power commander question

[dazco]

I hope you don't mind my asking here even tho i don't have a R3. But the Tbird cruiser is a new bike and theres just not a lot of people in that forum at this point. So knowing a lot of R3 guys have the PC, i have a question about it if you don't mind. I have TORs and a UNI filter and the bike has the factory tune loaded for that setup. The difference in performance is barely noticable and it pops like mad. Mickey Cohen told me that if i get a PC and have him dyno tune it the results will be better than having the BB kit installed, which is a stock triumph item, street legal, and gets you 15 more HP. He is an authorized dyno tune center and in articles he's actually stated his love for dyno tuning. So given that's his preferred work and the profit is quite high ($650 total=$300 for the custom tune, $350 for the PC) i tend to wonder if he's not biased and that it may not result in a much stronger running bike like he describes. So i guess the Q is, is the PC capable of making a considerable increase in performance with just TORs and filter, which with the factory tune is hardly noticeable ? I realize it's not likely to get 15 HP like the BB gets as mickey seems to claim by saying "it will run better than with the BB kit", but what do you think....worth it? No? When he says "run much better" i'm not sure if he means more power than the BB kit or what because it runs nice as is. But he never said the PC and dyno will give it more power than the BB, just run better than the PC.

[CTCruiser]

An old timer once told me (The best fuel managment system to get is the one your tuner is most familuar with)

most of the fuel managment products on the MKT today are very simular with the exeption of the Tune Boy - Tune Edit

My prob was finding a tuner that ever herd of the Tune Boy

So If your tuner is an expert with the PC3 or better yet the PC-V thats where you will get your best tune.

Just my .02

[dazco]

No, i know that, and the PC is his forte. But i'm asking about the kind of gains that can be had from a good dyno tune with a PC on a bike with tors and filter as compared to the triumph tor/filter tune. Is there really a possibility/likelihood to get say 8 or 10 HP more with the PC and a good dyno tuning over the TORs tune triumph supplies with the pipes?

[KingOfFleece]

Price a dyno and all the training that go with it.
Now, a dyno tune is worth every penny if you want your bike to run well. PC's are avail from about 350 on up and dyno sessions are in the 275 range-some a bit less or more. My r3 was on the dyno for 2 1/2 hours and when I left I was more than 100% pleased.

Every bike is different and the dyno lets you make the final adjustments.

[xhdskip]

Just had mine (R3) dyno tuned for the first time today.
Cost? $180. complete dyno tune.
Already had a PC 3 .
Is it worth it.
YES.
Reasons....
Better fuel line across the spectrum, low throttle, medium throttle, high throttle.
Not to lean at low idle speeds, nor overloaded and "rich" at high speed.
It now has a constent fuel line.
Gained torque, only 5 ft lbs. but definetly noticable..
Now I realize 5 ft lbs doesn't sound like much,
but it'll snap your neck back now.
It was fast before, now its no faster,
but it sure gets there quicker. (torque),
that with the knowledge I'm not gonna burn a valve from running to "lean" was worth the cost.
My advice?
Remove your secondaries.
Do any mods you think you want to do to the intake and exhaust,
then pay your money and get-er-done...
Worth every cent, I hope this helps.

[Diego]

Of course, also bear in mind that the Thunderbird is a completely different engine from the Rocket. The only thing they have in common is the size of the individual pistons...which, even so, is more than the T-bird has in common with any of the other Triumph twins. Point being, results Rocket captains obtain may or may not be at all representative of what you can do with the 'bird.

[dazco]

Well, i'm not asking whether the Tbird will get me the same gains a R3 will. Of course it won't unless there is some hidden potential there that is unique to it. So i don't expect to get say 5 ft Lbs if thats what theR3 will average as a gain for dyno tuning. I just want to get a general idea of the potential that exists between triumph's tunes and those done by a good dyno tuner. We know that when triumph develops a tune they do it with a certain aganda that is not gear 100% towards best performance like a dyno tuner does. so i guess the question actually might be, are the corners that triumph cuts in order to meet EPA regs and whatever else is done for reasons other than performance enough so that when someone tunes it purely for performance with no other agendas it will make a serious worthwhile difference? that would be a $650 difference by the way, because that is his cost to install a PC and dyno tune it. You see, i can get the BB kit which adds 10 Ft Lbs and 15 HP for $1800 parts and labor and is 100% street legal. Its a sure thing and street legal to boot. But 1)- it IS almost 3 times as expensive, 2)-they have to remove the engine and i'm not to keen on that no matter WHO does it, and 3)- it's 40 miles away so i'd have to rent a car to get home then rent one again to pick it up, while a PC and dyno i could do in a day and wait for it.

So thats why i'm asking. Mickey seems to feel the bike will benefit more from the PC and dyno tune. But then he has a bias doesn't he.

[CTCruiser]

I would have to agree with Mikey on this, and I have No Bias.

I also think getting a professional tune and having your ride running like a swiss watch (no matter what the gains) is alway's a good idea.

[dazco]

It does run like a swiss watch now tho. So it's only gains i'm after Therefore i have to weigh the benefits of each. $650 and the far less trouble to dyno tune it compared to the BB kit are huge benefits. But then again, the BB is 15/10 HP/torque, and if dyno tune is just barely noticeable, $650 for nearly nothing is much more expensive than $1800 with big gains.

[xhdskip]

If its gains you're after then invest the $1800.
If on the other hand you've got enough HP and torque to satisfy you (for now) then go for the PC 3.
for the additional money tho, you could have had a rocket and already be where you're headed..
Good luck what ever you decide.