I have a 2005 Road Star midnight 1700. I have been having problems with it sputtering and backfiring on acceleration during this it bogs down and dies a lot. I have to keep feathering the throttle to keep it running. The bike ran fine until last year, with exception of backfiring sometimes when I shut if off. If I take a longer trip 30 miles or so it will run fine by the time I get there. It will then run fine for a few days even putting around town, but then it will start to do the same thing again. The more shorter trips I make the worse it seems to get. I had it in the shop they charged me $96 to replace my air filter not fixing anything.

I have read the previous post on here with similar problems but all of those seem to be after the bike as been jetted and piped. Everything on my bike is original. Also it seems that the bike is running rich, or at least it smells that way when I get off it. I did replace the plugs last year and within just a few miles they were black.

Any help would be appreciated.

How much do you use the choke? Do you do a lot of short trips? Do you take it easy on the bike or do you run it out between gears? What grade gas?

Buy a can of top end cleaner such as RingFree, Marvel Mystery Oil, Seafoam, etc.

Remove the air cleaner. Start the motor and let if warm up of a minute or two. Raise the rpms to about 1500 and spray the carb cleaner into the throat of the carb for 30 seconds without letting the motor stall. After 30 seconds decrease the revs to idle and spray enough cleaner to stall the motor.

Let stand overnight.

Next day ride the bike. It should backfire and blow flames for a couple of miles.

Report back if that worked.

Doc

I use the choke when I start usually when I get to the end of the block it is completely off. I do take a lot of short trips back and forth to work everyday probably a a mile or so across town. I normally take it easy between gears but with the problems I have really being trying to open it up, if I take it easy it will die. As far as the gas I usally run a mid grade but have been running the high grade wondering if that was the problem, that also didn't make a difference. I have put seafoam in the tank with the gas, no difference with that either.

I will try the cleaner and see what the does.
Thanks

sarge402 wrote:
I use the choke when I start usually when I get to the end of the block it is completely off. I do take a lot of short trips back and forth to work everyday probably a a mile or so across town. I normally take it easy between gears but with the problems I have really being trying to open it up, if I take it easy it will die. As far as the gas I usally run a mid grade but have been running the high grade wondering if that was the problem, that also didn't make a difference. I have put seafoam in the tank with the gas, no difference with that either.

You probably have it carboned up. Short trips are hard on bikes. They never really get warmed up. Try and take the long way home 2 or 3 times a week and at least once a week take it out ride the snot out of it. Hit the rev limiter once a day. And Run it out between gears. These bikes hate to be lugged. They love RPMs. 87 octane is all you need or want to run. Just putting some Seafoam in the gas once probably won't help. Do what Doc said and see if it helps.

Ok thanks so much for the advice. I had wondered if it had something to with the small trips. I guess I didn't mention, I used to have a 30 mile ride to work, I moved last year it was a short time after that I started having problems.

sarge402 wrote:
I moved last year it was a short time after that I started having problems.

There ya go.

Mine does this too.. I confirmed when I pulled the filter assembly off tonight and started it. Only thing.. It has 25 miles on it.

What to do.. what to do .

You mean right from the dealer-brand-new-off-the-showroom-floor 25 miles?

Take it back and have them put it right.

But .... before the bike warms up it will sputter and choke if you twist the throttle too much. They need a bit of choke and babying until warmed up ... just like a woman.

Doc