Making the Dog run as it should

[Mark_H]

Having read all the very informative posts on ways to get round the crappy running of this engine I have come to the conclusion it is all down to a fault in the ECU mapping which Husqvarna should really fix asap - but they wont of course. Emission regs and legal arguments etc.

Many guys have spent a lot of time and $$ on workarounds and fixes, some more effective than others, they have posted excellent info here.

It is pretty obvious to me that the Air Box Spoofer alone simply will not work permanently as the ECU tunes it out based on O2 sensor feedback.
Similarly the O2 sensor spacer idea, which is the only one I have tried, works but only gives a mediocre improvement when used on its own.

Power Commander and other ECU chip alternatives seem way too expensive and really we should not need to buy them, but we do.
I am in a fairly remote area with limited dealer support for MOSS etc and I want to get my bike to run better but I really do not wish to spend $500+ doing it. I should not have to anyway.

The very reasonably priced Dyno-Boost device from Magnum Tuning (eBay Item 151025357417 ) was mentioned in a previous post but I cannot find any feedback from a member on the actual benefit they have gained from it. In the blurb it appears to be a user adjustable double spoofer, fixing air temp and O2 sensor readings at the same time which I think could work well.

Has anyone any more info on the benefits gained from this.
I am willing to buy one, fit it and post my results as soon as I can.

Cheers.

 

[danketchpel]

Having read all the very informative posts on ways to get round the crappy running of this engine I have come to the conclusion it is all down to a fault in the ECU mapping which Husqvarna should really fix asap - but they wont of course. Emission regs and legal arguments etc.

Many guys have spent a lot of time and $$ on workarounds and fixes, some more effective than others, they have posted excellent info here.

It is pretty obvious to me that the Air Box Spoofer alone simply will not work permanently as the ECU tunes it out based on O2 sensor feedback.
Similarly the O2 sensor spacer idea, which is the only one I have tried, works but only gives a mediocre improvement when used on its own.

Power Commander and other ECU chip alternatives seem way too expensive and really we should not need to buy them, but we do.
I am in a fairly remote area with limited dealer support for MOSS etc and I want to get my bike to run better but I really do not wish to spend $500+ doing it. I should not have to anyway.

The very reasonably priced Dyno-Boost device from Magnum Tuning (eBay Item 151025357417 ) was mentioned in a previous post but I cannot find any feedback from a member on the actual benefit they have gained from it. In the blurb it appears to be a user adjustable double spoofer, fixing air temp and O2 sensor readings at the same time which I think could work well.

Has anyone any more info on the benefits gained from this.
I am willing to buy one, fit it and post my results as soon as I can.

Cheers.

Yes, Husky would probably love to supply bikes with the correct ECU mapping if they could legally do so. I'm sure getting bikes to pass the various emission regs around the world is a big headache for the manufacturers and honestly why we don't get a lot of bikes here in the states because it's an expensive process also.

So we are faced with what we can do to put things right so the bike runs as we'd like it to, and this applies to most all new thumpers. The multi cylinder bikes have an easier time of it as the stumbles get covered up in the multitudes of firings, though many twins are just as affected. You can ask the KTM guys about getting their bikes mapped correctly. For the fact that we have to do it you can thank the various Gov'ts who want cleaners skys. I know it's a pain, but I've also seen the air quality in places that don't make an attempt at cleaning things up.

Anyway, there are many options including the one you linked to. I read through the Dyno Boost info on ebay. It's an elaborate spoofer that has some basic adjustment level. It's not much cheaper than the LC2 unit Charlie installed on his bike but it is a simpler installation. There are other ~$200 options such as the AF-XIED, EJK, Wuka King, plus some others. How they compare in real world riding is very hard to know. My honest opinion is to some degree you get what you pay for, at least in terms of flexibility and tunability.

I'm not sure which would have the best support, especially in P.I.

I saw your location and had to post this photo of my wife and I. We were in your backyard earlier this summer.

 

[Mark_H]

Thanks for the reply and I agree with you that in the case of getting the ECU Map correct the Emission Regs etc are the issue for all manufacturers and single cylinders suffer more than multis. Yes the KTM guys have some issues but in particular the Husky 650 seems to be more of a dog than any other I have ridden or researched so far.
You do get what you pay for, however sometimes we dont have to pay over the odds to get just enough - I am keen to hear from anyone who has tried the Dyno-Boost remedy in this respect as it is reasonably priced and would appear to address Air Temp and O2 sensor issues which is where most of the other available kits direct their mods. Power Commanders etc excepted as they go a lot further into the remapping than I think I really need to.

