I ride an '11 roadgilde custom 103 with heavy breather,dresser duals, rush 2" baffle mufflers and pcv. After 2 plus years and about 20,000 miles it just isn't the same. Runs strong but A lot more decel pop and just less smooth. My question would be is this just mufflers breaking up or could I benefit from a fresh dyno tune? Wondering if anyone has retuned after some time but no real changes to the bike. Thanks.

 

The tune doesn't change. Hard parts wear/get dirty/carbon-up/... I'd start by running some carb cleaner (seafoam/B12) through it and checking the plugs??

 

Your symptoms are frequently caused by dirty intake parts and carbon. Listen to Oldhippie and try fuel system cleaner before you do anything else.

 

Thanks for the input guys! I'll give the seafoam a shot before anything else.

 

Contrary to the views expressed here, the tune certainly can change.

Differences in atmospheric conditions, gas, O2 sensors beginning to fail, sparks plugs, and other things can cause the tune to change.

While some external cleaning agent is often used, just be careful with the concentration. Too much can affect the O2 sensors.

 

I would argue that those things will "affect" the tune, but they won't "change" the tune...

Semantics, you say...!? Not really...

If the tune "changes", then the bike needs to be retuned.

If the tune is "affected", then you don't have to retune, just fix the conditions affecting the tune... ie- O2 sensors beginning to fail, sparks plugs, etc.

However, if what is "affecting" the tune is out of your control... ie-you move to an area where only a lower octane gas is available, or you are significantly at a higher/lower elevation than where the bike was tuned...

Then you should probably retune...

In any case, the actual tune in the ECM won't change... unless you change it..

 

Like others said, I'd try cleaning the fuel system and checking you plugs. Both are inexpensive and easy to do. Getting the engine back to as close as you can to the day it was tuned may cure your issues. If that doesn't cure it, then I would try a retune.

 

Left over winter gas? Bad gas from a recent fill up?

 

Could very well be. Just filled up with fresh gas and Seafoam. As far as o2 sensors failing I doubt that since they've been gone for years from this bike.

 

I have never seen or heard of the VE tables/tune/map changing without the ECM being reflashed. If you have info on Differences in atmospheric conditions, gas, O2 sensors beginning to fail, sparks plugs, and other things causeing changes to the VE tables/tune/map, I wound be interested in it???