You guys with 04 1200R sportsters...

[wazzup6666]

I may be paranoid, but I think my bike has some problems and I want to compare as best I can the performance of mine with guys who also have one.

First, I have 8000 miles on mine and it runs on Syn 3. I believe my bike is burning a little oil. I just finished a 2500 mile trip to Sturgis and back a few weeks ago and it took 2.5 quarts of oil during the trip to keep it in the middle of the dipstick. I am currently tracking oil usage right now for my dealer friend. He told me that it shouldn't be using oil like that and maybe the rings haven't seated properly. He assured me that this would be a warrantee repair if so and to track it for 1000 miles and report back. That is what I am doing.

When I really get on it, I can smell gas. This only happens when I have my big detachable windshield on. Is this normal?

I took an 05 1200 custom for a ride just for fun a couple of weeks ago. It had a stage one done to it like mine. It seemed to have much more power than mine does. It is hard to describe, but it seemed like when I got on it, it about ripped my arms off whereas mine speeds up well, but just seems like something is missing. Almost like it isn't getting enough air, fuel or something. Maybe the rings not being seated if that is the oil problem also contributes to a small but noticable loss in power.

I recently had the dealer recheck my jetting because when the bike was hot, it would diesel a little bit sometimes when I shut it off. Also if I restarted a hot engine, I would get a loud clank or pop from the motor or carb like a detonation or something. Since they adjusted the jetting, it doesn't do this any more. The readjustment happend a couple of weeks ago.

My concerns are that between the jetting problem and the oil usage problem, something is wrong with the motor that could lead to big problems down the road. I ride the crap out of this bike, I have only had it since April and already have over 8000 miles on it. It was a new 04 leftover when I bought it.

Also, I can't see any smoke of any kind. i had a friend ride behind me recently and I messed around trying to make it smoke and he didn't see anything.

I love the bike, I have it totally like I want it, Mustang seats, mini apes, stage one, so on. But when you have this much invested, you want it to run right.

Anyway, appreciate some comments from others who have this bike or others who have something to contribute.

Thanks,
wazzup

[tictoe]

I too have a ’04 1200r. Stage one completed. My bike will rip your arms off when you crack the throttle, never pinged and does not smoke. It would occasionally die and cough a little before I installed the Dyno Jet carb kit. As for the oil, my best guess is it uses about ¼ of an inch on the dipstick every 1000 miles. So in 2500 it would have used about ½ - ¾ of an inch on the stick, not a quart every grand. I am using Mobile One 20-50, red cap, in the engine and Mobile One 75-90 in the transmission.

[wazzup6666]

Real quick as I need to go somewhere...

Dealer finally got my bike apart and what did he find?

Rear intake valve pitted and black with carbon, valve seal wet with oil, and place where valve seats on the head all pitted and black. The mechanic took me back and showed me all this and said that the seal should not have oil on it like that and that he didn't like the looks of the intake valve at all.

He said that if it was his say, he would want a whole new head.

He then called Harley and they asked him what the vin # was. When he told them that, they said, replace ALL the valves, ALL the seals with thier "NEW UPDATED ONE", and put ALL NEW RINGS on BOTH pistons and hone the inside of both jugs if nessesary.

I guess the original valve seals have been failing on the 04s and they were redesigned...

So for you guys with 04 bikes that are using more oil then you think you should, you had better go get a leak down test done because that is what showed that the intake valve was not sealing hardly at all. THe resulting carbon build up wreaked a mess on the engine.

So they are going to do all this work for both jugs and the top end.

I guess when I finally get the bike back (probably 2 weeks) it will run like a new one and the problem will be fixed.

I hope so.

Almost told them to keep the thing and trade it in on an 05 1200 ZRX Kawasaki that was saying to me, "Come on big boy, I won't let you down and I am VERY fast."

We will see.

wazzup

[tictoe]

Great information! Now you have me wondering if 1/4 inch every 1000 is too much! Tictoe