The choke on the America is not really a choke. It simply adds a little more fuel to the mix which is helpful while the engine is cold. A real choke restricts the air flow and causes a higher fuel to air ratio while it is on. It also causes the engine to run like crap once it warms up. The bike will stall if you give it too much throttle with the choke on with a warm engine.

The carburated America, on the other hand, will run just fine with the "choke" on all day but your fuel mileage will be reduced and it will idle much faster. It will eliminate the lean popping at idle while decelerating in gear because of the extra fuel being dumped into the carbs. I've gotten into the habit of shutting it off almost as soon as the engine starts. On just a couple of occasions I've forgotten to do so when I've immediately gotten on the highway. The bike runs just fine but I've had to switch to reserve much quicker. If I have to stop I notice it because it idles at about 3,000 rpm.

We all like to think of ourselves as rugged individualists. But when push comes to shove most of us are sheep who do what we are told. Worst of all, a lot of us become unpaid agents of whoever is controlling the agenda by enforcing the current dogma on the few rugged individualists who actually exist.