07 290 Sherco

[crasherinc]

Hi all! Having struggled to come to terms with my 07 290 having moved form an 04 315 Mont I'm wondering if I should have gone for a Beta instead, especially having spent an hour on one on Saturday - Thanks Phil! Bearing in mind the original decision to change from Mont to Sherco was based on a need for increased power to haul our sidecar around it's somewhat ironic to know be looking to make a couple of changes to calm the Sherco down a little! I've looped the thing more times in a matter of weeks than I've looped anything else and both me and my beloved passenger are getting a little disillusioned with the whole shooting match at the moment. Problem seems to be a couple of things - TOTALLY different power delivery and TOTALLY different handling characteristics!!! Anyway before making another mistake by jumping ship and having read the info posted on here I'm planning on backing off the ignition 4/5 mm, just to calm it down a bit - anything to watch out for while doing this? And can anyone advise on the possible jets needed/comment on sticking a set of Boysens in over the stock reeds - currently running the Kehein but have considered going back to standard carb? Bottom end can only be described as 'lumpy' and not at all smooth. Always struck me as being a bit 'four stroky', especially compared to the Mont and now the Beta. Cheers!

[gasgasssser]

Hi,i dont know much about side car riding,but i have retared the ignition on my 04 290.The bike is now a lot softer than it was when i bought it,i also put a slow throttle on to help matters.

The reason i did it is because when i bought the bike i was a bit green(after not riding for a couple of years) and it was "getting away "from me if you know what i mean.Now its much softer.There`s still plenty of power when you need it,but i`m not sure how you would go on witha side car.The job is dead easy to do.If i were you i`d try retarding.

Dont know much about boysens and kehein carbs so cant help there.Hope this helps

[baldilocks]

Out of the crate the 07 290 is too far advanced, just my view but mine kicked back terribly and would also try and go into reverse when at the point of stalling. I used copemechs diagram (see earlier posts) and retarded timing about 5mm. In the standard position the bike was just too peaky for me with a real step in the power at 1/4 throttle.

Retard the timing and go back to the standard carb, also lower the needle clip one notch from standard. The keihin gives more middle and top end power which by the sounds of it is the last thing you need. Boyesen reeds also give more power so leave them alone till you get the hang of it.

[crasherinc]

Thanks for the input guys. Going to try backing off the timing first, I'll let ya know what happens! The prob isn't so much the power in itself, more to do with the big way it'll come in at the bottom end. There's nothing smooth about it and it's caught us out big time on more than one ocassion with quite nasty results, and not while necessarily doing anything over ambitious either - just when least expected. I'm gonna stick with the Keihin for now - don't want to alter everything in one go, though by binning it for the standard one I might also gain some mpg as it guzzles fuel like crazy! The reason for the thinking behind the Boysens was simply that I stuck a set in my Mont and loved 'em!

[copemech]

The Boyesens do have a smoothing effect on the mid range Hit!

[robin m. s/c]

Stick with it.

The Keihin makes it smoother at the bottom so don't go back to the standard card.

I'm suprised it catches you out as much as you say. I sometimes feel it needs more go.

A lot of riders on the sidecar tend to pull too high a gear. Put it in a lower gear than on the mont and ride it smooth using the throttle rather than using too much clutch.

I've never touched the timing after 8 years of sidecaring on Shercos.