Mapping

Knackers

New member
Appreciate some advice....I'm a bit of a newbie when it comes to this new fangled tuning lol. I'm trying to figure out if I get an ECU flash, remapped with PCV or get something like Woolich, tuneboy Brent tune or Upmap....and I wonder why im confused.

They all seem to do the same, I'm looking for value for money as well. I am a couple of hours away from a dyno
 

BMW Alpina

FOUNDING Member & Administrator
Staff member
Appreciate some advice....I'm a bit of a newbie when it comes to this new fangled tuning lol. I'm trying to figure out if I get an ECU flash, remapped with PCV or get something like Woolich, tuneboy Brent tune or Upmap....and I wonder why im confused.

They all seem to do the same, I'm looking for value for money as well. I am a couple of hours away from a dyno
Hi Knackers,

Our resident expert for tuning is @ggok who is based in Japan. He had tried many different variations for V4 ECU and this is the link to his tread about this: DUCATI ECU and BBS Tuning (Racing EVO) for aftermarket exhaust

In summary there 2 different kind of ECU tuning:
1. Upload a "generic" map to the ECU that had been prepared by the tuner which design to suit most general configuration and environment (temperature/gasoline octane). You can upload the map yourself at home or at your local mechanic or of course at your tuner facility if they are close by.
2. A life tuning on a dyno (and comprehensive tuner usually verify the result later on the road) where the tuner custom tune every parameter to suit exactly the way your engine/bike configuration (and preference) is. You will need a dyno and the tuner at the location of the dyno.
This means the ECU will be tempered. Yes, you might be able to get it back to stock without Ducati knowing about it, but in the old days, people worried about tempering with the stock ECU.

So for some (mostly in the old days) that do not want their ECU to be tempered, they can also use a Piggy Back system like Power Commander V.
This Piggy back (Power Commander V) will manipulate the signal between the ECU and the ignition, valve controller (if there is Variable valve timing like in a car) and injector to fool the ECU into thinking that the fuel and ignition is still stock.
Basically fooling the Air to Fuel ratio (A/F) that the ECU reads thinking it is still close to stock A/F.
At the same time, this Piggy Back actually is the one who giving orders to the injector, ignition and variable valve timing on how much they should do.

I think the main issue with a Piggy Back system is, some ECU are so advanced, that somehow they will figure out that something is wrong and it will start fighting back the overule from the Piggy back in the end making it impossible for the Piggy Back to compensate for the further compensation the ECU is doing.
Of course, there is latency issue, because instead of 1 brain giving command, there are 2 brains now giving command, which mean there will be very slight delay in signal and processing speed.
The Piggy back also only able to adjust the ignition, fuel and valve controller to a certain degree but will not be in sync with the other system like traction control, or drive mode.

So I think the best way for our modern Ducati control system is to do ECU flash.

But, I believe the best value for money will always be the "generic" map.

A custom tuning will be far more costly, you need to be on the dyno location, and unless you want your map to be tune to the max (meaning just right before the engine blow up), or maybe you had certain power delivery requirement.
Also it is hard to find a local dyno tuner who really understand how all the system in Ducati work together.
This day, to perfectly tune the ECU on our Ducati, you will need the knowledge of the Ducati factory engineer or the engineer from the maker of Ducati ECU and BBS system, then it will most likely not worth it.

Once you are ready to perform a "generic" ECU flash, I strongly recommend you to contact each of the vendor available and ask them questions.
The vendor who is willing to provide you with the most detailed answer, (that make sense) and responsive, should be on the top of your list because you will need support from them when things goes wrong during your ECU flash process.
 

Knackers

New member
Hi Knackers,

Our resident expert for tuning is @ggok who is based in Japan. He had tried many different variations for V4 ECU and this is the link to his tread about this: DUCATI ECU and BBS Tuning (Racing EVO) for aftermarket exhaust

In summary there 2 different kind of ECU tuning:
1. Upload a "generic" map to the ECU that had been prepared by the tuner which design to suit most general configuration and environment (temperature/gasoline octane). You can upload the map yourself at home or at your local mechanic or of course at your tuner facility if they are close by.
2. A life tuning on a dyno (and comprehensive tuner usually verify the result later on the road) where the tuner custom tune every parameter to suit exactly the way your engine/bike configuration (and preference) is. You will need a dyno and the tuner at the location of the dyno.
This means the ECU will be tempered. Yes, you might be able to get it back to stock without Ducati knowing about it, but in the old days, people worried about tempering with the stock ECU.

So for some (mostly in the old days) that do not want their ECU to be tempered, they can also use a Piggy Back system like Power Commander V.
This Piggy back (Power Commander V) will manipulate the signal between the ECU and the ignition, valve controller (if there is Variable valve timing like in a car) and injector to fool the ECU into thinking that the fuel and ignition is still stock.
Basically fooling the Air to Fuel ratio (A/F) that the ECU reads thinking it is still close to stock A/F.
At the same time, this Piggy Back actually is the one who giving orders to the injector, ignition and variable valve timing on how much they should do.

I think the main issue with a Piggy Back system is, some ECU are so advanced, that somehow they will figure out that something is wrong and it will start fighting back the overule from the Piggy back in the end making it impossible for the Piggy Back to compensate for the further compensation the ECU is doing.
Of course, there is latency issue, because instead of 1 brain giving command, there are 2 brains now giving command, which mean there will be very slight delay in signal and processing speed.
The Piggy back also only able to adjust the ignition, fuel and valve controller to a certain degree but will not be in sync with the other system like traction control, or drive mode.

So I think the best way for our modern Ducati control system is to do ECU flash.

But, I believe the best value for money will always be the "generic" map.

A custom tuning will be far more costly, you need to be on the dyno location, and unless you want your map to be tune to the max (meaning just right before the engine blow up), or maybe you had certain power delivery requirement.
Also it is hard to find a local dyno tuner who really understand how all the system in Ducati work together.
This day, to perfectly tune the ECU on our Ducati, you will need the knowledge of the Ducati factory engineer or the engineer from the maker of Ducati ECU and BBS system, then it will most likely not worth it.

Once you are ready to perform a "generic" ECU flash, I strongly recommend you to contact each of the vendor available and ask them questions.
The vendor who is willing to provide you with the most detailed answer, (that make sense) and responsive, should be on the top of your list because you will need support from them when things goes wrong during your ECU flash process.
Thanks mate, I have the Van demon slip on, nearly an exact copy of the Akra slip on and a dna filter. Which generic flash would be suitable? Upmap? Brentuning, mind you I'm not really keen sending my ecu half-way around the world.
 

BMW Alpina

FOUNDING Member & Administrator
Staff member
Thanks mate, I have the Van demon slip on, nearly an exact copy of the Akra slip on and a dna filter. Which generic flash would be suitable? Upmap? Brentuning, mind you I'm not really keen sending my ecu half-way around the world.
I am not sure who made the hardware for UpMap (by Termignoni): https://www.up-map.it/en/t800/

But most other tuner like BrenTuning, SLRTuning, XECU and other online tuners use the hardware made by (link here): DIMSPORT

Both UpMap by Termignoni or any tuner who use DIMSPORT hardware will be able to sell you their package which will consist of the Hardware to upload the map to your ECU, including normally 1 map and as much as 3 maps like what XECU offer.

I talked to all 3 name tuner that used DIMSPORT hardware above: BrenTuning, SLRTuning and XECU and they all are responsive and informative so any of the above should be a good solution for you.
 
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