry as you claim, definitely leave the stacks. It would be a sin to mod it. Probably destroy the value as well.

[smackaholic]

Was Victory having a tough time, or did Polaris just decide to put all their marbles in the Indian bag? Indian certainly has the name recognition even though the "real" Indians haven't been made for over a half century. Based on the Scout Sixty, I think Harley better look in their rear view mirror. But then, we are talking about Harley here. They can't see anything in their mirrors anyway because of vibration.