The 12 Minute Tune
- Thread starter CarlS
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dazco
Member
I had a major revelation this weekend concerning the 12 minute tune. I have done it in the past and noticed no difference. however, the bike had a minor starting issue a few time recently and i decided to do the 12 MT and see if that helps. Well, it didn't help with that, but holy shamolly, the bike came alive ! This is the best it has ever run. I'm not exaggerating when i say this...it feels like it gained as much power as it did when i put the short tors on ! And thats coming off a custom tune no less. What happened is this. I was running a custom tune and felt like lately it dioesn't seem to be running as strong as it was when i first loaded it. Plus my MPG was down a bit, so i decided to load the regular 1700/tors tune and see if i was imagining things. When i did thats when the starting issue started, tho it was intermittent. So downloaded the tune fresh and i reloaded it a second time in case there was corruption in that map or something. Thats when the bike changed. It became even smoother and man it just goes. So much so that a few times i found myself taking off so quickly turning out of the driveway that i feared i would slide the rear out. This is the best the bike has ever run and i'm so stoked i can stay off the thing. Today was the first colish morning we've had and i would normally have caged it to work, but not today !
I wish i knew why this result didn't happen the other times. the only thing i can think of is maybe it didn't NEED re-adaption those times and this time it did. That however doesn't explain why it seems to run better than it ever has. the only thing i can imagine is maybe it did but it's been running less so lately and memory of how it ran before when i did the 12MT has faded. All i know is if it keeps running like this i am going to need my shoulder joints replaced !
the torque is just sweeeeeeet.
I wish i knew why this result didn't happen the other times. the only thing i can think of is maybe it didn't NEED re-adaption those times and this time it did. That however doesn't explain why it seems to run better than it ever has. the only thing i can imagine is maybe it did but it's been running less so lately and memory of how it ran before when i did the 12MT has faded. All i know is if it keeps running like this i am going to need my shoulder joints replaced !
the torque is just sweeeeeeet.
Very good! Congratualtions. It is definitely satisfying when you get your bike running like you want it to and like you feel it should run. 
That is really cool to know seem this bike just keeps getting better and better for you
dazco
Member
It does. But being a new model it takes longer because there is no one there telling you they tried this and that and what does ofr doesn't work. Little by little i start figuring things out and the bike is now the best it's ever been and i'm enjoying the ride more than ever. i even figured out all the belt issues which really came down to the same thing....no one to tell me what i had to eventually find out for myself because triumph's manual is worthless. when i got my speedmaster there were tons of people tweaking them by that point and i could just follow the crowd.
I suppose you also need to look at the fact it is run in now so the tune would have a different effect at this time. I know how you feel about the Speedmaster I was just lucky I could follow dazco's advice and it was solid 
dazco
Member
it's been run in for a long time. I'm just about at 18,000 now. Last time i loaded this tune was only maybe 3000 ago. But somehow this power got lost in the shuffle between trying the custom map then back to this one, then the custom, then back, etc etc. And i probably never did the 12MT after the BB kit except with that custom tune, and i then found with the 02 sensors disabled it won't adapt.
So it very well may be the bike was never properly adapted and therefore properly TUNED since i got the BB kit. I know the guy who did it didn't adapt it. i had no idea it could make so much difference, but now i'm sitting at work and cannot wait to go home just because i get to ride it home ! pretty amazing to be that thrilled about a bike you've had 2 years ! But it's like you said in that R3 thread where there was the video of silli or someone passing on a R3, you said "i love that kind of power". And I know exactly what you meant. Thats what mine feels like now and it just makes me want to ride a lot more.
So it very well may be the bike was never properly adapted and therefore properly TUNED since i got the BB kit. I know the guy who did it didn't adapt it. i had no idea it could make so much difference, but now i'm sitting at work and cannot wait to go home just because i get to ride it home ! pretty amazing to be that thrilled about a bike you've had 2 years ! But it's like you said in that R3 thread where there was the video of silli or someone passing on a R3, you said "i love that kind of power". And I know exactly what you meant. Thats what mine feels like now and it just makes me want to ride a lot more.
Ksquared
Speed Triple
The 12 Minute Tune is a staple of advice on every Rocket 3 forum I've ever logged on to.
