Pleeeeeeeeeeeeease Listen - OLD POST
Pleeeeeeeeeeeeease Listen - OLD POST
I posted this on another thread earlier tonight in answer to another disgruntled new harley owner complaining about the poor running new harley in his garage. If people would just read and pay attention to the threads that the experienced harley owers post it would become so clear to them.
First of all, popping, sputtering and poor gas milage is NOT something you have to live with. There are tons of threads on this forum posted by experienced riders who have been through these problems. Something gets posted, everyone agrees and then you go to your dealer and swallow everything they tell you. The Harley Race Tuner will actually increase your gas milage if your dealer knows how to properly dyno tune it. You can adjust your fuel for low, midrange and highrange seperately giving you the fuel when you need it. The harley download (which is a piece of crap) increases the fuel and adjusts the airflow. You can't modify it for different ranges. The race tuner allows you to tune each cylinder seperately so that one does not run hotter than the other. The power commnader does not let you make the fuel adjustments you need but is much better than the harley download (which did I mention is a piece of crap).
I have two very good harley dealers within driving distance from me. Both of them have done alot of research on the downloads, power commander and the race tuner. Neither of them recommend the harley download (piece of crap) anymore. They both recommend the race tuner. One of the two dealers has a 2005 roadglide with a 117 ci 2038 cc motor, Rinehart True Duals and a Race Tuner. The bike has been dyno tuned by an expert tuner. On the way to Sturgis last summer he got 50 mpg. This is a bike that will do a power wheelie and runs over 140 mph with over 125 hp to the rear tire and he's getting better gas milage than a stock harley.
Yes, these upgrades are expensive but if you want a bike that runs like a bat out of hell, gets good gas milage and is not so lean that you can fry an egg on your shin while you are riding, then skip a few pieces of chrome and do it right.
Harley could easily build a water cooled bike that would run 180 mph out of the box if that's what the people wanted. The problem is that we like the nostalgia of the harley davidson/V-Twin Air Cooled motor. Because of this less efficient motor the EPA has restricted harley to death. I for one will spend the extra bucks to make my bike run the way I want it too and not whine about buying a Honda next time.
I have two very good harley dealers within driving distance from me. Both of them have done alot of research on the downloads, power commander and the race tuner. Neither of them recommend the harley download (piece of crap) anymore. They both recommend the race tuner. One of the two dealers has a 2005 roadglide with a 117 ci 2038 cc motor, Rinehart True Duals and a Race Tuner. The bike has been dyno tuned by an expert tuner. On the way to Sturgis last summer he got 50 mpg. This is a bike that will do a power wheelie and runs over 140 mph with over 125 hp to the rear tire and he's getting better gas milage than a stock harley.
Yes, these upgrades are expensive but if you want a bike that runs like a bat out of hell, gets good gas milage and is not so lean that you can fry an egg on your shin while you are riding, then skip a few pieces of chrome and do it right.
Harley could easily build a water cooled bike that would run 180 mph out of the box if that's what the people wanted. The problem is that we like the nostalgia of the harley davidson/V-Twin Air Cooled motor. Because of this less efficient motor the EPA has restricted harley to death. I for one will spend the extra bucks to make my bike run the way I want it too and not whine about buying a Honda next time.
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Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 3,475
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From: Southeast Wisconsin
RE: Pleeeeeeeeeeeeease Listen
Terry,
Okay, I wasn't gonna click this thread but since you put a "baker's dozen" "e's" in "please" I just couldn't resist.
Actually, I just wanted to say: Good post and thanks for the insight.
Okay, I wasn't gonna click this thread but since you put a "baker's dozen" "e's" in "please" I just couldn't resist.
Actually, I just wanted to say: Good post and thanks for the insight.
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Joined: Jun 2005
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From: Desmoines, Iowa
RE: Pleeeeeeeeeeeeease Listen
terry great story and point . myself i bought a 05 superglide so far just changed mufflers and i have no problems with the way it runs i agree with you people has got to understand these new bikes is not the same as they use to be and you can't go changing things without some fine tuneing in the proses bikes have changed and in some ways for the better and yes it may take a few bucks more but it is worth it .i dont think people understand no more back yard turners . now back to my bike i know anything i do it has to be done right i plan on just putting in a k&n filter in the stock air box but i'm still going to have flash for stage one to make sure it dont run on the lean side .
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RE: Pleeeeeeeeeeeeease Listen
You know, these bikes of today are no differnt than the car's or trucks of today(Except you have more fun on a Harley), if you tinker with a 2006 chevy truck your into a bunch of money or you'll screw up the system, the same goes for a honda or toyota or ford, so I don't get why guy's buy a Harley and expect to change things without some fine tuning, heck for that matter you whinners go and buy your honda and pull some mods on it and see what happens without some fine tunning, and I have a freind that has a yamaha v-star and he can't even buy many mod's for his ride and the ones for the bigger yamaha's are higher than for the Harleys.
Jeez, I just don't get it, I really don't. [&:]
I guess I ought to quit while I'm ahead but I love my EG Standard, sure I'm doing some mod's but that's the fun of it and yes, I did have to fine tune my bike but that's ok.
[sm=biker2.gif]
Jeez, I just don't get it, I really don't. [&:]
I guess I ought to quit while I'm ahead but I love my EG Standard, sure I'm doing some mod's but that's the fun of it and yes, I did have to fine tune my bike but that's ok.
[sm=biker2.gif]
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From: Los Angeles, CA (live in Manteca, CA)
RE: Pleeeeeeeeeeeeease Listen
Terry,
Your right!
Your right!
