Factory Pro needle wear
 

I've got a Factory Pro 1.1 kit in my VTR. I had the slides out to change the needle clip position. There were noticeable wear marks on the straight portion of both needles but not enough to change the profile of the needles significantly. The area of wear was about a 1/4" long. Anyone else notice the same thing? Does anyone know how much wear is tolerable?

I don't remember checking last time I was in that deep but as a general rule, needles are precisely gaged items and so any wear translates into more gas entering the mixture. Also generally the straight part is less critical than the tapered part.....YMMV

Isn't the 1.1 kit Ti??? Mine is. I thought the 1.0 kit was Al. That said, you should worry more about wear of the brass guide inside the carb body. A few high mileage bikes have seen them wear oval. Me, I've got like 42k on mine with no wear whatsoever. I think that proper alignment and use of the stock washer under the needle to keep the needle straight will minimize wear.

Thanks, guys. I appreciate it. It is the Ti kit that I've got. I'll take a look at the brass guide.

My Ti needles show marks but there really isn't and appreciable wear. Are you going by just a visual or did you measure the needles to see if they are wearing?

Just a visual, Jamie. I'll get out the micrometer later. I looked at the worn needles on the Factory Pro site and the ones in my bike don't look anything like them. As you put it, mine show marks. It's probably just me being obsessive.