My 03 600 idles like it misses every other time or something but when you give a little throttle in neutral it clears up, but in gear it kinda sputters at low speeds. It drives okay but sometimes it's like it can't get gas especially going up hill and the more you give it the worse it gets. After it clears up again at about a medium speed when you give it and more than half throttle it bogs down and won't run over 40mph.. I do have the air filter off but could that really be causing all this or should I be looking for a new carb kit?

 

Oh I forgot to mention that it backfires or pops alot. Sometimes while riding and every time after you shut it off

 

Check the intake manifold especially the area right under the carb clamp.The 700 was bad on splitting and so was the 600. Just wasn't as many of them sold as the 700. Air box also needs to be on!! Carb is originally jetted in consideration with air box installed and could be another reason for popping. If all this checks out ok and still popping back,then replace the ignition with the Kokusan kit #2202603 made for the 600. Should fix you right up. Complete kit from the stator and flywheel up that does away with the Ducati ignition system. Just do a simple google search on 600/700 ignition problems and you'll find a lot of them.Kits aren't cheap(around 500 bucks)but solve the problem. Stay away from the cheaper RM stator kits that use the Ducati lighting coil as a source of ignition as the lighting coil can short out also and you'd be out 250 bucks on that kit.. Here's a video on a 700 that had the update kit. A lot of people's symptoms were hard starting,idle problems, popping back and some would never crank back up after you killed them.

 

Hopefully putting the air filter on and finding a cracked manifold will be your problem. But if it has the older ignition system, I would be willing to bet that is your problem. Your symptoms seem to be identical to mine and I had to replace the ignition system. Good Luck. the replacement isn't super hard but unfortunately the kit is expensive..

 

Sorry it's been so long, but I put a filter on and it cleared up alot more than I thought it would. I can run it wide open like a scalded ape but it idles like crap or when you're riding a constant speed on a trail it misses alot. Acts like it's running a little rich because I can smell it in the exhaust and it's burning thru gas like crazy

 

This was another symptom of the Ducati ignition systems breaking down. Rough idle,rich running,smelling gas. Some people would even kill the machines only to not have them start back later. Some have been stranded and have had to be towed.Just a polite warning on what can happen.Yes the replacement Kokuan kit is pricey,but it changes the magneto triggered ignition system to a dci ignition system and most people have commented that their machines crank up easier,run better after the change.

 

Well I was hoping that wouldn't be the problem but sounds like it is.. Looks like I know what I'll be saving up for..

 

While you're saving up for the kit,if you still keep riding this machine please don't ride alone! Have a riding buddy just in case it decides to die on you and you have to have it towed back.. It's happened to others before and some weren't too thrilled about it especially when they happened to be way out in the boonies somewhere.

 

Haha I hardly ever ride alone, usually there's 10 or 15 of us that take off. If thats not the problem what else could it might be?

 

With the history this ignition system has on erratic idling,hard starting,excessive gas use,people smelling gas fumes,dying and leaving people stranded,this is the major problem! You can clean carbs,install new needle and seats,etc and probably wouldn't help,same as I've done in the past.These ignitions all fail sooner or later. Plus all you have to do is google "Sportsman 600/700 ignition problems" and see what all shows up.. BUT don't fall for the RM ignition kits out there that are cheaper than the Kokusan kits as they use the existing Ducati lighting coil as a source for the ignition and this coil can go out also! I've had it happen. Then you're out of luck and have to find another used Ducati stator as they are NLA from Polaris! Just do it right and get the Kokusan kit..