Don Guhl re-flash on the 2013 F, yes it is awsome

Discussion in '7th Generation 2010-Present' started by dynajohn, Apr 22, 2014.

  1. E.SLC.

    E.SLC. New Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Jul 8, 2014
    Messages:
    230
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    16
    Location:
    Utah
    Map
    Hi my friend,
    Yes I got it on Tuesday last week.
    Here is what he did:

    1. Remove the 1st and 2nd gear power restriction
    2. Revise fuel map
    3. Increase the RPM limit setting by 500 RPM
    4. Disable the alarm code for the servo motor (because I have another exhaust installed and motor completely removed)
    5. Install a Dynojet fuel map directly into ECU

    I did notice a huge improvement in fueling especially in the first and second gear. The throttle is very smooth now.

    When did you do your re-flash?

    Please let me know if you can tell difference when you get a chance?!



    Thank you
     
  2. dynajohn

    dynajohn New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 9, 2013
    Messages:
    95
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    8
    Location:
    KY
    Map
    Actually I was the first VFR 1200 owner to contact Don Guhl about developing a ECU re-flash for the VFR 1200. I had used his ECU re-flash service on my 2012 ZX14R with great results so I knew he was qualified to do the work. I sent him my ECU in Dec 2013 and he started reading the ECU code the day it arrived. My re-flash was one of the very first but I did not request any fuel re-mapping even though He could install existing Dynojet maps. This was because I already had a power commander with custom dyno mapping for my bike which had already cured the fuel mapping problem. There was no suitable existing Dynojet map for my bike to install in the ECU because in addition to a Leo Vinci slip on i had removed the cat converter and installed a custom 2/1 merge collector in the stock header. In addition I had replaced the restrictive stock intake filter and replaced it with a K&N. I also milled the heads to increase the comp. to 13/1 and did some minor port cleanup work on the heads. All this in conjunction with a good custom dyno tune yielded just under 168 RWHP & 94 ft/lbs of TQ. I could have had Don install the map we had already developed but I didn't see any point since I had already invested the time and money in the power commander.

    The ECU re-flash removed the 1st & 2nd gear restriction and was supposed to remove the speed limiter which it failed to do. I also had the rev limiter increased 500 RPM and disabled the servo motor alarm code. I got everything I requested from the version 1 re-flash except removing the speed limiter. That is being done in the 2nd re-flash now that Don Guhl has found the ECU code where Honda speed limited the bike.

    Glad you see a real improvement in the fueling with the re-flash.
     
  3. E.SLC.

    E.SLC. New Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Jul 8, 2014
    Messages:
    230
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    16
    Location:
    Utah
    Map
    Thank you so much for starting this "fix" and sharing the information with all of us. Without you most of us would have stayed unhappy and not really knowing what this bike is really capable of.

    You did so much to your bike. That's great!
    I'm in sales so I'm not that good with mechanical side of things lol.

    Even our Honda dealers in Utah (I called/visited 5 of them) don't know much about VFR's. To them it's a strange bike.... I don't get it.

    Can you please tell me what "removing the speed limiter" really means to my bike. (because I would like to find out if Don did it to my bike 10 days ago).
    Please forgive my ignorance because like I said I'm not mechanically inclined but I love the motorcycles and I ride any chance I get.

    Thank you
     
  4. dynajohn

    dynajohn New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 9, 2013
    Messages:
    95
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    8
    Location:
    KY
    Map
    The top speed limiter programmed into the VFR 1200 ECU by Honda is 155 MPH. This only comes into the picture at the top end of 5th gear and of course in 6th gear. It doesn't mean anything to most VFR owners because they will rarely if ever run the bike this fast. Honda uses the same method to limit top speed as they do to limit power output in 1st & 2nd gear with the stock ECU. They use the TBW to limit HP output by limiting how far open the throttle plates can go. In the case of the top speed restriction in 5th & 6th gears the throttle plates are already 100% open before the speed limiter kicks in and starts to close the throttle plates back down.

