Carbon Monoxide and Harleys

[HuskyRider]

Carbon Monoxide and Harleys

Well I joined a group for a ride today and got stuck behind two Harleys with loud pipes spewing carbon monoxide,

Started getting some mild symptoms of CO poisoning and left the group after two-hours

.
For the first time in my 60-years I’m happy for improvements in emission controls on vehicles.

What’s the attraction with these Harley guys and their loud pipes and rich fuel mixtures?

Guess I'm just getting too old to understand...

 

[FJRay]

I was at a coffee and donut gathering yesterday and one of the guys had to demonstrate the pipes on his new Hardley and it was so rich it made my eyes water. He said with the new Vance and Hines tuner it was supposed to be that way. something about how the system was self learning and it would get better.

The sad part is he used to be a member here.

 

[RossKean]

While these horribly tuned bikes certainly spew carbon monoxide, that particular compound is colorless and odorless (and deadly). The crap that brings a tear to your eye (and your lunch halfway up your esophagus) includes unburnt hydrocarbons, aldehydes and ketones. I can understand how easy it is to end out with a poor (too rich) mixture on a carbureted bike but you really have to work at it to do the same with a fuel injected bike!! (i.e. the V&H "tuner" (de-tuner?) that Ray mentioned)

These guys don't seem to understand that the ECU compensates for differences in fuel/air demand. Unlike in the old days when you could do some damage with a too lean mixture after adding a freer-flowing exhaust and an "air kit" that let the engine breath better. (At least everyone used to talk about this - don't know if the problem was real or imagined.)

 

[HuskyRider]

There was all three present (unburnt hydrocarbons, aldehydes and ketones)...

I was nauseated 30-minutes into the ride. Plus I had enough of the throttles being all on or all off (with backfiring). They were all retired like me, didn’t expect this type of behavior.
I use to ride with a few of the local FJR guys here and never had a complaint. Back to solo riding.

 

[NBB]

Not to run this off track, but I was behind a yellow V-MAX this afternoon that definitely needed some major carb(looked like some kind of CV)/tuning work. That bike's exhaust stunk and made me back off a lot after the rider passed.

 

[HotRodZilla]

Harleys can suck it!

 

[gray ray]

Who rides behind a Harley.

 

[Pterodactyl]

They emit noxious fumes and smell like crap. Their bikes stink too.

 

[HuskyRider]

Who rides behind a Harley.

I had no choice, new to the group.

The leader had a nice quiet, clean burning Harley.

I had a Ducati and Can am Spyder behind me. I tried switching to the rear and backing off, could still smell the obnoxious odor.

Gave up and did the last 100-miles or so alone. Had a great time in the hills, no slowing down the rest of the day.

 

[HotRodZilla]

I got stuck behind two Harleys on Friday. NM337, in the curvy part, just south of Tijeras. Problem was, I was in my F250. ********* are afraid to lean their tractors. I had to get around the rear guy, and as soon as I completed that pass, the lead bike moved over to let me by. Dorks in pirate gear, pretending to ride motorcycles.

 

[Fred W]

Who rides behind a Harley.

My thoughts exactly. At least not intentionally. :lol:

I did recently come across a couple of them that could ride them pretty well. I was riding a few favorite country roads and made a turn onto Brook Road in Goshen. The two cruiser guys were at the gas station at the corner and gave chase. Brook road has a bunch of nice corners that I'm sure they were grinding hard parts on just to keep me in sight. They would catch up on the straights where I would be loafing along, but they'd have to drop back on the tighter corners. Still, they did a good job in keeping up especially the lead guy. But I did not have to smell their exhaust.

 

[08FJR4ME]

Occasionally you do run into a few Hardly riders who can ride. I can count three of them on my fingers in the past 91k miles of riding. Two of which had brass balls and tempted their fait while in pursuit of me. It seems as though some take serious offense to being passed. One of them I actually slowed down so he wouldn't kill himself and the passenger on the back while watching them in my six.

Crazy bastages sometimes,

Dave

 

[CAJW]

Who rides behind a Harley.

My thought exactly. A friend showed up for a long mulit day trip on a Sabre with assininely loud pipes so I said to him " your view on this trip isn't going to change as you're now officially the sweep rider for the trip". Took him a second or two, but he got the drift and the next trip we took he showed up with stock (quiet) pipes.

Sounds like you did the right thing, not having a good time? Change something, even if it means going solo.

 

[Knifemaker]

The theory is the if you give them more fuel, they'll go faster.....

They don't understand you do that with your right wrist....

New pipes and stock airbox ...

 

[HuskyRider]

I learned my lesson. I'm glad the wife stayed home so I could check out the group.

The last group ride I was on was led by MadMike..Made the mistake of assuming all group rides

were similar ..Great rides and clean air with the FJR riders.

Solo riding from here on.

Thanks for the replies. Have a Great riding season..

 

[steveoreno]

A couple of years ago me and a riding buddy went on a charity ride organized by one of my Abate instructors for a scholarship honoring his late Daughter. I assumed that any ride organized by a safety instructor would be well run with a focus on safety. It started off poorly when I walked into the VFW hall wearing my Yamaha jacket and was the only rider not wearing a leather vest and mandatory "Doo Rag." (I thought I heard the musical coda from the Good, Bad And The Ugly as I walked in.) We rode with them to a local waterfall and witnessed multiple serious riding errors that could get people hurt and the loud pipes and exhaust stink was making my friend's girlfriend ill. We pulled our bikes out of line and had a wonderful "Pirate Free" ride the rest of the day.

 

[scubatech]

Carbon Monoxide and Harleys
Well I joined a group for a ride today and got stuck behind two Harleys with loud pipes spewing carbon monoxide,

Started getting some mild symptoms of CO poisoning and left the group after two-hours

.

For the first time in my 60-years I’m happy for improvements in emission controls on vehicles.

What’s the attraction with these Harley guys and their loud pipes and rich fuel mixtures?

Guess I'm just getting too old to understand...

One of my friends has a loud *** Heritage Classic that I stay in front of. He is a good Dirt Rider and can ride the Hell out of that sled but in tight curves he gets pretty far back. Falling back frustrates him but he likes the image & the bling!! The Harley loyalty runs deep in these Guys!

 

[HuskyRider]

I did a little research on the groups past rides and there's a pattern of bikes breaking down and requiring a tow truck..

In fact two Harley's including the leaders in the last four group rides required tow trucks.. unusual

My last few dirt bikes were loud (still legal for racing) but every horsepower counts with a 450 4-stroke and racing.

On the street I like quiet so not to draw the attention of law enforcement.

 

[Spud]

Never ending stories of HD's, but just a few days ago here https://www.eastidahonews.com/2017/05/two-locals-airlifted-hospital-thrown-motorcycle/

That "formation" they ride in (side by side sharing a lane) is just about as stupid and dangerous as anything you can do....