The good news in all of this, the motorcycles will run fine either way as there are way too many variables to isolate and determine the average optimum for each.
What is generally not known outside of the internal EH engineering, the oil pump was sized to the motor/transmission configuration, and was not oversized. This becomes important as over time the engine/tranny wears, and removing or enlarging any oil galleries, the oil pump was not designed to accommodate for all of this. Also, the oil cooler requires additional volume, so the pump is maxed out. I confirmed this with more than one engineer at EH. For those who post-production studies our engine oiling configuration recognizes we did not have the oiling system finely tuned yet, and one of the things we would have done was oversize the oil pump to accommodate for more volume. Generally any pressure issue is more of a volume challenge--you need the volume to build the pressure.
Now, does this mean your bike needs this or that? It will work fine and becomes a matter of personal preference. Generally, many bikes now have the rebushed transmission gears and the oil pickup tube installed, and both of those help balance the oil flow characteristics. And the Super X tune helps reduce heat which in turn keeps the oil cooler and also the stator cooler as not building as much heat. So combining all these factors together, generally you will get better longevity to the stator irregardless of with or without the oil restriction.
Yes, it is a fact that there was a rumor the factory authorized to remove the restriction--As our VP of Engineering would say...it's true that its a rumor, but the rumor is not true. This was only a test as we routinely tested various options internally to test for limits and reactions. It was never an authorized protocol intended to be distributed to all owners of bikes. But at this point it really doesn't matter, as field experience will show the bikes will continue to run either way. Internal results indicated this too. So it is with many things.
Again, to summarize, the recommendation is the bike does not need the restriction removed--and it will run either way! If yours is removed, leave it if you like. Engines have a lot of variables that don't need to all be perfect to run. There are no hard set rules on this. At the OEM factory level, we determined no confirmed benefit from removing the orifice, and opted to ensure the engine and transmission were the primary components for the pressure fed oiling system, so we decided to leave the restriction in as it was originally designed per engineering. Picking between the engine/tranny/stator, we believed the stator was less relevant and could more readily be replaced. In addition, late in the game the engineers also added a restriction (small roll pin) to the clutch input shaft in an effort to "hold" the oil in the engine/transmission. The final two exit points on the oiling system are the stator bolt in the engine, and the input shaft of the transmission, so we add a restriction there as well. My bike from the factory was outfitted this way as I had the engineers do this per their recommendations at the time. I do this to all my bikes now. Doesn't mean anyone else has to.
One of the used bikes I purchased had all the "updates" done, and yet didn't seem up to par of my factory setup on my other bikes and did have more valve train noise, so I pulled it all apart. Rebushed the tranny gears, replaced oil pickup tube, and put the oil orifice back in (was removed previously). Now in this bike, it made a difference in less valve train noise and less vibration due to the properly bushed gears and everything else we did. This doesn't mean all bikes need to be like this. Bike ran before I did this, and ran fine after.
I would not suggest that one way is right and another is wrong...after all an engine will run either way. It will run with 15 psi or 45 psi of oil. Will run with 10/40w or 20/50w. With 20 psi or 40 psi in tires. With or without an oil cooler. These are simply recommendations. None of us should state emphatically that there is only one way to do this. Perhaps some of us need a definitive absolute statement of do this or do that. Regarding oil, well make sure you do have oil in the crankcase, that is an absolute. Whether it is Amsoil or Valvoline, therein becomes less of an absolute and more of a personal preference. I would put the oil restriction orifice in the personal preference category, and with my bikes and our shop, we "prefer" to keep the stock restrictions in place, and add another restriction at the clutch input shaft.
Hope this helps clarify.
Onward & upward.
Dan Hanlon
Founder
