Stage 1 Kit performance vs Cost

Just finished the Stage 1 test ride today and have some food for thought on folks thinking about bolting on some go fast parts...

Vance and Hines Competition slip on exhaust - really good quality piece. Bike sounds great and the O2 sensor bolts right on
Bike runs great on this pipe with factory ECU / Fuel & stock airbox . It will pop back under spirited deceleration.
I paid $387.95 (Revzilla price match)

EJK fuel controller- plug and play. Comes out of the box programmed for a stage one kit. You can change fueling on the fly with push buttons on the controller if needed. Honestly works great out of the box. Highly recommended!
$231 from them direct shipped to my door

(Optional)
EJK says to unplug the O2 sensor ...run open loop. I did so with NO CODES therefore I spent $6 on the 18mm O2 plug as I don’t like the factory O2 sensor and wires hanging out of the exhaust bung .... (can’t wait for the responses on this)

(Optional)
Vented the crank case via a Uni Filter $14 - please read the thread on this - its very educational.....😳

K&N intake RK 3940 kit-
$173.99 - Amazon
There is a thread on this install as well.

Total = $792.94 for maybe 7 horsepowers on paper ...

Here where the real pay off is.
Right hand twists = Butt Dyno registers fun!
Bike make great V twin noises now. Roll on acceleration is drastic. Off the line short shifting through the gears is seamless. Crank the throttle and the bike comes alive - very very crisp throttle response!

The mods make the bike extremely rideable. Torque curve is linear and smooth. The bike is noticeably “lighter on its feet” off the line and in mid range. Fueling is smooth - eliminates that factory choppy throttle syndrome. Reving the bike it really pointless - it’s pretty much done what’s its gonna do at about 4500rpms - the over rev is ok for canyon corners if you are trying to cheat a gear shift I guess.

Bike sounds amazing - but not obnoxious. Throaty and mean - like an old big block Chevy. High RPM sounds are ok - doesn’t scream.
Bike will now quickly gain RPM growls along a flat linear torque curve throughout the RPM range... burbles and pops a little if you chop the throttle in that 4000rpm range in a good compression braking corner.

Overall it was a fun project and I definitely would recommend the build if it’s in the budget. The bike is great stock and/or with the bolt on exhaust too - the mods just let it be a little more raw. By this I mean - the stage one kit is really the way the bike should sound /perform / and feel from the factory...

It’s a shame bike manufacturers have them up corked up so much these days...

Next mod will be the high fender kit for the front.