I have a 2004 Softail Heritage Classic (EFI) (15,000 miles). It has had V&H longshots on it for a couple years (runs great), but during the winter I put an S&S high-flow air cleaner on it. I am assuming it is going to run lean. I do not plan on any further upgrades. Therefore, is my best option to take to dealer, get the ECM remapped? I just want to ensure the bike runs well and not cause any damage from being too lean. Nothing more. Any thoughts on cost.

 

talk to www.fuelmotousa.com they will set you up with what you want. I've used them for all my bikes..

 

For your Older Bike and those upgrades, if you want to go the inexpensive route, I was just get a Used Dynojet Power Commander ... less than $200

Good luck

 

Just for info;
I removed a DJ controller and loud pipes from my bike. I took my 2002 to the local HD dealer and got a re-flash of the ECM. It was $76 total.
It brings it up to date and any changes that were implemented for my now complete stock engine.

 

The dealer Stage I flash is not a tune; simply adds a bit of fuel across the rpm range and bumps max rpms up a bit. Several alternatives to the dealer have been suggested, all better than a dealer flash. The best tune for any configuration, including stock, is a dyno tune. Sure, there are less costly solutions but none will provide the optimum performance of a dyno tune. If funds are available, find a local tuner that tunes with the DJ Powervision tuner and sells "licenses" so purchasing the system is not required. Licenses in my area go for $100-$200, dependng on the tuner and the dyno tune runs from $400-$500. Even with the Power Commander, the only way to optimize performance will be on the dyno. Spend a little more, do it once, do it right and the OP will be happy with the way the bike runs. JMHO.

 

in carbureted days I wonder how they fine tune a bike with just jets and ignition modules?

 

Obviously, you can fine tune an EFI engine better than a carbureted engine. With all the tune cells in a tune map for AFR & Timing, you can get a very well tuned engine that runs incredibly clean also....

But tuning with carbs and ignition control modules wasn't hard.... Tuning with carb/ICM can get an engine running really well....

My 2001 Springer is a carb. I only have it at Stage I, so the OEM ICM spark advance map is good. I only had to dial in the carb. If I end up going with a cam or big bore, then I'll get a Daytona Twin-Tec ICM and have to play with advance curves too.

I can even vaguely remember tuning my 60's cars by dialing in the carb, setting the dwell of the points, the timing, and then also changing ignition advance springs in the distributer.... They could run real well too...

 

This is how I remember it too , adjusting mixture screw, jet size and dwell lol. Dialing in a carb bike or car and it ran well, and I looked at the plugs and for water in the exhaust to assess how well the adjustments were. But don't you guys think that , (yes we all agree about dyno tune is best and safest) but in an area where its not easily accessible, won't a road tune, be similar to a carb tune like back in the old days? get the bike to run really good? So for this stage one basic tune the op is talking about, wouldnt a road tune should suffice? Take it out and check the plugs, if too rich lean it out a bit, if too lean richen it a bit. The areas in the map is front and rear VE , but make same increments from the base as the front and rear have different base VE , from 30% to 100% throttle and from 2000 to 5700 rpm. And if popping on decelerations adjust that, adjust the idle, and don't touch timing, Take it out and check it again. There are alot more parameters, but this is keeping it simple.

 

I agree that a Dyno tune is the best... but with one big caveat, the dyno operator has to be knowledgeable, and experienced. Sadly not everybody with a dyno knows how to tune. I have met a couple 'tuners" with a Dyno that I wouldn't let touch the tune on any of my EFI bikes. A poor EFI tuner (person) can be worse than useless, and even dangerous for your bike, IMHO

There are no good dyno tuners within a days ride of where I live that I am aware of... For that reason, I have a PowerVision tuner. But other than small adjustments like maybe decel pop, etc., I don't consider myself competent enough to build a new tune or make major changes.

I was also smart enough to buy my PowerVision tuner from FuelMoto. I get incredible tune support from both them, and Dyno Jet. I have done data logs on bikes with tune issues, then sent the datalog to FuelMoto a couple times, and DynopJet once. I have always been sent back a tune that they dialed in, with no more issues. I have gotten really good support from them.

I let the experts do the tuning. For a Stage I, or even drop-in cams, I will use a canned map from a good tune shop based on a bike with the same mods as mine. Once I flash that tune, I run a few auto tune runs to dial in the VE tables to my particular bike.

I have done that on a couple Stage I bikes and one bolt-in cam bike. I have even done that for a couple of good friend's bikes too. All run really well. Sure it could be better tuned with a competent dyno operator, but on street driven bikes I am satisfied.

On my Big bore bike w/headwork and my 124" crate engine bagger, I threw them on a trailer and made a long drive to get them dyno tuned by a good, trusted dyno operator.

I drove several days to have Jaime @ FuelMoto tune my 124" crate engine.... I bought it from them, was going to do the install myself, but was having trouble finding a dyno shop within a couple days drive of my home that I trusted. So I did a road trip to FuelMoto and had them do it all.... It was well worth the trip.

I'll still tune my carb bike, but use the above "protocol" for my EFI bikes.. I have 3 EFI bikes. All street bikes, and all run really well .... Oh yeah, so does my carb bike...

 

Same as EFI; on a dyno.