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Need some Help! on the road.

3K views 19 replies 17 participants last post by  07Roadie 
#1 ·
We just trailered our bikes from Dallas to Colorado. Changed all fluids before I left and it ran fine. She's a '12 RGU with 8500 miles. I ran the gas down to about 20 miles on reserve when I loaded it up. When I unloaded her I let her idle for about 10 minutes to make sure no leaks from the fluid changes. Road her up about 1/2 mile to fuel up and she road like she was missing some power. Fueled up and road a few miles. Have a loss of power. When I pull on the throttle nowhere near what I usually get.
I'm puzzled. This is the start of a 10 day with my son across Colorado.

Any ideas??
 
#3 ·
Just south of Trinidad and heading to Lake City. Close enough to Durango if I need to go to dealership. Still just puzzled at WTF happened. With EFI it shouldn't have anything to do with altitude. Wondering if running tank down to almost empty then filling up did something.
 
#4 ·
I would guess that with the change in altitude (less oxygen) the bike is fine. It will take some time for the ECM to adjust to the change. If you had rode to CO the bike would have made gradual adjustments and you would have never noticed.
 
#5 ·
I often ride from 4200 feet to 10,500 feet and back down within a very short distance of about 20 miles. The bike shouldn't skip a beat. It should run as good in Trinidad as it did back home. You might experience some loss of power at real high elevations but it won't be much.

I wouldn't head toward Lake City till she's running right though. LC is a long ways from nowhere if you know what I mean. There's no services of the motorcycle kind around that country.

You might just for fun pull your right side cover and check your 02 sensor connections. You could pull your seat and just double check your connections under there too.
 
#8 ·
Elevation or low on gas shouldn't have anything to do with what your describing. I'm just guessing (hope I'm wrong) it may be your clutch. It's hard to diagnose without being there. I would really like to know what it was so please keep us informed.
I hope it works out for you, so you can enjoy the ride with your son.
 
#9 ·
Does it feel like limp mode?

Picked up my RGC and it had to go back to the shop twice because at random times it would go into limp mode. Rode almost full throttle home one night doing about 12MPH with my flashes on.

Turned out to be some wire connections that had to be replaced. Was actually a somewhat known problem.
 
#10 ·
When I went from 0 elevation ie 50 feet above sea level to the mountains of AZ and CO. I did notice a difference in performance but it was a carb bike and we trailered out. They didnt run rough just not strong.

I have found through life that the simplest explanation is usually the correct one.

Start with the basics, anything you may have changed prior to leaving.

Possible water in tank but it shouldn't be a problem if you ran it that low and refilled. The octane out there is different from what you have in Dallas.
Here it is 93, there all I found was 90-91 and 89 in some areas and I got better mileage there than at home.

Check your plugs and your plug wires to make sure you are getting a good connection and spark.. Check your battery and grounds.

Problem has to be fuel, air or spark.
 
#11 ·
If you're closer to Durango, I'd head that way... No point in risking being stranded. I have also heard good things about the Durango HD dealership. I live up in Buena Vista, and I'll be happy to help, but I doubt there is much I can do here.... As for American Motorcycles in Colorado Springs, incredible group of guys there, and I'm sure they'd help you out, but that is a pretty good distance if you bike is acting up.

Regarding your powerloss, you will feel a SUBSTANTIAL loss in power at altitude. It will take a short ride for the bike to adjust (as best it can), but it will still probably feel gutless.
 
#14 ·
We're two days in from Raton and sitting in Lake City. Made it up over many elevations up to about 12,000ft. A little backfire every now and then but so far nothing. I have noticed that octane here is like 90. I'm used to running only 90 in Dallas area. Funny thing is three other guys with Harleys on the trip talk about how they only use regular. I've been strictly high octane on mine since I got it.
It's definately not clutch. Just feels weaker. Running good but just not quite the power I'm used to....Could be the altitude and it never runs as hot as it does at 500ft that Dallas is. No problems climbing steep grades in 5th just feels a bit off. Might be me not used to this.
 
#15 ·
I think the old rule of thumb was that you lose 20% of your power at a mile high compared to sea level due to thinner air/lack of oxygen. Sounds like you just had an over reaction to that loss when you first experienced it.
 
#16 ·
Welcome to elevation. If you can pull 12,000' in 5th you will be fine. Seems sluggish and just "not right" until you don't notice it any more and when you get back to the flats it takes some time to get back to normal.
 
#17 ·
Took the advise of a few and left it to altitude. I've ridden Colorado several times on other bikes and no problems. So was a little concerned when immediately noticed the loss in power. However, like said I had not problem pulling up to almost 12,000 ft with my young son and fulling loaded. We trailed back to Dallas from Raton and was really curious about how it would run when I was back to almost sea level.

Well, no issues at all. Back to normal and a lot of torque with my V&H Black Ovals, V&H Drak and great tune.

Funny thing is the other HD's didn't have the issues I had. Gotta think it had to do with my Dyno Tune.

As always the responses here guided my actions.

Thanks!
 
#19 ·
If you have a programmer on the bike and it does not have an auto-tune plugged into it, that was most likely your issue. If the O2 sensors are unplugged and you only run on the programmer map, the bike does not have a way to compensate for the elevation change. Especially if it was tuned at sea level.
 
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