The central. The ground is dark gray. No tan at all

 

Yeah you can barely see the slight tan on the plug for the front cylinder. The small amount of tan I see is only at the base of the Ground electrode for the front cylinder. The rest is dark grey.

 

I am running the fuelpak with an autotuned map. I'm getting some decel pop between 2000-4500 rpm. When I had the ECM replaced, I think the dealer replaced the plugs. I do sometimes take short runs to and from San Francisco from Daly City, which is about 12 miles highway round trip. I'm guessing the bike is running a bit on the lean side?

 

Running a little lean is better then running a little rich. They come from the factory slightly lean. EPA restrictions. But too lean and you could run into overheating issues. Happened to a buddy of mine. But he was super lean and it was the middle of summer on a 2 hour trip.

 

If you looked at the plugs the plugs when stock you would have seen a lean condition read for sure. Yours look in the mid range to me. Now as for the decel pop that could be one of two things. First it could be an exhaust leak because it is either loose or the gasket was damaged. Second it could be the map. Save that map and try an auto tune again through the full ranges.

Now keep in mind I have the V&H short shots on mine also and every once in a while I get a decel pop depending on how I let go of the throttle or what gear I am on. That kind of comes with the territory when you use short pipes. Unless it's a really bad decel pop or it's because you just don't want to hear it at all, I would leave it alone for now.

 

cheese and craxkers...where do these people come from... you can not tell how a fuel injected engine is running by looking at the plugs ...that is unless the bike is so far off the norm on the rich side pretty much through the whole power band that it turns the plugs black.. with a fuel injected bike the bike could be running perfect in all but one "block" and the plugs could look 'bad' or just the opposite could happen... the only real way to know if the bike is running at or near it potential is to read the 02 sensors through out the power band both under load and unloaded and at different temperatures...IF the bikes control system has a self tune mode, when you run it, that should set up all the blocks in the power band into there proper fuel/air ratio... pretty much anyone who thinks that they can tell how a fuel injected vehicle is running by looking at the plugs is lacking in some area of knowledge..(disclaimer..you can get an idea of if the bike is using oil and a few other things from looking at the plugs..).

 

Some people have the ability to read plugs and some just simply don't and or refuse to do so. I learned from expert tuners at the track and shops. You would think that those well paid tuners know what they are doing and one of the things they always do is read the plugs. Obviously you have your own reading method and if it works, more power to you. I will not be the one tooting my horn here and criticizing your method and beliefs. I am beyond that age.

 

I've heard both arguments, before. The logic put forth years ago by a grey beard on reading plugs at the drag strip seemed to make sense, if you shut the motor down immediately after a run and get towed to the pits. Reading plugs on a street bike seems un-reliable, as told to me years ago by said grey beard. All I know, is a plug gets black as **** when it's oil-fouled. Other than that, I'm in the refuses-to-read-plugs camp. Using the o2 sensors for reading the proper AF ratio, seems logical, too. All my bikes have carbs, so wtf do I know?
Good luck.

 

I would read that on my bike as a Hot plug or running mildly lean, but in the working range for that bike combination. Not enough miles to tell otherwise. If the bike is running fine, keep your revs up into normal range (don't lug it), check again after 1000 miles. Should look the same and if they do, on a bike of mine they would be fine. For example, if it bothers you, try the next cooler plug, try the RA6HC instead of the RA8HC, but on my bike, I'd ride those another 3000 miles and check them and if the same, I'd be happy and not screw with it.

 

your greybeard friend is correct...the only other times I have seen reading plugs to be somewhat accurate is while doing a long trip at a steady speed, say on the highway for 20 miles or so, and even then you are only getting the mix at that speed and load.... reading plugs at the track is completely different than on the road...on the track you are running at a constant load (basically wide open) and all you really care about is if the motor is getting enough fuel to make maximum HP...