S10 ECU flash results

My Super Tenere ECU arrived today from Off-The-Road.de in Germany. Sent on Monday morning, back on Friday morning. Turnaround time at Off-The-Toad was under 2.5 hours before it was on its way back to me again. I reckon they should do a "next day" return courier option which might cost more but I'd have been happy to pay for it as it would result in a 3-day turnaround.

Blurb here including a power graph.

First things first - the ECU came back in my original packaging, plus a sticker on the ECU itself which I have removed, some leaflets and a small pack of chewy sweets. Yum. No holes drilled in the ECU or anything like that - it looked just the same as I sent it.

Installation was a 15 min job - just the reverse of the instructions they give on their site here: http://www.off-the-road.de/out/media/Ausbau_ECU_XT1200_final(1).pdf

Obviously I had to reset the clock as I'd disconnected the battery before removing the unit.

Would it start? Yes it would. Whoop. I decided to go for a ride and use T-mode initially and then S-mode after I'd made sure T-mode was good.

The first obvious and hugely appreciated improvement is the pickup when pulling away from stationary. It is now much much smoother than before. That really annoying "stumble" you get as you pull away is now eradicated. Awesome. It really annoyed me and even the tweak of "that screw" didn't get rid of it. Now the bike is as smooth in that off/on throttle situation as my old carb'd KTM 950SM, and that was beautifully fueled. No more excessive clutch slip to get a smooth & fast pull away. So in T-mode there is a very definite improvement to throttle pickup which is almost worth the re-flash alone! Other than that, T-mode remains pretty much as before.

Now on to S-mode. OK, so I want to avoid hype here, but the bike is now just amazing. Pickup and pull is significantly improved. Acceleration is now very strong in the 1st 3 gears. Roll-on acceleration (e.g. for an overtake) is much improved. It is notable just how smooth the engine as it revs through from nothing to the red line. Again, in comparison to my KTM 950SM which I sold to get the S10, the S10 now feels nearly (but not quite) as responsive as the KTM. For a big dual-sport bike that is quite something. I did miss the "zap" of the KTM when I sold it, but now I've got comfort, wind protection, long range and a super-brilliant engine.

Previously I hadn't really noticed the crippled that much power as there's nothing really to compare it to. It just felt a bit "weird" when opening it up in the lower gears - somehow a bit disconnected from your throttle hand. However, now the bike feels simply "right". It's not "an animal" or "obscene" or "gut wrenching". It's just simply superb. Seasoned riders who are mechanically orientated will know how an engine should feel. It is a bit like when you've been riding with a passenger for a long tour, and then you get home and they get off, and you take the bike out and it feels lithe, responsive and agile. It's as though a veil of sludge (can you have a veil of sludge?) has been washed off with jet-wash.

Needless to say I am impressed. I am amazed Yamaha crippled the bike in the way they did if this is what it was like to begin with. Their engineers must be weeping in a corner somewhere.

Note that the bike remembers what mode you were in when you switch it off, so if you were in S-mode, when you turn the bike on again it's still in S-mode.

Summary: highly recommended.

Why's it not street legal then?

I think that might be for USA regs. Nobody pulled me over today

Tobers said:

I think that might be for USA regs. Nobody pulled me over today

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I suspect it's not TÜV compliant.

Tobers,

Ive read all your posts on this site and have been impressed with the work you have done

I had a deal in place yesterday to buy a demostrater with 250 miles on and some extras for my 60 plate GSA with 12k on the clock, £500 to exchange. In the end i turned it down.

The reason, it seems even after a year or so some basic problems have not been ironed out, i have well over 2k's worth of extras on the GSA and really wanted a bike straight out of the crate to ride and be good. I dont mean luggage or a new seat but basics like heated grips, bash plate, spotlights, crash bars etc etc etc and the thing that really put me of is this fueling issue, i had it on a previuos varedero and it drove me nuts. i know i could get a bike speced up to my desire and i accepted that but things like not seeing clocks and the fueling issue means i am waiting til september when mine is 2 years old and think again.

I do really want an S10 so will continue reading.

Out of interest Tobers how much have you spent on farkling and i dont mean bling but things you felt were needed.

