What is a power band?

[Dave S]

Could someone please tell me what a "power band" is on a dirt bike (in
English please) and which bikes have one? (old, new, 2-stroke, 4-stroke
Honda, Suzuki?) Is a certain power band something that I should look for on
a dirt bike? Someone told me that all 250's are not alike due to power
bands. Is this true?

Thanks for any help.

Dave

[Dean H.]

One of my dealers stocks powerbands. They are up on the wall shrink-wrapped on
a card and looking all official. He had pink and blue. Now that's funny.

sorry to be of no help. Anyone?

dean

OK, I'll go again.
Powerband refers to the strong part of the power curve for a certain engine.
Picture a graph with HP on the Y axis and RPM on the X axis. There will be a
part of the RPM range where power is greatest. Most 2 strokes tend to get a big
"hit" of power in a fairly narrow and high RPM range (a spike on the graph).
Small 2 strokes are more "pipey" than large ones, meaning that they have a
narrower powerband and less useful power when you are out of the powerband. A
250 has a huge hit, but also has a fair amount of grunt in the lower RPMs.
Other two strokes (like my 1987 kdx200) are tuned to give up the big hit for a
broader range of decent power (and less explosive delivery), although it still
gets a pretty good hit when the powervalve opens. 4 strokes tend to have a
broader, flatter power curve and thus a wide powerband, although I guess the
new generation of blue 4strokes delivers a pretty wicked hit.

So, no it's not a part you can change (popular RMD humor), it's simply a
characteristic of an engine.

sorry for the serious response. I try to stick to bad humor.
dean

[Atious]

Powerband 101: The point when RPM fuel and air combine reaching at the perfect
mix resulting in maximum torque and horsepower.
At all times, no matter the engine, you're either a hair rich or lean. There
is no possible way to maintain the perfect mix due to airflow being virtually
uncontrolled because of many variables.
Powerband can be altered many ways. The most common is the 2-stroke expansion
pipe. Various shapes and distances from the head change the point at which
powerband kicks in.
The most effective way to increase the powerband is by opening the whole
system up to breathe better with such as a K+N air filter, jet kit and racing
exhaust. This results in the powerband kicking in earlier and holding for a
broader RPM range.
Because powerband is a state of being, all combustion engines have it. The
Briggs+Stratton 5 horse lawnmower's powerband is steady at 3200 RPM as an
example.
No you cant buy it off the shelf but I for one love to hear the inexperienced
tell the stories of how they bought and installed the best powerband available.

[Dean H.]

Atious wrote:

> Powerband 101: (snip)

> The most effective way to increase the powerband is by opening the whole
> system up to breathe better with such as a K+N air filter, jet kit and racing

> exhaust. (snip)

Mixed reviews on K&N filters. Many users feel compelled to use a pre-filter with
them to stop dirt. Why is that, and does that negate the advertised increased flow?

Also, there's this cool biodegradable filter oil that actually increases flow and
is good for 1/2 hp on a yz 125, more on a big 4stroke. Also really easy to use and
clean up. No kidding.

Can't remember the name. ;)

yours truly,
Sir Spamzalot

[MTRHEAD]

To put it simple, all internal combustion engines have a "powerband".
This is the point a which all the tuning pieces of a given engine start to
come together and it starts to really make HP. You know the sharp climb you
see on the dyno charts? That is when you would say "it's coming onto the
powerband". This is what you feel. The strong build of power.
Two strokes are said to have a short powerband because the amount of time
that all the parts really work together is over a shorter RPM range. Where
as a four stroke is considered to have a longer power band because all the
parts work together over a longer range of RPM.
On the two stroke the pipe is probable the biggest single contributor to
the size and width of the power band, hence it is sometime referred to as
"coming on the pipe". Like wise the cam is a very strong contributor to the
size of the four stroke powerband and they are often referred to as "coming
on the cam".
I hope this helps you understand a little better what the term refers to,
but this description is pretty general in nature.

