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ECU upgrade

10K views 32 replies 20 participants last post by  captj3 
#1 ·
Well I just pulled the trigger on the Ivan ECU upgrade today, cannot wait until it is back on the Voyager again.

The wife and I took a 300 mile trip on our two bikes, hers is a 2015 Can-AM RT and mine is a 2009 Vulcan Voyager.

The Voyager only has 4K on her since I found it sitting in a guy’s garage, looked like it was right off the show room floor.
(Who would own a bike that like and never ride it?) Anyway, loved the way it rode before except for a few heating issues
(Too hot in stop and go traffic) and the throttle being a little slow on the fly…. But I still loved the Voyager.

I called and talked to Ivan before I even sent him my ECU just to make sure of what I was getting into…..
Now I cannot wait. So more to come after I get it back and put in the Voyager…..

Thanks to all of you that posted about this upgrade, it is one of the primary reasons that I am doing it. I never found a negative review about it.

Thanks

Robert :nerd:
 
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#2 ·
You will not regret it. I wish Ivan had created this when I bought my Vaquero. It would have saved me hours of trying to fix all the issues using fuel processors. My bike is a beast now after the flash and runs significantly cooler.
 
#3 · (Edited)
Well Ivan called yesterday and said the ECU was ready and wanted to confirm the return shipping and payment, we talked about the "Flash" and the improvements it covers, I cannot wait to report on the changes! Such a simple upgrade to fix so much at one time is amazing!

I have received a lot of private emails about this and all I can say is give me some time to install and test and I will post my findings here like everyone else.

That's it for now

Robert
 
#5 ·
Down time isnt bad at all. I sent mine from SC on a Tuesday afternoon and had it back in the bike on Saturday.
 
#7 ·
I sent mine on Tuesday of this week and it was ready on Thursday from Ivan, he asked if I wanted overnight shipping so I could ride on Saturday but I can wait.... so it will be here on Monday~!!! gives me time to install it and take a test ride for a while and report back. Quick turnaround and no real wait.... so Send it on a Monday and have it back on Friday... unless you live on the West coast.

Thanks for all of the replies on the private email about your experiences and updates to the throttle too, for the money this appears to be the best upgrade you can make to your 1700!

More to come....

Robert
 
#8 ·
Well the ECU is back and in the Voyager now, did the preflight check per Ivan’s instructions and it works like a dream, I always wondered why my old Harley 1200 CC motorcycle felt stronger then the 1700CC Voyager? Now I know….
Kawasaki just put too many restrictions on the ole girl to meet EPA standards. With that being said the only way I can describe the ride I just took is like this…….

“It was like having a brand new girlfriend in your wife’s body!”

She looked the same, felt the same even sounded the same, but when you cracked that throttle all I can say is “WOW” what a difference. Everybody should do this modification.

She has more lower end
Higher pickup speed
Ran Cooler (it only got to the two first bars from C)
Seemed smoother
Less shifts
More power on the whole band
Less vibration
The exhaust seems cooler and so did the engine (Less heat in the vital areas if you know what I mean)
The throttle seems very very smooth and predictable with a very easy feel to it.

Overall the Voyager is a bike that Kawasaki meant it to be now, It pulls very strong, smooth and the smile factor is there now.
I know on a long trip that this motorcycle is what I have been looking for, easy to work on, smooth, powerful and can carry a good load, reliable and most of all does not look like all of the “other” bike out there.
The roll on power is very nice for passing.

If I had to do it over, I would in a second!! Add me to the list of satisfied owners that have done Ivan’s upgrade and saved more money than I have spent. The ole girl is bone stock and I feel like I went to a sports bike that carries stuff!!!

I hope this helps someone pull the trigger out there, I had high hopes when I started this and Ivan did not let me down! Thanks to all that have posted on this and the information they shared it made it easy for me to make the choice.



Thank you,

Robert
 
#10 ·
“It was like having a brand new girlfriend in your wife’s body!”
Too funny!!!!! Of course when my wife heard me laughing and asked what was so funny.......and I told her......she failed to see the humor.
:laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh::laugh:
 
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#11 ·
I took the plunge today and shipped mine to Ivan also. Am excited...
 
#12 ·
Good for you, you will notice a vast improvement, trust me and I am not a hard rider, my wife says I drive like a grandpa!!! Hey what the hell I am still here riding today while all the young smart guys are down on the pavement. I know it costs a bit but if you add in all of the additions that you would spend to get this kind of performance, the price is well worth it, my baby is bone stock and the performance is making me smile.

I knew i loved this bike for a reason, it just took Ivan to pull back the layers of the EPA to make her shine.

Again to Ivan my hat is off to you sir. Job well done.

the time down is nothing, to pull it out of the bike and ship it is nothing, most of us work so pulling it on a Sunday while doing honey do chores and then ship it on Monday and you will have it back by Friday, simple 5 minute install and take a short ride, then come back and tell us all you are not impressed!

