250-500cc i-Cat on a WR250 / 300 ?

[MOTORHEAD]

Has anybody tried a i-Cat unit on a WR ? I've messed with one on my old Honda and didn't notice much improvement, but the WR seems to have a less sophisticated ignition system, so it might do more on those.

 

[topari]

I have used these on my xr440 and klr650. They work. The klr650 got another 30km per tank on tank which allows about 420km range.
I paid about $20 for mine. They are not worth more. Here in silly Australia they try and sell them for about $350.

Hard to say what positive affect it had on the xr. Certainly had no negative affect.

Overall they work.

 

[Vinduro]

Overall they don't work. Gimmick. A waste of money. Don't you think if something like this was positive that the manufacturers would quickly jump onto making something like this on their bikes. Wouldn't all factory riders be using them ?

 

[glangston]

Found this tidbit on the net.

This tells me that the iCAT device, originally called the “GbsixT Electron Catalyst” has been around at least since early 2001. Now maybe it’s just me, but wouldn’t a product that was known to improve engine performance and reduce exhaust emissions at the same time, have made a bigger impact on the automotive world by now? Nevertheless, I called an automotive engineer at the University of Alabama and asked if I could bring in the device to be analyzed. When I explained the whole deal for him, and described the “GbsixT Electron Catalyst”, he declined. “Don’t bother. We’ve seen those things before. They’re just big, useless capacitors.” Then I had to endure a five-minute lecture which I’m sure should be entitled, “How can you be so Gullible?”
Gee. What was I thinking?

 

[speedkills]

They've been around for decades but GM had the technology hidden when the bought the patents to the iCat as well as a carburetor that would give your average car 100mph and shelved the technology at the request of the oil companies. It wasn't until the Roost Boost came along in the 80s (or was it 90s?) that people started to realize we can modify how spark plugs work by adding resistors and capacitors.

I find they work best when used in conjunction with SplitFire Platinum plugs!

True story, I read it on the internet.

On a less snarky and possibly more helpful note...
http://crfsonly.com/reviews/icat/icat-crf230f-crf250x-review.php

 

[MOTORHEAD]

I didn't really thing it would do anything for it, but sometimes bikes with less sophisticated ignitions, such as the analog WR unit, respond to these things.

 

[speedkills]

I always wonder that myself, when someone says it helped their bike, is it all in their head (I personally have a very strong belief in the power of suggestion) or is there something about that particular bike that made it help?

I'm not going to join the camp that says if it anything was beneficial the manufacturer would be doing it, you could use the same argument about pipes, if there was any better pipe shape Husky would have used it stock so why bother with an aftermarket pipe right? Well, sometimes it's not better, just different we are after, tweaking the powerband a bit, or maybe they were just trying to save a few bucks, but for some reason when it comes to fueling/air/spark systems the hucksters really come out so you probably won't catch me putting a Vortex on my bike, clipping a magnet onto the fuel line, and running a splitfire plug anytime soon but if you do a test and return measurable improvements I'd be interested to see them. I guess for every vortex unit you stuff into your carb that does nothing there is a power now unit which everyone swears helps a ton. I will fess up to buying one of those Power Now carb inserts but it didn't make a noticeable improvement for me, not like the Keihin swap did. In my defense I was desperate for anything to get rid of that damned bog. Another week and I would have taken my bike to a faith healer

 

[ghte]

I bought a thing called an "Armstrong capacitor" in the late 60's. It was at a car show and the demo was unbelievable. Without the capacitor there was a small yellow spark and with it stuck on top of the spark plug there was a huge bluish spark. Well of course being about 12 at the time I bought one (it was like 10 bucks which was huge then) as it would make my track modified BSA bantam get up and kill the new Bultacos, Montessa's Ossas etc. You can guess the outcome, no discernable difference in performance and I was out about 6 weeks pocket money. Live and learn. I typically stay pretty stock on all my bikes these days.

 

[MOTORHEAD]

I spy and iCat up under the tank of Cory's ZIP-TY bike. Look right next to the petcock.