Idle issue. Curvy

Ill have a play around with it in the morning before work. I have checked the choke and it does make a difference. The choke is pretty stiff so i think it might be that. The previous owner had over filled the oil and it ended up blowing some into the air box so i cleaned that and replaced the air filter and sorted out the oil. Could that have effected it. I have run a few tanks of fuel through it since then. My neighbor suggested using shell expensive petrol cant remember the name and run a tank of that through it.

[Sir Trev]

The Curvy choke is I'm afraid notorious - you'll find several threads about it on here.

If your cable is stiff there is a good chance it is sticking, often it's where the thing splits into two lines by the lower headstock. Usual advice is to replace the cable, take out and clean/replace the choke plungers (caution - they are held on by very soft screws), balance the carbs once you know the choke is sorted, and THEN set the idle.


The bike will run great for not a lot of cash and you'll have a big smile on your face. Enjoy!

Thanks ill replace the cable and balance the carbs. Hopefully that will sort it.

[Sir Trev]

Originally Posted by Aligowers

Thanks ill replace the cable and balance the carbs. Hopefully that will sort it.

Don't forget to check the plungers while you're at it as they can stick too. No point having a nice free-moving cable if the things they connect to are not . Let us know how you get on.

Pulled the cable out and checked everything. The chokes working 100% Plungers are moving and it was the lever on the grip that was stiff. Sorted that out. The bikes still wont sit at idle very well when i come of the gas it slowly drops back down to 1300rmp and then sometimes stalls. Looks like its the carbs. Going to have to rip them off and clean then thoroughly by the looks of them. May have to get a garage to do it. I dont have the time and cant afford to bugger anything up. Theres a garage next to my work hopefully i can stick it in and get it sorted for me finishing work. If i had the time id do it my self but its my only mode of transport at the moment.
Cheers for all the help

[Sir Trev]

Balancing the carbs on a curvy is quite straight forward with a set of Morgan Carbtune gauges. May just be way out of whack as opposed to gummed up, especially as the balance screw is not locked down. You will also learn a new skill and know it is done right which is always nice too.


Where are you by the way, someone who's done this before could always pop round to help if you supply the coffee.

Im about 10 mins from Glasgow airport. Ive never balanced a V twin before. My local garage is fully booked as well due to the weather getting better just my luck. I am on the new A2 liscence and have fitted the restriction kit my self. But the bike was running like this before the kit was fitted.

Does the haynes manual show you how to do it. If so ill pick one up and give a go. Ive had mixed results using hyanes manuals in the past for other bikes.

[Sir Trev]

From memory (I gave my Haynes to the guy that bought my Curvy when I fancied a change) the manual is quite useful in this area. Getting to the front vacuum takeoff on a Curvy is a faff first time but most of us left the tail of the Carbtune pipe in place (blocked off of course) by the radiator filler neck so it was easier next time. The rear cylinder takeoff is easy to get to but you need to clamp off the vacuum pipe to the tank once the bike is running before disconnecting it to plug in the gauge so the bike keeps running - you can get a vacuum pump to overcome this but I never had a bother with the simple method. Getting to the balance adjuster screw is a bit tight but not that bad.


Get yourself and a set of gauges to the AR. As long as you get them before too much beer is consumed several of the lovely people there will happily show you how to do it right .