Hey guys, I'm new to the EFI/MC world and I'm kinda disappointed in the system. I used to hot rod several EFI '90s Mustangs and one of the best things about them was the ability to compensate for exhaust-intake mods. Unless you went hog wild with compression, cam swaps etc.. it would tune for the mods. With this Harley (2010 Wide Glide) I can't even swap mufflers without buying a tuner.
Not long after I got this bike, we found out my wife has brain/lung cancer. Lucky for us, we caught it early and she has a very good chance of recovery, but with all the medical bills, that doesn't leave much $$$ for the bike (which she would not let me sell ! she loves to ride as much as I do)
Anyway, on to my question. I had already bought a set of pipes/air filter before we found out she was sick so I need a tuner. I've been looking at the Daytona Twin-Tec and the Ness Cheap Shot. I don't know if I'll need something else or if I can tune these without a big bill for dyno time. These is so much info and so many letters thrown around ( EFI,SERT,etc...) that its confusing. Or should I just bolt a carb on it ???? HELP !!!!

 

Sorry to hear about your wife but glad to know she is doing better....hope it continues in that direction.

As for the tuner...unless you need to make the decision right away, I'd suggest you spend as much time as you can to learn about the different systems, what they do, and just as important, what they don't do.

If you haven't installed the other mods, don't just yet...just leave it stock until you can make an informed decision with some good information.

The tuners (and many should not even be called that) go from essentially providing no real benefit to full-featured systems. I understand it's appealing to add one of this "trick your system" devices but if you were to take the time to learn the HD EFI system, you'll quickly see the shortcomings of such devices.

Good luck to you and your wife!

 

The newer H-D systems are more adaptable to changes than the older ones.
I ran a Ness Cheap Shot and loved its simplicity. All it does though, is add fuel. It does nothing with timing or removing fuel. I highly recommend it for a slightly modified bike. The Dobeck TFI/DFO is the original, Ness has just rebadged it.

 

Those Mustangs had the same system we have on our bikes, except for one glaring difference... the MAF sensor. Those cars had a Mass AirFlow sensor that reads how much air is being used at any given moment by the engine. Our bikes OTOH do NOT have a MAF and instead relies upon a "look up table" table inside of the ECM. That look up table is called the VE table.

A question you should ask yourself is this... what do you really intend to do with the bike in the future? Is pipes and an AC going to be it? Or do you see yourself doing a set of cams along the way? I ask, because here is how this goes... you CAN get buy with an 'el cheapo' fueler type POS. That would help you do the STage1 on your bike. Stage1 is an exhaust and AC and some kind of tune enrichment.

El Cheapos run a couple hundred bucks and a full on 100% do anything tuner will be $450.... a TTS. So, if you DO think you will do anything later, like cams, that el cheapo will no longer be viable, as the only add fuel to the existing stock map and a cam swap effects enough that that will no longer work.

DIY tuners are all over this board and most would help out. I prefer TTS, but there are other full fledged tuners out there.

So... with $$$$$ being what it is, and my wife is dying slowly from bladder cancer, so I feel for you completely, my friend.... can you swing the extra few hundred? If so, get a better tuner... if not, get a used Dynojet PC5 for your bike and use that. That is a PC FIVE not a PV, BTW. Do NOT buy a PV, a TTS, or a SEPST used... do not.. do not.. do not... ANd it is best, if you do buy to buy from a reputable vendor, not EBay. Reason being is these devices, as opposed to the PC5, marry themselves to the first bike tuned and cannot be used for any other bike. The PC5 is my choice for an add on tuner piggy back style, if one needs to go that way. PC5, hands down, is probably the best of the 'fuelers' just like TTS is the best of the 'flash tuners'. Both enjoy more adjustabilitites than their perspective counter products have.

 

The least expensive enrichment device are XIED'S, go to nightrider.com or DK Custom's web site. These also work well with the V&H Fuel pak, Both are less money and can be installed in less then an hour. Also go to www.fuelmotousa.com. They have an entry level tuner that can be installed with the download already installed. I have run the XIED's with a Fuel pack, Stage 1 A/F and Rush 2" baffled slip ons for 11000+ miles and very satisfied. The Fuel pak is limited to what it controls and gets a bad rap from many of "the tuner guys" I have liked mine with the basic mods I needed. The Daytona Twin tec has a good reputation, but harder to install/tune. After these you are getting into the high dollar stuff.

 

Best wishes for you and your wife!

Below is a link to an overview of the options....just the first few posts are the overview.

https://www.hdforums.com/forum/elect...uning-etc.html