California Girls

[noa2slodown]

Greetings!
I purchased a 2001 STD Valkyrie last spring. It needed some TLC, which I enjoyed providing. The mufflers and airbox are stock. As I have monkeyed with it, I came to realize that it is a California model. Here in Missouri, our emission standards are less stringent, and I do not appreciate being subject to the standards of the left coast.
I feel that one should "not fix what ain't broke", so I am not inclined to wantonly rip out all emission-related hardware, even if it is only that which is specific to the CA units. However, I have a couple of operational anomalies that I would like to correct. I need advice from other owners.

My fuel economy is anything but. If I am judicious with the throttle, I can get 30 MPG. That seems ridiculous. I have also noticed that I do not need to use choke to start the engine.
This tells me that the pilot jet is too rich. This is at odds with a presumably leaner calibration to meet CA requirements. Perhaps a previous owner changed some things.
 I have not opened a carb yet to see what the jet size is.

I know that the cams and carbs are different per the service manual. The valve timing looks to me that it would diminish performance at the expense of cleaner running.

I am inclined to "neuter" (make it into a 49-state spec), but on a bike this old, it is a challenge getting parts and is probably a poor investment.

I would welcome any input (or output).

Thanks,

[Bagger John - #3785]

I have a CA model '99 Tourer.

You can see how the bike is set up here:



It came to me with a set of Cobra 6x6s and the accompanying Cobra jet needles, pilots, etc. I removed the 6x6s, put the stock exhaust on, put I/S carb springs in the carbs and an I/S ICM in place of the Tourer part. No other mods have been done - it has the CA cams and carbs along with the smog control stuff and Cobra jetting.

As it's tuned now, the bike will easily get 40+ MPG if I ride at sane highway or secondary road speeds. My usual mileage is in the low 30s so you do the speed math...

[Jims99]

 Both my bikes start with no choke (unless it’s cold out) both have rebuilt carbs. I get an average of 34mpg if I keep it under 75. Running 85 drops to 23mpg on tourer, not sure about interstate at high speeds.

[SCain]

I owned a Cali model for 10years, I would desog it to eliminate vacuum leaks and clean and sync the carbs, there should be no reason you can't get around 36 mpg on a regular basis, more if your cruising and less if you are on the superslab.