K67 RS2E V2024 - Review

[alex]

RS2E V2024 - Review

In 2019 I took the leap and upgraded my 2017 Gen3 with the RS2E.de map which was a revelation. https://s1000rrforum.co.uk/threads/rs2e-v2019-ecu-remap-review.9885/
The draw at the time was the traction control. Audible/Fuel cut. Its a lovely thing as others have found out. Far faster to intervene it gives confidence, lets the rider push through corner exit pulling lengths over a standard bike being held back by the slower to operate, OEM, throttle butterfly system.

I ran that map from 2019 to 2023 when I traded up to the 2023 Gen 3 bike. The fueling was immaculate from a riding and reliability perspective, but, if there was one small complaint, it was never going to compete in an endurance race. I found the consumption was around 5L per session on a track day (not accurate just my impression) and when I was back out on the road, my range was much lower than stock. I knew the map was chucking in a lot more fuel in the midrange to make power, a trade I was happy with as road use was minimal and I definitely wasn't going racing!

When I was looking at upgrading I was soon thinking of doing the same with my 2023. But, the warranty, what about that...hmmm...I weighed this issue a lot, it delayed me writing this. I decided to do the following. Complete year 1, do a few trackdays with the stock map and give the thing a chance to go pop. I did som UK days, 5 days at Almeria and a total of 1600 miles by the end of 2023. Everything seemed to be ok. Time for a f**k it moment...

Over the past 12 months I had hoovered up some parts (not all of them new) to fettle my new steed. K-Tech DDS Cartridges and a TRDS-R Shock + a Spark.it full system all with an eye on the change of ECU map.

I had a few mails back and forth with Robert and Rainer as per usual. Choosing my spec and features from their 2024 offerings. The "C" (Competition) map has the split throttle body control so that it drops to 2 cylinders in the turns, I have heard mixed opinions of this behaviour from the MRCK runners, so I decided that as I was trying to retain some road usage I would opt for the "R" map which required me to fit a race exhaust and run Super Unleaded.

1. Race Mapping PRO V2024 "R" f. BMW M/S1000 (BMS-O ECU) models. Hardware required:>=98RON/93AKI, race exhaust, stock engine
2. DDC Delete
3. Fuel Level Warning changed to ~1.6L (2 laps) instead of 40 miles
4. DRL Enabled (Daylight Running Light)

As per last time, RS2E sort out the shipping and I boxed up the Dashboard, Main ECU and Light ECU. About a week after sending it, it was all back with me.
Reinstallation done, instructions followed, she fired up and purred like a kitten (without the fast idle of OEM (to heat the cat)) through her newly installed Spark.it exhaust (there is a thread about that being a bugger to fit, mainly cause I'm inexperienced).

This was all in April and I managed a road ride to test all was well before taking her to Snetterton for a shakedown. I had suspension, serviced and setup by MCT to dial in as well as the ECU changes to think about before putting it all on a stilage and sending it to Portimao. Snetterton was largely a washout but I did manage a noise level warning (pre black flag) when it was briefly dry. Pretty much the day after Snet she was shipped...

Portimao was a little damp on day 1 but it soon dried out. Whilst it was still damp in a couple of places I had the Audible TC wound up high. This isn't what you want when riding, it's just an example of how it behaves.


Over the course of the trip I was steadily winding it off but still had too much on by the end. A scottish lad, Andy, with his kitted RR gave me a kick up the arse to drop it further and I immediately went faster. I got my gearing hopelessly wrong. 16/44 is way too long for Portimao. 15/44-45 is where it's at, something for next time. Fuel consumption was vastly better than the Gen3, by at least 20%. I was putting in 4L most sessions. Last week I was riding in Northern England/Scotland on the roads (in rain mode, cause anything more was unnecessary) and was getting a range of over 140 miles on each fill up. On the same trip the fueling at the bottom end seemed to steadily get better, I assume it was learning, it was never bad but at Snetterton out of the box it had felt 'fluffy' at low rpm, now its spot on.

As for the performance. I bagged a PB, by ~2.5 seconds. The bike was fast and faultless, the rider not so much. Just the gearing change would be another second, barely into 6th on the main straight especially when the wind picked up.



