My carb is a edelbrock quicksilver and is nothing but trouble.I foul out my pugs, it pukes gas and is in genaral a pain in my seatcover. So I was thinkingI want a good carb that can do the job, maybe a little lower profile also.I ride a 72 sportster punched out to 1100cc.A guy at work said a mikuni is my best bet, also S&S I've been told but thay always stick so far out from the bike ya loose that long and lean look. Anyway, anyone... any suggestions?
Thanks, Ratbike

 

The best carb I ever had on my ironhead was without a second thought the round barrel slide 38mm Mikuni. This carb started perfectly and ran just great. It even make the Sporty sound like a 650cc BSA for some reason.
Wanting to use the original solid wire enclosed throttle cable meant I had to go with a Bendix when I rebuilt it in 1995-2000. The Bendix keeps the carb close in, as seen in the photos. The Mikuni stuck out there in the wind because of a needed adapter (rubber sleeve & manifold piece) to connect the round carb body to the two bolt manifold.

A lot of people are going to recommend using an S&S I predict. I know nothing about them, but I am sure they are a good carb. You may have a possible clearance problem with the tank petcock......so check that out. My Mukini cleared fine. My Bendix cleared, but just barely........pg


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well I dont know much but b4 it was mine somebody put a CV carb on my 79xls.(27421-99a) Sez for twin cam conversion only... needed to make mounting brackets but the carb works pretty good just have to watch the choke
as it seems to run a little rich anyway but gets good mpg and I never seem to be wanting for gas when I get on it. Dusty

 

just a second thought after re-reading your post... the cv does stick out there in the wind thats one of the reasons I went to the bigger tank and miles between fills...... Dusty

 

btw try these peeps (there in my home town) woodcarbs.com
Dusty

 

I have a S&S Super E on my Super Glide. I love it. It runs great.

 

S&S E is about as trouble free as you will find, easy to jet too. The bendix is a good carb. if you can find one not cobbled up. I have not had much luck with that "New bendix" that they are selling.
The quicksilver is a very difficult carb. to tune, as with the mic flat slide. but they doperform well if you have the time and knowledge. they are just a little to complex for my taste.

 

I agree with crampfan, Only thing I ever had to fix on my Super E was the accelerator pump pushrod once.

 

I have had S&S E and Keihin butterfly on my own bikes, there isn't any big difference adjuting them.
S&S worked just fine ( it was new and Keihin was 30 years old).
Keihin CV is good and cheap choise for "normal" bike, works great.
S&S super E just good but, in midrange there is "dead spot" alike in Keihin butterfly. Dynojet helps...
Edelbrock is same carb than Mikuni HS/HSR, it needs correct needle and if you find it it works perfectly and gives best performance and smooth opetation...
Adjusting carb can be hard, but if you follow manufacturers instructions it can be done... every bike is individual so any common adjustment "trick" takes you "close" , but to get perfect adjustment you need dyno run.

 

I ran an S&S on my '76 for years with no problems. When the Mikuni on the OL's 1200 blockhead fell apart, I put an S&S on it and it ran better than it ever had before.