883 carb help needed

i live upstate ny. i have been through the city a few times. visiting friends, and helping a niece to college out on the island. a very intence time. last time down i got mixed up and ended up in brooklyn. added four hours to the trip. i did find that the more agressive you ride , the better the cars acted toward you. if you act like a wimp they crowd you. be aggressive and they would leave you alone.

Hi Art
Checked my 2006 sportster factory manual
883 42 pilot and 175 main
1200 42 pilot 180 main
Tim

I understand why the 180 main for 1200's, as the newer XB heads flow better & I know they come with the "W" grind cams that used to only come on the 1200 S "Sport" models. But I think the 883's come with those cams starting in '04? & that would explain the 175 main.

The '04-up 883 heads still have the same combustion chambers & valve sizes of earlier models though - the heads look the same on the outside as 1200's (larger fins) but they are not the same on the inside - I do know that for a fact. You can make a newer model 883 head into an XB 1200 head, but it will take some machine work to do it - can't do it in the garage with a Dremel.

- Art

hi Art,
I know one thing that there is a definite difference. When jetting this engine for the Vance and Hines slipon mufflers and a Kuryakyn High five aircleaner i needed a 45 pilot with the mixture screw out 3.5 turns and the main jet unchanged(175). when i went to the Revolution Performance 1250 kit with the stock 883 heads it required a 46 pilot with screw out 3.5 turns and a 180 main and the conversion is running 10 to 1 compression.
Tim

Are you doing the tuning, is a shop doing the tuning? Have you had the opportunity to put the bike on a dyno with an A/F ratio "sniffer"?

Not trying to be a smart-a$$ but I do like to think I know a little bit about these things (numerous Land-Speed-Records as engine-builder) & if I don't, I personally know some folks who do - Earl @ ECS Engineering: ECS ENGINEERING, the owner of Nallin Racing Head Service: NRHS - High Performance for your Harley Twin Cam, Evolution, Sportster or Buell! & the fellas over @ SNART Racing: Welcome to

Reckon all of us could be wrong?

Hi,Art,
Not trying to be a smart-a or doubt any of your technical knowledge, i was just passing on what i found when i rejetted my 06 883 and what the factory manual had listed for stock jetting, if i offended you i apoligize.
Tim

Hi Art
I forgot to mention i did the jetting with needle, spring and emulsion tube supplied from Harley-Performance and also the jets i originally started with and alot of good help from people on this forum.
Tim

No offense taken or meant, Tim. Just trying to make the point that setting up Sportsters with a CV carb is a known deal & the baselines were established long ago - on the dyno, on the street & on the track too. We know what works, what doesn't & why.