Put a little spark in your life

[RAL88]

Well in my never ending search to make my bike run better, go faster and get better gas mileage I decide to try some NGK irridium plugs. Having grown up with Hondas and Kawasakis I always used NGKs and they worked great so I decide to try them in my K1100LT. I have run them for 3000 miles now and I have to say that they really made a difference. I was concerned that even though they were the replacement for the BMW plugs that they may not run at the right temperature. I checked the plugs every 200 miles for the first 600 miles and then every 500 miles after that. You can see in the picture below, and all the plugs look this way that there aren't any temperature issues. These plugs are not cheap. For 4 of them they cost me about $34. The NGK cross reference for the BMW plug # is DR7EIX and the number to order them by is 5686.

The first noticable thing was an increase in acceleration. This was a pretty good increase. My bike was not bad before (I synced the throttle bodies including the screws you are never suppose to touch and that calmed the vibration and smoothed out the throttle a lot). The response was better throughout the rpm range and the acceleration was better than average. The second thing was an increase of 2-4 mpg depending on how I was driving. I have a Fuel Plus and used that to gauge my increase. I was averaging 48 mpg and now I am at 50 mpg and on the way home today at a constant 70 mph and watching my heavy wrist I actually got 54 mpg.

So far I have not seen any negatives but I will keep an eye on them. If you would like to get a little more out of your bike for not to much money I would recoommend giving them a try.

[hockeyshifter]

looks like i will be doing the plugs and a tire and a oil change and a brake job ... thanks for the post .. trying to find plugs for the rs is a pita

[dave n]

No thanks, it's Autolite 4163 for me @ $1.00 ea.

[tmoons]

Well in my never ending search to make my bike run better, go faster and get better gas mileage I decide to try some NGK irridium plugs. Having grown up with Hondas and Kawasakis I always used NGKs and they worked great so I decide to try them in my K1100LT. I have run them for 3000 miles now and I have to say that they really made a difference. I was concerned that even though they were the replacement for the BMW plugs that they may not run at the right temperature. I checked the plugs every 200 miles for the first 600 miles and then every 500 miles after that. You can see in the picture below, and all the plugs look this way that there aren't any temperature issues. These plugs are not cheap. For 4 of them they cost me about $34. The NGK cross reference for the BMW plug # is DR7EIX and the number to order them by is 5686.

The first noticable thing was an increase in acceleration. This was a pretty good increase. My bike was not bad before (I synced the throttle bodies including the screws you are never suppose to touch and that calmed the vibration and smoothed out the throttle a lot). The response was better throughout the rpm range and the acceleration was better than average. The second thing was an increase of 2-4 mpg depending on how I was driving. I have a Fuel Plus and used that to gauge my increase. I was averaging 48 mpg and now I am at 50 mpg and on the way home today at a constant 70 mph and watching my heavy wrist I actually got 54 mpg.

So far I have not seen any negatives but I will keep an eye on them. If you would like to get a little more out of your bike for not to much money I would recoommend giving them a try.

What did you pay for them? the are abour 30 USD (converted) in europe...

[RAL88]

I paid about $34 USD in 2007. Here is a link to ebay and they have them a little cheaper but that is without shipping.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/FREE-SHI ... ccessories

Just for informations sake irridium is not found naturally on planet Earth. All the irridium that is found was brought here by meteorite and asteroid impacts so there isn't alot of it hence the expense.

[Phil Marvin]

No thanks, it's Autolite 4163 for me @ $1.00 ea.

+1

Ride Safe,

[Saltcreek]

I did the math. At a 4% increase in mileage from 48 to 50, at $2.00 per gallon you would break even on the difference in plug cost at exactly 18,000 miles. As if you needed another excuse to ride!

How does that Fuel Plus connect?

[Scott_Anderson]

No thanks, it's Autolite 4163 for me @ $1.00 ea.

+1

Ride Safe,

Jury's still out on that one for me.

When my bike was in the shop for the burnt valve replacement, they tried to blame it on everything from the Autolites that I was running to the Audiovox CC that I installed and even the gas I was using. Anything that wasn't BMW issued.

Needless to say I don't think I'm going back there anytime soon.

[Jim]

How does that Fuel Plus connect?

This is the new version: http://www.fuelplus.com/

The old version that was made only for K bikes and replaced the BMW clock is no longer made. The fuel plus is pretty cool.

