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CB650F Where/how to tune?

Lihp88

2018
CB650F ABS
Jun 16, 2018
Hello everybody! New to the site and looking for some insight. I bought a 2018 cb650f in January of this year. I have around 1600 miles on it so far and I want to start doing some mods to this bike namely exhaust. I have looked into a few options and I really like the IXIL X-55 system. That combined with a k&N intake filter. This is my first bike that has EFI and I was wondering if the computer could compensate for the added airflow or would I need to get it tuned? Is a power commander a viable option? I have heard mixed reviews on the power commander mapping being jittery or having flat spots in power delivery. I am currently living in MD and can’t for the life of me find a shop that tunes this bike. Any thoughts on the matter would be greatly appreciated! Thank you for your time.
 

rustyeyed

2016
CBR650F ABS
Oct 14, 2015
United Kingdom
Hello everybody! New to the site and looking for some insight. I bought a 2018 cb650f in January of this year. I have around 1600 miles on it so far and I want to start doing some mods to this bike namely exhaust. I have looked into a few options and I really like the IXIL X-55 system. That combined with a k&N intake filter. This is my first bike that has EFI and I was wondering if the computer could compensate for the added airflow or would I need to get it tuned? Is a power commander a viable option? I have heard mixed reviews on the power commander mapping being jittery or having flat spots in power delivery. I am currently living in MD and can’t for the life of me find a shop that tunes this bike. Any thoughts on the matter would be greatly appreciated! Thank you for your time.

Hi,

The OEM ECU will be able to compensate for a certain % of change in air flow but if you are adding an full exhuast system and a high flow filter you may need to get th ePC5. I had flat spots and lags without the PC5 and then finally got it fitted.

At the moment I have the PC5, K&N and Akrpovic full exhaust. I have also removed the PAIR valves and the O2 sensor.

It has been tuned and works flawlessly. Very smooth and pulls like a train in every gear. It only depends on who tunes it and how you want them to tune it.

Some tune for maximum power which is good if you are wringing it's neck all the time (highly unlikely) or you can tune to have different power levels at different RPM ranges. I have a 'cruising' band in my power band which keeps the bike nice and smooth when relaxing on some scenic roads.

Before all the people who have only heard stories and never got a PC5 comment here is some insight,
the PC5 won't extract too much power out of our bikes, maximum about 8-10bhp. The PC5 on our bikes actually makes it perform better than the stock but refining the power band and smoothening out any dead spots that can be created by altering any critical hardware. There are a ton out there number chasing and really the numbers mean nothing. It's the "feel" that really changes especially installing aftermarket critical hardware on a stock bike and then tuning it with a PC5 you will know the difference, provided your tuner knows what he is doing.
 
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Rocket Crotch

MotoGP
Oct 18, 2017
rustyeyed @rustyeyed
Hey, even if you get 8 HP that's still a ~10% boost in power over stock. Not too bad. We'd consider gaining 35 HP in a car that has 350 HP stock a pretty good result.

Would the PC5 alone be able to net a pickup like that?
 

rustyeyed

2016
CBR650F ABS
Oct 14, 2015
United Kingdom
rustyeyed @rustyeyed
Hey, even if you get 8 HP that's still a ~10% boost in power over stock. Not too bad. We'd consider gaining 35 HP in a car that has 350 HP stock a pretty good result.

Would the PC5 alone be able to net a pickup like that?

No the PC5 will require atleast a decat exhaust system like the TBR or AKRA which have been R&D for this bike.

Some have experienced 'not great' map when their PAIR valves have not been blanked as well. The PAIR valves inject air into the exhaust on the dyno so may throw the gas analyser off it's game. So blanking that helps.
 

bishop

2014
CBR650F
Mar 17, 2018
I Have the PC5 installed and the autotune. It will make your life a lot easier if you want to tune your ride. The only thing I don't like, is it uses USB and you can't tweak it with a phone or tablet. There is no way to connect it by phone or bluetooth. The PC5 is old, there are other stuff out there to buy, buy Power commander has been around for many years and has a strong reputation.
 

rustyeyed

2016
CBR650F ABS
Oct 14, 2015
United Kingdom
I Have the PC5 installed and the autotune. It will make your life a lot easier if you want to tune your ride. The only thing I don't like, is it uses USB and you can't tweak it with a phone or tablet. There is no way to connect it by phone or bluetooth. The PC5 is old, there are other stuff out there to buy, buy Power commander has been around for many years and has a strong reputation.
I think pc5 has a module you can add or connect using an android phone if I am not mistaken... need to check though 🤔
 

bishop

2014
CBR650F
Mar 17, 2018
They had a mobile app, but they stop making it :arghh::arghh::arghh::arghh::arghh::arghh::arghh::arghh:.

Found a crappy geeky workaround!!!!!

connect a laptop to the PC5 by a long USB cable and tuck laptop in back pack. Hot spot your phone and use remote desktop to control the laptop.
 

bishop

2014
CBR650F
Mar 17, 2018
My previous message, I forgot to say. Auto tune makes things easier. You want the PC5 WITH the autotune module.
 

Gabescbr650f

2014
CBR650F
Jul 9, 2018
I only have a k and n right now. The power commander only had 4 maps for our bikes available :(. I am using a stock filter and exhaust map right now. I have the k and n filter installed and my akrapovic full exhaust should arrive sometime this week or the next. I would greatly appreciate it if you can.
 
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bishop

2014
CBR650F
Mar 17, 2018
I only have a k and n right now. The power commander only had 4 maps for our bikes available :(. I am using a stock filter and exhaust map right now. I have the k and n filter installed and my akrapovic full exhaust should arrive sometime this week or the next. I would greatly appreciate it if you can. My email is [email protected]

I forgot to mention, I have a two bros exhaust. But if your getting autotune, no need for my map.
 

rustyeyed

2016
CBR650F ABS
Oct 14, 2015
United Kingdom
I should be getting the autotune in a couple of weeks. It should make my life a lot easier.

You won't be able to fit the dynojet O2 sensor for the Autotune to the OEM sensor port. Autotune would require the O2 sensor housing to be larger I think 18mm, dynojet provide the bung for it but you need to weld it on. So just keep that in mind!
 

Gabescbr650f

2014
CBR650F
Jul 9, 2018
You won't be able to fit the dynojet O2 sensor for the Autotune to the OEM sensor port. Autotune would require the O2 sensor housing to be larger I think 18mm, dynojet provide the bung for it but you need to weld it on. So just keep that in mind!
Yeah I seen that. So I took off the baffle on my akrapovic and used the full arrow exhaust without db Killer map on power commander.com and my bike is a lot stronger now. It’s a big improvement.
 

rustyeyed

2016
CBR650F ABS
Oct 14, 2015
United Kingdom
Yeah I seen that. So I took off the baffle on my akrapovic and used the full arrow exhaust without db Killer map on power commander.com and my bike is a lot stronger now. It’s a big improvement.

That's good to know....I would still get it on the dyno and refine the map. But if you having no trouble then it can wait i guess!
 

Cbat

2018
CBR650F ABS
May 13, 2018
Just installed Dynojet C3 Mobile. Google "C3 Mobile apk" I haven't used yet so can't vouch on if its reliability.
 

Nick 650

2015
CBR650F
Apr 3, 2019
New York, USA
Yeah I seen that. So I took off the baffle on my akrapovic and used the full arrow exhaust without db Killer map on power commander.com and my bike is a lot stronger now. It’s a big improvement.

You think the arrow exhuast with out db killer map runs better than the akra one for the arka exhuast without db killer?
 
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