ECU Flash | GTAMotorcycle.com

ECU Flash

Just curious, how do you know when you need one?
 
Pro 6, Champion Cycle, Fast Company, certainly others.

A canned reflash (which addresses common situations) will be a few hundred bucks. Hours of time on the dyno ... will be much more.

No one knows why the original poster is requesting this. If it's a street bike, you don't need it. If it's the common "high flow air filter and a slip-on muffler", you don't need it. If the bike has a specific, documented, well known driveability issue and the issue is bugging you (example: first-year Yamaha FZ09!) then a canned reflash should fix it. If it's a race bike and has non-stock "hard parts" then it should go on the dyno.
 
What if you get a full exhaust(inc. headers)? My friend has a full exhaust, but he doesn't know whether to flash or not. I don't do aftermarket exhaust so I have no idea.
 
Flashing is not a thing,
you have a software version installed in there now and you either leave it like that, replace the component, or install a different version of software. If you modify the engine beyond the manufacturers recommendations you are on your own and in un-charted territory.
 
DANOS performance. Many extras you can choose or not to have them do. I do recommend the disable fuel cut option, lower on temp for radiator fans,disable pair valve,disable exhaust valve.He will call you and get your bikes specs-air filter,exhaust,street or track.Check out his website.Being in sunny california he has a very large "library" of data for bikes.Around $100 US. also has a quick shifter package available.Check out his website for more info and give him a call.
 
We just want to clarify that a simple flash and a custom tune/map are not the same thing. One can typically flash an ECU to address certain restrictions, locks, or basic parameters; however, a custom ignition/fuel map requires dyno time, and can be done through the flashing software or the prefered method which is a piggy back system like PCV, Bazzaz, etc....
 
JSFlashtune does good work. He also offers 2 future flashes in his package. So if you get a new exhaust or change something on your bike that needs re-flashing, he will do it for not extra charge. I think the package is around $500 and includes a bunch of dyno runs on speedlabs dyno jet.
 
Flashing is not a thing,
you have a software version installed in there now and you either leave it like that, replace the component, or install a different version of software. If you modify the engine beyond the manufacturers recommendations you are on your own and in un-charted territory.

I am not sure what you meant by this, because flashing certainly is "a thing". Not in the "physical object" sense, but a "something that people do" sense.

"install a different version of software" = essentially, "reflashing". That's what it means.

That "different version of software" could be a dealer-initiated service campaign to address whatever issue the OEM turned up, or it could be an aftermarket "canned reflash" that everyone who buys gets the same one to address whatever issue the aftermarket has found a fix for (more below), or it could be a full custom re-calibration done in conjunction with dyno testing ... a lot of dyno testing, if you want to get it right. See post by Pro 6 above.

For my own race bike, I have a canned reflash AND a PowerCommander, because a PowerCommander can't do everything a reflash of the stock ECU can (eliminate decel fuel cut, disable air-suction, change rev limit, and there are certain map functions that a PowerCommander can't do), and a reflash of the stock ECU can't do everything that a PowerCommander can (quick-shifter, and be able to change mapping in 2 minutes at the track if needed). Street bike? You probably don't need all that ...
 
I am not sure what you meant by this, because flashing certainly is "a thing". Not in the "physical object" sense,...
That's what I meant.
People talk like it is part of owning a bike to get the ECU flashed, I've even seen it listed as a selling feature on kijiji bikes :|
Personally I passed on the last free ECU flash because I wasn't experiencing any of the issues it was intended to address.
If the OP is race prepping his motorcycle all of the previous recommendations to that end are excellent for that purpose.
... if it's a completely stock motorcycle the correct answer is any authorized dealer and there is probably a prescribed time cost to do that service.
 
...a reflash of the stock ECU can't do everything that a PowerCommander can (quick-shifter, and be able to change mapping in 2 minutes at the track if needed). Street bike? You probably don't need all that ...
Using ftecu.com (flash-tune) hardware/software you can enable ECU based quickshifter on R6 and R1 (shift rod sensor just wires to unused pin on the ecu connector). Works WAY better than a power commander based quickshifter (without the ignition module) because on the R6 and R1 the power commander only cuts 4 of the 8 fuel injectors, so not the smoothest shift possible like with the full cut the ECU based quickshifter provides.

Check out these mid air silky smooth ECU based quickshifts:


This Danos Performance quickshifter kit (very bottom of the webpage) is plug and play with a flashed ECU: Quick Shifter Switch

With the ECU flash you can wire up a map switch button to switch between two completely different maps (fuel, ignition, throttle, engine braking), so one street one race map, or one 91 fuel map and one and U4.4/MR12. Requires an ignition cycle to change (so not really "on the fly") and of course can't quickly adjust tuning at the track unless you have a laptop with the $380US ftecu.com hardware/software (it has a new feature called "quick flash" for small changes instead of an entire ecu wipe and reload) vs. with a power commander you just need a USB cable but of course can only adjust the fueling (without the ignition module).

To the OP: What did you change on your bike that you need a flash? Exhaust? Sprocket sizes/Speedo calibration? Need to disable the immobilizer to install keyless ignition or get extra keys cut? Let us know and we can guide you on the right path.
 
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You mean I could be up shifting through all the gears while still doing a wheelie!
Holy have I ever been missing out on a lot of potential fun :unsure:
 
I just got the ecu flash. What a difference. Bike has so much torque down low in the rpm now. Also got the quick shifter, lower fan temperature , disabled the imobilizer, servo eliminated. Highly recommended for R1 and R6.
 
You mean I could be up shifting through all the gears while still doing a wheelie!
Holy have I ever been missing out on a lot of potential fun :unsure:
Yeah, a standard/normal quickshifter allows full throttle no clutch upshifting (works great during wheelies too, and somewhat ok at part throttle), and some of the advanced quickshifters allow no clutch downshifting too (auto blip/rev matching), the second option costing quite a bit more cash.

I just got the ecu flash. What a difference. Bike has so much torque down low in the rpm now. Also got the quick shifter, lower fan temperature , disabled the imobilizer, servo eliminated. Highly recommended for R1 and R6.
Nice :) With the EXUP servo disabled make sure you de-install all that factory exhaust EXUP valve control garbage (servo motor and cables), it's located directly in front of the rear shock and looks like this:

1564421237662.png

Don't leave the EXUP wiring harness dangling there as it can get caught in the shock or swingarm and short out the ECU. Pivot up the front of the gas tank (there are hidden bolts under the plastic sail panels on the sides of the tank, after removing bolt slide sail panels forward to remove, do not try to pull straight off) and feed the harness back up to under the tank just in front of where the gas tank mount/pivot point is, there is a big empty area there where you can zip tie it to the fuel injection harness.
 

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