I live at sea level here in California and I am planning on driving my carburated '86 Interstate over some pretty high passes (one is over 14,000 feet) in Colorado in two weeks and then return home.
Is the 'wing gonna make it?
Is there anything I can do to help the bike?
You bike should run okay, I've ridden over 11,000 feet with my 1500 and it ran fine though the power is down because of the thinner air providing less oxygen and the carbs being over rich. I get a bit of black smoke at high altitude when I go to full throttle, not a lot but you can see some. It never fouled a plug. Just remember that over 7500ASL you only have about 75% of your rated horsepower available and the higher you go the less you have. High altitude is where EFI really pays off. Wish I had it on my 1500, my 1200SEI ran almost like sea level over mountain passes.
Yes, it will make it ok. At 14k feet it will run like you are pulling a trailer though. At least that is a good description of how our 1100s did atop Pikes Peak.
There are no passes over 14K in Colorado! Mosquito is the highest driveable (4WD) pass in the state at 13,185.(can't ride a Wing there though) You must mean either Mt Evans or Pikes Peak but both are drive up and return on same road neither is a pass.
Several years ago, I rode my 1979 GL1000 up Pike's Peak without a hiccup: 14,110 feet. Your 1200 should do ok. Here is a link to Colorado's paved passes: http://cyclepass.com/t_tpa_co_pav_alt.html
You might try to go to the next hottest heat range plug at altitude. This will not cure the richness but might ward off a foul and burn off some carbon at the plug.
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