Cheers

BTW Tobers im at Vines of Guildford next getting a 12k service, be nice to see the beast in the flesh

Hi LBL,

The ECU fix was about £400 (pricey but I think prices will come down, well worth it though). I've got a different screen at about £125 and a screen adjuster thingy at about £100. Add in Oxford heated grips at about £60 and there's £685 of farkling.

I'm two miles from Vines. When are you there?

Andy

Tobers said:

Hi LBL,

The ECU fix was about £400 (pricey but I think prices will come down, well worth it though). I've got a different screen at about £125 and a screen adjuster thingy at about £100. Add in Oxford heated grips at about £60 and there's £685 of farkling.

I'm two miles from Vines. When are you there?

Andy

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i'm dropping mine off on teusday after work for the service on wednesday and then picking mine up when it's done.

be keen to look at yours, so no spot lights, crash bars or bash plate on yours Andy, i come ( there now) to the ardennes 2 or 3 times a month and want someting to eat the miles.

Hi Tobers,

sounds great.

I am having a full Arrow system with Power Commander 5 fitted next week. I wonder if this would then complicate my ECU flash (i.e. would I have to get the Power Commander map updated after the re-flash).

Rod

If you email Off-The-Road.de, they will let you know if your farkles have any impact on the flash. They are very responsive indeed.

This is the first mod I would do, followed by shock with ride height adjuster to sort lazy steering.

I have the same problem as many GS owners, my bike has about £2.5k of great extra's and I could throw them on another GS, whereas luggage / shock / ECU flash / Sat Nav bracket etc. for the S10 is gonna cost me about £2.5k on day one - it makes buying another GS also seem like a good idea

Still hope to find some well priced second handers soon, and unlike the GS I don't mind a high mileage bike as Nick Saunders has already proved the reliability is far better than the GS.

Rasher, are you saying that you'd fit a rear shock with ride height adjustment?
I ask, because the S10 has adjustable ride height from standard.

Rasher said:

This is the first mod I would do, followed by shock with ride height adjuster to sort lazy steering.

I have the same problem as many GS owners, my bike has about £2.5k of great extra's and I could throw them on another GS, whereas luggage / shock / ECU flash / Sat Nav bracket etc. for the S10 is gonna cost me about £2.5k on day one - it makes buying another GS also seem like a good idea

Still hope to find some well priced second handers soon, and unlike the GS I don't mind a high mileage bike as Nick Saunders has already proved the reliability is far better than the GS.

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Spending 2.5k on an S10 may not be necessary. Suck it and see as the S10 is a very good bike in standard form.

I came back from a ride around favourite roads in the Black Mountains & Brecon Beacons with a big grin on my face, riding a stock bike. I'm very happy with the fuel injection and the suspension seems fine, although the front end gets a bit more lively over bumpy terrain than I'm used to.

Of course, my point of reference is a 12 year old R1150GS so the S10 seems like something form Star Trek in comparison.

However, I still fail to get why you lot need to continually spend thousands of pounds on mods that give what I would perceive as marginal gains.

I might spend a few pennies on a couple of rubber bits to change the seat into a more level position, though. Although, a few minutes shaving bits off the current ones with a Stanley knife and a blob of silicone sealant might achieve the same effect...

I think it's great that people are experimenting with the S10 because it allows others to make an informed decision as to whether they wish to do the same. However, for me, I am happy with the bike as it is. It has more than enough power for me (and I have come from a Tiger 1050 with the stonking triple engine). I have not noticed any "stutter" from the engine at low revs (although I have heard this complaint and the supposed solution on the American S10 site) nor do I feel the power restrictions in the lower gears as reported elsewhere.

As for the front end needing to be quickened up as stated by Rasher, it turns plenty fast enough for me and certainly quicker than the Tiger.

Yer pays yer money and makes yer choice but I would suggest that a lot of people would be happy with the bike straight out of the showroom, making having to spend £2500 before going out on the road totally unnecessory.

Rasher said:

This is the first mod I would do, followed by shock with ride height adjuster to sort lazy steering.

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Just wind the rear shock up - it makes a huge difference and speeds up the steering a lot. My bike came with it wound almost all the way down like some old chopper or something. Easily & quickly sorted.

bigk said:

I think it's great that people are experimenting with the S10 because it allows others to make an informed decision as to whether they wish to do the same. However, for me, I am happy with the bike as it is. It has more than enough power for me (and I have come from a Tiger 1050 with the stonking triple engine). I have not noticed any "stutter" from the engine at low revs (although I have heard this complaint and the supposed solution on the American S10 site) nor do I feel the power restrictions in the lower gears as reported elsewhere.

