- Stays plugged into the original Delphi ECM.
- Only edits tables the manufacturer left open.
- Custom boost > 8 psi typically falls outside the supported envelope.
- 2-stage nitrous, anti-lag, 4-stage launch — no.
- Ride-by-wire still runs Harley's closed logic.
- Per-cylinder knock with adaptive filtering — no.
Installation
Standalone, not piggyback.
Pistonix replaces your Harley's original ECU. Not a flasher, not a piggyback, not a box hanging off the Delphi ECM working within whatever it allows. It is the ECU.
Standalone vs. piggyback Piggyback (Power Vision, Fuelpak, TTS) Pistonix (standalone)
The difference that matters.
- Replaces the entire Delphi ECM. The original goes in a drawer.
- Total calibration — VE map, ignition, boost, AFR, dwell.
- Arbitrary boost with closed-loop control and PWM wastegate.
- 2-stage nitrous, anti-lag, 4-stage launch — yes.
- Ride-by-wire rewritten from scratch (Apex), with dedicated PID.
- Per-cylinder knock with adaptive digital filtering.
Piggybacks already exist and they are good at what they do — quick Stage 1/2 calibration without touching hardware. Pistonix exists for what is past that: serious turbo, drag, custom V-twin.
Per platform Commercial pilot Wave 3 — dedicated Apex Roadmap Wave 2
How it lands on your bike.
Twin Cam · Sportster (EFI)
Direct plug-in. You unplug the original Delphi ECM and plug Pistonix Forge/Apex into the same AMP Superseal connector via an adapter harness. Sensors, injectors, coils, wiring — everything stays original. The old ECM goes in a drawer.
- ✓ No cut wires, no soldering, no drilling
- ✓ 100% reversible — plug the Delphi back any time
- ✓ Stock cluster keeps working
- ✓ OBD-II J1850 stays available for diagnostics
Milwaukee-Eight 2017+
Replacement with HDLAN passthrough. The M8 runs an authenticated CAN network (HDLAN) between ECM, ABS, cluster and key fob — you cannot just ignore it. Apex replaces the ECM but passes through the original messages: it reports the data the cluster expects, keeps the ABS happy, answers key fob challenges. Externally it looks like the original ECM.
- ✓ Cluster, ABS and security keep working
- ✓ Ride-by-wire under our PID with redundant TPS
- ✓ Reversible — Apex out, original ECM back in
- ⚠ Security bypass needs initial technical assistance
Evolution · Shovelhead
Retrofit. These engines did not ship with EFI or a modern ECM, so there is nothing to "replace". Pistonix Forge enters as retrofit in two modes:
- Ignition-only: keeps the carburetor, swaps only the igniter for Pistonix Forge. Programmable 3D RPM × vacuum curve, internal datalogger.
- EFI conversion: aftermarket throttle body, injectors, return-style fuel system and Pistonix Forge as the full ECU. More ambitious build, easy starts, better mileage.
Custom V-twin (S&S, RevTech, Ultima, JIMS)
No factory ECM to replace. Custom builds never had a Harley brain, so Pistonix becomes the engine's primary ECU. You define the wiring from scratch — the Pistonix harness comes pre-crimped for the common points (sensors, injectors, coils, lambda) and the auxiliaries are free for customization.
- ✓ Total wiring and tuning freedom
- ✓ Configurable trigger wheel (32-2, 36-2, 60-2)
- ✓ Direct support via Pistonix Garage and WhatsApp
Reversibility
Everything you install, you can uninstall.
On Twin Cam, Sportster and M8, installing Pistonix does not destroy anything on the bike. No cut wires, no soldering, no drilling. If you decide to sell the bike, take it to an authorized dealer, or simply roll back to stock — just plug the Delphi ECM back in. Ten minutes and the bike is the way it left the factory.
The Pistonix warranty starts on the install date and follows you, not the bike. If you switch to another bike on the same platform, the hardware travels with you with a new adapter harness.
Kit contents
What is in the box.
Final contents are platform- and model-specific. Broadly:
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Pistonix ECU
Forge, Apex or Quarter — the brain itself, with pre-flashed firmware and an initial basemap.
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Adapter harness (platform-specific)
Pre-crimped, plug-and-play. AMP Superseal on one side, the original ECU connector on the other.
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USB-C cable
For use with the Pistonix Tuner desktop software.
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Wideband sensors (1 or 2 units)
Bosch LSU 4.9 with stainless-steel weld bungs (or slip-on adapter when available).
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Illustrated install manual
In Portuguese and English, with platform-specific step-by-step photos. Online version always up to date via Pistonix Garage.
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Pistonix Tuner license
Included with any ECU. Map editor, datalog viewer, firmware flashing. Windows, macOS, Linux.
Waitlist
Be the first to know.
Pistonix is under active development. Sign up for product updates, early basemaps, invites to ride at Milwaukee Garage Drag Racing events, and priority on the first batch of Pistonix Forge.
- Monthly roadmap and firmware updates
- Invite to pre-sale tuning sessions
- Priority on the initial Pistonix Forge batch
- Early access to per-engine basemaps