The Gen4 DDC thread...vol 1

[soofsayer]

This thread is to discuss what works for people with the gen 4 bike ddc suspension.

I am approx 85kgs in full kit so thereabouts the right weight for the theoretical out of the factory sag...

The manual says to measure the unloaded length of the front forks before setting the preload. Has anyone done that?

My observations on country roads in north yorkshire with far from perfect road surfaces:

In Road mode the ddc is soft and carpet like on most road surfaces I tried.

In Dynamic it?s too hard a lot of the time with not enough damping to stop the rear bouncing on bumpy roads, front feels ok, but not completely planted. Would be great on smooth roads I expect.

I tried Race Pro mode 1 as Front 10, rear 4. Slightly/marginal better front feel than dynamic but rear still too hard. All round much harder than road mode, even with front on 12 (out of 14). I think the pro modes for adjusting ddc have different parameters from the standard modes (For track obvs). I dont think it is possible to ?dial in? road mode feel using the race pro mode settings even with the ddc at it?s softest.

Didnt try race or rain mode.

Had a play with the ddc in pro mode also. Set it to +7 (max) and had flicky yellow light on a lot of the time, cutting up to 30% of power. Very effective and the interventions were seemless.

There is a bit of a achilles heel with this new system. Pro modes 1-3 disable all comms on the bike, so no connected app functionality, no nav, no phone, no music. Outside of the pro modes there is no customisation so you get the bmw presets only. Not ideal unless you want to turn off all the comms.

 

[HertsTif]

Does the lack of Comms mean that if you use race pro modes on track, you dont get the (basic) telemetry that the app normally provides?

So basically forcing you to buy the full telemetry package... which doesn't exist yet

 

[soofsayer]

Does the lack of Comms mean that if you use race pro modes on track, you dont get the (basic) telemetry that the app normally provides?

So basically forcing you to buy the full telemetry package... which doesn't exist yet

Yes. Exactly. In race pro the app does not track your ride.

 

[r25sti]

only run mine in dynamic and not touched anything yet. mainly due to not being able to ride the roads i normally do so not really pushing it yet. feels fine as it is though. 97kg's kitted up.

 

[Carsonr6]

I?ve not had a chance to mess about with mines yet for the road. Might try some different modes if I get out tomorrow


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Schuey]

Interesting thread. I've mainly been riding in 'Road' mode with a little play in 'Dynamic'. Road mode seems fine for some of the bumpy roads around my ends. I'm not sure how much I weigh fully kitted up, but I normally weigh around 72kg. Haven't played with individual setups yet.

 

[spoonbill10]

I've not long got back from my first proper ride since having the bike serviced and honestly can't fault dynamic mode handling wise.it feels compliant when you're pottering around but once you up the pace it stiffens up but the bike feels remarkably stable and planted even over sections of road which I know are pretty bumpy..
I also tried road mode when I was running it in which I found a little soft and race mode which was too hard. They only thing that annoys me about dynamic mode is it limits wheelies too much over hill crests etc. I also tried setting up a race pro mode and left the suspension in the default settings but it felt extremely hard so I'll have to have a play around to see if I can soften it up a bit,. My ideal setting up to now would be dynamic but without the wheelie intervention and maybe full torque although I don't think a race pro setting could mimic dynamic fully as when in any of the preset road modes 90% of the suspension is dynamic whereas in a race pro mode only 10% is dynamic to give the bike more feel for the racetrack or so I'm lead to believe.
Anyway I'm blown away up to now with this bike, the speed of the thing is crackers, I'm still buzzing like I've had a shed load of drugs after that ride lol.
I weigh 70kg without all my gear.

 

[Carsonr6]

We did about 270 miles yesterday and had a play with the modes.
I spent half the time in road mode to get used to the bike again and then tried race mode. I found the suspension too hard for the road but then tried dynamic mode and for me this was the best mode for a decent pace on the roads. Bike handled faultlessly.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Schuey]

Do you guys notice any difference in the exhaust note on Dynamic setting? I'm not sure how true but my dealer had told me there's more crackles and pops on the overrun in Dynamic mode, but I can't honestly say I've noticed this?

 

[HertsTif]

Do you guys notice any difference in the exhaust note on Dynamic setting? I'm not sure how true but my dealer had told me there's more crackles and pops on the overrun in Dynamic mode, but I can't honestly say I've noticed this?

I was told to run in my bike on Rain mode, so that the suspension got the biggest workout. After 500 miles, I treated myself to Road mode. Definitely louder, definitely more pops. Not tried Dynamic, but it is plausible given my experience.

