Just got back today from vacation in CO in the Rockies. Always ran 93 in my bike, all stock 2017 CVO SG. I'm from IN, elevation approx 800' sea level. Bike runs great at home. Got to CO and my bike pinged to no end, even at their low 6000' elevation. 91 octane is highest I find in CO and used it. It got to where I was always having to running 2 gears lower than normal and always had to keep RPMS above 3k, and then still feathered throttle to reduce (not eliminate) the ping. 4th and 5th gear required even when running interstate @ 70 mph. 1st gear was needed to get up to 40mph at times. Just the slightest amount of elevation increase required a down shift. Power was none existence the whole trip. Pinging was reduced by running 87 octane. Considered trying 85. I'm sure I've done some damage to the motor having it ping for a week and being ran hard just to keep up with a buddies stock 103 which had no problems. What is everyone else doing when you go up to 14,000' elevation to control the ping?

 

I had this problem last year in CO. Was with a buddy who had a bone stock ultra that ran like a top the whole trip. Mine was a ping monster if I even looked at the throttle. I finally added about 30% fuel to the cruise range with the PV and limped it out of the mountains. Once we got on the east side of Fort Collins loaded up the original map and ran good again. I blamed it on fuel quality and the lighter air. Just don't know for sure what was going on, and haven't been back since.

 

Your EFI should compensate for changes like that. I have family in Colorado Springs and have driven to the top of Pikes Peak in an auto - your CVO should be able to do the same, ride to over 14,000 feet! Try the chaps over in the CVO section, to see if anyone has any useful suggestions. Certainly worth looking into, to find a solution.

 

My home is at 6,500 ft elevation. I go visit family in Kansas at 900 ft. Then I come back to Colorado and take a ride up Mt Evans over 14,000 ft or Loveland Pass at almost 12,000 ft. I never have a problem with pinging or loss of power more than expected when riding at those elevations. This was true with my '96 Road King, my 2008 EGC and my present 2014 Street Glide Special. If I were you, I'd take your bike back to the dealer and tell them to fix the problem.

 

I had the same issue a couple of weeks ago when I was in Colorado! Mine is a 2011 FLTRU 103. Runs great in Texas at 465 feet elevation but up in Colorado, it ran like the OP's bike did.


However, my wife's bike (2011 Electra Glide 103) ran like a top with no issues. Her's has a Harley tune. Mine has the SESPT with autotune.


Keep us posted on what you find out.

 

Seems like your knock control is switched off. If you didn't play with the mapping, better to have it checked. The EMC module should be able to compensate the difference in air pressure.

 

The following shouldn't matter, especially since the OP was running 91:

http://www.denverpost.com/2006/10/16...octane-levels/

,,,however, it is nonetheless interesting to know that the high state of Colorado, does mess with its fuel.

Again, it "appears" Colorado's octane meddling shouldn't matter but one has to wonder at the odd correlations expressed here and elsewhere on the Internet. What else might Colorado have done to fuel. Nanny state regimes which "know best" aren't always forthcoming with the details. Believe me, I know !

Ninety-one octane gas usually contains no ethanol. Could the high State of Colorado be sneaking a little corn into the mix ?

 

When we were in Colorado, it seemed all grades where at least 1 to 2 points lower in octane than the gas we get in Texas.

I need to do some analysis of my timing map and see if it is too advance in the cruising range.

 

As it stands, it seems like its a difficult issue to make sense of, which generally means there is something going on that we don't know about.

I carry a can of SeaFoam with me in my sissybar bag with a bar shot 2 oz measuring spout jammed into the top (opening). I occasionally pour a shot into my tank just before filling, especially when I've been at a series of single hose / multi grade pumps. It seems to be good for what ails smooth running as a result of poor fuel. I like the SeaFoam product as it's basically just pale oil and naptha and not particularly sensitive with regard to dosing. You can overdo it and not over do it so its safe to use somewhat indiscriminately.

Dunno if the stuff would help in CO. but it wouldn't hurt.

 

As I stated, I had to run 87 just to make it bearable. Thats winding it out considerably higher, and staying 1-2 gears lower than normal. With 91, it was a ping monster. I originally thought Id need higher octane, so I got a can of octane boost. Huge mistake. 1 mile down the road and I was thinking I need to dump the tank and get some 87 back in. Managed to run a gal out and stopped to top off with 85. Ran better again. A quick search on the net stated that a lower octane can be ran at higher elevations.
I thought pinging was from running to low of octane or incorrect timing? Can you run to high octane?

We stopped in at a dealer there to ask what they do with the new bikes. Was told nothing, just run 91. And then do a tuner as next step. Its almost like my bike would not adjust to the different elevation. Seems I recall reading something to that effect posted here last fall when the M8's came out???
Last fall it ran great in the Smokies, but thats 1/2 the elevation as the Rockies.