Thanks a lot 998S - truly helpful. I suspect Milton has all of the manuals, etc, but if not, other JH600'rs in Shanghai do.

I did a bit of reading on the Ducati forums. Thanks for the tip - looks like a very similar stalling problem. And to think that I was about to purchase a Multistrada ... wow, I would've been damn depressed, jumping from the pan into the fire.

Andy's tip about the fuel filter is also worth pursuing. I looked at the parts/service manuals for the JH600 and couldn't see an external filter. In my experience with other EFI bikes, the fuel pump is internal (inside the fuel tank) with the filter(s) attached to the pickup (pre-entry to the pressure pump). I can't really make out from the manual pics if the pick up arm has a filter attached, and it is not a separate part (it is all one unit - pressure pump & pick up & pressure regulator). It looks like the entire pump assembly might have to be replaced if there is fuel blockage. Fortunately, if needed, the JH600's fuel pump assembly looks like it is easily accessed (no tank removal required), and most probably is relatively inexpensive (versus HD and Victory fuel pumps, which are around $600, US).

I've been pondering this lean fuel situation, in the context of the Jialing's "assistance". It may very well be the case that Jialing knows the problem but it cannot legally "fix" it (remapping to a richer feed) because do so might put the bikes over the emissions standards.

Again, thanks guys!