When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I have a new 2019 Low Rider and want to do a Stage 1 conversion. I will buy and install the High Flow Ventilator Air Cleaner and the SE Street Cannons mufflers myself. I want to keep the conversion "all HD" in order to protect my warranty. QUESTION: How much should a dealer charge me to do a 1-time ECM flash to update ECM settings for a Stage 1 conversion using all HD parts? Frankly, I don't want to buy a Pro Tuner; I just want to pay the dealer to do a Stage 1 flash.
Getting answers that don't make sense at dealer. Dealer tells me that HD doesn't allow them to do a Stage 1 flash any more and that I must buy the Pro Tuner? HELP!
The dealer is telling you straight. The bike can only be flashed using a new SEPST, it will be married to your bike and can not flash any other bike. They will also charge you shop time to do the flash. I would recommend doing it yourself, that way you can do smart tune anytime you like. That will fine tune the stage 1 calibration to your bike. You will save on the shop time but will have to buy the cable kit.
There are no more dealer download flashes. If you want an M8 tuned, it REQUIRES the purchase of an HD Pro Street Tuner, which will then lock to your VIN.
Another "Harley Tax". My problem is that I only use Apple products and the Pro Tuner doesn't have an Apple application. Leaning toward getting 5k miles on bike and forgetting about the warranty. The V&H Eliminator 300 is a good looking product, and I know the FP3. It is so easy to use the FP3 through my iPhone, and the V&H support is the greatest.
I will wait until my new 2019 Softail Slim's warranty has expired and then buy the Vance and Hines Fuelpak and flash my own map like I did with my 2016 883 Iron . Any Harley tuner is nothing more than a standard factory EPA compliant lean tune , they have to by their agreement and settlement with the federal Government . Now many here who have been suckered into paying for the Harley tune and thinking they are getting a true Stage I tune form a Harley Dealer / tuner will now start to chime in, start now .
The M8 is a different animal than the Twin Cam. All of my TCs needed 3rd party tuning and products to run satisfactorily for me (not including the older SE race tuner). My M8 Heritage runs flawlessly with my factory stage 2 kit and tune. Basing opinions on older experiences is a mistake in this case I believe. Are their great performing aftermarket mods out there? Absolutely, but the HD/SE stuff is not a bad choice in this case.
Also the later TC motors by design needed to come strangled from the factory to pass emissions. The M8 is efficient enough that the stock tune is now very solid and not overly lean to begin with. It’s a whole different kettle of fish.
The Sportster is an entirely different motor as well, so again, not a perfect case study to compare with.
A big improvement in the M8 that people tend to ignore is the dual plug ignition system and real knock sensors instead of the "ion sense" system. Also available is the H-D tuning module with wide-band O2 sensors. I really like the way my bike runs with it as an EPA legal Stage II.
Couldn't give a single molecule of crap as to whether my tune is a "real" Stage II or not. Bike runs fantastic, it got a 25% increase in torque and HP, and it kept my warranty intact. Bike's happy, I'm happy, racked up 20,000 spirited miles in the first year.
EPA-compliant doesn't mean it has to be "bad". The new Corvette, Mustang GT, and Hellcats are all EPA-compliant, and they move okay.
I used to long for the day my warranty ends, so I could go in and aftermarket my engine. But now, every time I ride it, I have to ask - why? This thing is fantastic as is. I think I would much rather put my money towards buying more bikes now, rather than chasing after that last 5% to 10% that the aftermarket delivers.
Your mileage may vary. The marketplace supports both viewpoints.
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.
Stage 1 ECM Update
