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[SBB]

SBB, you are showing your (our) age.  That would be true if it was magnetic spinning media and it wasn't shielded.  Memory like in the USB key or thumb drive is not affected by magntism.    Because of issues in the early 80s with unshield ABS wires and controllers being affected by EMI from other devices causing your lane neighbors car to lock brakes going down the hiway. Or check engine light coming on when driving by antenna farm.

ME?   

[Steve_G]

Our local HD service manager is getting nervous about altering stock bikes ever since the $1M fine the EPA gave Dyno tec for the Power Commander.  He also pointed out the new SERTS cost more.  To throw more cold water on the subject, he pointed out that if something happens to your ECM ie- it fries, your SERT is worthless since it's tied to that one bike. 
I'm starting to wonder if maybe some of the other products on the market that just allow you to richen your fuel mixture don't make more sense for those just trying to get a cooler running bike, and are only doing pipes and A/C.
From what I see, there aren't that many people talented enough or experienced enough programing SERTS on a dyno to justify the cost and strain on the bikes from several hours of dyno abuse. 

[Chief]

In my cynical mind, I'm thinking HDs new SERT is saving the last 15 minutes of data so when your motor croaks, they will deny warranty because of the high RPM, speed or whatever.   Maybe they'll also see the high temps.

Not to take away from your fun, but the idea behind it would be to record information for tuning. The problem with this is it's rare that you'll be able to record good data and then shut down immediately to analyze it. Normally, you'll have to burn several minutes of time getting to a place where you can download and analyze. I don't know if there is a way to stop recording so you can save the infor if you have to ride a long way from your test track to your shop. Time will tell how well this will work.

[Chief]

Our local HD service manager is getting nervous about altering stock bikes ever since the $1M fine the EPA gave Dyno tec for the Power Commander.  He also pointed out the new SERTS cost more.  To throw more cold water on the subject, he pointed out that if something happens to your ECM ie- it fries, your SERT is worthless since it's tied to that one bike. 
I'm starting to wonder if maybe some of the other products on the market that just allow you to richen your fuel mixture don't make more sense for those just trying to get a cooler running bike, and are only doing pipes and A/C.
From what I see, there aren't that many people talented enough or experienced enough programing SERTS on a dyno to justify the cost and strain on the bikes from several hours of dyno abuse. 

You have just described the Power Commander. By the way, you can't 'pull' a map out of an ECM, so a dealer is not able to tell you what flash or download or SERT map is in your bike. The only thing they can do is reflash it or load a new SERT map.

I originally shied away from the SERT and bought a Power Commander because I was under the impression that the dealer could tell the map had been modified with a SERT. I have since been told by my service mgr that they can't tell what's going on in the ECM. This makes sense that Harley doesn't want anyone to see what map they're running. It's a one way street with flashes to the ECM. You can write to it, but can't read from it.

For me, this really tilts the table towards the SERT for tuning. It is a more capable tool although it is more complex and takes more time and work for a good tune. I should have gone with the SERT originally.

[Keats]

I may not be completely right on this, but as I understand the SERT (orig)  all it was (or is) is a cable to communicate and a key (code)
to unlock the ECM so a new map can be downloaded.
I spoke with the dealer about the new SERT and you pay more and have to buy the cable separately.
Upon first look it appeared to have no advantage over the orig SERT except the recording ability was greater. When I mentioned the possibility of being used in turning down warranty claims due to the info gained, and they claimed that that info was already avail to an extent.
The initial info gave the impression that anyone with a computer could read/modify a map or read ECM. This is not true from further digging into the subject.
The dealer and myself could not find any circumstance that the new SERT would benefit the customer other than speculation that the 2009 models have/need the new SERT. 
The dealer also stocked up on the old SERT and had 3 new ones also just in case someone wanted. (for what reason we could not figure out as of today!)  Maybe it will become apparent later on

[Chief]

I may not be completely right on this, but as I understand the SERT (orig)  all it was (or is) is a cable to communicate and a key (code)
to unlock the ECM so a new map can be downloaded.
I spoke with the dealer about the new SERT and you pay more and have to buy the cable separately.
Upon first look it appeared to have no advantage over the orig SERT except the recording ability was greater. When I mentioned the possibility of being used in turning down warranty claims due to the info gained, and they claimed that that info was already avail to an extent.
The initial info gave the impression that anyone with a computer could read/modify a map or read ECM. This is not true from further digging into the subject.
The dealer and myself could not find any circumstance that the new SERT would benefit the customer other than speculation that the 2009 models have/need the new SERT. 
The dealer also stocked up on the old SERT and had 3 new ones also just in case someone wanted. (for what reason we could not figure out as of today!)  Maybe it will become apparent later on

You're pretty close on the old SERT. There are two pieces, the cable and the interface, or what some people call the 'dongle'. Here's a picture of an interface
I don't know if this is exactly what the SERT interface look like, but this is from TTS' site, the SERT manufacturer. This is the piece that becomes "married" to your bike on it's first use. Information about the ECM is written to the interface. This is how it knows that it has been used on a particular bike. The idea is one bike / SERT, not one SERT / bike. You can use ten different SERTS on your bike, but each SERT must be new and have never been written to. As soon as the SERT interface records information from an ECM, it is married to that ECM, and can only be used for that ECM.