As an aside, fuel economy in rain mode sucks :friendly_wink:

 

[Schuey]

I was told to run in my bike on Rain mode, so that the suspension got the biggest workout. After 500 miles, I treated myself to Road mode. Definitely louder, definitely more pops. Not tried Dynamic, but it is plausible given my experience.

As an aside, fuel economy in rain mode sucks :friendly_wink:

Yeah, my dealer told me to do the first 150 - 200 miles in Rain mode and then move onto Road which is what I did. I did notice a difference in exhaust note between Rain and Road, but not so much between Road and Dynamic. May be I need to try Dynamic more as only had a little play in that mode owing to want to get to know the bike more and steadily build up.

 

[TheGodfather]

I ran mine in in road mode, Wasn't advised any differently. Tried dynamic but with the roads where I live I'd have no teeth left :grief: :uncomfortableness::chuncky:

 

[soofsayer]

Been out again today. Dropped the pressures to f34 r40 from the dealer set f36 r42. On the hp4 it really helped the road handling. In road mode everything felt good, into dynamic mode and like the godfather, it would have shaken my teeth out on the country bumpy roads, but very planted on smooth stuff. Ran it up to Helmsley and the Stokesley TT run, started to feel ?it? again after 2 years without a sportsbike, just need to trust it more...

 

[soofsayer]

Do you guys notice any difference in the exhaust note on Dynamic setting? I'm not sure how true but my dealer had told me there's more crackles and pops on the overrun in Dynamic mode, but I can't honestly say I've noticed this?

No, nothing, but I will listen now!

 

[spoonbill10]

Do you guys notice any difference in the exhaust note on Dynamic setting? I'm not sure how true but my dealer had told me there's more crackles and pops on the overrun in Dynamic mode, but I can't honestly say I've noticed this?

I think the exhaust acoustics are the same in all the modes apart from rain where it is turned off.

 

[spoonbill10]

Been out again today. Dropped the pressures to f34 r40 from the dealer set f36 r42. On the hp4 it really helped the road handling. In road mode everything felt good, into dynamic mode and like the godfather, it would have shaken my teeth out on the country bumpy roads, but very planted on smooth stuff. Ran it up to Helmsley and the Stokesley TT run, started to feel ?it? again after 2 years without a sportsbike, just need to trust it more...

I found it a little skittish with 42 in the rear so I went with 34f 38r and it feels spot on for me.
It certainly takes a few rides to get your head around things after you've had any sort of layoff, after 2 years it'll frazzle your brain lol

 

[RammyRR]

Do you guys notice any difference in the exhaust note on Dynamic setting? I'm not sure how true but my dealer had told me there's more crackles and pops on the overrun in Dynamic mode, but I can't honestly say I've noticed this?

I put an Akra stubby on mine after only a handful of miles and noticed almost immediately the complete lack of overrun and blipper crackles in rain, then a progressive improvement through road and dynamic etc.

I weigh a max of around 70 kg fully suited up - I find rain mode like an armchair, road good for typically variable surfaces and dynamic great for Cheshire?s A roads. Haven?t spent much time in race and not tried any race pro modes yet but it?s clear from previous comments the pro options aren?t straightforward - at least for a half-wit like me.

Absolutely agree the (admittedly well engineered) manner in which BM applies wheelie control in the lower modes is shite.

Ideas about mixing and matching settings in the non race pro modes have been well shared before but I doubt our Bavarian overlords will be moved to do anything.

 

[oldwobbler]

My ideal setting up to now would be dynamic but without the wheelie intervention and maybe full torque although I don't think a race pro setting could mimic dynamic fully as when in any of the preset road modes 90% of the suspension is dynamic whereas in a race pro mode only 10% is dynamic to give the bike more feel for the racetrack or so I'm lead to believe.
.

Spoonbill - can you explain this bit about 90% being dynamic in road mode please? In layman's terms??

 

[baz]

Spoonbill - can you explain this bit about 90% being dynamic in road mode please? In layman's terms??

Something makes me think it's actually 80/20.
RacePro modes are 80% mechanical whilst retaining 20% electronic control.

 

[oldwobbler]

Something makes me think it's actually 80/20.
RacePro modes are 80% mechanical whilst retaining 20% electronic control.

Are you saying when in Race mode the ddc can only adjust the damping by a max of 20% from the user setting? And in Road mode the bike can make 90% adjustment? (from spoonbil)

Where are you getting this info from? I had a reasonable understanding of the Gen 3 DDC and could get a setting for pretty much any road condition to suit me (not track). I'm struggling with the Gen 4.