One should note -- the carb does NOT need to be removed from the bike to do a simple jet change.  Now, that said, if you are getting into cleaning a carb, then yes remove it.

For those who are running practically new bikes, who only need to rejet, there is no sense in pulling the carb off the bike, unless you just want to.

If I'm not mistaken aren't the newer Sportsters equipped with the crossover pipe that would require some welding to close up that hole on the muffler?  My understanding is that older model Sportster muffs are what we want for our bikes.

enophile wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:07:



The jets come in differnet sizes and styles.   You need to keep the same style, but change the number usually to a bigger one.  The actual size depends on what other mods you make to the intake and exhaust.  Then you have to "dila it in," or "tune" the carb.  Maybe a slightly larger or smaller size will work better...


Clymer manual vs suzuki shop manual (aka FSM, Factory service manual).  The clymer manual assumes you don't know anything, like how to turn a screwdriver (exaggeration by me), and the FSM assumes you know just about everything.  Frankly, I know somehwat in between and the FSM is pretty okay, but I should prolly' get a clymer too.

911Radioman says you don't need to remove the carb to rejet, and he's right.  I just think it makes it a lot easier to fool around with.  Can the spacer mod be done w/o removing it?

1) you can do whatever you want.  It's your bike.


Here's a thread on exhaust desgin.

The header OD is just a hair under 1.75 inches.



2)  152.5, 1 size over stock (pilot).  tune

yantis_flash wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:07:


I saw that you are from Yantis, Texas, what Stealership did you get your bike from? We have a place at Alba and couldn't find a bike dealer anywhere close.  we love Lake Fork.

i would suggest removing the carb the first time you work on it so you can get your impact driver  on those stubborn stock bowl and top screws.which you replace with allen heads
had trouble with one  top screw on my 06 and it was only 45 days out of the show room..forced me to buy the impact driver

Hmm I dont know if anyone mentioned this but with a new muffler there might be a problem with the exhaust blowing back on the arm for the rear brake.  This gets pretty sooty and nasty.  I eliminated this by getting a slashcut style muffler that blows the exhaust away from the side of the bike, not towards the back like a straight muffler would do.

U also have to worry about making a very tight seal around the muffler to header pipe.  U can use brute force clamps but even then u need some kind of material inbetween the two.  Most people use strips of metal or some kind of heat resistant fiber.  That way u dont get backfires from letting off the throttle.  

U might want to rejet like everyone has stated to a 150 or 152.5 main jet and stup up ur pilot to a 55.  Also consider changing ur air filter to a k&n drop in or a pod filter.  Good luck