--
MTRHEAD

[dsc]

Power band = useable power range more or lsee. It is often the rpm range
between max torque and max hp. The engine tends to run and pull best in this
range and likes to spend alot of time there. :) It's where many the engines
make their "useable" power.

dsc

[res0a7rx]

The filter oil you refered to is called No-Toil Eric
"Dean H." <dfh...@optonline.net> wrote in message
news:3B1E2278...@optonline.net...

[Sean Goulart]

Yo,

Ummm....my sponsor, NoToil ?? Maybe that is the one ? Just guessing....

Also, everyone who is in the know uses the blue/orange striped kevlar
powerband - really rips up top...I think it's called Tiger Stripe.

YZKid

[Dean H.]

res0a7rx wrote:

> The filter oil you refered to is called No-Toil Eric

thanks.
I crack me up.

[Tim H.]

"Dean H." wrote:
>
> Mixed reviews on K&N filters. Many users feel compelled to use a pre-filter with
> them to stop dirt. Why is that, and does that negate the advertised increased flow?
>
> Also, there's this cool biodegradable filter oil that actually increases flow and
> is good for 1/2 hp on a yz 125, more on a big 4stroke. Also really easy to use and
> clean up. No kidding.
>
> Can't remember the name. ;)
>
> yours truly,
> Sir Spamzalot

First a serious reply to a powerband question, and now this thinly
disguised can 'o spam. You, sir, are SHAMELESS.
Say Dean, does that unnamed biodegradable filter oil work it's wonders
with any good quality foam filter, like, oh, say one of the multiple
Twin Airs that I already have, or will it hatch filter weevils that will
turn my foam to mush unless I buy the corresponding unnamed filters to
match?

Thank you for straining your challenged memory capacity for my
edification.

Tim H.

[JWFuller]

Power Band= rock band from the '80's
"dsc" <Dudley....@eku.edu.spam> wrote in message
news:2001Jun6.1...@acs.eku.edu...

[Keith]

"Power band" is when you get a shitload of power. The most actually.
Ya know like in a 2-stroke when it goes,
"brrrrrr....rrrrr......BRRRRR!!!!!!!!!" that's when you know you've
hit the "power band." C'mon guys. He said plain english. How much
more plain could you get? Actually, it's when you reach maximum
torque at a specific RPM resulting in presise <sp?> fuel/air...BLAH
BLAH BLAH! Basically man, if you crank a bike wide open and it pulls
pretty hard, and then all the sudden it starts pulling like mad, you
got the power band. Kawasaki's tend to have their power band a bit
lower in the RPM's...My YZ125 (of course since its a 125 it's going to
have it way up in the RPM's) has it way up there...you gotta rev it
out to get anywhere. But it's like the pro's say, "You should always
be accelerating or braking, never coasting. And you might as well be
accelerating wide open right? *shrug* Just whip it sick time man,
who cares where the power band is!

-Keith

P.S. Sorry guys. I couldn't help but put a little whipping it in
there!!!

"Tim H." <don'tmailme@work> wrote in message news:<3B1EF71E.EFFEAFFD@work>...

[DAMAGEinc]

It's the rpm range where the motorcycle, gets this unexplained urge to take
off with or with out you, ask my buddy about his experiance with finding the
power band on a suzuki 250.

[Luke]

My sister wears a powerband around her wrist. I think it's blue or red
but it makes her mouth louder when she really starts bitching.

1999 YZ250

"Dave S" <dssh...@qwest.net> wrote in message news:<LEkT6.2064$u02.4...@news.uswest.net>...

[Speedy]

Wanna see a WICKED powerband ? Ride a 83'-84 ' Suzuki RM500 it is on and
off like a light switch in all gears ! I had many buddies that wouldn't ride
mine after one time. They said that next time they wouldn't come back, they
would be laying in a heap on the ground. If you wanna find out what a
powerband is, just ride a 500 motorcrosser. You will get the picture.
Speedy

Dave S <dssh...@qwest.net> wrote in message
news:LEkT6.2064$u02.4...@news.uswest.net...

