I think at the end of the day this thread shows that you can still get good power gains even with the exup fitted.
Like you say Seabass it's a tricky one to prove whether the exup being there has improved the bike or whether the remap has done it regardless of the exup as you didnt have it dynod without the Exup plus the tuner tuned the bike to the spec of having the exup fitted.
I think you're right to listen to the tuner......even if he is or isnt correct about the exup because if you approach a tuner and pay the dosh for their advice and expertise then youve gotta accept what they're saying or walk away and clearly you're happy with the service.
But power gains aside i think it's fair to say that you can run the bikes without the exup without any significant differences and maybe because these bikes are so bloody powerful anyway then if there is a difference with/without exup then it maybe needs test conditions to notice it.
Being smooth is another matter, my bike got smoother just from blocking off the AIS alone, i dont have a power commander yet and it isnt remapped and it is still a stonking engine......little snatchy on the throttle but certainly not lacking in the power department from what i can feel anyway.