Now this here ‘Blade is one of those bikes that seems to have evaporated over time – there just aren’t many around any more. We don’t see ’em through here too often (though having said that we’ve had three this year…). There are very few options left in the way of exhaust pipes, and as the daft valve on the exhaust is getting worn with age and miles this is causing all sorts of problems. It’s maintained by a spring, which as it wears starts to rattle and doesn’t let the valve open smoothly as it should.
Finding a 4-2-1 full system is not easy, we know, we’ve tried. So in the end we have to work around the stock exhaust with its knackered valve. For this particular bike – which was fitted with a good end-can – we mapped the Power Commander as best we could on the Dyno, but when the valve was opening it was it upsetting all the fuelling because of the change in back-pressure. All we could do is work an ‘average’ fuelling table through the area it opens in. Really, the bike needs a full system, but they’re just very thin on the ground.
The 'Blade that time forgot? Worn exhaust valve causes all sorts of problems when it comes to mapping a Power Commander on these 954s...
