Hey guys as you can see im new to the forum and also to harleys. Im looking to buy a Night Train. I love how sexy all that black is. I have a question and im sure it has been covered a million and one times but i cant seem to find it so im just gonna ask. Im also not computer smart so that may be the issue on why i cant find it. Anyway here is my question to you guys... In my bike search i have found tons of bikes that are fuel injected and really nice bikes but i talked to a local mechanic that opened his own shop in my town and he said he would never buy a bike that is fuel injected. He said Harley has yet to master the fuel injection. Im old school myself and would like a carb'd bike. But, is it that big of a deal? Or is he just filling my head full of bull **** because i dont know better? Im a guy that likes to tinker a lot and would like to put extras on the bike and how would this hurt me with fuel injection? Im looking for your alls wisdom. I just want to hurry up and buy a bike to hit the open road and feel the wind. Thanks for your alls input.

 

EFI is great. EFI, if done properly can really be dialed in, but it costs $$$$'s for dyno tuning. Carbs are a lot cheaper to add pipes, air cleaner, etc. Spend a few $$$$$$$$ on jets and you are good to go. For efi, you buy pipes, ac, you start at $250 to $1,000 for fuel management.

Nothing wrong with EFI, it is your mechanics preference towards a carb.

 

I personally like EFI... Bike always starts and never needs to be tweaked. If you are planning engine mods, you`ll need something to reprogram the ECM - FuelPak, T-Max etc etc, there are a bunch. Search for fuel management and you`ll get a billion hits.

 

Alright Thanks guys. How practical or expensive would it be to switch a injected bike over to carb? Also the difficulty on the switch

 

If you owned a carbed bike and then an EFI, you would never go back to carbed. I have had both, and the EFI is very dependable and quick to start. Adding a fuel management system may cost a few dollars, but it is much easier and much more precise than adjusting a carb. The FuelPak is a great system for the money.

 

It's easy. Here is a parts list


………………..Efi to carb……………………………….

1) 16315-99 top engine mount

1) 69123-92 horn mount

1) 61163-02 spacer

1) 3775 bolt ( maybe may be acquired locally )

2) 26995-86B intake manifold seals

1) 27002-89 seal, carb to manifold

1) 27412-99 carb ( I found takeoff carb,intake & enrichment cable on ebay $100 )

1) 29229-88C enrichment cable

1) 29313-95 gasket

1) 32435-02 wiring harness, ignition

1) 31655-99 ignition coil ( found new takeoff ebay $40 )

1) 32478-99B ignition module ( I bought DTT from Jenni, Custom Chrome #031005 )

1) 38723-99 retaining clip, MAP sensor

1) 68042-99 screw

2) 1004 clamps

1) 26574-99 vacuum hose

1) 61402-02 gasket, sending unit

1) 11323 o-ring,tank to tank adapter

1) 61338-02 fuel valve body

1) 62172-02 gasket, fuel valve

1) 62161-02 nut, fuel valve

1) 62170-02 filter, fuel valve

1) 62842-00 adapter, fuel valve to tank

1ft) fuel line ( may be acquired locally )

1ft) 62555-95 insulator ( 5/8 plastic loom cover, may be acquired locally)

 

EFI is the only way to go IMHO.. No BS choke to play with. Start and GO...

 

Geez, ask any wrench I know & they will take FI over carb any day, your car has the same fuel system the new hds have and if you think about new cars, they almost always run, we get way over 100k miles now a days. Back in the carb days you would not even think of buying a used car with 100k or close. Thanks to fuel injection it’s not such a big deal any more. Your mechanic is surly a good one but he must not do a lot of internal motor work.
You see, you can never get a carb right, you can get them wonderfully close but never right, and it depends on how cold it is or how high above sea level, to get them tuned in and these conditions change with every mile, but fuel injection adjusts its self.
Take apart an old motor and look at the washed out cylinder heads, that’s from gas, the same head with the same miles on an injected motor will still look close to new.
Back in the old hot rod days we did 2 motor builds to 1 transmission, now a dayz its 1 motor to 2 transmissions, thanks to fuel injection. Make sense?? Change is good otherwise we would still live in caves

 

Greetings,

I've had carb'd bikes...Never again. After my first fuel injected one, I'm never going back.

 

Old school fire breathing go for it, if crabs is what you want tinker away