I'm a new HD owner with a 1200 low 07. My husband has a heritage softail. We noticed the throttle on my sporty is very touchy, like a hair trigger. What can we do to adjust this so that it's not so "goosey"?

 

The quick free way is to just tighten down the thumbscrew throttle lock thingy a bit. Other than that you will get used to it. I'm bettign you just had stage one done or your 1000 mile service. They blow all the junk outa the lines and it makes ti feel wierd but you do get used to it.

 

mine will get like that if the screw right by the throttle is too tight. messed with it once while on the highway and it got real touchy like you experienced.

 

I'm still breaking her in, she's only got 30 miles on her. I rode her for a while with that thumb screw adjusted and it was better. But then, I read in the manual that you shouldn't do this under normal driving conditions, supposed to be only for cruising on the highway. Will it damage anything if I continue to drive city with the thumbscrew adjusted?

 

There are two cables coming from the throttle. Each has a rubber boot over the adjusting screws. Try sliding back the boot, loosen the jam nut then loosen the long nut just a hair. That will give you a little slack in the throttle. After you have it right, tighten the jam nut and roll the boot back over the nuts. The throttles should have about a 1/4" of play.

 

Nope. Won't hurt a thing. I occasionally have to readjust mine to take the slop out and it gets rid of that "hair trigger" throttle. I suspect what the manual is talking about is to not adjust it so tight that it won't return on it's own. Some folks use it as a cruise control, and that too is probably what the mnanual warns you to be careful about.

 

Mine is/was the exact same way. Every bump caused a noticeable surge in speed due to the smallest movent of the throttle. I don't know if it got better or if I got used to it but I don't notice it quite as much now after 2300+ miles on my 07 XL1200R. I was told by HD they are very tight from the factory and take a long time to break in. I noticed a considerable smoothing out after about 1300 miles and less of the touchy throttle/jerky ride. Carbed bikes didn't run like this but then they have their own unique set of problems. My take is that they are probably too lean. I'm hoping the stage 1 upgrade when available will take the rest of the lean characterisitcs out of the bike.

 

I would go with both suggestions above... check the adjustment on the throttle cable and put some drag with the thumb screw...

I have a lot of drag on my throttle screw... but that is the way I've always run my harleys... Don't like the snap throttle too much...

You reach to scratch your nose and you lose 10-15 mph real fast... My throttle returns to idle... but slowly

Though I don't know if I would recommend it to a novice...

Charlie D.