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Falco rider. 4 years away.
Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 9:19 pm
by robthom1
Hello,
I've had a falco for 6 years now and just got it back on the road after 4 years in the garage. I really like it again.
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I sold my renegade cans and chip on ebay when i put it in the garage and put the standard back on. Now, the fuel consumption is good but i have a big dip in power and torque 4 - 5.5k. Thats the range I used to pop wheelies in..... it feels like a different bike, you can just hear the engine sucking like a 250 and theres no go. Al is well below and above.
Now, I got rid of the Renegades because they used to cause me problems with flooding so the question is:
Is there any way of stopping that torque/ power dip without an exhaust and chip kit.
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The Renegades were also too loud but I would consider a quieter version.
Thanks in advance, rob.
Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 9:56 pm
by Kwackerz
Not really.... I suppose you could go for a power commander and try and dial it out, but the dip is a combination of all the standard kit that's fitted and is there so the bike passes the noise regs.
Have a look at the renegade site, at the dyno graphs on there at some of the standard bikes v's the can and chipped bikes and youll see what i mean.
Without a chip, can and making it breathe better, youre not going to get very far.
www.renegade-products.com
Interested to hear how the cans (chip) caused you problems with flooding, not heard of that before. Did you buy it from Renegade direct?
Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 10:01 pm
by HowardQ
Welcome to the site Rob, special welcome to the oldest Falco Newbie!
Just how did you manage to leave it in the garage for 4 years,
I miss mine like hell if I don't get out on it for a few weeks in winter!
Not sure how big the dip is, all standard Falcos have a dip in that range, but will still pop a wheelie on demand, or when you don't want one if not careful.
Are you saying it is worse than original? I certainly would never describe a standard Falco as "sucking like a 250............... with no go"
Is the ECU wire snipped for the unrestricted fuel map? Could be the Rene chip overides this, so you could be back on the restricted map with standard chip.
I run mine on on Beowulf Titanium Oval Race cans with the baffles in and a K&N filter kit, still with the standard chip, fully de-restricted.
Gives better mid range and no flat spot, which is why I've left it like this.
These cans are pretty loud though even with the (Legal) baffles in, never even thought of taking them out. Beowulf told me that it would run on standard chip OK with baffles in but need an upgraded unit, or a Power Commander if I took em out, and seems correct.
Bought a Rene (+10) chip a while ago, (I believe this is the standard one used with their cans), but not got around to fitting it yet!?!
Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 10:11 pm
by Kwackerz
Hmm.. wondering now, is the bike fully derestricted? Airbox restriction removed, etc?
Oh and hello!! Sorry for my manners, lol

Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 10:35 pm
by robthom1
Thanks for the welcome.
By jove I think you guys may have hit on the problem, the airbox may well need de-restricting. I gave to bike to a mate of mine who got it ready for the road again............. part of that was putting in a new air filter. So eirther:
1, it may have been restricted and still is
2, is may have been de-restricted and the new filter restrictes it again.
I bought the bike with 2000 miles and renegades already in place so i have no experience without.
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I will take a look at the forum and see whether it's restricted.
Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 10:40 pm
by robthom1
So, how to check the ecu wire is snipped.
I had a small amount of problems with flooding but it was a nightmare because I used the bike for getting to work so it hit me hard each time.
I got a car and a BETA 250 for trials to keep my two wheeled self happy, but in only lasted so long, this good weather brought me back and me and dad are going to the manx gp. You cant go in the car.
Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 10:41 pm
by HowardQ
The new filter won't particularly restrict it badly, it's the extra plastic bits that block the airflow and the wire on the ECU.
I'll see if I can find the link.
Posted: Mon Jun 23, 2008 10:45 pm
by HowardQ
Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2008 1:46 pm
by Falcopops
welcome geezer.
If it had rene's on when you bought it I'd be pretty confident that all the derestriction stuff has been done. However, If it was trying to breath through that restriction with the rene chip and pipes it may well have caused the stalling issue, but can't imagine anyone savvy enough to know about sticking the renegades on would not have the derestriction done.
You could always send your stock pipes to Pierre (anyone seen him lately? or is he pissing about on some fictional track trip) he will take no time at all in modifying them with various sized hammers (No. 6 is my personal favourite).
Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 10:57 am
by robthom1
It's all derestricted as expected.
I'm afraid the dip in power and torque would appear to be normal for a standard bike.
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It's only been on the road a week and the stupid thing did not start this morning, now i remember why it ended up in there in hte first place. Had to get a bus to work.
Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 11:54 am
by HowardQ
If all is as it should be and the battery is in good condition, the Falco always starts well.
Almost always first time in the 4 years I have had mine! Needs choke from cold, but I usually back it off a bit very quickly as I don't like high(ish) revs on a cold engine. Just gradually back it off further until it warms up.
Never try to start if the battery is dodgy, at the best you may get a dash reset, at the worst it will destroy the spag clutch, not cheap!
If it has been stood for so long the battery may not be fully up to it, even if occasionally charged. The other things to think about are obviously the 4 plugs, not all easy to get at, but again need checking and probably replacing after so long off the road. The other much more worrying thing is old fuel. Basic unleaded is pretty crap and turns to sludge after a few months, which can really clog things up. If either of my bikes is not used for a while I make sure they get super unleaded which is much more stable.
Hope you have more luck starting it tonite.
Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 12:48 pm
by D-Rider
robthom1 wrote:It's all derestricted as expected.
I'm afraid the dip in power and torque would appear to be normal for a standard bike.
Not sure how normal - a number complain about it but with the standard setup I never noticed anything. However after the last service when the chap fiddled with my PCIII and leaned it off (too much) the dip has appeared.
I'm confident a custom map will sort it.
I wonder whether the reported dip has anything to do with the different fuel pressures that were run at different years - some bikes more prone than others?
Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 2:54 pm
by Fausto
Can't say I ever noticed any 'dip'.
Mine is derestricted but otherwise standard apart from Beowulf road legal cans. Don't remember any performance improvement when I fitted them anyway - except the 'more noise - more wrist' issues

Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 4:25 pm
by HowardQ
For me there was more of a slight flatspot rather than a dip, when running standard cans, you just drove through it. Sometimes if you were pushing hard it would try to lift the front as power came back on after this flatspot. It's just the same thing you get with all bikes (and cars as well I believe), it's the point in the range where the manufacturers set the thing up to go through the drive by noise tests, so it all gets quietened off a bit! Interestingly, when I fitted my Beowulf "Road Legal" (????) titanium cans, I also fitted a K&N at the same time. I did get an increase in mid range performance and it cleared the flat spot.
Posted: Thu Jun 26, 2008 7:31 pm
by joecrx
welcome rob,
mine is standard so i wouldent know , its fast enough for me
