idle adjustment on 2000 R1100RT

Hi Guys, just back from another wee ride and bike is running better or I am getting more used to it after 40 plus years on airheads earplugs help an lot ,I find the idle is too low for my liking 1000 rpm can I just set it up at the throttle stop on the throttle body without upsetting the other throttle body adjustments ie ( throttle position senscer )? as always thanks in advance Jimmy

jimwjarmour said:

Hi Guys, just back from another wee ride and bike is running better or I am getting more used to it after 40 plus years on airheads earplugs help an lot ,I find the idle is too low for my liking 1000 rpm can I just set it up at the throttle stop on the throttle body without upsetting the other throttle body adjustments ie ( throttle position sensor )? as always thanks in advance Jimmy

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If the TPS (throttle position sensor) is set correctly, it doesn't get touched. The TPS is not a tuning parameter. The idle and throttle adjustments are done with the BBS (big brass screws) and the throttle cable adjusters. The throttle stop screws are generally not adjusted. If they haven't been touched, they will still have a dab of paint on the screws indicating that they are still in the original factory setting. Leave them alone.

Idle is adjusted by the BBS. They control an air bypass. Counter clockwise allows more air and will increase idle speed. The left and right should be equal vacuum, not necessarily turns of the screw. A manometer or Harmonizer, Twin-Max or Carb-stix will show you if they are pulling equal vacuum. If you haven't done it yet, carefully screw the BBS IN - clockwise - until it seats, counting the turns. Then unscrew it and remove it, clean the BBS tip and clean the bypass entry with an O2 safe throttle body cleaner. Open the vacuum port at the bottom and most of the cleaner will drip out there. Once clean, put the BBS back in all the way and unscrew it to the same position it was in before. Do this on both sides. First time you start the bike, it might take a second or two more and you might get a puff of smoke from the residual cleaner.

Once idle is adjusted, then off-idle, the throttle cable get synced using the cable adjusters to make sure the butterfly comes off the stops at the time left and right. This sync procedure is the same as a carb sync on an Airhead.

throttle stop

Hi Michael, thanks for the info, so I cant lift the idle up 2 or 3 hundred revs to see if it helps me ,when I close the throttle she just dives and makes for a jerky gear change, wifes helmet hits mine and has,nt done that for almost 50 years!! what if I mark the position and try a 1/4 turn in on both, if it all goes to hell cant I always go back ? yes the have paint dabs so havent been touched, cant see why not, as thats what you do when the throttle is opened slightly bike has all the covers on now so will deal with these issues some time later will post some photos ,thanks once again ,Jimmy

Jimmy - this isn't your Airhead carb. Don't adjust your idle with the throttle stop screws.

Forget the detailed process I just gave you. You can go back to that later. Try adjusting each of the big brass screws on the throttle bodies outwards by equal amounts and tell us if that raises the idle. What is your idle now and what did you want to bring it to? Do you know which screw on the throttle body I am referring to?

It,s me again

yes I did try to adjust the brass screws the right on was siezed so left it alone tried the left and only felt it run slightly rougher so reset it back idles ok aprox 1100 rpm just not used to the sudden chop when I change gear as I said I will get on with it, now the abs lights are flashing !, is there some way to deactivate these ? there is a switch but they come back on after a few minutes, big learning curve for me ,thanks for taking the time ,Jimmy

jimwjarmour said:

yes I did try to adjust the brass screws the right on was siezed so left it alone tried the left and only felt it run slightly rougher so reset it back idles ok aprox 1100 rpm just not used to the sudden chop when I change gear as I said I will get on with it, now the abs lights are flashing !, is there some way to deactivate these ? there is a switch but they come back on after a few minutes, big learning curve for me ,thanks for taking the time ,Jimmy

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1100 RPM is about right for your bike. Nice looking bike btw. I feel your frustration regarding the throttle chop when you let off the gas. I still have my Airhead bikes, and it took a while for me to get the feel of the fuel injection transition compared to carburetors. The Oilhead felt very jerky on and off the gas while the Airhead was very smooth. I have learned to maintain some throttle while making turns and changing gears. I can now ride my RT as smoothly as my R100.

You might want to start a new thread with your ABS question. This will make it easier for others who do a topic search to find an answer to their questions. The ABS switch does very little. It's used to reset the ABS but not by itself. If you turn the ignition key Off do the ABS lights blink together when the key is On? Flashing together at key On, is normal and indicates the ABS reset itself. If they flash alternately after you start the motor, that's a low voltage error.

could be right about battery voltage

I will need to get a new battery for her next year I just keep charging the old one up but goes very low overnight , I wont be putting on the road this year I still have my 1977 r100S so will ride her for now to be handed over to my son next year , he has ridden on the back it from about 8 years old noe 38 ! for well over 100,000 miles thank you once again Jimmy

idle setting

Hello again, well after a great amount of loosening oil I was able to remove the BBS ,cleaned everything up with carb cleaner, left overnight to dry out reassembled, and started her up a bit of smoke as you said, and settled down adjusted the BBS right was 3/4 of a turn now 1 1/8 the left was 1 1/4 now 1 3/4 ,and was able to raise the idle from 1100 to around 1200 as I lifted the right throttle cable to see the difference in idle the right went on one and seemed to chuff ? when I tried the left it seemed to rev up and then go onto one cylinder Im thinking because the TPS is on that side ? anyhoo I removed the injector plug on each side and she was reving around 800 to 900 on each side ,havent ridden her yet but am pleased with the result so far ,do I need to check the plugs for weakness when I do venture out on the road next year, going to pull the gearbox and find out why she dosent change gear as nice as my 1977 r100s ,now thats something you dont hear often !! and the clatters ,will keep you all posted , thanks once again ,Jimmy