I just bought an 09 1200 custom with 4k on it, today was the first long ride i took on it, only had it a few days, while tryin to idle out of the parking lot it seem to skip or stumble, even just cruising at lower speeds it did it, it seems fine when opening it up, but anything in the lower range it kinda stumbles, it has V&H slip ons and im not sure how long the gas has been in there...any ideas?
Thanks!

 

Baffles in the pipes?

 

There is.

 

In first gear with no throttle I think what your experiencing is pretty normal. It has to do with the RPM, the fact that it is a 2 cylinder motor, and that the motor does not fire sequentially. It's hard to explain but if you listen to your bike idle low, instead of ..fire..fire..fire..fire - it goes more like ..fire..fire...fire.fire....fire.

Thats the best I can explain it

EDIT: Because harleys (excluding buel) have wet clutchs, I engage the clutch what I figure to be 80% when I am just putting. So that most if not all the 'power cycle' doesn't send shock waves through the bike, instead the energy is put out mostly as heat through the clutch. Also it doesn't hurt to apply a small amount of rear brake, to keep all the slack out of the wheel and drivetrain

 

Great info!...it does seem to miss a bit at steady cruising speed too.

 

So it happens out of first gear to?
If I understand you right, your saying at lets say 25-30 just maintaining speed, your bike has a problem. Is it a loss of power, or more like a quick misfire, does it make any abnormal sounds?

 

Correct!...but no loss of power or abnormal sounds

 

If it's outside of first gear, try downshifting and see if it still does it.
If you are in first gear and at low speed, put your clutch more in the friction zone.

 

Maybe im in to high of a gear and im "bogging" down the motor?

 

How much do you weigh? I have a 883 and the gearing is different, but I weigh ~140 and 1-2 anything below ~2500rpm it bogs, 3-5 anything below ~2800 it bogs. I remember reading on a 1200 post that; below 3000rpm bogs.

Someone with a 1200 will have to chime in on their cruising speed and gearing. Bogging the motor is definitely something you want to avoid more so these bike. They sound better, and run better closer to the power band anyways