Are tuners worth it?

[lboos]

In 62-63 I was stationed in Denver Colo. I drove a 150cc Vespa motor scooter to work every day, on the week ends I would fill it up with gas [cheap then] and the wife and I would hop on it and head for the hills, it was the only entertainment we could afford, while climbing the hills I was always shifting from 2nd to 1st to 2nd to 1st,... when I think back, it would sure have been nice to have had one of them cruise control thingy's ThumbUp.

 

[msocko3]

I still don't see a problem. How often do you have to downshift? If I had to downshift every couple miles or so, then yes, I'd be annoyed. I like to shift, that's why I bought a Harley.

On that trip I was down shifting pretty much every hill while running through Ky and into Tn, I wasn't pulling a trailer, just me the wife and our gear. The 2nd year I made the same trip after installing SE255 cams and tuning it, I never had to drop a single gear. The following year on the same trip I had another cam swap to Wood's TW555 and a switch to the 30 tooth sprocket, pulled a trailer and never had to drop a single gear.

I drove stick shift cars and trucks for most of my life, I'm just plain worn out on shifting. My 2014 Tundra is automatic, I like putting the trans in 'D' (dummy) and just pushing the throttle.

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Damn, my Lincoln, F150, and Jeep all downshift when I hit a long up-grade. So did my Ducati. Just doesn't make any sense to drop a couple of grand so I wouldn't have to downshift. BUT, to each his own.

Down shifting is also impacted by engine torque out put. The 2012 Tundra I had with a 4.6 v8 seemed to down shift quite a bit on grades. The 2014 Tundra I now have with the 5.7 pretty much never down shifts on the same grades.

 

[engprosinc]

:Agree: A proper tune will smooth out the total performance of the bike. Generally most all H-D's come from the factory with a very lean fuel delivery and you can correct this issue with the Power Vision. this will most likely also make the bike run a little cooler.

I have a PV on my 2013 V-Rod Muscle as well as my 2013 Trike and have them both running awesome!!

Good luck which ever way you decide to go!

Roger

Thanks for your help.

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He asked a question, I offered my opinion. You offered your opinion. I guess we both have an opinion. You think your trike runs better with one, I think both of our trikes run fine without one.

Oh, this is my 6th Harley since 1970, my wife's 4th since 1995. I dropped a couple of hundred putting a tuner on my '08 Ultra. Didn't do a damn thing to make it run better, faster, smoother, or cooler. That is why I didn't bother to put a tuner on the '09 or '11 trikes.

Thanks for your feedbak.

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In my 40+ years of riding, I have found that "Tuners" are needed when Extreme Mods are done on your bike but not when you leave it basically stock. I remember in the 70's, when we started messing with the exhaust,carbs,etc, rejetting the carb was all that was needed. Now, with EFI systems, alittle different story. Just had to put my 2cents in :Coffee:

Thanks, I appreciate your feedback, and I agree with you and what I have heard from other trikers. Why spend the $ and get nothing back for it?

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I bought the tuner from Honest John's EVO ETC. and he installed it. We took the bike to Fire Breathing Industries and Drew did the dyno and tuning.

I don't pull a trailer, ride 2 up, drag race, ride parades, idle all day in city traffic or do wheelies. My plugs were brown before, brown after. I don't check mileage, but it looked like I ran low on gas at about 160 miles before and after. The bike felt about the same. MAYBE had a bit better throttle response, but not $650 worth. The Ultra was stock with the exception of a Stage 1 kit with Python slip-ons and a Harley SE air cleaner. I had no decal popping before or after the change. The only difference I really felt was a wallet that was $650 lighter. IF you have a need for speed, put in hot cams, shave the heads, stroke or bore the motor, then you may need one.

I learned from that experience that just because you read it on the internet it isn't written in stone. I'm amazed with the people that are buying 'necessary' accessories before they even have a bike and know if they need them. I'm all for customizing the hell out of your scoot. Hell, I should be here expounding on how much better my Springer ran after I dropped 3 grand in custom paint.... after I dropped a grand in custom tin..... been there, done that. Now that I'm old I ride my bike er Trike. We just got back from a 4000 mile ride to Yellowstone. No tuner, no king sized windshield, no additional storage, no lift kit, no custom seat, no plastic film paint protector, no cooling fans, no monster oil cooler, all the 'stuff' deemed necessary on the Bulletin Boards. Our trikes washed and waxed and got pretty when we got home. I sure don't want to step on the toes of any of your sponsors, but a pretty stock Harley doesn't NEED a lot of help IN MY OPINION.

At 72 years old, I tend to challenge the claims on the Internet, too. I wish I had listened to my own advise before I bought the Power Vision. Now it gives me real time data that I didn't need before. It's like feeling the trike runs better after you've washed and polished it. Mind over matter.

 

[rhino 2]

I would always have to down shift out of 6th to go up the hills out my way, So I solved the problem by just leaving it in 5th all the time.. Once on the highway, And going over 60 it will pull in 6th with no effort. I will say that if? you are running a free flowing exhaust you'll find [in most case's] 6th gear is useless at pulling hills....

 

[GARYD]

Thanks for your help.

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Thanks for your feedbak.

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Thanks, I appreciate your feedback, and I agree with you and what I have heard from other trikers. Why spend the $ and get nothing back for it?

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At 72 years old, I tend to challenge the claims on the Internet, too. I wish I had listened to my own advise before I bought the Power Vision. Now it gives me real time data that I didn't need before. It's like feeling the trike runs better after you've washed and polished it. Mind over matter.

You mean it DOESN'T run better after washing/waxing!!!???? I could've sworn mine did.

 

[arnie]

Probably not hi-performance wax! ThumbUp

 

[RcSuD]

And be sure to use an electric polisher. Improves gas mileage as well.