I simply wish to get the crappy running sorted for a reasonable outlay and if it is an easy fit that is a bonus too.
The bike itself is perfect for my needs, we do a lot of short touring trips, 80-100 km up over the mountains and it really is a nice ride with plenty of power and good fuel consumption. However rolling down off the nice mountain roads into the towns and villages it becomes a different beast, needing plenty of revs/clutch balancing to avoid the stumbling and random misfires which I often forget to manage. With a fully loaded bike we have often slowed behind traffic to have it simply stop and then the clutch in, pressing starter action ensues. This is not so bad but we have had a few stumbles in the middle of a slow tight bend, say in second gear at around 25-30 kmph and these are in my opinion the most dangerous and ones which I really wish to rectify with a reliable mod.

I am away at work at the moment, but my plan is to return next month, continue with the O2 spacer fitted and further experiment with different fuels as I am fortunate to have 91-93-95-97 and 100 octanes available locally from several different suppliers. I have tried 97 and 100, but there maybe some good results with 93 or 95 which I need to explore. In the meantime I will order a Dyna-Boost and fit it once I have established a good fuel to use.

Thanks for the nice pic, yes that statue is literally in my back yard. I am a Navigator myself and my interest in Magellan was the reason I first came to Lapu Lapu many years ago. Now having returned and been here nearly two years, I have purchased the Strada with the intention to enjoy more of beautiful Cebu and the rest of the Philippines.
Given the inherent problems with the bike, although I still consider it a good option ride, I am now considering purchasing a second bike, something a little different and possibly more reliable. The Kawasaki 650 Versys is reasonably priced and also has better dealer support in my area and could be one for me to consider. The guys who sold the Strada would love me to buy the 900 Nuda but it is simply too big and fast for the roads we have. They also deal in KTMs too and the Duke 390 is another fun ride I have in mind.
Meanwhile I will struggle on with the Strada and who knows, if the Dyna-Boost cures the stumbles, I will enjoy the ride more and forget the second bike.

 

[drzcharlie]

I wish the Nuda would have been available here in the States. What a bike.

 

[danketchpel]

I simply wish to get the crappy running sorted for a reasonable outlay and if it is an easy fit that is a bonus too.

The bike itself is perfect for my needs, we do a lot of short touring trips, 80-100 km up over the mountains and it really is a nice ride with plenty of power and good fuel consumption. However rolling down off the nice mountain roads into the towns and villages it becomes a different beast, needing plenty of revs/clutch balancing to avoid the stumbling and random misfires which I often forget to manage. With a fully loaded bike we have often slowed behind traffic to have it simply stop and then the clutch in, pressing starter action ensues. This is not so bad but we have had a few stumbles in the middle of a slow tight bend, say in second gear at around 25-30 kmph and these are in my opinion the most dangerous and ones which I really wish to rectify with a reliable mod.

I am away at work at the moment, but my plan is to return next month, continue with the O2 spacer fitted and further experiment with different fuels as I am fortunate to have 91-93-95-97 and 100 octanes available locally from several different suppliers. I have tried 97 and 100, but there maybe some good results with 93 or 95 which I need to explore. In the meantime I will order a Dyna-Boost and fit it once I have established a good fuel to use.

Thanks for the nice pic, yes that statue is literally in my back yard. I am a Navigator myself and my interest in Magellan was the reason I first came to Lapu Lapu many years ago. Now having returned and been here nearly two years, I have purchased the Strada with the intention to enjoy more of beautiful Cebu and the rest of the Philippines.
Given the inherent problems with the bike, although I still consider it a good option ride, I am now considering purchasing a second bike, something a little different and possibly more reliable. The Kawasaki 650 Versys is reasonably priced and also has better dealer support in my area and could be one for me to consider. The guys who sold the Strada would love me to buy the 900 Nuda but it is simply too big and fast for the roads we have. They also deal in KTMs too and the Duke 390 is another fun ride I have in mind.
Meanwhile I will struggle on with the Strada and who knows, if the Dyna-Boost cures the stumbles, I will enjoy the ride more and forget the second bike.

