Hello From New Mexico

I have been incognito from most of the world while I work on my home. I have ridden the bikes just enough to keep the fuel moving through them. The 500 has been running great until today. I had purchased the #40 lows for it but had not as yet put them in since once on the highway it was really strong. However....today at start up It had a hard time idling so I bumped up the idle speed a hair to get her to 2K. Let her warm up some and headed out for a short ride. First thing I noticed was she was popping back through pipe at low speed when letting off the gas, then after a minute our two we began to sputter intermittently when coming on power between 6 and 8K. Then with throttle constant there was also some missing, but not a huge amount. I could definitely see she was weak going up a small hill. When I slowed to turn around for home she idled at about 4K! I was thinking this sounded like pluggey fuel system somewhere? She sat for about two weeks with pet cock closed before this start up. I rode around the block a couple times taking the rpm up to 8 -9 + and she seemed to be relatively smooth still had the 4K idle issue though. When I turned up the idle at first start, I just barely turned the knob. 16th of a turn got her to 1500.

I have never had a high speed hesitancy or loss of power before, only poopy take offs on occasion. I would appreciate any suggestions before, I get into things.

So... What has been happening for the last several months? I hope all of you are doing excellent for each other.

Wavey

 

wd in the hizzy!

Let me re-read your post a little later. But sounds like maybe starving for fuel and is a lean condition. But I really don't suspect your carbs after that short amount of time, unless you got some bad gas.

Hope life is good and the place is coming along.
-Mike

 

its normal for an engine to idle faster after it reaches operating temperature, so adjust the idle screw accordingly----might help to pull plugs for inspection--it does seem lean, so try very slightly opening the choke a bit when it hesisitates or backfires--see what happens ?---

 

Thanks for getting back Capt.! I gave pretty much the same tests you suggested, warmed up and road a couple miles did some hard pulls, I did not notice any issues? So one fact was that upon initial start cold it launched right up to 4K, I quickly dialed back down to 1.5 - 2K. I wonder what impact having the idle beastly high would do at say highway speed in the 5- 6K range? Oh well. I will monitor. I have to say the bike has been flawless, for the last year, I have yet to take on the valve check. I will be hitting the 24K mile mark this year.

How you have been well, I have to get on the site here to look around to see what new projects have been happening.

Cheers,

WaveyD

 

Mr. Squirrelman! How goes it? I hope all is well with you and yours. Hot Hot Hot here in Four Corners. Too hot after 10AM for the 500. If I get stuck at a light or am in sub 45 mph traffic the temp starts cross over to too hot, as does my butt and other parts. The bike may be lean as you said, it also may have had some gunk in the fuel? That was the only time I have had that issue since the carb re-jet and rebuild. I have another quirk that I just discovered today, and that is that when the tank level is low, it will run out of gas on long steep downhills, luckily for me at the bottom of Pinon Parkway here there is a Dino station1 I coasted right up to the pump. She only took 2.9 gallons., The most I have gotten in the tank was 3.1. An then when left in the son she will boil over! My Range is about 90 -95 miles, and I better expect to find gas.

Thanks for the input, and sorry to erroneously credit Capt 80s.

WaveyDavey

 

no worries, the capt deserves all the credit he gets and alot more

 

Posted by a friend....not me....on another message board's motorcycle thread:

"Took my old trusty '86 Honda 500 Interceptor to the Oshkosh Airshow this year on the back of my coach. I had 4 folks on motorcycles and a couple in cars that slowed up as they passed the rear of my coach then gave me a thumbs up as they went by. Also had several people stop and ask about it while it was parked at our camp spot and when I went off grounds with it to some stores. This has never happened in the 20 years or so that I have owned this old bike. I think Baz is onto something with his collection."

 

Damn. That is a nice, all original, survivor example.

 

Such a nice looking bike ....

 

Very Nice.