Power Commander for SP1, does it make a difference?

[bob the builder]

A quick question for the SP division here, does fitting a power commander to a SP1 make a difference or am I wasting my dosh.
I currently have a pair of high level Leo Vince carbon cans on the bike, although they look good and sound braw i find them rather loud and the bike can stutter slightly on light throttle. I understand that these bike are prone to this unless you are giving it plenty.
My plan was to either buy a power commander and try to even out the fuelling or ditch the cans and go with standards.
Does the power commander work with both standard and race cans?

Ta very much in advance!!

[Zakalwe]

It will make a massive difference, but only if you go the whole hog and get a custom map (about £100~).

A well mapped PC will smooth out the snatchy throttle response that you are experiencing at small throttle openings (you will probably never totally eliminate it though...thats why the SP2s had 12-hole injectors rather than the 4-hole ones on the SP1). It will also beef up the midrange (have you done the flapper mod yet, as that will get rid of the step in the power at 5K RPM?).

A custom map gave me an extra 8bhp on the top end, and a big wodge in the mid-range...Get it done....it was the best money I ever spent on mine.

Before and after traces

[bob the builder]

Flapper mod....eh?

Custom map.........eh?

I thought you just bought the darn thing and then popped it on and away we go...............obviously I have a lot to learn.

[Zakalwe]

Flapper mod....eh?

Custom map.........eh?

I thought you just bought the darn thing and then popped it on and away we go...............obviously I have a lot to learn.

Flapper mod: (click for link)
On top of the air intake snorkel, there is a rubber hose (about 5mm in diameter)- just behind the headlights. Disconnect this hose, bend it over and tie it with a cable tie. make sure it cant leak air in. In the air intake there is a flap that closes at 5000RPM, to cut down on the intake noise (for noise tests). Obviously any restriction to air, just as the engine is getting into it's stride, is a bad thing. Disconnecting the small rubber hose stops this flap from closing and restricting the air intake.



Custom Map:
All a Power Commander does is either add or subtract fuel from the injectors at different points in the rev range. Modern bikes are setup quite conservatively (with more recent bikes running quite lean for emission purposes). It does this by being plugged in between the bike's ECU and the injectors. When the ECU tells the injector to fire fuel into the engine the Power Commander either adds or subtracts fuel, based on a fuelling map stored in it's memory.
The SP1/2s run very rich as standard. Honda got the willys when some bikes ran very hot in hot climates. The side mounted rads are not the best way to cool a bike after all! (that's why tuned or race VTRs have front mounted rads). By running the engine rich, this lowers the engine temperature.
Take the bike (with the Power Commander fitted) to a dyno centre. The operator will tune the Power Commander to add or subtract extra fuel to the engine at certain RPMs and throttle opening. This will optimise the fuelling for your particular bike. This is called a custom map.
I had a map on my Power Commander that was downloaded from Dynojet's website (the maker of the PC...the UK office is based in Preston, Lancashire). You can see the difference that the custom map made from the power curves on my earlier post....an extra 8bhp at the top of the rev range and an extra 5ft/lb of torque. What you can't see is how much more responsive the bike was, and how cleanly it pulled. The hole in the power curve at 5000RPM was completley removed.

Money well spent!

[bob the builder]

Good man, many thanks for all the info. I am on the lookout as of now!

Will do me flapper mod tomorrow!

[Seeker 77]

+1 they make a huge difference mate. Fuel economy went from 90 to 130 until DLOD.

[Beamish]

Do SP2s have the flapper fitted? I am still saving for the dyno but keep going through consumables that are needed to keep it legal

[gilson]

Hey Beamish,

That's what I was thinking... there is a tube that runs up to a round metal, ashtray looking device, some sort of vaccum I thought... does it help taking this off and blocking it up on an SP2?

I've always thought that my engine performs differently at 3.5Krevs, it makes a slightly different noise.. maybe that's it?

[Pete.L]

Hi Tim,
Short answer to all your questions YES!
As in Yes it will sort your hunting out
Yes you can tweek it yourself
Yes it's best done on a Dyno
And (We know what you are like ) Yes it is best left to the profesionals

Pete.l

[Pete.L]

A pc will at least get the smoothness back.
The instructions are very simple and it's an easy unit to fit. I'm sure you'll be able to fit it yourself and save a few quid that way. Also, and I'm sure you do, if you have a laptop you can download and install different maps and you might find one which clears the problem up for you. If not get a custom one and jobs a goodun

Pete.l

[Seeker 77]

Sorry to hijack this thread but i too have been reading with interest. I fitted a full Arrow race system and K&N filter, and downloaded the correct map, model, kit the lot. The difference is really noticeable but i am loathed to spend another £140 to get a custom map whent he thing seems to run so well. Will the custom map really be that different from the one that i downloaded? I know that every bike is different but come on, really?

[Pete.L]

Tims quite right Mark.
It also depends on the bike. The SP1 has very poor fueling to start with so the gains are really noticeable. I've spoken to some people with the SP2 and they haven't thought the difference was worth the cash. The main thing is if you have a problem with fueling, caused by a different pipe, filter or whatever, it will sort it out. Some bikes have some power gains to be got, mainly due to tight emissions tests and bikes running as quiet and lean as they can, but not all.
I've got a down loaded map and I keep promising myself a custom one but haven't got around to it yet. When I had the bike serviced last month I had the mechanic , who just happens to be an engine tuner look at the plugs. He uses a microscope btw I just hold mine up to the sun light and he said they were pretty close, a fraction lean but nothing to worry about. It's put my mind at rest and I don't know if I would notice the final 10%
I think all you could do is have a diagnostic run done and ask the tuner if there is any more to be had.

Pete

[Seeker 77]

Think i'll wait for now then. Fuelling seems fine at the mo'.

[Zakalwe]

I'm on me hols, so this post is coming from Florida (woohoo How's the rain doing back in the UK?).

Yes the SP2 has a flapper, and yes it benefits from disconnecting and plugging the pipe. Lots of Honda's (and I guess other makes) have some sort of flapper to quieten the intake noise for noise emission testing purposes. My Fireblade has one, and disconnecting it makes a very noticeable difference.
Yes you can fiddle with the PC...the software is available from Dynojets site, but if you have a custom map fitted then there should be no need to fiddle.

Anyhoo, must dash. Gotta go and sit on a beach somewhere, drink cool beer, eat a fantastic steak (surf-and-turf...drool) and watch the sun setting over the Atlantic (anyone jealous yet?? )

[Pete.L]

Anyhoo, must dash. Gotta go and sit on a beach somewhere, drink cool beer, eat a fantastic steak (surf-and-turf...drool) and watch the sun setting over the Atlantic (anyone jealous yet?? )

Hey!
Leave some room for me. I'll be there Saturday night and don't drink all the bears, flying always gives me a thirst

Pete.l