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- Joined
- Sep 5, 2006
- Messages
- 1,117
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- Location
- Belton, TX
- First Name
- JD
- Last Name
- Evans
For my preference the stock EFI mapping of my V-strom left plenty of room for improvement. The primary goal of modifying the EFI mapping was to improve the throttle response. I have read postings where modifying the EFI improved gas mileage and allowed the bike to operate smoothly at sub-3000 RPMs.
While deployed to Iraq I spent a lot of hours surfing the WEB and talking with other bike enthusiast who were counting down the days until we could get home and ride. I learned of a performance shop called AF1Racing (af1racing.com) that is the Aprilia dealer in New Braunfels.
I had originally envisioned that a Power Commander would be used, and toyed with the idea of adding carbon fiber slip-ons. The shop recommended a TEKA module for modifying the EFI mapping and a set of Leo Vince slip-ons, and recommended against carbon fiber for my application as it can become brittle when regularly subjected to UV light. Since my bike is a daily commuter and sits in the sun Monday thru Friday, and I plan on keeping the Strom for a long while, I opted for the stainless.
The new EFI Mapping delivers smooth, "linear" throttle response that is akin to the action of a rheostat/dimmer switch for a light fixture. I can best describe it as silky smooth power. The new exhaust delivers a more "soulful" note that is not particularly loud, but sounds healthy. The Leo Vince pipes came with two different core inserts for controlling sound. One set of core is +3db (twice the decibels) as the other. I wanted the cores that would give me the best dyno numbers for low to mid-range power. These were the louder of the two sets. My neighbor's Harley still sounds much louder when blipping the throttle, and the "loud pipes saves lives" is not applicable unless I really grab a handful of throttle and twist. While not as stealthy as the OEM pipes, I am not worried about being deemed the resident hooligan as I can enter and exit the neighborhood with out waking the sleeping babies or being greeted by barking dogs. Scientifically tried to test the decibel level and set off a few car alarms. No such luck. My reputation as Mr Responsibility will remain intact.
The current mods added 9 foot pounds of torque and 7 hp. The real benefit is how the bike runs. Previously it was tough to lope along at anything under 3K rpm. Now I can get it to pull steady from a basement like 2K rpm. No longer does the power dramatically drop off when I crest 7k rpm. Over-all the stock EFI mapping was very rich. At some RPMs the fuel delivery during the dyno tune was cut back by 70%. The assistance I received from AF1Racing was superb, as their recommendations were cost effective while delivering a much more enjoyable machine.
The TEKA module was $110 dollars installed, and the dyno tune was $250. The process was conducted over a three day period to ensure the EFI mapping was "dialed-in", and smooth operation at normal temperature and cold starts.
A BMC air filter was installed as part of the service performed by the dealer to get the bike ready for my return from the sandbox.
While deployed to Iraq I spent a lot of hours surfing the WEB and talking with other bike enthusiast who were counting down the days until we could get home and ride. I learned of a performance shop called AF1Racing (af1racing.com) that is the Aprilia dealer in New Braunfels.
I had originally envisioned that a Power Commander would be used, and toyed with the idea of adding carbon fiber slip-ons. The shop recommended a TEKA module for modifying the EFI mapping and a set of Leo Vince slip-ons, and recommended against carbon fiber for my application as it can become brittle when regularly subjected to UV light. Since my bike is a daily commuter and sits in the sun Monday thru Friday, and I plan on keeping the Strom for a long while, I opted for the stainless.
The new EFI Mapping delivers smooth, "linear" throttle response that is akin to the action of a rheostat/dimmer switch for a light fixture. I can best describe it as silky smooth power. The new exhaust delivers a more "soulful" note that is not particularly loud, but sounds healthy. The Leo Vince pipes came with two different core inserts for controlling sound. One set of core is +3db (twice the decibels) as the other. I wanted the cores that would give me the best dyno numbers for low to mid-range power. These were the louder of the two sets. My neighbor's Harley still sounds much louder when blipping the throttle, and the "loud pipes saves lives" is not applicable unless I really grab a handful of throttle and twist. While not as stealthy as the OEM pipes, I am not worried about being deemed the resident hooligan as I can enter and exit the neighborhood with out waking the sleeping babies or being greeted by barking dogs. Scientifically tried to test the decibel level and set off a few car alarms. No such luck. My reputation as Mr Responsibility will remain intact.
The current mods added 9 foot pounds of torque and 7 hp. The real benefit is how the bike runs. Previously it was tough to lope along at anything under 3K rpm. Now I can get it to pull steady from a basement like 2K rpm. No longer does the power dramatically drop off when I crest 7k rpm. Over-all the stock EFI mapping was very rich. At some RPMs the fuel delivery during the dyno tune was cut back by 70%. The assistance I received from AF1Racing was superb, as their recommendations were cost effective while delivering a much more enjoyable machine.
The TEKA module was $110 dollars installed, and the dyno tune was $250. The process was conducted over a three day period to ensure the EFI mapping was "dialed-in", and smooth operation at normal temperature and cold starts.
A BMC air filter was installed as part of the service performed by the dealer to get the bike ready for my return from the sandbox.
