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Downtown 300 / Improving the 2012 model with lesser power and higher fuel consumption
« on: March 10, 2012, 01:52:51 AM »
Wanna start this new thread to hopefully find ways to improve the performance and fuel consumption of the 2012 model with lesser power and higher fuel consumption.
After much rave about the Downtown 300i all over the net, i decided to purchase one in August 2011.
The great fuel consumption, power and storage attracted me to this scooter.
I made an order thru the agent and was told that I'll be getting the 2012 model which is an improved model with higher full stand ground clearance, a hazard light option and a reduced in horsepower dropping from 29hp to 27hp. I was like hey it's only 2 horses how bad can it be? Boy! what a difference 2hp makes.
If it's not bad enough with horses dropped, i discovered that it also drink. I consistently get 25km/l and at times down to 22km/l. I feedback to the agent and they claimed that i was heavy handed with the throttle which wasn't the case.
Anyhow, the scooter has been giving me more headache and heartache than pleasure knowing that what I'm getting is not the same scooter as in performance like the internet or owners are claiming.
Beside the higher fuel consumption, there is the issue of vibration when moving off. I have ridden Gilera Runner FXR180, Piaggio Skipper SKR ST150 and Yamaha Majesty YP250 perviously and they all don't have such problems in my 9 years of riding.
I search around the net and found that it's a common problem regarding the judder vibration while moving off and some of the other problems.
I learned that there is an issue of juddering while accelerating but wasn't getting any until recently as the problem of 500rpm drop at 50km/h disappeared.
I am now plague with the fuel injection kinna juddering problem (feels like there is intermittent fuel delivery from the injector) making riding around the range of 22mph(35km/h) to 37mph(60km/h) very irritating and uncomfortable.
I ever exchange the LGE5 variator which came stock with my scooternfor the LEA7 one in an effort to correct the higher fuel consumption i am getting.
After fixing up and went for a test ride and this is my findings.
Initial move off is normal as LGE5, very torquey until 25mph(40km/h) (5000rpm).
From 40km/h onwards, the rpm suddenly dropped to 4000rpm (seems like there is a secondary gear kicking in).
The scooter will drag very slowly with the rpm increasing slowly also to about 90km/h(6000rpm).
At 56mph(90km/h)(6000rpm) the scooter started to breath better and started to slowly come alive.
At around 62mph(100km/h) it felt like it had more power and felt ready to go higher.
I gave it gas and the rpm shot to 6500rpm (peak torque)and the scoot came alive and felt really great as if it wanted to go even faster.
At this point it felt better than the LGE5 variator which never gave me such sensation. Well, maybe it's due to the torturing slow speed before it came actually alive. None the less, it felt better than the LGE5 and feel that it this scoot may actually prefer to travel and cruise at above 75mph(120km/h) all day as lower speed felt like it is actally suffering.
After the test, I immediately switch back to the LGE5 variator as speed below 56mph(90km/h) with the LEA7 is hell and totally not ride-able.
In the mean time am looking for the best option to consider using Dr Pulley 14g for the LEA7 to let it rev higher for the slow speed increase below 56mph(90km/h). As i do not know how will the out come of the 14g slider will be on the LEA7, i do not want to have a 14g slider lying around and for installing it on the LGE5 is way to aggressive like juanpauk discovered.
One thing for sure is the rpm difference between LGE5 and LEA7 is really big around 1000rpm and especially in the lower speed range around 44mph(70km/h). Can't remember the actual figure at lower speed but the at higher speed the difference is only 400 to 500rpm at 100km/h.
Currently at 62mph(100km/h) with LGE5 is 5900rpm
If using with LEA7 @ 62mph(100km/h) is at 5500rpm
Marginal difference at these speed but a big difference at below 60mph and the feeling of power too.
LEA7 give good feeling of power to accelerate from 60mph onwards.
If i can find the additional 5hp back to the first batch of Downtown 300i fixing the LEA7 will be the only option.
Good low speed fuel consumption and good power to overtake at higher speed.
One thing i cannot understand is between the 1 batch of Downtown 32hp and the 3rd batch of Downtown 27hp aren't they using the same engine. Isn't it possible to get the full 32 horses back with a swap a certain parts like ECU,Injector and Catalytic converter Muffler?