As for the front end needing to be quickened up as stated by Rasher, it turns plenty fast enough for me and certainly quicker than the Tiger.

Yer pays yer money and makes yer choice but I would suggest that a lot of people would be happy with the bike straight out of the showroom, making having to spend £2500 before going out on the road totally unnecessory.

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I certainly wouldn't want to spend £2500 on it! The ECU mod is very good though.

wust588 said:

Rasher, are you saying that you'd fit a rear shock with ride height adjustment?
I ask, because the S10 has adjustable ride height from standard.

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It has adjustable pre-load, not ride height.

Adding pre-load does raise the rear, but doing so too much makes the ride harsh, ride height adjusters allow you to speed up the steering without over-stiffening the suspension.

The ST has a very lazy steering geometry and back to back with my GS feels like an oil tanker (although I am sure you could ride it through a hurricane without being moved offline)

I did adjust the pre-load on the ST and found it helped but I think I would still go for a shock that I could raise the rear with, plus as I do a lot of two-up I reckon the OE shock will struggle two-up fully loaded (the GS one did)

The OE shock also lacks seperate compression and rebound damping, which I find particularly useful for setting a bike up for two-up riding.

The £2.5k would inlcude reflash, luggage and shock - all well sorted on the GS, plus I have my Tony Archer seats, pannier inner bags, sat nav mounts, wingletts, Givi Screen. de-cat headers, accel module

It was only when I considered selling the GS I realised just how much I had spent on the damn thing!

I also believe if I got an ST it would be a keeper so spending this money would not bother me, just I am not so sure I can find said dosh right now so the GS may have to stay until next year as it needs nothing doing to it and is still a hoot to ride.

Rasher, as I understand it, the preload and the "ride height" are one and the same thing. Or am I missing something?
If you turn the knob on the r/h side clockwise, it will raise the ride height.
The preload knob raises or lowers the rear end but doesn't change the spring rate, (although the handbook claims this).
I agree with you that the suspension feels quite harsh, and for me, especially on the front end. My 71KG weight might affect this though?
We are all different of course, but I don't personally find the steering lazy at all.
In fact for me, the S10 feels more planted than my previous 09- 1200 GS.
Both bikes are brilliant though, and as a matter of fact liked the handling of the GS. I just couldn't put up with it's horrible gearbox.
It'd be good if you do decide to buy an S10, and see what difference alternative suspension might make to the bike.
ATB.

Rasher is correct ride height and preload are completely different, altering the preload will make the bike feel stiffer, it's is not altering the spring rate but as it suggests preloading the spring effectively reducing it's travel really the more compressed the spring is the harder it is to use up the remaining travel of the spring making it feel stiffer. Ride height is making the shock longer simple as that, raising the rear of the bike steepens the head angle making for quicker steering but at the same time reducing stability to a certain degree.

Hi,

I will be picking my new S10 up this week, and I will be taking it for some suspension work very soon. The stock setup is fine, but I am a bit lardy, I travel 2-up and we take a lot of luggage so we will need a higher spring rate.

Darren at MCT wants to look at the rear shock with a view to uprating the spring if possible. As the standard one is too soft for me I have a feeling this will increase the rear sag (the bike, not me) and therefore make the steering more ponderous. In my case I believe having the correct spring will make a big difference to the handling. Maybe not as nice as a new shock but good enough.

I had an Ohlins on the GS for the same reason, and it transformed the bike. I spent a fortune on accessories (as per Mr Rasher) but I got back a large proportion of this outlay when I sold it, so I am comfortable with looking at the whole-life cost.

I too am anticipating this bike to be a keeper, and I want to get the spring and the reflash done asap so I can really get the most from it.

Regards,

Matt

Perhaps you could raise the forks through the yokes 1 -2 cms to lower the front end and see what that does to the steering, won't cost you a penny. If you like the changes but need the ground clearance then pay for the rear suspension upgrade.

Packer said:

Perhaps you could raise the forks through the yokes 1 -2 cms to lower the front end and see what that does to the steering, won't cost you a penny. If you like the changes but need the ground clearance then pay for the rear suspension upgrade.

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I just need to shift the extra weight so the rear spring is not being abused, then job done.

Matt