When is vtr running too lean ?
 

Just wanted to know when is vtr running too lean . Have 1998 vtr1000f with 19000 miles , termignoni pipes and aftermarket air filter . I assume previous owner rejetted , but dont know for sure . Dont have surging , popping on acceleration or deceleration . What color must spark plugs be using unleaded fuel . Found that my exhaust cannisters are not black but light grey at the tips and inside the cannisters after a good run . Left one more than the right one . When looking inside the cannisters where the headers start , I can see it has a black color . Even took a peace of cloth and shoved it down the canister where headers start and it came out with black soot on . Spark plug color is brownish and plugs still looks new .

What do you guys think . I believe reading spark plugs on unleaded fuel is more complex and exhaust color not really a factor .

I would say sounds like the bike has been rejetted by the previous owner.

You might want to check the technical support section of the Factory Pro website. There's a very good article on jetting CV carbs. It will help you identify whether your bike is running rich or lean.

A tan color on a spark is very good so it sounds like jetting is fine.

Here is a site I ran across with some pics of plug colors and their meanings.
http://www.dansmc.com/Spark_Plugs/Sp...s_catalog.html

Running a bit rich on the VTR is not a bad thing. The big twin likes a little more fuel...but not too much. The cans will show a little black soot as you have. Plug should be tan. Anything other than tan on the plug and you're too rich. Blistering on the plug and it's too lean.

where did you find termignoni pipes for the hawk or did you do something custom

Just curious , are you or have you run race gas in it ? Running race gas always turns the inside of my exhaust tips a light gray . It does on everybike I have ever run it in .