I do believe you can fix the low speed stumbles with a simpler/lower cost option. There are several who have done so. I don't believe the octane rating will make any difference except in the cost to fill the bike up.

Once you get rid of that stumbling BS you will fall in love with the bike and will forget about a Versys etc. I've ridden the Versys, you'd like the "fixed" Strada better, it's much smoother and better suited to riding there. I completely understand your riding conditions as I've done some riding around Cebu and Negros myself. There are wonderful mountain roads there. I think I may have been to the dealer you are talking about. I talked to one of the guys there who was riding a Duke 390, his comment was it's fun but buzzy. That's the magic of the Husky, it's incredibly smooth and wonderfully torquey once you sort things out. Seriously, don't give up on the bike, it's worth the effort to sort out the mapping and it's very reliable.

Here's a few pix of riding around Cebu. I've been on several other roads crossing over the mountains by car and wanted to ride those this time on the bike but didn't have enough time. Next time I go back I'll plan for more riding.

The road up to Ave Maria Monastery is quite nice.







We borrowed by Brother in Law's bike for the ride.



Here's a couple shots I did from another ride with my Bro in Law. He took me up to this really nice house a guy from Turkey built.





Me and my Bro in Law




And I think this is the dealership you talked about.





Maybe your bike???

 

[Mark_H]

Hi thanks for the reply and great pics too.
I agree you may be correct that the 'fixed Strada' is probably the best bike to suit my needs here and I do hope I can get it fully fixed pretty soon. The second bike idea is still on as I would like something suitable for much longer distance trips, on the Strada the vibes get my hands and we both suffer from 'numb bum' syndrome on a 50 to 80 km run.
I am keen to explore the benefits of the Dyna-Boost kit and will probably buy one as soon as I get back. I do intend to explore the fuel options and ensure that I get a good running fuel as a base to start the Dyna-Boost mods and testing.
You are correct about the dealer shop and I would bet that one of the Stradas in your pic is actually mine. I am not aware of them selling any other locally and they still have one in the shop. Ken the manager runs a KTM Duke 390 and yes it is buzzy but fun and pretty good for some of the road trips we have already done. Squeezing 43 BHP out of 390 cc means it revs and uses fuel too, but not so bad.
Roads here are very interesting, some of the ones over the mountains are great fun rides but the traffic, buses and trucks often spoil the day if the quickly changing weather doesnt.

I will post some pics when I get decent bandwidth, even compressed the upload times out due to speed issues here.

 

[danketchpel]

Hi thanks for the reply and great pics too.
I agree you may be correct that the 'fixed Strada' is probably the best bike to suit my needs here and I do hope I can get it fully fixed pretty soon. The second bike idea is still on as I would like something suitable for much longer distance trips, on the Strada the vibes get my hands and we both suffer from 'numb bum' syndrome on a 50 to 80 km run.

I am keen to explore the benefits of the Dyna-Boost kit and will probably buy one as soon as I get back. I do intend to explore the fuel options and ensure that I get a good running fuel as a base to start the Dyna-Boost mods and testing.

Roads here are very interesting, some of the ones over the mountains are great fun rides but the traffic, buses and trucks often spoil the day if the quickly changing weather doesnt.

I will post some pics when I get decent bandwidth, even compressed the upload times out due to speed issues here.

The bars on the Terra don't vibrate at all. I think the difference is the bar end weights that come on the Terra.



You might want to check those out as they can make a huge difference. Seriously, my Terra is smoother than my Stelvio and about the same as my Ducati Sport Classic. There is a very "tiny" patch of vibes around 4,750 rpm but otherwise it's very very smooth, "nearly" vibe free as bikes go.

The Touratech hand guards work with the stock bar end weights.



With a windshield, hand guards, a better seat, and some luggage, the bike becomes a very good long distance bike.






It will have way more power than you'll use there, more than I need here, and the suspension is much better than a Versys.

I think an upgraded seat foam can cure the numb bum. I did the foam/cover upgrade from Seat Concepts and it made a big difference. The stock foam is too hard and not really shaped properly. Maybe you can find a local seat shop over there to work up a custom foam then just reuse the stock cover.

I know all about the nasty traffic. A few shots from Cebu.





.....and quickly changing weather. For that ride we did to Ave Maria we got lucky on the way back and were able to stop in for lunch while it decided to pour down buckets for about 45 minutes.

