[CAT]

Hello first post on here love the forum lots of good info! I brought my 1990 VN750 out of storage and I'm trying to get it back running, bike would hardly idle only with choke on so I removed the carbs to clean after taken them apart I found that the idle jet is clogged and also a #38 and full throttle jet is a #135. I traded for this bike and it was already setup like this already. When i got it it would back fire/popping noise during deceleration around 50& up and would not go above 80 at this speed it started to back fire on rear cylinder regardless so I put in the back of shop walked away 2014. 2022 New saga begins. I know I need new jets due to exhaust ,question is which ones I live and ride 90% of time at 121' to 5' above sea level but will be riding at 800' to 1000' once a year. There is a lot maintenance that has to be done and that's Kool keeps me busy at night like front fork seal's brake calipers rebuilds etc. while I have carbs out was thinking of doing a ear shave job also just wasn't sure about getting caught out in the rain while riding with exposed air filters, we have summer storms that pop up from no where here during the summer.

 

[Spockster]

From sea level to above 5000' you should be good on the jets you choose. 8000-10000 ft you'll start to notice it a bit.

Only time I had too much water on the filters, was after a wash.

 

[taco_to_go]

I ride mountainous terrain from home city level of 5000 up to 12000 ft ridges at times. Stock VN750 jets seem to work fine with my V&H exhaust. I have had other MCs with larger engines where I had fiddled with the carbs and used pod filters. During drenching mountain thunderstorms water would be ingested causing rough running. The ear shave idea has always struck me as a solution looking for a problem.

 

[dirtrack650]

1995 @ sea level to 6900 feet. Emgo pods & Jardine slashcuts. 142/42 jets, starts and runs great. 55ish mpg. No popping or hot start issues. Been caught in plenty of rain, no problem if you keep the filters oiled.

 

[Jason Pittenger]

1995 @ sea level to 6900 feet. Emgo pods & Jardine slashcuts. 142/42 jets, starts and runs great. 55ish mpg. No popping or hot start issues. Been caught in plenty of rain, no problem if you keep the filters oiled.

How do you get 55 mpg?!?

I'm running stock intake, stock jets (as far as I know. I've never looked on this bike) V&H pipes and a vacuum ignition advance and my all time record is 52 mpg.
I do have a wind shield and saddle bags.
My previous bike ran stock exhaust with no mufflers (removed, not drilled out) and an ear shave with 40/140 jets and that peaked at 52.3 mpg, no windshield or bags.

 

[dirtrack650]

Mostly, it's how you ride. When I go out for a mpg run, I keep the wrist outta it and stay under 60mph. I avoid the interstates (too many idiots out there) stick to the state and county roads. I get 48-54mpg on my 83 goldwing, and last check, 67mpg on my 81 GL500. Where I live and ride (Southwest Washington near St. Helens) I can gas up and not stop for 20± miles. That consistent 40-50 mph changes everything. I'm past the cafe/red light stage, happy I survived my Kawasaki triples 🤔☠

I also trim the ground strap on the spark plugs. Makes a difference, everything helps.

BTW, when my 19yr old son rides the VN, he averages mid to upper 40mpg.