53,000 miles on my 90 RZ350. Should I replace the reeds?

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Ebayru
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53,000 miles on my 90 RZ350. Should I replace the reeds?

#1 Post by Ebayru » Wed Sep 06, 2017 11:08 pm

Should I be concerned about reed failure?

If so, the only source I see for the 1UA reeds are in the UK or Europe. Does anyone know of another source? I'm very pleased with the bikes performance and it gets incredible gas mileage so I'd like to keep it as stock as possible.

Thanks.


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1990 RZ350 (Canadian)
1974 Suzuki GT550 with sidecar
1978 Yamaha DT250

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Questo vecchio rz
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Re: 53,000 miles on my 90 RZ350. Should I replace the reeds?

#2 Post by Questo vecchio rz » Thu Sep 07, 2017 2:09 am

Your probably just fine, but at 53,000 miles, if it were my bike I'd change them out for OEM replacements, stock reeds are perfectly fine for your application.
There only a handful of dollars and about a 1/2 hr's work to do. Remember..."an ounce of prevention"
:smt002

As you know, when kept stock these bikes can rack up impressive mileage for a 2 stroke..and still run reasonably well, even with cylinders,crank & powervalves out of tolerance ...these motors are lil mules.
And with a 5 gallon tank they have good cruising range.

When modified, they get awful mileage...just deplorable. The Banshee with CPI cylinders and two 35mm carbs drinks 3.2 gallons in around 45 minutes... keep it all stock!
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AlexG
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Re: 53,000 miles on my 90 RZ350. Should I replace the reeds?

#3 Post by AlexG » Thu Sep 07, 2017 3:49 pm

I was told to replace the stock with the closest to stock Boyesen reeds. If the engine ingest a steel flapper is over , or so I was told.

I get about 250 miles on a tank around town, on an otherwise stock setup with cheap expansion chambers.


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Ebayru
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Location: Asheville, NC

Re: 53,000 miles on my 90 RZ350. Should I replace the reeds?

#4 Post by Ebayru » Thu Sep 07, 2017 4:05 pm

Thank you. I have a set of the 1UA versions coming from the U.K.

Shel
1990 RZ350 (Canadian)
1974 Suzuki GT550 with sidecar
1978 Yamaha DT250

Hooligan
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Re: 53,000 miles on my 90 RZ350. Should I replace the reeds?

#5 Post by Hooligan » Thu Sep 07, 2017 7:32 pm

2-strokes getting good fuel mileage? What is this sorcery? I've never seen it happen. I could maybe imagine it if the revs never reach the powerband but every LC/RZ I ever rode got terrible fuel mileage.

I went to CF reeds in both my bikes. They are better than stock and not harmful if they break.
'82 RD350LC in '81 colours, OEM pipes, UNI filters
'85 FZ750

Ebayru
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Re: 53,000 miles on my 90 RZ350. Should I replace the reeds?

#6 Post by Ebayru » Thu Sep 07, 2017 9:25 pm

I get between 52 and 62 miles per USA gallon depending on how hard I'm pushing it. That's why I don't want to change much from stock. The reeds with the 53,000 miles on them look very good, but I'm changing them to be on the safe side.
1990 RZ350 (Canadian)
1974 Suzuki GT550 with sidecar
1978 Yamaha DT250

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Re: 53,000 miles on my 90 RZ350. Should I replace the reeds?

#7 Post by Hooligan » Thu Sep 07, 2017 11:52 pm

I haven't bothered to measure my current bike but back in the day I remember getting closer to 25 mpg.
'82 RD350LC in '81 colours, OEM pipes, UNI filters
'85 FZ750

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Re: 53,000 miles on my 90 RZ350. Should I replace the reeds?

#8 Post by T.RexRacing » Fri Sep 08, 2017 8:28 am

I got a high of 42MPG on my 350 w/VM30s. Mostly mid-high 30s.
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Re: 53,000 miles on my 90 RZ350. Should I replace the reeds?

#9 Post by 75RD350rider » Fri Sep 08, 2017 12:20 pm

I get in the high 30s with my set up on VM 30s as well. Close to 40 if ridden conservatively on the highway....
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Re: 53,000 miles on my 90 RZ350. Should I replace the reeds?

#10 Post by hondaror » Fri Sep 08, 2017 10:21 pm

That kind of mileage tells me you are dogging the bike at low revs, never hitting the power band. Your power valves are going to plug up and stick. Your pipes are going to fill with unburnt oil and you are going to have all kinds of problems. These bikes have to be rode hard, or they don't stand a chance. You are going to have to rejet as well. Start reading up on the forum.
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Ebayru
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Re: 53,000 miles on my 90 RZ350. Should I replace the reeds?

#11 Post by Ebayru » Fri Sep 08, 2017 10:41 pm

Rory,
Your kidding, right? If not, you couldn't be more wrong. I'll assume you were joking. After 53,000 miles the power valves are not sticking, plugs look great and the gaps are spot on after 12,000 miles since last change. Hitting the power band all the time riding the twisties in the mountains of Western North Carolina. I run Redline 2 stroke racing oil. It doesn't burn much nor carbon much. I run it in all my bikes.
1990 RZ350 (Canadian)
1974 Suzuki GT550 with sidecar
1978 Yamaha DT250

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Re: 53,000 miles on my 90 RZ350. Should I replace the reeds?

#12 Post by hondaror » Fri Sep 08, 2017 10:49 pm

Not kidding, no way you could be riding it hard and getting that mileage. The US gallon is roughly 4 litres. The Canadian gallon is larger at 4.5 litres.
Sorry, but there's a math mistake here or something.
When I lived closer to sea level, I didn't get near that mileage. Now that I'm at 3700 feet, mileage is way worse. At 56 hp, the bike is drinking gas. 4 strokes get good gas mileage.
Rory
2 1984 RZ350s
1985 RZ350
9 1986-1990 RZ350s
2000 ST2
2005 749
2005 749 with 999 engine

Ebayru
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Re: 53,000 miles on my 90 RZ350. Should I replace the reeds?

#13 Post by Ebayru » Fri Sep 08, 2017 11:35 pm

I've ridden with many other bikes and the odometers matched. I do a lot of group rides. There's no math problem. When I'm pushing hard my mileage is closer to 50mpg. When I'm cruising it gets as high as 62 mpg. That's usually on long multi day rides. So, I don't understand why you predict all kinds of problems with my bike because my gas mileage is too good. 53,000 miles with no problems speaks for itself, doesn't it?
1990 RZ350 (Canadian)
1974 Suzuki GT550 with sidecar
1978 Yamaha DT250

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Re: 53,000 miles on my 90 RZ350. Should I replace the reeds?

#14 Post by T.RexRacing » Sat Sep 09, 2017 9:58 am

Gearing?
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Re: 53,000 miles on my 90 RZ350. Should I replace the reeds?

#15 Post by kpke » Sat Sep 09, 2017 11:03 am

No comment on the reeds.

There has been other RZ350 MPG threads. OP MPG does seem quite high.

The bike I ride EVERY weekend is ported, VM30s, full foam filters, fiber reeds, oil pump (Yamalube 2S), 16/39 gearing with 17" wheels. My "normal" quick fix is a 60 mile twisty mountain road at a medium to fast pace. I fill up (all bikes) before I come home every time. The 60 mile ride uses about 1.8 gallons. Approx 33 MPG. Some times a tiny bit more and some times a tiny bit less.

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