Just to make you feel better: Last week, my neighbor came over with his new '98 Sportster and was asking me if it sounded funny. I couldn't hear anything that sounded out of the ordinary, so I told him not to worry about it and if he thought his was bad he should hear my '88 ElectraGlide Sport when it gets good and hot, that thing will tick and clank and sound like it's gonna fall apart. Now to this he responds by expressing some disgust with the way Harley's are engineered by pointing out how small the radiators are on our bikes. Get this, he was pointing at the voltage regulators.

 

* LEARN how to switch to reserve while on the road ! It will sputter and / or get really quit.........

TAKE the MSF course, it will teach you lots of stuff, probably might even keep you from dropping the bike and may even save your life.
REALLY good stuff, in the course (and I started riding in '72....) !

- with my '05 883, look for gas at 100 miles (I use trip B), hits reserve about 125 miles. I drive highway and heavy traffic to get to work and back (and I definitely twist that grip, when I get the chance...).

my .02 cents.... ENJOY THE RIDE, BE SAFE !!!!

 

Do what I do.... travel with people that have a smaller tank or worse gas mileage than you do...that way they'll need gas way before you do and YOU will never run out if you fill up when they do.

 

That's funny about the voltage regulator. I hope he doesn't plan on doing any of his own work to his bike. You should've told him that it's not a radiator... it's the condensor for the A/C. That would've really confused him.

 

This is the same thing I do on my bike. I usually need to switch to reserves at 150 miles on a 06 XL1200C. Good luck and have fun with the new scoot.

 

[sm=icon_rofl.gif][sm=laughat.gif]

 

I had 101 miles the first time my bike went on reserve.I started filling it up at 80-90 miles after that.I was suprised when i was jumping on it lot and went on reserve at 48 miles.Maybe I reset the trip odometer I don't know but I can tell you if you romp on the bike the mileage will drop fast.The instructions harely provides for usin ght eenrichener are not the ones to follow.If you do your plugs will foul quickley.Only pull it out enough for the bike to start.Then keep it running with the throttle and push it in as fast as you can.You will find temperature has a lot to do with that.When holding the thottle you will hear the engine gain speed,that lets you know it's ready to ride.It will be warm enough to pull out safely.

 

As another post stated: don't use the "enricher" !
If it is really cold, just use it for the first 20-30 seconds, then hold the rpm with the throttle.
If it is not cold don't use it at all (just a 1/4 turn on the throttle, let go and hit the starter and you should light right up),
the enricher will foul the plugs (really quick) !

 

Damn, you must really push that thing! I can get average of 160-170 on my 05 883

 

Well I don't HAVE my Sportster yet (I wish I did) but I've owned many different bikes. I always make sure my tank is TOPPED off by holding the bike straight up and getting every drop of gas possible in the tank, then I zero the tripometer. After I've gone over 100 miles I TRY to stay within a reasonable distance of a gas station. When the bike begins to sputter (on a carb bike) I put it on reserve and look at my mileage. (On a FI bike I look for the low gas light) NOW I know the distance the bike will travel on a full tank of gas before hitting reserve. Every time I gas up I always top off the tank the same way and zero the tripometer, it's now my gas gage! If I hit reserve at 150 miles I look for a gas station at around 120 miles and that gives me an extra safety net. Simple and probably more accurate then motorcycle gas gages!

And if you HAVEN'T taken a motorcycle safety course yet ... TAKE ONE! Personally I think it was the best money I ever spent!