Thruxton Thruxton R Power Commander 5 Custom Map

I had the TTR fitted with a power commander and custom mapped Saturday, it was already sporting an X pipe and US spec V&H silencers. The popping on throttle closure has 95% gone (not unhappy about that although I never disliked it) and the snatchy throttle is a thing of the past, although I thought it wasn't too bad beforehand in all honesty, it's way better now and the bike is beautifully compliant on the throttle. A good thing really since the UK weather Saturday in the south was disgusting...extremely wet. The bike was left in road mode and was an absolute peach with town riding and dual carriageway at NSL (~70mph)

Had dry weather today and once I'd got all the crud off from yesterday I had a short run out. Without waffling on I'll just say it feels significantly stronger and more refined. Showing about 52mpg and still rising while not riding particularly gently. MPG log took a battering on the Dyno

Prior to this, it had had the 12 minute tune applied a few weeks ago as recommended - O2 sensors still installed. For interest I'm sharing the before and after plots. The torque increase across the range is very apparent when it's ridden. Not sure that the 12 min tune is quite all it's cracked up to be. The tech noted that it was getting hotter than he thought it should, all good once adjustments made though.

 

It's a good wedge of torque across a useful rev range isn't it. Steve Jordan Motorcycles did the work, they're at Great Bookham. Contact details on the Dyno plots .
They actually took a call to quote for the same job on another Thruxton while I was there coincidentally. Mine was the first they'd done although I imagine they've seen this engine before. I arrived at 9-00 and was on my way home by 2-00'ish. Never enjoyed a ride in miserable conditions so much, they're 51 miles from me.

 

I bet the engineers that design the software would prefer not to be confined with Euro 4 regs. The most disturbing thing about my 'before' map was the overly lean AFR, it's all over the place. There's where damage can happen.

 

I agree with you on this. On the before AFR trace my point was that many advocate the '12 minute tune' as a solution to setting the tuning straight after a de-cat etc. I don't think this is all it's thought to be, which is what this trace shows. For the before plot the O2 sensors were still in place and connected. My AFR trace on the finished tune is somewhere below 14.7 for the most part so it's probably considered on the rich side. I have a beautifully 'elastic' throttle now and this bias is good for the engine long term.

 

Rider modes stay - should have amended this a long time ago

What I'd say on rider modes, and this is only my opinion, is that with good mapping being so difficult within the constraints Euro4 regs, manufacturers can have a bike with a snappy throttle that would otherwise be unacceptable and call it 'sport mode' then, to soften things up, they can allow themselves to be affected by these regulations and call a sub-optimal map 'road mode' and the end user will accept this because they still have 'sport' available to them. Then there's 'rain mode' where they can make your bike even more linear at the cost of power.

A good custom map with PC5 will give you a throttle that I can best describe as 'elastic'. I rode mine home from mapping in atrocious conditions for 51 miles and it was no bother at all.

I'd also assume they turn TC off so as not to affect the dyno readings although I never asked but assumed they know what they're doing.

 

Hi Craig, I have an X pipe from Norman Hyde. I originally bought a TEC one but the fit was a country mile off, it was truly terrible and was never going to fit properly. The NH part by contrast was a perfect fit.

If you're going to have a custom map make sure that whatever silencers you choose make sure the probes from the Dyno can get get down there. You could buy standard Thruxton silencers for comparatively little and do what's becoming known as a 'bafflectomy'. You'd probably get these for under £120. If going with V&H try and find the US spec ones, they have removable baffles. You could always cut the baffles out of the EU spec parts (they're not removable) but you'd cutting into expensive parts.

I couldn't say if they exactly the same motors, is yours Euro 4 or 5 compliant?

Try these Facebook groups, you may find the parts you're looking for:
Thruxton 1200 1200R Group

Triumph Thruxton R Owners Group

 

I didn't notice your location initially

I think almost any will do provided the mechanical fit is good. NH parts use the CAT mounting pints which I liked the idea of. Although there's next to no weight to an X pipe it does stabilize the whole system in the same way. Some say you don't need the support but in the absence of failure mode and stress analysis it's surely sensible to replicate the fixing method. This is how I thought it through but this is obviously personal choice. I'd rather have something mechanically sound than modified and shiny. Again, personal choice.

I'm no expert but I think there's no difference in performance of these things (X pipes) although some seem convinced that there is. Interestingly, they may be convinced on this but evidence such as Dyno results from a calibrated machine to show gains/losses between the brands is thin on the ground.

The only other fundamentally different approach would be to use headers but they're significantly more expensive.

You obviously have tuning experience!