Bonneville America Forums Forums Off Topic Discussion Forums Lounge My presentation, and a few questions...

Hi everyone!!!

I'm planning getting back into this exciting world of 2 wheels, or at least that's what I pretend...

I'll make you a quick run, and then the big question in order to get your wise advice.

As I've writting before in some Forums such as triumphrat and other spanish ones, in 2012 I bought a beautiful America of which I fell in love as soon I saw her. Unfortunately all the love I felt for her, has dissapeared as soon I've ridden her. As I said in several threads, the damn snatching, together with the constant stuttering between 2000 3000 RPM prevented me from enjoying this beauty at least at slow speeds. After taking her several times to the dealer's shop and getting the same answer over and over (it's the bike's normal behavior, nothing's wrong with her, bla bla bla), after blocking the SAI, removing the O2 sensor, fitting long TOR's pipes and remapping a thousand times the ECU, I got tired and decided to sell it, as the situation improved somewhat, but not entirely...

I've ridden other 2 Americas (both EFIs), and both have the same problem that I had in mine (even more obvious in 1 of them), so I can't say it's due the fact mine was faulty, but simply have to believe this is the usual character of these bikes.

I read many forums and everyone complains about the same. Many do not matter because they got used to it, others just don't notice it at all, but in my case (I came from a very ruthless bike), it was unbearable.

After that, I got a beautiful Tiger 800XC from which I can only tell good things, and a few months later, I sold her because I had other projects. Since then, it's been almost a year with no bike ... for now!

Well, after this brief introduction, I tell you I'm looking for carbureted Speedmasters or Americas, preferably the 865 cc version, although I wouldn't mind getting a 790 cc if she's in good condition.

After reading a lot, I'm planning having some mods on her. I intend to fit long high flow pipes (TORs were a great experience on my former America), block the infamous SAI, fit a high flow K&N air filter (or just pods), and rejet it with jets of about 140/45 (according to jets calculator), but it would be a matter of testing different combinations.

As I'd read, after these changes the carbureted SM/America, significantly improve rider experience, increasing power (this is not what I'm looking for) but most important, improving response at low REVs, being more docile and smooth with no snatching nor stuttering.

Alternatives such as Vulcan, Intruder or even HD, are not true options for me, as I'm still in love with these Triumph cruisers.

And here's the big pot question... Do you think if I get a carbureted SM/America would be able to fully enjoy riding it, or on the contrary, the fact that it's carbureted doesn't matter and bike's behavior would be pretty the same than EFI's and I should better forget them forever?

Thanks in advance and free beers for everyone!