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[Panther]

Greetings to all...I am new to the site and must say I am overwhelmed with the fantastic information available in these forums.  In late May or early June I will have the fortune of being the new owner of a cherry red FLHTCUSE2.  I have been reading around off and on for about a week now trying to get my arms around initial modifications I need to make and throw them out there to see if you guys think I am on the right track.  I totally realize this is only the beginning of spending money on this bike, but here are the basics I want to start out with.  I am not a hard core performance guy, but just want the bike to run really nice.  Welcome any and all feedback to help me out.

1)  New exhaust - based on what I have read in the forums, it sounds like I want to get Vance and Hines slip on ovals.

2)  Air cleaner - sounds like I want to ditch the stock air cleaner backing plate and element - replace with K&N HD-0800 filter, backing plate HD #29510-05, etc. from the "roll your own AC" thread.  There seems to be some confusion on whether or not the FLHTCUSE2 bike comes stock with a high flow air cleaner set up (what I call a Stage 1 kit on my 2003 FLHRCI), but I am assuming it does not.

3)  I am torn between getting a Power Commander III or a SERT.  The Power Commander is less expensive than the SERT ($260ish vs. $400ish), so I am wondering if I need to spend the extra $$ to get the SERT not being focused on squeezing every drop of performance out of the bike.

4)  Sounds like I need to have these mods done immediately as opposed to waiting through the breakin period from other forum postings.  I am fairly mechanically inclined and believe I could do all 3 of the above mods myself.  Should I check with the dealer first to see if it will void my engine warranty?


A lot of open ended topics I know, but I appreciate input to help me spend my $$ wisely.  Will put some pics up as soon as this baby is born.   :stars:Thank you!

[Chief]

Greetings to all...I am new to the site and must say I am overwhelmed with the fantastic information available in these forums.  In late May or early June I will have the fortune of being the new owner of a cherry red FLHTCUSE2.  I have been reading around off and on for about a week now trying to get my arms around initial modifications I need to make and throw them out there to see if you guys think I am on the right track.  I totally realize this is only the beginning of spending money on this bike, but here are the basics I want to start out with.  I am not a hard core performance guy, but just want the bike to run really nice.  Welcome any and all feedback to help me out.

1)  New exhaust - based on what I have read in the forums, it sounds like I want to get Vance and Hines slip on ovals.

2)  Air cleaner - sounds like I want to ditch the stock air cleaner backing plate and element - replace with K&N HD-0800 filter, backing plate HD #29510-05, etc. from the "roll your own AC" thread.  There seems to be some confusion on whether or not the FLHTCUSE2 bike comes stock with a high flow air cleaner set up (what I call a Stage 1 kit on my 2003 FLHRCI), but I am assuming it does not.

3)  I am torn between getting a Power Commander III or a SERT.  The Power Commander is less expensive than the SERT ($260ish vs. $400ish), so I am wondering if I need to spend the extra $$ to get the SERT not being focused on squeezing every drop of performance out of the bike.

4)  Sounds like I need to have these mods done immediately as opposed to waiting through the breakin period from other forum postings.  I am fairly mechanically inclined and believe I could do all 3 of the above mods myself.  Should I check with the dealer first to see if it will void my engine warranty?


A lot of open ended topics I know, but I appreciate input to help me spend my $$ wisely.  Will put some pics up as soon as this baby is born.   :stars:Thank you!

mhayes,

Welcome to the site. It sure looks like you've been doing your homework. 

#1 Good Choice.

#2 The FLHTCUSE comes with the standard D-shaped element. The "Higher Flowing" aspect is the backplate that has some extra holes in it.

#3 Common thinking here is to get the one your tuner knows best. If you want to take the tuner out of the equation, the Zippers Thundermax w/ Autotune will get you a great running bike.

#4 I'd say you're correct on both of those points. Do the mods early, and speak with your dealer.

Congrats on the new scoot,

Chief

[jeffj]

I pretty much agree with Chief 

I think it's really important to find a Awesome Tuner and get what he likes best if your choices are SERT or PC

Look forward to seeing your posts and pictures once the scoot arrives

Oh and most important - welcome to the CVO site 


jeffj

[BalDeagle]

Hi M and to the site.

Seems like you have been reading quite a bit on here and doing your homework on the mods. The common theme (at the moment) seems to be for the PC with the 110" map for starters (m812-025) and then it get it all dialled in on the Dyno at 1000k.

Having said that quite a few guys have gone for the SERT option.

Have a look at the Doherty Powerpacc + Powervents for your A/C conversion.

http://www.dohertymachine.com/index.php?cPath=2

This option gives some good basic number increases and will accept you current A/C cover.

Remember 

 

Nige

[Hoist!]

Hey MH, welcome aboard. Great job on the research. Since you have some time, try to listen to different exhausts. Sound is the most subjective part. Otherwise you got the 3 basics down. Find the tuner. Don't get an ECM mod and tell the tuner what to use. Use what he tunes best with. Or use the Tmax Autotune. That you can do yourself. Good luck with the new bike and enjoy the site!

Hey Nige, good job. I can sit back and watch now! NOT!

Hoist!

[Panther]

Thanks very much for the feedback guys.  I seem to really be lost on the tuner.  Take the Power Commander for instance - I thought I buy the unit, install it on the bike, download the map that matches my bike, and I am ready to rock and roll.  But you are saying I need to take it to a tuner as well?  If that is the case, I am wondering if it is not more cost effective to just pay the dealer remap the ECU and save myself the cost of the PC or the SERT.  Maybe I just need to spend more time reading up on the purpose of the PC and SERT.

