Can you load a map without setting the basemap Property

[KenDeeds]

I've been trying to load a map without setting the "basemap" property and can not do it.  The manual says this is optional.  The reason I don't want to load a basemap is this.  If you visit

http://citgo.bvk.geoconsensus.com/esri/test_with_basemap.html

and zoom in about 5 or 6 levels and rapidly pan the map the map has to load both the basemap layer and tiled map service layer on top of it for the new location.  This means the graphics for the basemap have to be transferred and loaded then the graphics for the layer(s) on top have to be transferred and loaded.  This slows things down while increasing bandwidth used.  I really don't want to see the "basemap" layer at all.

When I try and load a map without a basemap property defined I can not load the map or add a layer on top of it nor see anything.  In this example:

http://citgo.bvk.geoconsensus.com/esri/test_no_basemap.html

Below I show the 2 differences, in the not working map I define map like :

         map = new esri.Map("map");

In the first link that works I define map as :

map = new esri.Map("map", {
   basemap : "streets"
});

In this 2nd method that defines basemap is there a way to hide the basemap or strip it out and have no basemap but still have the code work?