Sportbike World banner

Best Deals

3K views 40 replies 9 participants last post by  JBaz 
#1 ·
I have a 2005 Yamaha R6. when I get funds together, I am looking to add a power commander, exhaust K&N air filter and a steering stabilizer. My question, being with all of the availability of parts both online and in shops, where is the best deal? Or are they all pretty similar?
 
#2 ·
Can't address new. But I'd recommend picking up used stuff (excluding air filters) at an R6-specific forum where you can review the owner's history (if that matters to you).

What's an exhaust K&N?
 
#3 ·
oops. missed the comma. I am thinking power commander, probably a leo vince exhaust, and the K&N. I will probably go all new with the stuff. I am just one of those guys that doesn't trust used stuff much on my bike. Maybe some things here and there, but when my tail is on the line for it, I want to be able to trust my equipment 100%.
 
#4 ·
K&N filters used or new, are suppose to be good for 100k miles. You just have to wash and reoil them after some 8k miles. As for the power commander, its not really that necessary, but it does give you quite a bit of power if and only if you have a pipe. Slip-on's give some more power, but to really take advantage of the power commander, you'd might look into getting a full system.

When you get your exhaust, try looking around first to see if PCIII maps have been made for that exhaust slip-on or system with or w/o performance filters. That'll save you a lot of tinkering or paying someone else to tune your bike properly so your getting the optimal performance.

Note: Power command will make your bike eat more gas then normal. Two of my friend's bike's have PCIII on a 954 and a gixxer 600. They have been averaging mid 20's mpg. They also have been having some electrical PCIII problems
 
#5 ·
That was one of my concerns (electrical issues). Let me put this out there then. If I went with the full system and a K&N, would I have to get my bike's brain remapped, or would it figure it out? Assuming I did away with the power commander. Part of the reason for having the thing is the fuel efficiency.
 
#8 ·
using the stock computer with stock mapping, you may notice a few power gains with a full system and air filter, but it won't be taken to its full advantaged till its tuned/mapped correctly for optimal power and fuel usage. My friend's PCIII's aren't mapped correctly, hinse their horrible gas milage. It's hard to use their software if your new to it and finding someone in my area to map the bike correctly is almost impossible. I say check online if they have premapped your bike setup, then get PCIII, if not. Check around bike shops and see who can map your bike for like 50 bucks. The PCIII default mapping settings will use more gas and you'll end up with some flames coming out of the exhaust.
 
#9 ·
That is what I figured. I know of a shop about an hour from where I live that if I purchase through them, they said they will throw my bike on the dyno both before and after installation and do a custom map for my bike. There is only one shop in my town with a dyno and they are a few weeks out. Plus I heard (haven't checked it out with the shop) that they don't give you the maps that come with the software in town here. They only load they map they they feel you need and want to charge you if you need to come back. I want to achieve some power upgrades without too much $$$ involved, but not screw up the performance too much. Am I asking too much?? I know the upgrades will probably run about $2000, but if I am spending that much, I want to be assured that my ride doesn't get screwed up.
 
#10 ·
Hi MSMYTH-

If the upgrade is going to run nearly $2000 plus the potential for increased fuel consumption and decreased reliability...what about selling the current motorcycle in stock condition and migrating to a larger-displacement 1000cc model with a fresh warranty?

~ Blue Jays ~
 
#11 ·
mythbusters to the rescue!
if your friends are getting 20mpg, the tuning is waaaay off. Something else gotta be seriously wrong too.

An engine should burn a set ammount of fuel for a certain ammount of air. The main advantage of refueling and fitting a good pipe is getting a smoother power curve. Look at the torque curve of your bike and you'll see some interesting spikes. Some of those are necessary, but others are artificual to help deal with noise and emmissions. A power commander will cut those right out. Yes, that means some increased fuel ussage, but I doubt you will ever notice the difference. Perhaps yours friends are very fond of the new pipe sounds and enjoy demonstrating it?
There shouldnt be any sagnificant increased wear on your engine either, if anything less than stock (engine run hotter lean)

Your bike will not "figure out" the fueling setup of your new pipe. There is no exhaust sensor, thus the fuel computer is running blind. It just knows how much fuel to inject at a certain rpm with a certain throttle opening. It might adjust for engine temperature, but thats about it. (well there are some wierd magic going on in some bikes, like suzi's cutting ignition at a certain rpm with half throttle at certain gears) however, it also wont hurt your bike to run a slightly wrong setup.
 
