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Difference between revisions of "Suzuki XN85"
→A Far from Ideal Installation
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Of the Japanese [[Big Four]], [[Suzuki]] was the most reluctant to follow the fashion for [[turbocharger]]s. But there are times when commercial sense dictates that you have to follow the current trend. So, though everything was well conceived, it was with a certain lack of conviction that Suzuki set about turning a classic 650 into a turbo, starting with the addition of a [[Mikuni]]-Bosch L-Jetronic injection system. | Of the Japanese [[Big Four]], [[Suzuki]] was the most reluctant to follow the fashion for [[turbocharger]]s. But there are times when commercial sense dictates that you have to follow the current trend. So, though everything was well conceived, it was with a certain lack of conviction that Suzuki set about turning a classic 650 into a turbo, starting with the addition of a [[Mikuni]]-Bosch L-Jetronic injection system. | ||
==A Far from Ideal Installation== | ==A Far from Ideal Installation== | ||
The turbo was mounted above the gearbox; the position was poorly ventilated and a long way from the exhaust headers. This layout had little beneficial effect on the power output; the XN85 had little more performance than the normally aspirated 650, and its lackluster engine could scarcely claim to offer any sort of "turbo effect." | The turbo was mounted above the gearbox; the position was poorly ventilated and a long way from the exhaust headers. This layout had little beneficial effect on the power output; to some the XN85 had little more performance than the normally aspirated 650, and its lackluster engine could scarcely claim to offer any sort of "turbo effect. ''(as a rider of a 20 year old Xn85 my views differ - there is certainly a "turbo effect", often comparisons are made to bikes that appeared during the XN85's short career rather than those that existed before the XN85.)'' | ||
Suzuki were concerned about the potential longevity of the engine, even though it had vulnerable parts strengthened. As well as strength they focussed on the extra heat generated by the turbo and introduced yet another innovation - new to bikes, but used in WWII Japanese fighter planes - using oil sprayed under the pistons as a coolant. Just before production began the engine was de-tuned - time has shown their fears about strength and heat were unfounded. | |||
==Outstanding Frame Design== | ==Outstanding Frame Design== | ||
It was the frame that qualified the XN85 for the history books. The prototype had the benefit of an oil-tight chain case, which was dropped from the production version, but along with the [[Honda VF750F]]-the XN85 was the first [[motorcycle]] with a 16-inch front wheel. In conjunction with a frame design that was highly successful in all respects, including the newly developed "fully floating rear suspension" the handling was acknowledged by journalists as unbeatable. Shortly afterwards, this excellent handling mix reappeared on the 1983 [[Suzuki GS550E|GS550E]] and [[Suzuki GS750E|GS750E]] models. The short life of the XN85 was also in part owing to the frame - as the weight of the bike (250Kg, 551 Lb) was a poor match to the power output. | It was the frame that qualified the XN85 for the history books. The prototype had the benefit of an oil-tight chain case, which was dropped from the production version, but along with the [[Honda VF750F]]-the XN85 was the first [[motorcycle]] with a 16-inch front wheel. In conjunction with a frame design that was highly successful in all respects, including the newly developed "fully floating rear suspension" the handling was acknowledged by journalists as unbeatable. Shortly afterwards, this excellent handling mix reappeared on the 1983 [[Suzuki GS550E|GS550E]] and [[Suzuki GS750E|GS750E]] models. The short life of the XN85 was also in part owing to the frame - as the weight of the bike (250Kg, 551 Lb) was a poor match to the power output. | ||