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Well it's just over a week since I got my Falco and it's fair to say it hadn't been prepped as I'd been told it would or had hoped.

I had to take the bolts out of the side stand as they were about to fall out anyway, cleaned and loctited back in.

Inflated the tyres from 16/22 (yep that's right they hadn't even checked the tyre pressures!) to Aladinsane's recommended 36/42 and found it would then actually go round corners.

Resolved the cause of the EFI constantly flashing, having been pointed in the right direction to use the diagnostics, when I discovered both wires were not connected on no. 4 coil.

I changed the filthy engine oil and filter tonight and bought myself an Optimate 3+ to keep the battery up to scratch.

I bought a new set of spark plugs so I can change those at the weekend and at the same time I'll have a look and see whether it has a disposable or washable air filter and if it's disposable I'll buy a K&N.

Other things on the to do list include changing all the hydraulic fluids in the next few days.

I shall also be booking it in for a once over with Carl Harrison as recommended to me by Aladinsane.

I also need to try and find the money to get it over to MCT and have the suspension serviced and set up.

Then if I ever get there I think I shall have to have a Garbo chip to smooth the jerky off/on throttle at the bottom end.

It'll never be a show winner but I do like things to be right mechanically so I will get there, may take a while but loving it already and as they say hopefully things will only get better.

Sounds like a plan.

Hi graham

I reckon, though obviously not anywhere like MCT, but i would be surprised if Carl would not be able to do a rough set up for you....

So I've done some things but not necessarily in the right order but more as things have come up. As already stated elsewhere I bought myself a nice shiny red Factory Racing clutch cylinder. I've also bought myself a 2nd hand pillion seat cowl as the bike didn't come with one. I've also just bought a set of helibars from a member on here. For some reason I get a horrible pain in my right thumb with the standard bars so I'm gong to try with the helibars.

In the mean time this has delayed me getting a Gabro chip and a set of paddock stands which are probably more useful but I've had to grab things as they've come up.

Changing the sprocket size helps, I find , with the jerking off ;) fnarfnarr

I quite like the gearing how it is so I was thinking more along the lines of a Gabro chip rather than a change of sprocket.

Do the front right spark plug first, once you have done that the rest are a piece of cake.

gramey wrote:I quite like the gearing how it is so I was thinking more along the lines of a Gabro chip rather than a change of sprocket.

put a 15t on the front, it'll be the best £20 you can spend on the Falco

+1 for the 15t front sprog. The best "bang for your buck" of all the mods.

Okay so excuse my ignorance but the problem appears to be more one of fuelling rather than gearing. It's when you roll off and back on the throttle that it's jerky, i.e. in slow moving traffic it's a PITA. I had a similar problem with a Moto Guzzi 1100 Sport Injection which was transformed when I re-chipped it.

gramey wrote:Okay so excuse my ignorance but the problem appears to be more one of fuelling rather than gearing. It's when you roll off and back on the throttle that it's jerky, i.e. in slow moving traffic it's a PITA. I had a similar problem with a Moto Guzzi 1100 Sport Injection which was transformed when I re-chipped it.

It's a v-twin. You are never ever ever going to get it to have a smooth roll off and roll on like you would on an inline 4, which sounds like what you are expecting!

Roll off the throttle and you instantly start harsh engine braking. Its a characteristic of the engine. you'll want to change down a gear if you are low in the rev range (less than 4k rpm). Hence many suggestions of a 15t front sprocket - it makes it more bearable.

Dalemac wrote:

gramey wrote:Okay so excuse my ignorance but the problem appears to be more one of fuelling rather than gearing. It's when you roll off and back on the throttle that it's jerky, i.e. in slow moving traffic it's a PITA. I had a similar problem with a Moto Guzzi 1100 Sport Injection which was transformed when I re-chipped it.

It's a v-twin. You are never ever ever going to get it to have a smooth roll off and roll on like you would on an inline 4, which sounds like what you are expecting!

Roll off the throttle and you instantly start harsh engine braking. Its a characteristic of the engine. you'll want to change down a gear if you are low in the rev range (less than 4k rpm). Hence many suggestions of a 15t front sprocket - it makes it more bearable.

As I said I had a similar thing with my Guzzi and a guy in the states produced a chip for it that smoothed the bottom end right out. Never had the same issue with an SV1000S I had either so I don't think it's because of the engine configuration. But if the general consensus is that you can't smooth a Falco out then I'll have to go with the sprocket.

gramey wrote:As I said I had a similar thing with my Guzzi and a guy in the states produced a chip for it that smoothed the bottom end right out. Never had the same issue with an SV1000S I had either so I don't think it's because of the engine configuration. But if the general consensus is that you can't smooth a Falco out then I'll have to go with the sprocket.

I guess mine could always be like yours and could actually be smoother. Good point actually , I have never ridden anyone else's Falco!

gramey wrote:Okay so excuse my ignorance but the problem appears to be more one of fuelling rather than gearing. It's when you roll off and back on the throttle that it's jerky, i.e. in slow moving traffic it's a PITA. I had a similar problem with a Moto Guzzi 1100 Sport Injection which was transformed when I re-chipped it.

Yes - it's important to get the fuelling right to smooth this out. A Gabro chip sorted mine.

That said, there are other things that help.
Check the chain tension (and lubrication) and make sure the throttle bodies are balanced.
A 15t sprocket can actually help with this jerkyness when riding at low revs (say 2.5 to 3k rpm) as it can just push the revs up a tad and also reduce the load on the engine a little too. This can make it somewhat more comfortable around town.

With all those things done (and airfilters and plugs clean), a chat with Gabro to get him to make you a chip for your bike's config will make this on-off throttle response so much better.

Thanks very much for all the advice, the chain/lube is fine, I fitted new plugs, filters, oil etc. when I bought it. TPS is fine but is balancing the throttle bodies a DIY job?
The Gabro chip is the next thing on the list!