Tuning

Paul Bryant said:

I spend a lot of time on Facebook, (get a lot of Business there)
The number of Twats out there that say you don't need a re-map, and that the "12 minute tune" is all you need to do ......
I have even been abused for saying other wise, it's actually got to the point that I don't say much at all in this respect these days.

Then occasionally some one will have their bike re-tuned and will come back and say that I was correct and that the bike now runs so much cooler AND performs better .... Duh !

Remember Super Duck from last year ?



I wonder what his REAL problem was ?

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Thanks for bringing that D-Bags name up again.

Took me several minutes to look at the OP photo and see the 'point' -- I had to remember back to my 2006 Aprilia Scarabeo 500, and it's single cylinder thumper and headers that always looked like that, no mods needed.

I had a stage one factory dealer tune installed on my HD and at night my headers were always aglow. Something you don't like to see.

Don’t know if it was right or wrong but when my 2010 Roadster was new and stock the headers glowed red the same as that at night. I changed the pipe and had it dynoed. The CES pipe I’m running now feels hotter than the stock system ever did but I haven’t seen the pipes red.

I've seen my pipes glow slightly at night...but not during the day like that!

bruce aussie said:

Don’t know if it was right or wrong but when my 2010 Roadster was new and stock the headers glowed red the same as that at night. I changed the pipe and had it dynoed. The CES pipe I’m running now feels hotter than the stock system ever did but I haven’t seen the pipes red.

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The ces pipe has no heat shielding, if you removed the heat shielding from stock pipes it would be just as hot or hotter.

WFO exhaust temp (1200-1300°F) will make a header be dull red - seen it plenty of times in drag cars. Red any other time is bad juju on the exhaust valve, guide and seat. I'd wager cars and motorcycles are the same.

EGT on pic has got to be ~1400-1500°F for that color and I'm guessing the pix wasn't taken on return road.

FE_rex said:

I'm guessing the pix wasn't taken on return road.

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The description of what happened to make the exhaust red hot is in the post. I maybe was not that clear, FA load. Bike is all happy now, so we added 21hp worth of fuel and a bunch of torques.. This may well seem contentious, but the gearbox failings of the R3 seem well documented , here at least. Triumph had a recall early on, so we agree there is/can be issues, no argument there. I have been working away here on lots of bikes for a long time( 25 years in this building alone),and on Rockets since they were new. I have not counted how many R3's I have tuned or modified, but as a guide , there would be over 40 maybe we have near doubled the power on, including some with superchargers and 240 - 250 FTLBS of torque. I have modified gear boxes whilst they were out, to prevent issues. I can honestly say not one person has come in the door looking to fix a blown up gearbox on a Rocket. It is a job I would not do for fun really, so I am relatively pleased about that. RacerX74, you have obviously had an issue, I feel for you, it is not pleasant to have one's bike take a cr$p, and it is costly. I have fixed three engines with piston damage from bad mixture/tuning, and also replaced several sets of valve guides ( as mentioned by FE_rex above) for the same reason. This is bad karma, as triumph will not sell one a valve guide, they want one to buy a complete cylinder head.......... Cost is BIG. It seems to me , and I am only one man, and base this on my experiences, like the lean mixture condition is a bit like tooth decay. It takes a while to become apparent. The exhaust valves get over hot, and then the guides wear prematurely . If my only interest on this forum was selling my tuning, I would not spend time here talking with folk , I would be using that time to work. I was invited to come here in 2007 and have an interest in these bikes. They are a dead model here in Oz now after a 14 year run and only a small part of my work, but a Fun part .

Neville Lush said:

This is what happens with a slip-on muffler and a RAMAIR and no tune. Despite all advice to the contrary this guy brought his bike in on a trailer. I let it idle for a while until it was up to 80 deg C , then rode it gently to warm the tyre etc before baseline testing the bike. Up to about 1/4 throttle, almost no load and the ambient temp was 19 deg C and I had 75 km/hr wind in my dyno room. LEAN as all get out. 2016 Rocket X. This is why I cringe, when I read, "yeah do this it will be allright mate" or similar pearls of wisdom. Thought this may be of interest.

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Thanks f' th' tune mate, a lot more friendly t' ride an' sounds happier too!! No more red hot headers!! Now l have t' get this seat looked at!! It's makin' my arse die bigtime!!

It was good to meet you Rob, we have similar sense of humour . I hope you have some good luck with Tony the seat master. Thanks for the fun job, cheers Nev