[Ryan Burnett]

tiger strip is great.. i love that band.. i just wish they had a blue powerband
to give me more power and look good...
Ryan Burnett
#224 97' Yz125

[Jim Cook/Wudsracer]

No-Toil works fine on Twin Air & Moto Air filters (& No-Toil filters),
but seems to melt the glue that binds the Uni Filters. I believe that
Uni makes White Brothers filters, but I don't use them. The WB filters
don't stop the dirt/mud/dust.

Wudsracer
Tree Dodger Rock Finder
Team LAGNAF
DIRTy Deeds Done DIRT Cheap!
http://www.smackovermotorsports.com/

[Jim Cook/Wudsracer]

>On Thu, 7 Jun 2001 21:11:05 -0500, "Speedy" <racin...@hotmail.com> wrote:

>Wanna see a WICKED powerband ? Ride a 83'-84 ' Suzuki RM500 it is on and
>off like a light switch in all gears ! I had many buddies that wouldn't ride
>mine after one time. They said that next time they wouldn't come back, they
>would be laying in a heap on the ground. If you wanna find out what a
>powerband is, just ride a 500 motorcrosser. You will get the picture.
>Speedy

Or, ride a '77 TM 400 or a '78 YZ250. Or, one of the wildest of all
powerbands, a '85 CR500. Mean Mistreater!

[Tim H.]

Jim Cook/Wudsracer wrote:
>
>
> >
> >First a serious reply to a powerband question, and now this thinly
> >disguised can 'o spam. You, sir, are SHAMELESS.
> >Say Dean, does that unnamed biodegradable filter oil work it's wonders
> >with any good quality foam filter, like, oh, say one of the multiple
> >Twin Airs that I already have, or will it hatch filter weevils that will
> >turn my foam to mush unless I buy the corresponding unnamed filters to
> >match?
> >
> >Thank you for straining your challenged memory capacity for my
> >edification.
> >
> >Tim H.
>
> No-Toil works fine on Twin Air & Moto Air filters (& No-Toil filters),
> but seems to melt the glue that binds the Uni Filters. I believe that
> Uni makes White Brothers filters, but I don't use them. The WB filters
> don't stop the dirt/mud/dust.
>
> Wudsracer

Thanks, Jim. I really like the idea of the easy clean up, but hate the
thought of replacing multiple air filters while they are still working
fine. I am still kicking myself for not taking advantage of the 2 for 1
deal they had as an intro offer. Any chance of seeing that again, Dean?

Tim H.

[Dean H.]

"Tim H." wrote:

> > No-Toil works fine on Twin Air & Moto Air filters (& No-Toil filters),
> > but seems to melt the glue that binds the Uni Filters. I believe that
> > Uni makes White Brothers filters, but I don't use them. The WB filters
> > don't stop the dirt/mud/dust.
> >
> > Wudsracer
>
> Thanks, Jim. I really like the idea of the easy clean up, but hate the
> thought of replacing multiple air filters while they are still working
> fine. I am still kicking myself for not taking advantage of the 2 for 1
> deal they had as an intro offer. Any chance of seeing that again, Dean?
>
> Tim H.

First, thanks to Jim for responding in my absence. I was out getting the
product into a few VT stores for a couple of days.

If you are going to use No-Toil on a filter that's already been used with
conventional petrolium based oil, you just need to do the old solvent routine
and then wash the filter in soapy (detergent) water to get out all of the
petroleum. Let it dry and you are good to go.

As for the old free filter offer, it's over unless you find one of the old
packages in your local store. Those will still be honored, I believe, and there
are still a few (not many) out there.

dean

[Dean H.]

JWFuller wrote:

> Power Band= rock band from the '80's

Tower of Power?