Rev Limiter

[aspad]

Anyone know how this works?
And if the experience below sounds like it in operation?
I have run up against it 3 times now and each time it is like the engine is starved of fuel for a short period - maybe half a second or so. It was a bit disconcerting today as I was in the middle of an overtake while a mate and I were having a play. It certainly messed up the move and it is not something that I would want to cope with in an absolutely critical moment in traffic.
I should say that I THINK it was the rev limiter doing this - each time I have had my gaze firmly on the road and not the clocks - but I'm about 90% sure. The first two times were on a track day coming onto the main straight from a third gear corner, today was coming out of a sharp second gear corner into a long straight and overtaking someone who didn't want to be overtaken...each time I was giving it as much as i could.

 

[Dave Price]

Yes, you should have been in the next higher gear at least, unless you were in top.
BTW, the 1200GS will rev to the limiter in top gear, which is just on an indicated 140 mph. The limiter is quite soft and just pulls you back a couple of mph in sixth gear. I presume the electronics just cut the ignition or slightly retard it.

 

[Fanum]

It does sound like the limiter kicking in.

Did you by any chance come to the GS from a jap multi-cylinder bike???

I had the same problem initially...but soon got used to using the torque much lower down the rev range in a higher gear rather than running out of puff then revs higher up.

 

[aspad]

Done a bit of research and found that rev limiters normally work by cutting fuel supply for a short period. That is pretty much what it felt like so....
I'd better start changin' up earlier - after I get me pipe lit and me slippers warmed..

 

[GSmonkey]

Did you by any chance come to the GS from a jap multi-cylinder bike???

I came from a in-line 4 japbike and kept banging the GS off the limiter......just takes a while to adjust and know what 7k rpm sounds/feels like.

 

[Geordietraveller]

Ahhh yes - there's nothing like that feeling of headbutting the clocks half way through an overtake!

 

[Mr K]

:drackula

Try changing up?......Mechanical sympathy???

 

[ahutcheon]

It certainly messed up the move and it is not something that I would want to cope with in an absolutely critical moment in traffic.

Unlike, say, a bunch of dropped valves due to serious over-revving?

Not a comment on your riding, just reminded me of a safety critical systems guru who claimed that the software caused an accident because the rev limiter wouldn't let his car go fast enough in second gear to make the overtake...

 

[darkstar]

Ahhh yes - there's nothing like that feeling of headbutting the clocks half way through an overtake!

I did that on my test ride.. it's a real b1tch when it catches you out isn't it

 

[TheJoker]

The rev limiter makes your bike sound like it's spluttering and like you're cutting the ignition off for a very short while, and the turning it on again, and off again and on again and... you get the pic...

However, it's not fuel that it's cutting off, it is the ignition as it's more direct (and easier) to cut the spark rather than cutting petrol flow....

... Change up earlier..