14'KTM500exc re-map or TPS?

[David2014]

I just purchased a 14 KTM500 exc, my intention is to have a bike not to commute to work with,  but a bike I can shred the desert on and cross the street with no worries so 99% dirt, 1% street is the goal, I ordered a FMF 4.1 for it and de-smogged with a BLAIS.com kit to uncork this bike and give err some grunt and bark, I re-geared it to 13/48 and got rid of the goofy tail light assembly and replaced it with a Sicass.com under fender,really cool by the way, ok here's my question, do I or should I re-map to euro specs on the ECU or just tune the throttle positioning sensor to get what I know this bike has? I'm getting a lot of " I Think", "I would" but what I am after is a solid answer from peeps with the experience to answer the question, my dealer said re-map, others said TPS adjustment, thoughts??? And if I do neither what am I going to get? Help!!!!

[C6DNA]

Who's your dealer? ..

.

[mjruopp]

Seriously. I can't find a dealer that will mess with the ECU

[Naf]

If you want contact http://bestdualsportbikes.com/and they could hook you up with what you want...

[sirthumpalot]

You're probably getting mixed answers because people have had great luck with both options.  If you do neither, you'll be lean on bottom and it will be a little burbly and not as smooth as it could be down low. 

Edited December 10, 2014 by sirthumpalot

[mjruopp]

If you want contact http://bestdualsportbikes.com/and they could hook you up with what you want...

On their website:

"Because of EPA and CARB regulations, we can't discuss anything about past magic mod services or touch stock throttle bodies, modified or not. It's not worth the potential fine under ANY circumstances."

[sirthumpalot]

Wow interesting. I wonder what the fine is for modifying a throttle body?

Edited December 10, 2014 by sirthumpalot

[jim9006]

On their website:

"Because of EPA and CARB regulations, we can't discuss anything about past magic mod services or touch stock throttle bodies, modified or not. It's not worth the potential fine under ANY circumstances."

Looks like big brother paid them a visit….. Why am I not surprised?

[oldfuddy]

Bummer... Sure glad I had him fondle my tb and do the magic mod a while back... Bike still sings

[C6DNA]

I doubt a 3rd party got paid a visit.. more than likely KTM is being audited for having an "open" ECU and TPS. I heard somewhere KTM is taking a harder line on installing MAPS that don't correspond with the VIN.

For the model year 2014, Honda XR650L locked down the carb so you can't make changes.

EPA and CARB is catching onto this game.. plated MX bikes? Perhaps in the 1970s.

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Edited December 10, 2014 by C6 DNA

[cadman_ks]

Wow interesting. I wonder what the fine is for modifying a throttle body?

 

I don't know the answer to that, but I work for an OEM who has to deal with the EPA / CARB (two completely different set of rules for our industry), and KNOWINGLY being in non-compliance with the EPA is up to a $30,000 fine PER OCCURRENCE for us.  I don't personally know anyone in our industry that has been sighted, and I don't think anyone wants to find out.  OEM's are doing what it takes to be compliant.

 

I am also not familiar at all with the motorcycle regs.  Someone indicated that the Honda 650's are now tamper proof, and that doesn't surprise me either.  That could be one of two things:  1)  The actual EPA / CARB regs have changed such that it is now a requirement to have carbs / FI's tamper proof 2)  In the case of the Honda, there is no way to pass the regs if the carbs are tampered with, so in order to prevent that, Honda has elected to add tamper resistance to the carbs so that they are in compliance.

 

I'm actually surprised that this has taken this long, and it doesn't surprise me that this day has come, or is coming...

 

CADman_KS

[1stgear]

You will be much to lean with the FMF exhaust without the Euro map.  They are even too lean with the stock exhaust screen removed.  Try to cancel that order until you get it figured out.  FMF shouldn't sell free flowing exhaust without telling you how to richen the mixture, you'll burn up your motor.

[C6DNA]

 

I don't know the answer to that, but I work for an OEM who has to deal with the EPA / CARB (two completely different set of rules for our industry), and KNOWINGLY being in non-compliance with the EPA is up to a $30,000 fine PER OCCURRENCE for us.  I don't personally know anyone in our industry that has been sighted, and I don't think anyone wants to find out.  OEM's are doing what it takes to be compliant.

 

I am also not familiar at all with the motorcycle regs.  Someone indicated that the Honda 650's are now tamper proof, and that doesn't surprise me either.  That could be one of two things:  1)  The actual EPA / CARB regs have changed such that it is now a requirement to have carbs / FI's tamper proof 2)  In the case of the Honda, there is no way to pass the regs if the carbs are tampered with, so in order to prevent that, Honda has elected to add tamper resistance to the carbs so that they are in compliance.

 

I'm actually surprised that this has taken this long, and it doesn't surprise me that this day has come, or is coming...

