Did you let the bike sit running at idle for 10-15 minutes & then ride it gently for the first 10-15 mins after fitting the new muffler? The ECU really needs that time to 'learn' & 're-tune' itself to the new parameters it has to work with!! That said, a 'few pops' happening occasionally during the first 10 mins or so after starting cold really won't be hurting anything & should probably be expected from an engine tuned as highly as these things are once they have a 'less strangling' exhaust system fitted. But if it is popping more than 3-5 pops or so on
every deceleration,
every acceleration, or
every time you back off of the throttle after that first 10 mins or so of riding, then you
might need to worry about extensive exhaust leaks somewhere between the valves inside the engine & the back of the cat/cat eliminator (if fitted); or that you're asking the engine to run outside the range the computer/ECU can handle within itself & so need to fit a fuel controller.... :sour:
But really, these engines & their computer systems are pretty capable things that can manage a fairly wide range of variables & if by riding smoothly, changing gears within the recommended rev ranges, & rolling off the throttle gently you don't ever get many more than say 2-4 pops every now & then, you are probably not going to be helping much by fitting a fuel controller. In fact, if whatever controller you get is not as reliably capable or specific as the OE ECU at managing the variations the engine needs just because of the normal changes that occur in things like temperature, altitude, or even fuel grade/quality, then you may be doing more harm than good, even if the few occasional pops no longer happen!! :shocked:
So, does your bike now pop or backfire any more than occasionally? Does it keep popping & banging after the engine has warmed up & it's been running under load for more than about 10-15 mins? Does it pop or backfire
every time you roll off the throttle or change down? Does it pop or backfire when you accelerate hard/quick very often once the engine's been working/driven spiritedly for more than say, 5-10 mins?
If you answer NO to any/all of those questions, then I reckon you probably don't really need a different fuel controller, & if you do fit one, make very sure it is a good quality unit that is well respected by the engine tuning community & reported as so by the engine & bike mags, forums, etc, & is well known in the wider community rather than one that's just got a few good reviews by anonymous people on the internet. Dodgy fuel controllers &/or cheapies bought off the internet pretty much keep the engine re-builders & respected performance shops in business these days!
OR, maybe you are just looking for excuses to wind up the power &/or play with the engine a bit to get more Oomph?!? If that's the case, just DO IT!! You don't need our permission, or to try & kid us that you are only thinking about the wife's reaction to the odd backfire! :thumbup:
I am looking at the new Dynojet PCFC which is a FUEL Control ONLY edition of the Power Commander V. If I'm right, it uses the EXISTING O2 SENSOR in the collector pipe to readjust air/fuel ratios. I believe you can use preset (PCV) maps specific to Spyders (set for several combinations of stock vs aftermarket intakes and exhaust) and fine tune from there. I'm also dealing with high altitude here in Vegas. I'm going to give the ECU plenty of time to adjust before I do anything. Thanks a bunch for your comments!
