[Kiwi Rider]

Anyone had any experience with these? Its a cheaper alternative to a power commander that uses a resistor in the Ambient Intake Temperature (AIT) sensor to trick the ECU into adding more fuel (6%) to the map because it thinks it's cooler than it really is.
Supposed to smooth things out and improve throttle response etc.

https://www.boosterplug.com/shop/boosterplug-kawasaki-722p.html

 

[AZFox]

The BoosterPlug is popular among members of the Vulcan S Forum. It's relatively low priced and easy to install. People who like it say it "just works" (it's plug-and-play) for smoothing out harshness, reducing the severity of engine braking, and avoiding a lean condition when a full exhaust is installed.

How It Works

 

[ozzymoto]

I'm tempted to try one on my Triumph Scrambler EFI. The fueling on that bike makes for a really jerky ride with too much engine braking. Sounds like the BoosterPlug could be a great solution.

 

[Kiwi Rider]

I'm tempted to try one on my Triumph Scrambler EFI. The fueling on that bike makes for a really jerky ride with too much engine braking. Sounds like the BoosterPlug could be a great solution.

Yeah it's an interesting concept. If I wasn't going to be getting my ECU re-flashed then I would be down on it, esp at 160 bucks investment. But I want to see how it is after the re-flash first.

 

[68mustang405]

to me it's crazy that the concept of bikes are made to run lean from the factory all the way up to redline still persist. Japanese OEM's are tested on their emissions at idle and at cruise which for a lot of bikes in the 600-1000cc range tend to be around 5k-7k in stock form. The OEM's try to run it lean here to pass emissions but they most definitely run richer at higher rpm so you don't pop the motor. I've seen a bone stock 2015 r1m run on the dyno and it's lean up till about 8k then it goes pig rich.

Also $160 is pretty steep for a variable resistor...

 

[Zamp]

I have Booster Plug on both my BMW F800GT and FZ 07. The BMW has Akrapovic slip on but Cat is still in place, the FZ stock exhaust.
On both bikes the plug smooths throttle response, especially in lower rpm. To me it's most noticeable when leaving from a stop, or in a corner mid throttle.. I plan on getting one for the Ninja along with a slip on..

 

[Kiwi Rider]

I have Booster Plug on both my BMW F800GT and FZ 07. The BMW has Akrapovic slip on but Cat is still in place, the FZ stock exhaust.
On both bikes the plug smooths throttle response, especially in lower rpm. To me it's most noticeable when leaving from a stop, or in a corner mid throttle.. I plan on getting one for the Ninja along with a slip on..

Thanks for posting, let us know what result you get with the N400 install.

 

[Dabby90]

Do we have any updates on this? I'm finding my bike just really jerky. However, it could be that I just simply do not know how to ride yet. However, I'm looking for feedback by someone who has successfully helped smooth things out.

 

[thewittes1]

Do we have any updates on this? I'm finding my bike just really jerky. However, it could be that I just simply do not know how to ride yet. However, I'm looking for feedback by someone who has successfully helped smooth things out.

I'm waiting as well. All this bike needs is smoothed out down low but I'm kinda iffy about it. I do have to admit though the flash tune could be fun.

 

[xorbe]

Booster plug is a sledge hammer that throws gas at the symptom. Problem is that the ecu should have a more gradual off-to-on-the-gas transition (aka rain/road riding mode). On the other hand, you get all the torque right now (aka sport/track riding mode).

If it idles lean, it's not a really problem unless it's stalls out like some non-halo Yamahas do. Some people like engine braking, some don't, again finer off/on ecu control would address this. I think you're looking at RBW (ride by wire) to achieve that though.

 

[thewittes1]

Booster plug is a sledge hammer that throws gas at the symptom. Problem is that the ecu should have a more gradual off-to-on-the-gas transition (aka rain/road riding mode). On the other hand, you get all the torque right now (aka sport/track riding mode).

If it idles lean, it's not a really problem unless it's stalls out like some non-halo Yamahas do. Some people like engine braking, some don't, again finer off/on ecu control would address this. I think you're looking at RBW (ride by wire) to achieve that though.

Thank you for the feedback!

 

[Darksti]

Any reviews or feedback on this..also any threads or posts on dyno charts after flash tunes, power commander, or any kinda performance upgrade?

 

[stikflote]

Boost plug

hi,
has anyone fitted a boost plug to their ninja 400

supposed to cut out the jerkiness

 

[Brandon71]

Just ordered one for my ninja, after adding a slip on I could tell it was running leaner. Popping every now and then and the jerkiness was bad. Hopefully this will clear some of that up.

 

[Foobar]

I have one on my Vulcan S 650 which helped the engine braking and popping from the full exhaust I put on it. I put a full exhaust on my Ninja 400 as well but I don't have any problems with engine braking or popping, so I haven't found a need for the BP on this platform. I suspect the larger engine and lack of slipper clutch on the Vulcan makes it a better candidate for something like the BP, whereas in comparison, I don't consider it too bad on the Ninja. I'll likely get an ECU Flash at some point instead.

@Brandon71 In any event, let us know how it works out for you.

 

[Kiwi Rider]

Just ordered one for my ninja, after adding a slip on I could tell it was running leaner. Popping every now and then and the jerkiness was bad. Hopefully this will clear some of that up.

Just curious as to what slip on you have?

 

[b0Xcrash]

Sorry, I just saw this post.

I bought one last year and put it in my N400 and mentioned it in another post a while back...............found it, on 12/3/18.........I think Foobar and I got into a brief convo about it
I have that LV-10 slip on, no other mods. Thinking about air filter.

