POLL from Doc 1
Road Master
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,058
Likes: 6
From: Omaha Nebraska
RE: POLL from Doc 1
I did not participate in the poll because I do all of my own tuning but hopefully you won't mind a few comments.
Like automotive aftermarket tuning, I don't think we should expect to rely on the vehicle manufacturer. HD dealers main interest and purpose is to make money by selling bikes, accessories and providing warranty coverage for this. Most dealers really have little or no interest in tuning and, even those that do this, it shows. Their level of aftermarket performance parts and tuning is probably going to decrease due to the EPA. With the unpredictable dark EPA cloud and $10,000 fines for sending "for off-road purposes only" bikes out the door, which the SERT program qualifies, I predict that dealers will even lose more tuning interest.
Instead, like automotive aftermarket tuning, the independents have to step up, reverse engineer the bike's Delphi ECM and give us true reprogramming of allthe tables, which would be much better then the SERT.Then independent companies make this software available to the hobbiests andpro tuners such as many companies likeSCT did for Ford and HPTuners did for GM vehicle tuners. Also, the modifiedHD owner who is willing to cheerfully pay big money for chrome, leather andmods has to become as cheerful when they find a good program and/or tuner, like many do for evenless expensivecarsand their associated tuning. Don't hold your breath.
Like automotive aftermarket tuning, I don't think we should expect to rely on the vehicle manufacturer. HD dealers main interest and purpose is to make money by selling bikes, accessories and providing warranty coverage for this. Most dealers really have little or no interest in tuning and, even those that do this, it shows. Their level of aftermarket performance parts and tuning is probably going to decrease due to the EPA. With the unpredictable dark EPA cloud and $10,000 fines for sending "for off-road purposes only" bikes out the door, which the SERT program qualifies, I predict that dealers will even lose more tuning interest.
Instead, like automotive aftermarket tuning, the independents have to step up, reverse engineer the bike's Delphi ECM and give us true reprogramming of allthe tables, which would be much better then the SERT.Then independent companies make this software available to the hobbiests andpro tuners such as many companies likeSCT did for Ford and HPTuners did for GM vehicle tuners. Also, the modifiedHD owner who is willing to cheerfully pay big money for chrome, leather andmods has to become as cheerful when they find a good program and/or tuner, like many do for evenless expensivecarsand their associated tuning. Don't hold your breath.
Road Captain
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 527
Likes: 1
From: North Vernon, Indiana
RE: POLL from Doc 1
As Doc knows from looking at my map, I voted poor. Thanks to him and a few others, I have been able to educate myself slightly to at least know what to look for and ask in a tune.
Thread Starter
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,304
Likes: 31
From: Florida
RE: POLL from Doc 1
com on guys....v-twin forum has 125 more votes than we do here. This will run out on the 10 of july. Some of you wrote me and said I do my won work so I didn't vote....well why do you do your own work, because you don't want the dealer to do it right....well thats reason to vote your opinion.
Road Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,187
Likes: 1
From:
RE: POLL from Doc 1
Yanked out the HD stuff because no dealership in the DC MD VA area could tune my bike... Yanked out the dealerships too... Went with something else that HARLEY DAVIDSON did not make any money from. Works flawlessly!
It is fun to vote with my checkbook! I voted for stuff that HD does not make, off of which HD makes no MONEY!!!! I am going to keep doing it! Nothing in my garage will have DELPHI, or SERT or SE anywhere on it.... Peddle mediocrity somewhere else, HD! This former customer ain't interested! And when it is time for a new bike? S+S will get some MONEY, Baker will get some MONEY, but poor ole HD? NOTHING!
And yes, I sent back my 18 month ownership survey... I dinged the bike, the dealerships, and I even sent you back the "free" sticker... Wonder what kind of advertisement I am when someone asks me about your "product"??
It is fun to vote with my checkbook! I voted for stuff that HD does not make, off of which HD makes no MONEY!!!! I am going to keep doing it! Nothing in my garage will have DELPHI, or SERT or SE anywhere on it.... Peddle mediocrity somewhere else, HD! This former customer ain't interested! And when it is time for a new bike? S+S will get some MONEY, Baker will get some MONEY, but poor ole HD? NOTHING!
And yes, I sent back my 18 month ownership survey... I dinged the bike, the dealerships, and I even sent you back the "free" sticker... Wonder what kind of advertisement I am when someone asks me about your "product"??
Tourer
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 252
Likes: 0
From: Arkansas
RE: POLL from Doc 1
Doc, What I would like to see is a MAP to help the stock bikes run cooler. Not everyone isdoing intake, exhaust and cam modifications. Some just want their stock bike to run cooler. I ride a Honda VTX 1800R and my wife rides an 07 softail classic. She likes the HD, but this one runs much hotter than the older ones. Don
Thread Starter
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,304
Likes: 31
From: Florida
RE: POLL from Doc 1
Don I never got a call from you yet...
81 Votes guys, .......not bad........we have 5 more days till the poll is closed, thanks for all your views and votes.
81 Votes guys, .......not bad........we have 5 more days till the poll is closed, thanks for all your views and votes.
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Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 8,294
Likes: 33
From: Po-Dunk Looziana
RE: POLL from Doc 1
Can I vote again?
My local dealer tunes his SERTs by ear......LOL!!!![8D]
C'mon guys VOTE.....get involved so maybe(?) we can see some improvement with Doc's help!!!!
My local dealer tunes his SERTs by ear......LOL!!!![8D] C'mon guys VOTE.....get involved so maybe(?) we can see some improvement with Doc's help!!!!
Road Master
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,058
Likes: 6
From: Omaha Nebraska
RE: POLL from Doc 1
OK, OK, I finally voted. Up until yesterday I have never had any directexperiance with a dealer tuning a bike so I did not feel qualified to vote. However, yesterday I had some indirect experiance,I was supposed to give a friend a ride to pick up his bike after it was dyno tuned for the ported/polished heads so he could have it for the weekend. Even after many delays on this projectand my friend becoming very frustrated with them, hewas told by the service manager that it was too hot for the tuner to tune the bike today (94 deg), to hot for him, not the bike. I ran an automotive dyno tuning shop for 15 yrs and that tuner could have never worked for us, we've dyno tuned hundreds of cars very successfully, includeing many air cooled Porsches,in much hotter weather then that. This should help substantiate my previous post where I question if a dealership is capable of organizing a good tuning center, better left to some ofthe much harder working, more knowledgeable experianced andcustomer friendlyindys.