Bike is very sluggish, feels starved for fuel - Honda Shadow Forums : Shadow Motorcycle Forum

Jeremiahbucher · 11-15-2012, 04:41 PM

It is a 2007 Shadow 750 with only 1800 miles on it. I just got it a few months ago, the previous owner clearly left it parked mostly. I changed the plugs in it. It is fairly difficult to start and the battery seems to die if I don't charge it every few days. When I take off after letting it idle for a long time, it is very sluggish, it seems to improve a bit in the higher gears at higher speeds, but sometimes it will stall out in first. I have tried adjusting the black screw by the carb and setting the idle differently, but one setting seems to stall me out and another causes the bike to backfire a lot when letting off the accelerator.

C.W. · 11-15-2012, 04:56 PM

If the bike sat for awhile you may have a gummed up carb/carbs, passages/jets. Is it the Spirit VT750C2, VT750DC, or the Aero?

You may want to run a couple tanks of Seafoam through to see if it will cut & clean the gum and varnish. If that don't work, you may be looking at a carb cleaning job.

Good luck, C.W.

P.S. Some Aero's had a recall on the Petcock diaphragm replacement. Look for drips of gas at the Petcock valve.

Jeremiahbucher · 11-15-2012, 04:58 PM

Thanks for that. It is the VT750DC. Do you think the battery could cause any of those issues? It is the stock battery. Or is it likely fuel related?

SkullCrusher · 11-15-2012, 05:09 PM

Seafoam may work if the carbs aren't too nasty, but you are definitely looking at a carburation problem. I never understood why people don't drain the bowls and put some kerosene in the gas over the winter.

Jeremiahbucher · 11-15-2012, 06:07 PM

Just got back from the parts store. How much sea foam do I use? I just filled the tank with fuel. Also tested battery and it failed miserably, no shock there so a new battery is charging up now. The can of sea foam is not very specific when it comes to directions.

Jeremiahbucher · 11-15-2012, 07:41 PM

I found the answer. 1 oz per gallon of fuel, so I added about 4 oz to a full tank. Just waiting on the new battery to charge up and try it out tomorrow. Anyone have any suggestions on how to set my idle? I messed with the little black knob by the carb and am sure it isn't right. I don't have an RPM guage to set it to a specific amount. A friend said to set it to where it barely idles and then dies, then turn it up a half turn. Sound about right?

droland · 11-15-2012, 08:21 PM

Putting more seafoam in won't hurt. Is probably pretty gummed up and I bet you have to take the carburetor off to clean it out.
I tried it on my 4 wheeler which headset up for quite a while and it worked a little, but I still ended up having to pull the carbs ofgfto clean it.

Sent from my DROID BIONIC

Jeremiahbucher · 11-15-2012, 09:13 PM

Hopefully the seafoam does the trick. If not, it'll have to go into the shop. I wouldn't even consider pulling off the carb and trying to clean it. I can change the oil, the battery, spark plugs, but much more than that is beyond my technical knowlege. I shouldn't even have messed with the little black knob, it worked much better before I did

Jeremiahbucher · 11-16-2012, 12:11 PM

I took it out this morning for about an hour long ride, something I didn't feel comfortable doing before, but it is already running much much much better. I think the bad battery was a big part of the problem. Certainly there is something still off about the fuel system and I will keep foaming it for a couple tanks and maybe try and tweak the idle a bit. Right now it seems pretty good, only problem is some popping when I decelerate, not every time, but often.

11-15-2012, 04:41 PM	#1 (permalink)
Jeremiahbucher Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Posts: 11	Bike is very sluggish, feels starved for fuel It is a 2007 Shadow 750 with only 1800 miles on it. I just got it a few months ago, the previous owner clearly left it parked mostly. I changed the plugs in it. It is fairly difficult to start and the battery seems to die if I don't charge it every few days. When I take off after letting it idle for a long time, it is very sluggish, it seems to improve a bit in the higher gears at higher speeds, but sometimes it will stall out in first. I have tried adjusting the black screw by the carb and setting the idle differently, but one setting seems to stall me out and another causes the bike to backfire a lot when letting off the accelerator.

11-15-2012, 04:56 PM	#2 (permalink)
C.W. Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Northern Utah Posts: 1,111	If the bike sat for awhile you may have a gummed up carb/carbs, passages/jets. Is it the Spirit VT750C2, VT750DC, or the Aero? You may want to run a couple tanks of Seafoam through to see if it will cut & clean the gum and varnish. If that don't work, you may be looking at a carb cleaning job. Good luck, C.W. P.S. Some Aero's had a recall on the Petcock diaphragm replacement. Look for drips of gas at the Petcock valve. __________________ 2008 Aero 750 "Hear the pipes" video Last edited by C.W.; 11-15-2012 at 04:59 PM.

11-15-2012, 08:21 PM	#7 (permalink)
droland Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 131	Putting more seafoam in won't hurt. Is probably pretty gummed up and I bet you have to take the carburetor off to clean it out. I tried it on my 4 wheeler which headset up for quite a while and it worked a little, but I still ended up having to pull the carbs ofgfto clean it. Sent from my DROID BIONIC __________________ 2006 Shadow Aero 750 Switchblade windshield, Cobra Floorboards, Saddlemen Hardback Quick-Release Bags, Light Bar, Wind Diverters, Highway Bars, ISO Grips, Chrome Radiator Cover, Raised Handlebars, Vance & Hines Straight Shots, Freeway Blasters

11-15-2012, 04:58 PM	#3 (permalink)
Jeremiahbucher Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Posts: 11	Thanks for that. It is the VT750DC. Do you think the battery could cause any of those issues? It is the stock battery. Or is it likely fuel related?

11-15-2012, 05:09 PM	#4 (permalink)
SkullCrusher Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: massilon, ohio Posts: 167	Seafoam may work if the carbs aren't too nasty, but you are definitely looking at a carburation problem. I never understood why people don't drain the bowls and put some kerosene in the gas over the winter.

11-15-2012, 06:07 PM	#5 (permalink)
Jeremiahbucher Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Posts: 11	Just got back from the parts store. How much sea foam do I use? I just filled the tank with fuel. Also tested battery and it failed miserably, no shock there so a new battery is charging up now. The can of sea foam is not very specific when it comes to directions.

11-15-2012, 07:41 PM	#6 (permalink)
Jeremiahbucher Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Posts: 11	I found the answer. 1 oz per gallon of fuel, so I added about 4 oz to a full tank. Just waiting on the new battery to charge up and try it out tomorrow. Anyone have any suggestions on how to set my idle? I messed with the little black knob by the carb and am sure it isn't right. I don't have an RPM guage to set it to a specific amount. A friend said to set it to where it barely idles and then dies, then turn it up a half turn. Sound about right?

11-15-2012, 09:13 PM	#8 (permalink)
Jeremiahbucher Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Posts: 11	Hopefully the seafoam does the trick. If not, it'll have to go into the shop. I wouldn't even consider pulling off the carb and trying to clean it. I can change the oil, the battery, spark plugs, but much more than that is beyond my technical knowlege. I shouldn't even have messed with the little black knob, it worked much better before I did

11-16-2012, 12:11 PM	#9 (permalink)
Jeremiahbucher Junior Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Posts: 11	I took it out this morning for about an hour long ride, something I didn't feel comfortable doing before, but it is already running much much much better. I think the bad battery was a big part of the problem. Certainly there is something still off about the fuel system and I will keep foaming it for a couple tanks and maybe try and tweak the idle a bit. Right now it seems pretty good, only problem is some popping when I decelerate, not every time, but often.

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