Geekmaster
Member
ROAD mode will make a difference, but certainly not that much. I run my R1200RT in ROAD mode 99% of the time, and it doesn't take much revs to get it off the line.
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2024 R1250RT - gutless starting from stop?
- Thread starter rhenriksen
- Start date
rhenriksen
New member
lee
Debbie's Servant
Did you get a chance to make sure both wheels turn freely?
You would probably notice the smell or look of hot brakes if one is dragging.
rhenriksen
New member
I put the bike on the center stand, and pushed the rear brake caliper a bit, to get the pads to not scrape on the rotor to create additional drag.
It's been 40ish years since I had a shaft drive bike; is this amount of free spin appropriate?
It's been 40ish years since I had a shaft drive bike; is this amount of free spin appropriate?
I can and do activate the Hill Start on any surface, flat, inclined, whatever on my '23 RS. My manual says 3% grade. Maybe it's a change between year models.
I had ONE instance on my '16 RS where the rear brake wasn't dis-engaged at a stop and was sluggish trying to start off. That bike did not have Hill Start and that was the only instance that it happened. The brake dragged enough to discolor the black painted edge of the disc. Still can't explain that one.
Frank
lee
Debbie's Servant
Looks right.I put the bike on the center stand, and pushed the rear brake caliper a bit, to get the pads to not scrape on the rotor to create additional drag.
It's been 40ish years since I had a shaft drive bike; is this amount of free spin appropriate?
Before you pushed the pads back was the wheel easy to turn?
rhenriksen
New member
lee
Debbie's Servant
Yes I realize that.
I was wondering if the wheel is easy to turn before you pushed the pads back in the caliper.
I was curious if you had more than normal brake drag.
rhenriksen
New member
Perhaps a brake fluid flush/caliper maintenance is in your near future.
It’s a
2024 R1250RT
With the latest information, something that would wedge the rear caliper “out of service” for a test run might be in order.It’s nice to know ahead of time before a trip to the dealer for warranty work.
OM
RPGR90s
Active member
In manual mode. HSC is activated by a strong press of the brake lever of foot pedal. And equally, disengaged by doing the same. I use this all the time on my new RT, while idling in my driveway (sloped) trying to open the garage door via my phone. If I'm not mistaken, you can also disengage HSC in manual mode by just releasing the clutch normally in gear and pulling away.
lee
Debbie's Servant
Correct.
wbrownell9
Member
Pfft, try it in third gearI agree that something is wrong and have the dealer look at it.
Maybe it's something goofy like the Hill Start function stuck on.
I have a R1250RS and when loaded for a trip there's been a few times where I could take off in 2nd gear without a problem.
This usually happened after a brain fade problem
rhenriksen
New member
I'm in the middle of a four day stay in the Texas hill country, lodging about 15 minutes west of Wimberley. Plenty of hills (hence the name!) compared w. pancake-flat Houston, so I've gained lots of experience w. HSC coming on automatically when I stop on a slope, and automatically disengaging when I start to release the clutch and give it some gas. So I'm fairly confident, based on feeling it disengage regularly upon starting to roll, that that's not contributing to this issue.
Heck, I'm very curious to get a dealership tech to test ride it - maybe I can do my own side by side comparison w. a demo bike - to see if it's just the character of the bike/engine, as compared to what I'm used to. It's just still quite puzzling to me that 105 lb-ft of torque can feel so... gutless, as I'd titled the post.
I have lots of additional thoughts from this 4 day trip - almost entirely positive, thankfully - that I'll type up once I've a) gotten home, and b) cleaned up four days of rain riding/dirt/etc. My poor bike - looked showroom new last week! :-(
lee
Debbie's Servant
That would be a good idea.
Have fun in the Wimberley area. We've stayed outside of Blanco quite a few times.
rhenriksen
New member
Sir, you are not alone in your initial assessment of that gutless feeling while getting underway from a stop !! (I actually joined the bmwmoa today just so I could respond to your concern that I share!) On my new '23 RT I experienced (and still do to some extent) the sensation of a boggy engine when trying to roll away with brisk efficiency (but by no means aggressively). And my buddy who also has a '23 RT that replaced his 2010 RT has shared the same feeling - the '23 bikes feel identical. Now, all of our previous many bikes of various makes/models have had traditional cable throttles (like your Bandit), where the twist grip movement tends to be very linear with the carb or FI throttle plates, meaning you rotate the grip by, say, 10% and you get 10% of throttle opening, and that linear relationship remains the same regardless of whether you're starting off from a stop or are underway and in a higher gear. (Yes, FI fuel mapping can sometimes vary based on gear, but the cabled relationship of twist grip to throttle opening remains the same.) In contrast, the RT and many newer bikes employ ECU-controlled TBW (Throttle By Wire) where the rider's input to the twist grip is electronically sent to the ECU which can alter the response of the FI throttle plates based on many parameters including bike speed, engine speed, engine load, gear selection, traction control etc. Thus, your twist grip rotation of 10% may result in more or less than 10% throttle plate opening, depending on conditions and the mapping that the developers chose for the various conditions. All that to say, I believe the "gutless" feeling we perceive is a result of overly 'soft' mapping of the TBW from a standstill, presumable to prevent overly potent engine torque from coming into play from a dead stop. (Possibly some lean fuel mapping may be exacerbating the issue.) But it is too benign; As you've described, even a substantial twist of the throttle grip as you're easing out the clutch from a stop just won't induce the expected power and the bike falters, whereas that same twist of the throttle will accelerate the bike spryly if underway in a taller gear even at low rpm. I find it irritating, and even a bit disconcerting when conditions require a rapid rollout, but some mitigation is at hand: I have found, rather than revving the engine and slipping the clutch for a brisk take off, I get a more effective start by making a conscious effort to ease out the clutch and load the engine first before giving it any throttle - the engine seems more willing to respond as desired. It's a subtle difference but after a while it becomes second nature and it's not as bothersome (until you're switching back and forth with other 'normally-responsive' bikes ;-) I hope this helps and sorry for what many might perceive as an over-explanation.
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