Team Latus Dealer Site

A Dynamometer is essential to realizing the full potential of today’s fuel injected and carbureted motorcycles with performance modifications. This is the only tool that can accurately calibrate fuel and ignition maps or diagnose run/driveability issues in a controlled environment. We have technicians that are trained to tune H-D Race Tuner, Power Commander (Latus Motors Harley-Davidson is a certified Dynojet tuning center) and have experience with many other aftermarket tuning devices.

Now equipped with Real time Torque module/meter, real time O2 and Eddy current load control, our Dynamometer is a state of the art, computer controlled, Dynojet® 250. By simulating the best "seat-of-the-pant"
road testing right in the shop, many driveability/run problems can be diagnosed in
a fraction of the time.

NEW SERVICE: DYNO BREAK-IN/TUNE. An increasing number of customers from
around the country are shipping their motorcycles to us for hi-performance
modifications.

In the past, after installing a motor package, we would ask the customer to ride the motorcycle for a 500-1500 mile break-in period, then come back and schedule a full dyno tune. This is not practical for someone in South Carolina, Sacramento or Seattle. As a result, we have developed a break-in procedure based on our racing program and the “Moto-man/tune” methods that have proved extremely successful in road and drag racing.

This process allows control of load, heat cycling, throttle input and RPM while utilizing the dyno, fans and sensors to monitor and regulate conditions during the break-in procedure. We collect tuning information throughout the process, control temperatures and inspect for oil leaks, faults or stresses. Tuning adjustments are made during cool down periods and evaluated as the process proceeds.

The end result is a full tune done in a controlled environment (as opposed to being stuck in traffic), no need to reschedule for the tune (saving the customer time and hassle), the customer does not have to deal with an out of tune/glitchy bike during the break-in period (better first impressions) and knowing the bike is 100% when received. Some break-in is still required after this process but the critical period is over and the remaining break-in is done in a tuned state.

Understanding fuel and ignition requirements

The simplest way to look at the internal combustion engine and understand what is done to increase performance is to see it as an air pump. The more air it is capable of pumping at any given time, the more power it will make (expressed as Volumetric Efficiency or VE). To get the most energy out of that air relies on accurate metering of fuel to that air (expressed as stichomythic, an AFR of 14.7:1 is the theoretical ratio that results in the greatest release of available energy in gasoline). Real world inefficiencies result in an air/fuel ratio (AFR) of 12.8:1 to 13.3:1, for best power and 14.5:1, for best mileage.

The VE, AFR and tuning requirements constantly vary as determined by the mechanical and dynamic properties of the motor. The main mechanical parts are typically engine size (volume), compression ratio/cylinder pressure (static, corrected and dynamic), cam timing/lift, port/valve flow capacity (cfm, including the induction system), exhaust and NOS/super/turbo charging.

The exhaust system is the largest, single, variable influence on how the motor processes air, the shape of the VE graph and tuning requirements. The dynamic parts are typically RPM, throttle position and load (including wind, tire pressure, terrain, gearing and luggage).

Ignition requirements are dictated by engine design properties such as exhaust (how much heat is retained), cam profiles, piston/combustion chamber shape, piston/head clearance (quench/squish), cylinder pressures, rpm limits, fuel quality and intended use.

On carbureted motorcycles to adjust air/fuel ratios we use Dynojet recalibration kits. To install we remove the carburetors to gain access to and replace pilot jets, main jets, emulsion tubes, needles and make float height adjustments.

This procedure can require removing and replacing the carburetors many times until the correct ratios are accomplished. A dyno tune is the most efficient and accurate method.

Fuel Injected Motorcycles have throttle bodies and fuel injectors driven by the ECU (engine control unit) and its programming or calibration. Input from a variety on sensors allows more accurate control as engine demands change and offsets to account for environment changes.