So I happened upon this stuff at the strong recommendation from a guy I'm cool with who works the parts counter at the local Harley dealer.

I had been noticing that my 2004 RK (Carb) was running better and more smoothly if I left the choke out just slightly after starting it up and letting it warm up for a bit. If I pushed it in all the way, it felt a bit more sluggish and less like it should.

I checked around and one place wanted to charge me around $250 to manually clean out the carb and check everything out, blah blah blah.

I talked to a guy at another dealer who has been saying he loves this Enzyme stuff and has been using it for two years. I figured I'd give it a shot since I didn't really want to drop $250 and $7 for a bottle of this seemed worth a try.

I put a bit in with my next fill up and I was surprised that I noticed a difference. After about 10 miles the bike felt stronger and more smooth. It sounded better at idle, like it was breathing properly and not chugging for air or whatever you want to call it.

Just curious if anyone else has ever tried this stuff. Generally I think this stuff is snake oil, but it seems to have taken care of the issue I was having without having to go in a pay for a more labor intensive cleaning I might not have needed.

 

Yup.

Thumbs up.

Been using it for 1-1/2 yrs with good success.

 

I saw this stuff at NAPA store the last time I bought parts for my truck. I thought about buying a bottle to try.

 

Star tron got good review in MCN (Motorcycle Consumer News)

 

Good then it sounds like it's not just placebo effect.

 

Any contents spelled out on the label? Very small amounts of toluene, acetone and even alcohol will will remove varnish and some other gunk that gasoline can leave behind. In addition, what small amount of surface tension gasoline droplets can have is further reduced by these same chemicals making vaporization a bit more complete. Trying any of these products is less expensive than a shop carb overhaul. If they actually work, you should be able to go back to not using them for thousands of more miles, then treat again. If you miss them on the next tank without them, they aren't actually performing the desired cleaning job.

I have never heard of this stuff but nothing succeeds like success. If it works for you, great. I have been happy with both Berryman Chemtool and Chevron Techron. When the potions no longer help, then it is time to "operate".

 

It's just a surface cleaner. It doesn't compensate for a good thorough tear down and rebuild of a carb. Carb cleaning and rebuild techniques really vary. But a good rebuild kit with seals, gaskets, and repair parts like an accelerator pump diaphragm and even a float valve often are considerations.

I started using the Star Tron for the same reason, to attempt to clean out my carb without an overhaul...

I won't go through all my foibles with this product I'll just sum up the matter by saying use it precisely, only do a treatment there's no need to run it all the time, and if you start having Wide Open Throttle (WOT) acceleration hesitation don't rip your entire fuel supply system apart until you run at least a couple of untreated tank fulls through the system.

I will tell you if you're finding a need to leave the choke on slightly after starting, it may have to do with the air temp getting colder, it could have to do with real dirt in your carb that's beginning to block passageways, or worst case scenario is the beginning of intake seal leaks.

Now there could still be a myriad of other issues but these are the top concerns.

Keep in mind cleaning the air filter regularly, and changing your spark plugs are ROUTINE maintenance, and good prevention and upkeep, something too many riders ignore until the bike is severely showing issues.

And the ENZYME feature of Startron is neutralizing the ethanol in your fuel, which lowers it's octane value. Which leads to hesitations in acceleration.

I've been told it would be better to run a tank of racing fuel to really clean out your fuel systems than any other additive.

 

I switched to startron on the vintage bikes to prevent older fuel from carboning up the valves. The added advantage is that with a full tank in the fall, it prevents any damage from ethnanol induced water. I am a johnny come lately, I have only been using it for 3 years.

I have some stabil, an emuslifier that I use up in the lawn mower and snow blower but not in the motorcycles. Stabil is cheaper and these small engines do not get enough use to worry about the effects of alcohol induced water on the valves or carburetor. Each is drained at the end of their season.

Oh the otherhand, the motorcycles are left full with startron added. On the chance, like yesterday that we have a great riding day, the motorcycles are left full and ready to go, except those with carburetors are run long enough to drain the carburetor.

No matter how cold I am, I always stop and fill the tank in the fall and winter. That way, expansion and contraction due to temperature changes does not have a chance to bring moisture from the air into the tank. I think leaving your tank full (If you do not drain it completely) is the best thing you can do to prevent rust in your tank.

Since here in the northwet, I could get a good ride in almost every month, keeping the bikes filled makes the most sense.

Oh yah, the question, I use it.

 

I began using Star Tron early on this riding season. I use it at every fill-up. The 8oz. bottle lasts for 8 stops. 1 ounce per 6 gallons. My recent 50K mile service showed positive results. The fuel filter was the typical black in color due to dirt and sediment, but no slime from residual water settling and congealing. The spark plugs were the normal white/gray in color signaling proper combustion/exhaust. To me it is cheap insurance against the big oil companies. In Michigan, they are not required to label the pumps. You just do not know if you are pumping crap 10% ethanol or something more.

 

onon. I put this stuff in my 48 over the winter, bike started right up, I put a small bit every fill up, the bike runs better and better as it has not been riden much before I bought it, it cleans the gunk out of your injectors, it makes your bike star easier, I only put In a small splash and noticeable increase of power, you can't od your bike with it, allso this years summer blend will contain allot of corn based ethanol Starton will make this more stable and improve performance, my mechanic told me it's the best thing to maintain your bike with just a bit at every fill up that's what he does with his own Harley, just use it sparingly..