What power commander map do you use if there isn't one for your exhaust?

[nightfire]

As the title says, if I get a slip on or full exhaust which the power commander doesn't make a map for what should I do? For instance I was looking at the Yoshimura (which they do make one for) but I really like the Akrapovic (which they make no map for, slip on or full)

[Qwknuf]

What you need is a custom map specifically for your bike.

[nightfire]

Originally Posted by Qwknuf

What you need is a custom map specifically for your bike.

Ah damn I was hoping not to have to go that route, cause that will be a lot more expensive then just downloading one of they're existing maps.

Anyone know why they don't make one for any Akrapovic exhausts?

Unless is there anyone that someone who already tuned they're bike with that exhaust to upload it to a comp where I can download it to the power commander?

[SPOOLN GSXR]

Originally Posted by nightfire

Anyone know why they don't make one for any Akrapovic exhausts?

Some companies look at all the problems associated with buying their exhaust and living at a different altitude. If I have a bike tuned in Florida at sea level then go to say Colorado. My tune would run extremely poor. So they want you to do the right thing and get it locally tuned. Even if they did have a free map I still wouldn't recommend that you use it for anything more than a base map to help you tune it faster. Always get a custom tune or just don't bother trying to mod your bike. It will save you some headaches. Also, those maps are typically too rich so you are wasting alot of fuel for no reason. Alot of times by custom tuning your bike it will gain mpg being that you are making it more efficient.

[nightfire]

Originally Posted by SPOOLN GSXR

Some companies look at all the problems associated with buying their exhaust and living at a different altitude. If I have a bike tuned in Florida at sea level then go to say Colorado. My tune would run extremely poor. So they want you to do the right thing and get it locally tuned. Even if they did have a free map I still wouldn't recommend that you use it for anything more than a base map to help you tune it faster. Always get a custom tune or just don't bother trying to mod your bike. It will save you some headaches. Also, those maps are typically too rich so you are wasting alot of fuel for no reason. Alot of times by custom tuning your bike it will gain mpg being that you are making it more efficient.

If I did go with that exhaust I'd probably end up getting the ignition module and wide band sensor too. That way I could fully tune it and with wide band, I wouldn't have to pay to get it tuned on a dyno. Even any tips that anyone could give as far as how to compare the a/f ratio from the wide band program to what i should do to each cell on the power commander spreadsheet/with the ignition module would be greatly appreciated.

But what's the best way to go about learning how to tune this bikes (namely with dynojet software because that's what i'll be using)? I've tried to research books for tips and the internet but i'm coming up with nothing. There has to be some book or website out there that would at least give me a nice basic education on how to properly tune the bike. I wouldn't feel right just messing around with it and not knowing what i'm doing.

[SPOOLN GSXR]

I will still recommend that you get your bike tuned on a dyno because you are tuning with a load. That gives a more precise tune. Yes a dyno isn't needed, but it makes things a hell of alot more easier and precise. Regardless of what route that you make just keep your AFR's fat enough so you won't run lean. That is the biggest mistake that I see being potentially fatal to your motor. Start rich then lean and never vise versa.

There is not exactly a best way depending on the bike. Just try to tune it on a day comparable to what the weather is normally or conditions that your bike will see. So don't do it on a rainy day if it never rains there and such. After making changes always do a test ride to see what your changes amount to. Another thing that not tuning on a dyno will become a pain is that you may have to break the speed limit to see if all your changes are beneficial and without hiccups.

Truthfully though if you spent good money on the bike and are worried about messing something up do the smart thing and take it to a professional. That's what I do because I don't care to blow a $10k motor over a $200 tune. I've seen that done mutliple times. Best of luck.

[nightfire]

Originally Posted by SPOOLN GSXR

I will still recommend that you get your bike tuned on a dyno because you are tuning with a load. That gives a more precise tune. Yes a dyno isn't needed, but it makes things a hell of alot more easier and precise. Regardless of what route that you make just keep your AFR's fat enough so you won't run lean. That is the biggest mistake that I see being potentially fatal to your motor. Start rich then lean and never vise versa.

