Our sport today is more competitive than it’s ever been. Whether you’re a pro rider looking to get on the podium in the Triple Crown Series, or even a beginner rider who just wants the best bike possible, teams, riders, and parents are constantly looking for any performance advantage possible. Upgrades to a riders suspension are obviously a must to ensure your bike is handling at its best, but one area that sometimes gets overlooked is fine tuning your bike’s ECU. For almost a decade, Dave Gingras has specialized in tuning ECU’s, and with his company D Spec, he currently provides ECU’s and all of the mapping for Canadian Factory Teams like Priority Thor GASGAS Team as well as the AVL Husqvarna OG’s Team, as well as a host of top amateur riders. This past summer, Dave also served as a mechanic for the Red Bull KTM Canada Fly Racing Team, and helped guide Crayden Dillon for a moto win at Round 5 of the Triple Crown Series in Riverglade, NB. We caught up with Dave to talk about his company D Spec and his endless pursuit of finding the perfect mixture between fuel and air on your dirt bike!
MXP: Hey Dave! It’s hard to believe that we’re into September already. Overall, how was your summer?
DG: Man, like every year, summer went by pretty fast but this one felt like it went by even quicker due to how busy I got with D-spec on top of being out to the races every week-end. I pretty much worked 6-7 days a week since april till last round at Walton. Not complaining tho because all those efforts are coming to fruition. In the 250 class alone I had more than 10 bikes of out 40 that I was involved with. Having all those riders I work with out on the track the whole summer really made me happy but also proud. Priority MX winning the WMX championship and Tanner getting 3rd in points as well as Josh Boaz from AVL putting the bike on the box a few times. It really makes me want to keep pushing in that direction. After last round, I rolled back the throttle a little bit but I’m still super busy with D-spec and also doing some work with the KTM team to close off the season. I’m also already working on some stuff for next year. Good thing is now I have time to ride a little bit myself!
It’s too bad that Crayden got injured before the Triple Crown Series began, but it was also nice to see him come back and win a moto at Round 5.
Yes, it was nice to see. I honestly wasn’t sure how he would do when he returned to racing, but he certainly had a good day in New Brunswick.
I’m not sure where to start so let’s just go back to the early days and how you got involved with dirt bikes and engines?
For sure! I actually got into the sport late compared to most people I think. I didn’t get my first dirt bike until I was 15 or so. But, before that I was into working on motors and fixing bikes and quads when I was a kid.
What was your first dirt bike?
It was a 2002 KTM 125SX. That bike was good for me, but it was definitely in the early days of KTM and their 125 two-stroke program. From there, I got a job at a local dealership a year later when I was 16 and that pretty much started it all. While at the dealership I began working on motors and fixing bikes for various people. I ended up meeting several racers, so that led me to going to races on weekends and getting involved with that side of the sport. Soon, I was so busy that I started working on my friend’s bike at the my Dad’s house after hours. It all happened very quickly actually.
When you were at the races did you just work on bikes, or did you start racing that KTM 125 you had?
I pretty much started racing right away, and in the next few years I made my up through Junior and pretty much stayed there. Also, during the next few years I worked at that dealership before going away to trade school. I finished my two years in trade school where I learned conventionnal and CNC machining while still working at the dealer but once I was done with school, dirt bikes where still calling me. Standing behind the machine and pressing ”Cycle start” was not for me. I then went back to the dealership. I work there for the next few years until one of my older co-worker’s decided to leave and start his own business. Since I had been at the same dealership for several years I felt like I needed to go to the next level. So, I joined him at his new business and together we ran a general motorcycle repair shop, his focus was on the street side of things while I would do all of the work on dirt bikes.
How old were you when you and your friend started this business?
I was around 23 years old, so I had a lot of experience by that point in my life working on engines. However, this is when I feel like I became a well rounded mechanic as he taught me so much about troubleshooting and electronics. I learned a lot from him, but after a few years he had me doing more and more on street bikes and I was getting a little tired of it. As I mentioned, my first love was dirt bikes and I really wanted to just focus on that. I had been with him for five years and just figured it was time to move on. So, we parted ways and that is when I started D-Spec. It was 2018, and at the time I was 28 years old.