I was just getting going with the ECU and the changes to the DTC/Engine Braking/Anti-Wheelie/ABS settings when my body gave out and I had to call it quits.

At Mugello in August, I will have a clearer picture. But for now, imo, the brain of the bike has yet again been unleashed, it's got power in spades, the suspension as sorted by MCT was in the ball park OOTB. The only changes I've made are 2 clicks more rebound on the rear and 2 clicks more compression on the front. A set of Bridgestone R11's have survived Snetterton and Portimao (admittedly not doing every session).

After posting this and doing the job I figure I'm on my own now w.r.t. warranty, however, I am strictly adhering to BMW oil guidance and RS2E fuel guidance. BMW Advantec / SUL, the engine is warmed and heat soaked before hitting the track. I know I am doing everything to make sure the engine performs well now and in the future. I've no doubt the map is good. RS2E have delivered for me twice and others alike.

I'll have more in the future, for now I'm working on my fitness for Mugello as my last few Euro's have been completly ruined by food poisoning, viruses and back spasms (to the point I couldn't walk). A great bike is lovely but if you can't ride it then it's pointless

https://www.rs2e.de/en/services-prices/catalog-bmw-motorrad

 

[alex]

Why map?

1. For me, I wanted to fit a full system and I wanted to make sure the map was optimised for a decat. The power gains top end are minimal. Its all about optimal afrs through the rev, gear and load ranges.

2. This map is focussed on drivability and optimal throttle/brake/corner entry, turning and exit characteristics. If you look on the website you can see this map goes far beyond fuel and ignition, the throttle by wire is changed...what the electronics do in different scenarios is changed.

3. I wanted to remove the DDC without errors.

Fwiw, I thought the Gen5 out of the box was very good, definitely better than Gen3.

 

[pauly]

On the road, anything more than rain mode is unnecessary?

 

[alex]

All that text and you take issue with, and mis-quote, that statement .
"was" not "is"
Was = past tense, scenario I was in
Is = future tense, all scenarios

However on reflection, IS would be fine too, I'm not interested in thrashing it on the road. My riding on the road focusses on safe, swift, efficient progress.

 

[pauly]

I wasn't quoting you verbatim. I fitted the slick plug at 600 miles on my Gen 2, and always ran it in slick mode. And only run my Gen 4 in dynamic mode if the road is bumpy, otherwise it's in race. So applying your logic I must be thrashing my bikes on the road. And as for the safe, swift, efficient progress comment, do you wear a POLITE vest too?

 

[alex]

Apologies if my adjectives triggered you, clearly I'm not worthy of my 'polite' vest.

Neevsey rode his Gen4 in Rain mode all the time on the road. I didn't think it would hurt to do the same, in the situation I was in, following a R1250RS...

 

[pauly]

I ride around 3k miles a year, only on dry roads I know really well. And 2-3 hours at the quietest time, is typically my limit. I expect that Neevsey does a lot more road miles a year than me, and it would be a disaster for him if he lost his licence. I also suspect that if like me, he didn't do track days, and he'd had a lot of 1000cc sports bikes over 40 years, he might at the right time, right place use his Gen 4 in race mode sometimes.

 

[DNCN]

Really useful write up Alex. Thank you. I’ve been considering the RS2E map for my bike for ages and never commited to getting it done. A while back Michael Neeves did a video where he switched to split throttle bodies and struggled, before reverting back. Is the settings he talks about in that video the same as the RS2E TC changes or the issuer you refer to in the fifth para ?

I’ve just swapped my 2021 for a 2024 so will be well into next year before I do any ECU work but am leaning towards just getting the ‘S’ map first. I’ll be running a factory Akra can and Arrow headers so know the benefit a map will have.

As for rain mode. If it was called ‘comfort’ perhaps people wouldn’t get so funny about using it. Rain is excellent for banging out motorway miles, softer suspension and much less resistance on the throttle return than road. I’m always switching between modes.

 

[alex]

Congrats on the purchase!

Neevsey's experience with the split throttles was one of the experiences I had heard. But he has the M RCK and I don't know how it was mapped. He said it was his own inability to convert more than the map itself, IIRC. So yes it's the same function on the C map from RS2E but it's using the OEM ECU not the M RCK one.