I guess it applies to EFI across the board.
dazco
Member
Or at least the Keihin system triumphs use. Not sure if the sagam or whatever that one is called does or not.
http://www.keihin-us.com/oem/products/fuel_injectors/
http://www.keihin-us.com/oem/products/fuel_injectors/
Me neither. I am far from an EFI expert.
Dschief
Member
Hey everybody, just catching up on this thread.
Reading all this, two things come to mind:
1. It's amazing that EFI has been in use on automobiles for over 20 years now (my first EFI car was a 1988 Cheverolet), and I don't remember ever having to do any of this stuff on any of many vehicles I have had in that time.
2. Why did they do away with carburetors?
Reading all this, two things come to mind:
1. It's amazing that EFI has been in use on automobiles for over 20 years now (my first EFI car was a 1988 Cheverolet), and I don't remember ever having to do any of this stuff on any of many vehicles I have had in that time.
2. Why did they do away with carburetors?
Dave, EFI is more efficient and can be tuned for optimal power better than carbs can be. I think only NASCAR still uses carbs for racing and they are switching to EFI. Also EFI responds to altitude changes easily where as with carbs, one has to rejet.
My first EFI vehicle was a 1992 Ford F-350 diesel. I have only bought three vehicles since then and, of course, they were EFI. The Tiger XC is my first EFI bike. My 03 Bonnies are carbed and, of course, my 68 TR6 is carbed. Personally, I prefer carbed bikes - because I can work on them and tune them myself. HOwever, when I ride to the mountains, I can appreciate the Tiger's EFI. I have the same power at 5,000 ft that I do at sea level. With the Bonnie, I can tell a difference.
My first EFI vehicle was a 1992 Ford F-350 diesel. I have only bought three vehicles since then and, of course, they were EFI. The Tiger XC is my first EFI bike. My 03 Bonnies are carbed and, of course, my 68 TR6 is carbed. Personally, I prefer carbed bikes - because I can work on them and tune them myself. HOwever, when I ride to the mountains, I can appreciate the Tiger's EFI. I have the same power at 5,000 ft that I do at sea level. With the Bonnie, I can tell a difference.
Dschief
Member
Carl, I should have mentioned that was a rhetorical question. Hahahaha.........
I have long predicted the coming of FI, as far back as 1978 when I was rebuilding carbs and such at my after school job at an ARCO service station (remember those?). My co-worker argued with me stating "it would be too expensive to put fuel injection on cars". Well look, now it's status quo.
With ever tightening emissions standards, it is only going to get more complicated, and user unfriendly. The days of the shade tree mechanic are numbered, save the old(er) bikes. But the way most people are today, it's a throw away world as no one wants to be bothered with fixing anything. I figure my pair of carbed Bonnevilles should last me until I quit riding, provided I can still get parts for them. To that end, I buy spare parts, such as carbs, and store them for the day I can't find what I need.
I have long predicted the coming of FI, as far back as 1978 when I was rebuilding carbs and such at my after school job at an ARCO service station (remember those?). My co-worker argued with me stating "it would be too expensive to put fuel injection on cars". Well look, now it's status quo.
With ever tightening emissions standards, it is only going to get more complicated, and user unfriendly. The days of the shade tree mechanic are numbered, save the old(er) bikes. But the way most people are today, it's a throw away world as no one wants to be bothered with fixing anything. I figure my pair of carbed Bonnevilles should last me until I quit riding, provided I can still get parts for them. To that end, I buy spare parts, such as carbs, and store them for the day I can't find what I need.
I do remember the Arco service stations. I had not thought about them in a long time.
Emission standards are the big driving force in making carbs obsolete. And it certainly eliminates the shade tree mechanic. Like you, I will hang on to my Bonnies. I think we will be able to get parts for the foreseeable future.
Emission standards are the big driving force in making carbs obsolete. And it certainly eliminates the shade tree mechanic. Like you, I will hang on to my Bonnies. I think we will be able to get parts for the foreseeable future.
I find carbs reasonably easy to work with and I don't even try to understand EFI. Having said that I've had 3 EFI bikes now, firstly a Street Triple then a T100 and now a Street Triple R, I love them, never had any issues at all once you get used to the throttle being a bit sensitive down low.
The throttle response takes some getting used to for sure - even in cage.
I find it difficult to make smooth starts with EFI cages until I get used to the throttle.
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