De-cat And Toga'd

Shsss it’s purely cosmetic really mr insurance man

 

I have just fitted a Motone de-cat box and the Toga “silencers” to my 2018 Bonne T120. I too really notice the difference. Much free-er revving and smoother at low revs. But and it’s a big BUT - I was absolutely appalled at the crap system with pipes going in and out of the X-box. As I started to dis-assemble the standard system, all I could think of is WHY?? Why all these clamps, brackets and pipes? With two lambda sensors, I’m pretty convinced this bike would benefit from a pair of simple down-pipes such as the ones offered by Weslake for £299. So much neater and I’ll bet it performs better. I’m about to order a pair. Anyone out there tried them?

 

When I asked for a quote from my insurance company, they said if any parts were fitted by a Triumph dealer, it is not called an upgrade and do not need to declare it.

 

I might see if my Triumph dealer do a bolt on Nitros kit

 

And a supercharger @Hamburg

 

Needed to take my 2017 T100 in to the dealer for other needs, but having them do the de-cat and put on the Motone x-pipe today. Have a set of British Customs shorty predators that will be here Monday. Have a Booster Plug sitting at home waiting for when I get the bike back tomorrow. That all should have things running right and much cooler.

 

Pipes came in today!! De-cat done and picked up the bike. Installed the Shorty Predator Pro pipes and the Booster Plug later today at home. Let it idle for about 15 minutes to get used to the mods, and then took it on a short ride. It was pretty cold. But the bike is really woke up now and holds a good conversation going down the road. And it is really responsive compared to stock. Worth every penny.

 

I personally wouldn't worry about fixing a problem with the headers that doesn't exist. If you were interested in benefitting your engine buy a Power Commander and get it mapped on a Dyno. The ECU's may be 'adaptive' on the 1200 but even after the so called 12 minute adaptation they are far from perfect. I decatted my Thruxton, put US spec V&H silencers on and carried out this procedure and the AFR was terrible when confirmed prior to mapping. Yes, these engines run ok enough not to damage themselves following this but they're far from great. Balance pipes are also useful features of an exhaust system, they're not a handicap.

 

The T100 ECU isn't adaptive like the 1200. Letting it run will have made no difference. You would be wise to get your AFR checked out. I have a T100 and have been through these hoops myself. I bought a kit from Norman Hyde that included Togas, X pipe and Power Commander. I was assured that the fueling would need to be addressed. Their Power Commander has a map loaded that Dynojet developed on a bike that Norman Hyde supplied them for the purpose.

 

Funny, my 2017 T100 didn’t get the memo. It runs magnificently with Motone x-pipe, booster plug, and BC shorty predators. If the ECU was not adaptive, it would be running terribly. Not a single back fire or erratic acceleration. Smooth across the spectrum. Better bottom end torque.

I think you were given bad information. But then the components we used are significantly different. The Booster Plug is nothing like the Power Commander. They are unequal units that have different purposes. To me, the PC was just a waste of money and the BP delivered what I wanted. Sure woke up the beast doing these 3 mods.

Total cost: Motone x-pipe $170. Booster Plug $150. BC shorty preadators $580 including shipping.

Oh bullocks, I forgot to mention. Had the bike in at my local Triumph dealer. Wanted to do an annual check and had them change the oil while there. Everything checked out fine. Yes, they did the ECU scan. Still have to go back for the new recall. They didn’t have what they needed for that when I was in there.

 

I mentioned my Thruxton in an earlier post and after similar work the AFR was not good although the bike ran. I tried a booster plug but it seemed to make little difference. I also tried the booster plug before any changes to address the well documented stalling problem the Thruxtons had - it failed to remedy this in spite of advertising suggesting it would.

After hardware changes a Dyno tune confirmed poor AFR post adaptation and for that engine at least it was summised that the hardware changes were beyond the scope of the adaption process. I will admit that having experienced this and talking to Norman Hyde I was already predisposed to going down the Power Commander route.

I know that the booster plug applies a 6% increase across the board and I accept that this will go some way to accomodating the hardware changes. After my experience I prefered to have the situation quantified and to know how my changes had affected the engine with evidence rather than assumption. I was trying to find the information I found previously that explained the differences between the ECU's but I've drawn a blank on that I'm afraid.

Having said all this, I'm pleased your bike responded so well to your approach. For both my bikes the booster plug wasn't quite what I hoped for and seemed to be a blunt instrument, for me at least, where the PC offered a more controlled solution. I agree that they are different devices but their objective is the same - to modify the fuelling. So they are different devices that go about the same task.

 

The Booster Plug does increase the fuel mix on average of 6%, but it is not done blindly. Actually, it is the ECM that enriches the fuel as the BP only tells the ECM that the ambient air temperature is 20c cooler than it really is via its own temp sensor. The ECM then compensates and increases fuel based on the lower temperature. And the BP reads the lambda sensors on the headers. The Lambda sensors do not feed data in real time to the ECM, there is a delay. The BP takes advantage of that. And following the proper procedure of acclimating the ECM to the new stuff will affect the results also.

So, no, I would not agree that the PC and BP accomplish the same task. At least the BP doesn't require a bunch of Dyno time and adjustment, and then still may not be correct. The BP just takes advantage of what the ECM already does. There is no fuel map or such in the BP like in the PC. The BP just has the ECM do all the work. It just alters the information the ECM would be receiving anyway and bases it's fueling on.

 

The Dyno time is a better spend than the Booster Plug , the Dyno work and Power Commander put the In take and fueling to optimum for the individual motor ! The booster plug only fools engine into running richer !.!.! Running richer only boosts torque a little and horse power a tiny bit ! Tuning on a running road (Dyno) sets the motors fueling to optimum for all road speeds ! I have had my 2009 Triumph Bonneville America Dyno tuned twice ! First time was within first 12 months to suit short foran mufflers with K&N air filter and the Secondary Air Injection removed , I gained 6 'ish HP 51HP std rose to 57.3 after tuning. Second time it was tuned, was to suit as before plus gutted out air box with second intake made by cutting out bottom of air filter and air box, cylinder head ported ! High compression 905 cc big bore kit ! Now getting in the region of 75/80 HP , second tuning session was done in a different workshop. So the Dyno graphs can't really be compared, first run before tuning Read 59'ish HP gained 5.5 up to 65.5 HP after tuning , but there can be up to 30% difference between two Dyno's of the same brand and model ! Engine has run in and loosened up considerably since, hence I estimated 75 HP now .. ?!?! Adjust 65.5 HP by maximum of 30% put's my motor at top HP output in the 85/86 HP !

 

Yeah, I could see that with your ride. But mine is water cooled new model. Not worth it to me to spend for Power Comnander. I wasn't interested in more power, just smoothness and responsiveness across the spectrum. If I wanted more power, I would have gotten a 120 instead of a 100.

 

I don't see what water cooled or new model has to do with it ! Engine's should be putting out 180/220 HP per litre , so my 865cc is well under powered ?!?! By that std and so is yours .

 

Underpowered is a overused term. Something is only “underpowered” if it is not producing the power it was intended to produce at the factory or it won’t get the bike moving as intended. Mine is fine on both counts.