| Author | Message | ||
     Hugie03flhr |
Hi everyone, I've been a long time Buell M2 owner and I'm finally picking up an 08 XB12X and I have some concerns about getting parts and tuning. I just noticed American sport bike went out of business and I'm starting to get nervous about tuning. I've heard about ECMSPY but I have no idea where to get it or how to use it? I'm a good wrench and know what I want to see on my engines parameters. Any advise on how to acquire, use ECMSPY and find parts would be appreciated | ||
| Froggy |
Ecmspy is still available at http://ecmspy.com/ It is not free, but once you buy it and install it you will be able to do what you want. You will also need to buy or make an ECM interface cable (usually called ECMspy cable, but it works with every ECM program) Another option is TunerPro RT, it gives you more control than ECMspy, but it really is a pain in the ass to setup and use. The last option is to buy a Race ECM from http://idspd.com/xcart/, they are the OEM provider of all the ECMs Buells have used over the years. You can get a Race ECM preprogramed for most exhaust options, or for a higher price you can buy one that is unlocked and tunable (comes with software) | ||
| Hugie03flhr |
Thanks Froggy, I've been reading all afternoon about ECMSPY and it's a little confusing but that's most likely because I'll be 48 this weekend and I don't understand some of the PC world lingo. The one thing I didn't find was a dollar amount. How do they charge you? By the download, megabytes or time playing around with different settings? | ||
| Hugie03flhr |
Wow!!! Thanks for the link to IDS . They sound like a good easy solution if I want to play. | ||
| Froggy |
I'm not sure the exact cost of ECMspy, but the way it works is you make a donation to a specific hospital, and then you will be given an unlock code. The code only works for one ECM, so you would need to buy another code to work on someone elses bike or if you replace your ECM. As I have seven Buells, it would get expensive fast to use ECMspy, so I don't use it. Just an FYI to avoid some confusion, there is an older version of ECMspy that is free, but it only works on 99-07 models, it isn't compatible with 08+ bikes, and even on the older bikes it is not compatible with ECMs bought directly from EBR or IDS due to the firmware on them being newer. TunerPro RT technically is $39, but if you don't pay all that happens is you get a nag screen that you just wait a few seconds for then you can close that. I haven't played much with the tuning software that comes with the IDS/EBR race ECM, I wouldn't say it is as user friendly as ECMspy, but it isn't as complicated, or as difficult to setup as TunerPro (Message edited by Froggy on May 19, 2016) | ||
| Hugie03flhr |
That's what I needed to know! Thank You Froggy! I made a mistake on the year, it's actually an 09 Uly. I intend to run it hard with a light load, I'm hoping the wheel bearings hold up. That'll be the next thing I'll be asking about. | ||
| Reepicheep |
Isn't the 09 the three wheel bearing already? If not, not everyone will agree with me, but I suspect that the wheel bearing failures of the two bearing wheel were from two sources: 1) Incorrect axle torquing on wheel installation. Follow the manual to the letter. 2) Belt loading on some but not all Uly's at full suspension compression (just make the tensioner holes a couple sized bigger to give it a little more room for tolerances and put the tensioner back on). (Message edited by reepicheep on May 20, 2016) | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
The 2010 was the year of three bearings. | ||
| Reepicheep |
Thanks for the clarification Nate! | ||
| Arry |
Congratulations on your new bike. The wheel bearings do go tend to go out. I've replaced 2 rear in 26k, fronts are still stock. Any time you have a wheel off is a good time to check them (tire change, belt change, ...). | ||
| Ratbuell |
Don't sweat the tuning thing till after you ride it for a while. Stock bike with a stock pipe and a proper TPS reset, should run just fine for you. Coming from another twin (M2), you'll feel right at home on the Uly. It's folks coming from I4's who seem to have issues with the "smoothness". You're gonna love it. | ||
| Court |
There are a wide variety of opinions. Mine is that my Ulysses runs great the way it came from the factory and that more folks, given the ability to change things, have seriously screwed bikes up than made them perform better. Many here on Badweb are skilled tuners and computer whiz kids . . . . but I'd seriously doubt if that is representative of the population as a whole. I could be wrong. But, I have no need to do a thing to my Ulysses. | ||
| Hugie03flhr |
I have to admit Court, you are correct. I got this bike home yesterday before the rain and I played for an hour on my property. This bike is a massive dirtbike on steroids with sport bike brakes and touring comfort. I couldn't get the Fuel injection to couch, studded or even hesitate and the power is impressive. This is one of 5 motorcycles I currently own and this one bike seems to have a little bit of all 5. After I get some miles under my belt, I may be purging my collection..... | ||
