Traction Control and the Track

[fixxervi6]

So who all here has actually used traction control, factory or aftermarket for both street and track?

What was your experience with it on the track, good, bad, did it help or hurt you, can you even tell if it's working without looking at the dash?

[Rhino]

Never used it on the track, but my understanding is that the best TC, you don't know it's happening. It's just quietly saving you from high sides.

[LonestarCBR]

Yep, my understanding is it will make you look like a hero.

[shilka99]

The TC that comes with the APRC package is incredible. The higher the number on your display, the more you wonder how other liter bikes are outrunning you.
I experimented with mine while playing with Tony on his CBR1000 and after a few sessions decided to stick with setting number 2. This gave the best drive out of corners while still allowing pretty heavy handed use of the loud grip without undue intervention.

I'm still getting used to the AWC but I'm too skeered to really play with it. And the ABS is brilliant.

As for use on the street, I never played with the TC so I can't comment.

[fixxervi6]

The TC that comes with the APRC package is incredible. The higher the number on your display, the more you wonder how other liter bikes are outrunning you.
I experimented with mine while playing with Tony on his CBR1000 and after a few sessions decided to stick with setting number 2. This gave the best drive out of corners while still allowing pretty heavy handed use of the loud grip without undue intervention.

I'm still getting used to the AWC but I'm too skeered to really play with it. And the ABS is brilliant.

As for use on the street, I never played with the TC so I can't comment.

I wondered how much it holds the bike back, so far I've kept mine on 8 and it's kicked in on the street a few times under a light hand, crappy pavement so I'm glad it's on there.

I assume on setting 2 your spinning it up on exit?

I set the ABS to 2, and the AWC to 2. I tried punching the throttle and the rear was spinning up before it would wheelie so it wouldn't lift the front, later on I got the tires heated up and as soon as the tach hit 9 grand the front got light and 10 it lifted with no TC kicking in.

The reason I ask about the track is setting 8 on the street so far is working out fine since I usually don't have the best traction conditions, but on the track would the TC ever even kick in even on 8, does the bike have enough grunt to spin it up under great traction conditions?

If 8 allows a tiny tiny bit of slip, that should allow for good drive outs, but if 2 allows more spin up apparently spinning up on exit helps launch out of a corner?

I'm not sold on the "pin it and let the electronics take over", plenty of video's out there of people doing high sides and low sides with more advanced TC than a street bike, and plenty of video's of street bikes on track days doing the same thing.

What ABS setting are you running?

[shilka99]

I wondered how much it holds the bike back, so far I've kept mine on 8 and it's kicked in on the street a few times under a light hand, crappy pavement so I'm glad it's on there.

I assume on setting 2 your spinning it up on exit?

I set the ABS to 2, and the AWC to 2. I tried punching the throttle and the rear was spinning up before it would wheelie so it wouldn't lift the front, later on I got the tires heated up and as soon as the tach hit 9 grand the front got light and 10 it lifted with no TC kicking in.

The reason I ask about the track is setting 8 on the street so far is working out fine since I usually don't have the best traction conditions, but on the track would the TC ever even kick in even on 8, does the bike have enough grunt to spin it up under great traction conditions?

If 8 allows a tiny tiny bit of slip, that should allow for good drive outs, but if 2 allows more spin up apparently spinning up on exit helps launch out of a corner?

I'm not sold on the "pin it and let the electronics take over", plenty of video's out there of people doing high sides and low sides with more advanced TC than a street bike, and plenty of video's of street bikes on track days doing the same thing.

What ABS setting are you running?

I found that at 4 and above the TC held the bike back big time - it was more frustrating than reassuring. It just feels like the engine isnt giving what you're asking for.
Set at #2 I rarely feel it interfere but I also dont feel it spinning. The incident I mentioned to you was on #1 while running slicks on ECR with a few wet patches. I hit one of those spots and the rear spun up big time. Only for a moment though, and of course as soon as I went through the patch the tire gripped and the front lifted nicely. It was more fun than anything else but probably wouldnt have happened if I'd been at #2 or higher.

I also run ABS and AWC at #2. I do occasionally feel the ABS kick in but more at the rear than the front. I'm still wondering if that's the anti - nose wheelie though. I read somewhere that if the rear wheel stops the ABS will back off the front brake but that might be under non-race mode which mine has never used. I need to wade through that enormous owners manual to research this but its not an easy read.

The AWC however gets a real workout. Get even slightly aggressive on the gas and the front lifts constantly. It even does power wheelies in 4th on the back straight at ECR. I think I mentioned going past an instructor/student pair on the back wheel in 3rd. I put it down, shifted up and it came up again immediately. I'm not talking 12'oclocks but even at #2 the AWC still lets it come up 12" or so. And when it does intervene its not abrupt like the BMW which slams the front wheel down, it feels like it just holds the front wheel in position until you decide to bring it down.

I think you'll find that with TC at #8 the bike will feel like its missing some cylinders. It intervenes too often. But maybe your 2014 model has updates that makes higher #'s usable. The only way to find out is at the track.
I was chasing a GSX-R1000 at Cresson my first time on track and as I went down through the #'s I was getting progressively better drives out of each corner until at #2 I could finally pass at will but I still never felt any wheelspin.
Since I started using slicks I've gone to #1 and it just makes the engine feel angry. Its abrupt and aggressive and feels fantastic. Instant response and instant acceleration. Magical.

[fixxervi6]

Yea at first I wasn't going to track this thing, but after playing with it, I'm gonna have to.

