[stkm04]

Hi,

My family and I are preparing for a coast-to-coast trip (well, almost: Philadelphia - St. Louis - RT66 - St. Monica), and one of the bikes will be a 2002 Shadow VT1100. Since the engine is a carbureted engine, are there any comments/advice/concerns about riding from pretty much sea level elevation (Philadelphia) over the Rockies (e.g. Grand Canyon is 7000-8000 ft elevation)? Would I have to readjust the setting of the carburetor for those higher elevations?

I plan to have it services before that 3000 mi trip, should I ask them to set the carburetor to, let's say 3000ft elevation?

Thanks!

 

[KaBob]

I dont know per VT1100, but from the shop manual for VT750 (carbed models) the high altitude adjustment is minus 1/2 turn of the pilot jet - if one knows how to set/adjust their own pilot jet it would be easy to adjust for the altitude of the day's ride.

Here in Tennessee, it's easy to go from the Tennessee river in the TN valley (aprox 400-600ft) to top of the Smokey's (~6000ft) in one day! I've never noticed any signifiigant change in the bike from valley to mountain - however Pike's Peak is like 14,000ft - Rockies can get quite high!

 

[SWOCS]

Don't sweat it. You can ride your carbureted bike from the bottom of Death Valley to the top of Mt. Evans in Colorado. Taking the route you are planning, I think the highest you're going to get is in New Mexico or near Flagstaff in AZ and even then it won't be much above 6500' - 7000'. You might lose a touch of pep at that altitude, but barely enough to notice.

 

[John Hopkins]

I agree with SWOCS that bike will take you anywhere.

John.

 

[tugboat01]

What they said ^^^

 

[gdb069]

The carb adjustment is more for engines that will be run for their lives at higher elevation rather than just for a few weeks.

G.

 

[SWOCS]

stkm04: To give you an idea what I'm talking about; Last run to Sturgis I made on a carbureted bike (H/D), we went from sea level (San Diego) to the Dakotas via Pikes Peak which if I remember right is right around 14,000'. Barely noticeable performance difference from the one extreme to the other and I had a passenger on the back. None of the bikes in the group showed any adverse effects from the altitude.

I hope you guys enjoy your ride. Lots of great places to see along rt.66. Plenty of great eating too!

 

[stkm04]

Thanks guys! That solves my problem (I was asking this question because I know from normally-aspirated aircraft engines that you have to lean the mixture at altitude.)

...one thing less to worry about :lol: