Getting a head start

picked up the 883 yesterday, rode it around some again and loaded it (Gilroy CA) and headed to The Dalles, OR. Unloaded it tonight rode it around a bit and then it decided to cough and die fired it right back up and a little bit later it did it again, and again later. parked it and will screw with it later. when it runs it runs good. all stock, including CA emmisions (coming off later). So if you fellers want to brainstorm some ideas on here so that I don't miss checking anything when I get at it I thank ya. Oh yea it has been setting for about 6 or so mos.........My first thought is the fuel.

Could be bad fuel or maybe debris in the petcock screen or float bowl.

Drop the carburetor float bowl, clean it out & spray some "Gumout" up thru the jets. You'll no doubt find some moisture in the gasoline you dump out of the float bowl. And don't worry about the California emissions deal if you're leaving the bike stock, as it does nothing to the performance - on Sportsters it's just a charcoal cannister with a hose running to it from the air cleaner for "evaporative emissions" - to catch gasoline vapors when the bike is sitting.

Thanks for chimming in Art, that was my thoughts, though I was going to toss some seafoam in the tank and try the quick fix first, then strip the bowl off if it doesn't clean up. and I'm sure my son will not leave it stock for long, after he gets it, and the canister will disappear.

Well, if he changes the air cleaner, the "evaporative emissions" deal won't work anymore anyway - it only works with the stock "ham can" & backing plate. There's a "snorkel" @ the bottom which is the only place air can come in, on CA models, there's a butterfly valve which closes that off when the engine's not running & any gasoline that evaporates goes into the cannister. Once you change from the stock "airbox" setup, the cannister becomes irrelevant.

Had a chance to fire up the little piglet and run some seafoam in it, seem to improve it a little in about 10-15 min before my joy ride was interupted, ItSeems that the state of Oregon frowns upon a gentleman taking a stroll around the block on a motorcycle, (but I really think he was upset at the fact a welding cap didn't suffice as a skidlid, OR it could have been that 60 in a 35 wasn't meeting their standards of travel) I am just happy he didn't write a note to remind me of his opinion. anyway, I took the cleaner off and the more air the worse it got threw it back together and mess with it more another evening.

and Marc, been to town a couple times just haven't slowed down enough to call you, might get time a little later in the week I will let you know.

well I got the sporty home and ran it around for a while with the seafoam in it and it did clean up had only one instance of carb back fire and ran fin the rest of the time. then parked it till next month