Why Should I Get A Power Commander??

[spine60]

Could someone please tell me why these units are so popular?? :erm:

 

[XJRGUY]

I'll fill you in this weekend when I install the unit I just received.

I have a set of Staintunes, and that's it for mods.

Very interested to see what this little black box does.

 

[Toolman]

If you are happy with the way your bike runs now I wouldn't bother. I have one because my bike had a bad stumble when I would take off(just off idle). The PCIII fixed that and I like having the ability to adjust the fuel injection. JMO.

 

[FJRottie]

Power Commander is personal preference, like Oil, ABS, etc.

You don't NEED it, but many will tell you why they like it (i.e. adjustability).

I don't use them anymore on bikes, but that's me.

 

[Tom of VA]

I guess if you have to ask, your bike is just fine. I purchased a PC III because my FJR runs so lean it surges a little. When I asked the dealer about the surging, they said that it was the way they all were (somthing about the O2 sensor) and I should just ride at a different RPM????? Maybe not everyone would notice the irregularities, but it makes me nuts. I wouldn't have ordered this part just to get more power, I have an R1. I bought the FJR because I thought it would be smooth and comfy but I'm disapointed with the low rpm operation. I should have the PC III on Tuesday so I'll let you know how it goes. It seams that many of the members of this forum think it will cure my problem and I hope they're right!

 

[XJRGUY]

I just got done with my PCIII install about 2 -3 hours ago.

I noticed IMMEDIATE results.

My bike has a stock airbox, and Staintune slipons.

I loaded the Dale Walker/Stock air filter map and let me tell you there is no weird surging anymore, throttle response is amazing, bike seems to run cooler (I have to test this theory more) and idles better too.

I've noticed better power delivery in the entire RPM spectrum as well.

Before I started the bike I reset the TPS via the PCIII software.

It's a nice farkle

 

[Tom of VA]

XJRGUY,

I'm really glad you felt the difference was so noticeable. I should have mine on Tuesday according to FedEx tracking. I'm not decided on what map to try but I will share my results also.

Thanks,

Tom

 

[FJR-Kevin]

Greg, I told you would find folks that think the PC is worth the money. On my bike it differently helped with the cruise Sarge problem. Now if I could only find someone with both a K&N Air Filter and the BlueFlame Slip-on's on their bike that's been tuned at a PC Tuning Center and was willing to share their custom Map with me I'd would be set.

 

[sparky3008]

I put mine in Friday. I can say that the bike only gets to about 2 bars now where as before it was constantly at 3. The vibrations seem a little less, not gone but less. I haven't hooked up a computer to it and changed the mapping at all yet but plan on doing the smoothness map that many here have. Mine did have some jerking when just moving around the neighborhood and such and that seems to be gone. I haven't done a TB sync yet either and I have about 1600 miles on my bike. I will probably do an idle sync and if I read more on the 4000rpm one and feel comfortable enough with the procedure i might try that one.

All and all I am happy with the money on this item.

Is it necessary (No)

Will you feel the difference (For my bike Yes)

It is not a huge seat of the pants difference but all the little stuff seems to get straighten out...

 

[comleader]

If you have altered the intake or exhaust side of your bike, I would suggest you seriously consider adding the PCIII to take full advantage of those mods. Even if you have a completety stock bike, I would susggest you consider one. Here's why. With intake or exhaust mods, you have altered the amount of air entering your engine, or have altered the cylinder scavenging being performed by your exhaust system. The PCIII will adjust the fuel delivery based on these changes (oversimplification). The fuel injection system does not use a mass airflow sensor, so the PCIII is the only way to adjust for the changes. The bike will probably run lean(at most RPM) without adding the PCIII. As for a stock bike, the manufacturer tunes the bike to meet emission and noise regulations. This is hardly the optimum performance (no matter how you define that term) configuration, but is generally a reasonable compromise. All bikes have manufacturing tolerances, so using someone else's custom map will not be optimum for your bike, but will may get you a whole lot closer to the the best performance. The best situation is to either leave the bike completely stock, or do a complete job with the modifications you choose. I realize people have cost constraints and cannot do it all, or all at once. Save your money and have it done right.

 

[radman]

The fuel injection system does not use a mass airflow sensor

That is the biggest flaw in the whole system. I am looking hard at adding a PC, to try and overcome this design oversight.

 

[XJRGUY]

I put mine in Friday. I can say that the bike only gets to about 2 bars now where as before it was constantly at 3. The vibrations seem a little less, not gone but less. I haven't hooked up a computer to it and changed the mapping at all yet but plan on doing the smoothness map that many here have. Mine did have some jerking when just moving around the neighborhood and such and that seems to be gone. I haven't done a TB sync yet either and I have about 1600 miles on my bike. I will probably do an idle sync and if I read more on the 4000rpm one and feel comfortable enough with the procedure i might try that one.
All and all I am happy with the money on this item.

Is it necessary (No)

Will you feel the difference (For my bike Yes)

It is not a huge seat of the pants difference but all the little stuff seems to get straighten out...

I drove my bike to work today which is a 29 mile trek in L.A. traffic.

I concur with all of your statements based on my experiences with using my bike the day after install of the PCIII.

It is amazing how precise the throttle response is, I can't believe how smooth the delivery is now.

It doesn't POP anymore out the staintunes when I first leave my house and decelerate for the first stop light I hit in the morning before full warmup.

No more surging around 30MPH in 3rd gear either.

Seems to run cooler too.

 

[Tom of VA]

All hooked up,

I did the BJM and adjusted the co +5. I just returned it back to the way it was and added the PCIII instead. I do think it is even better over the co adjustment. I think this change would have been more pronounced if I had gone right from the factory settings right to the PCIII, but still did notice and improvement. I uploaded Wally's map the second day and my bike feels very good considering the 95+ heat this week. I didn't notice a drop in temp but the surging and running-out-of-gas feeling seems to be gone. It's a cool toy and I am looking forward to learning more about the fuel system and playing with new maps.

 

[yanktar]

If you buy it from Ivan's Performance Products you'll get the custom map he did for my FJR. So far I am MUCH happier with this map than with the Smoothness map or even the DW map I got for the slip-ons (HoleShots).

Ivan's prices are usually pretty good compared to other dealers--I don't know where his pricing is on PCIIIusb's

 

[Constant Mesh]

Upping the fuel regulator pressure on the Honda ST1300 has been proven to be a good mod for better engine operation.

The quantity of fuel injected is a function of fuel pressure and injection time interval. Rather than adjusting the time interval as the PC does, the pressure at the fuel rail can be increased with a corresponding increase in quantity of fuel injected. Of course you end up having a richer mixture for all operating conditions.

The oxygen sensor input will fight a richer mixture. But it appears that the sensor can only marginally affect the injection interval.

 

[FatNakedGuy]

Wally's Smoothness map rocks!

 

[FJRay]

I had mine installed at Skagit Power Sports here in Wash. the day before WFO and rode all weekend. It sure is a lot smoother and the little bit of surging is gone. As far as heat I can't tell because the heat was never an issue. when they install the unit the mapping is done on the dyno using the tuning link softwear from dynojet so the air/fuel ratio is adjustable throughout the rpm range and they give you a disc with the various maps so you can play with it at home. they had a special for the WFO folks and I wouldn't be surprised if they would still honor it if you asked. The price was 500.00 installed and mapped and outthe door.