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

Hi all, have recently fitted a Booster plug to my '04 rockster. Have found it greatly improves driveability with a bit of extra go all through the rev range. For those of you unfamiliar with this gizmo, its basically a piece of cable with a built in resistor that runs from the motronic unit to the airbox which fools the bikes brain into thinking ambient temps are in the region of minus 20 thus making the bike run richer. (think thats right!)
Just 2 questions

1.Never had trouble starting the bike before but since installing this add on have found it reluctant to get up and running. Once its warm no problems but kinda hard to get going as it ticks over about 200 rpm slower on full choke. Should I set the idle higher to account for this?

2. Have done a fair bit of research prior to fitting (mainly on ukgser and advrider). Most have good things to say about this add on but am I doing any long term damage to the bike by making it run richer than the manufacturer intended?

Anyone else using one of these....

Just a whacky thought.....

Could you wire your gizmo thing in via a Switch? That way you could take it out of circuit for starting and better economy on a run, and then bring it in when you want to have a bit more fun? Sort of a basic DIY switchable ignition map (not quite in the Multistrada etc. league I know, but still). It would neatly solve your cold-starting glitch as well.

I have no idea if this 'switch' idea is possible or practical, but it sprang to mind when I read your post.

As for long-term damage.... I'm not an engineer, but I should imagine it'd be fine - lean-running makes a machine run hotter and encourages fuel knock / pinking / detonation (choose your term of choice), but richer is generally safer (modern engines need knock sensors and use sophisticated ignition systems so they can run lean without damage). It used to be (back in the day etc.) that stock engines ran richer to reliably avoid pre-ignition problems, so you had to 'lean-off' an engine to get better performance, but now engines run so lean to meet emissions etc. that it is now reversed.

Are these gizmos expensive?

Thanks for that GRW. Dont think it would be possible to fit a switch as you have to physically run this device between motronic unit and the airbox - disconnecting the original wire. Trying to figure out some sort of switch could be well beyond my limited mechanical ability. However with temps as low as -5 at the moment I think I will take it off until the weather improves.
They retail at stg 114 (eur140 delivered). I was sceptical until I read glowing reviews and tried it for myself. It does make a noticeable difference with the bike feeling "torquier" (is that a word?) all through the rev range.