Mount Washington

pistolclass · 08-29-2017, 09:55 PM

Not sure it is going to happen this year but I want to climb Mt Washington next year and I was wondering how the Hawk will do. It is currently tuned for 200 ft above sea level. It runs great. Going from 1000 ft to 6000 feet will the bike start and run ok on the way up and down?

What should I expect?

timcosby · 08-30-2017, 12:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pistolclass

Not sure it is going to happen this year but I want to climb Mt Washington next year and I was wondering how the Hawk will do. It is currently tuned for 200 ft above sea level. It runs great. Going from 1000 ft to 6000 feet will the bike start and run ok on the way up and down?

What should I expect?

i live at sea level and had a 3 month trip at 11,000 feet 5000 rpm was all she had. at 7000 feet i could do 6000 rpm befor it coughed for more gas. starting was fine. everything was fine except top end and one crash!

pete · 08-30-2017, 03:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by timcosby

i live at sea level and had a 3 month trip at 11,000 feet 5000 rpm was all she had. at 7000 feet i could do 6000 rpm befor it coughed for more gas. starting was fine. everything was fine except top end and one crash!

It had to much gas.... the cough was for more oxygen...

...

Megadan · 08-30-2017, 09:00 AM

To do it properly, travel with a few jets, a wrench to take the carb off, and a phillips and flathead to change the jets. For the Mikuni carb the basic rule of thumb is to drop a jet size down for every 5000ft increase in altitude or 50 degree change in temp, or half that if you really want to keep it in tune, 25 degrees/2500ft = half a jet size. So lets say you have a 110 main and 30 pilot at sea level. at 5000ft you would want to drop down to a 105 main. The pilot may also need changing at some point, but the main covers a majority of your throttle range.

At a minimum, I would say at least bring 2 sizes smaller for main jets, and maybe one size smaller pilot.

Depending on how the bike is tuned now can also slightly affect if you need to change jets or not. If you have the bike tuned lean at sea level then going up in altitude will be a little more forgiving until you reach a certain point. Inversely, if you have it tuned a bit rich like most of us aircooled bikes tend to be, then it will react much sooner to the altitude changes. Obviously, vice versa when going down.

This is where you really start to appreciate EFI

Mudflap · 08-30-2017, 11:57 AM

6000' is just a hill out here in the west. As long as your plug color is not too rich at sea level I wouldn't change anything.

tlelectric · 08-30-2017, 01:03 PM

If you would like some company for the trip, maybe put together a group ride I might be able to join you. I'm in southern NH, I haven't driven up Mt. Washington but I've hiked it a few times in my younger years. My Hawk is still mostly stock other than changing the jet, an iridium spark plug and adjusting the valves. I'm still breaking the bike in. I would like to change out the sprockets but it seems I rarely have time to ride so mods have been a low priority.

Megadan · 08-30-2017, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mudflap

6000' is just a hill out here in the west. As long as your plug color is not too rich at sea level I wouldn't change anything.

While it's true that for a quick run around at that type of altitude change with a well tuned carb won't usually cause too many issues, when you nearly double that, then at least one jet change would be a good idea.

pistolclass · 08-30-2017, 07:00 PM

TL - I would totally do the run with another rider. I'm going to carry the bike on my truck until Dalton then rip it up on the Hawk.

My goal is not to spend days up there. Just a quick run to the peak take some pictures and zip on down. I figure if it dies up there I could just roll it down. I think I'm going to rely mainly on engine breaking on the way down to not overheat the brakes.

I did the ride in a convertible mustang in the late 90's so the road is very well maintained. I'll just keep my eye on the weather to make sure it is not brutal up there.

timcosby · 08-30-2017, 07:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pete

It had to much gas.... the cough was for more oxygen...

...

plug was white after plug chop so i assumed lean

pistolclass · 08-30-2017, 10:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mudflap

6000' is just a hill out here in the west. As long as your plug color is not too rich at sea level I wouldn't change anything.

I would love to ride up Mount Evans Scenic which climbs to 14,130 feet but I'm on the east coast, so for now 6,000 feet will have to do. If I ever attack the big one in Idaho I will probably wait until I get an Africa Twin for the journey. I think that is my next bike. But for the next few years my discretionary income will be going towards completing my vacation home in NH, so the Africa Twin will have to wait.

I think we should get a stuffed Hawk as a mascot and send it around to anyone making an epic or at least notable journey. Then send the Hawk around for a photo op and see how far and wide the stuffed animal travels. Of course the bike needs to be in the Pic too.

