Considering that going from 47 to 50 is roughly a 6% increase, there will be a noticeable difference in a timed test. A seat of the pants comparison will not be that noticeable.

As for removing the restriction, I have no idea as I am not sure how it was done. If your bike is fuel injected, it will likely require a reflash. If it's carbureted, then there is likely a restrictor plate on the intake. It might be the same even if it is fuel injected. Either way, removing the restrictor plate would require a reflash (FI) or rejetting(carb).

 

Greetings
47 HP at the rear wheel would be considered normal if not good for a stock Vulcan 900. Change your Air cleaner to a free flowing model for biggest bang for hp buck followed by exhaust and some type of fuel management system. Some are getting close to 60 hp on US models. Not sure how different your bike would be. Some Euro models have oxygen sensors in header pipes.

 

It would seem that ordinarily there wouldn't be enough difference between 48 and 50 HP for a rider to notice a change in performance unless racing and/or using full throttle a lot. Also, has Kawasaki used a different ECU to meet Israel's reduced power requirement?

 

Hi, just to clarify this, your bike is not 'restricted' to 47hp it's just that different countries and markets have different rules about noise and emissions so bikes have different power output depending on where in the world you buy your bike. The stock vn900 for Europe has oxygen sensors in the exhaust to better control mixture and emissions and hence use a different engine management ecu, these bikes have a quoted power output of 47hp. Changing the exhaust, air intake and fitting a fuel processor can add up to 20% but in some countries this is not legal. I don't know what the laws in Israel are regarding 'modified' vehicles but I'm sure you could enlighten us all?

 

Thanks to you all.

I will have to check all your suggestions during my next visit to the dealer.

 

Well, it seems that it simply involves a screw under the seat that limits the throttle. I have not checked it yet. Does anybody know where exactly it is and how to remove it?

 

It's illegal in Quebec to put aftermarket pipes, but most of us do it anyways cause its so much more awesome, worth the 1 or 2 times a season we potentially get slapped with a $146 ticket in my opinion...

 

Hi. I find it hard to believe there is 'a screw under the seat' that limits the throttle unless this is something unique to bikes in Israel! Where did you get this information from?

 

I have seen it somewhere in regard to Australia and also was told so by a dealer here

 

Hi, there seems to be some bikes out there that are restricted to 25kw (33hp) using a bracket attached to the throttle unit to reduce the travel at full throttle. This is listed on some parts diagrams as 'Kit, 25kw', Kawasaki part number '999990087'. This would be fitted to the throttle assembly on the right hand side as you look at it (having removed the air filter box), this is where the throttle cables connect to the throttle unit. There also appears to be some sort of electrical plug in the kit but I cannot find where this would fit. I believe this kit is for use in countries like the UK where some new riders have a 'restricted' licence and cannot ride bikes above 25kw. This is the only reference to any restriction I can find for the vn900 and may be what you are referring to but 25kw (or 33hp) is a lot less than 47hp!

Hope this is of some help

Radar

 

Thanks a lot Radar! It seems to me that this is what I was looking for. I shall look into it later in the week.

 

Hi, quick question: does your bike have the oxygen sensors in the exhausts, there would be two, one in each pipe located near the rear footrests?

 

Hi,
there is a unit with a wire connected to the pipe where you described. Is that it?
I attach a picture

 

Hi, yes that is indeed an oxygen sensor which means that your bike is built to the 'Europe' or 'world' specification and your bike should produce 47hp (same as mine). The 'USA' , 'Canada' and 'California' specification bikes produce a quoted 50hp. The difference is due to a different engine management ecu, there is no easy way to change your bike to 50hp as the wiring, ecu and other sensors are different. Even the plugs for the ecu are wired differently! If you really want more power then you need to look at what is known, on here at least, as the 'big 3':-Intake, exhaust and fuel processor.

As far as I can tell this information is correct but if anyone knows better please let me know!

Hope this helps

Radar

 

Hi Radar,

I investigated this issue today at the main dealer's here with regard to your comments.
It seems that I was mislead to believe that my bike had this bracket. while there are some bikes here that have that kit that reduces the power to 33 HP, mine does not. You are right in saying that the sensors indicate that this is a European model and as such produces 47 HP.
So I am not going to bother myself with that issue anymore, can calm down and enjoy riding

I appreciate you knowledgeable comments and your efforts.
Many thanks,

Arie, Israel

 

Thanks, enjoy and ride safe!

 

This is a guess, but:

1. Where throttle cables connect to a plate that connects to throttle body butterfly shaft...
2. Open throttle full and check to see if there is a nub on the plate that hits a screw and stops throttle plate from opening completely.
3. If so, remove screw and you are in business.
4. Screw may be a TORX head or other type of tamperproof head.

 

I don't know about the bikes in Israel but I do know it sure is a beautiful country. I wish I could afford to retire there.....awesome place..

 

Indeed it is.
I hope you can visit Israel some time and see for yourself.

 

I'm in Europe and my bike states that it has 25kw on the tecnical specs booklet even though the bike truly has 38kw. I bought the bike second hand from a guy who probably had it limited to 25kw due to his license and never bothered to change the specs on paper when the limitation was due to be removed. I recently got my big bike license and I'm limited to 35kw (not 25kw) for 2 years as most Euro countries do. The law used to be 25kw some years back (when the bike's former owner got his license), but it changed to 35kw (thankfully).

I had to cut off 3kw to be able to ride the bike legally which costed me 400 euros or about 500 dollars for the limiting unit and labor costs. Three kws is about 5 ponies which for a bike this size may affect it a little, but I"m not sure how much since each extra pony on a bike this size helps. My bike has a modified intake and (I believe) its EFI too from its former owner because the bike growls beautifully like a truck (and sometimes I hear a tap-tap noise coming from the front especially when I fire it up). The difference in sound to a stock VN 900 compared to my bike is abysmal and my bike is way more powerful. According to its previous owner, it hit 60 ponies on the dyno and I've good reason to believe him. The bike accelerates much faster than a stock VN 900 from 2014. Pipes on my bike are stock though and using US Cobra or V&H pipes is illegal here.

Mine is a 2007, so it doesn't have to adhere to the very strict emission controls of newer bikes. I think it was from the 2012 model onwards that here in Europe all bikes post 2012 had to be made with emission (and noise) controls. It's a common saying here where I live that you must always buy (if shopping for a second hand VN900) the black paint edition if you want "the good bike" as it was around the same time that Kawasaki removed the black paint from its standard model that the Euro emission controls came into effect (and the bike was chopped down to 35kw as standard from its original 38kw).

Hope this was of use to you a you probably have the standard 35kw that Kawasaki sells currently in Europe since a lot of countries have the 2-year 35kw limit and thus Kawasaki was missing a lot of purchases from new riders on the VN900 as they had to pay extra to limit the bike to 35kw from 38kw. Just check any European Kawasaki website and search for the VN900; you'll see the bike listed as 35kw and NOT 38kw (it's 38kw in the United States though).

 

Get the air filter that's cotton based and not paper based. Air flows better through cotton than paper. There lay some of your restriction. The other restriction is at your exhaust. If you get a bigger exhaust ( after market) and it will open up your output. So input/ output has increased, which will give you more horsepower. Premium gasoline will help as well. DO NOT tune because it will reduce everything to EPA restrictions. If you tune you might as well take everything off and leave it stock.

 

Your comment is falling on deaf ears, he hasn't been on the forum since Sept of 2017. Replying to OLD threads isn't a good idea, consider starting your own thread.