If you just go out and ride in town,then some freeway and back home, idling and stop lights load the plugs. On a carbed bike, you want to know if the jet size is rich,lean or just right. Same thing on an FI bike except you're looking at the map. The way I was taught many moons ago and still do now is ride the freeway at 65-70 mph for 5-10 min. and at a good exit, at speed pull in the clutch an hit the kill switch and coast down the ramp,pull over, let it cool down a bit, pull and read the plugs. That seniro gives a pretty go read of the main jet (carbed bike) and the cruise area of an FI bike. From what you describe I would check the nuts on the exhaust and check the intake for leaks. Do make sure you have good clean gas. Water in the fuel system causes lots of problems that clear up after a fresh tank. Not sure which emc you have, the early do have problems of their own.

 

There is lean and there is way too lean. If you have an intake leak and run it hard for a bit, you may find out the results of "way too lean"...a hole burned in a piston. I've done it twice on my Ironhead.

 

Not sure why you would expect Sea Foam to cure a lean running condition. Sounds like it isn't tuned right, could be due to free flowing exhaust and A/C.
Shutting down the engine while under power will leave the plugs in the condition the bike is running at while under power. Pulling the clutch in avoids rapid deceleration (harsh engine braking) while doing this.

 

Sounds like an intake leak. You can track it down with some carb cleaner.

 

I wouldn't do any plug checks at speed in its current condition! Otherwise I agree with the others, the cause needs finding and fixing. I would start at the gas tank if there is a filter in there, then drain it to clear out any condensed water, work through intake leaks then exhaust leaks. If that doesn't sort it a trip to a local friendly dealer or indy is in order!

 

This is true. Judging mixture by the color of the plugs is not a valid method when running unleaded gas, except in cases of excessive richness when they will have a sooty look to them. In the days of leaded gas it was easy to determine the correct mixture by plug color/tone, but it isn't so easy today.

Excessive leanness can cause detonation and this will show on the plugs as pitting, and heat-range can be determined by the tone of the electrode tip. It changes tone part of the way down and where the change occurs is telling. Halfway usually indicates the proper heat range.

Plugs should look clean, white or off-white, on the porcelain--darker on the edges and a clean medium tone on the electrode tip.

That was the first year of Delphi.

 

thanks to all!
i took it to an indy dealer, he equipped me with a vance and hines fuel pack, and tuned it to match my new pipes, and she is running smoother than ever...never sounded better!!

 

Curious as to how Sea Foam messes up carbs & FIs. Old tech? What would you recommend that is better?