P500 Foreman ECU to raise speed limiter?

rlutech

rlutech

Well-Known Member
Jan 18, 2015
261
359
63
Wisconsin
Ownership

  1. 1000-3
So I was wondering a couple things about swapping ECU's between a P500 and a Foreman 500...

1. Is it even possible? Would it be a plug and play scenario? Or is it not even possible.

2. With regards to WHY I'm curious. I was wondering if the P500's speed limiter could be raised by using an ECU out of a Foreman? Any logic to that, or not so much?
 
  • Like
Reactions: SouthwestORV
Montecresto

Montecresto

Montecresto el segundo
Lifetime Member
Supporting Member
Club Contributor
Jan 17, 2016
22,584
34,172
113
Eastern oklahoma
Ownership

  1. Other Brand

  2. 500

  3. 1000-3

  4. 1000-5

  5. Talon X4
So I was wondering a couple things about swapping ECU's between a P500 and a Foreman 500...

1. Is it even possible? Would it be a plug and play scenario? Or is it not even possible.

2. With regards to WHY I'm curious. I was wondering if the P500's speed limiter could be raised by using an ECU out of a Foreman? Any logic to that, or not so much?
I'm thinking it would only help going down hill. My 475cc decked out and loaded up with gear and two people is about to the floor giving it all its got when the governor kicks in, lol.
 
  • Like
Reactions: SBuckJ
rlutech

rlutech

Well-Known Member
Jan 18, 2015
261
359
63
Wisconsin
Ownership

  1. 1000-3
I'm thinking it would only help going down hill. My 475cc decked out and loaded up with gear and two people is about to the floor giving it all its got when the governor kicks in, lol.
Oh okay, I thought it reached top speed pretty effortlessly.
 
Montecresto

Montecresto

Montecresto el segundo
Lifetime Member
Supporting Member
Club Contributor
Jan 17, 2016
22,584
34,172
113
Eastern oklahoma
Ownership

  1. Other Brand

  2. 500

  3. 1000-3

  4. 1000-5

  5. Talon X4
Oh okay, I thought it reached top speed pretty effortlessly.
Well, I wouldn't call it effortlessly. It doesn't have snappy acceleration, and at 41 mph, it's up there in the rpm's, so much so that many people here (myself included) have commented that Honda could improve it with a sixth gear.
 
J

Jshell3

Guest
I've noticed faster speeds now (GPS confirmed) on 26" tires vs 24" stock. But the bike doesn't seem to get there as fast as it used to and as @Montecresto pointed out, not a lot of pedal left at 41 mph limit
 
HUCK

HUCK

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
Jun 21, 2016
1,047
2,319
113
ARIZONA
Ownership

  1. 500

  2. Talon X
I've noticed faster speeds now (GPS confirmed) on 26" tires vs 24" stock. But the bike doesn't seem to get there as fast as it used to and as @Montecresto pointed out, not a lot of pedal left at 41 mph limit
A bike has two wheels ..... just sayin
 
ehart814

ehart814

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
Club Contributor
Mar 28, 2016
1,653
3,631
113
NWPA
Ownership

  1. 500

  2. 1000-5
It's a REV limiter - not a speed limiter. Without changing gearing (next to impossible), or running taller tires, there's really no way to increase top speed. The rev limiter is limiting your RPM's to prevent the engine from over revving and hurting itself. If you increase the top speed by increasing the RPM's of the engine, you're just going to kill the engine eventually.
 
Montecresto

Montecresto

Montecresto el segundo
Lifetime Member
Supporting Member
Club Contributor
Jan 17, 2016
22,584
34,172
113
Eastern oklahoma
Ownership

  1. Other Brand

  2. 500

  3. 1000-3

  4. 1000-5

  5. Talon X4
It's a REV limiter - not a speed limiter. Without changing gearing (next to impossible), or running taller tires, there's really no way to increase top speed. The rev limiter is limiting your RPM's to prevent the engine from over revving and hurting itself. If you increase the top speed by increasing the RPM's of the engine, you're just going to kill the engine eventually.
I won't even push it to that point, don't like those sustained rpm's. I only ran it up to that once or twice just to see how the limiter worked. 35 mph is my typical top speed.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Eltobgi
ehart814

ehart814

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
Club Contributor
Mar 28, 2016
1,653
3,631
113
NWPA
Ownership

  1. 500

  2. 1000-5
I won't even push it to that point, don't like those sustained rpm's. I only ran it up to that once or twice just to see how the limiter worked. 35 mph is my typical top speed.
I'm with you there. I keep it at 35 or less, unless i have to run a paved road. I'll run it to 38 for a short distance. I don't like running paved roads, because I don't like cars behind me. Truth be told, these machines are probably built to handle WFO for thousands of miles, but I don't want to risk it.
 
