Greetings from Finland

[-santtu-]

As Axman suggested it is time for me to introduce my self. As you all might guess that I ride Yamaha BT1100. My bike is black and it is from year 2003. Mileage is growing every day...

I became a fan of this bike when it was introduced the first time in Feb. 02 at MP02 (biggest motorcycle fair in Finland) fair in Helsinki. When I fist sat on the bike I was sure that this is the bike for me. Bike fits perfectly and feels just right. I bought my Bulldog in May 06 from http://www.yamaha-voiges.de/ (Thanks to Uwe!) in Uetze. (So it took me 4 years to get my dream
bike.) I drove it from Uetze to Rostock and took a Superfast ferry from there to Hanko Finland. Been riding ever since and liking it even more!

One image from my trip to Germany:



Bulldog beats the * out of my old BMW F650. Ok these bikes have different riding purposes but anyway.

One sad thing about this bike is that it would really need some more power. When riding alone it is ok but I am riding a lot with my girlfriend so extra 'boost' would be nice. I am now thinking to get this Topham kit. I mailed Nadine at Topham and kit costs 85,26 + delivery 10 euros = 95 euros, is it worth it? And what about installation? Do it your self or something special needed? I have changed the o-rings in the F650 crabs so this can not be so difficult? All information is highly appreciated!

More great riding ahead

[Tik]

There aren't so many to answer in English around here, and maybe even less to know about the kit you're asking. As I understood from my poor German, makes sense the LB1 kit from www.zweirad-krause.de. The price is double from that of Topham but surely works.

[Axman]

Hi Santtu,

the Bulldog here in Germany has to comply with all the environmental Laws and has therefore lost a lot of its original power.
As the Bulldog is not the most popular bike on the Planet (thanks God !!) there are only very few Companies trying to improve this.
To tell you the truth, I haven´t got a clue what is included in the Topham Kit...but for 95€ it can´t be much (I think it is only new jets for the carburettors)

As everybody here knows, I´m a big fan of the work Yamaha Krause in Dortmund - 0049 231 31999 - delivers (no, I don´t get a salary from them ) and it´s not due to the fact that their garage is only 60 km´s from where I live.

I just like good workmanship and technical expertise - he fabricates most of the parts in his shop - and he proves it by putting every bike he modified on the in-house dynamometer ! So there is no * around and you get a before-after curve on paper.

What do they do ?? (By the way, quite a few of these changes can be made by you..)

When you lift the Tank - you don´t have to take it off all the way..there is a hinge in the back - you´ll see the first thing you can throw away : the plastic air-filter cover (with the two little snorkels pointing backwards.) Krause makes a aluminum plate with a big venturi opening so this improves "breathing" considerably. Oh, and by the way, don´t let anybody tell you, that K&N Filters increase power..: it´s definitely not so..on the dyno we had an increase of barely 0,2 hp..ridiculous.

Now you should adress the carburettors..take off the covers and throw away the plasic "stops" on top of the slides.

Now if you turn the throttle, the slides open all the way This would not suffice to cope with all the air it is getting..: you have to rejet the carburettors. (Krause provides the correct jet size) If after this change the engine runs too "fat" try lowering the needle by putting the clip one groove higher.

Now comes the difficult part.

The exhaust on the Bulldog is extremely restrictive. All the changes you´ve made this far would be in vain if you don´t remedy this. Krause makes a new endcap for the mufflers (look at my album)so you would have to cut off the existing one and substitute it for the one Krause provides...This is best made in a mechanical shop with facilities to weld V2A steel.
Or you buy a pair of slip-on mufflers from accessories-companies like BOS..its by far the best sounding (you´ll be really surprised ) it is legal and the change is made in max. half an hour.

Now have fun modifying your Bulldog and let us know the results.

Greets from the Axman

p.s.: please get rid of your standard handlebars..they are not made for humans !!

[Tik]

Dear Axman, I shall buy the kit from Krause for sure 'cause I like this bulldog alot; I'm a little bit in doubt with the exhausts, to buy those ends from Krause or that ..BOS you say; I have some friends good at special steel welding so it could go with Krause. I would go on your hand, just tell me wich way should I turn. You say about the handlebars, I would also like to change them but I looked at all that wiring and I was afraid that how I would like it, about 10cm wider (5-5 left right) wouldn't be possible. Thank's for your answer. Till now the only change I did was to lenghten the mirror bars with some 3cm each.