As far as detecting if a SERT has been written to, we're getting different information, which is worth digging into further.

[Steve_G]

What I'm saying is that if your ECM fries, your SERT is worthless.  You need to buy another one, if you can.

[Chief]

What I'm saying is that if your ECM fries, your SERT is worthless.  You need to buy another one, if you can.

Maybe not. If you buy a new ECM because your old one fries, may be one of the few reasons you could possibly get the SERT reset to accept another ECM. I don't know if this is something the dealer, HD, of the SERT manufacturer would do, but that is the order you'd have to proceed.

If you can prove you're still wanting to use it on the same bike and the original ECM is trashed, it is logical that they would agree to reset the SERT. It would be worth checking into.

[Fired00d]

Maybe not. If you buy a new ECM because your old one fries, may be one of the few reasons you could possibly get the SERT reset to accept another ECM. I don't know if this is something the dealer, HD, of the SERT manufacturer would do, but that is the order you'd have to proceed.

If you can prove you're still wanting to use it on the same bike and the original ECM is trashed, it is logical that they would agree to reset the SERT. It would be worth checking into.

Oh chit!!!! Somebody has hacked Chief's account. Ain't no way the Chief I know would say logical and dealer/HD in the same post. No frickin' way.

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

[Chief]

Oh chit!!!! Somebody has hacked Chief's account. Ain't no way the Chief I know would say logical and dealer/HD in the same post. No frickin' way.

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

Hack, hack, hack.

I didn't say they'd do it. Probably won't, just because it's the logical thing to do. As long as you're not trying to get past their protection measures, you should be able to get it reset.

[Steve_G]

IF people did the RIGHT thing, they'd stand behind it, but it was the service manager of the local HD shop that I got this information from. 
There is no doubt that the SERT is the preferred tuning device for me, and I'll probably go that way down the road, but it seems like the EPA is putting the fear of God in anyone who wants to make our bikes run the way they should right from the start.
I've had a couple bikes that I left stock- in the past, and they ran just fine stock.  Because I haven't had the warm weather to see how the hot running problem effects my new ride, I don't know how it will perform then. 
So far, it works great, but time will tell!

[Chief]

IF people did the RIGHT thing, they'd stand behind it, but it was the service manager of the local HD shop that I got this information from. 
There is no doubt that the SERT is the preferred tuning device for me, and I'll probably go that way down the road, but it seems like the EPA is putting the fear of God in anyone who wants to make our bikes run the way they should right from the start.
I've had a couple bikes that I left stock- in the past, and they ran just fine stock.  Because I haven't had the warm weather to see how the hot running problem effects my new ride, I don't know how it will perform then. 
So far, it works great, but time will tell!

I would call Harley Customer Service and speak to them to see if that will work. If that bombs, I'd call the manufacturer and speak with them. It is very likely that they would let you mail in your SERT and they woud reset it as long as you can prove you had to replace the ECM due to failure. I don't think it's quite as black and white as it is being explained to you.

Just trying to save you $450 clams.

[old wrench]

Not to take away from your fun, but the idea behind it would be to record information for tuning. The problem with this is it's rare that you'll be able to record good data and then shut down immediately to analyze it. Normally, you'll have to burn several minutes of time getting to a place where you can download and analyze. I don't know if there is a way to stop recording so you can save the infor if you have to ride a long way from your test track to your shop. Time will tell how well this will work.

Chief I made a run with mine yesterday, you leave the black box pluged in when you get to where you want to analyze, you push the red button on it, which starts the recording of 15 mins, you can push it and stop the recording and start it again, but you only have 15 mins of total record time. I let it run the full 15, rode the bike another 2 hours or so brought it back to the shop and hooked up and view the stored data. Its pretty neat gona make seat of the paints tuning nice 

[56FLE]

old wrench,

That sound great, you now have the capability in the SERT to do a bit of seat of the pants tuning using the recorder to view results. If it allows you to save the cost of the dyno plus if best tuner in the area is no better then you are, you might as well learn yourself how to do the tuning.

Probably not for everyone but some people might want to try a little tinkering.

[old wrench]

old wrench,

That sound great, you now have the capability in the SERT to do a bit of seat of the pants tuning using the recorder to view results. If it allows you to save the cost of the dyno plus if best tuner in the area is no better then you are, you might as well learn yourself how to do the tuning.

Probably not for everyone but some people might want to try a little tinkering.

Its a lot easier on the bike those dynos can be rough, and its 75+ dollars a hour cheaper and I can mess it up just as good as they do and still save money to buy more chrome  That was my first time with it and I do feel it will be one hell of a good tuning and trouble shooting tool, you can see the detnation on it long before the human ear can hear it and detnation is one little monster I like to stay away from.