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2009 Vulcan 900 Classic LT Fast IDLE

94K views 88 replies 48 participants last post by  slickman 
#1 ·
Is there a way to eliminate or reduce the fast idle. Just got the bike a month ago and noticed the fast idle after start up. Today it is 99 out, had taken a couple short trips ( less than a mile ) and it will still be on fast idle when I take off. Is there a adjustment for this. I know there is idle adjustment but this is injector controlled ( I think ) It starts out at a normal idle but as soon as you give it throttle it stays up for couple minutes.
 
#47 ·
I've never worried about this. Hard to believe there is 5 pages worth on the subject!

It's simple for me....


Roll bike into driveway, start the bike. Walk back into garage, begin to gear up for the ride. By time I'm done gearing up and ready to mount the bike it's idling at normal RPM.

Ride on!
 
#49 ·
Fast IDLE?

:cool: No Dealer but the PVO showed me the fast idle. Said he normaly wait till slow idle to get in the WIND but it wouldn't hurt to go ahead and ride. So ditto, start the bike, gear up, mount at idle and ride!

Now I more interested know in how to validate the true idle is set to about 1000 rpms +/-50.. NEW THREAD
 
#56 ·
I just wait and let my bike idle down. If I'm impatient with my bike, I will be impatient with my family too.
 
#57 ·
My 9 also idles high for about two minutes. That gives me time to put my jacket, helmet and glasses. That also gives me time to look in the mirror to make sure I look cool.......LOL.
 
#59 ·
I read a few of the most recent entries here, but has anyone simply tried holding the throttle closed? Mine skips the high idle altogether by doing this. What I do is let the fuel pump cycle and when I'm ready to start, twist the throttle up while pushing the starter and hold it there. Once the bike starts, it'll act like it's going to high idle for about a sec and then it idles down. Once it idles down, I can let go of the throttle. If I release the throttle before idle down, it'll kick up into high idle. I do this every time I start the bike and only once has it not skipped high idle.

Maybe I'll do a quick video of the process if anyone is confused.
 
#60 ·
I do not mind the high idle/warm up, I am like "GFISH". On really cold mornings sub40's start the bike sooner. Plus use the time to check/look over the bike for any issues/loose bolts.
Ride Safe
 
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#62 ·
I am with all those who let the bike do its "thing" while they gear up.
Ditto. I was taught to let the bike warm up before taking off. Part of my pre-ride routine is to start the bike then gear up. :)
 
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#63 ·
Gear up???? I sit on my bike while it warms up and look cool.
 
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#65 ·
I dId this turned the screw 3/4 turn clockwise...didnt change a thing...ohwell. The fast idle wasnt a biggie anyways.
 
#66 ·
Just glad I saw this post, mine does it but not all the time and more recently has stopped and wondering if it has anything to do with the battery tender I recently installed and keeping it topped off.
 
#68 ·
The length of warm up time on mine definitely varies with "temperature"...factors such as length of time between starts, initial status of bike (inside/outside stored), hot day cold day, in the shade in the sun, you name it, etc...whatever factors affect the status of the bike at start up the rev's/fast-slow idle is reflected as such...all of which can be really short to a few minutes long and subsequently simmers into a nice smooth idle. You can easily hear it do it's thing and gently settle into a nice hum. It's all good...
 
#75 ·
Don't mean to revive an old thread but I've got some questions regarding the high idle on my 2008. The bike will start and run at low idle for about 30 seconds and the into high idle for about another 30 seconds before finally settling back down to low idle. Any one have any ideas on this? It's not generally an issue except when it's cool outside and the bike will tend to die immediately upon first start up. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
 
#77 · (Edited)
Made two videos...

The first one shows the ambient temperature at 56 deg. F (13 deg. C) and starting the bike cold. I set a 10 minute timer countdown. It appears the bike starts up and idles around 1610 RPM. It got up to around 1750 as the engine warmed up before coming back down after almost 4 minutes. It does not seem excessively fast to me.

The second video was shot moments after the warm-up was complete and the bike settled back down to around 1000 RPM. I wanted to make this video so those without a tachometer can hear what 1000 RPM sounds like. The bike is completely stock.

