Carb Tuning High Elevation

[Uncle Vinny]

Any ChinaRiders riding at 5280'+ elevation? Whats your carb set-up?..Im running stock magician 250

[paulsstag]

Any ChinaRiders riding at 5280'+ elevation? Whats your carb set-up?..Im running stock magician 250

i live @ 6000ft and usually ride @ 6-8000ft. i have a 2019 TBR7 . i was one of the few that could ride on the bone stock carb. I have since purchased a VM26 carb ( not really necessary but i did not feel like messing with the stock carb, besides it is a good reference point as it was working well ).

Left the VM26 stock pilot jet (#20 on my carb)
Did not adjust the needle , so probably in the center position (5 positions )
Took out the stock #100 main jet and tried a #105. Bike ran great but the last 1/4 throttle did not do much.
Changed the #105 for a #108, air mixture screw is 2.5 turns out. Bike is running great hot or cold and has much more power than the stock carb, i'm calling it good for now.

Also my bike has the full stock exhast and the factory air box and filter.
Hope this helps.

[Uncle Vinny]

Thanks paulsstag for the response, it definitely helps. I have a new carb (hwbnde/mikuni vm26) on the way, and your response confirmed my thinking about tuning the carb. The stock carb works well enough for me, but I feel as though its holding the bike back a bit. Ill swap out the main jet for a #105 or #110, as the jet kit I bought does not come with #108. Thanks again, and hopefully I can get my magician 250 purring.

[paulsstag]

Thanks paulsstag for the response, it definitely helps. I have a new carb (hwbnde/mikuni vm26) on the way, and your response confirmed my thinking about tuning the carb. The stock carb works well enough for me, but I feel as though its holding the bike back a bit. Ill swap out the main jet for a #105 or #110, as the jet kit I bought does not come with #108. Thanks again, and hopefully I can get my magician 250 purring.

If you ever head South and want to ride your bike ( bring it down on a truck or trailer ) give me a shout as i live in Silver City NM.

My stock carb worked pretty well as it was but i must say the VM26 made a world of difference and i hope you get the same results.

[Dedbolt]

I'm in Rio Rancho but don't have a 250...yet. Looking to buy the Apollo DB-36 in a few weeks for me. I do have an Apollo DB-18 125 and ran like crap with the stock carb. Was wondering about the elevation here for it. I put on a Mikuni VM22 with no adjustments and ran great. Still need to work on the Coolster. Needs a little adjustment for this altitude, I think.

[NzBrakelathes]

A lot of guys changing carb and tuning the Mikuni but not the stock carb are not really making a fair comparison
To really compare you’d need to tune know poorly tuned stock carb and tune the Mikuni to get an apples for apples result etc

[Uncle Vinny]

If you ever head South and want to ride your bike ( bring it down on a truck or trailer ) give me a shout as i live in Silver City NM.

My stock carb worked pretty well as it was but i must say the VM26 made a world of difference and i hope you get the same results.

Thanks, I would like to ride around Silver City/the Gila, and am new to riding, so I'm always looking for new people to ride with. If I head down anytime soon, ill definitely take you up on your offer. Also, my new carburetor just arrived, so hopefully I can install it in a day or two and will get similar results to you.

[Uncle Vinny]

I'm in Rio Rancho but don't have a 250...yet. Looking to buy the Apollo DB-36 in a few weeks for me. I do have an Apollo DB-18 125 and ran like crap with the stock carb. Was wondering about the elevation here for it. I put on a Mikuni VM22 with no adjustments and ran great. Still need to work on the Coolster. Needs a little adjustment for this altitude, I think.

Hey Dedbolt, I just googled your bikes, and both those Apollo's and coolster look sick. Where do you ride?.. I just got my new carb in, and can't wait to get it installed. Our altitude seems to vary so much, that hopefully I can just find a middle ground when it comes to carb tuning.

[Uncle Vinny]

A lot of guys changing carb and tuning the Mikuni but not the stock carb are not really making a fair comparison
To really compare you’d need to tune know poorly tuned stock carb and tune the Mikuni to get an apples for apples result etc

Very true. I wanted to tune my stock carb, but after seeing the prices for new "upgrades", I couldn't help myself and bought one. I was mainly looking for a baseline to start tuning from, but if I ever get another china bike Ill definitely tune the stock carb to gain a better comparison.

[NzBrakelathes]

Very true. I wanted to tune my stock carb, but after seeing the prices for new "upgrades", I couldn't help myself and bought one. I was mainly looking for a baseline to start tuning from, but if I ever get another china bike Ill definitely tune the stock carb to gain a better comparison.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/303210680840

Here's an item I sell and sell a lot - great starter set and not at all expensive

[paulsstag]

I'm in Rio Rancho but don't have a 250...yet. Looking to buy the Apollo DB-36 in a few weeks for me. I do have an Apollo DB-18 125 and ran like crap with the stock carb. Was wondering about the elevation here for it. I put on a Mikuni VM22 with no adjustments and ran great. Still need to work on the Coolster. Needs a little adjustment for this altitude, I think.

Will you get the off road version or the enduro version ?

[Dedbolt]

Hey Dedbolt, I just googled your bikes, and both those Apollo's and coolster look sick. Where do you ride?.. I just got my new carb in, and can't wait to get it installed. Our altitude seems to vary so much, that hopefully I can just find a middle ground when it comes to carb tuning.

Here in Rio, I just go out my driveway. The boys and I ride around the mesa. The bikes are really good looking. My boys love them. Now it's time to get one for me.

I'm thinking the off road version. Looks like it's cheaper to add a headlight and gauges than it is to get the bigger wheels.