[RAL88]

The fuel plus connects to the motronic brain through the plug and senses the firing of the fuel injectors. It is preprogrammed with how much fuel is used by the injectors which also allows it to accurately give me the remaining fuel in the tank, much better than the gauge. You can also set it for a k100/k1100 or a K75.

Considering the increase in the acceleration and response I got using the NGK I look at it as an investment in the added funfactor of these bikes and that alone, for me over time pays for itself.

[Off the grid]

Considering the increase in the acceleration and response I got using the NGK I look at it as an investment in the added funfactor of these bikes and that alone, for me over time pays for itself.

+1

Plugs are one of those things I refuse to skimp on, like oil filters and tires.

[Saltcreek]

Considering the increase in the acceleration and response I got using the NGK I look at it as an investment in the added funfactor of these bikes and that alone, for me over time pays for itself.

Don't misunderstand my comment. I did the math out of curiosity. I actually expected the payback to be shorter. I think anything we do to increase fuel economy is good. At the end of that 18,000 miles you saved 15 gallons of fuel. And if you actually could get your average up to 54 the benefits are trippled!

[Flying Duck]

What did you do gap-wise on the DR7EiX plugs? Have you checked/adjusted the gap when you pull them?

[SugarHillCTD]

I did the math. At a 4% increase in mileage from 48 to 50, at $2.00 per gallon you would break even on the difference in plug cost at exactly 18,000 miles. As if you needed another excuse to ride!

How does that Fuel Plus connect?

Jim,

As was mentioned, the older "fuel plus" replaces the digital clock on the dash. My RS came with one already installed. Know what the ONLY function I use is? The digital clock. If someone would like mine, they can have it if I can have their digital clock in a swap.

John

[RAL88]

What did you do gap-wise on the DR7EiX plugs? Have you checked/adjusted the gap when you pull them?

I check the gaps on all the plugs I install whether it is the bike or the car.

I set the irridium plugs on the K to the factory specs of 0.6-0.7mm (0.024-0.028 in). I only had to re-adjust one. you have to be careful when adjusting because the center electrode is thin and you can break it easier than on a standard plug.

I haven't pulled them in a while and it is probably time to check them. The last time I pulled them is when they had 3000 miles on them and they were fine.

[Flying Duck]

Where'd you get the little screw on caps for them? $8 a pop and they can't include those? WTF?????

[Jim]

Yeah - well - you're at the part where you buy the cheap plugs, take the caps off, and toss the cheap plugs. I know - I was a little surprised by that, too. Like you walk around with spark plug caps in your pocket or something...

Where'd you get the little screw on caps for them? $8 a pop and they can't include those? WTF?????

[Flying Duck]

Lucky me, I took a look at a K100 parts engine I have and it had some fairly new NGK DR7EA plugss in it - so I stole the terminal caps off of those.

I still need four more though for when I do my other bike. Anybody got any spares lying around?

[Off the grid]

Saw that too when I bought my plugs...pissed me the fk off why they wouldn't include that stuff!

[Phil Marvin]

Hi, Drake,
I use Autolite 4163 plugs in my K75's and did use them in my K1100LT's Before Deer Meet. However, many years ago I used one set of NGK DR7EA's in the K1100LT. I also was pissed when I opened the box (old plugs already out and in the trash can) and found them without the caps. Luckily my local parts house had a bunch and gave me a small handful. I have 4 in my hand, right now. Send me a PM with your address and I'll mail them to you.
Ride Safe(ly),

[Flying Duck]

Thanks, Phil, I appreciate it. PM coming at you.

You get extra crab for this if you make it to Hungry Dungee.

[goldust]

How/where did you get the instructions for adjusting the butterflies?
I would be very grateful for the correct answer.

Thanks: Goldust

[Saltcreek]

How/where did you get the instructions for adjusting the butterflies?
I would be very grateful for the correct answer.

Thanks: Goldust

Am I the only one confused by this question?

[RAL88]

How/where did you get the instructions for adjusting the butterflies?
I would be very grateful for the correct answer.

Thanks: Goldust

I got the instructions off the ibmwr website in 1999. It was written in 1995 by Rob Lentini.

[tmoons]

goldust/Ral88are you in the right topic?
and could you send me the instruction as well? i have a valve that does not want to lower the vacuum enough (or the other are to low )