Starting

Warm
 
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#79 ·
I have had a 2015 & now a 2020 Vulcan 900 and they both had a very high idle when cold, in March when its 55 degrees out its still very high after a couple of miles. I always let it warm up while I'm putting on my gear but it still idles very high now I just start it in gear and leave if I'm at a gas station. I owned Honda cruisers Suzuki 800,s and none of them ever idled high like that. None of my older Kawasaki LTD models did that either. To me it was a screwup that they must not be able to fix easy.
 
#80 ·
I'm not so sure it's a screw-up, but I can't explain why they did it either.

Next time you turn the key on your bike - don't start it, but hold lightly the throttle. You should feel it move. Heck, I can even see it.

When I start mine, especially when I don't want the "high idle", I simply hold the throttle and then start it.

It's not a fix but it sure saves me some embarrassment of that thing revving up.

To me it was a screwup that they must not be able to fix easy.
 
#82 ·
Sorry to be a bother there brother.

For future reference:
Member: OrangePeel stated:

"I`ve been meaning to comment on this issue for a while now. As a master mechanic, I always thought that the cold idle, and even the initial restart idle after a hot soak, was rediculously high on my 9 custom. After reading multiple posts on here about the issue and how to fix it, I came across everything from holding the throttle backward really hard, to disconnecting the solenoid and finally, filing down or even removing the fast idle cam. Now, knowing full well that a higher idle is needed for many reasons, especially when cold, it most certainly didn`t need to be that damn high......., so I decided to dive in and see why this thing screamed bloody murder every time I fired it up. I tore my way down to the throttle body and figured out how Kaw set everthing up and Viola!..., there it was, a fast idle adjusting screw. Most, if not all of us that looked into this issue, overlooked this damn thing because of where it`s positioned. If you rotate the throttle to WOT position and look at the bellcrank (part the cables attatch to), you`ll see a phillips head adjusting screw with a small spring beneath it facing downward. Heres the deal....the bellcrank is actually 2 pieces, and turning that screw changes the position of the 2 pieces in relation to each other. If you turn the screw in (compress the spring), you will lower the high idle, if you turn it out...raise it. I turned mine to the point of just seating the spring, purrrrrrfect!!.....Starts, idles up slightly, settles down...no drama!"
 
#83 ·
That s the one. The explanation is much better when the photos are still there, but his explanation is good enough to follow.
This was the last issue on my bucket list, had just taken care of the battery issue, and my perfect bike was all mine.

Keep digging and you will also discover the truths of the universe.

Ride Safe.
 
#84 ·
I do oil&filter lube clutch cable and install acc,s but touch something like that I would be nervous I did read about the fix long ago . I asked the mechanic at the shop and he said it was just built into the bike and knew nothing about it. Like I said just start it in gear (after its warmed up) and drive away.
 
#86 ·
Today I rode 315 km and I tried the hold the throttle closed and it worked must have stopped 5 times and it never once revved up. Never had to put any backward force on it just held it from kicking ahead when the key is turned on. Thanks to who ever figured that out.
 
#87 ·
I Think that might have been me. I may have seen it some where else, but i was really pi#### one day and found a way to stop getting embarrassed at gas stations. I do not believe in living with something that drastic.


Ride Safe.
 
#88 ·
Hi guys. I read all of the pages and here is what I found today. I made myself a free day to be able to do lot of testing without a time pressure.

I know where the screw for the fast idle with the spring is located on the throtle body and I have an easy acces to this screw as I have a Hypercharger instaled. I found that the distance of this screw is 6 turns between the limits. When the spring starts to be completely free is one of the limit the second is when the screw can't turn anymore :)

I did several tests with cold and hot engine. The midle so 3 turns seems to be the best setup for me. When the engine is cold it takes 1-2 minutes before the idle drops down. When the engine is hot then it takes appr 3-5 seconds.

Sorry for my bad english and hope somebody will find this as a solution for him.

BTW: I have a Kuryakyn Hypercharger + stock debafled (stage 1 - small holes) exhaust.

Good luck to all of you who is fighting with this issue.
 
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