Hitchcocks Forum

Hi to all fellow thumper fans. After 40 years of happy biking here in Zimbabwe I finally lost an argument - and a leg - to a cage. No problem, purchased a 2012 Classic Chrome 500 efi and fitted a chair.

By my calculations, the beast should be making max torque at around 100kph (4000rpm) but by then its totally run out of steam. Even taking into account the extra mass of the chair, and the tightness of the motor, at only 1200km, its not a happy thing.

All the comments on the web refer to the restrictive silencer - its got the long one fitted. However,within the first 500km, a six-inch section of the exhaust header pipe had turned a nice bright yellow, and when I took the silencer off last weekend I discovered a bunch of baffles in that section of the header. Obviously, this is far too restrictive. It looks as though it might be where EU models have the catalytic converter fitted, but there's nothing connected to the pipe at all.

Here in Zimbabwe there is one dealer - a Nissan car showroom - so technical support is minimal.

Has anyone else come across a baffled header pipe? Is this possibly a restriction applicable to India-spec models?

My intention is to remove the baffles as a first step towards freeing-up horses, followed by a freeflow silencer. Anyone done this, and able to advise me of the best method?

Thanks, and ride safe.

Hitchcocks sell a derestricted downpipe for efi models so I think you're ok removing any baffles.

You also need a free flow air filter. I'd say juat do without a filter but perhaps not in Zimbabwe

Have a look in the Accessory Catalogue in the left sidebar on this site. Tuning (or de-restricting if you prefer!) parts are listed for the EFI models (and others,) in order of usefulness so you can decide how far to go. I think you should be able to liberate some power without any great difficulties. Use this site to ask for help, you probably won't find better advice. (But not from me as I haven't got an EFI!) REgards, Mark

Thanks Pete and Mark. Would be lovely to simply order from the catalogue - but access to external funds is limited. I'm pretty hands-on and have good contacts in the engineering world locally, so I should be able to have a nice free-flow pipe made locally. Ditto for air filtration. This does mean that the efi might have to be re-mapped - are they mappable and if so, where can I download the programme? On my original query - has anyone come across a similar header pipe? The area in question is a six-inch section of slightly greater diameter than the rest of the header, just in front of the silencer.

Look in the Catalogue!!! Re-mapped power module available, but if funds are limited this may not be possible. Re-mapping is really something for the car boys, maybe a local dyno place could help? REgards, Mark

Thanks again Mark. I've a mate here that swears by you guys,, but he's after Redditch spares. It seems that technical stuff on e f I models is a bit hard to come by. I've read reports that the efi/ecu is mappable, and that the altitude compensator has been tested to 18000ft, but where do I find the technical data? I'm happy to buy downloadable manuals. Actually, I'm not sure remapping will prove necessary, as the exhaust immediately behind the mystery baffles and ahead of the silencer is extremely sooty. Would like to have information to hand before I start hacking away, though. Please keep the info coming.

You say nothing is hanging off the pipe,so not even a oxygen sensor?What you are describing sounds like the catalytic converter on the old classics,they were designed to run very hot to burn off containments etc.You're bike may have a different system due to your location,relaxed polution laws?
My understanding is you remove it and the ECU adjusts itself automatically.Not many piping in here on the EFI so i would go over the US site where they have lots of knowledge on the latest EFI model.jack.

This is why I canned the modern EFI Triumph Bonneville and went back to carb with my 04 classic. Much more fun and doable to tune. I have seen warnings about the hassle of doing anything to RE Efis.

OK, so I bolted on a freeflow (read "straight-through" silencer on and released a little moee noise but very little more power. I've now confirmed that this is an Indian domestic-spec model. Can anyone point me to a site that might be helpful, as the official site isn't much use?