There is not exactly a best way depending on the bike. Just try to tune it on a day comparable to what the weather is normally or conditions that your bike will see. So don't do it on a rainy day if it never rains there and such. After making changes always do a test ride to see what your changes amount to. Another thing that not tuning on a dyno will become a pain is that you may have to break the speed limit to see if all your changes are beneficial and without hiccups.

Truthfully though if you spent good money on the bike and are worried about messing something up do the smart thing and take it to a professional. That's what I do because I don't care to blow a $10k motor over a $200 tune. I've seen that done mutliple times. Best of luck.

Thanks for the tips! I will probably end up trying it myself just because I always love tinkering around with stuff and I'm thinking the more practice I have at it the better it will become. It might not be as good as the dyno like you said but I'm more old school when it comes to things I can do myself if I just have to learn more about them to do it. Hopefully things will turn out for the best

But one more question which my friend just brought to my attention: Even if I do have the power commander and ignition module and wide band sensor there is still technically no way to know if I'm gaining or losing power right? Because with the dyno they can just see but is there an actual readout on the computer that one of them will give me that will tell me if I'm actually gaining or losing hp/torque? (Like the readout that they have on dyno's)?

[SPOOLN GSXR]

Originally Posted by nightfire

Even if I do have the power commander and ignition module and wide band sensor there is still technically no way to know if I'm gaining or losing power right? Because with the dyno they can just see but is there an actual readout on the computer that one of them will give me that will tell me if I'm actually gaining or losing hp/torque? (Like the readout that they have on dyno's)?

Easy, take it to the drag strip. Don't worry about the E.T or your 60 ft time. Just do a before mod run and after. Once again don't worry about the E.T. or 60 ft time. Look at your trap speeds. Wether you run a 14.00 or 10.00 E.T. or have a 1.6 or 2.6 60ft time your trap speeds will still be about the same. We always use trap speeds to see if we are gaining whp. That is more acurrate than a dyno being that a dyno is nothing, but a tuning tool.

[nightfire]

Originally Posted by SPOOLN GSXR

Easy, take it to the drag strip. Don't worry about the E.T or your 60 ft time. Just do a before mod run and after. Once again don't worry about the E.T. or 60 ft time. Look at your trap speeds. Wether you run a 14.00 or 10.00 E.T. or have a 1.6 or 2.6 60ft time your trap speeds will still be about the same. We always use trap speeds to see if we are gaining whp. That is more acurrate than a dyno being that a dyno is nothing, but a tuning tool.

That's a pretty cool way of doing it. But using dynojet's software it's basically just to really smooth everything out rather then gaining more power per say, correct? So basically I could make the bike run better or worse with the mods I have on it by tuning the power commander and ignition module, but I wouldn't really be gaining or losing much power at all?

Also I'm trying to understand how exactly they tune the ignition module. I downloaded the power commander program and some maps just to see what it's all about and I understand that the tuning of the power commander it self is all based off the AFR data of the wide band sensor, however what data do I use to tune the ignition timing?

[SPOOLN GSXR]

The software helps you get the most out of your motor and mods without damaging it. It will aid in the overall rideability. You could make the bike run worse with the wrong settings or ultimately blow a motor, but if done correctly you wtq and whp will be increased while also keeping reliability and longevity. You can even gain mpg while also adding whp.

Typically to tune ignition a tuner will advance the timing until knock appears then retard the timing a few degrees to deem it a safe tune. They typically will use a knock sensor with a dyno to show different loads and be able to run constant rpm's. Once again, a dyno is worth it's weight in gold when tuning. So overall a knock sensor is most of the time used to tune for timing, but you do need a dyno to do it properly.

[brianbat420]

Your saying that the ECU will not compensate for the exhaust? Why can cars do it but not a bike?

[brianbat420]

???

[jk750]

Originally Posted by brianbat420

Your saying that the ECU will not compensate for the exhaust? Why can cars do it but not a bike?

Because cars have a closed loop system. Most bike do not.