factory pro jet kit stage one question

[justooneez]

Hello,  I've searched the archives and found some info on the setup of the factory pro jet kit, the stage one, but I still have some questions.

the post I saw was to use the 98s on the front 2 cylinders, and the 102s on the rear 4, with the needles set on 3 for the back 4 cylinders and one richer for the fronts.

My question is, does this seem to be the best set up for a completly stock bike (with the exception of a k/n air filter) and when they say 3, is that 3 from the tapered side, or 3 from the top (the thick side)

I'm pretty sure that one richer on the needles means lower down (closer to the tapered side)

Any advice would be welcome, thanks for all the great info on your site, it's really helping

[Farther]

With stock exhaust you won't need a stage 1 kit.  How is your bike set up and at what altitude do you live?

[Chillerman]

To answer your needle question it is 3 from the top or thick side. The more you raise the needle the richer it is.

Just my experience, I have Mark T's glasspacks and a K&N air filter without prefilter and I live at 6000ft. I talked to a rep at Factory Pro and was instructed to install 98s on the front two cylinders and 100s on the back four.  He told me to set the needles at 2 on the back four and 3 on the front two. Of course the slows are 38s in this kit.

I found this setup to be MUCH TOO RICH! I was fouling plugs and blowing soot out the pipes. Even after setting the needles at the leanest setting and adjusting the pilot screws down to 1 turn out I was too rich by alot. I finally put the stock needles back in and currently run the pilots 1 1/2 turns out and it runs great  . Still a bit rich though and my gas mileage dropped from 36 to 30 mpg.

Ultimately, I think the Factory Pro needles are much too rich because of their profile. I like the 38 slow jets because of easier starting, no popping on decel, and more low end grunt, but you will suffer in gas mileage IMO.

[justooneez]

thanks for the info

it's a stock exhaust, k&n airfilter, I have no plans to remove the baffles, and I live in orlando florida

I may at some point do the glass pack mod on the exhaust, but at the moment, I'm just trying to get the bike running, I got it cheap, but it had been sitting in his garage for approximately 5 years, so I figured I'd re jet it while i had the carbs out cleaning them, I didnt realize that the factory pro CRB-H78-1.0 would be too rich though, I thought from what I read that it would be a good upgrade  but I'll get it going 

[John Schmidt]

I'm in Winter Park so I'm at the same altitude....and heat index.    I have stock mains with #38 slow jets which I installed about three years ago. I run a four degree trigger wheel with an I/S ICM and I/S carb springs, K&N without the prefilter, and an aftermarket exhaust(modified stock muffler done by Viper Creations in New Hampshire). The #38's didn't really affect my highway mileage, however they will slightly around town. Running right at 3k rpm on the interstate I'll average in the mid-upper 30's mpg. On the backroads I'll break into the low 40's mpg because I'm running slower. The pilots are set at two turns out. With that set up I get all the performance I need and the mileage is more than acceptable.

As a side note, you need to check the Florida board when you're up and running again. Now that the heat index is tolerable, we meet up for more rides. I put just shy of 300 miles on today meeting a group of about 15 in Alachua for a Stogie Burger. Good bunch of people, and there are a few couples where both ride a Valk.

[Ricky-D]

To answer your needle question it is 3 from the top or thick side. The more you raise the needle the richer it is.

Just my experience, I have Mark T's glasspacks and a K&N air filter without prefilter and I live at 6000ft. I talked to a rep at Factory Pro and was instructed to install 98s on the front two cylinders and 100s on the back four.  He told me to set the needles at 2 on the back four and 3 on the front two. Of course the slows are 38s in this kit.

I found this setup to be MUCH TOO RICH! I was fouling plugs and blowing soot out the pipes. Even after setting the needles at the leanest setting and adjusting the pilot screws down to 1 turn out I was too rich by alot. I finally put the stock needles back in and currently run the pilots 1 1/2 turns out and it runs great  . Still a bit rich though and my gas mileage dropped from 36 to 30 mpg.

Ultimately, I think the Factory Pro needles are much too rich because of their profile. I like the 38 slow jets because of easier starting, no popping on decel, and more low end grunt, but you will suffer in gas mileage IMO.

So much for the reps at Factory Pro.  I would look at anything they recommend with skepticism since they are in the business of selling aftermarket accessories.

To think that Honda got it wrong, and great strides can be made with simple modifications, is to deny the obvious.

The Honda Valkyrie is great Honda automotive engineering incorporated into motorcycles that will last and run longer than most every other motorcycle in the world, just like their automobiles. Who doubts that?

***

[Robert]

I have the Factory Pro stage II kit and really like it. Its not to rich but I do have all the mods on my bike. Do you need the kit no but it will make the bike run better than just from the factory. The stock jetting is set up with the EPA in mind and rejetting can make some nice differences. My mileage is actually better than with the stock needles also its all in how you adjust it. I have never heard of a factory kit running as rich as was described but when I bought my bike it had a cobra kit in it and that I had problems with. Good company good product good support.

[Blackduck]

You now know of a second bike that runs too rich with Factory Pro needles.
Bear in mind I have a radically modified airbox but the needles are still too rich.
Best needles I have are out of a 97 which are no longer available from Honda. They marginally thinner than the later needles (that is richer). I checked the thickness on early and late Honda needles, Factory Pro and Cobra. FP and Cobra are very rich against stockers. I see in the literature that came with the Factory Pro kit that there is an optional set of needles, do not know if they are richer or leaner than the ones I received.
Cheers Steve