Valk w/ Mark T's- too lean-help!

I have a 97 Valk Tour w/ 59000mi.  I bought bike 2 yrs ago and it had cobra 6-6 pipes.  It ran good, gas mileage ranged from 22-28mpg.  I bought a set of Mark T's cherry bomb conversions.  I had a mechanic w/ 25yrs exp change out the pipes.  It has a K&N filter.  He pulled the plugs at the exchange, and they indicated a rich condition.  The needles in the carbs carried a single shim washer.  There is a K&N prefilter.  My mechanic added a 2nd washer to shim the needles, took it for a quick test run, and pulled the new plugs out.  they were very white-indicating a very lean condition.  He left the prefilter in place, just cleaned it.  He said the bike pulls well until it hits max revs and then it stutters and stalls out.  Anyone have any experience w/ size of main jets needed when rejetting after the Mark T conversion.  Any help would be appreciated.  My mechanic doesn't have a way to measure air/fuel ratios or access to a dyno.  I don't want to ruin my engine, so please help me.  
                  Monte Gripp, central Texas.
                  [Nellyew@hotmail.com]

[Condor]

With the Mark T's you don't need any re-jetting. What might have happened is the prior owner re-jet it for the Cobra's. I've got over 10,000 miles on my 99 I/S since I put on Mark T's and have no problems.

['KC']

Good call Condor, I have always heard that no re-jetting is required with the MarkT's pipes.

I'm thinking Condor is right, but that calls in question your mechanics reading of the plugs, which I don't really want to do.  Cobras make it lean.  So the previous owner should have rejetted it to fatten it up.  Once it's running properly - having been rejetted fatter - with Cobras, if you put my pipes on it would tend to be too rich, not too lean.  Actually it sounds like it was a bit rich with the Cobras if you were running 22-28mpg.  I have seen such bad mileage only on rare occasions - when I'm running consistently over 85mph in a strong headwind or crosswind.

Can you get another opinion without offending your man?  How about getting the use of an exhaust analyzer?

['KC']

Thanks for the help on answering this for us Mark!

I posted the question and I appreciate the input from everyone.
I'm still researching this.  Mark Zimmerman, tech editor at Motorcycle Cruiser also felt like the bike is too rich since my mileage was so bad.  I talked to K&N and they said if you pull the prefilter, the bike will be too lean and sent me to Dynojet for a kit.
Dynojet has a kit for the Valkyrie that replaces the needles if you remove the pre-filter.  Mark Zimmerman also said with today's gas, you need to put 300-500 miles on to read the plugs.  I'm going to replace the needles, pull the pre-filter and see what that does.  I'll let you know.  I also found a K &N air/fuel meter in the Chapparal catalog that runs $195 that my mechanic & I are talking about getting.  The price isn't too bad, and most K&N stuff is top quality.  Monte Gripp

['KC']

Good luck with it Monte; keep us posted on the verdict. Thanks

Just an update on the Mark T glasspacks:  I pulled the K&N pre-flter, replaced the needles w/ the Dynojet needles, pulled the jets out of an end carb and they were stock jets and had not been drilled.  My mechanic put it back together, synched the carbs, put in new plugs and I took it for a quick run, full throttle in the lower gears and a couple of full blast runs from a start.  Went back to my mechanic, pulled the plugs and they were reading right now-not too lean, not too rich.  Since then I have put about 500 miles on the bike and mileage has ranged from 23.5-28mpg.
That is about 2 mpg better than I was getting before at the same speeds.  The bike runs much better than before-more power at any throttle setting, the deep rumble is much better than the raspy, just LOUD Cobra 6n6's.  Throttle response is much better.
The Mark T's look great, sound great, and work great.  I'm satisfied with them now.

I keep reading that most of you guys are getting around 120 miles when you hit reserve.  I used to get about 96 miles before reserve, now I generally get 105 miles.  This isn't great, but I have more power than before, a much better sound, and the gas mileage is a little better.  I have heard that the '97 Valks have more power stock than the later models, but that the gas mileage is quite a bit worse.  Anyway, when I need to travel long distances where mileage is important, I ride my ST1100 which gets 40 mpg two-up, loaded bags and tail-pack, at 80 mph. But the Valkyrie is also a great touring bike.
Monte Gripp

I am ordering Mark T exhaust. Wasn't sure about the length. I like the look of Condor's pipes. They look like 40 inches. If that is correct, that is what I'll order.

[Condor]

Mine are the 36"

Thanks for getting back to me. Appreciate the info. Your bike really looks great.

['KC']

Monte, thanks for the update on your bikes progress. I'll admit that your mileage doesn't seem that good, but I know that the '97's reportedly have more power. Weather or not the mileage is lower on the '97's I don't know, or haven't heard of it.
More good luck with it.