Montecresto

Montecresto

Montecresto el segundo
Lifetime Member
Supporting Member
Club Contributor
Jan 17, 2016
22,584
34,172
113
Eastern oklahoma
Ownership

  1. Other Brand

  2. 500

  3. 1000-3

  4. 1000-5

  5. Talon X4
I'm with you there. I keep it at 35 or less, unless i have to run a paved road. I'll run it to 38 for a short distance. I don't like running paved roads, because I don't like cars behind me. Truth be told, these machines are probably built to handle WFO for thousands of miles, but I don't want to risk it.
Yep, everything has a red line.
 
advertisement
H

HondaTech

Guest
ECM most likely would plug in, almost all Honda ecms are the same three plugs. They just use a different number or placement of wires, and the internals. the only problem would be the Foreman ECM isn't set up to blip the ignition during a shift. More than likely it wouldn't shift properly or at all.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Dp5hunter
HUCK

HUCK

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
Jun 21, 2016
1,047
2,319
113
ARIZONA
Ownership

  1. 500

  2. Talon X
I think it's a speed limiter . Mine will wind out much further in 4th gear than 5th .
 
J

Jshell3

Guest
Mine will go exactly 41 no matter what size tires.
It's speed restriction.
 
  • Like
Reactions: sharp
Talen

Talen

Active Member
Aug 7, 2015
159
188
43
Central PA
So I was wondering a couple things about swapping ECU's between a P500 and a Foreman 500...

1. Is it even possible? Would it be a plug and play scenario? Or is it not even possible.

2. With regards to WHY I'm curious. I was wondering if the P500's speed limiter could be raised by using an ECU out of a Foreman? Any logic to that, or not so much?
Not sure why you would want to ? Screaming at that speed already
 
Alan_Vander

Alan_Vander

Well-Known Member
Mar 19, 2019
1,547
2,751
113
rosepine,la
Ownership

  1. 700-4
its a speed limiter. wev been trying to get faster speeds out of the 700s for yrs now with no luck. other than larger tires. that iv seen anyway. the sensor is on the rear diff. on the 700s id imagine its the same on the 500s. a foreman final drive gear swap and foreman ecu would be about your only bet but then youll probably only gain 10 mph and lose bottom end torque. it would be the equivalent of running 29s or 30s on the 500 . if everything worked that is
 
  • Like
Reactions: Reytra21
906UP

906UP

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
Supporting Member
Club Contributor
Jul 6, 2017
14,390
136,729
113
da Yoop
Ownership

  1. 1000-3

  2. Talon X
its a speed limiter. wev been trying to get faster speeds out of the 700s for yrs now with no luck. other than larger tires. that iv seen anyway. the sensor is on the rear diff. on the 700s id imagine its the same on the 500s. a foreman final drive gear swap and foreman ecu would be about your only bet but then youll probably only gain 10 mph and lose bottom end torque. it would be the equivalent of running 29s or 30s on the 500 . if everything worked that is
It's a rev limiter in a given gear position, example.... the 500 will rev to a higher engine RPM in 4th than in 5th. We've found a way around it by swapping 2 gears on the trans final drive. The P5 speed sensor is located on the back of the engine and reads the gear on the trans output shaft, not the rear diff. My P5 now does 50mph on 24" tires at the same RPM. See the link in below......
 
Last edited:
KYhillbilly

KYhillbilly

Well-Known Member
Jan 4, 2017
553
1,663
93
Ashland, KY
Ownership

  1. 500
I drive mine about 5 miles from my mother in laws farm to my house on paved roads against the limiter with no issues. With 26" tires the speedo says 41, cuts out at 42 but my GPS reads 45-46mph. I had a rancher before the P500 and ran it the same way without a single issue. Ride in the woods never getting close to limiter but when i have the chance i will run it wide open.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Chooglin
SouthwestORV

SouthwestORV

Well-Known Member
Oct 24, 2018
744
1,731
93
Taylor, Arizona
Ownership

  1. 500
Good question, even just for curiosity's sake. I run a lot of open and paved roads here in AZ, and I feel like the motor is happiest at about 30 mph. So I just cruise around town at 30-35 mph and people go around me if they want to.
 
Montecresto

Montecresto

Montecresto el segundo
Lifetime Member
Supporting Member
Club Contributor
Jan 17, 2016
22,584
34,172
113
Eastern oklahoma
Ownership

  1. Other Brand

  2. 500

  3. 1000-3

  4. 1000-5

  5. Talon X4
Good question, even just for curiosity's sake. I run a lot of open and paved roads here in AZ, and I feel like the motor is happiest at about 30 mph. So I just cruise around town at 30-35 mph and people go around me if they want to.
Completely agree. And, with literally none of the protections of an automobile, a wreck at 50 wouldn’t be anything nice...
 
  • Like
Reactions: SouthwestORV
SouthwestORV

SouthwestORV

Well-Known Member
Oct 24, 2018
744
1,731
93
Taylor, Arizona
Ownership

  1. 500
Completely agree. And, with literally none of the protections of an automobile, a wreck at 50 wouldn’t be anything nice...
I imagine a wreck at 50mph would follow the Pioneer 500 theme of noisy and bumpy.
 
advertisement

About us

  • Our community has been around for many years and pride ourselves on offering unbiased, critical discussion among people of all different backgrounds. We are working every day to make sure our community is one of the best.

User Menu

Buy us a beer!

  • Lots of time and money has gone into making sure the community is running the best software, best designs, and all the other bells and whistles. Care to buy us a beer? We'd really appreciate it!

    Beer Fund!

    Club Membership!