Nowadays, even the most fundamental functions of modern motorbikes and scooters get activated by the electronic control units or ECU. The legendary Harley Davidson once only produced bikes with the carburetor.
But as the environmental concerns grew internationally, demand for electronic fuel injection instead of carburetor increased.
Haley Davidson’s newer models now use Fuel injection systems for their motorbikes.
The Fuel-injected motorbikes generally come up with higher idling. As those manufacturing factories set the appropriate idle for these motorbikes and control them electronically, the idle adjustment process is quite different from those previous motorbikes.
When a bike possesses a carburetor, you can easily adjust idle speed according to your preference with an idle screw. But for an electronic fuel-injected motorbike, it is altogether a different process.
Hence, many motorbikes riders face problems when it comes to fuel injection installed by Harley Davidson.
But you don’t need to worry. Through this article, you will learn “How to adjust idle on fuel injected Harley Davidson.”
These guidelines would deliver anyone a complete understanding and knowledge about how easily one can set their Fuel-injected Harley Davidson motorbike idle.
What Is Engine Idle
The engine’s idle of any motorcycle means, after releasing the brake, how fast a bike rolls forward while the engine is still running.
Depending on the engine’s internal’ weight, like the pistons or the flywheel, every motorbike engine has an ideal RPM (Revolutions Per Minute) range.
This rpm range is the minimum rpm required to have enough momentum generated by the engine to keep the bike running.
Electronic Fuel Injection (EFI) System of Harley Davidson
An Electronic-Fuel-Injection or EFI-system means a system of fuel delivery controlled by a computer.
The electronic-control-unit or ECU reads different sensors like RPM, the engine’s temperature, the temperature of the air, the position of the throttle and crankshaft, and the manifold pressure of the vehicle. It determines how much Fuel to allow in the machine based on this information.
Harley Davidson installed different EFI systems on motorbikes, including the Alpha-N system and the Speed density system.
The Alpha-N system uses the TPS or Throttle Position Sensor, whereas the Speed Density system uses a manifold absolute pressure sensor or MAP.
How to Adjust Idle on Fuel Injected Harley Davidson
Idle adjustment on Fuel injected Harley Davidson motorbike is not only an operation relating to mechanical efficiency but sometimes to provide a fuller characteristic sound with respect for the standard.
Most Fuels injected motorbikes have high idle, which many motorbike riders dislike. In general, the Fuel-injected idle does not get altered as the manufacturing factory sets the appropriate idling and controls electronically in the EFI system.
But there are ways to get around this by making some adjustments to the Fuel injected motorbikes.
Many people do not even know that they can do this. So, let’s learn “how to adjust idle on fuel injected Harley Davidson” through this article.
Setting Up the Right Engine Idle
To adjust idle speed, set up idle within the right range of RPM for the model of your motorbike. EFI or electronic Fuel-injected system requires a minimum voltage to operate correctly.
Depending on your bike’s model of Harley Davidson, manufacturers must have recommended a particular RPM range. You may find it out in the manual of your vehicle. Maintaining the correct RPM range is vital.
When you set your motorbike’s idle lower than the ideal RPM range, it means you will not have enough oiling, plus your motorbike will cut off unnecessarily.
Again, if you set it higher than it should be, it means you’re driving the bike unnecessarily as well as wasting oil at the same time.
Generally, any motorbike of Harley Davidson requires an idle range, which should be between 950 and 1000 RPM.
Always try maintaining this range while for a fuel-injection installed Harley Davidson. Otherwise, the bike could suffer an insufficient charge of the battery too.
Warming Up
Warming is also advisable for the new FI models of Harley Davidson.
It is true that Fuel-injected motorbikes generally circulate Fuel faster than one with a carburetor. Plus, the settings of these motorbikes are appropriate for riding within seconds.
However, it does not mean that the FI bike does not require a warm-up to ride.
The only difference is that the warm-up time for the FI models is significantly
less than the carburetor models of the past Harley Davidson.
