Cold start idle issue! Can't find a satisfying answer in scouring forums.....

Sorry long post, please read details...I have an '05 xb9sx with about 8600 mi. Only mod is a D&D exhaust. I live in Vegas with summer temps around 100-105 degrees currently. Well, yesterday (Saturday) I headed out to the lake, started my bike about 5:30am, everything was normal, idled great, no issues what so ever. I topped off at a Chevron with 91 octane gas. And got on the freeway around 5:45am. I mostly rode the 30 minutes travel at 75-80 mph @ a constant 4000 rpm +/- a few. I got down by the Marina, parked my bike, etc. Got back on my bike around 10am, key on, fuel pump primed, fired right up and then stalled. Started again...idled for bit then dropped rpms and stalled. Fired it up again and kept the revs up by throttle and rode off after a few minutes of warming up. Doesn't take long in this summer heat. Now the interesting thing is it would idle fine, no hiccups or misses once she got warmed up from riding a bit. I made the ride home another 30 mins at 75-80 mph @ 4000 rpms (except for a small stretch where I pushed it to 120 mph @ a little over 6k rpms)...she ran great, no issues at stop lights, or decel (I always pull the clutch in and coast as I down shift, letting the idle come down). Made it home, let it sit at an idle for a few minutes and shut it off. Everything was great...then I let it sit for a few hrs to cool down and started it back up just to see if it was a fluke. Unfortunately it did it again. Same thing, did not want to idle at a cold start. So I did a breather re route because I noticed a lot of gunk in the intake, manifold, etc. I cleaned it all out good with carb/tb cleaner, blew everything out with air. Finished the re route. Noticed the air filter could be changed (have a k&n coming, along with an ecm cable to do a re map, tps reset, check codes, etc.) I got it all back together and still wanted to die...until after warming up, riding and getting everything at operating temps...she runs just fine.

I have been scouring google and forums for answers and haven't found a satisfactory answer. The only relative one was same symptoms but he had a loose intake manifold. Everything on mine is tight and don't see any visible indication of a leak. I did idle it up a bit just to keep it running at a cold start, but causes it to idle a touch higher at operating temp. I noticed as the revs drop, it's like it misses and the headlight dims a touch and then idle picks back up. It just barley stays running! But runs great once warmed up!! I dunno what could have caused this...I have a few thoughts

1) Could a long ride cause the ecm to learn a different environment and attempt to adjust accordinly

2) TPS sensor reset?

3) IAT sensor giving improper readings on cold start?

4) Spark Plugs?

I dunno...how it runs great one moment and not the next!! FRUSTRATED!! It had been running just fine! Any ideas, help, suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Only a shot in the dark but when mine had a plug go out it worked spradically.
ie: When it fouled I could hear the miss on idle. I was away from home and I decided to limp it home.

When I got up to about 3rd gear the fouled plug started firing again and the bike ran fine all the way home. I didn't ride it after that until I installed new plugs. NO problems since.

I suggest new air filter and plugs first. It wouldn't hurt to replace them both anyway right?
Good Luck

This first answer would be what I would check first while waiting for your ecm cable. Then check and make sure your battery cables are tight. (I had a problem like this, turn out to be just a loose neg cable). Then check for vacume leaks ( I just use carb cleaner and listen for a rise in rpm) Then Tps reset. I think I would do a Tps reset before I added a fuel map and K&n, just to get the bugs worked out before changing anything vital.

I had a similer problem when I bought my bike.
PO said it was because it needed to be dyno tuned, turned out to just be the crappy factory plugs. Put in some NGK iridiums and the bike runs better then ever.

Thanks! I will check everything out mentioned. I am new to buells and all their little quirks...It's just confusing because the throttle response is fine and comes right back down to idle when you crack it and release...wouldn't an intake leak affect that also? Doesn't seem to have a loss of power...both cylinders are firing at idle, maybe not well? But I will check and/or replace all that stuff, couldn't hurt any. Lol At least it's running well, other than the idle issue on startup...it's just weird it only just started after going to the lake!! BTW I am ridiculously sore from falling on the water...maybe I shouldn't go anymore! LOL

well...I checked for an intake leak and sure enough there is one. seams to be on the rear cylinder. I also sprayed carb cleaner along the the head gasket and it to seemed to have an effect on the idle, but I couldn't be 100% if that too was a cause. What would a bad/leaking head gasket cause the bike to do? Same thing?