The kit is pretty awesome from the standpoint of it started on the first try and generally worked well.
The shortcomings are:
- random fuel pump you know nothing about, can't get local replacement parts for, and have no idea what it's actually rated for. Sure you can just replace it with one that makes logical sense for the application like Greg (look his threads up) who used a 4-wheeler fuel pump, but at that point, you bought a kit so you wouldn't have to re-engineer a fueling system in the first place. I found that because of the cooky angle you have to mount the fuel pump for the kickback/bubbler line to work, long left turns on track made the fueling cut out.
- large electrical demand. Less of an issue on the newer bikes that have bigger electrical overhead, but it was a significant problem on the pregen. Short trips drained battery, long time use killed the battery. Using the open loop mode and ignoring the O2 sensors got around that, but again, if you wanted an open loop system, you would have stuck with carburetors. You can get it darn close to work well all over with tuning and data table manipulation, but again... you can do that for nearly free and easily with carburetors.
- Ecotrons customer service. They're happy to send you stuff that you broke, but they get *really* defensive when questioned or challenged. Then they'll turn around and make changes to their equipment based upon your issues and present it like they're the greatest thing since sliced bread. Look at the evolution of their throttle bodies. No matter how evolved the product is, you're always a beta tester
It was a sweet kit when it runs right, but I wouldn't deal with it for $1000. I spent 2 riding seasons tuning fuel maps and volumetric efficiency map and going back and forth on O2 sensors, etc. It worked pretty well outside of a few nagging concerns. So I got rid of it. Fantastic experience I don't regret, but I just don't get excited by it any more.
The best part of it is really the ECU. They've got it pretty good already and it's able to run right out of the box and it's got all kinds of adjustability (ignition timing, efficiency, all phases of start up, global lambda and very specific lambda, data logging, etc) and it can be tuned to work with just about anything because of that, but the polish and chrome spinners aren't there. It's just not a very professional feeling finished product. Get me an OE fuel pump. Get me OE throttle bodies. Get a better fuel return set up (there's no fuel shut off on the supplied tap, you have to figure that out on your own). Get me preformed fuel lines that don't require goofy bends and hella fittings.
This kit could be so good for the price they're charging, but it's really no different than the kit I bought in 2012 (?) for about half the price they're charging now.
Respectfully,
That all said, when I got it tuned, it ran like a top. Airbox, pod filter, whatever. Under full throttle to clutchless upshifts at the track, it blew flames out the pipe as the engine spun down. Pretty neat. Start up was good no matter what the temps were (I only rode down into the mid 40's and up to the 90's). Throttle response was good. Torque felt good throughout the whole rev range. Never had really significant issues other than killing batteries.
For the money, I'd look at a blue collar bobbers kit and make something unique, not something I'm always going to question.