Getting fed up with the surging
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 1,188
Likes: 24
From: New Hampshire
Cruising in 3rd at 35 mph? Oh dear Lord. You are riding a Sportster, so get used to the noise. If you think it is too noisy, deal with it or sell it. Just being honest with you. Open the bike up and let it free. Putting around going 35 in 3rd gear is putting more strain on the engine at that low of an RPM.
Last edited by IRON1250; Jun 28, 2012 at 12:14 PM.
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 1,188
Likes: 24
From: New Hampshire
[QUOTE=Harryinny;9999267]Its the same on my 09 XL low. Dealer says i should be in 3rd by 30 easy, and in 4th by 40 when riding. Youll know when its not right, when your in the right range for the gear, the vibration in the bars, pegs and mirriors should go away. I had my bike tested 2 times by HD, and they found that it does have a big difference in power between 2nd and 3rd, i cant ride in 3rd at 30 most of the time because the bike hesitates and jumps around alot. They said thats not normal but that surgeing on the bikes is in most speeds until you get up to highway speeds. When i told them i cant really ride the bike at 30mph in 3rd, they actually told me that im rideing wrong, and if anything happens to the bike, they have it documented that im riding wrong incase they have to use my extended service plan and try to get me to pay for the work instead. I ride in 3rd till about 40 and they say thats to fast for 3rd.
Nice dealer huh?
really wish harley would put tachs on sportsters. people would be amazed how much fun they are leaving on the table by not running these motors where they make power. the power band! seems a little funny the people with the surging are running the way the dealers are telling them and the people running at higher rpm are having fun loving their ride
Nice dealer huh?
really wish harley would put tachs on sportsters. people would be amazed how much fun they are leaving on the table by not running these motors where they make power. the power band! seems a little funny the people with the surging are running the way the dealers are telling them and the people running at higher rpm are having fun loving their ride
Last edited by IRON1250; Jun 28, 2012 at 12:11 PM.
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 1,188
Likes: 24
From: New Hampshire
i said under 5000 rpm. i take mine well into the 6000 rpm range as i have set the limiter to 6800. you can ride however you like. i'm just telling what i do and have been told is safe by people who have built thousands of these engines for both street use and land speed racing records. don't see to many harley dealers doing either of those things. i wouldn't take a stock sportsers much over 5000 rpm very often, but that is just me. to each his own.
Last edited by IRON1250; Jun 28, 2012 at 12:25 PM.
Thread Starter
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Road Master
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 1,119
Likes: 7
From: USA
I can see winding out a 883 more than a 1200 as the 1200 has more low end torque.
If I wanted to wind her out as much as you guys are recommending I would have bought a 883.
A 1200 shouldn't have to be run at as high revs as a 883.
If I wanted to wind her out as much as you guys are recommending I would have bought a 883.
A 1200 shouldn't have to be run at as high revs as a 883.
Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,346
Likes: 3
From: Dallas, Texas
My '08 1200 seemed to do the same surging you're talking about when I first bought it. Thought I had a throttle position sensor problem. like it never knew where it was at. Not so much on the highway but more aroung town. 2 dealers either said it was normal or just shrugged their shoulders like they didn't have a clue what I was talking about. Posted on this forum once and got some advice (mostly how to adjust cable & all that). No amount of adjusting anything on the bike made even the slightest bit of difference. But the best advice I got was from a chick who had the same issue. She said she just had to get used to keeping her throttle hand kinda loose & keep inputs smooth and deliberate and get used to the feel of the bike. The throttles on these things are ultra-sensitive to rider input and yes after spending more & more time on the bike it's like the problem just went away. Don't know how long you've had your's but that's my advise to you.
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 1,188
Likes: 24
From: New Hampshire
Unfortunately you might find it is in the nature of the beast. noisy higher revving. they can be ridden at any rpm, but are happier at certain rpm than others. You are correct that the 1200 will run at a lower rpm than a 883 at the same speed. although that would mean shifting a 1200 at a lower speed would be lugging it even more than a 883. if you were planning on shifting at lower speeds the 883 would have been a better choice to avoid lugging. that probably isn't even your problem anyway. Hope you can get it straighten out and enjoy you new sporty!
Last edited by IRON1250; Jun 28, 2012 at 01:40 PM.
Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,599
Likes: 11
From: Colonial Beach, Virginia
On my way out of my developement I run about 2 miles at 25 in second gear, then 45 for about a mile in 4th then 35 in 3rd through the first half of Montross then 45 in 4th for 2 more miles then 55 in 5th, once clear of Montross I cruise at 60.
2nd, 3rd, and 4th are perfect for 25, 35 and 45 respectively. I run just about every kind of machine know to man and those speeds are nowhere near to lugging the engine.
2nd, 3rd, and 4th are perfect for 25, 35 and 45 respectively. I run just about every kind of machine know to man and those speeds are nowhere near to lugging the engine.
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Thread Starter
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Road Master
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 1,119
Likes: 7
From: USA
My '08 1200 seemed to do the same surging you're talking about when I first bought it. Thought I had a throttle position sensor problem. like it never knew where it was at. Not so much on the highway but more aroung town. 2 dealers either said it was normal or just shrugged their shoulders like they didn't have a clue what I was talking about. Posted on this forum once and got some advice (mostly how to adjust cable & all that). No amount of adjusting anything on the bike made even the slightest bit of difference. But the best advice I got was from a chick who had the same issue. She said she just had to get used to keeping her throttle hand kinda loose & keep inputs smooth and deliberate and get used to the feel of the bike. The throttles on these things are ultra-sensitive to rider input and yes after spending more & more time on the bike it's like the problem just went away. Don't know how long you've had your's but that's my advise to you.
But I have thought about just that.
So I was on a long country road that has a speed limit of 35 mph.
I got up to 39 mph in 3rd.
I set the throttle friction thingy to hold 39 mph, took my hand of the throttle and cruised at 39mph.
Guess what, still surging.
