Why don't newer big twins have the potato sound?
#31
11-19-2010, 09:57 AM
When I installed my Samson True Duals with Fishtails, I also installed my 16" apes. When I did the throttle cables, I adjusted the idle side quite a bit lower. Doping this, in combination with the true duals now being able to hear each cylinder fire, got me a much slower, loping idle. Pretty dang close to the old potato idle. If I'm at a light or idling longer than 30 seconds I'll reach up and twist a little to get the idle up...I may or may not need to do this, but since I heard about the oil thing, that's why I do it.
Last weekend a group of us went camping, and I was told that out on the highway, in 6th gear at 60 MPH, my bike had that "old pan pop" going down the road.
#33
11-19-2010, 10:07 AM
Ahhhhaaa, the good ole days! When men were men and women did men. Kids respected their parents and elders, having a mortgage was a good thing, the world respected and feared the USA........and a Harley sounded, well, like a Harley.
#34
11-19-2010, 10:08 AM
Seasoned HDF Member
I've heard this as well.
When I installed my Samson True Duals with Fishtails, I also installed my 16" apes. When I did the throttle cables, I adjusted the idle side quite a bit lower. Doping this, in combination with the true duals now being able to hear each cylinder fire, got me a much slower, loping idle. Pretty dang close to the old potato idle. If I'm at a light or idling longer than 30 seconds I'll reach up and twist a little to get the idle up...I may or may not need to do this, but since I heard about the oil thing, that's why I do it.
Last weekend a group of us went camping, and I was told that out on the highway, in 6th gear at 60 MPH, my bike had that "old pan pop" going down the road.
When I installed my Samson True Duals with Fishtails, I also installed my 16" apes. When I did the throttle cables, I adjusted the idle side quite a bit lower. Doping this, in combination with the true duals now being able to hear each cylinder fire, got me a much slower, loping idle. Pretty dang close to the old potato idle. If I'm at a light or idling longer than 30 seconds I'll reach up and twist a little to get the idle up...I may or may not need to do this, but since I heard about the oil thing, that's why I do it.
Last weekend a group of us went camping, and I was told that out on the highway, in 6th gear at 60 MPH, my bike had that "old pan pop" going down the road.
There is no idle adjustment with the cables. It's all controlled by the ECU. The true duals probably helped.
Last edited by golfblues; 11-19-2010 at 10:10 AM.
#35
11-19-2010, 10:14 AM
I miss my Shovelhead, I had 60 inch pipes with cones on the ends, You could hear the bike from 5 miles away, Cops always came to my house breaking my *****...Crash
#36
11-19-2010, 10:15 AM
Granted, it's not the "proper" way to adjust the idle as that should be done through the ECU, but you can make a difference (however slight) with the idle cable.
#37
11-19-2010, 10:18 AM
Too many people were lowering the idle on the newer of the carbed bikes to try and get the same potato sound that the old Shovels and Pans had. All they succeeded in doing is starving the top end of oil and beating the crank into submission. Different animals. They will never sound like a straight piped shovel.
Last edited by Rickr01; 11-19-2010 at 10:23 AM.
#38
11-19-2010, 10:27 AM
Seasoned HDF Member
Well, there are two cables going to the throttle body. According to the manual and adjustment procedure (2008 Softail Service Manual, 1.14 pp 1-31) The cables are the throttle cable and the idle cable. You adjust the idle cable until it just touches the spring and the throttle returns to idle position properly. Changing this adjustment changes the position of the butterfly in the throttle body at idle.
Granted, it's not the "proper" way to adjust the idle as that should be done through the ECU, but you can make a difference (however slight) with the idle cable.
Granted, it's not the "proper" way to adjust the idle as that should be done through the ECU, but you can make a difference (however slight) with the idle cable.
#39
11-19-2010, 10:28 AM
Elite HDF Member
I don't have a lot of experience with BT's (I ride a Nightster) but I am looking at Fatboys lately. I was surprised by the exhaust note of the stock (2007) model - the valve noise was almost louder than the pipes. I later checked out a 2008 with V&H longshots, which was loud, but lacked what I would consider the classic Harley potato sound. What mods do folks do to get a great sound?
#40
11-19-2010, 10:28 AM
I found it is a very fine line with what you can do with the idle cable. Adjust it too tight against the spring and the bike will idle way down, but the ECU will surge it back up, and then idle down, surge up, idle down, over and over. Adjust it too loose and not up against the spring and it will idle too high. There is a sweet spot though, where it idles down and does not surge. This, however, is nowhere near that old loping idle of a carb'd and cam'd bike...but, with the true duals you can get a bit lower idle "sound" by doing this.
I understand what you're saying Golfblues, I'm just relaying what I found when I replaced the cables and had to adjust the new ones. I played with them for a bit trying the get them just right.
I understand what you're saying Golfblues, I'm just relaying what I found when I replaced the cables and had to adjust the new ones. I played with them for a bit trying the get them just right.