Mine is a '96 XL883, but when I added the stage one and drags pipes with slip-ons (paughco 610s), I tired a larger pilot of 45, kept main 165. Did not fool with mixture screw yet. Ran poorly. Replaced the pilot with the stock 42 again and tried a 170 main, did not screw with mixture yet. Ran great, starts great, gets great gas mileage so I never did screw with mixture screw.

Now 15,000 miles later, I finally put new plugs in but the old plugs still looked great.

Each one is a science unto itself. But before changing multiple things, like 45 pilot/175 main, 2 twists of the mixture, try one at a time until you get is close.

My buddy on his '99 XL never got it right, never had the power or performance I have and finally gave up and sold the bike. He did not want or appreciate my help (as he feels he is more experienced) so he just kept changing everything. But we are friends and I let him alone. He is just that way. When we went to sight-in our rifles, the same thing. he started changing both adjustments and never got it truly sighted in. I did attempt to help, but he knows better so I let it go and hunted with someone who also got a one shot kill.

Try a larger pilot, then stock pilot and a larger main. If that is close, only then screw with the mixture. If not close, try try the 45 pilot with the 170 main and so forth.

One way is a plan and you evaluate the results, the other way is just wild *** guessing and you have to ask yourself one question, "do you feel lucky?"