[sail2xxs]

Hi guys,

Just got my '05 Vee back from the dealer after waiting for about a month - full tune up, tires, chain and sprockets, etc. They also fixed the "FI" light, which kept flicking on after about 20 miles of riding.

I bought the bike used with 12,300 miles on it, and took it to the shop for inspection and tune up. It still runs rough, and exhibits most of the running issues that TB sync, TB boots, and PC III or Yosh box seem to fix. Does anyone know a good shop that can help get the bike running right? Keeping it at or above 4K rpm seems like the only way to keep it running smoothly. The shop that did the work is out of ideas.

Thanks for any suggestions - I'm willing to travel just about anywhere on the east coast/mid west to get this figured out. Love the bike, and this is driving me crazy!

Thanks,

Chris

 

[dancer]

I'll tell you whatever you want to hear if you'll send me a bushel or two of crabs! :mrgreen:

Maybe take some time and ride around your area "shopping for another bike" and casually look at the activity in associated repair shops? More repair business might be an indicator of quality?

 

[Big_Iz]

Have it been Yosh'ed yet? I'm down on the shore and have my own box if you need it. Would be happy to take a peek at your bike if you wanted to run down this way sometime.

Iz

 

[Cake_Kat]

Hi guys,

Just got my '05 Vee back from the dealer after waiting for about a month - full tune up, tires, chain and sprockets, etc. They also fixed the "FI" light, which kept flicking on after about 20 miles of riding.

I bought the bike used with 12,300 miles on it, and took it to the shop for inspection and tune up. It still runs rough, and exhibits most of the running issues that TB sync, TB boots, and PC III or Yosh box seem to fix. Does anyone know a good shop that can help get the bike running right? Keeping it at or above 4K rpm seems like the only way to keep it running smoothly. The shop that did the work is out of ideas.

Thanks for any suggestions - I'm willing to travel just about anywhere on the east coast/mid west to get this figured out. Love the bike, and this is driving me crazy!

Thanks,

Chris

2nd Post and you're disappointed with the way your bike runs. You've had it for just over a month and in that time it spent approx. four weeks in the shop.

These things tell me something. You don't have much experience riding a Vee. It took me over a year to really get to know my bike.

Why don't you just ride it for a while?

 

[sail2xxs]

2nd Post and you're disappointed with the way your bike runs. You've had it for just over a month and in that time it spent approx. four weeks in the shop.

These things tell me something. You don't have much experience riding a Vee. It took me over a year to really get to know my bike.

Why don't you just ride it for a while?

Cake_Kat - you definitely have a good point. I should have mentioned that since picking it up from the shop this past Saturday afternoon, I've put almost 600 miles on it. This barely qualifies as experience, but it has given me the opportunity to go a pretty good idea of how the bike is running at various points in the RPM band. It really bogs down at 3500, runs pretty rough under 4K rpm, starts smoothing out at about 4200, and runs very smoothly after 5500. If I had to guess, it seems to be a fueling issue. In my commuting world, this is also a safety issue - DC area traffic can be quite competitive, and it is not unusual for me to need a fistful of throttle at some point in my ~ 600 miles/week worth of trips to the office.

I'm also running fuel system cleaner with every tankful in hopes that this might be a solution. The prior owner bought the bike new in '05, rode it until
'07, and then pretty much left it parked in his garage (1-2 tanks/year worth of riding) until I bought it. He did use fuel stabilizer.

I'm absolutely not disappointed with the rest of the bike. It fits me perfectly, has a great seating position, handles well, nicely laid out cockpit and useable mirrors, and is just generally fun to ride. I'm hoping to ride it to Chicago later next week, and am toying with swinging through the Cabot Trail on my way home.

Chris

 

[sail2xxs]

Have it been Yosh'ed yet? I'm down on the shore and have my own box if you need it. Would be happy to take a peek at your bike if you wanted to run down this way sometime.

Iz

Big_Iz:

That is a very kind offer! Always up for running down to the shore!

I'll send you a PM.

Thanks,

Chris

 

[sail2xxs]

I'll tell you whatever you want to hear if you'll send me a bushel or two of crabs! :mrgreen:

Maybe take some time and ride around your area "shopping for another bike" and casually look at the activity in associated repair shops? More repair business might be an indicator of quality?

Good idea dancer! I tried that logic... more repair business ended up meaning a 4 week wait. :headbang: I'm hoping for a shop where another forum member has had a good experience, and even better, where one of the techs owns a Vee!

Chris

 

[Cake_Kat]

I'm absolutely not disappointed with the rest of the bike. It fits me perfectly, has a great seating position, handles well, nicely laid out cockpit and useable mirrors, and is just generally fun to ride. I'm hoping to ride it to Chicago later next week, and am toying with swinging through the Cabot Trail on my way home.

Chris

Hasn't it been close to a 100 degrees and humid in DC the past week? (I'm originally from a MD suburb of DC and keep in touch with a riding buddy there.) I don't know where your bike is idling but it should be a touch over 1,200 RPMs when fully warmed up. Fully warmed up during those recent hot days is probably about 3 bars on the temp indicator.

I didn't mean to come off as a wise ass but when I bought my '03 Vee a few years back, I came close to selling it shortly after buying. I'm glad I didn't but it did take about a year (10k miles) to get comfortable. The engine, especially, takes a while to get used to and it likes to operate where you feel it most comfortable, above 4k RPMs.

 

[sail2xxs]

Yup. It's been toasty here, although yesterday was perfect, and today is looking equally good. Bike warms up to 2 bars - I've seen 3 bars a couple times sitting in traffic, but it drops to 2 almost as soon as I get moving again. Warmed up, idle is just about 1250. I've gotten used to NOT blipping the throttle at idle - that's the only time the bike has stalled out.

Better to be a wise ass than a dumb s....

While getting tailgated on the way in this morning, I ran the bike up to 6500 rpm in 6th gear (stock sprockets) - the higher the rpm, the smoother it got. The bike felt very planted and stable.

Chris

 

[sail2xxs]

Happily Yoshed!!

Big Iz was kind enough to offer some help with his Yosh box this morning, and in 30 seconds, he transformed the Vee into a truly pleasurable bike to ride. The bogginess at 3500 is gone, and it's now possible to cruise along at 70 in 6th without dropping into 5th at the slightest hint of an uphill.

It's amazing what a little bit of fuel delivery tuning will do.

A huge thanks to Big Iz!

:thumbup: :hurray:

Chris

Zipping along on a stutter-free '05 Vee!

 

[Big_Iz]

Its all good, glad I could help turn a Vee owner into a happy(ier) Vee owner :thumbup:

 

[rodentinaz]

Check your throttle body for varnish and spray it with cleaner like you hate it. I have this happen every year her in PHX cause of the damn fuel mix that has ethanol in it... then run a tank or three with double to triple the measure of seafoam additive. That will blow out the rest of the junk from bad fuel as well. and for good measure go for a long spirited ride.

Good luck.