BMW R1200R R1150R/T F800 K1200R R1100R/T R1250R RnineT Message Board

As I previously reported, a loss-of-traction adventure got me to thinking I might like to add ASC, so I started sniffing around. At about $425 for the activation code and $225 for the switch, parts alone were at $650, labor being "about" $150 at one dealer. But my long-time (since '63) dealer and I got to thinking, and she suggested installing the code without the switch, giving me full-time ASC for $461 out the door. I rode in today, they installed the code, and I rode out. No wrenching at all. Does it work? Am I happy with it?

At first, they couldn't even guarantee that it was on, instead of off, there being no indicator. Right outside the dealership I popped a moderate wheelie, so I was wondering too if it was on. But after a day of finding open fields of dirt, uphill gravel driveways and the like, I conclude that it is indeed on, but you just can't feel it most of the time. It doesn't stop you from popping a wheelie, but I suspect it would keep the wheelie from turning into a flip-over-on-the-back crash. It doesn't stop the rear wheel from starting to spin in dirt, but it prevents the spin from becoming a serious tail-wag thing. I opened the throttle wide open in first or second a number of times and held it there, and the bike accelerated with a roar and threw gravel, but I felt a harsh "miss" in the engine coming on and off in waves, the tail didn't wag, and the line left in the dirt was always dead straight. I think I'm going to like it on fire roads and long, fast dirt stretches in Death Valley and the Carriso Plains, just if it prevents me from over-torqueing my rear wheel into loss of control.

Bottom line: It doesn't prevent a bit of wheelie or a bit of wheelspin, but it may well save me from the consequences of overenthusiastic throttle application. It may not be exactly "traction" control, but it merits its title of Automatic Stability Control quite well. And $461 is not cheap, but it is less than $800 by quite a bit.

I did this upgrade to my bike.

On startup, the yellow ASC icon on the dash should flash just like the ABS icon until you ride a short distance. When the ABS wheel speed sensor is validated, both lights go out.

When the ASC intervenes, it flashes the yellow icon on the instrument panel. The icon flashes for longer than the ASC is active, just to give the rider time to realize that it was engaged.

Get on your lawn, hold the front brake, and let the clutch out slowly in first gear. No yellow light, no ASC.

Cheers, Tom

PS. ASC will not let me wheelie at all.

Mike,
Was this done at West Valley Cycles?

I have not turned off my ASC to see the difference yet but am pretty sure I would have done plenty of wheelies by now if I had...and not a single wheelie or wheel spin at all so far.

One of these days I'll turn it off and do some testing

Dave: Yes it was.

Thanks for the tip on the yellow icon, Tom. I had the bike out in Death Valley yesterday (900+ miles in 2 days), and when I twisted the throttle hard on dirt roads the icon flashed like the strobe light at a disco, but the bike held a straight line. I think it allows one to get maximum allowable acceleration on dirt, without the fear of overdoing it. You know, I started on dirt bikes, and I enjoy throttle-steering, tail-wagging, and roosting as much as the next guy, but the R is really not a dirt bike at all, at least with street tires. You need a 19" or even a 21" front wheel and aggressive tires, and a bit more fork rake to feel really secure in the dirt, I think. Still, you gotta go dirt sometimes to get where you're going.

I found the ASC is also handy for entering a crowded blacktop road from a dirt pullout: you just point the bike and nail it, without having the bike turn suddenly sideways on you! And yes, I have popped about a dozen small wheelies, ASC and all. I'm now gonna try to stop doing that before I get hurt...

I'd be interested in how it works on asphalt in the rain.

Yeah me too, Ric. Trouble is (1) it almost never rains here, and (2) I'm so damn cautious in the rain I probably wouldn't know if it was working or not. But if I don't fall, who cares; that's the point!

This page

http://www.ultimatemotorcycling.com/201 ... rofittable

was just cited in a post on one of the BMWMOA forums. I know nothing about the website, but the text sounds just like BMW's German-into-English press releases.

I'd previously seen Don's statement in this thread: viewtopic.php?f=20&t=22606&p=198718&hilit=+ASC#p198718
that his '07 was not upgradeable, and thought mine would be the same. But my bike, built 10/2006, has a VIN higher (i.e. later) than the cutoff numbers shown. I guess I'll be talking to the dealer.

For any of you: in what situations - other than track use - would one disable the ASC?

Mike: what chance your ASC is the GS version whch allows a little more slip / front wheel lift before intervening?

.... no I can't think why it would be I'm guessing tha the ASC is already "in" the bike's systems (merely unlocked to activate) so logic says it's the R1200R version which doesn't allow slip (or mine doesn't) ...

But your ASC experience sounds very different than mine.

I can't bring the front wheel up at all with ASC on - not that I'd try to, but I had a couple of inadvertent wheelies during my test ride, and tha's why I got ASC even though it meant a special order and a two-month wait. I could turn it off and try to pull the wheel up .. but that'd be scary (at least for me!)

My ASC intervenes very quickly when there's any risk of wheelspin - now, I've only had this on slick surfaces - I don't ride enough on loose surfaces (or as well as you, I'd say!)

Caroanbill: I have no idea! I do know that if I pull out, shift into 2nd, and in 2nd gear at about 5000rpm if I then nail the throttle the front wheel blips off the ground. I should note that I then also instantly shut down the throttle, since this scares the hell out of me. It's a reflex. I also know that if I am on dirt in 2nd or 3rd and I nail the throttle wide open I get straight-line acceleration with rocks thrown and a lot of flashing of the ASC icon. Is there anything else you would like me to try, remembering that I am an old man and also quite a chicken? I'm gonna guess that the ASC doesn't predict anything, and only cuts in when the wheels start turning different rpms, thus a bit of wheelie/wheelspin is inevitable. Maybe you're not hitting it hard enough to show this behavior?

Hey xprof.....(ex-professor ? )

Have you had a chance to try it in the rain ?

Answered somewhere above, Ric: Not yet. It almost never rains in Santa Barbara!

xprof wrote:Answered somewhere above, Ric: Not yet. It almost never rains in Santa Barbara!

Yes...the previous answer was back in May. i thought you may have had a drop of rain by now......so now, when you say almost never I'll take that as pretty much....uhhhh......almost never.

However.....having said that.....since May ! And you haven't traveled !!!

Since May maybe 6000 miles, including a 3800-mile tour of 7 western states, and a separate trip to Death Valley. But no rain, even though I carried the rain suit and full-coverage helmet.

xprof wrote:But no rain, even though I carried the rain suit and full-coverage helmet.

What you want to do is leave that rain gear at home... It somehow never rains when I have my rain gear at the ready.

Tom