68C

I mentioned this topic in another thread re IAW15M K line, and realised I had wandered off topic, so am re-presenting it here. Back to my point, in the 60's I recall tuning a bike meant getting the motor as close as possible to what the designer wanted - blueprinting. Build quality was often bad, for instance I believe Norton twin barrels were bored on the same machine that bored the singles having to be unbolted from the jig and repositioned to bore the second barrel - excellent way of keeping them truly parallel. Running your finger down the inlet tract of a 650 BSA soon reveals the imperfections. Basically we used files and sandpaper to tune a motor. We could increase power but often at the expense of flexibility. Into the 70's and 80's production quality had improved to the point that polshing intakes and balancing cranks led to little improvement, we were now trying to remove the dip in mid range performance caused by noise and emission regulations, enter the DynoJet kits, freer flowing (noisier)exhausts etc. Then came fuel injection.... So what are we trying to do now? Here I am speaking of stock machines, surely the build quality is adequate, are we still trying to remove mid range power dips due to legislation , don't these clever factory maps cure this? Why are folk re-mapping their ecu. I have a 2004 V11 LeMans Rosso Corsa, bog standard with a crossover pipe under the alternater ( actually I wish it was under it as it seems impossible to remove the cover without removing the exhaust) and the standard centre section/crossover.

Make sure the sych/balance rod is clear. I had the frightening experience of the throttle jamming open the first time I took my V11 out. The rear shock remote reservoir had been mounted too far forward, the white plastic knob on the balance rod under the left throttle body caught around the reservoir pipe. Luckily it was on an open road, I thought clutch... the revs soared, front brake... I realised I would probably lock the front wheel, by now we were doing over the ton....at last I thought KILL SWITCH! This was the first time I have ever used one in anger, or fear. I remember thinking how angry my wife would be if I hurt myself. Turns out the last owner had starter relay problems and had run an emergency wire from the start motor which was left coiled up under the seat, presumably to flash to the battery to start, and had removed the reservoir for access then mounted the reservoir wrong.

Managed to get the freeware Ducatidiag running, screen shot below . I don't know what the ISO CODE/ecu data/ and calibration are about. No RPM showing as engine was stopped at the time. I did set my idle using this displ;ay rather than trust my rev-counter. I am following this as I wanted to learn more about diagnostics before commiting to anything expensive. There is a second page that allows tests of the coil, injectors, pump etc. I am a nervous to try them at this stage. Back in 1968 when I bought my first bike, a 650 BSA A10, I recall tuning consisted of polishing ports, big carbs, open pipes and improving the airflow in general and correcting the rather poor build quality of the day in an attempt to get closer to what the designer intended. We could improve performance but only by moving the powerband around - more top end at the expense of bottom end. Into the late seventies and eighties build quality of our bikes had improved to the point little was to be gained from simple file and wet-n-dry paper. We were then trying to remove the dip in mid range performance due to the noise and to a certain degree emmision regulations, je3tting kits were all the rage. Not quite sure what one is attempting to do with modern bikes (I guess that means nineties and on), particularly fuel injected bikes. It seems to me production control has improved to the point you need to do radical work to make any change, so are we still trying to dodge that old midrange loss due to legislation or what? Sorry if it seems an odd train of thought, I guess I like tinkering but am not certain what I actually want to achieve.

I now have the cable and have downloaded the ducatidiag software. All loaded up easily enough, the front page displayed with the ecu info , rpm temps, throttle position, etc. I have made a donation to their website and hope to receive a 'licence', this is freeware. Of course although it displayed the data this is all probably basic stuff and not truly aimed at the V11. http://ducatidiag.xooit.com I did a web search earlier and had the strange experience of seeing my first post listed. I guess it's true the internet is full of information that comes from uneducated sources...me.

Many thanks HaydnR, especially for the warning. I followed the ebay link, have placed an order straight away. £8-90 seems a good price, I was wondering where to get the 3pin plug, had visions of trawling scrap yards. Also the software suggestion sounds a better bet than my idea, I have since found out that the Aprilia probably has a Nippon Denso ECU, not so simalar! I have just had a cataract removed so am trying to put the time off work to good use. Should be riding again in ten days or so.

Hi all, Can anyone tell me which is the K-line on the IAW15M ecu? I am playing around with an old VW OBDII usb cable, I know which pins are the K and L lines on the large OBDII plug but don't know which ones are which on the three pin diagnostic socket fitted to the bike. I have a Rosso Corsa, first registered in 2004 although the frame number suggests it may have been made in 2003. I am looking at the freeware TuneECU software, and am considering trying the Aprillia Falco software as I believe they have a similar ecu. Thanks, any advice gratefully received.

PM me you email and exactly what you want and I can go snap a couple for your Hope I am using this reply correctly, I am looking for a picture of the two badges that are attached to the side panels, I expect they say something like "V11 Lemans" with a chequered flag. The bike is a 2003 V11 Le Mans Rosso Corsa although it was registered in the first half of 2004 the frame number suggests it was made in 2003. Having just bought the bike I cannot afford the £40 for spares. I can make a decal and encapsulate it for the time being. Many thanks, Bob.

Hello all, got my T3 in 1979, now in the shed awaiting the Great British Winter Rebuild, so I bought a '04 Rosso Corsa. Got it off ebay, never bought a bike like that but it turned out the seller was an ex apprentice where I work so I took a chance. Bike nicer than I expected - we all know how those ebay photos can make things look better than they are. Minor defects are weeping fork seals and missing side panel badges. and that is how I came to the Forum. Can anyone let me have a reasonably hi-res photo of the LH & RH side panel badges so I can make up a couple of decals until I can get some more cash together? Had fun on the first ride, after ten or fifteen miles taking it easy around our country lanes I pulled onto the main road and let her go - she went allright, at 85mph I rolled off the throttle but she kept on going - at 105mph I finaly realised it would be a good idea to hit the kill switch ( never done that before in forty years of riding). Once stopped and after my heartbeat slowed I tried to restart it to no avail. Called a mate, he rolled up to laugh until he saw how white I was, we found the rear Ohlins remote reservoir was mounted too far foward and the white plastic adjuster under the left throttle body had hooked around the pipe fitting! A further look found a spurious wire running from the starter relay and coiled up under the tank, the normal lead to the starter had dropped off - probably in the unrequested mad dash I had just undertaken. I guess whoever fitted the "Get you home" wire had missmounted the reservoir. Once the starter wire was hooked back on and the reservoir remounted all was well and off I went home. Told the lads at work who wondered what I had done to upset the apprentice and admired his cunning way of seeking revenge.