I'll start messing with TC levels after breakin

[shilka99]

Having an RSV4 and not riding it on the track would be like owning a Lear jet and never flying it.
What are you doing for break-in? I revved the crap out of mine from 100 miles.

[milesmiles]

Saturday he will be break the break in period following me around haha

[fixxervi6]

Having an RSV4 and not riding it on the track would be like owning a Lear jet and never flying it.
What are you doing for break-in? I revved the crap out of mine from 100 miles.

for about the first 130 I kept it below 5K after that I've been trying to vary the revs, I think I've had it up to 11K and hovering between 5 and 7 trying to vary to load on the motor by going WOT in low RPM (motor grunts but bike doesn't get crazy). Kinda hard to go above 11K under load the front lifts and it gets all crazy.

Saturday he will be break the break in period following me around haha

Chances are almost 0 I will make it, off from work today to head to the doc shortly, currently on hydrocodone, muscle relaxers and ibuprofen, left arm is either numb or full of pain no in between, doc suspects slipped disk in my neck.

[Rhino]

Ow, brutal. Hope you get better soon.

I agree with Shaun, you're riding a track weapon with lights. You need to track it. Otherwise you're that guy who drives his Ferrari to Starbucks.

[DemonDuck]

My TC is different than yours but I ride with it in track mode all the time. It does work at the track and it works to well in street mode or rain mode or whatever. I leave it on just about the lowest setting so it does not come on unless im messing up bad. I think I have had it save me before when I first put the bike on ECR but again never took a moment to look at the dash.

[fixxervi6]

My TC is different than yours but I ride with it in track mode all the time. It does work at the track and it works to well in street mode or rain mode or whatever. I leave it on just about the lowest setting so it does not come on unless im messing up bad. I think I have had it save me before when I first put the bike on ECR but again never took a moment to look at the dash.

Are you talking about engine maps or TC?

[Rhino]

My TC is different than yours but I ride with it in track mode all the time. It does work at the track and it works to well in street mode or rain mode or whatever. I leave it on just about the lowest setting so it does not come on unless im messing up bad. I think I have had it save me before when I first put the bike on ECR but again never took a moment to look at the dash.

Are you talking about engine maps or TC?

It's all tied together on the S1000RR I think. You put the bike in a certain mode and that impacts TC and engine maps.

At least that's what I remember from reading reviews.

[DemonDuck]

My TC is different than yours but I ride with it in track mode all the time. It does work at the track and it works to well in street mode or rain mode or whatever. I leave it on just about the lowest setting so it does not come on unless im messing up bad. I think I have had it save me before when I first put the bike on ECR but again never took a moment to look at the dash.

Are you talking about engine maps or TC?

It's all tied together on the S1000RR I think. You put the bike in a certain mode and that impacts TC and engine maps.

At least that's what I remember from reading reviews.

Correct. you can go in and adjust the TC more separate but the mode the bike is in has an automatic setting for the TC.

[fireblade]

Here is the break down of the BMW.


Race ABS and DTC explained


A. Power Mode: Rain

The effect is to cut power to 150 bhp, reduce torque, and the throttle response is more gentle.

Rain with Race ABS: 

The braking force is applied to both front and rear wheels;

Rear wheel ABS operates even when only the rear foot brake is used;

The system detects if the rear wheel is lifting.

Rain with Race ABS and DTC

Wheelie protection operates

Reduces rear wheelspin

Increased traction and stability even when the frictional coefficient spikes suddenly



B. Power Mode: Sport (which is the default setting)

Full power (193 at the crank, approx 180 rwhp) with a fast but smooth throttle response

Sport with Race ABS

The braking force is applied to both front and rear wheels;

Rear wheel ABS operates even when only the rear foot brake is used;

The system detects if the rear wheel is lifting.

Sport with Race ABS and DTC

Wheelie protection operates

DTC is slower to intervene than in Rain Mode, so slight drifts are possible when exiting corners



C. Race Mode

Full power but instant throttle response

Race with Race ABS

The braking force is applied to both front and rear wheels;

Rear wheel ABS operates even when only the rear foot brake is used;

No rear wheel lift detection

Race with race ABS and DTC

Wheelie protection operates

DTC even slower to intervene so longer drifts and brief wheelies are possible when exiting corners



D. Slick Mode

Full power with an aggressive and instant throttle response

Slick with race ABS

The braking force is applied to both front and rear wheels;

ABS does not operate when only foot brake is used

No rear wheel lift detection

Slick with Race ABS and DTC

Wheelies allowed up to a lean angle of 23 degrees and for up to 5 seconds

[DemonDuck]

I keep mine in Slick mode all the time even in the rain so far. But I do leave the DTC and ABS on.

[fireblade]

I leave mine in "slick" mode all the time, I do on occasion find myself turning the DTC off and messing about.

However, BMW has confirmed that they reduce power in the lower gears. Their rationale is that it is stupid to have a motor make power that cannot be put to the ground - in the lower gears, you either get wheelspin or a wheelie beyond a certain power level - it is impossible to use more power.

[fixxervi6]

I keep mine in Slick mode all the time even in the rain so far. But I do leave the DTC and ABS on.

Do you ever adjust the DTC and ABS levels?

(assuming there is some form of manual adjustment available) or is it full time locked to the modes?

[fireblade]

Once you're in the selected mode such as slick or race, you can only turn the DTC and ABS on or off. there are no further setting after that. unless you have the S1000RR HP4, then you have 8 or so different levels to select from on the DTC and ABS.