Ridin' the Roll mode and....

Adrian R

Adrian R

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I like it!

Bike has near 7K now and is running fantastically. As mentioned, I had it Brentuned, and performed the DNA Stage 2 air cleaner upgrade. The bike with 93 octane fuel, and with traction control turned off is an ANIMAL now. I swear I can feel the front wheel coming up while going through the gears. The torque curve has been greatly exaggerated with the upgrades...and with the bike's perfect gearing, is a blast to ride.

However, today I did some more urban riding on roads that were heavily speed limited. Just going through a few gears with the bike in Rock mode, I'd be blowing way past posted speed limits...almost to the point of annoyance. The bike is just too hyper in Rock mode for the riding I was attempting to do. So, I remember the bike had other riding modes, of which I had never really tried. I decided to give it shot and switch the bike over to Roll mode.

Man, what a difference! The bike becomes much better behaved...easier to ride...quieter, and idles perfectly when stopped. It still has all the same power, but you have to turn the throttle more to get it...and it comes only later then earlier. Made for a truly relaxing ride. I than at one stop light turned it back to Rock mode and WOW, it is allot louder, and the throttle response it almost instant. I turned it back than to Roll mode and enjoyed my nice, laid back, relaxed ride home.

I tell ya, the more I ride this bike the more I like it. It's truly a brilliant machine, and for what I paid? I feel like an Einstein for making that decision. Smart, a very smart purchase.

To you guys on the fence, GET ONE...and GIVE IT TIME TO BREAK IN! At least 5k before she really begins to loosen some and develop character. Consider the Brentuning and DNA upgrade...Makes a very noticeable difference in running characteristics. Worth every penny...especially when you realize what you bought the bike for...
 
Noelpolar said:
Good to know.... thanks.... I might wait to my second year before doing the bren tune.... I'm trying to be good.
Click to expand...
Actually the sooner you do it the better. The bike just runs better...period. In it's stock tuning I think it runs too lean...which isn't good for anything. .running too hot...bluing the header pipes prematurely. I tuned mine right after the 600mi service.
 
Adrian R said:
I like it!

Bike has near 7K now and is running fantastically. As mentioned, I had it Brentuned, and performed the DNA Stage 2 air cleaner upgrade. The bike with 93 octane fuel, and with traction control turned off is an ANIMAL now. I swear I can feel the front wheel coming up while going through the gears. The torque curve has been greatly exaggerated with the upgrades...and with the bike's perfect gearing, is a blast to ride.

However, today I did some more urban riding on roads that were heavily speed limited. Just going through a few gears with the bike in Rock mode, I'd be blowing way past posted speed limits...almost to the point of annoyance. The bike is just too hyper in Rock mode for the riding I was attempting to do. So, I remember the bike had other riding modes, of which I had never really tried. I decided to give it shot and switch the bike over to Roll mode.

Man, what a difference! The bike becomes much better behaved...easier to ride...quieter, and idles perfectly when stopped. It still has all the same power, but you have to turn the throttle more to get it...and it comes only later then earlier. Made for a truly relaxing ride. I than at one stop light turned it back to Rock mode and WOW, it is allot louder, and the throttle response it almost instant. I turned it back than to Roll mode and enjoyed my nice, laid back, relaxed ride home.

I tell ya, the more I ride this bike the more I like it. It's truly a brilliant machine, and for what I paid? I feel like an Einstein for making that decision. Smart, a very smart purchase.

To you guys on the fence, GET ONE...and GIVE IT TIME TO BREAK IN! At least 5k before she really begins to loosen some and develop character. Consider the Brentuning and DNA upgrade...Makes a very noticeable difference in running characteristics. Worth every penny...especially when you realize what you bought the bike for...
Click to expand...
I'm new to the group and have had my TC for a couple of months now. Do you have a link to the tune and DNA Stage 2 upgrade?
 
Adrian R said:
Actually the sooner you do it the better. The bike just runs better...period. In it's stock tuning I think it runs too lean...which isn't good for anything. .running too hot...bluing the header pipes prematurely. I tuned mine right after the 600mi service.
Click to expand...
Running too lean?

Adrian, have your MPGs gone down since you've done the Bren Tune? Plus, I'd be shocked AF if our pipes are bluing already, since they're double-walled.

Mike
 
Adrian R said:
Actually the sooner you do it the better. The bike just runs better...period. In it's stock tuning I think it runs too lean...which isn't good for anything. .running too hot...bluing the header pipes prematurely. I tuned mine right after the 600mi service.
Click to expand...
My stock tuning for 2k miles I average 46 MPG. With BT and DNA STAGE 2 I average 37 MPG for 2k miles. I put back to stock and rode it for another 2k miles and average 45 MPG. In my case the BT and DNA upgrade causing my bike to run lean. I do miss the quick throttle response and little louder noise, but don't care for lean bike.
 
I wish I knew what you guys were talking about and I wish I could make sense of it. I am zero (0) on mechanical issues and no idea all these techie mambo jumbo... I'd like my TC to get close to 45mpg but no idea how to do these upgrades and who togo these things to be done etc.
I am just enjoying the conversation like as if i was listening a good song with Swedish lyrics. No idea what it means but sounds good!
 
MikeB said:
My stock tuning for 2k miles I average 46 MPG. With BT and DNA STAGE 2 I average 37 MPG for 2k miles. I put back to stock and rode it for another 2k miles and average 45 MPG. In my case the BT and DNA upgrade causing my bike to run lean. I do miss the quick throttle response and little louder noise, but don't care for lean bike.
Click to expand...
Sounds to me like the tune made it run richer..... not leaner.... so... implies bike ran "cooler" with the tune.... so... "you don't care for the richer running bike".... is how I understand what you are saying.

As I understand things:

1. BMW engineers know what they are doing and tune the bikes to run ok and in line with various competing priorities. The engine tune dynamics they provide has to have many compromises.... but... tune at the lean end of things is probally best for emisions etc.... so the R18 has a prettly low fuel to air ratio.... but within the window of OK.

2. An after market tune can run a more rich mixture (ie. a bit more fuel per unit of air) as the bike does not have to meet strict world market standards at this point.... and the end user is after some additional performance benefits that are not missed by most.... possibly at the expense of some things that are not important to them (ie pollution/noise/fuel economy).

Interestingly... many feel fuel economy gets worse after an R18 tune.... seems like BMW standard tune is pretty good for that.
 
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MikeB said:
My stock tuning for 2k miles I average 46 MPG. With BT and DNA STAGE 2 I average 37 MPG for 2k miles. I put back to stock and rode it for another 2k miles and average 45 MPG. In my case the BT and DNA upgrade causing my bike to run lean. I do miss the quick throttle response and little louder noise, but don't care for lean bike.
Click to expand...
I average 42 mpg with the tune and DNA2 with 93 octane ethanol free fuel. OR, 93 octane fuel with ethanol treated with Lucas Oil fuel conditioner additive. Your bike is running leaner without the tune.
 
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