    The only reason I am interested in eliminating this restriction is I want to run the VFR in a East Coast Timing Association sanctioned top speed trial in Ohio. We already know the bike is capable of 155 MPH bone stock because another rider did it at another sanctioned speed trial at the old Loring AFB this summer. I am still facing another obstacle after the speed limiter is gone. The rules require a steering damper which no Mfg has a kit for on this bike. Looks like some special fabrication for a bracket.
     
    Last edited: Sep 18, 2014
  5. E.SLC.

    E.SLC. New Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Jul 8, 2014
    Messages:
    230
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    16
    Location:
    Utah
    Map
    That makes sense. Thank you for clarifying the meaning to me.
    It makes me feel better to know that that's not something that makes world of a difference to a "regular" rider like myself.
    The normal re-flash is good enough for me :)


    Thanks again
     
  6. dynajohn

    dynajohn New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 9, 2013
    Messages:
    95
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    8
    Location:
    KY
    Map
    I sent my ECU back to Don Guhl after he called and asked me to ship it back for an update to remove the speed limiter which was not removed in the ver. 1 re-flash. I dyno tested the new re-flash yesterday and the speed limiter is gone. At the 11,100 RPM redline the bike went 160.40 MPH in 5th and 179.87 MPH in 6ht gear.

    Thanks Don for sticking with the speed limiter problem until it was removed in your re-flash.
     
  7. E.SLC.

    E.SLC. New Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Jul 8, 2014
    Messages:
    230
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    16
    Location:
    Utah
    Map
    That's great.
    Don has been really helpful to us.
    I'm glad you are happy with it.

    Oh, and I wanted to show you what I added to my VFR. Sometimes we need a cruiser :)

    20140912_080701.jpg
    20140910_124110.jpg
    20140910_124056.jpg 20140910_111313.jpg
     
  8. dynajohn

    dynajohn New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 9, 2013
    Messages:
    95
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    8
    Location:
    KY
    Map
    I understand. The Dynajohn handle is because I have a HD dyna superglide.
     
  9. sheldonsl

    sheldonsl New Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Jan 25, 2014
    Messages:
    30
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    6
    Location:
    baltimore maryland
    Map
    Hey, guys, I recently picked up Don Guhl's name from CAFE RACER magazine and his shop is about 45 minutes away from me. I have a 2010 VFR1200 and am going to talk to him about using my bike for testing. I'll report back when I know more. P.S. His shop is in Pennsylvania.
     
  10. E.SLC.

    E.SLC. New Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Jul 8, 2014
    Messages:
    230
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    16
    Location:
    Utah
    Map
    Thank you for helping the VFR 1200 team out.
     
  11. Robclo

    Robclo New Member

    Country:
    Canada
    Joined:
    Dec 7, 2012
    Messages:
    345
    Likes Received:
    11
    Trophy Points:
    18
    Location:
    ON
    Map
    Great stuff
     
  12. iamzombie

    iamzombie New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 11, 2014
    Messages:
    112
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Location:
    CFB Shilo, MB
    wow, $350 for an ECU reflash? I know the VFR is kind of a "niche" market and therefore will have a premium price due to less units sold to recomp his R&D costs, but SuperbikeUnlimited does R1 ecu reflashes for $100, with the same functionality.

    I'm sure it makes a big difference, but that's a boatload of money for a reflash IMO.
     
  13. E.SLC.

    E.SLC. New Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Jul 8, 2014
    Messages:
    230
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    16
    Location:
    Utah
    Map
    You are right. It is very expensive. I paid $370 three months ago.
    I guess there is only one place doing it for the VFR 1200 so people have no choice and there is no competition at all which means that one place can charge as much as they want.
     
  14. cornerexit

    cornerexit New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 25, 2013
    Messages:
    282
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    R1 flashes were originally $350 also. Flashtune just ended up making a flasher they could sell to individuals and businesses, which drove the prices down since other companies could do it for you. Any literbike is going to be much more popular and available so that explains the cost.