Maybe if I can get some dyno time somewhere I could do a few runs plugged in and a few with it unplugged......now I just need a friend that has a dyno, lol

I would like to see the before and after Dyno runs and how the HP and torque curve looks with and without the Booster Plug on the 400 specifically.

Throttle tube came and I installed that bad boy, I used the compressed air method and that works pretty good. I have seen guys do it before, but I never tried it myself as turning them inside out usually seemed to work pretty good for me...but than again I seem to take the hard road most of the time.
Can I tell a difference there, not really...I am curious to see if at full throttle the butterfly's are open all the way?
Also seems based on my habits I might have to readjust my hand positioning now when riding along at a constant speed....time will tell but i might switch back to OEM.

I rode it yesterday for about an hour or so, was nice enough by the time I got out before the sun starting going down.

The Booster Plug....hmm well....it seems to make a little more punch or pull, feels stronger mid-range, does not seem to surge as much as before. Feels like it wants to pull right in that up to 4.5 K - 6K RPM range now.

Outside that it feels a little stronger, but I would not say its pull wheelies without trying stronger.
I would say some may not even notice a difference.

I think its balanced out the slip-on more so, not quite as lean.
Is it worth the $144 I paid for it out the door with a coupon at eBay?....debatable.

I would definitely say a Flash Tune or Woolrich is going to be way better overall, especially disabling EVAP and other features in the ECU like loading 2x maps, etc.

I would like to see before and after Dyno runs and how HP torque the curve looks with and without on the 400 specifically.

 

[Brandon71]

I have one on my Vulcan S 650 which helped the engine braking and popping from the full exhaust I put on it. I put a full exhaust on my Ninja 400 as well but I don't have any problems with engine braking or popping, so I haven't found a need for the BP on this platform. I suspect the larger engine and lack of slipper clutch on the Vulcan makes it a better candidate for something like the BP, whereas in comparison, I don't consider it too bad on the Ninja. I'll likely get an ECU Flash at some point instead.

@Brandon71 In any event, let us know how it works out for you.

I got it in the mail today and installed it, I have the cheap amazon slip on btw, I think I seen someone ask that, but anyway after I installed it I rode for about an hour and the jerkiness in first gear is gone and it doesn’t pop at all on deceleration anymore, also engine braking isn’t as pronounced seems softer. Overall I’m satisfied with it. It was worth it in my opinion.

 

[b0Xcrash]

I got it in the mail today and installed it, I have the cheap amazon slip on btw, I think I seen someone ask that, but anyway after I installed it I rode for about an hour and the jerkiness in first gear is gone and it doesn’t pop at all on deceleration anymore, also engine braking isn’t as pronounced seems softer. Overall I’m satisfied with it. It was worth it in my opinion.

Right, sorry I quoted myself from an older post of last year talking about it.

It made a difference for sure, or at least it seemed to back then.
I have noticed some popping now more recently, but its only under very, very specific circumstances and does it only then, any variations and it does not, but nothing like initially after putting the slip on on. Additionally some other weird ride-ability, but again nothing like it was.

I wonder if this Booster Plug is acting up? I thought about just getting a Power Commander 5 instead so I can tune a good map with some ignition adjustments as well.....I sure hope its not, but almost wonder if its having issues, the booster plug.

It could be my imagination cause I tend to notice even the most subtle changes, I am over sensitive to noises and behaviors of vehicles....maybe because I was a mechanic for 6.5 years, and was always the one getting stuck with the "it makes a strange noise when driving between 45-55mph, only when the sun is directly hitting it and its over 52*F"..........and of course nobody else can recreate it, except the customer when they are not at the dealership........so I always got stuck with them cause I could actually get it to do what the customer said.

I once had a VW Beetle ( the new body style, front engine) completely taped up to look like a test vehicle because it made a funny whistle or noise between 48 mph and 60 mph...you know what it was......aftermarket wiper blades that were designed to look like the OEM ones.....I accidentally hit the wiper stalk while the noise was present and it changed pitch and attitude......was like son of a mother........2 weeks of driving and taping the dumb thing up :crying:

 

[Kiwi Rider]

It could be my imagination cause I tend to notice even the most subtle changes, I am over sensitive to noises and behaviors of vehicles....maybe because I was a mechanic for 6.5 years, and was always the one getting stuck with the "it makes a strange noise when driving between 45-55mph, only when the sun is directly hitting it and its over 52*F"..........and of course nobody else can recreate it, except the customer when they are not at the dealership........so I always got stuck with them cause I could actually get it to do what the customer said.

I once had a VW Beetle ( the new body style, front engine) completely taped up to look like a test vehicle because it made a funny whistle or noise between 48 mph and 60 mph...you know what it was......aftermarket wiper blades that were designed to look like the OEM ones.....I accidentally hit the wiper stalk while the noise was present and it changed pitch and attitude......was like son of a mother........2 weeks of driving and taping the dumb thing up :crying:

This gave me a chuckle! We get the drivers coming into our workshop all the time with the 'It's making a noise...' complaint.
Had one just last week similar to yours where a driver who wears hearing devices was complaining of a high pitched whistle noise in his truck between 60 and 80 km/h. No mention of the sun angle though Lol.
Turned out it was the wind whistling through a 10mm gap that we had created the week previous by fitting a LED light bar to the top of the roof over the sun visor.
I glued a strip of door trim rubber seal in there and it was all sorted. Part of the problem was his hearing aids were amplifying that certain pitch of sound.
There will be another one in next week though... :grin: