Thunderstroke 111 Iridium Spark Plugs
IndySF
21 - 40 of 92 Posts
Joined
·
1,848 Posts
Someone who works in the industry, has participated in the race side, and who dynos engines is not a so-called industry professional. They are an industry professional. Am I missing something about Brother Ray? I guess I missed the part where he was really just a stoplight revving fool who liked to work on bikes under a shade tree and dynoed bikes using only the sounds he hears with his ears.
Joined
·
2,353 Posts
THANX GUYS for the compliments, if my knowledge helps just one person that makes my day!!!
RACNRAY
Joined
·
2,353 Posts
If you run the Iridium equivalent to the stock plugs then you will experience the well-documented increase in miles per gallon, throttle response an engine smoothness. And at the same time have a set of plugs that will last the life of the bike just about. These are not a snake oil solution as the Iridium tip is only a small portion of what makes these plugs better.
RACNRAY
RACNRAY
Joined
·
505 Posts
God, I would like to get you all in a bar, buy a couple of rounds and see where this conversation goes!
But seriously, I have been wondering about this lately since I'm snowbound for now. Changing over to Iridium plugs seems like a good choice for longevity reasons alone. I just inspected the plugs in my GMC and after 40,000 mi. the gap was off by only 3 thousands. Plugs looked great. And you are correct in being very careful in gapping since I broke a tip off re-adjusting it.
But seriously, I have been wondering about this lately since I'm snowbound for now. Changing over to Iridium plugs seems like a good choice for longevity reasons alone. I just inspected the plugs in my GMC and after 40,000 mi. the gap was off by only 3 thousands. Plugs looked great. And you are correct in being very careful in gapping since I broke a tip off re-adjusting it.
Go for hydrogen - if you get into a crash you go out with a bang not a whimper...
Joined
·
1,848 Posts
By the way, just which iridium plugs do you recommend for the 111 ?
Joined
·
1,848 Posts
Just wanted to make sure they were the correct ones. Thx
2024 Pursuit Dark Horse. 2019 Chieftain Limted, 2019 FTR1200S
Joined
·
8,581 Posts
I haven’t yet changed the plugs on my Indian. But I will say that they worked great in my Yamaha engines. In particular the 11,000 rpm engines in my Yamaha jet boat. The first time out even my wife commented that engines seemed to be running smoother.
Joined
·
2,362 Posts
While I was looking up those "proprietary plasma plugs" offered by AR with their AR117 kit (to stir up the pot a bit more):
![Image]()
I sadly found this announcement:
Arsenal Racecraft Performance Kits boost horsepower in Harley & Indian motorcycles
Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk
I sadly found this announcement:
Arsenal Racecraft Performance Kits boost horsepower in Harley & Indian motorcycles
Sent from my SM-G955F using Tapatalk
I can see a point with longevity, but a spark is a spark.
What does a set of plugs cost - the basic bike ones, I mean... is the extended life if the platinum/iridium ones worth the extra cost (and I know they are rather expensive (depends where you are, of course).
The other thing to think of is similar to how i think of vacuum cleaners (lol, whut?):
Basic Goblin 2200W = £50
All singing dyson-o-air-ram-thingy = £299
If the Goblin lasts a year or two but the dyson lasts 5-8... then every 2 years I get a BRAND NEW vacuum cleaner while the dyson just gets older.
After 8 years I've had 4 new cleaners for £200 total (not inc price rises) while the dyson is still 8 years old!
Same with plugs - if a set of plugs last a year or two for £20 and iridiums last 6 years for £80... not worth it, false economy. And you get clean shiny new spark plugs while the super-plugs just get older and gunkier.
============================
Edit, just did some price checking. UK
Std NGK = £15 for two
Iridum = £45 for four (so basically the same, just a tiny bit more ££) = worth having maybe.
Plasma core = £16 for ONE = it's have to be a shitload better to justify that price tag.
Still... wherever you go people will extol the virtues of platinum or iridium or plasma core over bog standard.
They might be right, "bigger spark"?, cleaner burns, smoother running, longer life, etc.
Or it might just be wishful thinking fulfilled?
I guess the only real way to know is to throw down your ££$$ for what it, to be honest, not a dear item for a motorbike... and try it out for yourself.
What does a set of plugs cost - the basic bike ones, I mean... is the extended life if the platinum/iridium ones worth the extra cost (and I know they are rather expensive (depends where you are, of course).
The other thing to think of is similar to how i think of vacuum cleaners (lol, whut?):
Basic Goblin 2200W = £50
All singing dyson-o-air-ram-thingy = £299
If the Goblin lasts a year or two but the dyson lasts 5-8... then every 2 years I get a BRAND NEW vacuum cleaner while the dyson just gets older.
After 8 years I've had 4 new cleaners for £200 total (not inc price rises) while the dyson is still 8 years old!
Same with plugs - if a set of plugs last a year or two for £20 and iridiums last 6 years for £80... not worth it, false economy. And you get clean shiny new spark plugs while the super-plugs just get older and gunkier.
============================
Edit, just did some price checking. UK
Std NGK = £15 for two
Iridum = £45 for four (so basically the same, just a tiny bit more ££) = worth having maybe.
Plasma core = £16 for ONE = it's have to be a shitload better to justify that price tag.
Still... wherever you go people will extol the virtues of platinum or iridium or plasma core over bog standard.
They might be right, "bigger spark"?, cleaner burns, smoother running, longer life, etc.
Or it might just be wishful thinking fulfilled?
I guess the only real way to know is to throw down your ££$$ for what it, to be honest, not a dear item for a motorbike... and try it out for yourself.
Joined
·
505 Posts
Not ignorance. Just the collective zeitgeist of its members. Some I tend to believe more than others. RACNRAY has been a wealth of info on a wide range of ideas, but I have not followed through with any of his findings. Me, I like my stock bike; quiet and fuel efficient. But I would like to squeak a bit more power out of her. I was thinking maybe a PVCX and a stage 2 cam for a unique signature. I know, I can get more power by installing less restrictive items but I said I like it quiet. And I know it can be done because after reading these pages for 3 years almost everything has been tried.
Joined
·
6,202 Posts
I agree. RACNRAY has been around the block a few times. I've read his writings on this plus another site that I frequent and I have much respect for his research and opinions. Wouldn't know the guy if I tripped over him but spend enough time on interweb sites and you're able to separate the real deals from the empty barrels. There's RRay plus a very few others.
Joined
·
2,353 Posts
WOW...THANX GUYS...I am humbled. Truth is there is NOTHING wrong with the stock plugs in our TS111's, they do their basic job just fine.
BUT...just as so many other things in life, there are options that in one or many ways offer advantages and improvements over the existing component. Different mufflers for better sound and performance, different intakes for better performance, synthetic oil vs mineral, etc.
The mistake I see being made here is the close-mindedness and ignorance among other not so desirable traits, to slam a product that has proven itself. I laff at those that warn about gapping iridiums due to the chance of breaking the tip. What kinda ham fisted method is being used? I have sold, gapped and installed THOUSANDS of iridiums since 2004 and using the PROPER gapping tool it is purty much impossible to break the tip. The iridium tip is only part of the equation, the ground electrode design is quite different from a std plug and is actually more important than the center electrode. The affect of this combination is likened to starting a fire with a torch vs starting a fire with a lighter as with the stock plugs, that initial start of combustion allows for a more complete burn in the limited amount of time during the combustion cycle b4 the exhaust valve(s) open.
The ONLY way I can justify or quantify anything is with experience. My experience is based on trial and error, dyno results and real world observations. Facts I present, not opinion.
RACNRAY
21 - 40 of 92 Posts
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
-
?
