I recently installed the V&H shortshots on my 09 Street Bob and I checked my spark plugs the other day. The plugs have a little bit of a white color to them and I am concerned the bike is running lean (see pictures at below link). Can anyone post some pictures of thier plugs? Any info would be appreciated.

http://i489.photobucket.com/albums/r...9/IMGP1179.jpg

http://i489.photobucket.com/albums/r...9/IMGP1182.jpg

http://i489.photobucket.com/albums/r...9/IMGP1181.jpg

 

plugs look like they are burning clean. probably be darker if you had a more performance oriented tune.

 

Would you consider it lean or normal condition?

 

No pics yet.
Looks clean to a tad lean. What other mods do you have ?? Notice with the new gas it does not read the same as old "good stuff."

 

normal... which is to say a tad lean like as if from factory.

 

Thanks guys. As far as mods to the engine the pipes are all I have done so far, i'm broke.

 

Here's a chart:

http://www.dansmc.com/Spark_Plugs/Sp...s_catalog.html

 

+1 what Rounder saod, factory lean. now imagine what would happen if you put an open air cleaner without adjusting the air mix.

 

It looks a little lean to me, but remember leaner produces more power, runs hotter, causes more internal damage to the rotating assembly, your choice as to how lean you want it to be. If it was mine I would richen it up some.

http://www.dansmc.com/Spark_Plugs/Sp...s_catalog.html

It looks like #23 too me.

BTW the silver you see on the plug is actually small metal particals from your piston and/or cylinder walls

 

Plugs are getting harder and harder to read with unleaded, E85 etc. as is the exhaust. You will notice no matter how an engine is tuned these days the exhaust is always black inside? That is because there is no longer that byproduct that left us great information with regard to AF Ratio in our fuels. That being Lead. Now the the main byproduct of combustion which is carbon, is our only telltale, and it burns black. So now to read a plug it becomes more scientific. You have to look way down the main electrode for your telltales of the AF Ratio. For this you need a good light and a magnifying glass. If the electrode is mainly white you are too lean. Black, too rich. You are looking for something like the plug on the left in the picture. Bare in mind, you should do your read on a new set up plugs, run at WOT like in a 1/4 mile race and then pull over, cool off and pull plugs. Not really very practical. The ONLY way to get it perfect is to have your bike Dyno Tuned after any Mod that increases airflow. ie: free flowing exhaust, air breathers, intake manifolds, big bore kits etc. You can use "canned" MAPS as well as long as the bike had the same mods as yours.