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I actually looked into this as well. I always said I'd never own a FI bike....then when I bought one I figured I'd just swap out the FI for a carb......then a funny thing happened; I realized I actually like being able to thumb the starter and ride away....bike always runs great (knock on wood) no need to mess with it but easy to do with a fuel managment installed (SERT, PCIII etc) if you do engine work. I am officially a convert; at least on a new HD. If I ever "live my dream" and build a little hardtail it will have a carb for simplicity sake.
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2008 FXDBI (black)
C&C Lo-Pro Solo
SE Stage 1 AC
Rush Mufflers (1.75" baffles)
Stage 1 ECM Download
Living in MN I love having EFI. Previous carbed bikes were always cold blooded bastards, When temps get cooler you have to **** around warming up and playing with the choke. I have a few buddies that have carbs and while they are ****in' around I'm riding away.
Easy to just plug into a computer and adjust the EFI, but how many times do you really do that? I did the stage one and changed it. I haven't had to mess with it since. If I do some motor work I'll mess with it again, not a big deal. All other is the same as any bike. Doesn't effect regular oil changes, tires, controls, forks, cables, bearings, whatever.
To me going back to a carb is as silly as putting a kickstarter on one of these beasts.
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A wise and frugal government, which shall leave men free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned - this is the sum of good government.---Thomas Jefferson
Going to a carb may be the biggest waste of money possible... if you are looking to waste money, I'll send you my pay-pal info...
...seriously. EFI is not that hard to work with once you crack into it. There is 0 advantage to a carb in this day and age.
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Power always thinks it has a great soul and vast views beyond the comprehension of the weak, and that it is doing God's service when it is violating all his laws.
John Adams
pretty sure you can link to anything you want here
I haven't paid much attention lately but in the past part of the address in the link was filtered out and replaced with asterix's. Just for fun though I'll give it a try.
I'd guess a benefit of going with the carb would be your bike will run cooler. I don't know anybody with a carb who complains about heat. And you are not going to ever need to replace oxygen sensors or injectors. Lord know what other electronic component may be involved.
Downside is the FI will run better all the time. Warm up? Don't worry about that choke, the ECM will do it for you. Idle speed? Always set by the ECM.
Both have advantages and disadvantages, it's your bike do what you want.
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1988 FLHS 180,000 miles give or take a few
2006 FXDI complete with HD engineered shit inner primary bearing
The carb thing is interesting but I don't plan on doing it. When I do my mods I plan on getting a PC3 from Fuel Moto, free base maps if you change anything and I have heard good thing about them.
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First annual N/W hook-up was a BLAST!!!! Newly posted pics.......look here.......
tell you what, I have a carb ... my pipes have a dreadfull pluh crap sound at coast downs and shift points(out of the pipes)... heard it on other bikes as well I'm told it's a sound that has to do with having a carb vs fuel injection.... It sounds like sh!t and I would much prefer the FI if it meant this sound problem would no longer exist!... or maybe if someone could tell me a way to get rid of it...(well, take out the baffles works)
tell everybody what. When you find a EFI bike that sounds like a Harley... Let me know. I've owned 3 twin cam CARBED bikes, all ran with out a hitch. One had big bore and cams, rejetted the carb, and ran beatifully for over 65,000 miles until i totalled it. My brand new Night train has EFI, and i hate it. It idels like a Farmall tractor, gets crap fuel milage, and is gutless. Explain to me why my 2002 Carbed Deuce with a 5 speed and a more or less stock 88" engine (52,000 miles) Blows away my EFI 08 Night Train and gets 6mpg better at the pump? Oh yeah, and the Deuce sounds like a Harley should. My Night Train is basically a $17,000 Honda. I hate the way it runs, sounds, and the fuel economy sucks. My 2004 Carbed Electraglide with the 95" big bore kit and 5 speed got better milage. How much more does an E-glide weigh in at vs. a softail? One less gear? Better milage? More power? Dont add up boys, ill covert mine in a heartbeat. Another complaint, and according to HD there is nothing that can be done about it... 08 models have a speed sensor that wont let the bike idle down until it stops moving. How stupid is that? its dangerous too. I hate my fuel injection, and i have owned enough carb bikes with absolutely no issues (all with over 50k on them without touching the carb) that ill stay with what works. Nothing against you guys that are in love with fuel injection. It is a fact that HD WANTS you to come in and spend money on repairs. They make more money off of fuel injection, weither it be remapping your bike for something as simple as an exhaust change or fixing the fuel line inside your tank coming off the fuel pump when it rubs a hole through and you lose fuel pressure (if it hasnt done it yet, it will). Why do we need a clock with a million moving parts when all we have to do is look and see if the suns up? And for you tuners, my Night train has been retuned for the pipes and air cleaner.
