Hi guys, new guy here. I’m at the end of a father-son rebuild of a 1983 FL250. We went through pretty much everything. Replaced fuel pump, fuel lines, 3 way valve, carb kit, CDI (Capacitor Discharge Ignition) system, plug, plug wire, stator, keyway, cleaned exhaust. Machine has good compression at 110. I’ve removed the head and the ring looks like it’s been done. I recently drained 1:20 fuel and replaced with 1:40 premium grade fuel and good 2 cycle oil.

I’ve been playing around with pilot and main jetting and needles because it has always had a bog off of idle, but it otherwise rides nice.

What should I expect for acceleration coming off idle? For reference, I cannot spin the tires in loose gravel, but it seems to accelerate nicely when RPMs are higher. Also, when RPMs drop for a hill climb, it will eventually loose power.

I’ve still not tried to run it without the exhaust, and I will say there is something inside the exhaust that rattles. Exhaust is stock.

Are these machines a little bit weak and underpowered, or is my machine still not tuned right?

Thanks!

I don’t have a 250 but have seen them on you boob and they seem to go pretty well. Clutching is everything in these machines. You can set them up “lameish” and the engagement/ when it starts to move will be gentle or you can set them so it grabs at 4000 rpm and tears the tires off. The hill, assuming you have a good running Engine, sounds like ur not back shifting well. Check the secondary. I’m am absolutely not a clutch wiz.... I keep trying until I get the feeling I want. Many sled guys know this stuff inside and out. That is all our systems are and the sled guys can be touchy at times but helpful.
110 compression on my machines and I rebuild.

Thank you go oddy.

I think I might have to crack open the clutch. Again, I’ve not been around these machines and don’t know what is normal vs. not normal. It makes a noise coming from the clutch area that is a friction sound, not quite a grind sound, and it’s so loud I can’t stand to be around it without ear protection when it’s running. The exhaust is loud enough, but this sound is coming from the clutch area.

Maybe you’re right, it’s not downshifting.

Thank you go oddy.

I think I might have to crack open the clutch. Again, I’ve not been around these machines and don’t know what is normal vs. not normal. It makes a noise coming from the clutch area that is a friction sound, not quite a grind sound, and it’s so loud I can’t stand to be around it without ear protection when it’s running. The exhaust is loud enough, but this sound is coming from the clutch area.

Maybe you’re right, it’s not downshifting.

I've found that once the clutches are fully run out and engaged at WOT (Wide Open Throttle), its hard to just stay at WOT (Wide Open Throttle) and expect the clutches to downshift. that's at least on my machines. What happens if you release gas for a full 1 or 2 seconds - like blip the throttle? Does it downshift then?

I’ve never heard anything resembling a downshift. It bogs from the start and then gets going good at higher rpms. Letting off the throttle at higher rpms has no effect except to slow up. I’m glad I posted this question as I’ve never ridden or seen one that runs as it should and I just don’t know what to expect.