ASC effect on performance?

[NLS]

I searched the forum and didn't find any definite answer to the question.

Does ASC effect the performance of the bike? (acceleration to be more specific)

I can see two contradicting theories: ASC makes the bike have less acceleration since it affects the engine itself. Or ASC makes the bike have in fact more acceleration since it helps the rear wheel not to slide and loose miliseconds.

Does anybody have any real experience on this? (having used both with and without)

Also I found a link that "probably" talks about this, but it is in German and the translator does a REALLY bad job. In case someone understands and cares to explain us what it says, here it is:

http://www.motorradonline.de/archiv/motorraeder/test-bmw-r-1200-gs-adventure-mit-asc.252860.htm

 

[Loiq]

It does not explain the exact losses etc. also it's written in very coloquial german for the south or even austria...

All is says is how ASC works etc. and how in the old days you'd have fallen off if there was loose crap on the road and that's that could have been written in 3 lines in my opinion...

In cars it's been proven that ASC allows you to pull away faster as the car version makes lots of adjustments depending on surface blah blah technical which you can't make as a driver.

so I would say the difference is small, how ever if you want a fast bike I would recommend an R1 they are jolly fast and I think they could beat the old 1200 easy...

 

[NLS]

Well never said the opposite.

I just wonder if ASC makes tiny-tiny improvement OR the opposite (or nothing) on whatever (low to an R1, a GSXR, 1098 or you name it) performance R12GS can give.

Does anybody have practical experience? For example someone with a 12GS with ASC trying a 0-100Km (or 0-50 or anyway something indicative) with and without?

 

[Peter Reilly]

I have ASC on my bike. You can tell when the ASC cuts in because a yellow light comes on. I have managed to get the light on in the wet (20mph, first gear, full throttle) but could not feel the acceleration slowing. According to the blurb, ASC cuts in in 2 stages. First it retards the ignition and then it cuts the power completely. I think I just made it to stage 1, hence I couldn't feel anything as the timing retard is quite delicate.

So to answer the question, I think ASC will make no difference at all to acceleration times in the dry as getting the wheel to spin on tarmac is almost impossible. In the wet, it may in theory make you a little faster as it avoids wasteful wheelspin but it is best thought of as a safety aid, not a peformance aid.

 

[NLS]

Thank you for the feedback!

Some comments:

1) You obviously don't know Greek downtown tarmac. My Dakar wheel spins in some places every day.

2) I was not looking at it as a performance aid (which WOULD be a bonus if it was), but my major concern is if it is performance limiter. Your educated guess is: no?

 

[Loiq]

Of course it a performance limiter it's limiting the amount of go you input via the throttle, and how much you can use on the road by transfering it to the road, track or other surface. The laws of physics on this planet state a few basic rules and there no way round it.

All I know in my M with all the buttons to on it's hard to unsettle the car and make the back end flick out, when you turn ASC, DSC and the other buttons to off and try the same trick the car spins violently all over the shop and I got to buy some new wheels.

ASC is a limiter for sure but it's a trade off as to how much you can get power / acceleration transfered onto road it's just like. Sorry if that's a stupid answer but once cars, bikes and planes are aided by technology they are easier to ride and make it easier for people to enjoy a safe ride out.

In the old days if you found some gravel or other crap on the road the first thing you'd know about it was when you got up off the floor and swore about the gravel rash up your legs.

 

[NLS]

in any case, I'd like to see more "real life" comments
we can all theorize (ok some better than others )

 

[Peter Reilly]

No, I do not think ASC is a performance limiter for an average rider like me. It should only cut in in situations where I will not be pushing that hard anyway, i.e. slippery roads. I specified ASC as I ride in London a lot and the roads can be very slippery when wet. Having lost the back end twice at wet T junctions, I like the idea of a system that will react faster then me when I overdo it.

For a highly skilled rider in a hurry it may be a limiter but you can always turn it off.