Quote:
Originally Posted by Piglife
What is the size of the carb in the Magician? I can't find this answer anywhere. I assume (since both manufactured by RPS and 250's) that it's the same VM26 30mm as the Hawk?
Will the stock exhaust withstand my altitude with the new carb on the hawk?
How is the electrical system in general?
Thank you for any help with these questions and please let me know anything that you feel is important for a newbie like me.
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Hawk and magician use the same carb. Intakes and air boxes are the only real difference. Engine is identical minus the side covers saying Hawk and Magician.
At your altitude you might actually find the stock carb jetting to be sufficient, but I wouldn't talk anybody out of installing a carb you can properly adjust the jetting of.
The biggest issue with the stock exhausts on the carbureted bikes is the catalyst. It's located close to the motor and very restrictive. At the very least I usually would recommend a de-cat of the stock systems, especially if noise is a concern. As much as the cheaper aftermarket systems really do free up power, they can also be a bit on the loud side. The more name brand systems are more expensive, but come with options for keeping the noise down as well without restricting the exhaust flow very much.
As far as the suspension goes, at a minimum fork oil and setting preload on the forks can go a long way. If you want to get a little more extreme you can look into Cartridge emulator valves like I installed on my Hawk. Not really necessary, but well worth it if done.
The original rear shock isn't too terrible as long as you aren't a big heavy guy. There are ways to "upgrade" it, but I would say decide that when you have ridden the bikes for a while.
The electrical system is "ok". The connectors are cheap and sometimes the crimps done at the factory aren't all that great. The routing of some wires puts them in danger of melting (rear brake switch wiring touching exhaust) or rubbing through, so going over the system and adding looming, zip ties, etc is always a good idea. Some dielectric grease on connectors to help semi waterproof them is also a good idea.
The stock batteries are kind of a crapshoot. Sometimes they last a while, other times they barely function and need replaced in a couple of weeks.
Go over the spokes and tighten them, then after the first 3-500 miles, do so again, then an occasional check now and then is a good idea.
To expand on something Emerikol was talking about, and just my own personal opinion, change the oil out. Go hit up WalMart and grab a gallon jug of Rotella T4 and just change the oil on all three bikes. Rotella T4 is a great oil to break these engines in with as it has a high level of zinc and it is wet clutch safe. After break in, run whatever makes you happy.
Also, set/adjust the valve lash before you even run the bikes. They come set tight and will cause run issues eventually. For break in I suggest setting them to .07mm (.003in) and then you can run them at .05mm (.002in) after that break in period.
As far as reliability and functionality goes, the link to the resource guide in my signature on the first page does a good job of covering a lot of this. Greasing pivots, bearings, etc, or at the very least checking them to know if they have grease or not is a good idea.