Moreover, motorbikes engines are usually prone to wear, and your fuel-injected engine is not an exception, too. So, you can warm up your FI Harley Davidson to avoid any unnecessary engine damages.
As Fuel-injected, Harley Davidson motorbikes do not take excessive warm-up. You can warm up your motorbike for a minimum of one to three minutes.
This warming will make the oil run through the whole system and coat the engine surfaces well.
Clean Throttle
When you first start a fuel-injected Harley Davidson, the idle speed may seem kind of high.
But this naturally happens to get the engine hot quickly in the Fuel injected system.
Generally, idle speed issues in fuel-injected motorbikes only occur due to dirty throttle or up any larger mechanical problems.
If you face a problem related to idle speed, try cleaning the throttle body. If cleaning the throttle still does not fix the problem, it means there is a significant mechanical issue.
It may happen for a vacuum leak or any sensor issue. In this case, consult with a mechanic professional to check the problem.
Adjust Knobs
Some fuel-injected model has small knobs. To adjust the idle speed, you can adjust the knob of the vehicle.
The small knobs generally stick out from the engine compartment on either the left or the right side of the vehicle.
However, the rotation system is a bit different from the carburetor system.
In the fuel injection system, when you lose the knob, the rpm rises. On the other hand, the rpm decreases when you tighten the knob.
In this way, you can adjust the idle.
But keep in mind that there is an exception after warming up because that way, the fuel injection system will automatically set its rpm.
Using App
For the latest Harley Davidson models with fuel injection, you can use an app to adjust your motorbike idle.
And what is more exciting is that you can even make the legendary “potato” sound of an old Harley Davidson model with your new one.
You have to install Fuel PAK FP3 on your FI Harley Davidson, which means you will also have the app on your smartphone. The app will connect your bike through Bluetooth.
When you open the app, go to the map optimization option to get the Idle RPM adjustment. The best thing about the app is that it shows RPM based on the temperature.
It is a simple way to adjust your idle as you can automate everything just using your smartphone.
So, it is relatively easy for the latest Harley Davidson model to adjust the idle RPM using an app.
Release the Brake to Check
After you have made the idle adjustment, check whether it is correct or not. Release the brake to let it idle to check the idle RPM properly.
If it still feels too high or too low, try making some adjustments by repeating the process as requires.
Once you hit your ideal idle, you are absolutely ready to go with your FI Harley Davidson
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Question: What should be the appropriate idle rpm for a Harley Davidson?
Answer: Try to keep your fuel-injected Harley Davidson idle range between 950 and 1000 RPM. Otherwise, there is a possibility that you are risking to maintain a sufficient charge of the battery.
Question: How long should one let a FI Harley Davidson warm-up?
Answer: Fuel-injected Harley-Davidson motorbikes do not take an extensive warm-up. Yet, it would be best to warm your bike up for at least one to three minutes.
Thus, the oil will run through the whole system and coat the engine surfaces well.
Question: Can high idle cause any damage?
Answer: Most of the Fuel injected motorbikes have a high idling speed. But excessive idling can damage the engine’s internal parts.
While idling, your bike’s engine does not operate well at its peak temperature, and fuel combustion happens partially. So, it would be best if you avoid idling excessively.
Final words
The idle adjustment is more important than anyone deemed it because the correct idle adjustment helps you shift into the neutral mode easier.
Again, adjustment of idle ensures your brake whenever you shut your bike’s throttle. Besides, correct idling assures enough oil’s supply into rockers along with valve gear.
Also, the engine generates enough power to run smoothly at an idle speed. So, the idle adjustment is part of the basics for a motorcyclist.
Although Fuel-Injection-installed Harley-Davidson motorbikes are great at idling, you might still feel the urge to adjust the RPM to your preference. But adapting it in the correct process is essential.
These steps in this given article would assist you to adjust idle correctly. “How to adjust idle on fuel injected Harley Davidson”, follow those recommendations to modify motorbike’s idling precisely next time you face unstable idle.