[MightywhiteyF35]

I'm beginning my search for a 2003 FLSTF FAT BOY. My question is should I look for a fuel injected model or the carburated one? Opinions?

Thanks guys!

 

[Bud White]

Which do you prefer each has their own way of tuning .. Each run a little different .. i find my buddies who have carbs have a lot more lower end grunt than i do with my 08 RKC 96" but i can roll on the power once we are moving and blast away from them.

So reliability is a little Different

All comes down to personal preference

 

[sfarson]

mightywhitey... as Bud notes, I think it is essentially personal preference. Both systems work very well. Can note, also living in CO at 8800ft, Harley CV (constant velocity) carbs worked great... started in the winter, took me through all kinds of elevation changes, no probs. Also, FI has delivered flawlessly. Find the '03 FB you really want, and enjoy the bike.

 

[harleytard]

IMO the only advantage over a carb is that if you need to tweak it you go to the Harley Shop & buy a $7 jet vs. buying a $400 PCIII to tweak the fuel injection.
I bought my first injected Harley a few months ago & really like it. Hit the thumb kicker & it fires up instantly, it runs good ALL the time, and no annoying enrichner to fool with as the bike gradually warms up.
That means a lot to me as most of my trips are 5-10 miles in town with several short stops and the carb bike never warms up and sputters & stutters the whole time.

 

[Dave63]

.... and no annoying enrichner to fool with as the bike gradually warms up.

A properly tuned carb only needs the enrichener pulled out, then it will gradually go in by itself as you ride it or use the throttle.

Letting a carb bike sit and idle to get warm is asking for loaded up cylinders. I never have touch or have to fool mine, ever.

There's advantages to both, but on an aircooled bike, EFI is less touchy in the heat than a carbed bike.

 

[Bronson]

Im spoiled for ever now, my new Sporty is my second EFI bike.

I dont think I can ever go back

 

[vlade]

I like carbs but thats irelevent. If you do decide on EFI I'd worry more about fuel delivery or problems inside the tank, cant specify years/models (I know of 00's) but they did have problems with fuel lines rubbing against the tank inards and starting to leak. The HD fix,, best I heard was a whole new fuel pump assembly. Though some have come up with their own brand of fix thats cheaper. Supposedly this has been fixed on later models but I cant really get anyone to tell me exactly when the "fix was in".

 

[harleytard]

Hey Dave-
I call mine properly tuned...but it don't slide in automatically. It either goes in as soon as I let go of it or it never goes in. I can't maintain the sweet spot where it slides itself in at the right time. I know I know...replace the cheap arse plastic lock nut that I wrung out 2 years ago. lol
Seriously, the manual says smoething like *warm up for 15-30 seconds, then ride for 3 minutes or 2 miles with enrichner all the way out, then push the enrichner halfway in & ride for another 3 minutes or 2 miles, then push the enrichner all the way in.*
There lies my problem: after the first 3 minutes or 2 miles I'm at my first destination, all my other stops are also less than 3 minutes & 2 miles away, so I ride my Evo all day & it never warms up & runs like crap. Much more so in the winter.

<<<Letting a carb bike sit and idle to get warm is asking for loaded up cylinders.>>>
I couldn't agree more! That's something many Harley riders fail to understand.

 

[Dave63]

Hey Dave-
I call mine properly tuned...but it don't slide in automatically. It either goes in as soon as I let go of it or it never goes in. I can't maintain the sweet spot where it slides itself in at the right time. I know I know...replace the cheap arse plastic lock nut that I wrung out 2 years ago. lol
Seriously, the manual says smoething like *warm up for 15-30 seconds, then ride for 3 minutes or 2 miles with enrichner all the way out, then push the enrichner halfway in & ride for another 3 minutes or 2 miles, then push the enrichner all the way in.*
There lies my problem: after the first 3 minutes or 2 miles I'm at my first destination, all my other stops are also less than 3 minutes & 2 miles away, so I ride my Evo all day & it never warms up & runs like crap. Much more so in the winter.

<<<Letting a carb bike sit and idle to get warm is asking for loaded up cylinders.>>>
I couldn't agree more! That's something many Harley riders fail to understand.

Your problem is clear to me......You live in Alabama.

(No...not a banjo music joke) I raced at Barber and the humidity you have there is killer.

74* feels like 94* in a leather racing suit......:thumb

Then again, 74* felt like 94* just drinking my coffee in the pits....

Plain and simple: Carbed bikes can be a pain in the ass to use in warmer climates. In the warm, I start mine WITH the choke, then shut it off immediately and ride. Once started that day, no more choke the remaining day. No need for it.... Just a twist of the throttle to prime the engine, and it fired right off.

When it's cold, I start mine on full choke, get my gloves and helmet on, ride into town (2 miles) and by yhe time I reach the traffic light, the choke's dropped in 4/5ths of the way. The last little tad drops off within the next mile or so.

 

[Badassbrutus]

Ill warm mine before I ride as with anything I own what the hell is wrong with being patient!!? Comon its only a couple minutes anyway.

And my opinion is I like carbs fuelies cant get the potato,potato sound at idle that we all love any ways...To much electronic crap to run fuelies cant idle that low and i like to tinker with carbs anyways.

 

[Dave63]

.....fuelies cant get the potato,potato sound at idle that we all love any ways....

Cause they idle at 1150 rpms, unless in parade mode, then it's 900rpm.

 

[harleytard]

<<< Your problem is clear to me......You live in Alabama.
(No...not a banjo music joke) I raced at Barber and the humidity you have there is killer.
Plain and simple: Carbed bikes can be a pain in the ass to use in warmer climates. >>>

Aint nobody gonna squeal like a pig around here, boy.
Imagine this; Birmingham is 300 miles north with relative stable weather conditions. I'm on the coast @ sea level with a wide variance of weather conditions; on a "nice" winter day the humidity may be 100% one day & 20% the next depending on which way the wind blows with temp ranging 20*-70*. That in itself = 1/2 turn of the pilot screw & next jet increment.
My Evo loves the hot summer but hates the winter.
So on my daily short trips around town the engine may go chuga CHUG, chuga CHUG or it may go chugity chugity chugity, or it might go chuga POW, chuga POW, splutter sputter.

I don't have this problem with my old bikes and cast iron engines, only on my EVO.

Whereas my fuel injected bike runs good ALL the time.

 

[fatboydoc04]

I like carbs but thats irelevent. If you do decide on EFI I'd worry more about fuel delivery or problems inside the tank, cant specify years/models (I know of 00's) but they did have problems with fuel lines rubbing against the tank inards and starting to leak. The HD fix,, best I heard was a whole new fuel pump assembly. Though some have come up with their own brand of fix thats cheaper. Supposedly this has been fixed on later models but I cant really get anyone to tell me exactly when the "fix was in".

I ride an 04 Fatboy FI and I can tell you that the problem was not fixed by 2004. I had the fuel line rubbing pinholes in my tank lines and causing all kinds of sputtering and backfiring. When the tank was full, it worked fine, but when the gas level fell below the pinholes, thats when it started suckin air. My fix was just new fuel lines. But I don't use a MOCO service shop.My guy is an independent that does not try to stick you for unnecessary repairs. Other than that problem, I love the EFI. Would not go back to carbs.....Doc