EFI controllers are not that expensive. We're talking less than $300 and a 1.5 horsepower gain (on certain models) just on a stock quad alone. Think of an EFI controller as a bag of jets you carry around to adjust for exhaust and other performance mods. The only thing differnet is that you push a button to change your jetting instead of tearing your carb apart. So, thats a huge advantage right there. Also, EFI is more fuel efficient. EFI is easier to manipulate for other applications such as turbo or nitrous. Most ATV EFI systems will self adjust for elevation, carbs dont. Throttle response can be slightly better for EFI than carbureted. Plus, you'll never need to buy a whole new carb to upgrade, just make the injectors flow more. So, initially it may be more expensive, but down the road, it wont be.

 

Like said above, the biggest beef I have wtih it, is instead of buying an exhaust and a couple of dollars in jets, you are buying a exhaust and a 250-350 dollar ecu!
The other problem with it is, if you are a mx'r, that does not want all the weight of electric start, you CAN NOT get rid of the electrical system. Say like on the yfz, where if you dump the electric start and go with kickstart. You can loose up to 15 lbs, and one of those lbs is in rotational mass!
They are going to have to find a way for guys that want that weight savings (kickstart) a way for them to do it while still having EFI!
Another down side is, the ecu's are not as easy to mess with as just throwing some jets in a carb. Its turning from garage projects into computer and dealer projects.......just like cars!
There is yet another downside to FI, as with increasing smog rules, or CARB regulations FI is much easier to program into "sissy" mode at the manufacturer, as to not create any power/ exhaust smog/sound! They can put in speed limiters that you may not beable to reprogram. They can start messing with a lot of stuff, that garage tuners like myself are going to start having a heck of a time getting around!

The good side, is like said before. FI is constantly learning for temp changes, pressure changes.....everything! Its the ultimate for trail riders, as you ALWAYS have a near perfect state of tune. Also, for others that dont work on there bikes a lot, its hassle free. NO more jetting all the time, as long as you dont do after market stuff.
My new 700 has it, and I love it. Because its my girl's quad, I can spend less time tuning hers and more time on mine. Its less maintenance for me!

Hope this helps!

 

135Boom,

Ok, we're not talking about a new ECU, we are talkiing about manipulating the ECU to control the EFI. EFI controllers DO NOT REPLACE the ecu. The cheap ones can be found for around $200 and the most expensive ones that I have seen are $299. If its too expensive for you, then dont modify. These controllers gain you 1.5 hp WITH NOTHING ELSE CHANGING! But, add an exhaust, port job, cam change, and all you have to do is push a button a few times. Think of the carb as the first thing you modify when you add mods. Jets alone will only go so far. The most horsepower is found with larger carbs, larger intakes, larger port jobs, larger valves, larger cylinders and yes, larger exhausts. If you dont like the way things are going, then your old school mentality will go with you and die a quick death. There are plenty of new EFI experts waiting to take your place. And if you think you cant convert, think again. The best EFI controllers use carburetor logic to tune the EFI. You have your Acclerator pump circuit, pilot jet circuit, needle jet circuit and main jet circuit. If you can think that way, you can manipulate your EFI.

There, I feel better now ... If you want to feel better, throw away all the baggage you have gained about EFI on cars, and study up on what happening in the ATV performance side, they ARE NOT the same.

 

......wow, I didnt mean to upset you with my personal opinion. And no, I wont die along with it if I keep using carbs! Carbs are still used today in almost ALL the high horse race and dragsters!!!!!

Half of your argument is not relivent, as if you want to go down that road, your fi is going to still need a bigger throttle body, when you so all those mods. So whats your point?????? Possibly bigger injectors too. Possibly a bigger fuel pump too......so on and so on, along with your bigger valves, ports, cylinders and exhausts!!!

So you think that worknig on a brand new camaro or something like it is as easy or easier to mod in the garage with bolt ons then say a 60's era car?????

You cant mess with a lot of the new stuff, nearly as much as you can alter the older ones! I dont agree with you one bit.

I realize this is where bikes, quads, snowmobiles.....everything is going, doesnt mean I have to like it. Its just more ways for the EPA to restrict the crap out of our machines, and possibly never beable to get those restrictions taken off, without upsetting the WHOLE system on the machine. Then your talking BIG BUCKS to replace a whole lot of crap.
NO thanks.......I'll just keep on living the simple life with my "old school" keihin FCR carb, and have a WAY lighter machine, and have something I can atually work on and sqeeze every last bit of power out of it "for sure". You dont know if you or other can get around some of the programming like speed limiters and such. OR, some new restrictions they are starting to probably think about.
I see two things happening. Tree hugger are going to get there way and were all going to end up "by the *****" on our new machines, AND, were all going to be a lot poorer trying to figure out ways around there restrictions.

By the way, I wanst meaning to imply that you have to rip the whole computer out of the 700 and replace it. I am not dumb! But you do have to get the piggyback ecu, or controller, what ever you want to call it. You are going to be out an additional 200-350 bucks (instead of a couple of bucks for jets). $200, your getting what you pay for. I think we will just spend the money the first time and get the nicer one! (thats like those old procom cdi units.....ohhhhh, what a bargain.....NOT)

 

Here we go.....


Actually, the stock yamaha injectors can be manipulated quite well, without having to go to a new throttle body. Sure, there is a threashold to consider, but that threashold is pretty far high. If you max out the injectors, you be able to add so much flow that I doubt any after market mod would need a throttle body mod, even a turbo. And you are absolutely correct, this is where everything is going. I realize change is hard. But just look at sleds, as you mentioned. Everyone in that group are all happy campers. We quad owners are about 4 years behind the technology they have already accepted. The only thing that I can offer to help you accept this is time. Personally, I would have preferred the ATV crowd to be ahead of the sleds, but it hasnt worked out that way. There are a few areas that we are better in, but for the most part, they are a head of us. I wonder why that is????????????????????????????????????????????? hmmmmmm ???????????????????????????????????

 

Here we go.....


Actually, the stock yamaha injectors can be manipulated quite well, without having to go to a new throttle body. Sure, there is a threashold to consider, but that threashold is pretty far high. If you max out the injectors, you be able to add so much flow that I doubt any after market mod would need a throttle body mod, even a turbo. And you are absolutely correct, this is where everything is going. I realize change is hard. But just look at sleds, as you mentioned. Everyone in that group are all happy campers. We quad owners are about 4 years behind the technology they have already accepted. The only thing that I can offer to help you accept this is time. Personally, I would have preferred the ATV crowd to be ahead of the sleds, but it hasnt worked out that way. There are a few areas that we are better in, but for the most part, they are a head of us. I wonder why that is????????????????????????????????????????????? hmmmmmm ???????????????????????????????????[/quote]

OK, your still arguing that its easier to work on then just replacing a couple of dollars worth of jets? Are you denying that the epa could really screw us with these new, more economical systems? There are so many ways to make FI NOT EASY AT ALL to work on. I point you right at the automobiles! There are countless ways to restrict and permanently take power away from a machine, all in the name of clean air. (like a dirtbike, quad, or snowmobile puts out that much.....yeah right)

Carbs will always be around, just like I pointed out to you in auto racing. There is a reason for that too!