Tuning a Harley

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Aug 9, 2010 | 11:54 PM

PDDGM

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Road Master

Joined: May 2007

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From: Open Road, USA

Tuning a Harley

I was talking to some friends that ride HD's and they said I didn't need to buy a EFI tuner to get my Ultra to run cooler and better. Just put on the air cleaner I want and take the bike to a HD dealer and they can retune it to run just like the EFI tuner will for less than the tuner will cost? Is this so?
I have been riding my Ultra for 3 years and am still learning a lot about HD's.

Joe

Aug 10, 2010 | 01:56 AM

jmbear328

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Joined: Mar 2006

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From: Texarkana, TX

Quote:

Originally Posted by PDDGM

This is a topic where many people are pretty passionate about their choice. BUT,... to answer your question... YES, you can go to the dealer and have them do a simple stage I download and you'll be fine, and save quite a bit of money. I have went both ways on various Harleys that I've owned. I've had one with a Screamin Eagle Race Tuner, one with a Power Commander V and three others with just the dealer stage I dowloads. All of them ran just fine with no problems. Matter of fact,... I just have a dealer installed stage I download on my 10 Ultra Limited and it runs just fine. I think you will be plenty happy with just the dealer download.

Aug 10, 2010 | 11:56 PM

PDDGM

Thread Starter

Road Master

Joined: May 2007

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From: Open Road, USA

Ok, thanks. I sent an email to the local HD to get a quote on the download. I will wait and see what he quotes before I decide which way to go. If it is cheaper than the tuners, I wonder why so many use the tuners. Just a personal choice I guess. Again thanks

Joe

Aug 11, 2010 | 01:19 AM

jmbear328

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From: Texarkana, TX

The reason that you see so many people using some type of aftermarket EFI tuner is that they will give you the ability to download custom maps that were made for you exact setup. Such as a map for a 103" stage II engine with a set of Rinehart true duals might be slightly different than a map for a 103" Stage II with a 2into1 system, and the after market EFI tuners like Power Commander have many different maps pre made up for your specific setup, and a good EFI tuner also gives you the ability to take your bike to a dealer and have them run your bike on the dyno and make a custom map just for your bike. The dealer download is fine for most everyone since the dealer download is basically just a generic preset map that will cover a basic Stage I setup.

Aug 11, 2010 | 07:40 AM

Robert_W

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From:

I'm pleased with the Stage 1 download. If I remember the download and install was $150.00. Please post your result.

Thanks, and ride safe,

Bob.

Aug 11, 2010 | 07:57 AM

Deuce Bigelow

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Joined: Oct 2006

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From: South Jersey, AC area

if you're just going to change the air cleaner and not the exhaust the stage 1 download will probably be fine... anything more than changing the air filter you "should" get a tuner..
I'm using the TTS MasterTune and it gives you ability to tune the bike yourself without a dyno. that way you tune the bike to the way that YOU ride..

Aug 11, 2010 | 07:58 AM

Reverend

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Joined: Dec 2007

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From: On the road to nowhere, UK

Of course, according to American Iron mag you don't really need a download. There's enough electronic 'leeway' in the standard ECU to accomodate simple muffler & air cleaner changes.