Re: What carb would you choose for a '03 220?
Posted: 06:16 am Apr 10 2026
Speaking on that topic of understanding or not understanding carbs, I am always dumbfounded when the same old opinionated types of guys would throw out the accusation that "Lectrons are for people who don't know how to jet carbs!"
That's a far fetched notion, as a Lectron or SmartCarb needs dialed in nearly the same ways that a traditional jetted PWK etc carb does, but the tuning parts are just a bit different...They are not a self-tuning carb design, although they are both a relatively successful altitude compensating design, particularly the SmartCarb. If one were to NOT adjust the metering rod carb for proper fuel metering, they would be in the same position as not jetting their PWK properly...a poorly running bike or one that is not running anywhere near it's potential.
The fact that you don't have to have an assortment of many pilot and main jets and a few needles, and possibly a slide swap, is a huge bonus, however, as well as not having to adjust them for drastic altitude changes...which is a nuisance to have to bring a few extra jets on a road trip riding outside of your normal altitude range.
There is a guy very near me with a performance car shop who also has a bike dyno, perhaps one of these days when I have less responsibilities on my plate, I will take my RB carb and my Billetron Pro Series and SC3 out to him for a dyno day....
That's a far fetched notion, as a Lectron or SmartCarb needs dialed in nearly the same ways that a traditional jetted PWK etc carb does, but the tuning parts are just a bit different...They are not a self-tuning carb design, although they are both a relatively successful altitude compensating design, particularly the SmartCarb. If one were to NOT adjust the metering rod carb for proper fuel metering, they would be in the same position as not jetting their PWK properly...a poorly running bike or one that is not running anywhere near it's potential.
The fact that you don't have to have an assortment of many pilot and main jets and a few needles, and possibly a slide swap, is a huge bonus, however, as well as not having to adjust them for drastic altitude changes...which is a nuisance to have to bring a few extra jets on a road trip riding outside of your normal altitude range.
There is a guy very near me with a performance car shop who also has a bike dyno, perhaps one of these days when I have less responsibilities on my plate, I will take my RB carb and my Billetron Pro Series and SC3 out to him for a dyno day....