| Hugie03flhr |
I'll try and post some pics...    | ||
| Court |
That's identical to mine, which I got as a b-day gift in 2008. It came with a couple personal notes from folks I'd worked with at Buell, and known since the late 80's . . . so it's a sentimental bike. I had 9 at one time and have ridden about every Buell made . . having traversed 44 states doing various testing and diplomacy for Buell over the years. The Ulysses is kind of the "do all" bike . . . . it has plenty of power, comfort, utility and capacity to be deployed in most the types of riding that I do. I can carry a lot, stop quickly, do some fun cornering and I don't worry when the road turns to sand and gravel. It's not an "off road" bike . . . it just works really well on unimproved roads and I seem to come upon them exploring the gorgeous areas of the Northeast. To that end . . . I've stocked up on enough parts to allow me to keep this Ulysses to the end of my lifetime . . . I just bought a case of Buell oil filters last week. I don't ride the couple thousand miles a week I did during my riding heyday and am lucky to get out a couple times a year, at present, but I hope to start riding a bit more and the Ulysses makes it all the more fun to look forward to. Learn to reset the TPS (read the procedure or I can send it to you . . it's simple) . . . keep your paws out of things that are likely to result in maintenance adventures to undo and just, quoting Erik F. Buell . . ."just go ride the motorcycle". Court | ||
| Ourdee |
I had an 08XT for 32,000 miles and loved it. Almost every time I modified something, I'd wind up returning it to stock. Don't fiddle with it. Go ride the bike! Best bike I ever had! Went through 8 pairs of tires. Should have kept that bike. Erik got it right. | ||
| Froggy |
Court, out of all things to stock up on, I feel an ECM is important. If yours fails, your bike is a paperweight, and its not like the various sensors or injectors that are off the shelf AutoZone parts. I'd get the Race ECM for stock exhausts. I love mine, I thought the bike ran good before, but now it runs great, and starts easier. Also, if your ECM is still in the stock location, it is vulnerable to being damaged by the seat. ECM, some basic creature comforts, and some preventative maintenance are all I basically all I recommend to do, then ride the piss out of it. (Message edited by Froggy on May 23, 2016) | ||
| Natexlh1000 |
My 2008 had a rash of warranty crap in the first year but has been pretty good since. My only gripes really are the grounding issues in the steering area and the primary cover lips. I've had other failures too but are "reasonable" like the starter, voltage regulator, speed sensor. all of which took more than 50,000 miles to kill. | ||
| Sagehawk |
as of last year, the licence fee for ecmspy was 72.50 usd. the registration that I understand is for the series of ecm. my 07 has a bueib 310 designation. rest are listed on website. My spy , I can work with any bueib ecm. I'm curious as to the race ecms that are available in different tunes, are they locked to where you cant change maps and other settings? You could perhaps do maintenance activities only? | ||
| Hugie03flhr |
That's good advice everyone. The ECM seems to be dead on. My concern is when this muffler rusts through and I'm forced to weld it up or go aftermarket . That's why I was looking for tuning options. I saw a pic of a Uly with knobby tires and it looked like the muffler was stainless steel. That would be cool IMHO. I was a tin knocker in my younger days and I still have my welder but with 15 other projects, that one will have to wait...LOL I think tires are my priority now. I'm looking at Shinko 60% road 40% dirt tires. | ||
| Woodnbow |
Mrs. Woodnbow and I did an 850 mile loop over the weekend, from home down thru the San Luis Valley to Santa Fe... (Brutal headwinds here, 30 mph at least, I was beat pulling into Motel 6 at 9:00 PM. We knocked around downtown, the palace of the governors and the basilica and then headed up to Aztec (on the most boring road in existence, US550 from Albuquerque to Aztec) to spend the night in a Microtel. Up early today so we could fool around a bit on the Million Dollar highway and then Black Canyon, Curecanti canyon and over McClure pass to home.. Had a great time and the Uly was flawless and fast! I love this bike! (Message edited by woodnbow on May 30, 2016) | ||
| Hugie03flhr |
I did a 400 mile ride this weekend and I was very comfortable. My only complaint is a slight pulse in the front brake and it coughed twice on me but never stalled or caused any problems. The bike still has the original plugs and air filter (11,000miles) so I'll be doing that and sanding the rotor this week. |
