TOPIC:

Looks like I just got myself an 84 Voyager for free. I haven't seen it yet but I made an appointment to go look at it and pick it up next week. He doesn't want anything for it, just wants it to go to a new home where it will be useful. He got it dirt cheap and was going to put the motor in something else and abandoned the project. So its been sitting for about a year. No idea if it runs but I am sure there are some useful parts and the price is right.

The first thing that came to mind was converting my 1300 to DFI.

Has anyone here done it successfully? Am I looking at a nightmare? Run away?

Thanks

DFI is really nice to have and I find the bike runs smoother and is more responsive with it.

On the down side..............its complicated and more likely to let you down. You will also need to do quite a lot of wiring work to fit it.
Many Kawasaki GPZ1100B1 & B2 owners got rid of the DFI and repalced it with Z1000 carbs as they were much easier to live with and reliable.

Personally, despite the carbs on the 1300 being a poor design, I would stick with them as there is less to go wrong.

Pete F
UK

I am just so aggravated by these carbs. It works fantastic for a few days and then seemingly at random the plugs will start fouling and it runs like crap at low throttle. I take off the tank, adjust the air mixture screws again and it works great for a while... then it starts running lean and popping through the exhaust.

The good news is I may have discovered the cause. Humidity and temperature. It runs like crap when it is warm and humid. Last few days it has been 90% or higher. More humidity means the bike runs rich and fouls the plugs. So I adjust for the humidity and then we have a few cooler, dryer days and it runs lean. I can't seem to find a happy medium especially when its 90% and 28C one day and 50% and 20C the next.

This is one of the reasons I am considering the switch to DFI. Presumably the DFI automatically compensates for these fluctuations in temperature and humidity somehow.

From what I have researched, the fuel injection used on the 1300's and voyagers was reliable and relatively simple. I considered switching to DFI in my rebuild, but decided against it in the end. The system Kawasaki used in the GPZ's was trouble, most of those bikes have converted to carbs by now.

Pity Kawasaki never sold the 1300 with DFI in the states, seems it made a very nice upgrade to the 1300. Only the Voyager with DFI as far as I know.

To be honest I actually like the twin choke carbs in the old 13... have a look at the mess of carburetors they put on the CBX's sometime... now that's and ugly sight!