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The great fuel injected Roadie
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TOPIC: The great fuel injected Roadie
#650599
River (User)
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The great fuel injected Roadie 4 Years, 8 Months ago  
Since the great debate a little over a year ago over the ‘lean’ question on the FI 08’ and up bikes I thought I would make a few notes about Yamaha’s, what I consider really good, ECU and associated systems, and what I’ve noticed on the Innovate AFR.

I ridden the bike with and without a BAK, and with the BAK it does tends to run leaner (up in the .16 range, but only in some conditions), the bike still runs around 47.6 at cruise either way. Overall the ECU seems to do a great job in adjusting to various mods in the exhaust, and air intake.

The injection duration takes it signal from the TPS, crank position, intake pressure, air temp, speed sensor, atmospheric pressure, and 02 sensors.
The injection time through the crank position. Now that is a little more complicated than a carb, BUT, My bike has only coughed once during the two years I’ve had it.
Why it coughed that once, I have no idea. It could have been a temporary failure of the CPS, which I think it probably was, however it didn’t even set a code.

Now…just judging from what I read on the Harley forums, and putting their troubles up against a Roadstar, Yamaha wins hand down with their FI on the Roadie.

Now there ain’t much point to this post except that at the outset, I was a little leery of owning a fuel injected bike, but so far I am pleased with the Yamaha ECU.

How long before we start having problems with sensors is anybody’s guess, but sensors have proven out over the years to have long life. My 1997 Lincoln Town Car has 146000 miles on all the sensors.

Most of the problems on the forum seem carb related. Thank God, we can mod these bikes with different pipes and air intake and it has little affect on the ECU, and we don’t have to buy hundreds of dollars worth of after market fuel controllers to get it to run right either.
 
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#650600
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Re:The great fuel injected Roadie 4 Years, 8 Months ago  
River wrote:
Since the great debate a little over a year ago over the ‘lean’ question on the FI 08’ and up bikes I thought I would make a few notes about Yamaha’s, what I consider really good, ECU and associated systems, and what I’ve noticed on the Innovate AFR.

I ridden the bike with and without a BAK, and with the BAK it does tends to run leaner (up in the .16 range, but only in some conditions), the bike still runs around 47.6 at cruise either way. Overall the ECU seems to do a great job in adjusting to various mods in the exhaust, and air intake.

The injection duration takes it signal from the TPS, crank position, intake pressure, air temp, speed sensor, atmospheric pressure, and 02 sensors.
The injection time through the crank position. Now that is a little more complicated than a carb, BUT, My bike has only coughed once during the two years I’ve had it.
Why it coughed that once, I have no idea. It could have been a temporary failure of the CPS, which I think it probably was, however it didn’t even set a code.

Now…just judging from what I read on the Harley forums, and putting their troubles up against a Roadstar, Yamaha wins hand down with their FI on the Roadie.

Now there ain’t much point to this post except that at the outset, I was a little leery of owning a fuel injected bike, but so far I am pleased with the Yamaha ECU.

How long before we start having problems with sensors is anybody’s guess, but sensors have proven out over the years to have long life. My 1997 Lincoln Town Car has 146000 miles on all the sensors.

Most of the problems on the forum seem carb related. Thank God, we can mod these bikes with different pipes and air intake and it has little affect on the ECU, and we don’t have to buy hundreds of dollars worth of after market fuel controllers to get it to run right either.


having dealt with carbed bikes in the past and fi bike now, i will take fi from now on. turn the key, hit the starter, you're gone.
 
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#650611
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Re:The great fuel injected Roadie 4 Years, 8 Months ago  
well, being I have the Strat now and it's Fi, wish it was a carb!!!
I haven't looked into what any air or pipe change would require a fuel processor or not, the little I have read so far seems split yes and no. I'm not sure if I am going to do any performance mods any way, stock power seems more than enough, maybe a pipe change mostly for sound, too darn quiet for my liking. As far as how quick it starts because it's Fi, don't have or should say didn't have issues this time of yr with my 42 any way, started as quickly as the Strat, we'll see how the Fi starts in the cooler weather, but that a good 7 months away, Jan, Feb.

The Fi feels a bit hurky jerky at low speeds, and have to friction zone the clutch to keep it smooth, not so with the 42 carb. I could maintain 5mph just with throttle with the 42, not so with Strat.
 
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#650619
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Re:The great fuel injected Roadie 4 Years, 8 Months ago  
yep Urman...hurky jerky at really slow speeds is the one thing I forgot to mention. Same on the Roadstar.

I'm pretty sure I could get used to it if my wife bought me a Strat for some unknown reason, like Birthday or Christmas?
 
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#650621
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Re:The great fuel injected Roadie 4 Years, 8 Months ago  
erb, I've talked to a few guys about the strat being it will prob. be my next bike (if I ever give up the roadie), and they all say the same thing about how aftermarket pipes screw with the FI. I don't know for sure just heresay
 
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Re:The great fuel injected Roadie 4 Years, 8 Months ago  
The Road Star has a very good FI system. The idle mixture is preset according to temperature. Cruise is controlled by the O2 sensors and others. Any acceleration and the O2 semsors are ignored, mixture is predetermined by throttle position.

The injectors are triggered once per revolution just like the sparkplugs.

The Strat is different. For instance, and I'll have to look at the FI book to make sure, it's in closed loop at idle.
 
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#650637
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Re:The great fuel injected Roadie 4 Years, 8 Months ago  
So, nobody tells you that you MUST bring in your Yamaha for the initial service so they can "flash the computer" and unleash all the engine's power? That was one going around on H-D FI bikes for a long time, that the bike was delivered with the computer in a "break-in" mode so you couldn't possibly abuse it during break-in.
 
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#650643
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Re:The great fuel injected Roadie 4 Years, 8 Months ago  
The big win with FI is of course is starting but I think even bigger is its ability to adjust for altitude. Performance is much better than with a carb at altitude.
I ride from near sea level to 6-7k feet quite often and the Roadie gets mighty doggy. That is when I wish I had FI and not the 42.
 
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#650645
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Re:The great fuel injected Roadie 4 Years, 8 Months ago  
jd750ace wrote:
So, nobody tells you that you MUST bring in your Yamaha for the initial service so they can "flash the computer" and unleash all the engine's power? That was one going around on H-D FI bikes for a long time, that the bike was delivered with the computer in a "break-in" mode so you couldn't possibly abuse it during break-in.

There is ECU tuner software which can be downloaded for free for other bikes so I'm thinking that's the case for FI Yamahas as well.

We just did a complete unlock on my son's Rocket III - a dude in CA sent him a modified map for his existing setup free! His primary injectors were limited to 25-30% of max power all the way through 1st & 2nd gear and partially through 3rd. Now his bike is waaaay more of a beast than it was before - power wheelies shifting into 2nd are not a problem at all!

Erbman - check the Strat forums and Yamaha tuner forums. I'll bet there is software you can download to your laptop for your bike. Drop $20-30 for a cable to connect and Voila, you're a tuning guru!
 
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#650652
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Re:The great fuel injected Roadie 4 Years, 8 Months ago  
Next up will be the aftermarket turbos for you FI guys. Carbs are a thing of the past anymore. Dino's...err Dyno's and laptops for everyone !
 
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