That decision must have taken a lot of consideration for sure. How did you come up with the name D-Spec?
D-Spec stands for dirt bike specialist, and yes at that point I wanted to be all in with dirt bikes. From there, a friend helped me get the funds to purchase a Dyno for testing, and that is where the real work began. I’ve always been fascinated with tuning and trying to make an engine run better by changing the mixture of air and fuel. I don’t feel like that is something that a person can teach, it’s something that can really only be learned through trail and error. This is why having a Dyno was so important for me then, and still is today. I love the science behind it all, so right from the beginning I would take notes and write everything down. Honestly, I have pages and pages of notes from over the years.
So, looking back now you think that having the Dyno was one of the keys to your success?
Absolutely! At the time I was also testing with a few local riders, so I was back and forth from the Dyno to the track all of the time trying different settings. Learning all of this is a lot like riding. Yes, certain people can show you things, but in the end you have to do it and keep doing to fully learn. That is pretty much how I’ve always done it.
So, with all of those years of gaining experience and working on your craft, is there a moment that you look back on now that was kind of your breakthrough moment?
As I said, through all of those years I was helping different local Quebec riders and it was all working out. Then, one year I had to meeting Julien Perrier on the side of the highway while he was on his way to the Riviere du Loup AX to exchange some parts. He asked me what I was doing and if I wanted to be mechanic for him and his Partzilla PRMX Team? At the time, I wasn’t sure if he was serious or just trying to make conversation with me. But, a few weeks later he flew me out to Manitoba to help his team. At first, I didn’t have a rider as Julien really needed help rebuilding engines getting all of his bikes ready to go for each weekend. The year was 2022, and that was the beginning of me working with larger race teams and professional riders. That was also when I met and began working with Josiah Natzke.
To go from just working with local Quebec riders to working with the PRMX Team must have been a big change for you?
It was a big adjustment and it didn’t take me long to realize that I wasn’t going to be able to be on the road for long. I learned so much with Julien and his team, and that is what led to me being a part of the KTM Factory Team soon after. Nico and Marc from KTM saw what I was able to do with PRMX, I mean, we had a lot of riders on that team, but obviously limited resources. In fact, it always amazed me at how much Julien was able to do with what he had to work with. He really did a great job and I’m very grateful to him. Anyway, the KTM Canada Team saw what I was doing and then we had a meeting about the possibility of bringing me into the KTM Family. At the time, my girlfriend and I were expecting our second child so I wanted to be closer to home, while still staying in the motorcycle industry.
That is a great story, and here we are now, several years later and not only have to worked with top Triple Crown Series riders like Natzke, but this year you’re working with a younger rider with a lot of potential in Crayden Dillon. Also, we look across the paddock today and we see big teams like the Priority Thor GASGAS Team and the AVL Husqvarna Ogs Moto Team with D Spec on their bikes.
Yes, I’m proud of how far I’ve been able evolve in this sport, and it’s great that more and more teams and riders are seeing the benefit of what I offer. Obviously, there are several options available when it comes to aftermarket items to help improve your dirt bike. On the chassis side of things you need good suspension to handle the rough tracks we ride, but on the engine side of things, a property tuned ECU will make the most difference for 99% of the riders. You’ve experience the difference a tuned ECU can make to a modern day four-stroke engine, it just opens up the performance of the engine, and also can make the bike much easier to ride. As I said, the majority of the riders out there, even faster Pro and Intermediate riders can be very competitive on the track with good suspension and a well tuned ECU. At D Spec, we have multiple maps for each bike and we can fine tune those maps for each rider, and every type of track condition. And the best thing is that unlike other types of motor work that can hurt your bikes durability, an ECU can help with not only the performance of your engine, but also the durability.
That sounds amazing Dave, and from talking to various riders and teams in the paddock, everyone loves what you do and what services you’re bringing to our sport. As you mention above, every level of rider can benefit from having a well-tuned ECU from D Spec. What is the best way for people to reach out to get more information?
The best way is to email me at david@dpecmotosport.com or visit our website at: HOME – D-Spec Motosport
Sounds good Dave! Thank you for doing this, best of luck with D Spec, and we hope you enjoy the Fall and Winter.
