What's wrong with Harleys?

[Rickster]

Originally Posted by intimid8er

You gonna go down and cop a couple demo's when you get to feelin' better?

I heard they reworked the steering head (among other things on the '08 Uly). It's easier now to maneuver it around the garage or in the driveway. Plus they got a new computer in it. I'm not sure how much better it's supposed to be.

Speaking of computers. Should I be having to wait almost five or so minutes of warmup time before I can ride? It doesn't seem normal to me.

Yep, the dealer said they have two they are going to keep for demo's.

They didn't have any 08 Uly's on the floor, they are still trying to sell their last two 07's.

Feeling better is a relative term, I'm getting around pretty good, driving the truck is no problem, but throwing a leg over a bike is something I don't want to try yet. Pretty amazing when you think about it, it's only been 3 weeks since they took all that bone out, and put all them metal parts in.

[4dtvman]

Ha did you ask for shinny chrome bolts like the ones on your bike.

Ha I'm glad your getting better, spring will be here soon.

[Rickster]

Ha, Ha, No but I did ask for a grease zerk.

[CruisingRam]

Originally Posted by intimid8er

Should I be having to wait almost five or so minutes of warmup time before I can ride? It doesn't seem normal to me.

Dude EVERY type of complex machinery should be allowed to warm up for 5 minutes, in any weather.


Car, motorcycle, lawnmower etc. Well, for the two strokers, about a minute or so of smooth idle is good. Even still- there is no problem with warming up ANY bike for 5 minutes. It just lets everything come slowly up to temp, or at least, to spec, and all fluids to circulate freely before being put under load.

[JmalB]

Interesting... The owners manual for my truck says not to let it sit and warm up. It states the best/quickest way to get it warmed up is start driving after the idle settles. Of course that's not safe if the windshield fogs up right away...

back on track. Every time I see a Sportster I think damn that's a thin motorcycle.

[Dave Nadeau]

Any body want to read up on a really cool HD trip try this.....If I could just get the time off from work I'd go!!
A motorcycle trip around the world by Peter and Kay Forwood on a Harley-Davidson starting in Australia Feb 1996 and articles by other international motorcycle travellers.

[intimid8er]

Originally Posted by CruisingRam

Dude EVERY type of complex machinery should be allowed to warm up for 5 minutes, in any weather.


Car, motorcycle, lawnmower etc. Well, for the two strokers, about a minute or so of smooth idle is good. Even still- there is no problem with warming up ANY bike for 5 minutes. It just lets everything come slowly up to temp, or at least, to spec, and all fluids to circulate freely before being put under load.

Guess I was spoilt by that Suzuki 32 bit ECM. Fire it up. Wait for the idle to settle down, and on your way. It'd retard, advance, whatever you needed to insure the bike ran perfectly. Of course, I didn't dog the M50 immediately, but it still ran awesome right after firing up. Once the Uly is hot, there is no substitute though.

[CruisingRam]

Still most lubricants don't get totally up to spec until the motor is running at spec.

I have seen literally hundreds of dyno runs, and we have watched and participated in fluids testing, breakdowns etc etc.

[Rickster]

Originally Posted by intimid8er

Guess I was spoilt by that Suzuki 32 bit ECM. Fire it up. Wait for the idle to settle down, and on your way. It'd retard, advance, whatever you needed to insure the bike ran perfectly. Of course, I didn't dog the M50 immediately, but it still ran awesome right after firing up. Once the Uly is hot, there is no substitute though.

Tim, my Road King has the same crappy EFI system as your Buell, and if the outside temp is above 50* I can ride it 5 seconds after starting it. From my house, I have 7 minuets of 30 MPH driving before I get to any highways, I figure that's all the warm up it needs.

[intimid8er]

Originally Posted by Rickster

Tim, my Road King has the same crappy EFI system as your Buell, and if the outside temp is above 50* I can ride it 5 seconds after starting it. From my house, I have 7 minuets of 30 MPH driving before I get to any highways, I figure that's all the warm up it needs.

Hmmn.....we are by and large above fifty most of the time. If the jugs ain't hot enough to fry an egg on, she'll burp, fart, and show her ass in large fashion. (Sounds like some females I know. )

I figure, some slow and easy riding after the initial idle period while I get my jacket, helmet, and gloves on. I can't even do the slow and easy thing without a big protest.

[Rickster]

Originally Posted by intimid8er

Hmmn.....we are by and large above fifty most of the time. If the jugs ain't hot enough to fry an egg on, she'll burp, fart, and show her ass in large fashion. (Sounds like some females I know. )

I figure, some slow and easy riding after the initial idle period while I get my jacket, helmet, and gloves on. I can't even do the slow and easy thing without a big protest.

