Question about "surging" everyone refers to - while moving? Or at idle?

[atokad]

I have read many posts on this but have never been clear as to when it is that most of you report this issue happening.  Seems to me that I read that it was an  "in gear while moving" issue.

My bike seems to be erratic and "surge" or "pulse" at idle.  No misses or surging while riding though.  Is this something I need to look into? Throttle sensor issue or what? It seems a bit better after the 12 minute tune, but I can't really tell sometimes.  Valves were checked and OK about 6k miles ago, have never done a fuel filter but everything else was done at the 12k service interval.  Also seems to me my bike runs a bit rich (altitude issue) as my exhaust tip gets pretty sooty, golden, black around the lip, and others riders behind me have complained of a fuel/exhaust smell.

2006 Girly, TOR pipe and "off road" tune, almost all of my riding is done at 5,000+ feet above MSL as I live in Colorado.

Thanks!

[Timbox2]

If it rides OK, I wouldnt worry about it too much, but for peace of mind I would change the fuel filter, at 6 years old it needs doing really

[John Stenhouse]

With the TOR pipe and tune you will get people tell you it's too rich. The pipe allows more of the fumes through so it smells and looks richer.

Surging is an on the move thing, try trickling through town on a constant throttle, if it's surging you wont be able to keep a constant speed.

If it's missing at idle my guess would be the vacumn pipes are leaking, mine did that til I changed them at the next service.

[Chris Canning]

The days of being able to tell a bike is running rich by checking the end of the exhaust disappeared when leaded fuel did,my 1100s has a PC with a custom map done on a dyno and it runs perfect but due to unleaded still has a sooty exhaust,as do the others bike I have.

[Bixxer Bob]

 

On the filter and the sooty exhaust.  But the lumpy tickover could be leaky IACV pipes as John said, but most likely the throttle bodies need balancing.  I've said it before, it's the single best thing you can do for your girl and quick too.