The Baghira is different from a Scorpion, and this may be the only single carb Baghira ever. I obviously have too much time on my hands, but also have the machine shop to do this, and I love a challenge-and to be able to wheelie.
Stock, the bike wouldn't pull the front in 1st, without clutching it-which I don't do. Power wheelies are a good indication of power, much cheaper than a dyno. After mods to the stock carbs and exhaust pipe welds, shown on another thread, it would pull the front wheel in 1st, but wasn't going to flip unless you really tried.
After finally getting this Mikuni on the bike, it would pull it up a little and hold it through the RPM range in 2nd. I am going to play with the main jet and needle setting to see if this can be improved, but it will flip in 1st now if you are ham fisted. Big difference.
High speed response I think is a little down from the twin carbs, and that is either from the longer manifold, not perfect jetting yet, or just having one carb with less diameter than the stock carbs were combined. A Harley Sportster does just fine with one 42 Mikuni, but the racer version has 2, one on each cylinder. Of course it is designed to run flat out, which is not what I do on the street.
The Baghira has a frame that not only makes it hard getting the stock carbs off, but prevents you putting a single carb on, since it has a vertical 1/4" by 1" flat stock steel member running right down the middle of the frame.
I cut it out, made a manifold to go from the Grizzly port spacing to the Raptor port spacing, and found there still wasn't room to get the Mikuni on without putting it on the other side of the frame. This requires a 5" of so spacing between the carb and the Grizzly manifold. It also required a beveled spacer to get the carb level, and beveled both ways. To make a leak free connection required milling the input of the Grizzly manifold to accept a 2" aluminum tube. with it also turned down. A 2" plumbing rubber union hooked it all together, but the gas vapors only go through the aluminum pipe.
Pictures follow. After it was all over, I probably should have taken Bill J's advice, but the Mikuni gives a jolt I never got with the twin stock carbs, and as I said in the beginning I already had the Mikuni. Before I spent $1,000 on new twin carbs, I would spend that money on a big bore kit, cam, and head work. This doesn't require removing or disassembly of the motor, just part of the frame.
- Strut
- Milling the Grizzly manifold
- Milled manifold and double beveled spacer
Three pictures appear to be the max on this forum. If anyone is interested in the final assembley, let me know.