#12 ·
I considered that. I only weigh about 130 punds. I can handle the R1, but for my size, it just feels like I am throwing a boat around. My good friend has the 05 R1. When riding it, I could barely keep the front end on the ground, which I know is about throttle control. I know the bike only weighs 25 punds more and has the additional 60-70 horsepower than the r6. A good thought though. I have worked hard to pay this one off pretty fast too. I have about half the bike paid off in just under a year now.
 
#13 ·
One of my friends is a small sized guy. I'm going to guess he is under #140. He rides a 600rr and an r1, and he is real fast. I've noticed that he very rarely moves around on his bike. And with little weight it makes sense, since the impact isnt anything like someone in the #180-200 range
 
#15 ·
not poking fun. It just always got to me that here is this guy, on a 600, that I cant catch on a liter, I'm trying to get a little extra speed out of different body positioning and I hardly ever see him slide his butt in the seat...
 
#16 ·
Sounds like me. My body position doesn't seem to effect a damn thing. So your saying its just due to my weight? It does have its disadvantages though... shifting my weight to the rear doesn't help for tire slippage:crying:

Sepias
 
#17 ·
in a streight line body positioning does little except encourage wheelies/stopies. Its at full lean that it makes a difference. The more weight you can get away from the centerline the less you gotta lean the bike, the more rubber you got, the less slipage.
 
#18 ·
I was riding with my friend who has the 954RR with the PCIII. When he was doing a stand up 2nd gear wheelie, about 3 seconds lander he brings it down hard and rolls off the small road. Apparently, his PCIII some how shorted and cut off the engine. We disconnected the PCIII and the bike worked fine.
 
#19 ·
Vash said:
in a streight line body positioning does little except encourage wheelies/stopies. Its at full lean that it makes a difference. The more weight you can get away from the centerline the less you gotta lean the bike, the more rubber you got, the less slipage.
So thats why I have to go full over when I take nice hard turns.O well just makes it more fun:D

Sepias
 
#20 ·
JBaz said:
I was riding with my friend who has the 954RR with the PCIII. When he was doing a stand up 2nd gear wheelie, about 3 seconds lander he brings it down hard and rolls off the small road. Apparently, his PCIII some how shorted and cut off the engine. We disconnected the PCIII and the bike worked fine.
I'm willing to bet he didnt secure his ground wire properly.
 
#22 ·
There are 2 connecters, and a little wire thats supposed to be grounded.
 
#23 ·
JBaz said:
The PCIII default mapping settings will use more gas and you'll end up with some flames coming out of the exhaust.
Well, that sold it for me! Just kidding. :)

Interesting topic since I have been debating doing the same type of performance modifications. Were I still living in PA, I probably would be thinking of suspension upgrades first, but since I live in southeast MI, a little added power would be fun. Tuning would be fun, but I always tend to go back to reliability. I am 100% sure that the Honda engineers are way smarter than me when it comes to how the motor runs and tuning it to run at peak performance.

My first step, however, will be to lower the gearing on my F4i. MSMYTH, perhaps this will serve your purposes as well. A -1/+2 front/rear sprocket setup will improve acceleration a lot, and it costs less than a slip-on exhaust, including a new chain. You'll still have to shift quite a bit, but with a sequential gearbox and the ability to click off smooth, clutchless upshifts, that's not really a big issue.
 
#24 ·
a -1 +2 sprocket combo shouldnt require a new chain. However gearing does not affect the overall acceleration, it just moves the peaks around.
 
#25 ·
Vash said:
a -1 +2 sprocket combo shouldnt require a new chain. However gearing does not affect the overall acceleration, it just moves the peaks around.
Gotta disagree there Vash. It moves all the peaks lower if you want to look at it that way, but there's no getting around F=M*A. When you gear lower you increase your torque to the rear axle, which increases F (force) at the tire contact patch. M (mass) remains the same, so A (acceleration) has to increase.
 
#26 ·
You're not looking at the over all picture, just instantanious acceleration. If what you are saying was true, twins would out acceleration inlines (since they have higher torque numbers). It takes horsepower to get a bike moving and that hasnt changed any.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top