LAMS restricted vs full power ecu

[HEsch]

A conversation with a friend led me to wonder, what is the difference between the LAMS-restricted and full power versions of the SV650?
Does anyone here know? Friend reckons not much difference (ie not worth doing when one finally has a full licence)

Google searches return only old results with comments about clipping wires - not useful comments on actual performance.

[TheDemonLord]

I may or may not have had an GSX650FU which may or may not have got the snip, which may or may not have happened when I was on my Restricted.

If you kept that bike below 6k RPM - you would not notice any difference before and after.








But...


Crank it over 6k and it is literally another bike - I can't speak for the SV650 - I'm an inline 4 whore - but yeah it was definitely worth it. Double the Horsepower, double the Torque.

[HEsch]

A bit more googling revealed similar comments on slightly older SV models and the Gladius. No change at lower end but tons in the upper revs. One said perhaps runs a bit hotter (but it was working harder, so, probably to be expected). I couldn't find any examples of people actually getting a new ecu (more of the illegal mods) but I shall ask the dealers who sold me my bike when I'm next there as I know they've had both in stock.

One published article suggested 12% power lost, and max torque at 4000 rather than up to 8000, with the lams restrictions.

I love her as is, plenty of get up and go at all speeds/revs (sooooo nice to just open the throttle), and I'm well under the assumed 90kg rider+gear allowance (maybe 75, dripping wet) - so I'm already winning - next year may involve a new ecu as I don't think I want a new bike [once I'm on my full]. However, it might be worth an upgrade, rather than spending the dosh on an ecu - depending on price of course.

[Gubb]

Waste of money IMHO, you'd be better off selling it and picking up a slightly older 1000cc. Keeping it as stock lets you resell it in a limited market to someone who is after a LAMS version, not a gimped and modified version in a market of many other possibilities after LAMS.

[TheDemonLord]

Waste of money IMHO, you'd be better off selling it and picking up a slightly older 1000cc. Keeping it as stock lets you resell it in a limited market to someone who is after a LAMS version, not a gimped and modified version in a market of many other possibilities after LAMS.

I traded mine in as LAMS...

Jus Sayin....

[awayatc]

Illegal mods....?
Mods are not illegal. Just illegal to ride full noise bike on lams licence.

Suzuki makes same ecu for all those bikes around the world....
Then adds a restrict or to please different countries with different hp laws....

All you do is remove that restrictor when you have full licence.
Nothing illegal about that.

It would be a 20 min job to just cut that 1 particular wire to your ecu....
You can always reconnect it when you sell it for lams purposes.

[HEsch]

I wasn't asking about the "how". I was asking about the results. I think I've located that answer, thanks all

[TheDemonLord]

Illegal mods....?
Mods are not illegal. Just illegal to ride full noise bike on lams licence.

Suzuki makes same ecu for all those bikes around the world....
Then adds a restrict or to please different countries with different hp laws....

All you do is remove that restrictor when you have full licence.
Nothing illegal about that.

It would be a 20 min job to just cut that 1 particular wire to your ecu....
You can always reconnect it when you sell it for lams purposes.

As a point of Pedantry - I think *technically* the minute you tinker with the bike in anyway to increase HP or Decrease weight, it's no longer LAMS and *technically* it needs to be re-registered with the VTNZ as a full-sauce bike (with the $2k in compliance fees or something stupid)

Prevailing wisdom however is as you say.

[FJRider]

... *technically* it needs to be re-registered with the VTNZ as a full-sauce bike (with the $2k in compliance fees or something stupid)

Prevailing wisdom however is as you say.

Nope ... it just remains Non LAM's compliant. It may still be perfectly legal ... just no longer a LAM's compliant motorcycle. And if advertised for sale .. it cannot be listed as LAM's compliant ...

[neil.]

I had a ride on a LAMS sv650 earlier in the year, nice bike, but literally nothing much going on in the top end, it just sort of petered out and that was it.
plenty of usable grunt in the bottom end though, very rideable.


given the HP difference in spec I would expect there to be quite a difference in the top end going to a full-power version

[bwyatt]

Hi, im on my restricted and was wondering if i was to purchase a full power sv650 whether i would be able to make it lams approved by swapping the ecu or would it also require a new registration etc?

[neil.]

LAMS bike usually are registered with a different model code aren't they ?

I assume to register as something different they would require frame numbers etc, at which point they could see it used to be something else.

[tigertim20]

Hi, im on my restricted and was wondering if i was to purchase a full power sv650 whether i would be able to make it lams approved by swapping the ecu or would it also require a new registration etc?

why the fuck would you buy a full power bike, just to make it go slower?

[FJRider]

Crank it over 6k and it is literally another bike - I can't speak for the SV650 - I'm an inline 4 whore - but yeah it was definitely worth it. Double the Horsepower, double the Torque.

The unrestricted version is 85 HP. The restricted version is 83.5 HP. The change is achieved by installing a modified ECM (Engine Control Module) that has most of the upper band of available engine revs mapped to lower power output. The shortfall in HP is to get under the specified power to weight ratio as specified in LAM's requirements.

The first rule of (any) claimed engine horsepower is that the horsepower being developed is not constant throughout the Rev range. The production of horsepower increases as the RPM of the engines increases. Maximum HP is usually achieved at or near red-line RPM. As such ... ride ANY (Restricted) LAM's motorcycle at or near red line RPM ... and you will never notice any difference.

As such ... the ONE and a HALF extra horsepower on the full power model is barely worth the effort. You might notice an extra 1 and a half HP on a GN250 .. but with 83.5 to play with ... whats the problem ... ??? In my youth I rode a Honda CB750F1 ... rated at 69 HP. 12.5 HP less than learners are allowed today ... and it's learners that are moaning because they're "Restricted" in the HP that's available to them ... Go figure .. !!!

Thus ... your claim of DOUBLE the horsepower is COMPLETE AND TOTAL BULLSHIT ... !!!

[FJRider]

LAMS bike usually are registered with a different model code aren't they ?

I assume to register as something different they would require frame numbers etc, at which point they could see it used to be something else.

Do not read more into the legalities of the LAM's system than is required.

The Majority of the Highway patrol have no idea about which bike/model is "LAM's" approved. If stopped ... they will know you and your bikes details before you switch it off roadside. If within the 251cc-660cc range ... chances are they that know or care about the LAM's class issue.

However .... if you ride like a dick on your learners/restricted ... they may pay a little more attention to the details.

Keep the Bike legal and your riding legal ... and random stops will be for a breath test. Pass and they wave you on.