Carb. or EFI..?
Road Captain
Joined: Aug 2005
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RE: Carb. or EFI..?
Some food for thought, I woldnt have minded getting a carb bike, but I live at 6500 feet and plan on traveling alot on the Harley, I didnt want to deal with Jetting issues for drastic altitude changes, EFI covers that for me. If you plan on riding your scoot in the same area all the time, youll only need the initial jetting tuning on a carb, if not you may consider EFI.
Road Captain
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 611
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RE: Carb. or EFI..?
If you plan to keep long term a carb is cheaper to work on. Folks like me who grew up before computers are still leary of F.I but soon it will be all you can get. A carb to me is like a home cooked meal.... comfortable
Road Captain
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 642
Likes: 3
From: Southern California
RE: Carb. or EFI..?
I think the EFI is better able to deal with drastic altitude changes than a carb bike. Otherwise, either can be correctly modded to accept pipes and A/C upgrades. I would go EFI.
Speaking of reserve, I just got back from a Laughlin run and we had a support truck with fuel in it so I tried to run my EFI Fatboy out of fuel. I bet I got 50 miles with the fuel light on and when I pulled in to Ludlow for gas, the needle was buried way below "E". I put in 4.8 gallons.........so I still had a bit of gas left. I always treat my Trip A as my real gas gauge. I plan my fuel stops based on how many miles I've gone, not by what the gauge says.
Speaking of reserve, I just got back from a Laughlin run and we had a support truck with fuel in it so I tried to run my EFI Fatboy out of fuel. I bet I got 50 miles with the fuel light on and when I pulled in to Ludlow for gas, the needle was buried way below "E". I put in 4.8 gallons.........so I still had a bit of gas left. I always treat my Trip A as my real gas gauge. I plan my fuel stops based on how many miles I've gone, not by what the gauge says.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 3,235
Likes: 17
From: Albuquerque, NM
RE: Carb. or EFI..?
The quality and reliability of both systems has come a long way, but I went with the carb vs EFI simply because it is much easier to find someone who can work on it on the side of the road if you have a problem. EFI has a heck of a lot more parts associated with it than a carb, and in my experience the less quantity of parts that you have between the throttle and the rubber, the less that can go wrong.
Just my two cents...
Just my two cents...
Road Master
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 754
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RE: Carb. or EFI..?
i don't think you can go wrong on the softails...efi or carb. Just don't wait until 07 because then you won't have an option and you'll have all the EPA 02 sensor crap to deal with trying to change pipes like the dynas already have in 06.
Cruiser
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 132
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RE: Carb. or EFI..?
EFI is better than a carb. Period. Would you buy a car with a carb?
BUT some might also agrue (certain members of my family) that BMW's are significantly superior machines, but, yet, I gladly and without regret bought a Harley.
If you want to ride and are going to do minimal mods, EFI is the way to go. Just get on and go.
If you are a endless serious engine modder, you might consider a carb.
Bet you won't see carbs available for much longer...
BUT some might also agrue (certain members of my family) that BMW's are significantly superior machines, but, yet, I gladly and without regret bought a Harley.
If you want to ride and are going to do minimal mods, EFI is the way to go. Just get on and go.
If you are a endless serious engine modder, you might consider a carb.
Bet you won't see carbs available for much longer...
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Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,334
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RE: Carb. or EFI..?
There isn't much downside to a CV carb. The CV carb will compensate for elevation changes quite well. You can even change mufflers on the CV carb without rejetting. It will get the same fuel economy as fuel injection (2 mile difference). Both carb and FI can get the same performance.
Here is where the carb shines: any changes you make you loose $10 in jets to make it run right. For the FI you will spend at least $150 for a reflash or $300 for a power commander. Working on it is taken out of your hands as well. Don't expect to work on FI with all the sensors it has.
Here is where FI shines: warming up. You have to fiddle with the enricher on a carbed bike and let her warm up to be safe. With the FI you hit the button and ride because it will compensate for everything.
However, I have no problem with my carb, by the time I get my gear on the bike is ready to run and the bike will start the first time no matter how cold.
Also, if the enricher is the only thing bugging you then you can get an automatic enricher and I bet it will cost you less than a reflash.
Here is where the carb shines: any changes you make you loose $10 in jets to make it run right. For the FI you will spend at least $150 for a reflash or $300 for a power commander. Working on it is taken out of your hands as well. Don't expect to work on FI with all the sensors it has.
Here is where FI shines: warming up. You have to fiddle with the enricher on a carbed bike and let her warm up to be safe. With the FI you hit the button and ride because it will compensate for everything.
However, I have no problem with my carb, by the time I get my gear on the bike is ready to run and the bike will start the first time no matter how cold.
Also, if the enricher is the only thing bugging you then you can get an automatic enricher and I bet it will cost you less than a reflash.
Advanced
Joined: Oct 2005
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RE: Carb. or EFI..?
Hey all you "Doom and Gloom" merchants[sm=icon_beat.gif],. what's with all the "when I break down" attitude, I'm English so I have no axe to grind, but I have faith that a nearly new Harley aint going to leave me stranded anytime soon, Live on the Edge, leave that AAA card at home, (take your cell 'phone just in case though, you Mary's!)[sm=boohoo.gif]