He's not lugging it, I don't think that's what he's describing at all. My personal opinion is that it's just a lean condition at low throttle and that a Power Commander with a decent map might correct it.

 

Our school zones are 30 KM or about 19 MPH, no way can I ride in second at that speed.
I have to either drive at that speed in first sounding like I don't know how to shift gears or else speed up to about 36 KM (23MPH) for it to run smoothly in second gear at steady throttle.

 

If he is in second gear on a 1200 at 20 mph......he's lugging the engine. Like I said, I did the same thing after a 25 year layoff from riding.

 

Again, thanks everybody.

The consensus seems to be twofold;

1) I need to run it at higher rpm even if it sounds a bit "busy" doing so.
2) There is a tendency for the fuelies to surge at lower, steady state rpm.

I've mostly run into this while trying to be "neighborly" on the new bike; once
I'm off the residential streets, no problem at all.

The advice to use the clutch more to "feather" speed and unload the engine at
slow speeds is a good one. We have several school zones in the immediate
area and at times it's going to be close to impossible to carry higher speeds.

There's a lot of good info on this forum..

Mike

 

Yes, he is lugging it if he's in 2nd gear at 20 mph. Feathering the clutch more in the lower speeds will help or keep the RPMs up.

 

If his bike is doing what I think it's doing, which, based on his description, it is, I still say he's not lugging. I can tell you with absolute certainty that I'M not lugging when my wife's Sporty does what he's describing. Whatever. Lugging seems to be the answer to everyone's problems. I say add some fuel down low in the curve and the problem will correct itself.

 

Uh...


...How does this not equate to lugging the engine? I'm not saying it's the answer to EVERYONE'S problem, as it's certainly not the answer to YOURS based on what you've just said. I'm saying it's EVERYONE'S answer to HIS problem. He just flat-out said that it doesn't do it when he's riding normally.

And how exactly do you "add some fuel down low in the curve"? Are you suggesting tuning BEFORE he tries the simple fix we all recommended...that also just so happens to NOT involve money, time, or not riding? Or are you simply saying "give it more gas" (which is pretty much exactly what we've been saying too)? Not sure I understand that one...but then again it doesn't make any sense, so no wonder.

 

By "add some fuel" I mean with the tuner of his choice, perhaps a PC. I don't dispute that simply increasing his rpm's will "fix" what he's describing, but he's really just riding through the problem, not addressing it. And I'm sorry you don't understand.

 

So....rather than RIDE IT CORRECTLY, you recommend just buying something he DOESN'T need?

THAT'S what I don't understand. And what tuner allows you to run smoothly at 20 MPH in 2nd gear? That's just stupid, sorry. I think there must be something here that YOU'RE not getting.

 

I'm pretty sure that you and I must have completely different ideas about what he's experiencing.