Cruising rpm at 30mph?
 

Now that my Hawk is back in one piece, I'm getting used to all her quirks. Not like my old F3. She is a much different animal.

So what I get is, when cruising at a low rpm, usually thru town, I get a missfire/backfire thru the carb at low throttle around 2500rpm. This is more prominent when the engine is cold, and goes away above 3k or more throttle.

Am I looking at a carb issue, or does the Hawk just like to live above 3k.

The 6th gear above 37mph like the manual says does NOT work. At least for me anyway.

She is all stock, with the rear can baffle cut out. She starts up fine, idles fine, revs up fine, and drive fine all the rest of the time. I cleaned the carbs once already. Thanks for any input from those with much more Hawk experience than myself.

Mine definitely runs smoother above 3k. I was taught to let carbureted engines always at least get up into the triple digits before driving. Let it warm up. If you have a baffleectomy it seems like you should expect some cold backfires.

it's probably the baffle, I did the same thing and got the same results. you'll need to shim the carbs, which is what i'll be doing over the summer.

i had the sam prob, jetted the carbs and it went away...and pulled much harder

Thanks guys, I'll shim the needles first and see how it goes. She pulls hard the rest of the time, so I'll hold off on the jets.

I am also having the same problem with my carbs. I have a factory Pro kit waiting to go in. I noticed as you said around 3k and then slight stumbles/hesistations in other RPM ranges.

from my experience with debaffled cans it allows more exhaust past in the mid range, so most likely no main jet switch, but I am running a dynojet kit with the needles bumped up a few notches. No more carb backfires even when cold, and she pulls nicely and sounds happy.

Its your rpm. Storms just don't like being run under 3000rpm (even from brand new and dead stock).

If you want to putt around at low revs, buy a Harley. The carbys on a VTR are bloody big and can't really handle small throttle openings.
30mph is about 50kmh so at that speed I don't get out of 2nd gear.

Debaffled cans will make the problem slightly worse but just keep the revs over 3k. They will still give the occasional spit but ignore it and go faster!

Thanks Fozzy, I was wondering. The problem goes away if I drop a gear. I'm still getting used to how the Hawk behaves. This is my first big CC v-twin.

Mine had the backfires til I shimmed the carb needles.