Thanks
 
#13 ·
Same thing just happened to me! She usually had a sense of humor!
I`m loving my Ivans ecu on my vaquero, really is like a new girlfriend in a familiar body~
 
#14 ·
You were correct rverhalen, mine performs just as you described, just feels better all around as if I now have the bike that it was meant to be.

PS: I think of Van Halen every time I see your name...is a good thing.
 
#16 · (Edited)
Here is the direct page on the website you need and his contact information..... Enjoy, best money I ever spent!!!!

You will need to print out a form on that page listed below and send it with your unit to Ivan, Ivan then will call you for payment. Simple and quick.
Mine was about 21 dollars shipping and 350 for the ECU upgrade and 24 dollars shipping back to me.

Ivan's Rockland County Motorcycle
175 N. Route 9W - Unit #1
Congers, NY, 10920

Shop Hours:
Mon - Fri 10am-6pm
Sat 10am-2pm - Eastern Time

Phone: 845-268-1212
Fax: 845-268-8291

the direct link to the VN 1700 Page for the ECU flash upgrade

Ivan's Performance Products
 
#17 ·
Phone number

Hey Tinker

845-268-1212

I took the leap of faith based on other opinions here, I attest. Honestly, the stock set up feels fine simply because in my case I had nothing to compare it to. The slip ons and ecu flash without question I can feel and hear the difference.

Google Ivan's performance and select your model. There is a two page form you have to fill out and send with ecu, he won't touch it without the form.
 
#18 ·
Ditto Van Halen post, he was quick on the draw.....
 
#21 · (Edited)
Quote:

Originally Posted by rverhalen View Post

“It was like having a brand new girlfriend in your wife’s body!”
Too funny!!!!! Of course when my wife heard me laughing and asked what was so funny.......and I told her......she failed to see the humor.


My wife couldn't see the humor in it either. Go figure.
 
This post has been deleted
#22 ·
I have heard that the 2012 and up models are factory programed much better than the first three years of the 1700 so your 2014 may be great. I can tell you first hand the 2009's were pretty bad. It varied from bike to bike but some of them were so bad you couldn't hardly drive them at all at low speed the throttle delay was so bad. My Nomad was one of those when I first bought it. My Voyager had the delay but was not nearly as bad as the Nomad.

They both seemed to take for ever to get up a head of steam and had no grunt(torque) at all at low to medium Rpm.

As far as being expensive, the $350(actually with shipping it is closer to$400)is cheap compared to doing the big three and a throttle mod as many have done in an attempted to wake these big dogs up.

I already run premium in all my toys so that was a push for me.

The running harder is strictly a personal thing. Just because it can does not mean you have to. I have had a few go fast toys in the past and the 1700 is not one. Ivan's reflash just makes it more enjoyable to ride
 
#25 ·
Just in case someone is waiting for my take on this mod. I have done several mods to the Voyager that mad subtle differences but for the most part I have left it basically stock for dependability.

"Ivan's® ECU flash for: Kawasaki Vulcan 1700 models." turned my 2009 Voyager into the bike I thought I was buying. The first time I rode it after the reflash I thought I may have to take the throttle mod off of it the response was so crisp.Yeah I got over that pretty quick but the difference was that noticeable.

After the flash the gut's/grunt/torque I expected out of a 1700cc Vtwin finally showed up. No more top end valve clatter when you give it throttle in 5th or 6th out on the the road. Just grunt and go like a Vtwin is supposed to act.

I have almost 1000 miles on the Voyager after the flash.


Let me put it this way. If I were buying an early 1700 the price of the flash would be included in my bottom line cost.
 
#26 ·
I have about 3500 miles since the flash. It's a different bike than it was before the flash. Although I've had three instances of pinging, they all occurred on a trip through the hinterland where the gas was questionable, and they were all full throttle acceleration at about 2000-2500 rpm. Haven't had it since that trip in June.

I am still thinking about ditching the throttle mod, as the bike is a bit jumpy, errr, I mean responsive.

Never going back.

Happy and safe riding,
Dan
 
#28 ·
I have a 2016 Voyager and I just rolled over 400 miles. Raining for the next 5 says so I am going to send my ECU in to Ivan.

I am going to wait until 1000 miles (recommendation) before I make any other changes to stock items. Will a Power Commander even help after I have the ECU flashed? What about other upgrades?

Thanks!
 
#30 ·
No point to a Power Commander after the ECU Flash....unless you want to have additional custom dyno tuning done to it.

I did the flash....and I already have intake and exhaust....with a good PCV mapping...still had occasional pops. Disconnected the PCV and no popping of any kind now. Bike runs awesome...I especially notice the additional power in 6th gear.

Only have a couple hundred miles on the new flash....but its working great so far.
 
#31 ·
Capt

All you did was remove power from the PCV or did you remove it completely?
This has been my hangup as I soldered mine in.

I would have a lot of wire repair to do.

I also think I can set all settings to 0 and just leave it in place.


Thanks

Gary
 
#32 ·
For now...I just set everything to 0, just to make sure I did not have to tune anything on the top end...no issues, so I'll remove it the next time I do a tear down for something.
 
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