After receiving the ECU on Thursday (sent from San Diego on previous Saturday), I reinstalled it and went for a 275 miles ride on Saturday.
Conditions of the test: temp 60-90 F (yes!!!!), dry and sunny. 2013 Super Ténéré with 2500 miles. -70 ECU (very important!). Dow Jones 16,154.
Here is my feedback on the reflashed ECU by AVC:
T mode: The first and second gear are very smooth and predictable. But revving up in 2 then 3-4 makes me think I am riding a 500cc. As I am not a beginner (I got my first 125cc in 1976), and the Super Ténéré is by no means a beginner's bike, I don't really see the point of such T mode.
S mode: The first gear is almost as smooth as the one in T mode. That is excellent, because most of the difficult maneuver requiring finesse will be performed in 1st gear. The second gear is very (too?) smooth too. I have tested them on a dirt trail with sand, rocks and gullies, and the engine responsiveness did not cause any issue. The third gear is the swiss army knife, i.e. the gear being used from 20 to 70 mph in hard corners and mountainous roads. This is the most important gear. And it is a success! The power surge felt in the OEM flash when shutting off the throttle, then reopening smoothly has disappeared. The smoothness of the power makes the bike fast in these twisties.
Gears 4 to 6 were OK in the OEM flash, and are smoother in the S mode, while ultimately delivering the same power.
I was surprised and disappointed by the lack of engine brake that comes with the new flash. I had mopeds with better engine brake than that. It makes me feel I am driving a car with automatic transmission, to slow down you need to apply the brakes. It takes forever for the bike to come down from 4K rpm to 2K rpm. I have always used the engine brake as an essential part of the control of the bike, and I felt frustrated with the lack of it.
I like the smoothness, but not without the engine brake.
To summarize: The T mode is not really necessary since the S mode is so smooth and predictable. The engine brake, of rather lack of thereof needs to be addressed.
Next: is there a way to have a real S mode? I missed the grunt of the OEM 4-6 gear where the torque and power really push your butt and extend the arms from 3 to 5K rpm (Remember, this a 2013 model with -70 ECU that seems to be quite different from the previous -30 version). I am not sure it was more powerful than the new flash, but it brought a big smile on my face each time. The new flash is efficient but not exhilarating. I would love a S version that would be a bit brutal in 2 to 6 gear. In fact, like the OEM 4-6, but on all gears (maybe not on 1st, to avoid mishap).
Anthony (AVC) enlightened me with the following comment:
What you have there is supposed to be a T mode that is a 100% linear throttle. You can command 100% engine throttle by going 100% on your wrist. In stock mode you could only have ~50-60% MAX in T mode. The purpose of MY T mode was to give you something you have 100% control of.
Your S mode is a ramped throttle. Once you get over the "cruise' throttle range the throttle becomes a "quick turn". By 80% on the wrist you are at 100% on the motor.
Anthony has put a third hidden map that is activated by using the “clutch mod”(shorting the clutch connector with a fuse). He suggested me to try it. I did.
Here is the report.
Same test conditions, but the Dow lost 24 points.
I found an excuse to ride 2x 40 miles on San Diego freeways.
I did the clutch mod with a fuse. So my first 40 miles were with the engine in "91 octane-only mode". The hidden modified map. Whaaaoooo! This is it. I found the grunt I was experiencing with the OEM S-mode (-70 ECU), but much better, with a sense of fullness at any RPM that does not exist in any other map. Open the throttle, and brooaaa, the rocket is launched. It made me smile during all the trip, although I was stuck in the traffic. And that is the second very positive point. AVC has succeeded in making this virile mode easy to dose and to use even in dense traffic, doing lane sharing, stop and go, and slalom around the cars. Probably not for a beginner, but very satisfying.
The trip back, still in traffic, was done using T and S mode. I confirm that the T mode is not really necessary. The same low speed control can be achieve either in T or S mode. The T mode is just more tamed in revving higher. But if you get into more than 1/3 throttle, you need the power and the responsiveness anyway. So the S mode is fine as a T mode. The lack of engine brake is still noticeable. Note that I didn't felt any lack of engine brake in the "91 octane-only mode". But I was paying so much attention to the power and the cars, that I can't be absolutely positive.
Conclusions:
- I confirm that the OEM -70 ECU has a great S mode, although frustrating in the first 3 gears.
- the AVC T mode is very easy in low revs, and makes me feel I am riding a 500cc like a CB500Four. (I am politically correct here, because it seems a lot of riders like this mode. But for me, it is just useless!)
- the AVC S mode is a great T mode, but needs more engine brake. It will work fine in the dirt and in tiny twisty roads.
- the AVC 91 octane is just what a big dual-sport bike rider needs on the road. It is better than a 09 GSA, reminds me of the power of a Triumph Tiger 888 or 955, just more torque/power and overall better.
End of the report. All of this is subjective, and depends on the way the rider rides. But it is better than no info.
I will return my ECU to Anthony to get the S mode with more engine brake in T mode position, and the "91 octane only" in S mode position. It seems that the T mode accepts lower fuel grades, so this aspect is covered too. Overall, I am a very happy camper. ;D ;D ;D
) It is stop and go that shows the snatchiness.