I hate to say it, but it might be time for another trip to the dealer, have them roll out a brand new one, to see if it does the same thing.

One of the things my dealer told me, (when he was giving me his sales pitch), was that with fuel injection, you don't have to sit around waiting for the dam thing to warm up any more, just ride it easy for the first 5 minuets or so.

My HD, and my Suzuki warm up exactly the same, 5 seconds, and they are good to go.

[dcstrng]

<EVERY type of complex machinery should be allowed to warm up for 5 minutes…>

Hmmm… my neighbors would shoot me if I let the V&H warm up for five minutes at 04:45… Once it starts I pull the gloves on and idle down the street in 2nd gear… Granted (on the carbed Harley – Evo) she doesn’t like ham-fisted throttle technique, and a carb-fart or two isn’t unexpected until about 3-4 miles down the road when the temps are below freezing, but by then its up to speed and the choke is in…

For a scoot that sits prolonged periods (over 4-5 days) between rides, it might be prudent to allow enough time for all the machinery to get reacquainted before venturing out into the unknown, but for a daily-rider (especially on an older, conventional, simpler, less convoluted machine), I think you just get on and ride… no burn-outs until up to temps, however…

[intimid8er]

Originally Posted by Rickster

I hate to say it, but it might be time for another trip to the dealer, have them roll out a brand new one, to see if it does the same thing.

I think you're right.

Remember. I did have a custom map installed. Regardless, it shouldn't be performing this way.

[POE-BOY SAMICH]

Originally Posted by intimid8er

I think you're right.

Remember. I did have a custom map installed. Regardless, it shouldn't be performing this way.

Darn right it shouldn't. Take it in to the dealer for a once-over.

I disagree with the 5min warm-up. My Road King (just like my old C50) is a start-up and go. I do idle it for just a minute while I get my gloves/helmet on, but nothing even CLOSE to 5min. I don't see the need for a 5min warm-up with EFI. I do take it easy for the first couple of miles though....keep the rpm's down and such. Keep in mind the Harley is air-cooled, so on warmer days you don't want that thing idling for 5min just to go and idle some more at the corner red light.

[Rickster]

Originally Posted by intimid8er

I think you're right.

Remember. I did have a custom map installed. Regardless, it shouldn't be performing this way.

Was the custom map made for your bike, or just for Uly's in general.

There are a couple of ways of making custom maps, The best way is to put your bike on a dyno. That's the best way, but it's also the most expensive, and time consuming.

The next best way is by riding it, and making adjustment based on a seat of the pants feeling.

Some dealers just download maps that they got either from HD, or off the Internet. They will install them in your bike, and if they work OK on a test ride, they just call them good. There's nothing really wrong with doing this, but in some bikes, like yours, they might need some special tweaking to get the cold idle mixture right.

The nice thing about fuel injection maps is that they are infinitely adjustable, you just need to know the codes that unlock the FI computer.

[intimid8er]

Originally Posted by Rickster

There are a couple of ways of making custom maps, The best way is to put your bike on a dyno. That's the best way, but it's also the most expensive, and time consuming.

That was what I had done. $250+ for the Direct Link and not more than $275 for the Dyno time.

[Rickster]

Originally Posted by intimid8er

That was what I had done. $250+ for the Direct Link and not more than $275 for the Dyno time.

Well in that case, the map is most likely a good one for your bike, and if that's the case, the problem is somewhere else.
I believe there is a cold run sensor that send a signal to the ECU when the engine is below a certain temp, this changes the fuel/air mixture till the engine warms up, maybe that sensor is set wrong, or just plain not working at all.

[intimid8er]

Originally Posted by Rickster

Well in that case, the map is most likely a good one for your bike, and if that's the case, the problem is somewhere else.
I believe there is a cold run sensor that send a signal to the ECU when the engine is below a certain temp, this changes the fuel/air mixture till the engine warms up, maybe that sensor is set wrong, or just plain not working at all.

After I answered your previous post, I called over for an appointment. The guy that handles my bike said pretty much the same thing you did.

Fuel mileage has dropped also. From 42 mpg to 37 mpg.

[JmalB]

The Buell motor is a tuned Harley motor. Tuned motors sometimes have behavior issues.

[omegajim]

The Buell motor is a tuned Harley motor. Tuned motors sometimes have behavior issues.

Untuned motors have fewer issues? Or inferior parts that still fail at lower performance?