ECU Flash feedback (poll)

Have you had your ECU reflashed?

  • Yes, and I reccomend it.

    Votes: 20 55.6%

  • Yes, and I don't recommend it.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • No, for specific reasons (explain).

    Votes: 5 13.9%

  • I intend/in process of having it done.

    Votes: 11 30.6%
  • Total voters
    36
OldBiker said:
I have a 2012 and it has the smoothest most predictable throttle response of any bike I've owned or ridden in the past 40+ years.
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I have a 2012 as well and mine is no where close. They all still have the fuel cut. Go in a corner, chop the throttle, and then pick it back up. You'll feel it. I've done 3 track days since June and it drives me nuts. I'll be reflashing this Spring.
 
Gamecock said:
I have a 2012 as well and mine is no where close. They all still have the fuel cut. Go in a corner, chop the throttle, and then pick it back up. You'll feel it. I've done 3 track days since June and it drives me nuts. I'll be reflashing this Spring.
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Thanks for the insight, however, I don't intend on ever going to the track and if it takes me a few hundredths of a second to reach my destination then so be it.

I don't ride that aggressively that I need to chop the throttle that abruptly and pick it up that hard. I take curves as smooth as I feel comfortable which is faster than most of my friends but slower than others. That's OK because I don't believe in racing on public roads.

So for me and my riding style buying all the parts and getting the flash isn't a very productive use of funds, especially on a commuter and pleasure ride. It's been 20 or 30 years since I felt the need to "compete" to prove anything. I'll take that $1,400 and invest it so that in a couple years I'll have $1,800 - 1,900 and maybe buy a cruiser when I retire.
 
OldBiker said:
I spoke to Ivan and it seems that you need to spend an additional $1,000 or more to get the full benefit. That can buy a lot of good riding gear in my opinion. I'm sure it's a bargain for those that like their front wheel in the air but I like mine on the ground and a 0 - 60 time of 4 seconds or so is fast for me. (I have only had one speeding ticket in 47 years.)
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The goal of the reflash is not to make a wheelie machine - that's just a side effect of removing the timing restriction in lower gears. The main benefit of the flash is how incredibly smooth it rides.. getting on and off the throttle, small throttle openings, everything feels like a finely tuned perfect machine... The quality of the ride improved a LOT (and I had a pc3+im and FCE before the reflash). It's really night-and-day.

I'm also an "older" guy, although I don't have 47 years riding experience, and my only speeding ticket was with the car. So the power increase doesn't really excite me as I never use that power anyway.
 
Sorry I missed page2 of this thread :) So I was basically echoing what everyone else said.... Either way, it's money well spent, but so is money spent on good gear.
 
a7x3797 said:
I like the poll... I, the OP found it informative.
Main goal was to find out how many people (Quantity Wise) had the flash done.
And if anyone doesn't recommend it.
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Problem is that you would never realize how good it is until you do it or try a flashed FZ1. As for the mods - they are not that expensive
PC - $250
Exhaust - $300 or the cheap ebay versions for $150
Airbox, flies, cat gut is DIY....

All the above is even cheaper if you buy used like I did ..
 
The problem with a poll like this is that you'll get a slanted opinion towards having the flash since many of the more vocal members have had it done and they're happy with it.

I spoke to Ivan and he could only think of one person in Illinois that had it done and that bike is 150 miles away and the owner can't ride more than 20 minutes at a time so trying it out isn't in the cards.

There are at least four of us FZ1 riders in Central Illinois and we all ride stock bikes. The most expensive mod we would like to do is a rear shock/spring, well one of us that is, mine is OK for my 180 pounds. I'm pretty sure that 90% of the FZ1 owners have not flashed their ECU.

This is my opinion and that of my fellow FZ1 riding friends and I hope no one takes offence to those who like keeping things stock.
 
There's absolutely nothing wrong with keeping your bike stock.

For me personally, I came off a 2006 GSX-R1000 and a stock FZ1 was gutless by comparison, especially in the bottom and midrange.

I just wanted to get it up to a level that was a bit closer to what I rode previously.

It's still no where near as fast but it is a heap better than when I first got it.

I'm very happy with it's level of tune now.
 
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ballmead said:
There's absolutely nothing wrong with keeping your bike stock.

For me personally, I came off a 2006 GSX-R1000 and a stock FZ1 was gutless by comparison, especially in the bottom and midrange.

I just wanted to get it up to a level that was a bit closer to what I rode previously.

It's still no where near as fast but it is a heap better than when I first got it.

I'm very happy with it's level of tune now.
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100% agree.

I didn't even come off something that fast...my previous bike was a '03 VFR800 and a '01 FZ1. My old FZ1 feel like it hit harder than my '12 did. You hit the nail on the head....the bike felt gutless down low and mid-range. REALLY gutless. It drove me nuts on the track especially.

Now I'm a reflash and full exhaust away from being "fully" cured. The bike is MUCH better where I have it now, but it still needs a few of the quirks (Fuel Cut mainly) worked out.

Staying stock is fine, nothing wrong with that either. Mine is a personal choice and I know I won't recoup mods if I ever sell. But I also have all the stock stuff and can go back if needed.
 
Im with Ballmead and Gamecock, coming from a hyper sportsbike the FZ1 was really gutless under 7K and I just couldnt live with it.

Full exhaust and the flash sorted that out to a point where Im happy with the bikes performance now.
 
Mattsplat said:
Im with Ballmead and Gamecock, coming from a hyper sportsbike the FZ1 was really gutless under 7K and I just couldnt live with it.

Full exhaust and the flash sorted that out to a point where Im happy with the bikes performance now.
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I was also disappointed with the bike under 7K when I first got it,but now after owning if for nearly 2yrs it does`nt worry me much, I`ve changed my riding style and use one lower gear than the old 919 in the twisties.One of the reason`s I like to keep my bike stock is I don`t have every young bugger trying to race me like I have a target on my back.but I have to admitt I like nothing better than going passed somebody who`s spent thousands on their bike riding my stocker.
 
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