    Many bikes still cost $350 to flash.
     
  15. f3racer

    f3racer New Member

    Joined:
    Jul 11, 2014
    Messages:
    225
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    0
  16. iamzombie

    iamzombie New Member

    Joined:
    Oct 11, 2014
    Messages:
    112
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Location:
    CFB Shilo, MB
    I'm not talking about flashtune, I could buy the hardware to flash my R1 for the same price Don charges for a flash. Flashtune is still $200, but SBU is $90 and from all reviews, does an amazing job on the R1, at least.

    Don is the only shop in town, so we're stuck paying what he charges (which is a lot, imo) but since no-one else is doing ECU flashes for the gen 7, there's no incentive for him to do it cheaper, since there's no competition. That's his perogative, and at least there exists a method to correct Honda's failures with this fuelling of this bike. For the record, I'm going to get it done once I've saved up the money over the winter.
     
  17. dynajohn

    dynajohn New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 9, 2013
    Messages:
    95
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    8
    Location:
    KY
    Map
    This is my second bike to have flashed by Don Guhl. The first was my 2012 ZX14R. Don does update re-flashes for free. I had 2 additional re-flashes done to make changes we wanted while racing the bike at no charge. One was based on what Brock Davidson learned from his other customers race experience with the ZX14R and the other came from Don's experience. If you are dissatisfied with his re-flash he will work with you to get what you want or return the ECU to the factory flash. Don has done two flashes on my VFR-12 ECU. The second was to eliminate the speed limiter which they missed in the 1st re-flash and he also installed the English ignition maps which he had found were somewhat more aggressive than the US maps.

    Do other re-flash tuning services offer free lifetime updates? I am curious because I have not worked with anyone else.

    As for ecu-unleashed I tried to find anyone who has successfully or unsuccessfully gotten a VFR 12 re-flash from this company. Can't find anyone who posts on the three major VFR web sites who has used them for a VFR-12. I contacted their office in California by e-mail in 2013 and asked about a re-flash for my then new 2013 VFR-12. Got a quick answer that of course they could do a re-flash for my bike. Referred me to a shop in Texas who was licensed by them. Called the Texas shop and was told they could not re-flash the VFR-12 and didn't have any information from ecu-unleashed on a re-flash for any year VFR-12's. I then contacted ecu-unleashed again by e-mail and was referred to another shop on the east coast. Called them and was told by the service manager that he didn't know anything about a VFR-12 re-flash and furthermore had no idea who ecu-unleashed was. Sent a 3rd e-mail to ecu-unleashed detailing my experience with the two referrals they had sent me to and never heard from them again. Gave up on ecu-unleashed at that point and used my friendship with Brock Davidson to contact Don Guhl about developing a re-flash for the VFR-12. Still waiting for someone to step up that has used ecu-unleashed for a VFR-12 and report on the results.
     
  18. sheldonsl

    sheldonsl New Member

    Country:
    United States
    Joined:
    Jan 25, 2014
    Messages:
    30
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    6
    Location:
    baltimore maryland
    Map
    This sounds like a stupid question, even to me, but I'll ask anyway. If you buy a used bike, how can you tell if the ECU has already been done? I bought a 2010 this year with some additions in place. An after market slip-on is one of the things it came with. I see a lot on here about alarm codes after switching exhausts and I haven't seen that on this bike. Also, without anything to compare it to, I don't know if 1st n 2nd are any different than stock. I'd hate to spend money and find out it's still the same.
     
  19. cornerexit

    cornerexit New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 25, 2013
    Messages:
    282
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    0
    The ECU would have Don's sticker on it for one but you've got a 99.99% chance it isn't flashed.
     
  20. Bas

    Bas New Member

    Joined:
    Nov 28, 2014
    Messages:
    59
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Location:
    Heppen - Belgium
    My VFR1200F of 2010 is done by Don and the results are far beyond my expectations.
    It's smooth and has incredible power response.
    Best 400 euro I have ever spend on a bike.
     
Related Topics

Share This Page