Nothin' but real-world installs and hardcore tech here. Forget paying for service; this is about getting your hands dirty and spinnin' a wrench on your own ride. Whether you've got a brand new bike or a clapped-out crapper we're showing you how to make useful upgrades.

2008 Yamaha R1 Mod Of The Month
This month we're taking our 2008 R1 budget build to the next level by sorting out the factory fueling. Last issue we kicked-off our engine upgrades with a set of Yosh slip-ons that gave us a 3 HP kick on the dyno. We tried for a full system, but our pockets just weren't that deep. So in place of a pricey full system we chose a good pair of cans and a fueling computer.

While the slip-ons netted some decent gains, they did so with a dangerously lean air/fuel ratio (AFR). Admittedly, the poor AFR wasn't just the pipes' fault; but their lack of backpressure only worsened the already lean factory conditions. Unfortunately, a byproduct of our strict emissions are lean AFRs-it's the only way a bike can pass the sniffer tests.

The ideal AFR has been a point of argument for decades; generally the best AFR for power is between 12:1 and 13.5:1-that means there's 12-13.5 parts air to one part fuel. In our case the R1 registered in the neighborhood of 14-15:1, which means it was dangerously lean. While it was making good power, riding it like that for an extended length would have been playing Russian roulette. In doing so we could have cooked the sparkplugs or even holed a piston from the increased heat-the leaner the AFR the higher the combustion temps.

To cure the issue we enlisted the help of a Bazzaz Z-Fi fueling computer. This gizmo is a piggyback unit that taps into the stock computer; you can use the preloaded maps or tweak it for a custom map.

More than just a fueling computer, Z-Fi sets itself apart from its competitors with its expandability. With the Z-Fi in place you can add different Bazzaz modules like traction control, a quickshifter and a self-tuning option. Think of the Z-Fi as the fueling foundation to build a Moto-GP-like tuning fortress.

Although power numbers were only marginally better with the Bazzaz, the AFR is now tons safer at 13.5:1. Considering that the stock ECU had it running as lean as 15:1 at times this is a considerable improvement.

By Justin Fivella