I've had the bike for almost a year. Up to 6300 miles and haven't had any problems at all. Yesterday, when I left for my daily after work ride, the engine started to sputter and surge (like it was running out of gas). I know that wansn't the case because I had a full tank.

It continued to do this for about a mile. Then when I hit my first stop light, it seemed determined to die on me if I didn't keep revving the throttle.

After I left that stop light, the problem went away and the rest of the ride went without incident.

I'm hoping I just got a little water in the fuel tank but it was enough of a distraction to plant that seed and have me wondering if my beloved road king is gonna leave me stranded somewhere soon.

 

Kinda the same for me on occasion also. Wouldn't idle at a stop, kept popping on decel and running pretty much like crap.

Haven't spent to much time on it, other than I do know when I use some brands of gas with ethonol in it, it runs like crap.

What kind of gas did you have in it...could that be it???

 

My guess is bad gas. If it keeps running OK, don't worry about it. You could always put a cap full of Sta-bil in your gas. Can't hurt.

 

Could be a small amount of contaminant in the fuel, possibility the air cleaner could be getting a bit dirty or a small bit of crap in the fuel injector that blew it's way clear. It's also possible it just decided to act up for a minute, they do have minds of their own every now and again.

 

check the rear 6 oclock position of your air filter for droplets of oil. if you find some, drain about 1/2 quart of oil out of your engine. the oil gets sucked into your case vents which is routed to your air intake manifold.

 

I'll check the air filter and I guess just see what happens when I head out tonight.

I put over 350 miles on her last weekend with some mountain riding. I thought maybe the elevation changes (up to 11,500' over Hoosier pass) and temp changes (60's over the passes, 70s in the valleys and 90s in Denver) could have possibly caused some condensation in the tank. But if that was the case, I would think more of the mountain riders would experience problems.

I also tend to over think things.

Thanks for the suggestions so far.

 

The 10% ethanol gas that just about every gas station in every state is selling, is responsible for the majority these problems. That stuff sucs, and we are stuck with it! I put a small amout of Techtron in my fuel on every other fill and use marine grade stabil during any extended storage.

 

Exactly what mine did when I got a little water. Took about three 1/2 tanks of 10% ethanol gas before it cleared up. (read what a bottle of gas dry is--alcohol)) When I was getting the third tank of gas the station up the street that I had got the bad gas from about 10 day ago was digging his tanks up. Doubt it's your filter. One good thing about the ethanol gas we get here. Keeps the moisture out of the gas. I have 40K and that is the only time mine has ever died. I had to keep the throttle cracked at idle for most of a week trying to figure what was wrong. Had checked IAC, plugs, wires ect...
Nothing wrong with 10%ethanol. we've have had it for years. I work on stuff. Just rebuilt a 30+ year old carb out of a ridding lawn mower that had ethanol for last 10 years, other the a bowel full of trash from a rusty gas can no sign of problems, even the rubber needle seat the the float needle seals in. (It presses in the bore that most seats screw in) Same thing in a carb off and 83 truck. Only problem with it was the power valve spring had given out. Rubber stuff was fine and no sign of corrosion. People do not know what they are talking about. The ones talking probably do not know what I am talking about above.

 

Vapor lock in the tank?

 

Yeah I had an issue with the vapor lock once. Kept me worried for awhile but no issues since.