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From: st. louis missouri
RE: Pleeeeeeeeeeeeease Listen
thank you very much for the insight Terry! Fortunatly for me I have a very good dealer who, more or less, explained the same thing to me when I was having some issues with the Deluxe. Runs fine now, even better when its 15 degrees outside 
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From: USA
RE: Pleeeeeeeeeeeeease Listen
I have a new 06 RK, and the thing "did" (past tense) have a couple times that the engine would heat up in a stopped traffic jam (those can be a twice daily occurance here in Tidewater) and I took it in and explained whats going on when had the 1K performed.
They adusted the hot idle and WERE DONE, NO other problems with the lowering of the idle when in stopped traffic jam. This thing is STILL bone stock. No S/E airfilter, no pipes, no special anything upgrades, stock and its fixed! It is fuel injected too.
And let me say something about an Air Cooled Twin, what do people expect, my gawd man its 1450cc's, a whopping 88 Cubic Inches. By air cooled standards thats pretty large. I can tell you that is bigger then most of the lawn mowers ever made thats for sure. And if you don't think thats going to get hot when your in stopped traffic and you keep the engine running you have a rude awaking. And don't go and get some 127 cubic inch engine with or with out a carb, its going to make more heat then an 88.
Now I know in this area it gets hot as crazy on those summer days and standing on that blacktop with a heat engine below you with OUT air flow (by not moving) it will warm your man berrys.
I do plan on installing a premium oil cooler, its in at the dearship now. And I will put a jugs' fan on the engine too. Thats on back order and will be about another two weeks. I think I can make it right now after all winter is arriving in this area. I do want to have the most in keeping this bike running the longest. You can't stop the summer and an you can't do much for the traffic in my location so I think this addition of oil cooler and fans will help keep my man berrys cooler longer when stuck in those traffic jams on the hot days and help the engine life over all. (the plan is also to put a fan on the oil cooler to come on when the jug's fan cuts on too, then I get the benifets of both when stuck in traffic)
Bottom line Air Cooling is good if the air keeps flowing. And the dealer has taken care of my problem. I suggest that if the dealer is not going to fix a problem on any other bike, push the issue to another dealer then up line to MOCO. If those with out the stomach to do so, need to get another bike from someplace else by someone else. I have heard of issues with all kinds of bike manufactures at one time or another, so you may have a different problem later on with some other brand. Who's to say?
EPA maps on the new ones with standing, mine is fixed with out a PCIII or SuperTuner upgrade! Now if another dealer is not able to adust either a carb or ECM then something maybe wrong. But how do you dismiss that mine is fixed?? It does not stall, burp, cough, fart, or idle to the one cylinder chug and die! It still runs and yes with out air flow the engine heat is noticable, this is a NORMAL condition.
Sorry for ranting a bit, just wanted to state my $0.02.
Thanks
They adusted the hot idle and WERE DONE, NO other problems with the lowering of the idle when in stopped traffic jam. This thing is STILL bone stock. No S/E airfilter, no pipes, no special anything upgrades, stock and its fixed! It is fuel injected too.
And let me say something about an Air Cooled Twin, what do people expect, my gawd man its 1450cc's, a whopping 88 Cubic Inches. By air cooled standards thats pretty large. I can tell you that is bigger then most of the lawn mowers ever made thats for sure. And if you don't think thats going to get hot when your in stopped traffic and you keep the engine running you have a rude awaking. And don't go and get some 127 cubic inch engine with or with out a carb, its going to make more heat then an 88.
Now I know in this area it gets hot as crazy on those summer days and standing on that blacktop with a heat engine below you with OUT air flow (by not moving) it will warm your man berrys.
I do plan on installing a premium oil cooler, its in at the dearship now. And I will put a jugs' fan on the engine too. Thats on back order and will be about another two weeks. I think I can make it right now after all winter is arriving in this area. I do want to have the most in keeping this bike running the longest. You can't stop the summer and an you can't do much for the traffic in my location so I think this addition of oil cooler and fans will help keep my man berrys cooler longer when stuck in those traffic jams on the hot days and help the engine life over all. (the plan is also to put a fan on the oil cooler to come on when the jug's fan cuts on too, then I get the benifets of both when stuck in traffic)
Bottom line Air Cooling is good if the air keeps flowing. And the dealer has taken care of my problem. I suggest that if the dealer is not going to fix a problem on any other bike, push the issue to another dealer then up line to MOCO. If those with out the stomach to do so, need to get another bike from someplace else by someone else. I have heard of issues with all kinds of bike manufactures at one time or another, so you may have a different problem later on with some other brand. Who's to say?
EPA maps on the new ones with standing, mine is fixed with out a PCIII or SuperTuner upgrade! Now if another dealer is not able to adust either a carb or ECM then something maybe wrong. But how do you dismiss that mine is fixed?? It does not stall, burp, cough, fart, or idle to the one cylinder chug and die! It still runs and yes with out air flow the engine heat is noticable, this is a NORMAL condition.
Sorry for ranting a bit, just wanted to state my $0.02.
Thanks
RE: Pleeeeeeeeeeeeease Listen
Gary,
Great Post! It's great that your bike is running the way you want it to. What I am talking about are modifications to the air filter and pipes. The Harley Download is a bandaid fix. You should be able to ride the wheels off a stock bike without doing much to it. It sounds like your dealer knows what he is doing. I just get irritated at all those guys who want to put on V&H or Rinehart duals with a big sucker air filter and then whine about spending a little money to make it run like they expect it to.
[sm=biker2.gif]
Great Post! It's great that your bike is running the way you want it to. What I am talking about are modifications to the air filter and pipes. The Harley Download is a bandaid fix. You should be able to ride the wheels off a stock bike without doing much to it. It sounds like your dealer knows what he is doing. I just get irritated at all those guys who want to put on V&H or Rinehart duals with a big sucker air filter and then whine about spending a little money to make it run like they expect it to.
[sm=biker2.gif]