FE/FC 15 FE 501 motor performance ?'s

[Cooksend]

Cooksend,

Just have the Euro map installed. You can then buy a handlebar mounted 3 way switch to go up next to your kill switch from a few different vendors. Mine is from "Sickass Racing". It plugs into the harness under the seat. The settings are easily adjusted from MED,MILD,WILD. It just changes the timing curve not the fueling map. You can switch it between settings anytime with the engine running at idle.

I also run the full FMF Megabomb system. It still has a spark arrestor screen insert but I have the largest one that fits in the FMF Powercore 4 muffler. The inside diameter of that insert is 1.575" or about 40mm. This is not the smaller inside diameter spark screen insert that came with that Powercore 4 Muffler. It really isn't all that loud. I never even started the bike with the stock exhaust. So I honestly couldn't tell you how quiet it is with the stock can or headpipe on there.

I currently mix 100LL avgas about 40% to 60% Premium pump gas with a bit of Startron marine formula and some octane booster. This is what I have been running through the fuel system for the last 60 hours. Especially if I run it on the "Wild" setting? Which with this fuel is normally all the time. In most of the riding I do. I want that snappy response. I ride at about 4000 to 5500 ft. elevation. Sometimes up to 6500 ft.

I run it on the WILD setting a lot when in the tighter stuff. The bike will pull harder and be more responsive down low with more ignition advance. The bike is less likely to see detonation down in the lower gears as you have the mechanical advantage of the transmissions gear reduction which means it spends less time pulling to the top of the rev range under a heavy load.

If I'm going to take it down any long high speed dirt roads, at a Hundred miles an hour. I'll first set it to the MED, or usually the MILD setting. Retarding the timing back to the MED or MILD settings timing curve will allow it to pull all the way up safely through to the higher rpm range and in doing so. Its less prone to see possible detonation when its tapped out in high gear, as its at this time that its under a heavier load for a longer period of time at Max RPM. Which is when it would be more likely to see detonation !!

Max rpms + Heavy load + longer period of time at Max rpm under a heavy load. Simple really.

I have never had any detonation issues running the bike like this, under extreme conditions with this mix of fuel. I have scoped the sparkplug with a lighted spark plug magnifier after doing so several times and if the engine had been detonating it would show on the spark plug after doing full throttle sustained high speed riding.

I don't have to go too far where I live and I'm on the trails in less than half a mile from my driveway. It takes less than a minute to get there and I can go for miles here. The bike is plated and insured. No horn, no signals. I am running the 'Acerbis" 4.1 gallon tank.

So today I put the map switch on the handlebar. I decided to go with the TrailTech version with integrated kill switch. I absolutely cannot find the 2 pin connector that the map switch plugs into. What the heck am I missing? I removed the tank, side panels, battery and clipped all the zip ties I could find to chase wires and could not find it to save my life. Where is it hidden?

 

[Big Timmy]

Its right in front of the battery. I initially had the same problem, I found it though. It has a pigtail loop plug in it stock if I remember, you will have to remove it to plug in the map switch.

 

[Cooksend]

I went through every plug in that harness and not a single one matches the plug on my switch. I chatted with Rocky Mountain and they verifed the part # is correct.
I did see a plug in front of the battery that has a loop plug in it. It actually slips through a hole in the airbox and clips in place. Is this the correct harness?

 

[reveille]

If it has the correct plug, that's it. There's another one that's an air temp sensor too. The one that fits your switch is the correct one.

 

[Big Timmy]

That's it, pull the plug out and if it matches you got it. That's the only one it will fit.

It won't match to any other plug end in that area.

No need to clip it back in place since the map switch harness is above there along side the battery but you can if it makes you happy.

Now get out and ride.

 

[Cooksend]

So I spoke with Trail Tech and they sent me a pic of a plug in a location that I don't have. Guess I will have the dealer check next week. I have literally looked at every connection I can find. No Go!

 

[reveille]

So it's not the one in your picture to the left with the black heat shrink loop/cap?

 

[Cooksend]

That is a different plug but is the one I suspect to be correct. I verified the part number of the switch I recieved and also had Trail Tech via picture tell me that I had the correct plug end on the switch.