Thanks again.
MH

[Fired00d]

MH,
Any of the downloaded maps will get you close, but to have bike running at optimum a dyno tune is best. Unless you go the TM/AT route that will tune to "your" bike on the fly.


Addendum: The majority of the H-D maps that you can download to your ECM are made specifically for H-D parts. Again no two bikes are the same so you could get different results w/two bikes set up w/the same (H-D) parts.

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d 
 

[Hoist!]

Thanks very much for the feedback guys.  I seem to really be lost on the tuner.  Take the Power Commander for instance - I thought I buy the unit, install it on the bike, download the map that matches my bike, and I am ready to rock and roll.  But you are saying I need to take it to a tuner as well?  If that is the case, I am wondering if it is not more cost effective to just pay the dealer remap the ECU and save myself the cost of the PC or the SERT.  Maybe I just need to spend more time reading up on the purpose of the PC and SERT.

Thanks again.
MH

They don't do downloads to '07 SE's. You can do what you said with the PC, but no 2 engines are the same. A tuner will put it on the Dyno and check/adjust the settings for each cylinder (if he's good) and "dial-in" the tune for your engine. Otherwise the canned map will just let you run OK, but not perfect. The SERT is what HD uses now. Instead of the download, you buy the SERT and the dealer sets it up on the Dyno, similarly to the PC. The SERT is an adjustment to the factory ECM, while the PC piggybacks the ECM and works in conjuction with it. No matter which you use, you need a good tuner. The Tmax w/Autotune replaces your factory ECM completely as well as the factory O2 sensors, and you can install it yourself. It operates as a self tuning system based on the info it collects from the various sensors, and self corrects the tune constantly until it's perfect. It's also twice the cost as the other two and HD will definitely give you a hard time if you replace their ECM. But it's supposed to be the best. I run a PC. Hope this helps you a little better. Hoist!

[woody]

MH; Looks like you are headed in the right direction but watch these guys on here, because they sure will help you spend your money. Just kidding, there is a lot to learn here from a great bunch of fellow CVO owners.

[RedDevil]

Thanks very much for the feedback guys.  I seem to really be lost on the tuner.  Take the Power Commander for instance - I thought I buy the unit, install it on the bike, download the map that matches my bike, and I am ready to rock and roll.  But you are saying I need to take it to a tuner as well?  If that is the case, I am wondering if it is not more cost effective to just pay the dealer remap the ECU and save myself the cost of the PC or the SERT.  Maybe I just need to spend more time reading up on the purpose of the PC and SERT.

Thanks again.
MH

MH, Welcome to the site.  I know you can't wait for your ride to get here.  You're doing the right thing by researching on the site.  There's a lot of experiences here, both good and bad to learn from.   Bottom line, you have to do with what you're comfortale with.  Talk to your dealer and see what mods he'll accept and still honor your warranty, if that's important to you.  My dealer will honor the warranty as long as they are the ones that do the mods.  I had them install the SE Air Cleaner, SERT (base map 84, until I had it dyno'd at 1K), Vance and Hines true duals and Oval mufflers, before I took delivery of the bike.  I've not had any problems with it.  Like Hoist said, you've got some time, listen to different mufflers and go with the ones you like.  That's what I did, and ended up with the V&H's.  I'd like to say that they're the best way to go, as it was for me, but it might not be for you.  Whatever makes you comfortable and happy is the way to go.

Cheers ,
Red

[Chief]

Thanks very much for the feedback guys.  I seem to really be lost on the tuner.  Take the Power Commander for instance - I thought I buy the unit, install it on the bike, download the map that matches my bike, and I am ready to rock and roll.  But you are saying I need to take it to a tuner as well?  If that is the case, I am wondering if it is not more cost effective to just pay the dealer remap the ECU and save myself the cost of the PC or the SERT.  Maybe I just need to spend more time reading up on the purpose of the PC and SERT.

Thanks again.
MH

MH,

In theory, you are correct. In actuality, there is only one map that I know of that has been released for the 110 for the PC. That map will get you in the ball park and make the bike run pretty good. A tuner can improve on that map and make your bike run great.

It all depends on what you're looking for.

Good luck,

Chief

[d o g o l s]

Hey MH 

welcome aboard 

 

[miker]

Hey MH. 

I had a canned download on my 07 serk with se a/c and slipon's.  It it ran like ca-ca.
I had a sert installed with a new pipe (rinehart 2-1) and had the bike dyno tuned.  The tuner loaded a canned cvo map for the header and then tuned the bike up from there.  It runs great now.  The sert is not an ecm interrupter like some others. But to each thier own.  The picture of the bike is on the thread in the serk section.  Good luck.

Miker

[Panther]

Got it now!  I am just devouring this stuff.  I really appreciate the help!  I am sure I will have more questions as things progress.

MH.

[BalDeagle]

MH,

In theory, you are correct. In actuality, there is only one map that I know of that has been released for the 110 for the PC. That map will get you in the ball park and make the bike run pretty good. A tuner can improve on that map and make your bike run great.

It all depends on what you're looking for.

Good luck,

Chief

The map that Chief is referring to is the m812-025 and it can be downloaded directly from the PC Website.

http://www.powercommander.com/812-511.aspx

It also gives you some info on what mods the map is written for.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
m812-025  - CVO 110" Ultra Classic Touring Model *Advanced Map* Rinehart True Dual exhaust, Screamin' Eagle air filter, Stock ECM, Dynojet O2 sensor eliminators installed, Rev Xtend enabled, Fuel table 1 is rear cylinder.

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Nige