TE/TC 2017 TX300 spare needle?

I can't find anywhere in the manual about what the stock needle is or what the spare needle is? Is the spare leaner or richer? Any by how much?

In my 2017 TE300 Manual, the spare needle is slightly leaner. May want to recheck the manual, there should be a chart in there showing the Stock needle vs. spare.

I only have about 1 hour on mine, but I don't like the richness off idle/on the lower part of the needle stock needle. Might try the spare needle, but ordered the JD Jetting just in case.

Mine is same...stock position (3rd) was way to rich and (2nd) position seems to lean, but still rich on bottom. Going to try the spare needle before I go JD.

My dealer gave me the needle from a TC 150 and I have it on the first/top positition and it's perrrrrrrrrrfect

If the needle is numbered the number will let you know if it's leaner or richer. You can also measure the needle in the same locations compared to other needles and compare... smaller diameter is richer. Many or most needles are dual taper so you should measure in several locations.

Just installed the JD Jetting kit last night and it is much improved. Went right to their recommended settings for tight single track @ sea level and the off idle response and low/midrange is much improved. Hopefully will have a better chance to try it this weekend.

At this point, looks like I will need to go JD. Was hoping not to spend $85 on a couple needles, but I tried several combinations using the needles/jets that came with the kit and it only made it worse. My bottom right off idle is terribly fat and then it cleans up at 1/8th throttle and is perfect. I tried using the leaner needle, a leaner pilot and it seem to be even worse. I backed out the air screw 3, then 3.5 turns and still not a bit of improvement.

Fustrating for a $9K bike.

I hear ya. I've already dumped another $1K in guards, bars, lighting kit, etc. just getting it sorted to my liking. Guess its the nature of the beast.

The JD kit drops the Main down 1 size (430 ---> 420) and the pilot down 3 sizes (37.5 ---> 30). I used the blue needle @ 2.5 clip, and my air screw @ 1.25 turns out as recommended. Still has a slight lean bog when lugging it at very low rpms, but that may be unsolvable. Gonna play with the air screw and maybe bump up the pilot jet.

Usually a bog is a sign of a rich condition...no? When to lean you get the ping or hanging idle

I define a lean bog as the "bowwwwwww" when I crack the throttle and the motor wants to die. It only really happens when I'm lugging it "at" or below idle.

I'm coming from a Lectron on my WR177 and it may just be unsolvable on a standard carb, Mikuni or Keihin. Or just needs more tuning. Or I'm being overly sensitive.

Probably the last one haha.

A bog is not "unsolvable" but you might have to experiment with needles, slides, jets and float level to correct it. I sorted a Mikuni and had about $100 in parts and it was great for a Mikuni... Then I bought a Lectron and it was better in every way. In hindsight I would have bought the Lectron on day one and applied the $100 to the purchase price. I've almost saved the price of the Lectron in race fuel over the last 5 years and had a better running bike plus avoided the need for an oversized tank because of the extended range given by the Lectron.

This is why I am cautious to spend $85 on JD jet kit, but $500 for a new carb after spending $10k, is not an option now...

Just following up, I ended up installing a VForce4 Reed block which really helped clean up my low end and has eliminated the bog I was dealing with.

Take a look at the pictures members have posted of their stock '17 TE/TX reed blocks. The stock reeds are junk.

I broke down and bought a JD kit and after some experimentation have nailed down the jetting and have no low end bog.

Red needle 3.5, 30 pilot, 430 main. AS 1.75

Mikuni=set up, suspension=set up etc etc pro tuners are pro tuners because they know how to set things up and understand that 1 round of set up is not going to work, sometimes they spend weeks and even months of testing for their rider.
This Mikuni thing to me is another internet mindset of it being bad....this thing has been around for a long time and has been on Yamahas and others that have won numerous MX shootouts. Anyway do what works for you, also regarding reeds....they are supposed to be seated of course the are a check valve, however by the same action the opens them (piston going up creating vacuum) they are forced closed (piston going downcreating a pressure wave) and yes I did buy a V4 cage and a JD jetting (also a AOMC kit for god measure to add t the brass collection) to baseline the machine and because I have personally seen a few reed pedal failures on these late model 2Ts from Austria. Also as I mentioned before, tweak the float level down a little bit on the Mikuni, mine was very high and fuel would spill out the stand pipe drain with only a few degrees of side tilt. best of show tuning takes time. Thats my 2 cents from the peanut gallery (oh and for one Haaker has the Mikuni on his bike, if it works for him when dialed it can work for anyone here in intertube land)