I'd pull the aircleaner off, pull the carb off the rubber seal. You don't even have to undo the fuel line or cables. Remove the welsh plug on the bottom of the carb by drilling a small hole in it and prying it out. You now have access to your idle mixture screw. Reinstall the carb, making sure the seal is good, and the air cleaner. Warm up the bike and then with a small screw driver turn in that little idle mixture screw, until the idle slows. Now back it out it should speed back up, counting the turns until it slows again. Then turn it back in half the number of turns you backed it out so it's in the middle of the range. Now ride it and I'll bet your lean condition is gone as indicated by no more "sneezing." They just came too lean from the factory and the plug was to satisfy the feds, and to prevent people from properly adjusting that very good carb.

 

Thanks for all the tips. looks like I'll be tinkerin with the carb. beats the darn maps and dyno's needed on the EFI.
so do i really need to stage 1 the air filter for $100+ or just jet and fine tune the stock carb. i did buy the CV Performance kit. guess it can't hurt and was only a 1/2 of bean.

 

Im running an 03 carb bike. I don't like the performance kits for the CVs. Im running a stage 1 AC with a Bub 7 2-1, ported heads. 195 main 48 slow with a sporty needle. I only choke it for 20 seconds in the morning. It runs great and gets 40 mpg.

 

On my lawn mower, chain saw, pressure washer, generator, leaf blower, '67 Mini Cooper . . . But I really liked the S&S on my '92 Fatboy.

 

01 EGC with 1.75 rush and S&S AC,main I went 46,got 37.3mpg on my last trip but ran her hard.

 

Nothing wrong with a Mikuni - I've had several. But on a basically stock bike the CV will run just fine with a few tweaks mentioned previously. If you go with a Mikuni you'll still have to dial it in.
Also DynoJet makes a jet kit that includes an adjustable needle and shims so you can dial her right in. I've done 'em both ways with great results.

 

My 05 springer is carbed.It was getting about 52 miles to the gallon! It was way lean with the opened a/c and Screamin Eagle slip ons.It would sneeze and cough.I took the cap off the air fuel mixture adjustment,turned it out 3 turns and put the Sportster needle in.Man what a difference,the only time it sneezes now is if I forget to turn on the fuel! My mileage dropped to 42 mpg but it runs great!