I bought my first HD yesterday - a beautiful brand new 2013 Super Glide Custom. No problems at all on the way home yesterday or on the ride up to the local fair today with the wife on back. On the way home, however, it seems to have developed a miss or hesitation. It appears to only happen when the bike is under a heavier load going uphill. It'll hesitate and feel like it's missing. I traded in a problematic Vulcan 900 for this bike which is pretty much my dream bike that I could afford. Does anybody have any ideas as to what this may be? I have to take it back to the dealer to have the sissy bar put on so I'm going to mention it to them when I do. It sucks to buy what you've always wanted only to have a problem on day 2. I don't think that anybody could have messed with it where it was parked. Thanks for any input.

 

Is it possible you may have been lugging it? Id avoid putting heavy loads on a new engine

 

Did you try downshifting? You may have just been lugging the motor. These bikes don't like too low of a rpm.

 

what speed & gear was you in when it was doing this?

 

I don't feel like I was running it at too low of RPM - 3rd gear 2200-2500 RPM ish. I don't know that we would be considered a heavy load - the wife and I together are only about 250 pounds. Perhaps I need to run it out a bit further when shifting. I'll try to get out for a ride tomorrow after work to see if it's still doing it with just me on it, I guess.

 

Too low of RPM. Spin it up higher and try a lower gear.

These bikes like to run 2800-3000 rpms cruising and higher under loads and up hill.

 

OK - I'll try running it harder then. Been trying to take it easy for the break-in. Any other suggestions are appreciated. Is the feeling of a miss or hesitation common when the engine is lugged down? Thanks again for any help.

 

Check your battery connections. It is not unusual for the leads to shake loose when new. (the battery is installed at the dealer, not the factory). Also, check that the leads themselves are crimped tight on the end of the wire.

 

The heavy load I was referring to has more to do with putting a hard strain on the engine, ie: low RPM and pulling a hill in too high of gear. not how heavy the bikes loaded.

Hard acceleration (wide open throttle) will also put a heavy load on the engine, not advisable for the first 500 miles

 

Don't baby it too much breaking it in. Run it up and also do some good down shifting to get back pressure. The idea of babying during break in is long gone.