My "new" '05 machine runs hot.  I cranked it up and left the choke on for awhile becuase it didn't want to run without it and I kept the throttle open a little to help the oil flow.  After a couple minutes I could take the choke off then I played with the throttle a little to see if it would backfire.  Then I could smell the engine getting hot and I've been around long enough to know the smell of a hot engine so I shut it down and by then the pipes had turned blue all the way down to the muffler.  There is still snow on the ground so ambient temperature isn't a factor.

It's totally stock.  There aren't any wrench marks anywhere and the brass plug is still in the carb.  After it cooled I started it again and left the choke out and it ran fine with no signs of overheating.  It must be terribly lean.  I got it from a dealer and it had probably been sitting for some time.  

I live at about 700 feet elevation and I've read the threads about it running lean and removing the plug and opening the screw and also putting in a thinner spacer and so on.  I plan to do that but this thing must be running super lean, what do you think it could be?  I'm thinking the carb might need cleaning.

Also the front brake feels like it might drag a little and it squeaks when I am pulling the bike backwards in the garage.  So far it hasn't left my garage, I want to get things right before I take it out.  Any thoughts about the front brake?  Thanks

Thanks Serowbot.  I'll take your word about the heat being normal, after all it lived over 2500 miles the way it is.  I'll fix that rear brake lug for the adjusting screw tomorrow and set the brake pedal height where I want it and take it for a spin if it isn't too cold.  I'll also see if the Seafoam treatment I started today has changed anything.  Maybe I can get the brass plug out and adjust the screw underneath. This forum is great and I read through some of it almost daily.  There is an incredible amount of good information and support here.  The Harley muffler post was very good.

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so I shut it down and by then the pipes had turned blue all the way down to the muffler.  
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Scary ! Sounds almost impossible
If the pipes turned blue just from idling a few minutes, did by chance someone wipe the pipe w/ something that could have caused that ?

Also, if the engine has been cleaned recently, it can have the smell of overheating.

I think its safe to say that a lean idle is not causing an overheat problem. If an idle is lean at all, it won't idle. Therefore if you have a good idle, it is not lean enough to cause overheating. And if it was lean just above an idle, it is going to surge and run ragged at lower light load speeds.
IMO, the only time you could be running lean, and not really know it, will be in the upper RPM....heavy load range, which is controled by the main jet.  

I think you are right, there are traces of caked on wax or polish all over the bike so the pipes may have had something on them.  Someone did go over it to make it look good.  Maybe that stuff burning off is what made it smell so hot.  I hope it is that simple.

I was really surprised to see the whole pipe turn blue, it takes some bikes a couple years to blue 2 inches and I did it all in maybe 5 minutes!  That's why I thought I had better ask you guys about it before running it for any length of time.

It idles well.  I thought a big thumper would have a rougher idle but it is fairly smooth.  When I throttled it up about half way and let it off a few times it did a little back firing but no full bangs, nothing to excite the neighbors.  Once again, thanks for all the help.

jumping in at the last minute here- but can anyone tell me about how long it takes to get the engine to cool down to be cool to the touch?  went out for about an hour ride today and an hour later it was still pretty warm...cant remember if that was normal or something new?  it was 80 degrees here today also  

OP Said,,,
After a couple minutes I could take the choke off then I played with the throttle a little to see if it would backfire.


Yea,, my pipe wasnt blue at a, I ha almost 5,000 miles on it & was sitting in the driveway, playing with the gas & listening to the valves. When I looked down at the pipe, it was blue for a good ways..Seriously upset me.. Racking it off sitting still Will blue a pipe.. but if someone waxed it,, then its gonna get all weird real quick.
If you buy a Supertrapp it says in the installation instructions to Clean the Manufacturing oils off Thoroughly, or it will Blue & the warranty wont cover that.

The caliper rides on two posts -- numbers 5 and 7 in the diagram. The posts have flat areas to make room for grease. The small rubber boots help retain the grease and act as wipers/dust seals.

In theory, the caliper is free to slide in and out on the posts to adjust for variations in the rotor. Also, since only the outside brake pad gets pushed, there needs to be some slack in the caliper mount to allow it to squeeze and release. But the grease can get thick, so the caliper doesn't always release fully. That's part of life with this type of caliper.

Also, the piston seals might get gummy so the piston doesn't retract much when you release the brake, leaving the outside pad dragging more than usual.

So you might at least freshen the grease on the posts. Remove the caliper from the fork and pull it off the bracket. No need to  disconnect the hydraulic line. When you put it back together, make sure the ends of the boots tuck into the grooves so you don't lose grease over time and so crap doesn't get in to gum up the grease.

Cleaning or replacing the seals means taking everything apart, which is another story.

Thanks for the tip on the calipers, I never thought about putting fresh grease in the grooves.  They still squeak so another item for my things to do list.