O2 sensor eliminator — why?

[Xyzzy_imp]

This might explain the tech behind it: https://www.hondata.com/techclosed.html

Maybe the eliminator is feeding the ECU a stable signal whereas your sensor might have been feeding it a "dirty" signal? Maybe the eliminator keeps the bike in an open loop?

The tech part makes sense to me. I'm more curious about how my bike might have evolved to the level of fluctuation that it did at lower RPMs. Could it be from all of the constant stop 'n go conditions that it is constantly exposed to during my daily commute — might that cause an increased chance of the sensor fouling? Or perhaps it was just luck of the draw and some sensors just aren't quite cutting it? No idea really. Might have to take the sensor out to inspect. The problem is I'm not exactly sure what I'd be looking for. Is there a certain look that a sensor in a good state of health should exhibit? (Say like spark plugs for example.)

Motogeezer: no, I've never seen the check engine light come on.

The service manual mentions that a special tool is needed to remove the sensor. There is no mention of how to test the sensor to see if it is defective. Even the Common Service Manual doesn't mention any troubleshooting tips.

It would be interesting to hook up a DVM to the sensor (while the engine is running) and log the values to see what kind of signal the sensor is sending to the ECU. I have no idea how to data log something like that. Maybe Honda views the sensor as a "non-servicable" part?

Code:
Tag Part # Description Price Our Price
14 36531-MGC-N21 SENSOR, OXYGEN $195.18 $171.76