CaptainAwesome
Well-Known Member
"Enjoy your brand new bike" - Ivan, or something pretty close to what he said on the phone when flashing my bikes CPU.
He wasn't lying.
To be honest I was on the fence about selling my Fz1 prior to this. I had owned another one years ago, a red 2006 and my memory of it was a much more lively and fun bike than my current one.
Both bikes had 16T sprockets, slip ons, and KN filters. My red 06 had the butterflies done and the AIS blocked (now obsolete with his new flash btw). All the standard mods. And Ivans flash from way back then.
My current bike had a Power Commander 3 instead.
Ivan's work isn't going to be news, but I figure most of these topics are a decade old and a more recent topic maybe helpful to new owners.
First off his airbox mod is much, much more quiet and cleaner sounding than the Lars version. FYI.
So, what difference did it make?
All the difference.
It's more than the bike I remember. You still have the mid and higher RPMS being the fun zone, but at 20 and 30mph the bike has a lot more torque. A lot better response. It's not a chore to ride at those speeds anymore. It use to feel gutless there.
The difference in pull and performance I'll explain in events that happened when I was testing it.
First cruising at 70mph, I pulled over to make sure I had all my gears, that I wasn't stuck in 4th. Nope, I was in 6th, it was just pulling like I down shifted twice. Cruising at 75ish in 6th gear and passing without dropping a gear, I was doing 20 more in less time it takes to say "one Mississippi" .
Doing 40, aiming to go 55. I hit 65 before I realized I over shot 55.
Doing 30 in first, where it's just about to get fun and punching it to 55 (and over shooting it again), my exact words where almost a fun angry "F***** S***!!!" Front wheel was starting to lift.
I start sliding backwards at 6000rpm when going WOT, but not actually punching it. I'm 280lbs before gear btw. (not fat, just a big guy lol)
Basically there is more power everywhere. And the thing revs instantly like I remembered my red one doing.
My MPG went from mid 20s to 44.
And I'm riding it much harder to boot. (I suspect I could easily get more than 44 with less hooligan riding.)
With the Power Commander it was a nice bike. But just a bike. With Ivan's work to it it is genuinely thrilling again in the best way possible.
He was great to work with, answered all my questions. Be sure to check out his webpage as the bike needs somethings done to it. Nothing is going to be difficult if you know what a voltmeter already is, if you don't it's still not hard.( Basically ground a wire and click a few buttons on the dash, turn a screw on the side to set the idle, loosen two screws to adjust a sensor by moving it easily.) Turn around time was like 6 or 7 days.
If you're on the fence about it, don't be. It's worth it. I know we all have different expectations and can imagine things differently when we read them, but I seriously doubt you could ever be disappointed. At the very least I suggest trying someones bike who has that flash done, cause no, a power commander doesn't come close.
I guess Ivan said it best when he said, "Enjoy your brand new bike."
He wasn't lying.
To be honest I was on the fence about selling my Fz1 prior to this. I had owned another one years ago, a red 2006 and my memory of it was a much more lively and fun bike than my current one.
Both bikes had 16T sprockets, slip ons, and KN filters. My red 06 had the butterflies done and the AIS blocked (now obsolete with his new flash btw). All the standard mods. And Ivans flash from way back then.
My current bike had a Power Commander 3 instead.
Ivan's work isn't going to be news, but I figure most of these topics are a decade old and a more recent topic maybe helpful to new owners.
First off his airbox mod is much, much more quiet and cleaner sounding than the Lars version. FYI.
So, what difference did it make?
All the difference.
It's more than the bike I remember. You still have the mid and higher RPMS being the fun zone, but at 20 and 30mph the bike has a lot more torque. A lot better response. It's not a chore to ride at those speeds anymore. It use to feel gutless there.
The difference in pull and performance I'll explain in events that happened when I was testing it.
First cruising at 70mph, I pulled over to make sure I had all my gears, that I wasn't stuck in 4th. Nope, I was in 6th, it was just pulling like I down shifted twice. Cruising at 75ish in 6th gear and passing without dropping a gear, I was doing 20 more in less time it takes to say "one Mississippi" .
Doing 40, aiming to go 55. I hit 65 before I realized I over shot 55.
Doing 30 in first, where it's just about to get fun and punching it to 55 (and over shooting it again), my exact words where almost a fun angry "F***** S***!!!" Front wheel was starting to lift.
I start sliding backwards at 6000rpm when going WOT, but not actually punching it. I'm 280lbs before gear btw. (not fat, just a big guy lol)
Basically there is more power everywhere. And the thing revs instantly like I remembered my red one doing.
My MPG went from mid 20s to 44.
And I'm riding it much harder to boot. (I suspect I could easily get more than 44 with less hooligan riding.)
With the Power Commander it was a nice bike. But just a bike. With Ivan's work to it it is genuinely thrilling again in the best way possible.
He was great to work with, answered all my questions. Be sure to check out his webpage as the bike needs somethings done to it. Nothing is going to be difficult if you know what a voltmeter already is, if you don't it's still not hard.( Basically ground a wire and click a few buttons on the dash, turn a screw on the side to set the idle, loosen two screws to adjust a sensor by moving it easily.) Turn around time was like 6 or 7 days.
If you're on the fence about it, don't be. It's worth it. I know we all have different expectations and can imagine things differently when we read them, but I seriously doubt you could ever be disappointed. At the very least I suggest trying someones bike who has that flash done, cause no, a power commander doesn't come close.
I guess Ivan said it best when he said, "Enjoy your brand new bike."
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