Only 67 miles per tank, what's up - wtf -

That is a nice one. I have put the Flame package on most of mine at this point. I painted my derby but I am thinking of getting the Flame Derby eventually.

I hope I know what Im talking about not riding a sportster but on a big twin the derby cover is at the back or the primary cover. Removing it allows you to make clutch adjustments without having to pull the whole primary cover off. I usually resuse my derby cover gaskets until they are noticably in bad shape or leak. I would never do that with a primary cover gasket. AL

Thanks Al, that's great to know. I'll probably get the 100th anniversary derby cover this week. My right side has so much chrome, I gotta do a little something on the left or it'll begin to look like two different bikes! How's that for a good rationalization?

I know everything is piled on top of everything in NYC and a simple thing like a garage or work area that us country boys take for granted is scarce, but if you can set up a buffing wheel, even a grinder on a pedestal will work, just take off the grinding wheel and get a couple of buffing wheels to fit the shaft. With that and some jeweler's rouge you can buff out aluminum about as shinny as chrome. In my opinion it looks even better because it has a softer luster and a lot more class. If you buy an after market chrome cover look it over good, if possible out in direct sunshine. The quality of chrome has gone way down from what it used to be, probably epa. AL

I am with Al on the polished aluminum. I like it far better than chrome. The derby is metal then chromed which is good. Unlike the AC insert on mine which is plastic and chrome. What a waste of $40 . Since you are getting it from ebay it won't be possible to look at it closely without buying it first. I trust the chromed metal over the chromed plastic for quallity a bit more though.

Thanks guys. I know what you mean about that crappy chromed over plastic. I misread an ad a month ago and bought a horn cover. I thought it was for a 2003 and it was for a 1993. I must need reading glasses either that, or I need slow down a bit on the bike purchases. The horn cover is like the junkiest thing you've ever seen with a cheap chrome coating. I wouldn't have put it on if it did fit. I've ordered an air cleaner insert with the 2003 emblem. It's billet aluminum, chromed. Now I'm looking for the same thing on a derby cover.

Anyone happen to know if there is a horn cover made for the 2003 sporty? Harley doesn't have any.

Back to MPG.... I went to HD yesterday.. I had a few questions after my bike was knocked over. I spoke with one of their mechanics who said that 90 miles per tank is fairly normal. I guess the Stage 1 upgrade and bigger jets contribute to the lower MPG also.

How many CCs is that bike, HB? Mine is 883C with SE Stage I, Vance Hines Slipons, and a 180 main jet doing just over 50 per gallon now. From the pics I would say mine is haulin' quite a bit more load than your's as well LMAO. Which means on a peanut you should still break 100 miles I would think.

You Can Get A Regular Horn Cover For A Big Twin And Make It Work, On My Last Sporty 89' I Moved The Horn An Atached It To The Motor Mount Bracket That Your Choke Is On, Same Location As A Bigtwin, All You Have To Do Is Drill A Hole, Maybe Extend Some Wire, Plus That Will Put More Crome On That Side. I Don't Even Think You Have To Drill A Hole Can't Remember.

Sportster mileage

Just a thought - could you have a dragging brake pad? My '91 sportster had an occasional problem with the front pad shims that would put pressure on the inside pad and force it against the disk. Like 20 other guys already said, 25 MPG is just not normal. Since plugs and exhaust seem normal, it might be worth putting it on a jack and spining the wheels. Either way, good luck!

wvac47, my bike is an 883. I'll check for a dragging brake pad, thanks Dave. Thanks for the suggestion Sportsterboy,

i ran 85 to 90 most of the way and it was under 90.00 one way insted of the dodge at just under 300.00 so if i guestamate it it is close to 45 to 47 mpg on an 06 flhxi loaded for 1.5 weeks your sporster should be around that if not more with the mods you have and properly tuned, and i am sure you have the filter off but check the enricher make sure that it is opening fully like it should, not partialy choked.

Will do Ironhorse, thanks.

Well I ran out of gas at 84 miles today. That's not good at all. I think it's a combination of city driving and a high idle. I guess the next thing to do is try a 100 mile highway ride and see how far I get. I'll keep looking into this.

How high is it idling? should be 950-1050 RPM.Why is the idle high? City driving will lower milage but not that much. When you run out of gas ,your tank is down to reserve, for sure?? I'm thinking your gas cap may not be venting properly. If thats not the case and you checked all the other things, no leaks ,brakes free,choke working properly, take it back to the dealer that did the work for and tell em your getting the mileage of a 350 Chevy,or take it to a good Indy shop an get them to check it out for you.Something radically wrong with an 883 Sporty getting 25 MPG.

Thanks Lucifer. Can you elaborate about the gas cap. I'm always fumbling to get it back on right.

The gas cap has a vent in the center of it to allow the air take the place of the fuel you have used. If the cap isn't venting then it will create a vacuum in your tank and the fuel won't flow giving the impression that you ran out of gas,when really i guess you ran out of air.There is a plastic cap and a spring in the vent hole on the gas cap,and they seem to screw up on me anyway on more than one occasion.I drill em out as soon as I get em now. If you hear a"pssssst", like opening a jar of vacuum sealed coffee when you loosen the gas cap then your cap isn't venting and the fuel stopped flowing and your bike appears like it ran out of gas.
Does your Sporty have a tach on it? Why is your idle high? It should be around 950-1050 RPM.With baffled drag pipes and a free flowing air cleaner the jetting shouldn't be much different than stock,if at all. I believe they still leave the factory on the rich side.Like I said before I'd take it back to the guys that did the Stage 1 to it and tell em to check it out again.
Good luck , hope you get the mileage up to where it should be soon, yer gettin Silverado mileage now, not Sporty.

I'll be going to the dealer sometime in the next week or two and I'll ask the mechanics to check the gas cap and idle then. Thanks for such great tips guys.