 

[AUS_TR650]

I wish the Nuda would have been available here in the States. What a bike.

You're not wrong. My dealer had two of these when I brought my Terra and I asked him a few months later if he managed to sell them quickly. "Only one... I brought the 900R; too much of a fun bike to put back on the lot!"
I like how this engine has a third conrod on a rocker for balancing.

 

[danketchpel]

You're not wrong. My dealer had two of these when I brought my Terra and I asked him a few months later if he managed to sell them quickly. "Only one... I brought the 900R; too much of a fun bike to put back on the lot!"
I like how this engine has a third conrod on a rocker for balancing.
View attachment 49069
View attachment 49071

That's the same approach Ducati used to balance the Mono which they created from their V-twin. There's no doubt, there are some good engineers at Husky. They seem to take other's designs and really improve on them.

I wonder what they'd come up with given free rein?

 

[dmw_az]

I've been watching videos of the Nuda on youtube. It looks really similar to our Terra. The bike looks and sounds amazing. RoyalJordanian from the UK has some amusing videos of people's reactions when he raps the throttle. I wish they were available in the US.

 

[AUS_TR650]

RoyalJordanian from the UK has some amusing videos of people's reactions when he raps the throttle.

I like how he's blurred out the speedo reading while blasting through ol' London town.

 

[drzcharlie]

I noticed that in his videos too. I guess proof is proof....haha

 

[Jesper]

That's the same approach Ducati used to balance the Mono which they created from their V-twin. There's no doubt, there are some good engineers at Husky. They seem to take other's designs and really improve on them.

I wonder what they'd come up with given free rein?

You can't give Husqvarna credit for the design of that engine. It's the same engine as BMW F650/700/800 and it's made by Rotax. The strada, Terra and Nuda is made by german engineers.

 

[hasenpfeffer]

It's the same bottom end, but the top end was re-engineered by, or for, Husky. I don't believe any of the top end parts of the engine would be swapable with BMW bikes. So, credit is still due Husky for an engine package that behaves very differently from the BMW version.

 

[danketchpel]

It's the same bottom end, but the top end was re-engineered by, or for, Husky. I don't believe any of the top end parts of the engine would be swapable with BMW bikes. So, credit is still due Husky for an engine package that behaves very differently from the BMW version.

For the Nuda 900 engine Husky reworked the crank to have a 45 degree offset instead of BMW's 360 crank which changed the firing order to the same as a 45 Degree V-twin (ie Harley). They also reworked the topend along the same lines as the 650 single.

I don't know if the engineers for Husky are Swedish, Italian or ??? But the design and factory are in Italy now. I'm not sure about the Nuda engine production, but the 650 single engine was originally designed by Rotax of Austria, built by Rotax for a period of time, and is now built by Loncin in China.

 

[Jesper]

I don't know if the engineers for Husky are Swedish, Italian or ??? But the design and factory are in Italy now. I'm not sure about the Nuda engine production, but the 650 single engine was originally designed by Rotax of Austria, built by Rotax for a period of time, and is now built by Loncin in China.

Yes the engines have been modified before fitting them in the husky frames. And yes the 650 is now made buy Loncin, but the BMW F650/700/800 (they're all 800cc twin) is made by Rotax. Husqvarna is now based and made in austria.

 

[endurobra]

I wish the Nuda would have been available here in the States. What a bike.

YES it is, I love it!

 

[AUS_TR650]

For the Nuda 900 engine Husky reworked the crank to have a 45 degree offset instead of BMW's 360 crank which changed the firing order to the same as a 45 Degree V-twin (ie Harley). They also reworked the topend along the same lines as the 650 single.

+ bigger bore & longer stroke to achieve 898cc capacity. The only thing to end the party early would be its 13L fuel tank

 

[danketchpel]

Husqvarna is now based and made in austria.

I guess Piere renegged on their promise not to move the Husky factory out of Italy.

Well..... my bike was made in Italy.

What a tumultuous history for such an old company. It seems like BMW didn't do so well as their steward, even if the Husky engineers tried their best to make great products with what they had to work with.

I hope they don't become KTM clones.......

 

[Jesper]

I hope they don't become KTM clones.

The new 701 supermoto is just a 690 smc, and the 401 svartpilen/vitpilen are based on the Indian build 390 Duke. Even has the same Bybre-brakes.