I'm to chicken....

[vanson1200r]

The only thing holding me back from doing an exhaust is the retune. This is my first FI bike (09 XB12R) and that makes me a bit leary to change anything on it. Rejet a carb(s)? Sure no problem. FI with a computer? Uhhhh.... Aside from a laptop what do I need?

[Nuage420b]

what exhaust are you considering? if it's the hawk just TPS reset and go.
if you're going to spend big bucks for another brand then fork over the extra 250 for the proper tuned ECM that EBR sells?

[Jobe Zeebuh]

extra 250 for the proper tuned ECM that EBR sells

Depends on what bike you have. My 03xb9r I can tune my stock with ecm spy and t.p.s. reset. Cheap!

For $150 more I can get a dyno tune and get the most out of my bike hands down.

I think Race ECM's are a complete waste of money. I may be wrong tho. I never actually had one.

[dave_xb12r]

$150 dyno tune? Sounds legit.

Vanson, just put a pipe on. It will be fine. If you do a pipe + a K&N, then you'll need to remap. 08,09, and 2010 buells adapt more than older versions. I wouldn't worry about it. Where do you live?

[vanson1200r]

I live just outside of San Diego. Not looking for more power because I can give a crap about straight line performance, just want a little sound but not so loud that I can't hear my knee pucks being ground down.

[dave_xb12r]

Yeah, go ahead and throw one on. With just a pipe upgrade alone, remapping is optional.

If you do decide you want it tuned someday, you can data log or take your bike up to sears point raceway and have it dyno tuned.

[onelogue]

I think Race ECM's are a complete waste of money. I may be wrong tho. I never actually had one.
Depends on your perspective, If you have no time to datalog than the race ECM rocks. I have it and i love it! No problems such as flats spots mentioned by other members.
But yes, throwing on a muffler wont hurt anything, but you will see a big decrease in Torque if you go with a "straight through" design (Jardine, GB, D&D etc..)http://www.buellxb.com/buell_images/3100_20101201072618_L.jpg

[Nuage420b]

i know when i put on the hawk i could feel the increased performance in the mid range an through to the high end. i'm not saying it was night and day but definitely pulled harder through the higher gears. and as far as noise the hawk is loud as hell but when you're in the mount its not bad at all. sounds way louder and cooler to those youa re riding by than you when you're on it.

[upthemaiden]

and as far as noise the hawk is loud as hell but when you're in the mount its not bad at all. sounds way louder and cooler to those youa re riding by than you when you're on it.

haha cooler is a subjective term here. I'm sure some people think it sounds cool, but I assume a good majority of the people around me hate it, especially if it's louder to them than it is me.

Vanson, I haven't heard too many buell exhausts that are anything but crazy loud. If I don't remember my ear plugs my ears will be ringing after a 30-60 minute ride, so chances of you hearing your knee pucks scraping is pretty slim!

[Lando]

Not to highjack, but when you guys that do your own tunning say "datalog", i'm assuming you're using a wide-band O2 sensor connected to some software through a laptop?!? Isn't that pretty expensive and time consuming compared to buying a pre-tunrd (80% there) race ECU?
I agree that a customt to your bike tune with dataloging is the best, but will you ever truly reap the benefits for the cost/time?

My 0.02

[xtremelow]

You can data log with a Narrow Band it just takes longer.

My Wide band setup was $150 (and I am looking at using it on 3 different bike), so in terms to what you are looking into it may or may not cost more or less[up]

[jandj_davis]

I ran the Race Kit exhaust on my bike for years without a high-flow intake or ECM. The bike ran fine, but it had a bit of a torque hole from 3.5-4.5K RPM. I put an intake and ECM (used ECMSpy to load race map on stock ECM) in it this past winter, and it runs WAY better now. Granted, I had an 03 XB9, which is going to be quite a bit different than your 09 XB12. The experience has led me to believe that if you do one (exhaust), you owe it to yourself to do the others (intake and fuel).

As far as sound goes, I think the stock exhaust has the best sound, at least on a 9. But, for a bit more sound, my wife says the race kit exhaust note doesn't carry, so it is loud on the bike, but isn't going to rattle any windows or set off car alarms.

[jasoncummings64]

if you dont wna get into it, the octopus will tune your bike for you for 150 using your stock ecm.hes like an hour away from you...ISH

[Bullxb12r]

Hey Vanson, check out this exhaust mod in the search area. Type in "exhaust mod" and go to the one that reads "some quick, easy exhaust fun". It will give you more sound (not annoyingly more, but noticably more) and it is completely reversable if you dont like it. I ran mine like that for a couple of months without any other upgrades and it worked great. It also took the hesitation out of the throttle response when you crack it wide open. (Just an added bonus). The only reason it's not like that any more is because i gutted it and made me something louder. Even with the one I built, I still didn't do an ECM remap and it runs great.

[theoctopus]

If you're just outside of San Diego, you could come by my house for some in-person tuning lessons. You can PM me for a fee schedule for that option.

[jasoncummings64]

sorry octo.. plugged you two posts up.. hope i got the price right

[Alfatango1]

if it's the hawk just TPS reset and go.
It runs pretty good but a little lean, so a tune is still in order.

[Loki]

but you will see a big decrease in Torque if you go with a "straight through" design (Jardine, GB, D&D etc..)

I hope you mean without a tune. Cause my D&D give me loads more torque. Though the torque is mainly through mid range tho.

[theoctopus]

I think people often misunderstand exhaust design. Back pressure is only one of many variables that are associated with torque and horsepower values.

Straight through exhausts, if equipped with the proper baffles and paired with a proper tune, can put out some very positive numbers.

At the end of the day, there were gains in both torque and horsepower with my GB exhaust and tuned ECM across the full RPM range. Could I have gotten more with other exhaust designs? Maybe. Either way, I was very happy with the results. Then again, I'm not a numbers queen, so I was content to just milk the setup that I had for all it was worth.

[jerseymayhem]

I threw a Hawk on without a tune and it was fine, could definitely feel an increase in power through the low and mid, and the sound is superb, not too loud and sounds like a uncorked v8!
I soon after got my K&N and performed a retune, and it really changed the bike's personality.
So.....Vanson.....do a pipe, then tune when you are ready for more.

[boston]

Quick question. Why do we have to do a T.P.S reset just for adding a muffler? I'm a car guy I went to school to work on cars and do work on them, and I never heard of a TPS reset just for a muffler. Can someone enlighten me.

[sewerman]

My 09 has a Jardine with a K&N. I installed the race ECM and am very pleased. I did put a 1 and three quarter restricter in the Jardine and that seemed to help also. If you put the race ECM in please note that the fan sequence changes. I contacted Buell and they said thats ok it is the revised 2010 fan sequence for more cooling .

[boston]

O ya and I have a Jarden RT-1 and my bike doesn't seem to be too loud. At least at idle. When I get on it hard it nice. I don't know if it's as loud as some people say it is but ya it's defiantly makes noise.

[jerseymayhem]

Boston- Cars have better ECM's to adapt to exhaust changes. Also, b/c of the increased size of the exhaust systems and placement of the cars muffler, changing the muffler does nothing except change the sound.
On a motorcycle the muffler is closer to the engine, so even a slight change (like disconnecting the exhaust servo) makes a huge difference in the way exhaust gas is scavenged, causing the bike to need changes to programming, the TPS reset allows the bike to run the correct amount of gas and air through (i believe) to match the increased exhaust flow, so the bike will run better.

[boston]

ahhhh

[Dave A]

What is a TPS reset?