Right so tonight was basically the first time I've had my new sporty running above about 30mph. Confidence grows slowly, LOL.

I have a 2005 883 Low model.

I had two issues.
First - does it take an inordinate amount of time to warm up? I was riding around the back streets, mostly doing 10-25 mph in 2nd gear, practicing turns and stops and shifting. It seemed it was a good 20 or so mins before I could back the choke in all the way without the engine wanting to splutter and lug in second gear. Once I pulled the choke out a bit, it didn't seem to do it, eventually it did stop doing it and I could push the choke in all the way, but I wondered if this was the engine needing to warm up, or my inexperience at clutch/throttle control.

My second issue, was I'd been running it a while and I had the choke all the way in - it still idled okay and wasn't doing the lugging thingy anymore, anyway, while I'm cruising along at about 40-50 mph or so, she ocaisionally backfires or gave the odd 'cough'- at least that's what it felt like. Is this a problem, a harley idiosynchrasy, or something numbskullesque I'm doing?

Oh and I'd just like to say damn it feels good to be riding again with the wind in my face!!!

 

10-25 mph in 2nd gear? 25 mph, OK - 10 mph, no way! If you've got a tach (I'm not familiar with the 883L) keep the engine rpm at 2,000+ regardless of the gear you are in. Anything below and you are going to lug the engine - in any gear, and that is NOT good.

On a steady throttle of 40-50 mph your bike should not be back firing or coughing. Personally I'd check your plugs. Warming up for 20 minutes with the choke out (unless you live in the Arctic) is going to load those plugs with carbon and diminish your effective spark - I'll bet they are black.

Thumper26

 

I guess I wasn't clear [sm=oopssign.gif].

I meant I was driving around some back streets, with a speed limit of 25mph, so I was going up to 25mph and 2nd gear. Just not faster, or higher gears. I'm changing from 1 to 2 at about 15-20mph, as instructed in the owners manual. It 'sounds' right, if anything. (no tach on my model). Once it warmed up to the point where it idled OK with no choke it didn't want to 'lug' anymore in 2nd gear. I was basically going from stop sign to stop sign, practicing stops and starts and throttle/clutch control. I probably didn't do more than about 4 miles in 15mins or so. The manual said to do about 1/2 mile or 1 minute at full choke, then another 1/2 miles/1 min at half choke, then push it in all the way (the air temp here was in the 80s). But it took about 3 miles/10 mins before it would idle at half choke without dying. It was pretty undrivable at low speeds at that point without the choke out all the way. It took a good 20 mins before it would idle/ride smoothly with the choke all the way in.
I was trying to figure out if it was because I was riding around so slowly and they take a long time to warm up, or I had terrible throttle control, or something else.
Maybe I'm supposed to move the choke in, but keep revving the throttle? It just didn't seem like that was the right thing to do as it wanted to die when you let off the throttle to slow down or lug unless you rode the clutch even in 2nd.

I'm not sure how to check my spark plugs, but I'll have a go tomorrow, and see if I've blackened them - if I have what's the remedy? New plugs or can you clean them?

 

Congrats on the bike. Suggestions from a good friend and neighbor who is an "Indy" mechanic. (don't really do this but...) Go get a botle of crazy glue and glue the f*&king choke *** closed! - He suggested and the method works, used your throttle lock **** to idel the bike at a slightly elivated RPM (not too high - just running) for a minute or so after you start it. After a few "warm ups", this will become second nature. I personally have had lots of heartache with my machine and hope you do not have my experiance. The backfiring "carb farts" - fun, arn't they? I spent the $$ and had the screaming eagle upgrades - still have the farts - not as bad. What did the most in eliminating them was the crank sensor being replaced. I was only getting 16mpg (supposed to ave. 50) and the plugs were fouling even without the choke- oops scuse me "enrichner ****". Cleaning the plugs - I've tried - I'm a shop teacher - for the $ it's not worth it and this is from someone who was putting in a set every tankfull! Seariously - find an independent and get yourself a set of NGK's. Look over the fourm and be diligent with your machine - it will be a blast. Keep your eye on the oil level, there is a valve seal problem with the whole 05 line and if your Dealer tries to convince you that the case of the farts is "just how the sporties run" or better yet "they shipum lean from the factory to meet the EPA standards and that causes the backfire" Have them run the bike till it's hot then check the crank sensor. Mine had to fail before they found it (3-4 attemps @ dealer with a fouling plug situation) They told me I was using the choke too much till I lost it and said glue the sumbich shut - it'll still foul. Three days latter the sensor failed and they appologized real nice. If you haven't already done so, have the speedometer fixed, there is a service buliten they will have too do some computer wizerdry to get the thing to read actual speed, mine was off by 6-10mph and cause an argument when I was following the wife on a trip. (even with the speedo being wrong, she still drives to frigin fast!!!) Good luck good luck good luck - ride safe.

 

Follow the manual. Harleys are cold natured but waming it up by the book works for me. I bought mine in June '05 and have 10,000 miles on it and I don't know where anyone gets inforamtion that the entire line of '05's have valve seal problems. Mine has not used a drop of oil. From the pics it looks just like your Husbands. 883C. No problems, just cold natured and likes to be warmed up by the book. Enjoy the adventure. Sportys rule!

 

i use the throttle lock to warm up my sporty, the choke has a tendancy to eat plugs! good luck

 

Dealer, multiple forums - and one place I will have to look and get beck to you on. All mention the valve seal issue on the 05 line. It was a manufaturing fluke, they got a bad batch and there have been two different replacments seals, I remember there was mention of color (blue and I think orange). They were color codded so they could easily identify wether or not they were good or if they needed to be replaced if they cam in to be fixed at the dealer. Possibly a few good seals in a bad batch or just lucky - I picked up my bike in late June - dosent mean it didn't sit in a warehouse first so there what it is. Not looking to jinx anyone - I have just lived all the possible problems and would rather you know of them than deal with it and have no idea. Currently - I have been running for a week since the last repair and my daughter wants me to bring her to school - gota go.

 

Husband who is a mechanic figures the going slow with the choke on probably blackened my plugs, but when I took it on a little spin to visit a friend and opened her up, I burned off the deposits, because it didn't do it on the way back.

I guess I really need to do longer runs to avoid those kind of problems, but I don't have my MSF course till next weekend and I don't really want to be doing much driving on the roads, till I have my endorsement.

 

when I had my 1200C Sporty - the dealer called the Sporty a cold hearted b@!%&...because they do take longer to warm up. In fact, when both hubby and I would go riding in cooler/colder weather especially- his wide glide would be ready to go in like under 5 minutes while mine would take at least a good 5-10 to warm up.
I too initially followed the manual directions in warming up the Sporty and successfully went through two sets of spark plugs all before 600 miles! There have been quite a few discussions on this subject here - I would search the archives. Also, if you want, I cn tell you what ended up successfully working for me - PM if you would like.

 

I start mine on full choke for 30 seconds switch to half choke for three blocks then no choke. The plugs are spotless after 2000 miles.