Mike -

Timmer - Any news on an ignition timing, adjusting box for the 2012, 1000RR BMW yet..? Thanks Mike

Sounds very interesting AND much welcomed. Is there a timeframe as to when this timing (I'll need the fuel too !) stuff can be expected to hit the retail shops from Power Commander...? It's reassuring that one of these days (soon ?), I can be less worried about how badly my BMW is tuned..and all the things that go with it ! And then be glad, about how well...my 1000RR runs...and the things that go with that...! Thanks again Mike

Timmer - Power Commander request...if I may... With the use of the two different programs I've used to tune the Buells, they have one thing in common, you can actually see the timing values at, rpm vs. throttle opening. While I know there is many ways of doing this, if I may throw out a wish list..? It's a short one....make a graphaical interface to actually see what you are doing and where it's being done. E.g., as noted above, rpm vs. throttle opening or any other location you desire, just make a computer screen graph that can be understood, to alter the timing by. This would be much easier for both the dyno operator/tuner...and the "do it your-selfer" like myself. Easy to read, easy to understand where and by how much the values are changing. Thanks for listening Mike

Timmer - Thanks for the response and the info. Sounds good to hear that the Power Commander guys are/will be working on a way to alter the ign. timing. I called another company a while back, they said that they may be working on one, but it will take a while. In tuning car engines for so many years, and then getting into the Buell tuneup (both the XB and the 1125 engines), it's pretty much the same animal, engines make good power, stay comparitivly cool and return resonable gas milage when the ign. timing is more to the engines liking. AND...as you say, how much, where and when....it's not really in a book, there are so many variables. You either need a lot of first hand experience and or a dyno to make the engine happy. I found something kinda weird in my Harley powered (XB12S) Buell...it liked a LOT of advance. I wear ear plugs while driving/riding. I tuned the engines timing to the best seat of the pants power AND fuel milage. The fan also ran less. Anyway, one day I forgot my ear plugs (bikes are my daily transportation, 85 miles a day). I noticed the "noise" comming from the engine.... While "cruising"/light throttle, the engine was in light detionation...! I backed of the timing in a couple of spots, added, subtracted to get rid of the detionation, but try to keep the power. Everything fell off...the power, the gas milage...! So now...I'm averaging about 48 to 50 mpg, vs. 51/52 with "too" much timing..!? I don't really understand that one..but. My 1125CR is good. It sorta talks to me. I know pretty close where the fuel and timing want to be. It took me a while to learn its likes and dislikes, but it's was running pretty well...till while adjusting the valves...I noticed the front exh. cam was starting to go flat, so now it sits till I get some free time..! Too many projects. Thanks again Mike P.s. - I have a bore scope...I checked, the pistons are fine in the XB..!

Timmer - Yea..sorry, the 1000RR (a 2012 version) Yes...to both ! Why don't "any"...companies, and why not ? What seems to be the apparent difficulty with doing this ? My first Buell was a Harley engined XB12R. I figured I'd better learn to tune with a used bike and found this one close to home and cheap. I got a copy of an ECM management program (ECMSpy), and learned to use it. That way if I "F" something up...it don't kill an expensive engine in a new bike..! I've been building and tuning automotive street and race engines for...well, a long time...so I'm more thAn comfortable playing with the fuel and ignition adjustments to make the engine run correctly. Anyway, I got to where I felt comfortable with tuning the little XB12, my ultimate goal was getting the 1125 CR Buell. Two problems with the CR...it ran like real ###### and Harley/Buell couldn't do anything about it, (EPA). Sure, they tried, new map sets every few weeks, but most were still horrible. The bike wasn't even drivable in traffic. Finally...someone came out with a program to be able to adjust the mapping at home. It took some work but I got the mapping real close...took both fuel AND ignition timing to "fix" the problems. Power went up, milage got a little better, coolant heat went WAY down, firey red headers went away...! Now to the big BMW. While the basic maping is MUCH better thAn the Buells were, it still a long way off in making the engine what it really could be. This includes so low a timing values that much anything under about 4800rpm....there just isn't enough timing to make reasonable power, a cooler running engine, with what would also be a benifit of this is slightly better fuel economy. A few guys make the add-on fuel boxes...what's the problem with making ign. timing boxes for this engine/ECM ? Thanks Mike

Question for Timmer - I see you work for Dyno Jet. Maybe you can tell me why you (and others !) don't make boxes or have within the fuel mapping boxes, a way to better tune the ignition timing ? I know why BMW doesn't have a good timing tuneup...the EPA. But the aftermarket needs to get onto this. At least for the 12 models. I don't know anything about the tuneup on the 10's or 11's, but the timing maps are horrible on the 12's. It's one reason the engines run so hot at lower/mid range rpms. These bikes would be much more "interesting" in the low/mid range rpm's with better timing map values. Thanks Mike P.s. - Just to introduce myself...(!) since this is my first post..! Yes, I wen't thru the Code course MANY moons ago. It was their first year with the Kawasaki, 600 Ninja. I've had "many" Japanese bikes since the summer of 85, three Buells, and now giving the BMW a try. It's liable to be my last bike before I retire (that'll tell you about how old I am..!). So far...I'm liking it...save for the rod bolt problem (un touched as of now) and the ECM mapping.