Bauce Racing ECU Flash
- Thread starter RyanJG
- Start date
I am a much bigger fan of taking the bike to one of our supporting vendors or at least another good tuning shop like Livengood and having them flash and tune the bike on the dyno. I still fail to see how sending an ECU out to have it flashed can get you the same advantage as a drop ship. Personally, I've had 3 bikes tuned by Brian Livengood - with 2 of them having the ECU flashed. The other has a YEC Race ECU. The results of all 3 were amazing.
RyanJG
New Member
I contacted Brian about getting my bike on the dyno and getting it tuned up probably a month or so ago.
I told him I wanted the bike leveled out since I had added a the Graves full Ti system and removed the factory exhaust. I had already purchased and installed the Flash Tune harness and all he had to do was put it on the dyno and make the small adjustments for A/F.
That turned into him wanting me to add all this other junk on top of the Flash Tune and the cost was upwards or $600/$700
Its not what I needed or wanted. I just felt I was trying to be upsold.
Bauce Racing ECUs just have the best reviews and people seem to be really happy with the performance and customer service. And haven't had any mechanical complaints.
JakefromSFARM120
New Member
Have you checked out superbike unlimited?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Not sure what "other junk" he told you to add. My guess it was a PC. That's because it makes sense if you're going to spend the money once to do it right. It's flat out impossible for anybody to just ship you a "flashed" ECU and have it really "right". It may be good enough for you, but it'll just be a guess. There is a very big difference between a tune being done on a bike on a dyno by a good tech, and even the best flashed ECU. BTW, I've never known Brian to upsell. I do know that he is very very good and wants it done right.
If all I were wanting to do was to raise the rev limiter, disable PAIR and maybe allow the butterflies to open on my GSXR but was not concerned about fuel mapping, flat spots, etc, then I'd think about a flashed ECU that somebody shipped me. If I wanted to smooth out the curve, get rid of dead spots and make the throttle crisp and responsive through the range, I'd never consider it. My experience is with tons of cars and with bikes. No person on this planet can really tune an ECU without your bike on a dyno IMHO. They can get it in a closer ballpark than the factory ECU settings. That's about it.
RyanJG
New Member
I understand that. I totally agree 100% that a dyno tune is what's best.
I contacted him about correcting the fuel/air since I had added the new exhaust. That's all I wanted. Yeah I get that a power commander will do even more but that's not what I wanted. I could let him build the motor and really get some power, but again....not what I was looking for.
It just really caught my attention when I read that some Yamahas with his ECU were making more HP than a bike that had been tuned on the dyno. Not to mention how many people were loving the way the bike felt all the way through the rpms, throttle response, ect.
I was just assuming that after you dyno and tune a few hundred R6s that there has to be a median for performance, which is why flashing ECUs is popular for a lot of people because it works, is safe for the bike, and cost effective for the performance gains.
Still, I'm just looking for insight here
You probably ought to talk to Brian or a good tuner to find out why things are the way they are. That is exactly what a power commander or a Bazzaz QF does - more granularly than just the ECU. If you look at it in "steps" or "cells" that can be adjusted, the ECU is typically more limited by itself (flash or no flash) than a PC or Bazazz. Any good tuner is going to charge you the same for a tune on the dyno as a baseline (there are slight cost differences for example between some guys tuning PC vs Bazzaz, as the Dynojet software saves them some time when they're tuning with PC vs Bazazz). Brian can get you more in terms if A/F and ignition timing if you have a PC/Bazazz vs just the ECU. So, IMHO any good tuner is going to recommend you make max utilization of the money you're spending. I'm not sure who's writing that a flashed ECU is making more power and better response than a properly dyno tuned bike. Frankly, again IMHO either they're making crap up, or they're comparing it to an ineffective tuner - period. No other option.
None of the good tuners I know will flash an ECU without it being on a dyno. Doesn't mean none will, just none I know. Tuners dealing mainly with street riders are way different. Street riders are far less concerned about throttle response than guys on the track. To me that's more important than a hp or 2. That's why generic maps for Bazzaz and PC are far more popular on the street. When you think about the cost of every race or track day, cost of tires, safety equipment, fuel, suspension, rearsets, clipons, bodywork and paint........ the cost of a PC as a one time investment is less than nothing.
There is NO "median" for true performance. Every R6 will have very slight differences that require small deviations. Valve lash, ring seal, air cleaner, tiny differences in how much carbon is on top of each piston, all kinds of minute variationsOverall curves will be very similar, but good tuners don't do "similar". They do "optimal" because that's what guys are paying for. A generic flash may be fine for you, like I said - it all depends on what you're looking for. Good luck with whatever route you go.