 

CADman_KS

 

Yep.. Chrysler locked down the ECU in 2013-14... Tuners are SOL. Also, I never thought I'd see another roadside smog check in California - we have bi-annual checks after the sixth year. I've lived here all my life and they started this roadside crap again.

http://www.policestateusa.com/2013/routine-smog-checkpoints-impede-california-roads/

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Edited December 10, 2014 by C6 DNA

[Pincushion]

I uncorked, desmogged and added a JD tuner to my 500exc.  I'm happy with how it runs, but I've never ridden any other 500's to compare it to.

I ride all over the west from sea level to 11k+, so I like having the ability to adjust the fuel circuits, but if I consistently stayed at lower elevations then I would've gone with the reflash and saved my money on the tuner as I hear the euro tune works great on an uncorked bike.

 

Good move on the pipe.  If there's one thing I feel holding the motor back its the stock can, with or without the screen on the end.

[cadman_ks]

I uncorked, desmogged and added a JD tuner to my 500exc.  I'm happy with how it runs, but I've never ridden any other 500's to compare it to.

I ride all over the west from sea level to 11k+, so I like having the ability to adjust the fuel circuits, but if I consistently stayed at lower elevations then I would've gone with the reflash and saved my money on the tuner as I hear the euro tune works great on an uncorked bike.

 

...

 

I have NOT desmogged my bike, but I do have the EU map (or whatever it is called), and I do not have a tuner.

 

One thing that I absolutely LOVE about this bike is that I have had it from 1000' to 13,000' and I have NEVER touched anything.  I just get on and ride it.  It does all the adjusting itself, or at least it has no issues running at different elevations.

 

Not to say that the JD tuner wouldn't allow those changes, but that is something that I have personally felt like I've needed on this bike as I change elevations.  

 

For me, it's one of the driving reasons that I got a FI bike in the first place.  I did NOT want to mess with...

 

YMMV...

 

CADman_KS

[KennyMc]

I have NOT desmogged my bike, but I do have the EU map (or whatever it is called), and I do not have a tuner.

One thing that I absolutely LOVE about this bike is that I have had it from 1000' to 13,000' and I have NEVER touched anything. I just get on and ride it. It does all the adjusting itself, or at least it has no issues running at different elevations.

Not to say that the JD tuner wouldn't allow those changes, but that is something that I have personally felt like I've needed on this bike as I change elevations.

For me, it's one of the driving reasons that I got a FI bike in the first place. I did NOT want to mess with...

YMMV...

CADman_KS

When going from a high elevation to a low elevation, or vice-verse, I thought one was supposed to let the bike idle for ~5 minutes to allow for the change. Have you not heard that? It's my understanding that is the only way to get it to adjust.

[sirthumpalot]

When going from a high elevation to a low elevation, or vice-verse, I thought one was supposed to let the bike idle for ~5 minutes to allow for the change. Have you not heard that? It's my understanding that is the only way to get it to adjust.

I don't know where this rumor started, but it makes no sense to me at all.

[cadman_ks]

I don't know where this rumor started, but it makes no sense to me at all.

LOL...

I had heard this before as well. The first time that I was at altitude, I let the bike run for a bit before riding. To me, it ran the same at as it did at lower altitude.

Then when I went to 12,000, I rode up there, starting at 9,000 and had no issues. When I started at 12,000, I just started and rode. Couldn't tell a difference.

The other thing that I have heard , and I don't know if it's true or not, is that once you start the bike at an altitude,say 10,000', the bike will run at that altitude until you turn it off. I've heard that it does NOT adjust as you ride. I don't know if that is true or not.

I do not believe that it talks about waiting 5 minutes to adjust to altitude in the owners manual.

CADman_KS

[Pincushion]

My uncorked and JD'd bike ran like crap when I took it to the sierra last summer.  I rode it for 2 days hoping for some improvement, but it never came and my gas mileage was terrible.  I called JD and the lady on the phone tells me the system should compensate for altitude, so now I'm thinking there's something wrong with the bike, but I kept asking questions and eventually she brings a tech into the conversation.  He tells me these systems do not compensate for altitude and I need to manually lean out my tuner 2 steps on each circuit and reevaluate.

 

I leaned it out 2 steps everywhere and it was mucho better.  And my mileage went way up.

In hindsight, I probably could have just removed the tuner (which only controls injector duration) and let the lean, stock mapping do its thing.  It probably would've ran perfect with my uncorked bike at those elevations.

[Pincushion]

I really wish I would've tried disconnecting the tuner and trying w/ the OEM mapping.  I wonder if the JD blocks the EFI's attempt and reducing the injector duration!?!?

 

cadman_ks,

either I'm sensitive to power output or my bike is just plain different from yours cause I can feel a power difference between 8k and 11k.  I went back and watched some helmet cam vids and my bike is barey making it some of these hills.  If I were at 8k it would've marched right up and at sea level I would've wheelied all the way up.

 

Check out this vid around 3:30.  I downshift to first and still barely make it to the top.

We're probably around 10k at this point

 

Now I want to ride some other peoples bikes.  I wonder if I got a turd.

Edited December 11, 2014 by Pincushion