Mudflap · 08-31-2017, 05:35 AM

I've ridden to the top of Mt Evans on my old Honda CX500. It was a bit low on power up near the top but it did have CV carbs. Highest I've ridden on a China bike is 10,000' but I live at 4000' and regularly ride to over 8000'. There are blogs on ADVrider.com with people riding their stock China bikes to over 16'000' in the Andes and Himalayas.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pistolclass

I would love to ride up Mount Evans Scenic which climbs to 14,130 feet but I'm on the east coast, so for now 6,000 feet will have to do. If I ever attack the big one in Idaho I will probably wait until I get an Africa Twin for the journey. I think that is my next bike. But for the next few years my discretionary income will be going towards completing my vacation home in NH, so the Africa Twin will have to wait.

I think we should get a stuffed Hawk as a mascot and send it around to anyone making an epic or at least notable journey. Then send the Hawk around for a photo op and see how far and wide the stuffed animal travels. Of course the bike needs to be in the Pic too.

Ariel Red Hunter · 08-31-2017, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pistolclass

I would love to ride up Mount Evans Scenic which climbs to 14,130 feet but I'm on the east coast, so for now 6,000 feet will have to do. If I ever attack the big one in Idaho I will probably wait until I get an Africa Twin for the journey. I think that is my next bike. But for the next few years my discretionary income will be going towards completing my vacation home in NH, so the Africa Twin will have to wait.

I think we should get a stuffed Hawk as a mascot and send it around to anyone making an epic or at least notable journey. Then send the Hawk around for a photo op and see how far and wide the stuffed animal travels. Of course the bike needs to be in the Pic too.

Or a little statuette, like the Maltese Falcon!...ARH

08-29-2017, 09:55 PM	#1
pistolclass Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: connecticut Posts: 978	Mount Washington Not sure it is going to happen this year but I want to climb Mt Washington next year and I was wondering how the Hawk will do. It is currently tuned for 200 ft above sea level. It runs great. Going from 1000 ft to 6000 feet will the bike start and run ok on the way up and down? What should I expect?
	0

08-30-2017, 09:00 AM	#4
Megadan Join Date: Apr 2017 Location: Omaha, NE Posts: 8,030	To do it properly, travel with a few jets, a wrench to take the carb off, and a phillips and flathead to change the jets. For the Mikuni carb the basic rule of thumb is to drop a jet size down for every 5000ft increase in altitude or 50 degree change in temp, or half that if you really want to keep it in tune, 25 degrees/2500ft = half a jet size. So lets say you have a 110 main and 30 pilot at sea level. at 5000ft you would want to drop down to a 105 main. The pilot may also need changing at some point, but the main covers a majority of your throttle range. At a minimum, I would say at least bring 2 sizes smaller for main jets, and maybe one size smaller pilot. Depending on how the bike is tuned now can also slightly affect if you need to change jets or not. If you have the bike tuned lean at sea level then going up in altitude will be a little more forgiving until you reach a certain point. Inversely, if you have it tuned a bit rich like most of us aircooled bikes tend to be, then it will react much sooner to the altitude changes. Obviously, vice versa when going down. This is where you really start to appreciate EFI __________________ Hawk Information and Resource guide: http://www.chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=20331 2018 Hawk 250 - Full Mod list here. http://www.chinariders.net/showpost....62&postcount=1 2024 Royal Enfield Shotgun 650 https://chinariders.net/showthread.php?t=34124
	0

08-30-2017, 11:57 AM	#5
Mudflap Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 1,875	6000' is just a hill out here in the west. As long as your plug color is not too rich at sea level I wouldn't change anything.
	0

08-30-2017, 01:03 PM	#6
tlelectric Join Date: Dec 2015 Posts: 10	If you would like some company for the trip, maybe put together a group ride I might be able to join you. I'm in southern NH, I haven't driven up Mt. Washington but I've hiked it a few times in my younger years. My Hawk is still mostly stock other than changing the jet, an iridium spark plug and adjusting the valves. I'm still breaking the bike in. I would like to change out the sprockets but it seems I rarely have time to ride so mods have been a low priority.
	1

08-30-2017, 07:00 PM	#8
pistolclass Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: connecticut Posts: 978	TL - I would totally do the run with another rider. I'm going to carry the bike on my truck until Dalton then rip it up on the Hawk. My goal is not to spend days up there. Just a quick run to the peak take some pictures and zip on down. I figure if it dies up there I could just roll it down. I think I'm going to rely mainly on engine breaking on the way down to not overheat the brakes. I did the ride in a convertible mustang in the late 90's so the road is very well maintained. I'll just keep my eye on the weather to make sure it is not brutal up there.
	0