Well, did it work?
Was able to get a run out yesterday.
Firstly, what am I expecting from this modification? I'm not trying to get an out and out power increase. If I wanted 150bhp there's much easier ways of getting it. Like buy a Fireblade. I'm simply looking for more driveabilty.
I want a smoother, more flexible engine that hasn't developed a drink problem. A modest increase in power would be nice, too.
I've no dyno chart to wave around the pub, just my own observations based on my experience as a paying customer.
The first impressions are pretty underwhelming. Having had a PCV and finding an immediate difference when using it, I did wonder if I'd bought another accelerator module at first. I'm guessing that anyone who has had a remap would notice the difference immediately, too.
No real difference noticed for the first thirty miles or so, first town I passed through there was noticeable surging and the engine still felt stained at low revs. Was still harsh on the open road and from what I've read, my standard engine is not as bad as some.
On that, mine is a 2010 TC with 25k miles, otherwise standard apart from de catted headers and the flappy valve replaced with a pipe from Nippy Normans.
First thing I noticed was that it became easier to do clutchless gear changes again. With the PCV it was very easy to nick up and down the top three gears with a twitch of the throttle. Standard, it was easier to use the clutch or else out felt like they 'hooked' slightly due to the throttle not being as responsive.
Initially, I was trying to use the throttle and gears as much as possible because the ECU had to relearn after making these changes and I was trying to give as wide a range as possible including WOT.
After about thirty miles when I pulled up at a set of lights I thought it was about to die on me! The tickover had dropped by about 100-200 RPM to around 11 or 1200 RPM. Not hunting about, just quietly ticking over.
I did around 200 miles yesterday and it just got better and better, but it was very subtle.
Sitting on the motorway at 4500 RPM in sixth it was very smooth, plus the roll on's in top gear were back.
I'm sure that if I'd been on a private road it would've pulled strongly from around 50mph in top to 120 plus.
But it was by the time I was getting near the end of my run out that I got my biggest surprise.
I was going through a town and it was busy so was just shifting up and down the gears without paying much attention to the revs. Just going by feel, as it were.
Art one point I was in a low gear and thought 'here we go, feels a bit fluffy now' checked the rev counter and I was riding along at only 1500 RPM!
Started to monitor it a bit more and realised that I had adapted without realising and was driving in traffic the same as my small turbo diesel car, a new model Clio, and just throwing gears at it and riding the torque. A big flat twin does not need to feel lumpy at low revs!
From what I've read, it'll take another couple of hundred miles for the ECU to fully adapt but I'm delighted with the results so far. From what I've read, the closed loop part of the system adjusts quickly, with adaptations to the open loop taking a bit longer.
I reset the average fuel gauge but because I've been using the gears and revs more than normal, it's not a great guide. The consumption does seem to be heading pretty much back to where it was, though.
Would I recommend it? Absolutely.
As I've said before, I can give an OPINION on how the AF-XIED compares with a PCV and my opinion is that it is a better solution than the PCV. BMW actually have built a really well managed fuel injection system that is restricted by the required emission controls.
The AF-XIED units retain that adaptability and allows the ECU to adjust the fueling for a particular bike as it runs in different temperatures and conditions.
How does compare to a remap? Still have no idea. Never had one.
My OPINION would be that I would doubt that it is a massive improvement, if any, over these AF-XIED units. But, if anyone out there has experience with both, I'd really be interested in hearing about it.
The only comment about changing from the PCV to a remap said that while he was pleased with the remap, he felt that it wasn't as good lower down. His experience, not mine.
As Roger, the guy in Boston who developed it said, you don't need a dynojet to map your engine, it does that itself. If you decide to go for that low mileage, triple black TC or even an LC, you can take it with you. You can buy different connectors for the units for different bikes. The like of A K1200/1300 and earlier twins only use one unit.
A remap is great if it really is a keeper but was reading recently about one owner who has spent nearly a grand remapping his last three bikes!
I might've held on to my K1600GT a bit longer off I'd known that these would have fitted. The transmission on it sounded like a bag of spanners through the town.
Don't waste your money on booster plugs/accelerator plugs or sporty exhausts, air filters, etc. for a better bike, just fit a couple of these. Unfortunately for you, no one will know how cool you are because there's nothing too see.
Like I said, I'm only a paying customer and have no financial interest in these units. Would just recommend them highly.