None of the good tuners I know will flash an ECU without it being on a dyno. Doesn't mean none will, just none I know. Tuners dealing mainly with street riders are way different. Street riders are far less concerned about throttle response than guys on the track. To me that's more important than a hp or 2. That's why generic maps for Bazzaz and PC are far more popular on the street. When you think about the cost of every race or track day, cost of tires, safety equipment, fuel, suspension, rearsets, clipons, bodywork and paint........ the cost of a PC as a one time investment is less than nothing.
There is NO "median" for true performance. Every R6 will have very slight differences that require small deviations. Valve lash, ring seal, air cleaner, tiny differences in how much carbon is on top of each piston, all kinds of minute variationsOverall curves will be very similar, but good tuners don't do "similar". They do "optimal" because that's what guys are paying for. A generic flash may be fine for you, like I said - it all depends on what you're looking for. Good luck with whatever route you go.
RyanJG
New Member
I understand what you are saying. I'm just trying to gather as much info as I can. I appreciate you're response. I also want to learn what does what and what controls what. It's just my thing. I like to learn and understamd what changes what and why. The more I read into this the more questions I can come up with.
So basically, flashing an ECU merely just takes away all factory restrictions. Right? Less engine braking, remove top speed limiter, engine idle, fan temps, ect.
And the purpose of a bazazz or PC is to adjust fuel on its own? Please correct me if I'm wrong.
So basically, I need the factory restrictions removed, then have my bike on a dyno to adjust fuel/air only after the ECU has been flashed.
I'm still learning bikes. Way different then making HP in my Diesel. Lol
So basically, flashing an ECU merely just takes away all factory restrictions. Right? Less engine braking, remove top speed limiter, engine idle, fan temps, ect.
And the purpose of a bazazz or PC is to adjust fuel on its own? Please correct me if I'm wrong.
So basically, I need the factory restrictions removed, then have my bike on a dyno to adjust fuel/air only after the ECU has been flashed.
I'm still learning bikes. Way different then making HP in my Diesel. Lol
tad158
Astronomer not Astrologer
Ok...so...if you already have the F-T kit, use it....You don't need a Bazzaz or PCV on top of that. A good tuner will know how to use it.
A flash and making a bike smooth is more than just adjusting fuel. The throttle by wire maps, ignition maps, fuel maps, accelerator pump maps, ALL get edited, and need changes to be optimised and remove factory restrictions. Check the F-T faq thread I have put together on the R1 forum for more info.
Don't hesitate to ask more quotations...
A flash and making a bike smooth is more than just adjusting fuel. The throttle by wire maps, ignition maps, fuel maps, accelerator pump maps, ALL get edited, and need changes to be optimised and remove factory restrictions. Check the F-T faq thread I have put together on the R1 forum for more info.
Don't hesitate to ask more quotations...
You need to talk to a good, reputable tuner. Flashing the ECU does much more than you mention. Like I said, talk to a good tuner. I'm pretty particular when it comes to tuning, so the list of people I trust there is very short. Brian is at the top of that list.
I'll go against the grain and pipe up with my experience. Loved my flashed ECU from Bauce. I sent it out to him years ago when I bought my R6. Night and day difference. There is a ton of things you can change in the ECU that you simply can't do with a PCV or Bazzaz. With the R6, it's almost a requirement to get the ECU flashed. For specific tuning purposes, yes, most tuners will agree that it's easier and more precise to adjust AFR through a PCV/Bazzaz.
I ran an off the shelf map for my R6 with the flashed ECU for years, actually until I sold it.
I ran an off the shelf map for my R6 with the flashed ECU for years, actually until I sold it.
Give us another update please sir:
RyanJG
New Member
So, heres a quick update. Ive been on Road Atlanta and just run it at Barber for a weekend.
So much more top end power. IF my speedo is correct I hit 157 on the back straight at Road A. Not that that is extremely fast but the biggest change is the bike got to that speed twice as quickly as before. I was eating up the CBRs and GSXRs in my group on the back straight.
Super smooth throttle and the acceleration is on point. I don't like the front tire bouncing off the ground but coming out of turn 5 and out of 10B at Road A the bike wants to wheelie now.
Over all I now have a totally different bike and I love it!
So much more top end power. IF my speedo is correct I hit 157 on the back straight at Road A. Not that that is extremely fast but the biggest change is the bike got to that speed twice as quickly as before. I was eating up the CBRs and GSXRs in my group on the back straight.
Super smooth throttle and the acceleration is on point. I don't like the front tire bouncing off the ground but coming out of turn 5 and out of 10B at Road A the bike wants to wheelie now.
Over all I now have a totally different bike and I love it!
You can definitely hit the upper 150's. Best I have gotten from my GPX Pro was a 160 flat, but that all depends on what kind of drive you get out of T7. I wouldn't trust what the speedo says unless it's been corrected, and most of them haven't. But there's no denying the "butt dyno" and feeling the front end get light coming out of T5!