Again, it really all depends on your concept of "performance". If quiet, clean, fuel efficient and responsive fits the bill, then loud, oily, souped up and tempermental doesn't really enter into the equation.

Changing to loud, open pipes of course requires rejetting. The pipes demand it. Without the exhaust mod there is no demand for extensive rejetting.

 

Sorry but not typically so. The Sporty motor's A/F ratio will for the most part remain unchanged when changing exhaust pipes. The stock A/C is the limiting factor. Until you increase the air flow through the intake, you won't significantly change he A/F ratio.

 

You could hang a hyper-gasping air filter on an 883 Sportster, and until you opened up the exhaust to allow an actual increased flow, there still would be no need for extensive re-jetting to have a nice, clean running Sportster. But that's just arguing which of two closed valves has to be opened to allow flow through a pipe.

The bottom line is that it is the mods that create a condition that then requires extensive re-jetting.

 

You add more air to the motor, even with out changing the pipes, you will lean the motor out and burn holes in your pistons. You must rejet if you open the air flow up.

 

The EPA doesn't mean anything here. We don't live in the States. I agree with the green concept wholeheartedly, but they are more worried about making rules that impact the most people while having the least effect on the environment. But that's a different topic.

Loud? maybe; depends on what pipes you put on but there are plenty of relatively quiet pipes and slip ons that flow exhaust better than the stock pipes. Oily, souped up and tempermental? Sounds like you need a different mechanic. I did this on my girlfriends bike. It can't be templermental or that would defeat the purpose since she can't make adjustments herself. Once it was set up, I haven't touched it. We just shipped the bikes up to the States and did 3500 miles over two weeks. Her bike got between 50 - 55 mpg running premium gas with us riding 2-up. That's me at 190 lbs and her at around 130 lbs. We were the last ones who needed to stop for gas even with the tiny peanut tank and riding 2-up.

you can make all the idle mixture adjustments you want to on a newer 883 and it still won't run right. Extensive rejetting, probably not but you will need to change the jets to get it to run as it should. Putting a better air cleaner on it and free-er flowing pipes and rejetting for that will make it run much better and get better gas mileage since the engine isn't starving for fuel/air. An internal combustion engine is just an air pump. Any mod that makes it breath better is going to make it run more efficient and actually increase gas mileage. Mods that cram more air/fuel into the cylinders, ie cams or bigger inches will then decrease mileage because now you're forcing more fuel down its throat.

End result is that the way the bike is set up from the factory it will need to be rejetted slightly to run better. Changing either the exahaust or intake will need even richer jets and chaning both will need even more. (A better air cleaner with stock pipes WILL cause it to run leaner even though the exhaust is choking the motor.)

 

My 05 883L was redone with the early Sportie Needle, and I went up to a 48 Slow Jet.

After playing with the Idle Mixture Screw and Idle Speed, I got her to run beautifully.

Next ride she was carb farting all over again!!! I had to turn out the Mixture screw 3/4 more, and bump up the idle speed a hair to minimize the farting again.

This is driving me nuts,

Early on I had to replace the intake gaskets as the idle speed would go up and down like a roller coaster with no consistency in idle speed. That problem is resolved but not the erratic farting,

 

Sorry, rejetting is not necessary with just ac upgrade. and until you drill out the mixture plug and richen the mixture it will still run lean as set at the factory

 

I would start looking at an air leak somewhere, bad breather hoses, carb not seated properly, etc. If you have to keep messing with the mixture there is a bigger problem.

 

Your right, for people who do their own wrenching, but remember if you take it to a dealer. They are not going to drill the A/F plug out. All aftermarket air cleaner manufactures suggest you jet when you install their products.

 

I am kicking around the idea of redoing the intake gaskets again, Ugh, I hate playing with those goofy screw angles!!!

I did install early on a SE Air Cleaner Kit since I was going into the intake anyway,

I thought the revised breather hose arrangement of the SE might help, just as you mentioned, but I guess not,

Next ride will decide course of action for me, if she farts again, off with the intake,

What I did notice the last ride, she has good low speed takeoff, flattens out in the mid-range, then takes off again in the higher rpm range, this was after the idle mixture was turned out 3/4 more,