[Drew]

I just got a 2001 Blast with 6,300 miles for $1,800 last week. It’s my first bike and I’m waiting for the service manual to be delivered but in the meantime I have a frustrating problem with the bike and don’t want to take it to the HD dealership for expensive repairs.

The bike runs fine, while it’s in motion and I love riding it. But, after I get its RPMs up high or just drive faster than 50mph, and then stop at an intersection or something, the engine thumps slower and slower and finally dies. I find that if I keep the throttle slightly twisted at a stop (and thus, keep the RPMs up a little) it won’t die. But that means I have to keep a hand on the throttle at all times. So, after embarrassingly having to walk my bike off the road, it takes a while to get it started again. The engine will turn over, thump a couple times, and die. Repeat. Until it finally starts again.

WTF? Any advice, suggestions, diagnoses or similar problems. Should I just bite the bullet and take it in to the dealership?

[Jon D.]

chk recall notices on the blast, I am aware that they had fuel tank issues and there may be something else that is going on with your bike. It sounds like a fuel delivery problem, so I would start with a google search to see if anyone else has had the same issue. Good luck,ride safe and God bless

[Munch]

ouch almost sounds like the problem I had with the V500. Though it didn’t matter the speed. The fix for that was simple. Apparently during initial build the fuel lines got routed wrong and ended up creating a vacuum on the line… creating it to suck itself shut and eventual shut down. Had to pop the gas cap open to release the vacuum. Totally different bike though. Let us know what you come up with so it cn help other Blast owners.

[wbsprudels]

Pretty sure I have read about this happening to some other Blast riders on the Buell Blast Forum (badweatherbikers.com). If I remember correctly, the problem can be fixed by adjusting the idle mixture screw.

[Matt]

Yea, sounds like an idle problem. Your idle is set too low. Check your manual, I’m not sure what it is on a blast. But the important thing is that it has to be set when the engine is a full operating temperature – if it is set when the engine is colder, it’ll be off (or if it was set at a different altitude from you it may be off).

If that is the case, it’ll be a really easy (and free) fix.

[Author]

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