So this is a frustrating thing to happen out of the blue. Here's the situation:
Was out for a ride yesterday and the bike was running great, and after about 100 miles, I needed to get fuel. As soon as I started the bike up after getting gas is was idling really rough like it wanted to die. While riding under acceleration the problem continued, it felt like the fuel was only getting to the motor intermittently so the bike would lurch and pull as the motor coughed.

Thinking it might be a tank of bad fuel, I went out again today and rode the tank down to about a half gallon and fueled up again. The problem is still there. It was so bad that the person riding with me could hear it coughing/surging while I was pulling away from stops.

Any thoughts???? Really hoping it's something easy, don't want to take it into a shop!

BTW, bike is EFI, V&H straightshots, stage 1 intake, and fuelpak.

Thanks!

 

Drain tank and start over man...I wouldn't run anymore dirty gas through it?

 

I have experienced bad fuel myself. It might take another tank to get it all out, but you should be able to run through it.

 

But it does sound like bad gas right?

 

Could also be a hole in the fuel pump discharge hose, symptoms are similar.

But since you had just filled up, sounds like bad gas. Drain the tank and refill.

 

That would be the line inside the tank? I think I saw a thread while I was searching on replacing that. Will do some more research to find the procedure - sounds like it would be worth checking.

 

Shouldn't any water be at the bottom and be used up quickly?

 

Yes, the fuel pump and hoses are inside the tank. While you are in there check the regulator also, the tabs that hold it together have been known to break allowing it to separate and spray fuel inside the tank.

A shop can test your fuel pressure to see if threre is a problem.

 

That's what happened to me last year.

 

So here's the update - while I was thinking about what do do about the fuel/checking the lines, I thought I might as well check the spark plugs, as that would be a really easy fix. Well, I pulled the plugs out and they were BAD. See photos below. Installed new plugs and the bike is running great. Sometimes it's just an easy fix. The gas may have been bad too which exasperated the problem, but with fresh, properly gapped plugs, things are working well.