Hey guys, I have a problem, I think that its that I need to change the air filter but I thought I would ask u guys. When I accelerate, she struggles like something is choking my 97 bird. It akes me nervous cause I had it out for the first time yesterday drive it to kwork and drove it home. I had it in the shop last week and they tuned the engine changed the plugs. Should they have changed the air filter and the fuel filter? Also where the hell is the fuel filter? I have no Idea. I was told by friends to filler up with super unleaded run it to empty and refuel with Super again. Well, I did that and it is still happening. Help me Obi wan Kenobi, You are my last hope. Oops Star Wars rant. Seriously help.[:@]

 

I'm no mechanic, but it sounds like you have some type of fuel system problem.

I would guess a varnish or debris blocked jet(s).

If the bike sat for a period of time w/o fuel stabilizer (like over the winter) it could have formed a deposit(s) in a/the carbs. (if carb model-1997/1998) If it was just bad fuel, it would have cleaned itself out with a new tank.

The air filter sounds too easy. You would have to have some serious blockage to affect the airflow and the shop who did a tune up recently should have checked it.

To answer your question, it possibly could be a fuel filter, but again the shop should have checked this when they had all the plastic off and had access to the motor.

Jusy my opinion and limited knowledge.

Keep us posted.

 

I would start with a can of Sea Foam (available at any auto parts store) and run that through it. Just dump it in your tank. It's amazing, and will most likely clean out the carbs if they're blocked. It's just a good idea to do, anyways. I wouldn't worry about Super vs 87 octane... It really doesn't matter.


If you haven't changed your air filter in a while, it's worth pulling it and replacing it. Certainly a good idea, and an inexpensive maintenance item. Air filter replacment is pretty darn simple, will require a #12 socket and a phillips screw driver.

According to RonAyers.com:
Part Number: 17210-MAT-000
Description: ELEMENT, AIR CLEANER
Source: HONDA
Price: $31.78

I'm more interested in what they did when they "tuned the engine" and changed the plugs. If it were me, I'd take it back to them and tell them that it didn't run like that when you brought it in, and that they need to fix it. My guess is that when they were hooking up the vacuum lines, they left one off during the carb sync, or they didn't get a plug wire seated properly.

Where are you located? My guess is that there's probably somone close to you in the US with a bird who can help diagnose the problem if you don't want to take it back to the Stealer.