Just a few things I would like to know if anybody else experiences on their Versys.

- a slight dip every few seconds in the revs as you start it up and it warms up. Maybe for the first 2 mins or so

-jerky, choppy injection when in first or second gear in slow corners, mostly revving down, off throttle, and when you get back on the throttle. also backfires sometimes

-a small ticking noise at idle coming from head area. (the bikes head, not mine...i couldnt hear any ticking noises in my head if there were any due to all the voices)

I should mention that I have a LeoVinci SBK slip on installed by the dealer. Was on the bike when I bought it.

If you guys could weigh in on these...either if you have them or what may be causing them.

Thanks.

I get a very slight ticking noise coming from the engine at idle and slow revs.

Those symptoms don't sound right, and no, I don't have them.

My opinion would be to have the dealer check it out since it is under warranty.

About 12,000 miles ago I added a Power Commander III on my stock bike. It made the throttle revs even at low speed much more precise. Maybe it will help you too.

You can order it programmed with the pipes and changes you made.

I noticed a hesitation in the idle when I first start up my bike as well...usually from a cold start. It usually only does it once, but it fakes me out every time thinking it's going to stall! I'm glad to know I'm not the only one...I had a Ninja 650 just prior to this bike (essentially the same engine) and that bike never had a problem with a start-up. It also seemed to warm up just a wee bit faster than the V. Hopefully, though, the hesitation won't be an issue in the future!

And I bet the aftermarket exhaust is what is causing the backfiring. I had an aftermarket exhaust on my old Ninja 500 and you could fix it by tweaking with the carbs...so I'm not sure how you'd solve the problem on the Versys.

So...essentially, I haven't really answered any of your questions... ;) just wanted to let you know you're not alone! :)

I usually let my bikes idle a minute or two before taking off. I have noticed that idle speed increases after about thirty seconds. I figured this was the cold-start enrichening mechanism tweaking itself. A bit odd that it starts cold at normal idle speed and then speeds up, but it might be normal.

I also have noticed some surging while running, usually mid-throttle and while accelerating at moderate speeds. This inconsistent metering seems to be the case with most fuel-injected bikes I have ridden. We trade injectors and chips for carburetors and jets, but very few F.I. systems on bikes work perfectly in all situations across all the rev range. Ironic.

My bike has stalled while decelerating, clutch pulled in, at low speeds four times thus far. This is usually when it is cold or cool. I am going to ask the Kwack tech take a look at it while it is in for its first service next week. Maybe that will solve the issue with surging. You do know that you can get the F.I. CPU to tell you what went wrong, yes? It is explained (in great technical detail) in the workshop manual.
HTH
d

None of these so far. My bike fast idles when I first start it and then goes down after about 30 seconds or so. Havent had any hesitation or stalling so far.

Yea, I get the jerky, choppy slow speed stuff, but my DRZ did that a little too.

I also get a little rpm variation at first start up, but I usually ride away fairly quickly after starting, so I don't pay any attention to it.

As far as the ticking goes, it could be a few things. Is it really loud, or do you have to listen for it to notice it? It could be valves, it could be the timing chain & it could be the decompression release mechanism. Its probably normal & nothing to worry about, but if you are worried, get it checked, or check it yourself (not sure if you're mechanically inclined :D).

Removing or disabling the PAIR would reduce backfiring. Throttle body vaccum sync may be off a bit, causing the jerkiness and choppiness. Some slight ticking is normal. If excessive, your valve clearance may need adjustment.
By the way, Julius's last name is spelt 'Caesar'...

No, "Caesar" is actually right...you're thinking of the salad... ;) In Latin, "Caesar" is pronounced with a hard "c" and the "ae" would be pronounced like a long "i"...so it would sound like "ki-sar"...very similar to the German word "Kaiser," so you can guess where the Germans got their word for "emperor." And, yes, I was a classical studies geek in college... :)

Oops... I meant to say Caesar, to correct Saki Cat's 'Caeser'. Thanks Boiler97... You're a true scholar and a gentleman.

And the sad thing is, i actually knew it was spelled that way...I just never noticed it. Its corrected now.

Of course, spelling has never been my phortay. :)

Oops... I meant to say Caesar, to correct Saki Cat's 'Caeser'. Thanks Boiler97... You're a true scholar and a gentleman.

Not so much a scholar as a medium for useless information...and a gentlewoman to boot... :p I'm still amazed that I was able to actually land a job after college. How the hell do you market 'classical studies?' :huh:

After the bike sits for the night, mine will faster-than-normal idle higher in the morning for about the first 2 minutes, then drop back to the normal idle. I'm thinking that this is normal.

Years ago I had a Suzuki GS500E and had put a Yoshimura pipe on it and jetted it myself. For the first week or so after I got the jetting setup right, that bike popped like a shotgun whenever I let off the throttle. It was so bad I stopped engine-breaking the bike when slowing. :eek:

The dealer finally straightened me out by informing me about how the exhaust was sucking air in because I hadn't replaced these little sintered copper gaskets in the exhaust ports where the header was attached.

Maybe the popping is coming from an air leak? I looked in the service manual and the bike definitely does have exhaust gaskets (page 5-47 or page 251 in the acrobat file).

Hope that helps!

I also hear the ticking noise. it reminds me of the sound of a hockey card cliped to a spinning spoked bicycle wheel. I am getting to the point where I am starting to zone it out.

Just a thought, but it is something I have noticed on several bikes to which i have fitted aftermarket cans. With the original pipes, my Versys engine was as quiet as "a church mouse with slippers on", yet after fitting my MTC exhaust, there was a marked increase in taps and rattles. All of which were there before, just not as audible due to the mass of baffling in the silencer. So it may well be that your ticking noise, is not a problem at all, just a noise you would not hear with the standard can.

IMHO of course

Harleyman (Ian)


Orange Versys (The fastest colour)
MTC Exhaust
Handguards/plus extenders
Mirror Extenders
High Screen
Fender Extender
LED Running Lights
Hugger
Big Grin:thumb::thumb:

I just bought a Versys and I have both of these issues so I think they are normal. I have about 200 miles on it now. I think the RPMs on start up are normal. I'm not an engineer or mechanic but I think its just the engine being rich from being cold. Mine goes away after a minute or less. It's an automatic choke since its FI and not carburetored.

The ticking is the valves from what I understand. So I wouldn't worry about it too much.