Hi from UK
- Thread starter Tommo
- Start date
S2Davies
Active member
Hey, welcome from sunny Northamptonshire. I found like most relationships, mine with the FTR took a little work to start with, but now that we have both adjusted.........what a blast! Definitely the most fun I've had on two wheels. looking forward to your thoughts when it arrives.
Hi
Its a bike for me and my son
He's already getting it with Roland Sands footrests,brake and gear levers
Just had a message today and he's got some Akropovic headers for it
Have you decatted yours?
Cheers
Ian
K9F
Well-known member
Somewhat of a misconception, the standard bike with the CAT runs poorly and thus the standard bike without the CAT runs poorly. I did it for 10 months and thought it manageable. Whether you have a CAT fitted or not it is not until you get a tune you truly realize what you've been missing out on and what Polaris must have been thinking releasing a bike to public market with so many quirks and foibles.
K9F
Well-known member
Hi Massimo,
I'm going to take a leaf out of Max Kool and Ferraiolo's book and say exactly what they said to me about 12 months ago!
You'll never know how great it could be or what you're missing out on!
I was of the same stance as you and defended the standard setup. Having gone down the tuning route myself after 10 months of running standard they were indeed right and I was wrong! The difference is quite profound.
mark.lb
Well-known member
We have been down this rabbit hole before. (You can review my previous posts). My FTR runs very well with the factory tune. I have no need or desire to change it. K9F - I am glad you, Max Kool, Ferraiolo1, edgelett and many others found a professional tuner and setup that has enhanced the performance and enjoyment of your motorcycles. That is why the business of aftermarket tuning exists. However - I suspect the vast majority of FTR owners will never tinker with the factory fuel mapping. In fact a few members or previous members have had disastrous results when they attempted to “tune” their FTRs.
S2Davies
Active member
Yep, I met up with K9F and after seeing his bike and hearing it, I was convinced. It is a much cleaner look without the cat and the bike sounds so much better. Not obscenely loud you you definitely notice the difference. I did then go for the PV-3 tune up (also after getting advise from K9F........nice chap) which then sorted the fuelling out.
K9F
Well-known member
Hi Mark, a poll was posted on the other forum asking exactly that of FTR owners, read into it what you will but the figure surprised me. 71% of owners do run aftermarket tunes according to that poll. There were 35 owners who responded and 25 run tunes.
mark.lb
Well-known member
Very interesting. - - I would be curious to know - Of those 25 out of 35 who run tunes - How many replaced the stock exhaust system with a aftermarket system or removed the catalytic converter. (In my opinion - the stock exhaust on the base model and many S models is butt ugly and does not sound very good.) Under those circumstances a tune is required.
In other words - Did they tune because it was necessary. -or- Did they tune because they were so disappointed/dissatisfied with the bike from the factory they had to find a solution to the problem.
My FTR-RR sound great with the dB killers removed and Cat intact and I like the reputation and look of the Akrapovic cans!
In other words - Did they tune because it was necessary. -or- Did they tune because they were so disappointed/dissatisfied with the bike from the factory they had to find a solution to the problem.
My FTR-RR sound great with the dB killers removed and Cat intact and I like the reputation and look of the Akrapovic cans!
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K9F
Well-known member
I was obviously one of the 25 and can only speak for myself. I didn’t want a cat from day one. The standard pipes on the S were indeed butt ugly and the first generation ones where the exhaust hangar only attached to the upper pipe were not up to the job of running without a cat as the resonation could cause them to disintegrate quite spectacularly. I bought a set of Akrapovics and ran with the OEM tune and catless for 10 months. I did have quirks and foibles with over fuelling at higher rpm gear changes and minor cold start issues. None of these were insurmountable and the bike ran reasonably and I could have lived with it indefinitely or so I thought?
In answer to your question I had neither ‘necessity’ nor any great ‘disappointment’ or ‘dissatisfaction.’ I was already well acquainted with the possible benefits from tuning and it was more of ‘unleashing the potential’ I knew was waiting to be revealed. Nonetheless this was going to be my first foray into the remote tuning World as historically I was always present and bought dyno time. Curiosity was my prime driving factor. It doesn’t matter what configuration the bike is in with regards to exhaust as the consensus was, no matter what you had these could be taken into account and things improved upon.
Don’t get me wrong I like my modifications but also like to spend money on things you and others can visibly see. That is why I suppose the tuning aspect was finally done when all the others had at that time been completed.
I have now a much smoother torque delivery, no overfuelling and no cold start issues in comparison to previous.