Cheers
After much rave about the Downtown 300i all over the net, i decided to purchase one in August 2011.
The great fuel consumption, power and storage attracted me to this scooter.
I made an order thru the agent and was told that I'll be getting the 2012 model which is an improved model with higher full stand ground clearance, a hazard light option and a reduced in horsepower dropping from 29hp to 27hp. I was like hey it's only 2 horses how bad can it be? Boy! what a difference 2hp makes.
If it's not bad enough with horses dropped, i discovered that it also drink. I consistently get 25km/l and at times down to 22km/l. I feedback to the agent and they claimed that i was heavy handed with the throttle which wasn't the case.
Anyhow, the scooter has been giving me more headache and heartache than pleasure knowing that what I'm getting is not the same scooter as in performance like the internet or owners are claiming.
Beside the higher fuel consumption, there is the issue of vibration when moving off. I have ridden Gilera Runner FXR180, Piaggio Skipper SKR ST150 and Yamaha Majesty YP250 perviously and they all don't have such problems in my 9 years of riding.
I search around the net and found that it's a common problem regarding the judder vibration while moving off and some of the other problems.
I learned that there is an issue of juddering while accelerating but wasn't getting any until recently as the problem of 500rpm drop at 50km/h disappeared.
I am now plague with the fuel injection kinna juddering problem (feels like there is intermittent fuel delivery from the injector) making riding around the range of 22mph(35km/h) to 37mph(60km/h) very irritating and uncomfortable.
I ever exchange the LGE5 variator which came stock with my scooternfor the LEA7 one in an effort to correct the higher fuel consumption i am getting.
After fixing up and went for a test ride and this is my findings.
Initial move off is normal as LGE5, very torquey until 25mph(40km/h) (5000rpm).
From 40km/h onwards, the rpm suddenly dropped to 4000rpm (seems like there is a secondary gear kicking in).
The scooter will drag very slowly with the rpm increasing slowly also to about 90km/h(6000rpm).
At 56mph(90km/h)(6000rpm) the scooter started to breath better and started to slowly come alive.
At around 62mph(100km/h) it felt like it had more power and felt ready to go higher.
I gave it gas and the rpm shot to 6500rpm (peak torque)and the scoot came alive and felt really great as if it wanted to go even faster.
At this point it felt better than the LGE5 variator which never gave me such sensation. Well, maybe it's due to the torturing slow speed before it came actually alive. None the less, it felt better than the LGE5 and feel that it this scoot may actually prefer to travel and cruise at above 75mph(120km/h) all day as lower speed felt like it is actally suffering.
After the test, I immediately switch back to the LGE5 variator as speed below 56mph(90km/h) with the LEA7 is hell and totally not ride-able.
In the mean time am looking for the best option to consider using Dr Pulley 14g for the LEA7 to let it rev higher for the slow speed increase below 56mph(90km/h). As i do not know how will the out come of the 14g slider will be on the LEA7, i do not want to have a 14g slider lying around and for installing it on the LGE5 is way to aggressive like juanpauk discovered.
One thing for sure is the rpm difference between LGE5 and LEA7 is really big around 1000rpm and especially in the lower speed range around 44mph(70km/h). Can't remember the actual figure at lower speed but the at higher speed the difference is only 400 to 500rpm at 100km/h.
Currently at 62mph(100km/h) with LGE5 is 5900rpm
If using with LEA7 @ 62mph(100km/h) is at 5500rpm
Marginal difference at these speed but a big difference at below 60mph and the feeling of power too.
LEA7 give good feeling of power to accelerate from 60mph onwards.
If i can find the additional 5hp back to the first batch of Downtown 300i fixing the LEA7 will be the only option.
Good low speed fuel consumption and good power to overtake at higher speed.
One thing i cannot understand is between the 1 batch of Downtown 32hp and the 3rd batch of Downtown 27hp aren't they using the same engine. Isn't it possible to get the full 32 horses back with a swap a certain parts like ECU,Injector and Catalytic converter Muffler?
Cheers