 

[Big Timmy]

Shouldn't need to make a trip to the dealer.

The 2 wires on the plug you are looking for to plug in the bar mounted map switch are "solid black & the other one is brown with a black tracer". Those 2 white bigger plugs, the "6 wire and 4 wire plugs" are each part of the grouped plugs taped coming up out of that fat group of wires shown. A section of it goes into the bottom of the clipped in place square fuse box you can see there. The other white one I believe is for the tail light wires.

Looks like the plug from that group you need is still tucked downward maybe. I can't really see it.

Mine on my 2015 FE 501 is a black Dutch lock type plug with a "male" end on the bikes wire harness, flat on the end with 2 female holes that accepts the 2 pins down inside the map switch harness. The plug you need has a lock tab on one side and mine has a yellow watertight triple lip seal that seats into the switch harnesses female opening.

Your map switch harnesses end should be female, look down into it, there are 2 wire pins sticking out down inside with a divider so it can only be installed one way. The bikes matching plug for the female pigtail from the bar switch is oval shaped, about 1/2" wide , maybe 3/16" to 1/4" thick and a divider slit that matches the map switch plugs divider.

 

[Big Timmy]

Cooksend,

Well, did you ever find the map switch plug ? I'll have my 501 apart for some service on Friday. I'll take a picture of the bike harnesses map plug for you if you like?

I'll be out in the garage installing the new Rekluse 3.0 clutch assembly and cover and a new Rekluse left hand rear brake on Friday.

Before I can ride Saturday or Sunday. I need to do about 30 launches in 1st and 2nd gear to brake that Rekluse clutch in.

I also have to address a slow leak in my front tire too, before I go ride it. Not the tire having a puncture this time though. I suppose I finally have a Tubliss bladder that has developed a slow leak. So I'll have to break it down to swap it out.

I got 1800+ miles so far with the Tubliss system and this is the first time I've had any issue with a bladder that has leaked down and gone flat after sitting several days. I've only ever had 2 flat tires, both times on the front, I still have the original bladder in the rear and the same mileage with the 5th rear tire. So I can't complain about the Tubliss set up.

If you need a picture let me know.

 

[Throttle on]

My 2015 fe 501s now has over 4500 miles on it. There would be a lot more but I am still enjoying my other bikes as well. I must be super easy on my machine because recently it WOKE UP! You know that feeling when your motor is broke in and it just comes alive. Still ripping 50 + mph wheelies in fourth with 14/ 42 gearing! It's pretty darn close to the stock15/45. I saw 108 the other day and she still had more I had to chop the throttle I was running out of road! I am looking into the euro remap and other ecu remap options now.

 

[Cooksend]

Cooksend,

Well, did you ever find the map switch plug ? I'll have my 501 apart for some service on Friday. I'll take a picture of the bike harnesses map plug for you if you like?

I'll be out in the garage installing the new Rekluse 3.0 clutch assembly and cover and a new Rekluse left hand rear brake on Friday.

Before I can ride Saturday or Sunday. I need to do about 30 launches in 1st and 2nd gear to brake that Rekluse clutch in.

I also have to address a slow leak in my front tire too, before I go ride it. Not the tire having a puncture this time though. I suppose I finally have a Tubliss bladder that has developed a slow leak. So I'll have to break it down to swap it out.

I got 1800+ miles so far with the Tubliss system and this is the first time I've had any issue with a bladder that has leaked down and gone flat after sitting several days. I've only ever had 2 flat tires, both times on the front, I still have the original bladder in the rear and the same mileage with the 5th rear tire. So I can't complain about the Tubliss set up.

If you need a picture let me know.

I did finally find the plug and installed the switch as well as having the Euro Map installed. I have not done the new exhaust end cap yet but will soon. At this point I cannot tell any difference. It's strange that some do and some don't. My dealer had to try 5 different maps before it accepted one without throwing a o2 sensor code. Thought it was strange that there were different versions of the Euro map.
Verdict is still out. Let you know when I do hte end cap.