Got the 1098SF back from Louigi-Moto/CJS at the weekend after its ECU re-map. In all the bike had the exhaust valve and 02 sensors removed, a fuel tank service, throttle balance then a fuel base run and a full custom remap and suspension set-up. So what's it like? I've never had this done before so I wasn't sure what to expect. Rich very decently delivered the bike in the van on Saturday evening free of charge because the job had been delayed slightly by the Classic TT. Naturally I shot out on it immediately but it was getting dark and I didn't get much of a ride, just enough to notice that the unruly thuggishness I knew and loved wasn't quite as evident. God I hoped they hadn't made it soft... Sunday I rode it most of the day and gave it a thorough workout. Tonight I had a terrific blast down some unfamiliar twisty B roads. Its taken a couple of days to fully appreciate the significance of what they've done to this bike. What I'd mistaken in the old bike for punch was just an abrupt throttle response and rough fuelling. The new bike isn't soft, its smooooth. Rich said some bikes are nearly perfect, and some are all over the place. Mine was all over the place. It was very lean down low and chokingly rich up top. Chris had a long job, painstakingly going through each cylinder with a fine tooth comb correcting every inconsistency and he has had ironed out the delivery throughout the rev range, producing consistent power and torque increases form 3000 rpm all the way to the rev limiter and released another 9 bhp and 10 lb of torque. The harsh on-off throttle response has gone and power and torque pile on steeply but silkily instead of coming in snappy peaks and troughs. Power can be wound on from a closed throttle with elastic smoothness which makes the bike vastly more pleasant to ride and means it can be fired out of slow bends much harder and much sooner with complete confidence. Gone is the patch of mid-range reluctance where throttle input produced more noise than motion. Now the bike pulls flawlessly wherever and whenever asked, the front end lightens, your forearms are pulled taut and you're thrust back against the seat hump. But the greatest gains are in the magic zone the far side of 8000 rpm - except its 7500 now. A high frequency sensation of surging and pulsing, as though the two cylinders were fuelling at different rates, has disappeared and the bike goes ballistic with a perfectly pitched baritone wail and the front wheel floats like a bird. Well past 120 mph in top its pulling so hard I've found myself trying to change up to a gear that isn't there. Its fantastic. And the sound has changed. I was worried that removing the exhaust valve would produce a barking over-run that would make discreet town riding completely impossible and attract unwelcome attention. In fact it doesn't seem noticeably louder than before but the tone has altered. Its deeper, cleaner, less metallic. It thuds, it thrums, it booms, it turns heads but it doesn't offend. Its bloody glorious. And Rich has transformed the handling with his suspension set-up. The back end feels glued to the road with no hint of skitter and I find I can hold much more braking into a bend. Before, braking late or tying to scrub a bit of speed through a bend taken too hot would make the bike sit up and run wide. I could muscle it through but it didn't like it and I was having to plan ahead. Now its instinctive. And the ride quality has improved and there seems to be more feedback through the front. All in all its buttery smooth, goes and handles like a proper B road scratcher and sounds like nothing on earth. Its faster, more tractable, easier and more fun to ride and much easier to ride fast. I'm delighted. And the fuel economy has improved. I can't think of a better way to spend £630. Forget Power Commanders and reflashes, get it done properly. Top marks Louigi-moto and CJS. A brilliant job done. Cheers boys.
Well worth doing. Apparently there is a lot of variation in these engines. Some are better than others. Mine was bad so the improvement was greater than it might be on another bike. But whatever yours is like now its certain to come back a better bike. Needs a decent free-flowing exhaust first though. The suspension set up for £40 is a must as well.
My 848 evo has had the 'superstock' map that Moto rapido developed for the challenge bikes. Its not mapped specifically to the bike and is still very impressive. I cab only imagine how much better it Is with the dyno time. I was told that the 848 evo engines were found to be pretty even so its interesting to see the various opinions.
Mine was done, while not much smoother it was better with more power amd bit more torque lower, but chris did the timing too and I think as a standrd set up mine wasnt too bad. Still worth the money
